Hey everybody!
So, Yasmin Mogahed was in KL recently and I managed to attend a couple of her lectures, Alhamdulillah. I have this thing where I need to go to these kind of events/programs to reset and increase my motivation to do good... you know what I mean? Anyway...
In order to not lose my notes.. and perhaps share it with any of you who may be interested... here's the notes I made during her lecture, 'Rising High' :)
Rising High - Yasmin Mogahed
24th August 2018, Friday
(Sorry, I was a bit late and missed the intro)
Tawakkul
When u make a decision by yourself, u will 2nd guess it
If u make a decision with Allah, by Allah, those decisions won't be questioned/regretted. So long as u make it the right way.
The right way= istikharah. This is not just a ritual u do the night b4 a wedding. And interpreted as having a dream. This is a misconception.
The Dua - acknowledging Allah's knowledge n power vs our lack of it. Asking Allah if that thing is good for me dunya n akhirah, then make it happen, make it easy n put blessing in it.
No where in the dua does it mention dream or signs.. or requesting for it.
"If it's not good for me, take it away from me and take me away from it. And bring whatever is good for me and make me pleased with it."
We've asked Allah to take over.
Istikharah prayer then obstacle after obstacle. This is something which Allah has made happen. Or, Allah opens things, facilitates things.
We don't know. But Allah knows.
We are like a blind person who doesn't know how to drive, trying to take the steering wheel. Vs Allah who can See, and can Drive.
We think we know. But we don't. We've depended on ourselves. And anytime we've depended on ourselves, we crash.
Choosing between options which are halal.
Whatever decision we made, with Allah's guidance, won't go wrong. We're not tortured by 'what ifs'.
The driving force in the human is the heart.
"There lies within the body a piece of flesh. If it is sound, the whole body is sound; and if it is corrupted, the whole body is corrupted. Verily this piece is the heart."
The body can become harmed thru
1. Starvation. Of the heart. Deprivation of dhikir,
remembrance of Allah.. i.e. solah (heart's pure oxygen), quran, adhkar (food n
water). These are O2 n food for the heart. Deprivation can cause 'death' of the
heart.
MyDuaa app. Based on Fortress of a Muslim.
Adhkar: Morning after fajr, evening after asar, before sleep.
Someone who is practising, doing the minimum 5 solah only, this is enuf
to keep alive spiritually. But this is the bare minimum. Won't make them
strong. So, practise adhkar. This is like eating organic food, n minerals etc.
When the heart is healthy n strong, amazing things happen.
Sequoia tree. It can even withstand fire. The human heart has the same
ability. Allah designed humans to be extremely resilient (if the heart is
healthy).
"I'm drowning in gratitude". And that is a sign of God. Imaan.
-story of the lady with 3 daughters with Mucopolysaccharide (MPS) Rare genetic
disorder, losing their faculties. And a son? With severe autism. She lived that
way for at least 20 years. Sign of imaan. Other people with MPS afflicted
child, fell into despair.
This lady was still able to withstand the difficulty, the 'fire'.
Every matter for a believer, is good. Good, grateful. Bad, patient.
"Whatever happens, it was written" - quran.
Story of Yasmin's colleague/former principal who lost his wife due to
cancer, and his son was murdered while delivering pizza. He wants to meet the
murderer who is in max security. Has tried for 2 years to do so. Why? Coz he
wants to forgive the murderer. N show him islam. So that the murderer can also
be in the same place as his son. He finally got to meet the murderer during the
trial. Hugged n forgave. This is a sign of imaan.
If deprived of solah, adhkar, quran - the heart can be weakened n
die?
2. Disease. Can kill the heart.
The love of dunya.
Envy. Hasad. It can burn good deeds like fire burns wood. Where does
envy come from? Dunya. They're things of dunya.
Arrogance. Coz u think u have more, or are better, than another.
Sin. Causes black spots on the heart.
Not repenting will cause accumulation of black dots. Like not having a
shower. Will weaken, sicken, and eventually kill the heart.
These are diseases.
How to overcome this? What's the 'prescription'?
1. Solat
2. Adhkar
3. Quran
Daily. This is the dhikir diet.
But u also need to clean the heart.
The cure..
for sin is taubah, istighfar. Clensing of the heart. Must be regular.
Envy is when u look at ur own difficulties but don't look at own
blessings. Focal point is on what we don't have, what's missing vs what we have.
Focus. What are u choosing to focus on? This is the power of gratitude.
If u focus on what's missing n look at others, u focus on other's blessings but
don't see their struggles. = envy.
Whatever u focus on grows.
Focusing on what's missing, it looks bigger. And u feel poor.
Focusing on what u have, it looks bigger. And u feel rich. = contentment.
Hadith. Talks about 2 types of ppl
a. The ones who make dunya primary focus => 'poverty
is put between his eyes'. They always feel poor regardless of how much they
have. Never satisfied. Never content.
'And Allah scatters this person's affair. '
Running after dunya will just tire u. But only that which is written for
u, will come to u. So why run after it?
Every human being has both blessings n tests. Believers n disbelievers.
No human being has all blessings or all tests.
If u try to count even 1 blessing of Allah, u wouldn't be able to. So
how can u count all of it?
With hardship (singular, 1 difficulty) comes eases (plural). They come
together. Not one after the other. Ur never in a situation which is all bad. It
doesn't exist. There's always some ease in ur life, at any point.
Health, money, safety (for self, children), Islam. - all blessings.
It's all about your mindset. What u choose to focus on.
When u envy, realize that there may be things in that person's life that
u do not see n may not be able to handle (if it were tested on u). And every
blessing has tests(?)
Social media- everything is 'photoshopped'. Life is photoshopped. To
look the best. Fake perfect image of their lives (looks, husband, possesions).
A filtered version.
Be mindful that everyone has blessings n tests. U choose what to focus
on.
Focus on your own blessings, be grateful, and they will increase.
Study of wellbeing. Flourishing. There's 'power of gratitude'. Keeping a
gratitude journal (3-5 things ur grateful for everyday) studies found, can even
cure symptoms of depression. Looking at the cake u have rather than the cake u
don't have.
Service to others is also very helpful. If u're down, help another
person up. Shown in studies.
Study: 3 groups (2 groups helping others at local or global level, n 1
group indulging themselves) + 1 control group (observing the activities)
The ones serving others (local, global level, doesn't matter) - they
feel happier. And had this happy feeling even after the 'charity' was over.
Another study. Money can buy happiness. But only when it's spent on
others. U spend on others (charity, gifts), u feel happier. If u spend on
urself, not really.
Q&A
How do we balance chasing for hereafter and at the same time chasing for the success in this dunya?
When u put the hereafter as ur primary concern, u will find contentment. Plus Allah takes care of your affairs. And when a person makes akhirah their primary concern, dunya will come after that person, whether it wants to or not.
It's not about leaving the dunya, it's prioritising.
Q&A
Heaviness can be because it may not be the right decision. But it can also be fear (unknown) causing heaviness.
Feelings could be from many things (nafs, food, fear of unknown, etc)
Sometimes it's the right decision but fear of unknown can also cause heaviness in ur heart.
Always ask Allah for guidance, and He won't turn away from u. If u ask, He's not going to leave u.
Even a mum, if she is angry at her child.. if her child comes for help, she will help. No matter what. Allah swt is infinitely more merciful than a mother to her child. Always have a good opinion of Allah.
Sometimes that heaviness is because we are depending on ourselves, carrying the burden. Maybe put more trust in Allah, ask for guidance, and let him lead u.
Q&A
Evil eye. Nazar. 'Ain.
How to break free of this.
People can harm one another in the unseen world - evil eye, hasad (envy) n sihir (black magic).
How to protect ourselves? N our blessing?
- Stop advertising them. Displaying them.
Human nature is such that when u put stuff out there, anyone can see it. And the viewer has different experiences. And if the viewer doesn't have what's being displayed, it can cause envy.
'Ain can even be admiration (without wishing harm) without bringing Allah into it.
Some are so envious that they want the blessing to be taken away. Hasad.
Sihir is the worst.
So, stop displaying, advertising it.
"Any blessing may be envied, so be discrete."- hadith.
- 3-part dhikir protection. Remembrance of Allah is a protection of the unseen.
Wearing an necklace/amulet, hanging signs - is NOT protection. Taweez. That itself could be black magic. Avoid it.
Ibn al-Qayyim said, “The morning and evening adhkar play the role of a shield; the thicker it is the more its owner will not be affected. Rather, its strength can reach to such an extent that the arrow shot at it will bounce back to affect the one who shot it.”
Shaykh Uthaymeen said, “The morning and evening adhkar are a stronger fortress than the wall if Ya’jooj and Ma’jooj, for the one who says it while his heart is present.
[And Ibn Salah said, “Whoever maintains the morning and evening adhkar, the adhkar after the prayers, and the adhkar before sleeping will be written among those “who remember Allah much.””
Ibn Katheer said, “Wear the ‘coat’ of adhkar so it can protect you from the evils of humans and jinn. And cover your souls with istighfar so it can erase the sins of the night and day.”]
3 part dhikir can also be protection even from black magic.
Q&A
As a public speaker n being international, how to maintain modesty?
With the help of Allah. Do ur best to obey the rules of Allah. And He knows us best.
How we dress, act - is prescribed by Allah. If u follow the rules, i.e. hijab, etc, it's beneficial for u and not for Allah.
How do we balance work n family?
Seek help of Allah n try ur best to have the right focus, to give everyone their right.
We have a big weakness - we place a lot of focus on our spouse.. then, switch to our children once we have one. This is dangerous. Don't neglect spouse, self.
Try not to be unjust to any party.
Seek Allah's help to balance.
3 part dhikir helps us in balancing - with Allah's help, we get barakah in our time.
P/s- If you notice any inaccuracies in these notes, I sincerely apologise.. please let me know so that I can fix it. Thanks! 🙂
