I want to try to visualize things.when Umar radi allahu ‘anhu (may Allah be pleased with him) because Muslim, there
were only 41 other men and 11 women who were Muslim.

When the Prophet (S.A.W.) migrated to Medina, there were about 65 muslims. So being a Muslim in Mecca wasn’t like
shopping at the Gateway. It wasn’t popular, man!
It wasn’t popular and it was difficult for them, but Allah subhan wa taala (Exalted is He) strengthened them with the
Quran.

There were two important things that happened in Mecca. Number one is their creed, their tawheed (belief in the
Oneness of Allah (S.W.T.) was made pure and strong.

Number two was their behavior, the way Allah (S.W.T.) trained them. The people that came out of mecca were really
remarkable and excellent examples.

As Ibn Hazm al-Andalusi (R.A.) said, if the companions of the Prophet (S.A.W.) were his only miracle, the
transformation of his companions would be enough to prove that he was a prophet.

The people of the Quraysh sent two people to Medina to ask the jews of Medina about muhammad (S.A.W.). When the
people got there and met them, they described the Prophet (S.A.W.) and what he has caling to. The jews said, aks
Muhammad about three things—-they are only known to Allah (S.W.T.). If he can answer you regarding these three issues,
he is a prophet.

1.Ask him about the youth, ashab al-kahf (the people of the cave).

2. Ask him about this king who ruled a large portion of the world who was just and honest and so on.

3. Ask him about the ruh (spirit). They went back to the Quraysh and told them: “These are the question they told us to
ask him. If he can answer these question then he is a prophet.” The Quraysh and told us to asked the Prophet (S.A.W.)
and he said, “Come to me tommorrow and I will answer your question.”

The next day they came but the prophet (S.A.W.) didn’t have an answer. The following day they came, the Prophet
(S.A.W.) didn’t have an answer. For around fourteen days, there was no answer, and the Prophet (S.A.W.) started getting
upset and saddened because they started to say that the Prophet (S.A.W.) was breaking his promises.

Then Allah (S.W.T.) sent Jibril to reveal Surat al kahf (Qur’an, 18). That’s why in Surat al kahf Allah (S.W.T.) says:
“And never say of anything, ‘Indeed, I will do that tomorrow,’ except (when adding), ‘If Allah wills.” (Quran 18:23-24)
So we learn adab (manners), reliance on Allah (S.W.T.), an trust in Allah (S.W.T.).

Verse number one has 8 points. Allah (S.W.T.) says: “(All) prise is (due) to Allah, who has sent down upon His
Servant the Book and has not made there in any deviance.” (Quran 18:1) This hamed (Thankfulness) found in Surat al kahf
is not the same as the hamed in Surat al fatiha (Quran 1). One is called jumlah insha’iya, the other is called jumlah khabariya.
Jumlah khabariya is a declarative sentence, so the sentence in Surah al kahf is declarative in nature. Allah (S.W.T.) is
informing you of something! The meaning of al hamd in surah al kahf is different. Allah (S.W.T.) is telling you “Look! I’m
the one who deserves all praise, for a reason.” So it’s different now. He’s informing you, that’s called khabr.

Whereas in Surah al Fatiha, the hamd is insha’iya, or imperative. According to the scholars it means that (S.W.T.) is
ordering you to say alhamdullillah (all praise is to Allah).

“If you want to thank me, if you want to praise me, say alhamdulillah.” This is the meaning in Surah al Fatiha.

The first sentence in al fatiha is like an order : if you want to praise me, say alhamdulillah. In Surah al kahf, this verse is
not an order by Allah (S.W.T.) to say alhamdullillah.

It is a declarative sentence, this means he is informing you, that he is the one who has the sole right to be praised, and
for a reason!

All praise is due to Allah (S.W.T.) or what? Who sent the Quran? Can you imagine if you had no Quran?
Can you imagine if there was n0o subhanAllah (Glory be to Allah) in your life, can you imagine if there was no salah
(Prayer)?
I got throughthat; believe me, we are all the same, brother!

We arem all the same, brothers, there is no difference; we are all in the same boat. When I am studying sometimes, I
think man, I’ve got to pray but I really enjoy this book of tafsir (Translation and interpretation of the quran)! See how
Shaytan work? It’s the same game just a different means!

So all of us stuggle, we struggle and sometimes salah feels heavy. Worship Allah (S.W.T.), and we feel some heaviness.
That’s all part of our struggle.

One of the ways to cambat that is no imagine life without salah. Imagine life without any connection to Allah (S.W.T.).
Life without the feeling in your heart that you get when you pray fajr (The pre-dawn prayer) in the Mosque, or the feeling
that you get when you give sadaqah (Charity) ot the feeling that you get when you do well in school or at work for the sake
of Allah (S.W.T.)

Then we can value the worship and the wonderful relationship that Allah (S.W.T.) has blessed us with.
Ibn al Qayyim (R.A.) said the charity that Allah (S.W.T.) gave us Muslims, nobody can fathom this charity! Such
benevolence from Allah (S.W.T.)!

Allah (S.W.T.) said: “Has there (not) come upon man a pariod of time when he was not a thing (even) mantioned?”

“Indeed, We created man from a sperm-drop mixture that we may try him; and we made him hearing and seeing.”
(Quran, 76:1-2)
You weren’t even know and Allah brought you out of the wombs of your mothers, created you, formed you and gave
you sight and hearing!

We have to be very careful what we are putting into our minds. And Allah (S.W.T.) gave us this Quran and our worship
as our Norton Antivirus. We use it to clean us out; this is dialysis!

So Allah (S.W.T.) blessed us, and I can tell you, you don’t kno how lucky you are to be a Muslim, wallahi (By God)!

You don’t know how thankful you should really feel. Even though you might be young and you’re in high school and you
don’t mind being called a Muslim, having to fast for 30 days, and wearing baggy clothes.

clear all that up and think what it would be like not to have Islam. Then you can really taste how lucky you are!

In Egypt, I lived with people in poverty, but they don’t kill each other. They still invite you for tea and coffee!

That faith causes people to transcend the difficulties that they live in and still be decent people. Here, if one economic
crisis hits, it has a devastating impact on the people!

So the lesson we can take tonight is Allah (S.W.T.) says alhamd (praise) be to the one who sent the Quran!

How much of a blessing it to have the Quran and Islam.Alhamdullilahi rabb alameen (All praise be to Allah, the Lord of
the world)!