 صلى الله عليك يا سيد ويا رسول الله صلى الله وسلم عليك يا سيد وابن مولاحمة الله سعه ويا عبرت كل مؤمن ومؤمنا ما خاب والله انتمسك بكم وأمنى اللجاء والتجاء يا ليتنا صادتي فنفوز فوزا عضيح كم كتابه الكري وقوله الحق هو أصدق الصادقين أعوم من الشيطان الرجين بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم ميسر أجل تانيبون تفلحون أحب العصري والزمان رسائد الثلاث صلوات with the loudest of your voices ماروانا كانبس or pot has been the hottest topic discussed by all sorts of people within the past year whether it is lawmakers discussing the legalization or the banning of marijuana or the joy and the rejuvelation of pot heads around the world celebrating a new era or the concern of parents that find their teen child easily be able to access and smoke marijuana this topic has become the most oftenly repeated subject in all headlines whether it's news agencies whether it is social media or the popular magazines and the past year all we've been hearing about is the legalization of marijuana and of course since this market the cannabis industry as the fastest growing industry around the world giving undeniable financial returns it is somewhere where people want to invest their money and that is why I find this topic to be extremely important for it is the concern of our Muslim community living in the West you would not believe the volume of questions the concerns and the emails that I get whether it is my website or social media people asking a simple question say it can I smoke weed a smoking weed حلال a smoking weed حرام I have anxiety can I smoke medical marijuana I have depression can I smoke pot or the concern of parents that are afraid the parents that are scared and stressed that email me four page essays on daily basis about how their children come back home with red eyes attacking the refrigerator with bunchies sometimes they end up finding my email my Twitter my Instagram and sending all their messages all at once and expecting a miracle literally expecting a miracle say it I want a miracle I'm so stressed I cannot sleep the night sometimes they're so stressed that I feel like telling them listen you need to sit there all a blunt or pack a bowl yourself I'm joking but indeed it has become the topic that has been discussed by all sorts of people and it is something that concerns the Muslim community living in the West and that is why I have decided to address the following question tonight what is the Islamic stands towards marijuana and I'm going to discuss this topic through the following points number one how serious is the issue of marijuana number two why should such a topic be addressed from the member of Imam الحسين and on such holy night number three the big question are we allowed to smoke weed the smoking weed حلال or is it haram number four the pot heads life the pot head lifestyle number five has this issue been addressed by the holy Quran and how can we relate to verses that are discussed within the holy Quran and our lives today number six finally how should we spend the most precious days and years of our lives let us examine those six points after your three loud صلوات على محمد و آل محمد I'm going to share with you please take that off I'm going to share with you some shocking numbers and polls and regards to marijuana and I'll let you decide how serious this issue is studies indicate that 90% of high schoolers have tried marijuana at least once before they graduate and I tell you you know what that means that means only the loners and the losers are not the one that are being offered marijuana everybody else smoking marijuana those who have literally nobody to talk to at school are probably the ones that are not smoking that's what those numbers mean one eighth of high schoolers by the time they graduate from high school are addicted to marijuana the marijuana industry is the fastest growing business around the world where only in the United States of America in the year 2018 they had $52 billion worth of sales $52 billion only in America and in the legal marijuana industry 250,000 people are employed it is the fastest growing business with no signs of slowing down almost 50% of adults in America are addicted to weed and I don't think those numbers are much different in Australia or Europe or any part of the West can tell you that this audience here tonight if not the majority of you many of you have been introduced to it or you will be introduced to it you know nowadays teenagers at their very early teens are smoking weed 13 year olds 14 year olds are walking around smoking weed and this culture this this culture is growing so fast so rapidly look at Hollywood movies look at the Hollywood movies there's at least one scene that makes a reference to pot somewhere somehow look at the music videos it's all about weed it's all about smoking it's all about drugs look at the social media look at the magazines if you pick up a popular magazine there's at least one or two articles talking about how weed is the most natural thing ever look at the analysts talking about marijuana they make you feel like look if you're not smoking weed then there's definitely something wrong with you because weed is just very natural there's nothing wrong with it this is not something we can escape this is not something we can ignore this is not a topic that looks like this topic does not belong to us doesn't belong to our community it doesn't belong to the member of Imam Al-Hussain it does not belong to the nights and the days of Muharram Al-Haram we should not pollute the member on the Majlis of Imam Al-Hussain with such rubbish why let's talk about Salah let's talk about Siam let's talk about Hajj if people are praying if people are fasting if people are going to Hajj obviously they're not going to be smoking weed I tell you if people can take their weed with them to Hajj and sometimes some people tell me say why are you talking about controversial topics just you know there's no need for it just a couple of days ago somebody told me that you know wow those controversies look at those lecturers some lecturers they lecture for 20 years 30 years they don't talk about controversial things let's just leave those controversial topics aside and you know what I told him I said brother you should have definitely been there in the time of Imam Ali in the time of Imam Hussain I said why? I said because they definitely needed this advice everything Imam Ali said was controversial look at his sermons in نهج البلاغة do you think he was looking to please the people? do you think he was looking to please the crowds? do you think he was looking to please the government of his time? do you think he was looking to please the rich and the famous? no Imam Ali صلوات الله وسلامه عليه realized that his community is in dire need of certain lessons and teachings and principles and ethical and moral standards therefore he spoke about them he was not shying away from controversial topics he said and did what pleased Allah the Almighty and that's it and once he was described they say أمير المؤمنين he was so compassionate he was so merciful he was so kind he was so forgiving but when it came to Allah when it came to topics concerning God and the religion of God and the obedience of God لا تأخده في الله لو ما تلائم he would say and do that which pleases Allah that's it I say you should have been there in the time of Imam Hussein because he was the most controversial man of his time nobody dared to stand up to Yazid nobody dared to stand up to Yazid nobody dared to stand up to Ben-e-Omeya nobody dared to give the sermons that Imam Hussein gave whether it was in Medina whether it was in Mecca or whether it was during his journey to Karbala he criticized the unjustness at the time of Yazid and his father Muawiyah or you should have been there to give this advice to Zain el-Abideen when he stood and he gave his sermon in the midst of the enemies that had just killed and murdered every single one of his family members or a Sayyid Zain of Salawatullahi عليها or the companions of أمير المؤمنين ميثم التمار how was Maitham killed? how was Maitham killed? Maitham was killed because he was crucified on a palm tree why? because he kept speaking the truth he kept saying what was controversial so they crucified him on a palm tree how was Abu Dhar killed? Abu Dhar was exiled be in until death أمار same thing مقدات same thing literally every one of the companions of أمير المؤمنين so you should have been there to tell those guys don't be so controversial look the member of Imam al-Hussein has a responsibility I'll tell you one thing if you speak for 30 years and 40 years and you don't talk about anything controversial there's a problem if you don't talk about what's gonna shake up the community and what's gonna wake them up there's something wrong because the legacy of Hussein means that you wake up your community the principles of Hussein means you say that which pleases Allah and that was the goal of Hussein أني لم أخرج أشر ولا بطر ولا مفسدة بالخرج ولا حي أمة جدي وسول الله لكي أمر بالمعروف to enjoy the good وأنها عن المنكر and to forbid the evil if there is evil in our community in our society are we not going to talk about it are we not going to address it are we going to ignore it and this is why we're losing big crowds we're losing we're losing an entire generation you know sometimes I get invited to places and I go there and I'm sitting and I'm about to give the lecture and I see they're all senior citizens literally they're all elders 60 plus and they speak every language besides English so I wonder was there a sign at the door that said this place serves senior citizens that speak every language besides English sometimes I actually have to go double check such a sign exists why it's because Imam Hussein and those gatherings is no longer relevant it's because the Quran and those gatherings is no longer relevant رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم when he was departing this life and he is the seal of messengers and he is the last messenger sent by God to humanity to guide us he said this to all Muslims hold on to the book of Allah and to the أهل البيت now we come to the book of Allah and we're reading the Quran but it's not relevant to my life we come to أمير المؤمنين to Imam Hussein they're not relevant to our life so you better believe we're going to lose a generation of our youth what did رسول الله mean when he said he meant it is your job and it is the job of the member and it is the job of the scholar and it is the job of the عالم to make Hussein and Ali and Hassan and Fatima صورة التوبة وصورة يوسف وصورة الحمد وصورة رلوين to the lives of people I'll tell you people are hungry for knowledge people are hungry for change people are hungry to be good people nobody's trying to be malicious by nature people just need answers people just need guidance I have a responsibility on this member to address the concern of a mother who cannot sleep the night knowing that her child is high and he's driving on the freeway and he can kill himself and people with him and people around him you may never return home don't tell me you haven't heard stories of youngsters out and about in the middle of the night and they never return home why? it's either they were high or they were drunk I have to address the concern of my dearest younger brothers and sisters in high school and college and talk about their difficulties because you know sometimes it's not that difficult you just don't smoke it's very difficult it's very difficult it's very difficult they say in the day of judgment there's no door in paradise and people are just going through that door without being questioned as soon as they arrive to the محشر they go through that door into جنة so when they get in they're not being questioned nothing the ملائك ask them who are you? are you صديقين are you شهداء are you أمبياء they say no we are the patient ones you are the patient ones what were you patient with? they say we were patient to أبي الله how so? when I can't wake up for فجر prayers it's very difficult for me I need صبر I need patience when I wear the حجاب and everybody is looking at me funny at school or at the college or at the gym or at the shopping mall it needs صبر patience when I am hungry and the only food that there is is the mac burger that everybody else is eating and I stay hungry that needs صبر so they say we were patient in the obedience of Allah but then they say we were patient not to disobey Allah and this is the greater patience this is the greatest صبر when you are patient not to disobey Allah how so? you think it's easy when you are in high school and you are in college and they approach you just once it's the big deal if you don't like it don't do it that sounds pretty convincing just attend one party come with us once it's difficult and I truly admire my brothers and sisters who practice self restraint I admire them I truly admire them whoever thinks it's easy has either no clue or didn't grow up in the west didn't attend college or high school it's clueless on the temptations out there and Allah knows though so Allah says you know what I'm going to reward them without even asking them any questions you know how you're going to for example take a flight to let's say California you have to go through TSA and all sorts of things those people don't go through TSA they're pre-checked they have a VIP status why? because of their subordinates because of their patience therefore this topic brothers and sisters is one of the most important topics and indeed it needs to be addressed here and it needs to be addressed now number three the big question smoking weed حلال or smoking weed حرام indeed it is حرام I don't really need to explain but I'll tell you that it is medically proven that weed or marijuana or cannabis contains THC THC is an intoxicant well you know say yeah even if it's a little bit of intoxication by the way some medical some marijuana some cannabis contains a lot of THC so you end up getting really high and sometimes no it contains a little bit of THC so you get really high but it doesn't matter how high you get an intoxicant is an intoxicant if you drink a little bit of alcohol this much of alcohol all you drink an entire for example bottle of alcohol it's still حرام it's still an intoxicant there's no doubts about that but I want to talk about obviously everybody knows that and it's not my job to talk about it from a medical perspective but I want to talk about the pot head lifestyle you know when I was actually preparing for this topic I looked up some books and you would not believe the bible of the pot heads that's the title of a book are you kidding me and what is there you know another book for example the complete lifestyle the complete guide that sounds funny but it's really not funny when you look back at your life 20 years from now you're going to be crying what is the pot head lifestyle it's being carefree laughing at the face of every problem not waking up on time not sleeping on time not eating properly not sleeping properly not attending to your responsibilities properly being glazy being a bum that's the definition of a pot head lifestyle not only that but it doesn't stop there if you can stop there smoking weed is not just about smoking a joint no smoking weed it's about that lifestyle it's about listening to the wrong kind of music it's about going to the wrong type of gatherings it's about parties and when you smoke you know first couple of months a year 2 years down the line then comes drinking and after drinking come hard drugs and after drugs comes all sorts of problems and soon enough you find yourself immersed in all sorts of sins there is no way for you to escape them all sorts of difficulties and I tell you this pot head lifestyle is the most unfortunate lifestyle why because it makes you escape reality you don't face reality like a man turns you into a coward every time you think about your exam well let me pack a bowl every time you think about your bills and your payments and your finals you smoke a joint and then soon enough oh who cares yeah whatever you know I can be in college for 3 years or 10 years doesn't matter they took my car away not a big deal I'll use a bicycle that's what happens that's what happens literally what happens and then those people grow up those people grow up and you tell them listen why don't you have a job you're 30 years old you don't have a job you don't have your own home you don't have your own vehicle you're not getting married say it do you think it's easy to have a job in this country with all this Islamophobia my name is Alain people don't want to give me a job he doesn't say that I blew away my youth instead of going to college instead of obtaining a job I was smoking weed and playing xbox every single day until the morning I was hanging out with my friends smoking at Gila now he blames Islamophobia now the problem is his name not the fact that he was pulled over with weed like about 50 times in the past 5 years does Allah address this in the Holy Quran yes and Surah Al-Ma'idah Chapter 5 Surah Al-Ma'idah brothers and sisters was revealed in the Holy City of Medina and most scholars of Tafseer believe it was the very last chapter revealed to Rasool Allah in Medina so this is not Mecca this is not the beginning of Islam in Medina this is all the way to the end of the life of Rasool Allah in Medina there is a community of believers that are fasting that are praying that are paying zakat that are going to jihad but Allah introduces Allah talks about how it is forbidden to drink how we should not drink and go to our Salah but here Allah talks about something else talks about this culture that we are talking about it's not just about smoking it's about the culture that Allah introduces in this ayah Chapter 5 verse number 90 Allah says يا أيها الذين آمنوا oh you believers oh you who believe in Allah and Rasool Allah حجا زكاتا and everything listen يا أيها الذين آمنوا إنما الخمر alcohol رجصا من عمل الشيطان فجتنيبوه لعلكم تفلحون الله يجب أن يجد الكثير من الأشياء في this ayah يقول أنه يجب فرنكيشن غامبل the game of chance which was something like lottery or gambling all together is part of the actions of shaitan so stay away from it why is it that Allah puts them all together it's because in madina they were homes the rich would open up their homes and they would invite belly dancers and they would bring alcohol and they would bring gambling and they would just turn their homes into night clubs and people would go there and you know I tell you not everybody was going there to drink and fornicate some people were there to go and watch some people were just there to meet their friends socialize some people were probably just there to watch the belly dancers I don't know Allah says look you need to stop you need to put this lifestyle aside this is the lifestyle of shaitan why? because it starts with you just attending it starts with you just being there but then slowly but surely you're pulled in slowly but surely you're now involved in every type of sin today that's exactly the lifestyle of the pot heads and marijuana and all sorts of drugs and brothers and sisters when Allah سبحانه وتعالى addresses this in the Holy Quran and we come across those verses we have to contemplate on them we have to make sure we make them relevant to our lives whether you're listening to me or elsewhere or you will hear this later on in your life if you're 15 years old 16 years old 20 years old 25 years old know that those are the most precious days and nights of your lives those are the most precious years of your life if you ask anybody who's 40 50, 60 years old they tell you those are the golden days don't blow them away don't waste them by smoking weed and playing xbox and hanging out with your friends build yourself a future put yourself on the ladder of success make sure you take life seriously look your parents they did everything they can for you to become successful to have a good future to make them proud Allah سبحانه وتعالى لقد أمرستك في كل أشخاص ونعمة لا تقول أني أستطيع أن أعيش في قلبي أين أصبحت 30 سنة ونحن لا أستطيع أن أعيش الحمد لله there is the welfare system this welfare system is the biggest disease in our communities it's made many people lazy and I can't believe I literally cannot believe some people are respected in our community when he's been on welfare for 20 years 30 years and when he gets into the Masjid and Husainiyah and we respect him why do you respect this guy because he goes to Haj and then he goes to Karbala and then he goes to the 40 walk and he returns so he respect him but then he's on welfare collecting from welfare being a lazy at his house tell him go work go learn go bring حلال to your family what am I going to do be a taxi driver am I going to be a gardener am I going to be a janitor والله والله a janitor is more beloved to Allah than a person sitting at home for 20 years collecting welfare because this person is collecting حلال to obtain رزق دارس حلال رسول الله says if a man leaves his home to bring حلال رزق for his family كالمجاهد في سبيل الله he's doing jihad في سبيل الله and if he dies, he dies as a Shahid one day they saw أمام الباقر working at a farm so they came to him they said يبن رسول الله look at how you're working for this dunya and pray go and read some دعاء what are you doing working on the farm أمام الباقر looked at them and he said if I were to die working on my own farm I would die as a martyr في سبيل الله I am beloved to Allah and what should I go and pray and fast so that then I would have to come and beg people like you for money begging is wrong taking money from other people is wrong and this is the mentality that needs to be washed away from our society especially the youth it is haram for you to be on welfare welfare is for the disabled welfare is for the mentally challenged people who cannot work who literally cannot do anything else it's not for us to become lazy and go to زيارة and that's treachery that's lying what is this امام حسين he taught us زيارة وبربعين and the majalis of Imam Hussein is that what we become we need to wash away the culture of laziness brothers and sisters from our community we need to become successful ambassadors of Islam in the west and I invite you brothers and sisters my dear friends my beloveds tonight join the camp the camp of Imam Hussein the camp of Imam Hussein didn't have anybody who was lazy and you know I am most concerned not about you folks here I am most concerned about those who aren't here those who come from broken homes those who are addicted to drugs those who are addicted to alcohol those who are behind bars those who are in bars those who are immersed in sin those who are immersed in sin this evening don't tell me well say it that's not my duty my duty is just to be here myself no Imam Hussein stood on the tenth of Muharram and he said he wasn't talking to the enemies he was talking to you is there anybody to give aid to the message of Hussein and the legacy of Hussein and the message of Hussein and the legacy of Hussein is for you to take someone out of darkness out of confusion somebody who is lost and deliver them into enlightenment this is the school of Hussein إن الحسينة مصباح الهدى وسفينة all مجات Hussein is the ark of salvation Hussein is the torch of enlightenment is the torch of enlightenment introduce people to Hussein bring them to Hussein and I tell you if they come and they're not wearing a lousy hijab or they're not dressed properly or they don't speak properly or they don't look properly welcome them do not judge them don't say well this person have you seen their Facebook have you seen his Instagram don't do that he was greater sin than the sin of حر بن يزيد الرياحي who intercepted the caravan of Hussein who caused the misery of أبا عبد الله as soon as he came and he felt guilty حر felt guilty on the eve of عشراء he came and will discuss his story he was full of guilt he came to Imam Hussein and he said Imam Hussein didn't say حر now you've come to do Toba Imam Hussein says توب تاب الله عليك three words end of story Imam Hussein knew he was guilty he didn't make him feel more guilty he was ashamed he didn't make him feel more ashamed go and find those people and introduce them to Imam Hussein let them join the camp of Hussein let them join the camp of عيون الأكبر and عون محمد brothers ask yourself this evening sisters ask yourself this evening do you want to be in the camp of Hussein the camp of Hussein and the eve of عشراء has been described by everybody بين راكع وساجد وتاليا للقرآن ومستغفر and what was the camp of Yazid it was that exact lifestyle we were talking about just now intoxication drinking alcohol which camp do you want to be on don't just carry the name of Hussein carry Hussein here carry Hussein in your act carry Hussein in your life and I tell you brothers and sisters Imam Hussein if you take a step towards him he will hold you by the hand just like he held حر he will help you he will guide you he will navigate you through the darknesses he will let you escape from all those difficulties so join his camp this evening this is my invitation to you let us go to him with all of our existence our souls our minds our hearts and say to him يا سيدنا ومولانا يا أبا عبدالله imagine yourself standing in front of the shrine of Hussein إن توجهنا واستشفعنا وتوسلنا بك إلى الله وقدمناك بين يدي حاجاتنا those lovers of Hussein everyone here present ما شاء الله your all young men and women all of us together let us raise our voice and take it to Karbala يا سيدنا ومولانا إن توجهنا brothers sisters raise your voice with me واستشفعنا وتوسلنا بك إلى الله وقدمناك بين يدي اشفع لنا this is unacceptable I want the voice of Husseinis the companions of Hussein just like they stood in front of him on the tenth of Muharram يا وجيهن عندها اشفع لنا اشفع لنا for those who have ill ones for those who have asked us for special dua for those who have special intentions special niyat we say to him يا سيدنا يا أبا عبد الله take a glance at this Majlis this evening يا وجيهن tonight usually the arrival of Imam Hussein to Karbala is discussed they say Imam Hussein reached a land and his horse was no longer moving so he switched the horse the second horse was not moving then he sat on a camel the camel was not moving Imam Hussein asked the people there he said مسمو هذه الأرض what is the name of this land they said this land is called إمام الحسين حلها اسم آخر does it have another name they said يا أبا عبد الله it is called إمام الحسين then disembarked from his horse and he raised his hands to Allah and he says أطور حالنا هاهنا تقتل رجالنا هاهنا تسبى نساءنا he says to his companions this is where we are going to camp والله I seek refuge to you from the pain and the misery of this land then he looked at his companions and he says هاهنا here is where our men will be slain here is where our women will be taken as captives they set up the camp and then Imam الحسين took his companions and he told every one of them exactly where they're going to face their martyrdom and then إمام الحسين looked at his companions his family members and he said to them whoever from you wishes to leave you may leave the people will come after me and they want me but I ask your brothers and sisters all those companions all those men when they fell martyrs on the soil of Karbala who went to them who went to them he went to them he held them he cried he buried them but when he fell who was there to come to him that is why the poets tonight they say tonight we give our عزاء because when Imam الحسين was in that last moment they say they heard the cries of a woman right next to that ditch where Imam الحسين fell بني حسين قتلوا ومن شرب المائي ظلموا منعوك بعدا لقوم ظلموك yes indeed tonight we have to give our عزاء to that special lady to his mother it is her عزاء she stands at the azاء of her son حسين أفاق أطم لو خلت الحسين مجد لد مات عطشان بشط فرات إذا للطمت الخد فاطم عنده تدمع العين في الوجناتي أفاط أفاط مقوم يبنة الخير وندبي نجوم سماوات بأرض فرات they say that فاطمة زهراء when she carried Imam الحسين in her room and it was her last month she would hear this baby speak to her and one day she cried so much until she passed out so Imam أمير المؤمنين وانت and he called رسول الله رسول الله came يا فاطمة what is it that makes you cry she says يا رسول الله أن الجنين يخاطبني يخاطبني ويقول أنا المظلوم this child in my womb speaks to me and he keeps saying to me أنا المظلوم يا رسول الله will he really be a Muslim رسول الله cries and he says فاطمة indeed he will be the Muslim the next day again فاطمة cries so much until رسول الله comes to her he holds her فاطمة my beloved what is it that makes you cry يا رسول الله أن الجنين يخاطبني ويقول أنا الشييد I am the martyr يا رسول الله will he be a martyr yes فاطمة he is going to be a martyr the third day فاطمة تزهر cries so much until she faints رسول الله comes يا فاطمة what is it that makes you cry she says يا رسول الله أن الجنين يخاطبني ويقول أنا العضشان I am the one that will be martyr thirsty يا رسول الله will he be martyr thirsty رسول الله cries yes فاطمة he will be martyr thirsty فاطمة asks this question she says يا رسول الله are you going to be there no is his brother going to be there no يا رسول الله then who is going to be crying for hussain this is the glad tidings to you brothers and sisters رسول الله indeed Allah will create generations of one after another who will come and who will establish عزاء and they will cry for the مسائب of hussain let us raise our hands to دعاء 10 times with the loudest of your voices brothers and sisters this is the time where the دعاء is going to be answered 10 times يا الله يا الله we ask you in the name of the most beloved محمد علي فاطمة حسن and hussain keep your hands up we ask Allah like beggars and we say امين to this دعاء so insha Allah it will be accepted Allah every man and woman present in this gathering with a sin forgive our sins Allah shower on to us from your forgiveness every man and woman present in this مجلس with an illness give us cure الله every مؤمنة with an illness around the world Allah shower on to them from your cure Allah shower on to the graves of the مؤمنين and مؤمنات with your mercy and compassion hasten the reappearance of صاحب العصري والزمان honor us with the visitation of hussain honor us with the شفاعة of hussain except our azaa for hussain واخر دعوانا على الحمد لله رب العالمين وإلى أرواح المؤمنين والمؤمنات والعلماء والشهداء وخدمة الحسين نهدي جميعا ثواب صورة المباركة الفاتح مع الصلوات