Advice for Back to School - Ustaadh Mustafa George

We are all thankful to Allah for His mercy and forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allah from the evil of our souls and from the bad deeds of our deeds. Whoever guides him, Allah will not harm him and who will not harm him. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and that there is no partner. I bear witness that Muhammad, his servant and messenger, may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him, and may Allah's peace and blessings be upon his family and companions. Allah says in Surat Al-Maeda, wa ta'awanu ala al-birri wa taqwa wa la ta'awanu ala al-ithmi wa al-udwan. Allah says in the beginning of Surat Al-Maeda and enjoin righteousness and piety upon one another and not enjoin sin and transgression. So our religion is a religion that we remind one another. Our religion is a religion that we encourage one another. The Prophet Muhammad, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, said, ad-dinu al-naseeha, the religion is sincerity. The Sahaba upon hearing, he said, Ya Rasulullah to who? Wa li-kitaabihi wa li-rasoolihi wa li-a'immatil muslimeen. Wa a'amati him the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said to Allah, to the religion, to the Prophet, to the leaders, and the general laymen, the general public, my beloved brothers and sisters in Islam, these days this week and possibly next week, the Muslim children in different parts of the city, the country, and the world are returning to school after a summer vacation. So we felt the need to encourage one another with good. We felt the need to remind one another with good. This affair of returning to school is an affair of concern. It has its challenges. It has worries and the likes. So we wanted to provide some advice for students, Muslim students, and some advice for Muslim parents. Allah, Azawajal, said in Surat al-Tahreem, Ya ayyuhaladina amanuku anfusakum wa ahlikum narah, wa quduhal nasu al-hijarah, alayhi malaika tungiladun shidad, la yaasunallahu ma amarahum wa yaf'aluna ma yukmarun, Allah, Azawajal, in Surat al-Tahreem, he said, O you who believe, save yourselves and your family from the hellfire. Save yourselves and your family from the hellfire. Its fuel is men in stone. Its guardians are staunch, rough angels. They do not disobey Allah and they do exactly what they are ordered. So the Muslim is reminded, the Muslim is ordered to save himself and his family from the hellfire. Ali ibn Abi Talib, radiya allahu tulaanhu, the cousin, and the son-in-law of the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, he said about this verse, alimuhum wa addibuhum, teach them and discipline them. Ali radiya allahu tulaanhu said, teach them, the children, teach them and discipline them. Ibn Umar radiya allahu tulaanhu ma, the son of Umar ibn Khattab, Abdullah, his name, he said to Ameen, addibu waladak, fa innaka mas'oolun anhu ma addibtahu ma allamtahu. Ibn Umar radiya allahu tulaanhu ma, he said to one of his companions, make sure you discipline your child, for indeed you will be questioned about him. How did you discipline him and what did you teach him? My beloved brothers and sisters, our children attending school, that environment, the content around those individuals, it is an extremely difficult challenge. It is an extremely difficult challenge. So the advice that we have for the Muslim children, Allah Azawajal selected Islam for you. You are a believer in a perfect religion. Allah Azawajal says, al-yawma akmaltu lakum dinakum wa atmamtum aleikum ni'mati wa raditu lakum al-Islam ad-dina. Allah Azawajal said, today I have completed your religion. Today I have completed my favor and I am pleased with Islam. Islam is a complete way of life. Islam is a perfect religion. So we say to our nieces and our nephews, we say to our sons and our daughters, Allah Azawajal has made you a Muslim. Allah Azawajal has selected you. Inna allah astafa lakum ad-dina fa la tamutunna illa wa antu muslimun. Allah mentions that. That was said by Ibrahim al-Israatu s-salam. And that was said by Ya'aqub. Inna allah astafa lakum ad-dina. Allah selected this religion for you. Allah Azawajal made you a Muslim. So do not die except that you are believers, my beloved brothers, my nephews, my sons, my daughters, my nieces. You are a Muslim. Islam is not just that we pray five times a day. Islam is not just that we have a Muslim name. Islam is a complete way of life. Islam is a perfect religion. Islam is a religion of morals. Islam is a religion that teaches you the best of character, the best of mannerisms, along with the best of worship and belief. So that should be displayed in the character of the Muslim, not just his name is Muhammad and her name is Aisha or Khadija. Allah Azawajal said about his prophet Muhammad s-salallahu alaihi wa sallam, wa inna ka la ala khuluqun azeem. Indeed, you have the best of noble character. That's what Allah Azawajal said about his prophet Muhammad s-salallahu alaihi wa sallam. So that should be the character of the Muslim student. The Muslim student is not just distinguished by his name. The Muslim student is distinguished by his character. He's distinguished by the way he walks. He or she is distinguished by the way he talks. How he engages with others. This is the religion of Islam, a perfect religion. The prophet Muhammad s-salallahu alaihi wa sallam said, for example, the way the Muslim is honest, the prophet Muhammad s-salallahu alaihi wa sallam said, inna siddqa yahdi ila al birra. wa inna al birra yahdi ila al jannah. wa la yazaal al rajul yasduqa wa yatahara siddqa hatta yuktaba'i enda Allahi siddhika. The prophet Muhammad s-salallahu alaihi wa sallam said, honesty leads to righteousness. And righteousness leads to paradise. An individual would continue to be honest and strive to be honest until he is written with Allah as someone who is honest. Likewise, the prophet Muhammad s-salallahu alaihi wa sallam said, wa inna al kadhiba yahdi ila al fujur. wa inna al fujurah yahdi ila al nnar. wa la yazaal al rajul yasduqa wa yatahara siddqa hatta yuktaba'i enda Allahi siddhika. The prophet Muhammad s-salallahu alaihi wa sallam said, lying leads to indecency. Lying leads to indecency. And indecency leads to the hellfire. A person would continue to lie and lie and lie until he is written with Allah as a liar. So the believer is one who speaks the truth. The believer is one who is good with his speech. The prophet Muhammad s-salallahu alaihi wa sallam said, la yu'minu a'hadukum. The prophet s-salallahu alaihi wa sallam said, man kana yu'minu billahi wa li'umil a'akhir. Fa li'aqul khayran a'uli yasmut. The prophet Muhammad s-salallahu alaihi wa sallam said, whoever believes in Allah in the last day, let him speak with good or be silent. The believing child, the believing Muslim boy, the believing Muslim girl is not the one to sit there and curse and speak with profanity all day. Speak with cursing as if your tongue is from the garbage can. As if your tongue is from the sewage, that is not the way. You are a Muslim. Your name is Ahmed. Your name is Muhammad. Your name is Aish. Your name is Khadija. So your tongue should represent your religion, the best religion. You should speak with good. You should be someone who is honest. Notice my beloved brothers and sisters. Notice my beloved brothers and sisters how when a Muslim lies or when a Muslim speaks with profanity, a disbeliever would say, how could you speak that way and you are a Muslim? You never find them speaking to one another as Christians or Jews or atheists saying, how could you speak that way and you are a Christian? How could you speak that way and you are a Jew? They never speak like that. They say, how could you speak that way and you are a Muslim? Which means they know that we believe in high morals and standards. We believe in the highest of character. We believe in truthfulness. We believe in good speech. They remind us. They remind us. How could you say that and you are a Muslim? So this is a reminder for our brothers and our sisters. Likewise, the Muslim, the reminder for the Muslim child, the Muslim boy, the Muslim girl, you try your best to be amongst the righteous. You are very cautious who you keep the company of. Allah, Azawajal, reminds us of that wasbir nafsaka ma'alladina yad'oona rab'um. In surat al-kaaf, Allah, Azawajal said, be patient and befriend with those who call on their Lord. The Prophet Muhammad SAW said, al-mar'u ala diini khalilihi fa liamdur ahadukum man yukhalil. The Prophet Muhammad SAW said, the individual is upon the way of his companions. The individual is upon the way of his companions. So be cautious who you take as your companion. The Prophet Muhammad SAW said, al-mar'u ma'aman ahab yawmul qiyama. The Prophet SAW said, you will be with those who you love on the day of judgment. My beloved brothers and sisters, my daughters and my sons, my nieces and my nephews, we know it's difficult. Many of your parents, we have lived that life. We know what is present in that environment. We know what is present in that content. So try your best to be amongst good people. Try your best to surround yourself with good people because verily you take the religion of your companions. I say this in the Holy Qur'an. I ask forgiveness from Allah and you will be forgiven. And repent to him. He is the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful. Bismillah wal-hamdulillah. Wa-s-salatu wa-s-salamu ala Rasulillah nabiyah Muhammad wa-minat tabal huda. So my beloved brothers, nieces and nephews, sons and daughters, it is a challenge. It is very difficult. It is difficult for Muslim adults, let alone Muslim children. Let alone Muslim children. So we remind ourselves of these facts about our religion, keeping the company of good people. And if that means that you need to be on your own, although it's difficult, then you must do so. Prophet Ibrahim ala-s-salatu-salaam as a young boy, calling his people to toji, calling his people to the oneness of Allah, and they all deserted him. And they all said he's crazy. But Prophet Ibrahim ala-s-salatu-salaam, Allah as-wujal described to him as an ummah. He was one nation although he was alone. My beloved brothers and sisters, we have to think about the hereafter. We have to think about on the day of judgment when I stand in front of Allah as-wujal. Do I want this person to be my companion, all that person? In fact, all of them would run away from you. Allah as-wujal said, يوم يفر المرء من أخيه وأمه وأبيه وصحبته وباني The day that a person would run from his companions. The day that an individual would run from his father, from his mother, from his family. My beloved brother and sister, my niece and my nephew, you would stand in front of Allah as-wujal alone. You will stand in front of Allah as-wujal alone. No one can help you on that day. How did the Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. said to one of his most beloved children, his daughter Fatima. Yeah Fatima, Bint Muhammad. The Prophet Muhammad s.a.w said to Fatima, Oh Fatima, the daughter of Muhammad, save yourself, I cannot benefit you in front of Allah. Save yourself, I cannot benefit you in front of Allah. So this is a very important reminder for the youth, the teenagers, the younger adults, going back to school, going back to college, high school and the likes. Choose your path wisely. Show the Muslim character. Show the Muslim mannerism. Be amongst good people and if you find it difficult, then be alone. Another reminder for the Muslim parents who are the adults, the parents. Another reminder to make dua for your children. To make dua for your children. Extremely important. Allah said to us in the Quran, said that the believers are the ones who say, the believers are the ones who say, Oh Allah grant us from our children and our offspring, individuals that are coolness to our eyes and make us examples for others. My beloved brothers and sisters, these past few days we've been taking our children to the mall, to the mall, to the mall, to the mall, to the mall, to the mall, to the mall. We've been taking our children to buy Jordans and taking our children to buy jeans and taking our daughters to buy colorful obayas and school bags and technology. But did we sit down and think, what am I doing to protect my children from the hellfire? You want to make sure they look stylish. You want to make sure they look good. You want to make sure everything they have on is new. What about the clothing of the hereafter? Wali basu taqwa, that is good. Allah Azaw Jal said, the clothing of taqwa is the best. My beloved brothers and sisters, what distinguishes Muslim parents from non-Muslim parents if the only thing we care about is their clothing in their shoes? If the only thing we care about is their Jordans and their feet and her shoes and his, what makes us different from the disbelievers my beloved brothers and sisters? So we ask Allah Azaw Jal to protect our children. We ask Allah Azaw Jal to protect our children. My beloved brothers and sisters, remind your children, sit down with them, explain to them the dangers of this life. Explain to them their religion. Explain to them the importance of holding on to their religion, preserving their Islamic identity, preserving their Islamic morals, preserving their Islamic belief. Look how Lukman sat down with his son, Ya Bune Yala Tushrik Billah. And so Lukman, when he sat down with his son and said, oh my son, do not set up partners with Allah. The most important thing they got is their religion. The most valuable and precious thing they have is their religion. Fa la ta'motunna illa wa antu muslimoon. So do not die except that you are believers. The message to the parents and to the children, my beloved nieces and nephews, my beloved sons and daughters, the only human that you will meet in your life. The only human that you will meet in your life that desires you to be better is your parent. Your parent desires for you to be better. In dunya and deen, your parent desires for you to be stronger in your religion. Your parent desires for you to grow up and be a better believer, a better human being, a better muslim, make more than me, do better than me. The only person that you will meet in your life like that is your parent, not your coach, not your teacher, your coach on the basketball team, or on the football team, does not wish for you to make more money than him. Does not wish that you are more skillful than him. He only cares about you if you help that team win. If you help them, if you help them to the finals that year, that's when he cares about you. If you are a terrible player, he does not care about you. In fact, he removes you from the team. My beloved brother and sister, understand from the heart, off of the tongue, into the ears and to the heart, we want good for you. The great Imam Saeed ibn Musayyib, one of the Imams of the Tabi'in, he said to his son one day, oh my son. He said to his son one day, oh my son, I pray more. I pray more hoping that Allah protects you by way of my prayer. Hoping that Allah Azawajal protects you by way of my prayer. May Allah Azawajal protect our children. May Allah Azawajal safeguard our children. May Allah Azawajal guide our children. May Allah Aziz Al Jal keep our children on the straight path. May Allah Aziz Al Jal protect them from all of the difficulties and the challenges of this life. May Allah Aziz Al Jal grant them paradise. May Allah Aziz Al Jal allow us to meet our children in paradise. May Allah Aziz Al Jal forgive us for our shortcomings and our wrongs. May Allah Aziz Al Jal protect them in this life and the next life. Allah knows best. May Allah Aziz Al Jal protect them in this life and the next life.