Mawlana Sheikh Mehmed Adil. Translations.

Our Prophet, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, said: "Halakal musawwifun." Truly, the procrastinators perish. Sadaqa Rasulullah, aw kama qal. Those who say: "I will still do it, I will do it later", have perished, says our Prophet, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam. This means, when a task or a good deed is pending, you should not put it off, according to our Prophet, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam. Because when you say: "I will do that later", only Allah knows what will happen by then. Such a thing becomes a habit over time. If you keep saying: "I will do it in a moment, I will do it later, I will get up later, I will leave later", it simply never ends. Thus, the good deeds that actually should have been performed fall by the wayside and remain undone. Therefore, according to the blessed words of our Prophet, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, you should not put off a task as long as you have the opportunity to complete it. This basically means: "Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today." Because it is uncertain whether we will even live to see tomorrow. When it becomes a habit for a person to procrastinate everything, it inevitably leads to laziness. The Shaitan (devil) then keeps him away from his duties and good deeds. While he whispers to you: "You are going to do it anyway, just do it later, take care of other things first, you are tired, rest up, you still have enough time, do not rush", often your whole life passes by without you ever completing the task. You plan to do so much, but in the end, you accomplish nothing at all. Therefore, it is best to complete every pending task immediately, as long as you still have the strength and the clear mind for it. Be it worldly matters or affairs of the Hereafter: One should not put any of them off as soon as one has the opportunity. No one knows how much lifetime Allah, the Mighty and Majestic (Azza wa Jall), has granted them. You may say: "I'll do that later, I'll come later", but it is uncertain whether you will live to see tomorrow; you have no guarantee of that. So if you have made the intention to do something, then do it immediately. Of course, sometimes you simply do not have the opportunity to do so; that is another matter. But if the opportunity exists, then do not put the matter off. Do not leave it until later. A great scholar – whose name escapes me right now – was once asked: "How did you acquire so much knowledge?" He answered: "I heard this noble hadith and after that, I never put anything off again." This is exactly how he became such a great scholar. Millions, indeed billions, of Muslims have benefited from him. He was a truly significant scholar, even if his name does not come to mind right now. He internalized this noble hadith, acquired knowledge, and people have benefited from it. May Allah protect us from laziness too. May He prevent us from making it a habit to put off our tasks, inshaAllah. May Allah grant us all health and well-being, and enable us to perform good deeds, inshaAllah.

وَعِبَادُ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلَّذِينَ يَمۡشُونَ عَلَى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ هَوۡنٗا وَإِذَا خَاطَبَهُمُ ٱلۡجَٰهِلُونَ قَالُواْ سَلَٰمٗا (25:63) Allah commands His servants, whom He loves and has guided, in this sublime Quran, to pay no attention to ignorant people when they address them with nonsensical words. "Do not even engage with them," says Allah. Because no matter what you do: their goal is not to learn, but simply to cause harm. With their words, they try to provoke and belittle the person they are talking to, so that they engage with them... They simply want to start an argument so that people attack each other. That is exactly why Allah says: "Do not engage in discussions with the ignorant." An ignorant person does not understand anyway, no matter how much you explain to him. If he did understand, the situation would be different. But the ignorant person follows no logic; his statements have not the slightest thing to do with the truth. He just picks up something from hearsay and then presents it to you as if it were an undeniable law. He throws the worst insults at you and only wishes you harm. Therefore, do not engage with the ignorant. It is best to ignore them completely. Because you are above such things. You do not have to stoop to this low level. And even if you do, it achieves absolutely nothing. If there were any benefit in descending to his level, it would be fine – but not even that is the case. If the person you are talking to refuses to listen to reason, then simply remain silent, walk away, or change the subject. It is pointless to argue endlessly with people who will not accept the truth anyway. The discussion only drags on, and he incurs even more sins as a result. And in the end, it only ruins your mood. Because Allah knows best, He shows us this path. In short: Do not even engage with the ignorant in the first place. The world is full of such ignorant people. And nowadays they also have these devices in their hands. Thanks to these devices, they suddenly consider themselves the greatest scholars in the world. Yet they pay no attention to a single word from the person they are talking to. Therefore, there is absolutely no point in exerting yourself in vain. If the person you were talking to were not ignorant, he would converse with you calmly and reasonably. But his intention is not to learn anything anyway. He only wants to provoke and cause harm. Therefore, distance is the best answer you can give them. If you do not answer them, they go crazy, completely lose their minds, and become downright rabid. That is exactly why you must stay away from such a rabid dog. If you engage with him and try to explain something to him, he will only harm you – and that is not good for you. May Allah protect us from all evil. Sometimes it is not so easy to remain silent and hold back. Nevertheless, it is best to simply remain silent, walk away, change the subject, and not engage in the first place. Because ignorant people are everywhere; you do not have to look far to find one. They really are everywhere. Our surroundings are full of ignorant people – more than you would like. May Allah give them understanding, so that they may come to their senses. May Allah also protect us from the evil of our own ego.

فَلِلَّهِ الْحُجَّةُ الْبَالِغَةُ "To Allah belongs the conclusive argument." (6:149) "Hujjah" (proof) stands for the absolute, irrefutable, and ultimate truth. It means that Allah, the Almighty and Exalted, stands above everything, is the origin of all existence, and is truer than anything else. There is no greater truth than Him. As the Arabic poet once said: "Kullu ma 'ada Allahi batil." Everything except Allah, the Almighty and Exalted, is void. Alongside the existence of Allah, the Almighty and Exalted, the existence of everything else is meaningless. Nowadays, there are people who consider themselves smart, but ironically become increasingly ignorant the more they read. They deny Allah, the Almighty and Exalted. To deny Him basically means claiming: "Nothing exists at all." People and everything else only exist because Allah, the Almighty and Exalted, brought them into existence. This is a state of the deepest, darkest ignorance. Our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) called this era the "Second Age of Ignorance" (Jahiliyyah). The ignorance in the first era of Jahiliyyah consisted of simply knowing absolutely nothing. Nevertheless, the people back then were better off than those of today. They created idols for themselves to worship; they certainly had the need to believe, but did not know in what. They worshipped things that could never be gods. People today, on the other hand, become increasingly ignorant the more they read, and thus fall into an even worse state. They deny everything and thereby fundamentally also deny their own existence. But unfortunately, all that they defend and teach is nothing but a game of the devil. The devil shows them this path so that they fall even deeper. The devil never wants anything good for mankind. Allah, the Almighty and Exalted, described him as "Aduwwun Mubin" (a manifest enemy). The devil is your enemy, and one does not make friends with an enemy. Even if what he whispers to you sounds good, it will ultimately undoubtedly harm you. Exactly for this reason, the existence of Allah, the Almighty and Exalted, is the greatest proof, the true "Hujjah". There is no greater truth than this. True existence is found only in Allah... We, however, are merely shadows. The entire universe is a work that Allah, the Almighty and Exalted, has created... Everything was brought into existence by the infinite power and wisdom of Allah, the Almighty and Exalted. His power and wisdom transcend human comprehension. For the human mind has its bounds and limits. For Allah, the Almighty and Exalted, on the other hand, there are no limits whatsoever. It is irrefutably certain: Allah, the Almighty and Exalted, has created every moment, this world, the hereafter, space and time – in short, everything. Compared to the power of Allah, everything created is an absolute nothing, absolutely nothing at all. But look at the people of today: They have completely lost their way. They are literally working towards their own downfall. That is to say, they are doing everything in their power to ruin and obliterate themselves. For if someone who strays onto this wrong path does not repent and come to their senses, they are forever lost and doomed to destruction. May Allah protect us from this. May Allah grant guidance to all people, insha'Allah. For this ignorance is such an insidious disease, even worse than scabies; it spreads rapidly from one person to another. It moves from one to another and spreads endlessly. There is a cure for scabies, but against this ignorance, if the person does not repent, there is absolutely no salvation. May Allah protect us. May He protect our families, our children, and all of us from this ignorance and the traps of the devil, insha'Allah. May Allah protect us from this.

وَأَنفِقُوا مِن مَّا رَزَقْنَاكُم (63:10) Allah, the Exalted and Almighty, says: "And spend from what We have provided you." Spend it; that means, donate it for good causes and spend it on yourselves as well. As is explained in the noble Ahadith of our Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam): If someone seeks the pleasure of Allah, even what he spends on himself counts as if it had been spent in the path of Allah. Everything he spends on himself, his family, his relatives, and neighbors becomes a good deed (Hasanat) and a blessing for him. This is a tremendous virtue for a Muslim. When a person is a Muslim, good naturally comes to him in many ways. Allah accepts his deeds – the past as well as the future ones – and blesses his life (Barakah). However, if he denies Allah, he can help and donate as much as he wants; it will be of no use to himself, his family, or his neighbors. Such people rarely give anything to their neighbors anyway. They do not help in order to attain the pleasure of Allah. And if they do, then mostly only out of self-interest. Therefore, our Prophet advises us that when spending for Allah's pleasure, you should start with yourselves first. If anything is left over, you give it to your family, your relatives, your neighbors, and anyone in need of help, wherever they may be. That means: Distribute the rest of your provision to them, give it to them so that Allah also gives to you. And so that good is always brought about through your hands. As we already said: Being a Muslim is an immense grace and a great favor from Allah, the Exalted and Almighty. Through this, everything gains value and fulfills a deeper purpose. Every minute of your life and everything you do has a benefit; none of it is in vain. Without faith (Iman) and without Islam, a person leads a completely empty life. He might think his life is ever so fulfilled; yet the shameful deeds and the evil he commits bring him neither benefit nor gain. Only when he repents and takes the path of Allah has he truly won: يُبَدِّلُ اللَّهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ حَسَنَاتٍ (25:70) This means: Allah, the Exalted and Almighty, transforms their bad deeds and sins into good deeds. This is precisely why it is of such great importance. Allah invites people to Paradise so that they find the right path. He says: "Do not go into the hellfire." People, however, literally exert themselves and essentially say: "We absolutely want to go to hell." May Allah protect us from this and, insha'Allah, not let us stray from the right path.

Our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) once said: "Lillāhi'l-asmā'u'l-ḥusnā fad'ūhu bihā" – Allah (Azza wa Jalla) has ninety-nine names. "Read them," our Prophet advises us. He also said: "Whoever memorizes or reads them will enter Paradise." The names of Allah (Azza wa Jalla) are of course countless, but ninety-nine were revealed to the Ummah of our Prophet. It would be very blessed if we read them every day. Through this, we attain the glad tidings of our Prophet. "InshaAllah you will enter Paradise," he (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) said. Sometimes people naturally ask themselves: "Which of His names should we recite?" In the Tariqa, it is a beautiful practice to recite "Ya Wadud" three hundred times daily. This strengthens the love between people. And where there is love, one is not harmed by others. The name "Wadud" stands for deep affection and love. Of course, it encompasses much more; the names of Allah (Azza wa Jalla) have an infinite depth. This is a very important Dhikr. Alhamdulillah, our Mawlana Sheikh Nazim highly recommended it to the people in the Tariqa. One should recite it regularly; but of course, there are also other names. Anyone wondering, "Which of them should I recite?", should ideally read all ninety-nine names once a day. Make Dhikr! In Allah's blessed and beautiful names lies blessing that brings countless good to people. Whoever lives in the remembrance of Allah encounters good and is kept away from evil. May Allah make this Dhikr constant within us and anchor it firmly in our hearts, inshaAllah. May He also grant this to all those who do not yet do so. For in today's times, many people know neither religion nor faith, neither the Prophet nor Allah (Azza wa Jalla). They lead an empty life. And not only that: they also drag others into this emptiness by claiming: "There is nothing there." Yet they have no idea what a great blessing it brings to recite even a single name of Allah (Azza wa Jalla). It brings divine light (Nur) into their hearts and onto their faces; their lives become more beautiful and more blessed. May Allah not withhold this blessing from us and bestow it also upon those who do not yet do so, inshaAllah.

Grandshaykh, Shaykh Abdullah Daghestani, used to say: "Man has four enemies." No matter whether he is just a human being or a Muslim... Because if a person is not a Muslim, what does it matter anymore that he has enemies? These are spiritual enemies. These non-material, but spiritual enemies are: the ego (Nafs), the world (Dunya), desires (Hawa) and the devil (Shaytan). So the devil only comes at the very end. He is the weakest of these enemies. The ego (Nafs), on the other hand, is our biggest enemy; it comes first and foremost. Our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Nafsukal-lati bayna janbaik." This means: "The ego inside you is your greatest enemy." You must not help your enemy. You must not do what the enemy demands. If you say: "You may be my enemy, but I serve you", then it will never end. No matter what you give it, it is never satisfied. It only ever asks: "Is there more?" Just like Hell, which asks: "Hal min mazid?" It asks: "Is there more? Is there more?" No matter how much you throw in, it will never be full. The ego is exactly like that. The more you give it, the more it demands. No matter how much bad stuff you feed it, it will not be satisfied and says: "Give me more, give me more." However, the greatest evils of our time today are alcohol and drugs. May Allah protect us from them. The ego is constantly demanding. If you give in, it starts small, but then it demands more and more and never stops. So what is the cure for this? You have to nip it in the bud while it is still small. You have to crush its head. You have to crush the enemy's head. You must not give it what it wants and must not compromise. Sometimes people come to me and say: "Our child has picked up bad habits, he has fallen prey to these substances." They ask: "What should we do?" I tell them: Do not give him any more money. If you do not give him money, he cannot buy any of it. Then they often say: "That won't work, he trashes the house and beats us." The addict thinks to himself: "They are afraid of me anyway", and puts even more pressure on them. Therefore, you must absolutely not give in right from the beginning. Someone who wants to get rid of this disease must say the following to his family: "No matter how much I cry, beg, or throw myself on the floor – never give me money." Because this addiction does not work without money. It constantly requires money. If you give him nothing, it can at least slow him down a bit and perhaps save him. Recently, someone who was addicted to gambling came to me. Gambling is even worse than all the rest, may Allah protect us from it. Anyone who is addicted to gambling and wants to break free from it should tell his family: "Do not give me money under any circumstances." "Tell everyone: 'I am a gambling addict, I am addicted to this devilish stuff'." He should say: "In order to free me from this addiction, give me absolutely no money, not even with the intention of wanting to help me." That helps at least to some extent. Little by little, by Allah's leave and in accordance with his sincere intention, Allah will save him, insha'Allah. As I said, the ego is our very first enemy. Do not serve this enemy, do not give it pleasure. Bring the enemy under your control, do not fall into its hands. If you defeat this enemy called ego, you will rise to the highest ranks. You will reach the level of true humanity. But if you serve it, you will sink lower than the lowest animal. May Allah protect us from that. Nowadays, there are so many opportunities to do bad things. In the past, none of this existed. In the place where we used to live, for example, there was – may Allah have mercy on him – only a single addict. Apart from him, no one drank. And he only drank alcohol, he did not take any other substances. When you look around today, everything is full of things that are a thousand times worse than alcohol. Drugs and the like have spread everywhere. May Allah help us, may He protect us, and may He save all addicts, insha'Allah.

قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: ابدأ بنفسك فتصدق عليها، فإن فضل شيء فلأهلك، فإن فضل شيء عن أهلك فلذي قرابتك، فإن فضل عن ذي قرابتك شيء فهكذا وهكذا۔ Our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) said: "Begin with the Sadaqa (the alms) first with yourself." This means our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) recommends first covering one's own needs and giving Sadaqa to oneself. If there is anything left over after covering your own needs, then give it to your family. Our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) says that in order not to be dependent on anyone, you should first give to yourself and then to your family. If anything is left over after that, give it to your relatives. If there is still something left even after your relatives, then give it to your neighbors and other close persons. So you start by helping the one who is closest to you: yourself. Then follow your family, your relatives, and after that neighbors and friends. So that they too are not dependent on anyone, you should support your immediate circle first. قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: ابدأ بمن تعول۔ Our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) says: "Begin giving to those for whose maintenance you are responsible." That means you should not help others for whom you have no responsibility while neglecting your duty to provide for your own family. No, first you cover the needs of your family, and only after that do you give to others. قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: إذا أعطى الله أحدكم خيرا فليبدأ بنفسه وأهل بيته۔ Our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) says: "If Allah grants you a good such as wealth, then begin spending first on yourselves and your family members." Allah has given you a gift so that you may be grateful. Since it comes from Allah, you first use it for your own needs and show gratitude. After that, you spend it on your family, then on your relatives, and you continue in this order. قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: إذا أنفق الرجل على أهله نفقة واحتسبها كانت له صدقة۔ Our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) says: "If someone spends something on his family and hopes for Allah's reward in doing so, then this counts as Sadaqa." Although you are obliged to provide for your family, covering their needs also counts as Sadaqa. For you do this for the pleasure of Allah and hope for the reward from Him. قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: إذا كان أحدكم فقيرا فليبدأ بنفسه، فإن كان فضل فعلى عياله، وإن كان فضل فعلى ذي قرابته، فإن كان فضل فها هنا وها هنا۔ Our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) says: "If anyone of you was poor and comes into financial means, he should first use them for himself." This point, which our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) emphasizes, is very important: If you come into money, you must first cover your own needs so that you are not dependent on anyone and do not have to ask anyone for anything. It is not good to have to ask others for something. So if Allah gives you provision (Rizq), first cover your own needs. A person should begin with himself; if there is a surplus left, he should use it to provide for his family. If there is still something left beyond that, he can give it to his relatives. If there is still a surplus then, he can distribute it to other people in need in his environment. قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: إن الصدقة على ذي القرابة يضاعف أجرها مرتين۔ Our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) says: "The reward for a Sadaqa to relatives and close ones is twice as high." That means it is worth twice as much as a normal Sadaqa. If you help your relatives and your family, you receive double the reward for your donation. قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: أول ما يوضع في ميزان العبد نفقته على أهله۔ Our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) says: "The first thing that is placed on the scale (Mizan) of the servant are his expenses for his family." Mizan means scale. The first thing that is placed on the scale of deeds on the Day of Judgment are the expenses someone has made for his family. If a person spends his wealth for the well-being of his family, he will receive the reward for it first in the hereafter – on the Day of Judgment. قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: أفضل الدنانير دينار ينفقه الرجل على عياله، ودينار ينفقه الرجل على دابته في سبيل الله، ودينار ينفقه الرجل على أصحابه في سبيل الله عز وجل۔ The most excellent Dinar... A Dinar is a gold coin, a currency from ancient times. Back then there were Dinars and Dirhams, with the Dinar being the largest unit of currency. The Dinar that someone spends on his family members is the most valuable and excellent money in the sight of Allah. Also, the Dinar that one spends on the path of Allah, for example in Jihad or on a good journey for one's mount, is very exalted in the sight of Allah. The same applies to the Dinar that one spends on the path of Allah the Exalted for one's companions. This means these are the best expenses one can make, says our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam). قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: كل ما صنعت إلى أهلك فهو صدقة عليهم۔ Our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) says: "Every expense you make for your family for the sake of Allah's pleasure is a Sadaqa." Your expenses are not in vain. You might think: 'I am obliged to provide for my family anyway.' That is true, but Allah (Azza wa Jalla) nevertheless rewards you multiple times for it. As mentioned, do not forget to seek the pleasure of Allah in doing so. One should spend with the intention: 'Allah has given us our provision, and we want to use it in a permissible (halal) way for good purposes' – that is, for the sake of Allah. قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: ما أطعمت زوجتك فهو لك صدقة، وما أطعمت ولدك فهو لك صدقة، وما أطعمت خادمك فهو لك صدقة، وما أطعمت نفسك فهو لك صدقة۔ Our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) says: "The food you give to your wife counts as a Sadaqa for you." This means, even if your wife eats from the food that is cooked at your home, this counts as a Sadaqa for you. Also, the food you give to your child is a Sadaqa for you. Providing for the livelihood of children counts as a Sadaqa. The food you give to your employee who works for you is also a Sadaqa for you. Even the food with which you provide yourself is a Sadaqa for you. That means both your own food and the feeding of others are credited to you as Sadaqa. Allah (Azza wa Jalla) is very generous, His mercy is infinite. He gives you everything; you eat and drink, and even through these expenses for yourself, you earn a reward. That is the beauty of faith and of existing as a believer. An animal is in a better state than a person without faith, because the animal at least thanks Allah for its food simply by its existence. قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: دينار أنفقته في سبيل الله، ودينار أنفقته في رقبة، ودينار تصدقت به على مسكين، ودينار أنفقته على أهلك، أعظمها أجرا الذي أنفقته على أهلك۔ Our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) says: "A Dinar that you spend on the path of Allah..." Again the Dinar – as already mentioned, the most valuable currency of that time, a gold coin. A Dinar that you spend for the sake of Allah's pleasure; a Dinar that you spend to free a slave... The money you spend to buy a person out of slavery and give him freedom brings an enormous reward if it is done for the pleasure of Allah. A Dinar that you give to a poor person as Sadaqa... This poor person will be able to provide for himself and his family for quite a while with the money you donated to him. And then there is the Dinar that you spend on your family. If one asks: "Which of these is the most excellent and brings the greatest reward?", our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) explains: "It is the Dinar that you spend on your family." That means, among these four things – be it striving on the path of Allah, freeing a slave, or giving Sadaqa to a stranger – our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) informs us that the best expense is the one you make for your family.

وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِي سَخَّرَ ٱلۡبَحۡرَ لِتَأۡكُلُواْ مِنۡهُ لَحۡمٗا طَرِيّٗا وَتَسۡتَخۡرِجُواْ مِنۡهُ حِلۡيَةٗ تَلۡبَسُونَهَاۖ (16:14) Allah Azza wa Jalla says: He has created the sea for mankind so that they may benefit from it. So that you can eat fresh meat from it and extract ornaments, such as pearls and the like, to wear. Allah Azza wa Jalla has made everything subservient (musahhar) to us. What does "musahhar" mean? It means that Allah Azza wa Jalla has created it for our benefit and provided it to us as a means of assistance. The earth, the sky, the mountains, and the stones – everything that Allah Azza wa Jalla has created – remembers Him (Zikr). Therefore, the person who remembers Allah together with them will also benefit from them. However, whoever does not remember Allah, does not think of Him at all, and only thinks about other things, belongs to the losers. No matter how hard they work, they always claim: "I know it, I do it." They explain: "It happened such and such a way," but they do not mention the Creator. They do not remember Allah Azza wa Jalla. Yet, everything quite obviously proves the existence of Allah. However, they deny this. They try with all their might, tirelessly and without hesitation, to keep people away from Allah. But their efforts are in vain; in the end, they will be left empty-handed. It will bring them absolutely no benefit, only loss. True knowledge is only that knowledge which Allah gives and reveals to us. Everything else is pure ignorance. They constantly boast: "We have built countless universities and educated such and such a number of students," but these are useless sciences... May Allah protect us from this. Our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) already prayed: "May Allah protect us from useless knowledge." "Allahumma inni a'udhu bika min 'ilmin la yanfa', wa min qalbin la yakhsha'." May Allah protect us from a heart that does not fear Him. "May Allah protect us from useless knowledge" – this is a supplication of our Prophet. May Allah include us all in the blessings of this prayer, insha'Allah. Seas naturally exist everywhere in the world; as is well known, the largest part of the earth consists of water. But we are in the end times, and Allah Azza wa Jalla also points this out in the Holy Quran: ظَهَرَ ٱلۡفَسَادُ فِي ٱلۡبَرِّ وَٱلۡبَحۡرِ (30:41) He says: "Corruption has appeared on land and in the sea." Because humanity has strayed from the right path, it has ruined this vast sea and everything else. However, the command of Islam, the command of Allah Azza wa Jalla, is: Keep everything clean. They, on the other hand, do the exact opposite and strive to pollute everything. What they eat is impure, what they drink is impure. May Allah protect us from this. If something is done without Bismillah, all the cleaning is of no use. They do not have a true understanding of purity anyway. And leaving out the Basmala only makes everything much more impure. May Allah grant guidance and, insha'Allah, send a protector. So that purity may return. When he comes, insha'Allah, everything will be perfectly pure again. May Allah unite us with him soon, insha'Allah.

Our Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: "Tafakkuru sa'atin khayrun min 'ibadati sab'ina sanah", or in similar words. Our Prophet (sallAllahu aleyhi wa sallam) said: "An hour of inner contemplation and reflection is better than seventy years of worship." Because many people often act without thinking about it at all. Be it in worship or in worldly matters: throughout their entire lives, they chase after all sorts of things, always with the thought: "I still have to get this done." But there is no blessing in that; it is something that brings absolutely no benefit. In this way, those seventy years pass by completely in vain. This condition is even more present in today's times, because worldly life has made people forget the hereafter. They no longer even find the time to think. They rush from one place to another, and waste their scarce free time on trivialities and meaningless activities. They do things that bring them no benefit whatsoever. They run after people who only harm them, revere them, and show them honor. If, however, one were of clear mind and would pause and reflect for once, one would find the right path. With just this one hour of inner contemplation, one would have won their true life. One would have won both this worldly life and the far more important life in the hereafter. Otherwise, one rushes around incessantly and has no time left for anything. One thinks to oneself: "I keep running on my path, so I will surely arrive somewhere." But in the end, one realizes that they have arrived in absolute nothingness and that there is absolutely nothing there. Therefore, true life means to look inward and ask oneself: "Am I acting for the pleasure of Allah (Azza wa Jalla)? Are these things that He loves?" Whoever does not do this loses their life. When someone dies, it is said: "He lost his life." But the one who truly loses their life is the person who does not reflect and misses the right path. The life of the one who reflects and finds the right path, however, is not lost; he has merely passed on into the hereafter. But a person who does not reflect, and instead rushes around blindly like a horse with blinders, loses their life and everything else. May Allah protect us from that. That is exactly why Allah (Azza wa Jalla) has given mankind intellect and the ability to reflect; therefore, pause and reflect. We must always be aware of the majesty of Allah and preserve our respect as well as our love for our Prophet (s.a.w.). May Allah grant us spiritual vigilance. May He keep us on the right path, inshallah, and protect us from going astray.

إِنَّ نَاشِئَةَ ٱلَّيْلِ هِىَ أَشَدُّ وَطْـًۭٔا وَأَقْوَمُ قِيلًا (73:6) Allah says that the time at night is more effective and intense for prayer. Our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) says that a prayer in the night is much more valuable than one during the day. Our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) says: "Whoever prays two Rak'at in the night receives as much reward as if he had prayed a thousand Rak'at during the day." Waking up shortly before the morning prayer to pray Tahajjud – even if it is only two Rak'at – brings a person this immense virtue. Whoever wants to can, of course, also pray more: for example, the prayer after the ablution (Wudu), the prayer of gratitude (Shukr), the Tahajjud, and subsequently the prayer of salvation (Najat). Praise be to Allah, these prayers are a means for us to draw closer to Allah. Allah says in a Hadith Qudsi: "My servant draws near to Me through voluntary (Nafila) acts of worship." Allah says: "The more you draw near to Me, the more I become your hand with which you grasp, your eye with which you see, and your tongue with which you speak." In this way, the wisdom of Allah is revealed in this person. The harder these deeds are for your ego, the more reward Allah gives you for them. At the same time, this creates a spiritual strength. Therefore, for those who are able to do so, it is a great blessing to perform the Tahajjud and voluntary prayers at night while others are sleeping. Whoever is able to do so should thank Allah for it and praise Him. One should not look down on others and judge them with the mindset: "I do it, but they don't." That is also very important. One must not forget: Allah has granted it to you, which is why you pray; however, He has not yet granted it to the other person. If you become arrogant and say: "I achieved it through my own strength, I prayed", then all these prayers were in vain. So if you are able to perform your prayers, thank Allah, praise Him, and make Dua: "May it not become less, but more." Say: "May Allah protect me, make me steadfast, and stand by me." Many people say: "We cannot get up for Tahajjud, we cannot manage it." This is partly due to going to sleep late, and partly due to the short summer nights. Then they think: "I'll just lie down briefly and rest," and suddenly it is already morning. Even if it is already morning, as long as there is still time, one can get up before sunrise and still perform these prayers. But if time has become too short, one should directly perform the morning prayer so as not to miss it. Even people who otherwise do not pray at all should start slowly whenever an opportunity arises. The prayer is enormously important, because it is the pillar of the religion. Furthermore, our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) highly recommended the night prayers to us as a special gift. Our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) got up very often at night for prayer. Even before the five daily prayers became obligatory, our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) would get up at night and pray. May Allah support us and make us steadfast in these beautiful deeds, insha'Allah.