 All praise is due to Allah. We praise Him and we seek His help and forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allah the Most High from the evils of our own selves and from our own wicked deeds. Whomsoever Allah has guided, none can misguide Him. And whomsoever Allah has allowed to be led astray, none can guide Him. I bear witness that there is no true God worthy of being worshiped except Allah alone without partner or associate. I further bear witness that Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wa sallam is his true slave and messenger. May Allah be exalted bestow his peace and blessings on the final prophet Muhammad upon his good and pure family and upon all of his noble companions. Ameen. He says, Allah is Exalted in His Noble Book. After we seek refuge with Allah from the accursed Satan. Verily, Allah and His angels pray for the prophet. May Allah be pleased with him, from the accursed Satan. O ye who believe! Be mindful of Allah, have regard for Allah as He should be feared and regarded, and die not except in the state of submission to Allah and the state of Islam. O mankind, be dutiful to your Lord Allah who created you from a single person and from him he created his wife and from them both he created many men and women. And fear Allah, be mindful of Allah, have regard for Allah through whom you demand your mutual rights and do not cut the relations of the womb. Surely Allah is ever in all watcher over you. O you who believe! Keep your duty to Allah and fear Him. Be mindful of Him, have regard for Him and speak the truth always. He will direct you to do righteous deeds and will forgive you your sins. And whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has indeed achieved a great success. It proceeds that the most truthful speech is that of Allah's book, the Qur'an, and that the best of guidance is that of Muhammad. The worst of evils are innovations and that every innovative matter in religion is a bid'ah and that every bid'ah is misguidance and all misguidance is in the fire of hell. Alhamdulillah for this blessing and opportunity to be here with you all today on this blessed day of Yomul Juma, the day of Juma. You know there are those whom Allah SWT has given the means to be here today. They have a good job or a job at all. They have a car, they have their limbs, their faculties, they have all these things. They have the means to be here yet they don't have the iman. And so they're not here with us today. And then there are those who have the iman. They have the desire to come here, to be here today. Yet perhaps Allah SWT did not bless them with the means. Perhaps they don't have a job or they don't have a car or they have a job in which the the boss is not understanding. They're too scared to stand up for themselves and so they miss Juma. Whatever the case may be. And so they're not here today either. However all of us we're here because Allah SWT has blessed us with both the means and the iman, Alhamdulillah. So this is something that is, we kind of take it for granted. Being able to be here in Juma, being able to be here and pray in congregation with each other and receive this reminder, Alhamdulillah, every single week it reminds me of a good friend of mine named Abdullah. True story. Woke up one day, legs didn't work. Couldn't move his legs. And Subhanallah he, you know, now he, you know, he recovered just a little bit but he can't walk without like a walker. But even walking with a walker is so much for him that he has to, you know, use a wheelchair, right? He's been confined to a wheelchair and he told me one time, you know, just kind of in light of this idea of things that we take for granted, he told me, you know, Ashir, you know, the only thing that I want to be able to do that one thing that I missed that I used to be able to do with my legs is make sujood. Because I just want to be able to make sujood man. I miss sujood. So just something as seemingly simple as us making sujood is worth thanking Allah SWT for, you know, Allah SWT says in the Quran that if you show thanks, gratitude, if you think are thankful, then indeed surely I will increase you. And although this is not actually my topic for today, I just want to analyze this and then I will get to the main topic, inshallah. You know, Allah says two types of tawqeed or emphasis in this ayat. Then indeed for sure another lamb and another noon with Shaddah, then indeed I will increase you. So you notice he didn't specify for what? If you're thankful, full stop. Thankful for what? The fact that he leaves it open ended means if we're thankful for anything, anything, no matter how seemingly small that thing might be. If you show gratitude, then he will indeed increase you. No matter how small, no matter how big, he left it open. Allah does not just say things just because whatever he says, there is meaning to it and there is depth to it as well. And who? Did he say who? And if you are thankful to so and so, no, also open ended. So what does that mean? Number one, of course, thankful to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, of course. However, we must not forget the famous hadith of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam in which he said that those who do not think Allah have not, think the people, he who has not think the people has not think Allah. So we also need to show gratitude to those around us, people who are helping us in any way, not just materially, but in any way, shape or form. Even if it's in my deen especially, someone teaching me or holding me accountable, whatever the case, that in shakaratumu, if you show gratitude, le'azi danakum. And then he says what? Le'azi danakum, I will increase you. Increase you and what? Again, no specification. I will increase you and he can increase us in anything. Of course, some people think it means he will increase you in that which you show gratitude for. However, yes, he will do that but he can do more. We know Allah is adir. He can increase us in anything he wants. The thing we thanked him for and things that we didn't even thank him for. Le'azi danakum. So in light of that, I am thanking Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala saying Alhamdulillah, Alhamdulillah, Alhamdulillah for this opportunity. So the real topic that I'm going to breeze through quickly inshallah is this age-old question that I always would get in my Islamic school teaching days. Parents would come up to me and they would ask me how can I get my child to love the Qur'an? What can I do to get my child to love the Qur'an? To love Islam, to not have to force them to pick up a mousshaf, right? To get them to actually because some of them might have been in Qur'an class but maybe not enjoying it. How can I get them to love it? The first time I was asked this question, I didn't have an answer. And even the answer that I'm giving today, if I'm 100% right, partially right, if I'm wrong, Allah will know. But after just having that experiencing certain things over time and observing my students that I've had over the years, I came to somewhat of a conclusion. I came to somewhat of a conclusion. And so for some time I would just tell them, I really didn't have an answer. And I would tell them, kind of that generic, be patient, make dua, which don't sleep on dua. Dua is important and it works. And we're going to talk about that as well in relation to this situation. But for some time I didn't know what to say. And what I found also is that parents oftentimes treat our children as though they didn't come from us, right? And we sometimes forget that they are of us and they're literally from us. We are a part of them. They are a part of us. And so what I saw many doing was trying to get outside help to do essentially all the work. So they would come to me as a Quran teacher, Islamic studies teacher. Some might have gone to the Imam. Some might have a Sunday school teacher. And they would call on all these people, right? And then I started to think, at which point will we realize that we have to be a part of that equation? Us, the parent, the parents. And not only a part of the equation, but an extremely, extremely, extremely important part of the equation in the spiritual upbringing. Of our children. You see, love of Quran is a very intentional nurturing process. You have to be very, we have to be very intentional in instilling love of Quran. Love of Prophet Muhammad, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, and all the prophets, the Sahaba, love of this Dean, love of prayer, love of dhikr, love of all of these things. This is something that it has to be nurtured within them. Of course, Allah can bless whomever He wills to just have this love. However, the default is that just like everything else in life, like everything else in life, we have to work for it. And the moment, so it, and it really is a process that starts in the womb. It starts in the womb, brothers and sisters. From the moment your wife says, I'm pregnant. Sisters, from the moment you see you're pregnant, the clock starts ticking. A matter of months, what? They say the baby can hear. So doctors, tele-scientists, they can start hearing in the womb within a matter of months of inception. What am I playing around them? Is it Quran? Is it durus? Is it dhikr? Qasidahs? Nasheed, right? With an extra emphasis on Quran, of course, right? Or is it a bunch of music, right? Movies with cursing? Shoot them up, bang, bang, right? I'm not, I'm not making no fuss with up here. I'm not telling you you can't listen to music. I'm not telling you you can't watch movies. I ain't making no fuss with us. I'm just saying we have choices. And some choices are better than others. That's all I'm saying. I want to instill love of Quran, but is that reflective in my life and in my household, in the environment that I am creating around that child or those children? Is my environment reflective of my desire? That is the question. Once the baby is born, the clock starts ticking even faster. Faster and faster. And anyone who's a parent in here, you know, baby's born, you blink, baby's sitting up. Blank, baby's crawling. Blank, baby's walking. Blank, baby's in the baby no more. You blink and then they're off to college. What happened with the time? Well, also this is why Allah swore by time. It's a very, very precious, precious commodity that we must not waste, especially when we're talking about our children. So brothers and sisters, what am I saying? I'm saying that we are their first examples. We are their first examples. And just to be clear, when I talk about reaching out to the Imam, the Quran teacher, the Islamic studies teacher, I'm not saying don't do this because yes, indeed it takes a village. Reach out. Reach out to your parents, reach out to your siblings, reach out to community members, your friends, people you're close with, and do things together, right? Reach out, call out to them. That's fine, but we have to, we can't fully depend on them. Fully depend on them. Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, wa kullukum ra'in wa kullukum masoolun al-ra'iyati. Every last one of you is a shepherd. And every last one of you is responsible for your flock. Your children are your flock. My children are my flock. You might have flocks in other places, your work and your job and all this stuff, but your primary flock is your children. So yes, call upon people, but also live that example. So how can I get my child to love the Quran by exemplifying my own love of Quran? Pick up the Quran, not once a week, not twice a week. Try every single day and be intentional in letting them see you, pick up the Quran. Let them hear you reciting the Quran. Play the Quran as you're driving them to school on your commute, on your way home to the grocery store, here, there, wherever. Be mindful of what they're watching. Be mindful of what they're listening to as well. Walk the walk, because these children, they know if we're walking the walk or if we're a bunch of talk. And if they see that we're a bunch of talk, they won't respect us. They might pretend like they respect us. They'll be respectful because they're supposed to be respectful, in some cases. But if they see us talking and not walking, believe me, trust me, everything you say in one ear, out the other, no effects. But even if we tell them something today and we're talking the talk and we're walking the walk, but they don't follow us today, know that you're planting a seed in their heart. Wallahil A'zim. It may not sprout for a year, 10 years, 20 years, Allahu A'lam. But if it sprouts at some time and it brings them back to the Dean after they perhaps have left, you've done your job. And we will only be held accountable for not saying anything or not doing enough. If we do our best and then we don't get the result that we're looking for, what does the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam tell us, Inna mal a'malu binyat. Our actions are based upon our intentions. I intended to do my best. I did my best. And ya Allah, in your wisdom, this is what happened. I trust you. Take over. Bismillah. I seek refuge with Allah from the accursed. I say to this. I seek refuge with Allah from the accursed. And to you, Muslim women. So, seek refuge with Allah from the accursed. Indeed, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful. In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Merciful. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon our Master Muhammad and his family and companions. May he rest in peace. Indeed, Allah has ordered us to start with Him in his own way. And He has created us with the angels of Quds, where He said, and He did not say to a wise man, and He has commanded you to know. Indeed, Allah and His angels are praying upon the Prophet. O you who believe, pray upon him and send him peace. Allahumma salli ala Siddina Muhammad wa ala Ari Siddina Muhammad. Kama alayta ala Siddina Ibraheem wa ala Ali Siddina Ibraheem fi ala'alameena inna khamidu majid. Wabarak ala Sayyidina Muhammad wa ala Ali Siddina Muhammad. Kama barakta ala Sayyidina Ibraheem wa ala Ali Siddina Ibraheem fi ala'alameena inna khamidu majid. I had more to say, but limited in time, al-hamdullillah, Masha'Allah, it's all good. But a few takeaways. In conclusion, it's for us to be the example of what we want our children to be. Be the type of Muslim that you want your child to be. Be the type of citizen that you want your child to be. We can't say one thing and then do something else and think that our kids are stupid, that they're dumb and that they're not paying attention. Excuse my language, but we have to be real and honest. We need to think better of them. They're watching, they're listening. They're paying very, very close attention. They're paying very, very close attention to our every single, every single move, every single word, everything. So let us be the example of what we want our children to be. Let us create a culture of Quran in the home. Play Quran, read Quran, put up Quran, discuss Quran, facilitate as well. And number three, and not least, make dua, as I said, do not underestimate the power of dua. Preferably in Tahajjud if you can, preferably in Tahajjud. Do not underestimate the power of dua, it works. Allah tells us, call upon me and I will respond and He meant it. I'm pretty sure everyone in here has had an experience, at least most of us have had an experience where we called upon Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala and we witnessed Him answer the dua exactly as we wanted it. Maybe not every time, but we have experienced it. And so we know He's listening and we know that He is, al-Qadir, that He is the most capable of giving us what we want and what we need. Brothers and sisters, my name is Ashir Kirk. I'm here with Mejraton's Institute of Quran. I'm not doing the fundraiser, don't get me worried. Alhamdulillah, we're doing a workshop tomorrow, 10 o'clock in the morning, insha'Allah, on the recitation, the tajweed of Surah Al-Fatiha. I'll explain tomorrow since we're out of time, but I'm sure everyone in here knows the immense importance of Surah Al-Fatiha, especially in our prayer. And reciting it properly is something that we, as a community, for a very, very long time have overlooked. And so I decided to create a workshop that would focus on nothing but that, nothing but that. Two hours focusing, honing in on the recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha. I invite you, all of your families, insha'Allah, to join us tomorrow. And I'm excited to do this workshop with you. May Allah make us people of Quran and His special people. May Allah make the Quran for us a leader, a light and a guide. May Allah make this Quran present in our lives all times and allow for us to never neglect it. May Allah place true love of the Quran in our hearts and in the hearts of our children. Ya Allah, bring justice to the Muslims all around the world. Starting here, whether in Palestine, China, India, Pakistan, Yemen, Sudan, Syria, Libya, and anywhere else, that oppression is their norm. Ya Allah, alleviate our brothers and sisters of that oppression and protect us from it as well. Ameen, Ameen, Ya Rabb Al-Alameen. Subhanah Rabbika Rabb Al-Izzati Amma Asifoon. Wa Salamun Ala Al-Mursaleen. Wa Alhamdulillahi Rabb Al-Alameen. Aqim Al-Salaam.