 Beard turned gray when Allah revealed the verses of steadfastness to Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam in Surat al-Hood. Istiqama, steadfastness is not an easy thing to achieve and accomplish respected listeners. It takes a lot of effort. It takes sacrifices. We should not become dependent on the mahal, on the environment. Like it was very easy to pray five times and read Quran, do zikr, even to go hungry for long hours during the month of Ramadan. Everyone was doing it. It was easy for us to do it too. But when the environment is not there, when those conditions like they were in Ramadan so conducive to us are not there, but we still become firm in doing those good deeds, then Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala not only will reward us for doing good deeds, but Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala will make us feel the light, the noor of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala in our hearts. Because when a person does good deeds with Istiqama, with steadfastness, not only he gets the rewards from Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, it pulls the special mercy of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. It pulls the special blessings of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. And above all, it pulls the guidance of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala talks about those people remain firm in spite of the trials and tribulations, in spite of the loss of lives of their families and relatives, loss in wealth, loss in their hard work in the fruits of their labor. Still, they remain firm and steadfast. These are the ones on whom Allah sends His mercy, His blessings, and these are the ones who are rightly guided. May Allah make us among those respected listeners. A person comes to Hassan Basri, Rahmatullah, and he says, make dua that I start praying the Hajj of Salat. Hassan Basri, Rahmatullah, his khutbas are amazing. We should try to read his khutbas. Hassan Basri, Rahmatullah, says, you correct your actions of the day time. You correct your actions of the day time. Allah will give you the ability to get up in the night time and pray the Hajj. Rasulullah, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, said the one who corrects his actions in the night time, the one whose night time is free of sins, Allah subhanahu alaihi wa sallam, will put the love of him or her in the hearts of the people during the day time. The companions of Prophet Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam respected listeners. There were rocks, mountains of steadfastness. Say, Ali Rasulullah, even in the battle of Sifin, when he was the Amir al-Mu'mineen, the Khalifa of the believers, somebody asked him, you know, Rasulullah taught this as car to you and Fatima, Rasulullah, to say Subhanallah 33 times, Alhamdulillah, 33 times, Allahu Akbar, 34 times before you go to sleep. But you say in this battle of Sifin, when you were extremely busy last night in the chaos, in the chaos of the battlefield, did you say those as car last night? We said, yes, even last night I sat in the corner and I took time out to say those as car, small action from our perspective, respected listeners. But look at the steadfastness, look at the commitment and the dedication because they had to sacrifice, hunger, starvation, sicknesses. Then they got this as car from Rasulullah, Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam. They knew the value of that. It's easy for me to say standing on a lush carpet, beautiful Masjid. Easy for you to listen, sitting in these very comfortable surroundings. But ask, say, Ali Rasulullah, Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, ask, Hazrat Fatima Rasulullah, what prize did they pay to get these words, these advice from Prophet Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam? Said, Bilal Rasulullah, rock of steadfastness. They would put rocks and drag him on the streets and the alleys of Makkah in this scorching heat of the desert of Arabia. Still he would say, ahad, ahad. Nothing would waver him, nothing would shake him. Rasulullah said, oh Bilal, what did you do that I heard your footsteps in paradise? I heard your footsteps in paradise, oh Bilal, what action do you do? Said, Bilal Rasulullah says, I don't know, O Prophet of Allah, but every time I do wudu, every time I do ablution, I pray to Rakat Salat, O Prophet of Allah. No matter what the conditions were he would make, whenever he would make wudu, no matter how busy he was, he would take time out to pray to Rakat Salat. And that action propelled him for Rasulullah to hear his footsteps in paradise. Said, Abdullah Ibn Masud, Rasulullah, when he was dying, one of the great companions of the Prophet Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, when he was dying, the Khalifa of the time, said, Uthma Ibn Affan, Rasulullah comes to him and he says, he looks at his house, small room, hardly barely anything in his house, and he has two young daughters of marriageable age, being the Khalifa, the leader of the believers, when tons of extreme amounts of treasure he was coming from the contests, he said, why haven't you given anything to your daughters and to yourself? Why are you living in this condition like this? But the yakeen they had, the conviction they had in their hearts from the teachings of Prophet Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, who worked on the hearts of the companions, he said, what do you think, O Amirul-Muminin, what do you think, O leader of the believers? I have taught my daughters to read every night, not when I feel like I read it, when I get time I read it, read it whenever it's possible, when it's easy for you. I told them to read it every night, with istiqama, with steadfastness, consistency, something Allah loves, the most beloved action in the eyes of Allah said, Rasulullah Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, the most beloved action in the eyes of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is the one that is done on regular basis, on consistent basis, even if it is small, even if it is small. So he said, I told my daughters to read Surat al-Waqya every night, where Rasulullah Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said, whoever reads Surat al-Waqya, it's in the 27th, the Jews of the Quran, whoever reads Surat al-Waqya every night, Allah will save him or her from poverty. I taught my daughters that, I've given him that wealth, to rescue them from poverty. Don't you think I'm worried about my daughters, my own daughters? And they stood on that steadfastness, they would read Surat al-Waqya, so happened few years after he passed away, shortly after he passed away. Masri Moulin's Alliances of the Princes of the Time came to his daughters and they got married to the Princes of the Time. Whoever reads Surat al-Waqya every night, in the 29th Jews, every night, Rasulullah says, whoever feels who she should read Surat al-Waqya, whenever we feel like, whenever we have time, whoever reads Surat al-Waqya every night, said Prophet Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam. Anytime from after Maghrib till you go to sleep, in between that duration, whoever recites Surat al-Waqya, Allah will save that person from the punishment and the retribution in the graves, said Prophet Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam. Sa'din Nabi Waqas, Rasulullah, his mother is dying. She's on the deathbed, a strong, strong woman, mushrik, idol worshiper. Beginning days of Islam, her son is 18 years old, 19 years old. She says, Oh my son, if you don't come back to my religion, the religion of your forefathers, I'm not gonna eat or drink anything. And she was a very strong woman mentally. She was playing this psychological warfare with her son. He said, Ya'umma, oh my beloved mother, please don't do that. But she went on with her threat. It came to a point after a few days, she became very emaciated and mixed, she came close to dying. Hour after hour, this 19 year old kid from our perspective, hour after hour, he would take her food, water, Ya'umma, please eat, please drink. My beloved mother, she would taunt him, she would mock him, she would ridicule him. If I die in this condition, the people of my tribe will cast you, will kick you out of town of Makkah. Don't let me die in this condition. In her last moment, she's saying, in a very weak condition, about to die close to death, she's saying that. Did that waver his son who loved her mother so much? Did it shake him like a tree which blows wherever the wind blows in that direction? He said, Ya'umma, as strong as my love for you is. My love for Allah and His prophet is stronger. Even if you have one thousand lives and one life after another departs from your body, I'm not going to give up my Islam for anything. I'm not going to give up my Islam for anything, oh my beloved mother. When he said that it shook the heavens in the sky. Allah said, Enjibil alaihi salam, in the verses in Surat al-Lukhman, Your mother bore you, delivered you with pain upon pain, hardship upon hardship. Be thankful to your parents. Be thankful to Allah and be thankful to your parents. In the end, your return will be to me. Be good to your parents. Be respectful to your parents. You don't have to believe what they say in regards to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, but yet be respectful to them, says Allah. These were the mountains of steadfastness respected listeners. Allah has set them as examples for all of us to follow until the day of judgment. Not to miss our salat, no matter how tired I am in the Isha time or how hard it is for me to get up for fudger time. These are the tests for us respected listeners. For our time, our generation, these are the tests. Is my servant going to get up for fudger or not? I'm not going to test him like Sa'ad bin Abi Waqas. I'm not going to test him like Bilal. Allah knows our capabilities, our capacities. La yukallifu allahu nafsin illa us'aha lahaa maa kasabatua alaiha matta sabat. Allah says I will not burden a soul more than what it can bear. Sure we can bear to get up at fudger respected listeners. Sure we can pray Isha and go to sleep. It's the khamad, steadfastness, not only in our Salat in reciting Quran and doing zikr, but in our mamilat, in our dealings with the people. No matter what happens I'm not going to speak lies. I'm late for my meeting, I'm not going to give them any excuse, false excuse. I'm going to speak the truth. They will understand because the truth has its own power and sweetness which we can't see or feel. My akhlaa, no matter how much somebody provokes me right on my face, I'm going to control my anger. That is when Allah's help comes respected listeners. Allah will test us. Allah will test us according to our abilities. At that time we stand up, we stay firm. I'm not going to miss my Salat. I have made intention of reading one Jews of Quran every day, or half Jews, maybe quarter of a Jews, maybe one page of the Quran every day. No matter what conditions come to me, I'm going to read that one page of the Quran. I'm going to set up a time after Fajr or after this time. I'm going to pray at least recite one page of the Quran. I'm going to do a little bit of a scar. Sit down in isolation, talk to Allah, feel the noor of Allah in my heart, communicate with Allah, the beloved, the most beloved to me who will come to my rescue in the grave, at the time of death, on the day of judgment, at the time of scales, on the bridge of Sirat, he is the one who's come to my aid. I'm going to sit down in loneliness, in solitude, and remember him. Recite his askar on my fingers, on my hand, or on tasbih. I'm going to take some time out. No matter what conditions come upon them me, no matter what situation is around me, I'm going to sit down and do that. When we do that, respected listeners, not only Allah will reward us, but Allah will put His noor, His light in our hearts. We don't feel that a lot of times, because we waver, we shake, we do it when it's easy for us, but when we become firm, قُلْ أَمَنْ تُبِ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ اَسْتَقِيمَ A companion comes to Prophet Saleh Allah, listens, O Prophet of Allah, advise me. Advise me, O Prophet of Allah, and make it short, O Prophet of Allah, and after which I don't know how to ask anybody any advice. Rasulullah says, قُلْ أَمَنْ تُبِ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ اَسْتَقِيمَ. Say I believe in Allah and then remain firm, because Allah will test you in between saying la ilaha illallah and staying firm, tests from Allah will come to us. Allah will test us. Are you of that strong medal? Are you that strong believer which Allah loves, or are we believers in the eyes of Allah, SubhanAllah? We showed our strength in the month of Ramadan, respected listeners. We showed Allah how strong we were, how capable we were, going through 15, 16 hours of hunger and thirst is not no easy task by any means. But we did that with Allah's tawfeeq and ability in Allah, and we have that ista'a, that capability. Samhahu Atta Ramadhan, that capability is not being used. اِسْجَعُوكُمْ مِنْ فَلْخِكُمْ وَمِنْ أَسْفَلَ مِنْكُمْ وَإِذَّا قَدِ الْأَبْصَارُ وَبَلَقَدِ الْخُلُوبُ الْحَنَاجِرَ وَتَذْنُونَ بِلَّهِ ذُنُونَ هُنَالِكَبْطُوليَ المُؤْمِنُونَ وَزُلْزِلُوُ زِلْزَالَنْ شَدِيدًا In the battle of trench, in the year 5th after Hijri, after the migration on the fifth year after the migration of Prophet SAW, never in the history of Islam so many troops had come and surrounded Islam to extinguish Islam from the face of the earth. Twenty-four thousand troops came and surrounded Madinah Munawwara. From all tribes gathered, collected, came and surrounded Madinah. What was the condition of the companions of Prophet SAW, Rasulullah SAW? Rasulullah tied up two stones on his stomach because of hunger and starvation. Some companions, one stone on their stomach, hunger, starvation, thirst, exhaustion, tiredness, and fear above all. What was the condition of respected listeners? How did they act or react? Allah talks about them in this beautiful verse in Surat al-Hazab. Allah says, they, the enemy came from above you and beneath you and they surrounded all around you and your eyes shot and your eyes, Allah says, they surrounded all around you. The belief, your eyes shot upwards with fear, your heart slept through your throats and even you were having all kinds of thoughts about Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. The believers were tested with a great test and they were shaken by a mighty shake. They were shaken by a mighty shake. Allah is saying this. How did they react? What did the companions do? They looked to no one else but Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. Allah revealed these verses in the Quran. The most beautiful example for you to follow is the Prophet of Allah. The one who wishes to meet Allah and see the last day, let him follow the Prophet of Allah. What happened to Allah? Rasulullah lied down and started doing zikr profusely. When the companions saw this calmness, this calm attitude of Allah, Rasulullah against all odds, against all odds, Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam showed his calmness, lack of fear and his trust and his eyes turned towards Allah When the companions saw this, they said, وَلَمَّا رَأَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الْأَحْزَابِ قَالُوا هَذَا مَا وَعَدَنَ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُوا وَسَدَقَ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُوا وَمَا زَادَهُمْ إِلَّا إِمَانَ وَتَسْلِمَا When they saw these people, tribes, mushirkeen surrounding Madinah and Munawwara, they said this is exactly what Allah and his Prophet promised. Allah and his Prophet have spoken the truth and this whole experience did not increase them in anything. Allah says this whole experience did not increase them in anything. Except their submission to Allah and their iman and their faith. It only increased them in their faith and submission to Allah. That is what it should do to us, respected listeners. No matter how hard the conditions are, it should only increase us in our faith and submission to Allah SubhanAllah. We are very hasty people. Allah says a human being is a very hasty human being. In the Quran, Allah says they are hasty people. We want quick results, especially in this day and age and time. We want to press the buttons and get the results. But Allah's plan, respected listeners, Allah's timetable is different than our timetable. For 90 years, for 90 years, Bayt al-Makhdas was taken over by the Crusaders. What did they do to Masjid al-Aqsa? One of the French knights, he made a portion into a palace and then one of the potions, they converted into putting as a stable for horses and then the majority of Masjid al-Aqsa was made as a garbage dumpster. For 90 years, Allah Subhanahu wa ta'ala tolerated this. And then, against all odds, in the face of kufr and disbelief, Allah Subhanahu wa ta'ala sent Sulahudina Yubi, to shatter the might and arrogance of the Crusaders. And brought back the dignity, the glory and honor back to Bayt al-Makhdas. Allah's timetable is different, respected listeners. We want quick results. May Allah Subhanahu wa ta'ala give us the ability to understand and word. O Prophet of Allah, Allah says in the Qur'an, O Prophet of Allah, the reason we tell you the stories of the prophets is to strengthen your heart. If Rasulullah is telling Rasulullah to strengthen his heart, for us there is even better example in Rasulullah to follow his ways, respected listeners. And the ways of the companions and the lives and the biographies. When you keep reading the biography of Prophet Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, you will feel like one of the characters in Madinat al-Munawwara. Keep reading his biography, respected listeners. It will take you back in time and you almost feel like one of the characters in Madinat al-Munawwara because it is true, it is authentic. We have that. It's a treasure for us. No other ummahs, no other religions have any seerah to follow like we have for Rasulullah, Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. I say, the person who is called to this place is the forgiveness of Allah and the forgiveness of Allah. Praise be to Allah, Lord of all the worlds, peace be upon His beloved Messenger. Respected listeners, we are living in the 21st century of the Gregorian calendar, or the 15th century of the Hijrah. We are far away when Islam came to Arabian Peninsula. We are more than 1,440 years away. But Subhanallah respected listeners, in this day and age we are still seeing the miracles of Allah Subh'anaHu Ta'ala. One of the miracles of Allah Subh'anaHu Ta'ala, we need to feel positive. People get very pessimistic, you know, this is happening to Muslims, this is happening to the Muslim Ummah, this is what, this is what, very depressing attitude. You know, Allah Subh'anaHu Ta'ala is still showing his special mercy, favors to the Ummah of Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam. Inna hadbhi il Ummah, Ummatul Marhumah Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam said, this is the Ummah, Ummah of mercy of Allah Subh'anaHu Ta'ala. And Allah is showing this, we still have the Quran respected listeners, we have still have the wellspring of revelation with us. What better do we have, what better do we want than this? We still have the seerah of Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam, the authentic seerah of Rasulullah to follow, to read, to get inspired, to picture ourselves in the time with the miraculous versus the ordinary people like Sahaba, who became extraordinary, just following the ways of Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam. We are like a super tanker respected listeners. The only show on earth today, the only show is Islam respected listeners, the reason I'm saying is because Islam has the Quran, the authentic book, the New Testament, people doubt did Islam really say this or not, Buddha shrouded in mystery. But Islam Subh'anaHu Ta'ala still has authentic Quran which is not going to change, right? The seerah of Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam. The iman flowing in the billions, Subh'anaHu, we have strong iman, none of the other nations can claim as strong iman as Muslims do. We prayed Salat, even though few percentage are consistent on five times Salat, we still have the essence of the month of Ramadan, which is one of the miracles of the modern day and age and time. Hajj is still Hajj. So iman is overflowing and this iman is from Allah Azza wa Jalla respected listeners. This shows that Allah is still looking at us with favor and love. And look at the siltsy love we have, the continuation. No other Ummah has this, the scholars to guide, scholars, one sheikh who has kept his hand in the hand of another sheikh, who has kept his hand in the hand of another sheikh, whose hand held another, his hand held another, another, until to the blessed hands of Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam. We have ulama to guide us, no other Ummah can claim that. And the numbers we have are Allahu Akbar. Allah's help is with large numbers, historically speaking, Allah's help is with large numbers. In the battles, large armies win. Hundred years ago respected listeners, Allah's, that's what I was saying, Allah's timetable is very different. You look at the global atlas of hundred years ago and you look at the global map today. Without us knowing, a lot of things have changed. Hundred years ago, the Muslim population was 12 billion. Today, the Muslim population is 24 billion. In 20 years to 30 years time, we will overtake the Christianity religion on the face of the earth. Muslims will be the largest population on the face of the earth. Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam said, I would like to see my Ummah in large numbers on the day of judgment. People in India are being perceived, Muslims in India, they don't get as many opportunities as other non-Muslims do. They don't get to power positions as non-Muslims do. The Muslims in poverty, but they're having children, they're multiplying, Bulgaria persecution on Muslims, but the population of Muslim population, Bulgaria is more than 20, 25, 30 percent, it's going to be more than 30 percent in few years. The largest religion in entire Europe and America after Christianity is Islam. If you go to any British airport, any airport in England, if you want to go pray, there is a sign, there is one prayer room. In the entire airport, there is one prayer room, used to be a cross sign on the prayer room. Now you have a person sitting in Jalsa position, Atahiyat position, a Muslim sitting in Atahiyat position, because they know it is only Muslims who come to pray in the prayer room. These are the miracles of the modern day, respected listeners. We need to feel good, we need to feel positive about this. We are like the super tanker I was saying. It takes time. We want short turns. We want quick results. Our super tanker cannot take a sharp turn. It takes 20 hours or more for it to take a slow turn, because it is loaded. It is fully freighted. Our super tanker is loaded with Islam. Today the Muslim population on the planet Earth is 2 billions, that is 24 percent of 8 billion or 25 percent. In 10 years, in 20 years, it will supersede everywhere. These are Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala's protectors, guide us. We are like a gem, respected listeners, a gem which has been covered with dust. Somebody needs to come and guide us to take the dust off. Other Ummas, their ships have sun. They're in lifeboats. We don't, we have a super tanker. They will come to us, because we have the truth. We have the Haqh. Islam shows this beautiful character which is prevalent, predominant in western countries, Insha'Allah. What beautiful Akhlaq these people have, respected listeners. They do not have Tauheed, but they have Akhlaq. If Tauheed comes into them, Allah, they're waiting for guidance. And here we are covered with dust, a gem, a diamond covered with dust. Somebody needs to come and clear the dust off, and that the diamond will show its shining and luster. That is going to happen, respected listeners. The light will shine. Allah says in few places in the Qur'an. Wallahu Mutim Munnoorihi Walaw Kariha Al-Kafirun Walaw Kariha Al-Mushrikun. Allah's light will spread. But the question is how much will be our share in that? How much will be our share, respected listeners? We take time out to sit down with the families. Every day a few minutes, turn off the cell phones, respected listeners. Today in this modern day and age, there is another thing. It took Christianity 400 years, 400 hard years to adjust to the modern lifestyle. To accept the modernism, it took them 400 years. We expect Islam, medieval Islam. Islam that came during the time of Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam. We expect that to make such a sharp turn to help, to come right away, it takes time. It takes Christianity 400 years, respected listeners. It will take time for Islam. We are in very good position. Alhamdulillah. Allah's mercy is with us. We should be happy with this thing. We should have yakeen that Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala's help is with us and Allah will help us. But in dhansuru la yansurkum, you help the deen of Allah. Allah will help you and Allah will make your feet firm. Allah will make your feet firm. Allah will give you istiqama. Allah will give you steadfastness. May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala give us that respected listeners. One of the most frequent du'as of Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam and his wife would say, Allahumma ma qalliba al-khulub, thabbit qalbi ala deenik or controller of the hearts, make my heart firm on your religion. May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala make our hearts firm on his religion.