America is our Country

Thursday Halaqa Notes

11-10-16

Ustatha Dana Jarrar

This is our Country...

After Trump won, people were shocked, they did not expect it. How could someone with so many bad qualities win? But by the end of the night, we realized that Trump had won. I was sad that the American people chose this. Then I remembered Egypt. Americans used to look at us saying, how did you elect these dictators? The evil sometimes wins! And this is from the signs of the day of judgement.

If we look in the Qur'an we will find out how to deal with any shocking situation. 

1) "But perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you; and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you. And Allah Knows, while you know not." (2:216)

كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْقِتَالُ وَهُوَ كُرْهٌ لَّكُمْ ۖ وَعَسَىٰ أَن تَكْرَهُوا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ ۖ وَعَسَىٰ أَن تُحِبُّوا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ شَرٌّ لَّكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

2) "Say, "Never will we be struck except by what Allah has decreed for us; He is our protector." And upon Allah let the believers rely." (9:51)

قُل لَّن يُصِيبَنَا إِلَّا مَا كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَنَا هُوَ مَوْلَانَا ۚ وَعَلَى اللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ

After you heard the news, did you try to talk to yourself? Did you try to tell yourself, there must be something good that will come from this? This is a test from Allah, and we hope that it will make us stronger. These situations unite the community like nothing else can. This time, we are not alone anymore, the other minorities are with us now. 

People are afraid of their futures, what to say to their children, and afraid for their safety. For us, we don't have this fear. We don't fear anything but Allah. What is stabilizing us is that we have in our hearts the confidence that Allah is The Wise and the Most Merciful. Have a good expectation of Allah. You can hold your head high, you are close to Allah, and say Allah wants to raise our status. We show each other that I am with you. We see who needs support and support them. We need to wake up and unite and be together. 

CA is made up of minorities! The kids in the schools have been afraid for the past year if Trump became president! Show positivity to your children! Tell them the good things about them. Look for the good instead of the bad. Negativity puts people down and makes it hard to think. Use positive phrases and affirmations. Which eye do you have? The eye of the bee or the eye of the fly? You should have the eye of the bee. Us mothers, we go into our kids room, we only see what's wrong, we don't notice the clean parts. We should look for the good in our children. Don't think if you put them down they will suddenly have high self esteem and motivation and start working hard! 

When Allah put the Prophet (S) through all those difficulties, is it because he was mad at him? No, we have to change this thinking that Allah is punishing us. We know that Allah is Al Razzaq, Al Raheem, Al Kareem. We don't fear Trump. When Abu bakr (RA) was hiding in the cave, the Prophet (S) told him "Do not be afraid, certainly Allah is with us."

What do I say to my kids? 

Everyone should know this Hadith: Abu al-‘Abbas ‘Abdullah bin ‘Abbas(ra) reports: “One day I was riding (a horse/camel) behind the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, when he said, ‘Young man, I will teach you some words. Be mindful of God, and He will take care of you. Be mindful of Him, and you shall find Him at your side. If you ask, ask of God. If you need help, seek it from God. Know that if the whole world were to gather together in order to help you, they would not be able to help you except if God had written so. And if the whole world were to gather together in order to harm you, they would not harm you except if God had written so. The pens have been lifted, and the pages are dry.’ "

This needs knowledge. Your knowledge needs to be through the Quran and sunnah. You need to have a daily wird, a certain amount of Quran and thikr you do daily even if it is very small amount. The Sahaba used to read and reflect daily. You need to sit you and Allah. We are entering a difficult time. We are in the beginning of the end of times. We have to sit with our children. We can read to them 40 nawawi Hadith, Quran, tafseer, listen and then discuss with them. 

Teach your children about du'a. If the people gathered to do something to you they can't do anything except what Allah wrote for you. What's written is written, but you have du'a! Du'a is the only thing that can change your qadr.

We will be judged based on our efforts. In Jannah, Allah will show you your rewards. Allah is the only one Who rewards us based on our efforts! He doesn't care about the results. So make the effort, take action, then leave the rest to Allah!