 الرحيم الحمد لله رب العالمين والصلاة والسلام على سيدنا ونبينا وحبيب قلوبنا بالقاسم المصطفى محمد لا أهل بيته الطيبين الطاهرين المعصومين المنتجبين وعلى أصحابه الغر الميامين ومن تبعهم بإحسان إلى يوم الدين عوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم شهر رمضان الذي أنزل فيه القرآن للناس وبينات من الهن شهد منكم الشهر فليصمح ومن كان منكم ومن كان على سفر فعدت من أيام أخر يريد الله بكم ليسر ولا ولكمل العدة ولكمبر الله من تشكر صدق الله العلي العظيم وصدق رسوله النبي الكريم نحن على ذلك من الشاهدين والشاكيرين والحمد لله رب العالمين أفضل أن نشعر في نهاية هذا السنة السنة من ربضان ربضان سيد الشهور هذا السنة هو مدينة هو مدينة هو مدينة من سنة سنة من ربضان ويقول إنه قد أقبل إليكم شهر الله بالخير والبراكة والمخفر هذا السنة is a bringing with it إذا نقوم باستخدام نشعر ذلك إذا نقوم باستخدام نشعر the blessing of this month one of the blessings is what you see now people are gathered tonight otherwise they would have been sitting at home and watching TV but they have gathered tonight to recite dua to listen to the Quran to reflect to solidify their social ties to greet each other to welcome each other to embrace each other بالبراكة والرحمة والمخفر الله سبحانه وتعالى creates these seasons for us for us so he finds he finds and executes to forgive us الله wants to forgive us but he wants to find an excuse for us so he creates the month of Ramallah and he says that if you fast paying attention to your fast paying attention realizing the value of your fast and forbidding the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم one day said to Jabir Jabir was one of the closer friends of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم he said to him ya Jabir his name is Jabir ibn Abdullah al-Hansari a noble man he said to him ya Jabir من صام في هذا الشهر صام نهاره وقام وردا من ليلة you fast during the days and then you stand وردا a small part it means a small part not the whole night 5 minutes 10 minutes 15 minutes 20 minutes this is وردا من ليلة a portion a small portion of the night and then he he or she saved God's his eyes from looking into something forbidden and his ears from listening something bad or forbidden then Allah صبحانه و تعالى at the end of the month at the end of the month he will make him as if he is a newly born person a newly born person with a brand new record brand new file there is nothing bad in your file the other day I was driving and on one of these traffic lights I saw a sign just two days ago the sign says fix your credit fix your credit and they put a number we should do this with God fix your credit with God you have to fix your credit here you have to fix your credit in this life definitely in order for you to lead an honorable life you need to fix your credit but suppose you could not millions of people who have bad credits they survive but if you don't fix your credit with Allah you are in big trouble big trouble you can't afford having a broken credit with Allah and this is the time this is the time the month in front of them of fixing our credits our accounts with Allah now on that sign there is a telephone number 949 whatever there is a telephone number you come to me anytime anytime وإذا سألك عبادي عني فإني قريب no one in this universe is so reachable so open so easy to reach and to speak to then Allah سبحانه وتعالى if you want to get an appointment sometimes with your brothers you can't find them you have to wait two days so you can find your brother and talk to him on the phone you don't need to wait you don't need to wait two days or one day or one hour وإذا سألك عبادي once they ask me I am there I am available 24-7 بل يستجيبوا لي وليخمنوا لي so this is the month of Ramadan brings an abundance of goodness and barakah and forgiveness and opportunity some of these goals are physical material and physical fasting is good for your body if they ask you at the school if they ask you in your neighborhood your friends why do you fast tell them because Allah prescribed fasting because it has many benefits number one begins with your own physical structure there is a book I was reading a book of the book is healing through fasting healing through fasting you don't need to go to a doctor and use medicine and this and that Allah says fasting is a good way of healing healing your body first of all it gives your body a time to rest to relax this body is working is working throughout the year throughout the months, the days we don't give so this is an opportunity for the body to become revitalized to relax, to rest again they tell us that it is also an opportunity fasting and siam is an opportunity to dispense and dispose all the intoxicants in your body you get rid of them it helps the digestive system to work better for those who fast and it has many medical benefits for the body this is number one then you come to the psychological effect of fasting it has a good psychological effect it gives you it gives your mind it gives your mind the ability to control most of our disasters that we see that we create through our own selves that we lack self control and self constraint we are too weak to say to your mind no don't do that we know this is wrong we know many things are wrong but still despite knowing they are wrong we do them fasting comes and teaches you to say no to say no to the bad things and to say yes to the good things and also spiritually it's important to have the food but through your own will your own will even I see I look at some kids I look at some kids fasting is not mandatory on them it's not wajib on them too fast but they can say no although they need the food they need the drink but they say no this will build their character it will build their character the more we are able to detach ourselves from Maddiat materialism the more we can resist Maddiat the bigger and the greater we grow and the closer we get to Allah the closer we get to Allah to be able to say to your temptations and to your desires no I'm not going to give it to you desire I'm not going to give it to everything you ask me for I'm not going to listen to you I'm strong and some of these desires some people have desire for money for wealth they know nothing in this universe except wealth or money all their relationships even their relationships with their family members with their parents some people have desire for other things Islam says you have to control yourself if you want to build yourself if you want to be an honorable person if you want to differentiate yourself from animals you have to build yourself the tragedy that happened last night in Charleston why this tragedy happened today the president in his speech in the morning these things does not happen in other countries why it happens in America what's wrong with America shouldn't America be the model of humanity and compassion and cooperation why this race issue is still lingering they could not find a solution to it someone who gets a gun from his father two years ago his father gives him a gun as a gift as a present for his birthday imagine you give your son who is 19 years old a gun for his birthday give him something useful give him something to build his brain his character his soul his future you give him a gun real gun and he is 19 years old and you know your son is not stable this is because people are attached to this dunya they become completely blind completely blind we need to go back to Allah during this month we need to go back we need to resurrect renew our faith our humanity we have to renew it this guy comes and he sits in the class for one hour Bible study class for one hour and he listens to the class and he listens to the Bible and then he decides to stand and then he shoots nine people three men six women who came to the Bible study class they came to focus on their religion on their unity on their community and then he runs away and this problem is common today because people are focused people are focused on dunya on dunya and when someone is focused on dunya he becomes like animals even animals they have limits believe me when it comes to animals they do have limits in their aggression they do have limits but when man becomes detached from Allah the truth from reality he becomes worse than animals أولائك كالأنعام بلهم أظل this is an example of it the guy who killed nine last night and one of the benefits of سيام and the month of Ramadan is social is social Allah سبحانه وتعالى wants you to bear the hunger I was reading we are very lucky here in Southern California how many hours we fast 16 about 16 you know in Iceland ركيابك the capital of Iceland they fast 23 hours they have one hour to break their fast to do Salat and Iftar and then Suhoor immediately and then back to business 23 hours when I was home I was speaking to one of my friends this morning in Denmark he said in Stockholm they fast for 20 hours there is a huge Muslim community in Stockholm and Sweden 20 hours this is very long then why we ask why should I bear hunger Allah says there is a reason for that listen to Imam Al-Sadaq هشام ابن الحكم one of his disciples سألت أبا عبدالله الصادق عليه الصلاة والسلام عن علة الصيام the reason why do we fast فقال عليه الصلاة والسلام العلة الصيام the reason ليستوي به الفقير والغني the poor the hungry who goes hungry every single night every single day he goes hungry even here in America even here in America there are individuals and families that go hungry every single day Allah says the rich He says the rich and the poor I want the rich to understand the pain of the poor if they don't become hungry they would not understand if they don't feel that situation themselves they are not going to appreciate it or understand it ليستوي به الفقير والغني وذلك لأن الغني because the rich لم يكن ليجد مسل جوع فيرحم الفقير because if Allah does not ask us to fast we would never understand or realize how hunger or starvation hurts we don't understand the pain most of you you realize the pain because this is day number one for you and day number one is more difficult than other days and most of you today were not feeling well most of you Allah wants you to go through this so you pay attention to others who are starving one third of the humanity today my friends one third meaning 34% of the humanity they live below the poverty level one third don't look at us living in an affluent society affluent country I've been to Africa just recently last month I was in Africa and I saw people who live in deplorable conditions very deplorable conditions terrible conditions a father cannot even afford a loaf of bread let alone meat or fruits or vegetables forget about that a loaf of bread for them is a dream we have to think about that this is why Allah سبحانه وتعالى says in the Quran in the Holy Quran that some of the guilties on the day of judgment they say لو لا أخرتني إلى أجل قريب oh lord you should have given me few more days why Allah says to him why do you need few more days لأصدق so I pay charity صدق he does not say to pray or to fast or go to Hajj or do this he says no no no لأصدق وأكم من الصالح so I can pay صدق he wants to come back to this life just to pay charity and صدق to save himself from punishment this is why Islam says صدق is above all أرأيت الذي يكذبوا بالدين الله says those who reject religion the first thing they do he did not say they did not pray or they did not fast أرأيت الذي يكذبوا بالدين فذالك الذي he repulses the orphan he does not give he does not give يدعوا الاتين ولا يحضوا على طعام المسكين he does not feed the destitute this should be number one this is why Allah wants me and you to fast to realize the pain that they go through so we can give we can share this is why one of the best أعمال my friends in the month of Ramadan is to share your iftar with others share the iftar the prophet say oh Muslims تصدقوا give your iftar share your iftar they said يا رسول الله ما كلنا يقدروا على ذلك we can't afford we don't have enough money we don't have enough food he said اتقو النار ولو بشق تمره protect yourself against hellfire against punishment with not only one full piece of date half piece of date half بشق تمره اتقو النار protect yourself against punishment against punishment ولو بشربة ما with one sip of water give it to someone at the time of iftar go and give it get the thawab Allah wants you to share ما آمن بي listen what the prophet says and I conclude here powerful statement by رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ما آمن بي من بات شبعان وجاره جار our duty here all of us women men young the young you have to learn this from this age tender age you have to learn to share your food with others one of the common mistakes that we do with our children is that when they come back from a school we tell them daddy how is your grade at the school if the grade is A A plus we are happy if the grade is B C D whatever F we get frustrated so the kids they think that his father or his mother all their attention and all their concern and all their desire is to see their children excel academically period while if you ask your son when he comes back from school daddy did you share your meal today with someone who did not have food did you share your sandwich did you share your drink did he help someone that you saw he was in distress maybe crying sitting in that corner did you go to him or her and ask him what's wrong can I help you did you say thank you to your teacher after a long day these things we have to teach our children life is not about only good grades some people they have good grades at the school but they are the worst in their families in their communities Allah says علم and Imam علم and اخلاق if you take اخلاق and manners if you take it outside if you take it out of علم علم is nothing علم is nothing the holy Quran tells us that some of the big ulama and scholars they were the most corrupt because they did not implement what they learned ليما تقولون ما لا تفعل we have to teach our children moral balance when they go to school they have to help they have to put others before themselves something is missing in our community something is called sacrifice is missing we have to teach our children how to sacrifice how to work for others once they work for others Allah will work for them believe me I know of a person who went somewhere he had no house but he was working for others he himself had no house no place to stay he would stay one month here one month there two weeks here like a homeless person but he generates money to give to others he has money but he does not use it for himself Allah brought him somewhere from nowhere he purchased a land and he built a house for him and he said to him come and sit in this house when you work for others Allah works for you كان الله في عود العبد ما كان في عوني أخي as long as you are of help to your brothers and sisters in the society Allah will be of your help he will be on your side you don't have to worry I always say to some parents to some mothers and fathers I tell them as long as you help people don't worry about the future of your children don't even if you leave no money for your children no inheritance no money they will be okay there is someone there taking care of them so we have to teach these values this is the month the month of Ramadan is the opportunity for us to go back to Allah to reflect my advice for you my friends my brothers my sisters to cut back on futile activities cut back on things that have has no benefit for you try to focus on the Qur'an during this month on the dua I am going to speak insha'Allah tomorrow Salatul Juma try to go to the masjid wherever there is masjid mosque near you try to be the first one to go there during the month of Ramadan try to read the Holy Qur'an لكل شيء in ربيع وربيع القرآن شهر رمضان for every everything it has a spring where it glows and flourishes and it blossoms and the spring of the Qur'an is one the month of Ramadan it means that we have to read it we have to read this book try to read at least one juzo one juzo the Qur'an has 30 juz one juzo if you can't read it properly use audio things listen to other reciters and follow them and read the Qur'an and reflect reflect on what Allah is telling you this Qur'an can be your shafi'a on the day of judgment the book comes and says إلهي my lord فلان فلان took care of me respected me implemented me he will stand with you the Holy Qur'an اللهم اخفر المؤمنين والمؤمنات والمسلمين والمسلمات والأحياء منهم والأموات تابع اللهم بيننا وبينهم بالخيرات also remember to pray during this month especially at the moment of iftar for the distressed people the people of Yemen who are still during the month of Ramadan they experience bombing and fire and destruction for the people of Syria for other mu'mineen wherever they are wherever there is mu'min someone who is being abused for the African-American people today they broke my heart they broke my heart 200 years into this democracy still the African-American they have no rights and no respect still the issue of race dominates this country how can we provide others with respect and human rights and democracy and equality while your own citizens your own citizens where the president is a black but the black people are disrespected they have no rights this is a problem this is a problem they have to work on it serious a problem we pray for them inshallah for their victory for this racism and prejudice and hate the culture of hate to end inshallah to bring about real peace and real happiness and real justice but remember the champion of justice and peace is our Imam الإمام المهدي المنتظر حجر الله فرجو الشريف so let's pray for him عوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم اللهم كل وليك الحجة ابن الحسن صلواتك عليه وعلى آبائه في هذه الساعة في كل ساعة وليا وحافظا وقائدا وناصرة ودليلا وعينا حتى تسكنه عرضك طوعا وتماتعه فيها طويلا وجعلنا اللهم من أنصار يواعوانه وتقبل صلاتنا وصيامنا ودعاءنا في هذا الشهر العظيم وشاف مرضانا وداوي جلحانا وفك أسرانا وسجلانا وخفر ذنوبنا وعجل في فرج المولانا وسيدنا صاحب العصر والزمان ويلا أرواح المؤمين والمؤمنات والشهداء تواب الفاتح مع الصلاة على محمد وآل محمد