Mawlana Sheikh Mehmed Adil. Translations.

Alhamdulillah, thanks to Allah, this journey of ours went really very beautifully and well. We visited truly blessed figures there. We visited ten venerable figures from the circle of our Sheikhs. Besides them, there are numerous Islamic scholars and many other blessed figures there. It is a wisdom of Allah that from this region came people who were of the greatest benefit to the whole world. They taught people in the best way both worldly and spiritual sciences, as well as religion, the Sharia, and the Tariqa. For a time, this land went through the dark period of Communism. Back then, they mistakenly believed they had completely destroyed and wiped all that out. Masha'Allah, just as mown grass sprouts green again from dry earth, scholars and hafizes are growing once more, thanks to Allah, and all knowledge is being taught as before. It is precisely in this that one of the great wisdoms of Allah is revealed. Allah the Almighty Himself proclaims that His divine light will never be extinguished, but will endure. No one in this world is able to extinguish the light of Allah or prevent its continuation. For this reason, our visit there went so exceedingly well, Masha'Allah. The spiritual state and nature of our blessed brothers in faith and the local population there are simply wonderful. Even if they do not perform many acts of worship and are quite ordinary people, they harbor the deepest respect for religion, the pious, and the people of the Tariqa. Of course, the devil is never idle and always wants to cause trouble, but if Allah wills, his influence will no longer hold any sway. Insha'Allah, from now on the divine truth will endure permanently, for all blessing, all goodness, and all benefit lie in the truth alone. To tread the path of Allah means to walk on the most beautiful of all paths. This path is beautiful throughout its entire course, as well as in its blessed end. Thanks to Allah, with every visit we see how the services increase and people turn to religion and follow Allah's commandments ever more faithfully. Masha'Allah, the mosques are filled to the very last seat and are virtually overflowing with believers. Many new mosques are being built everywhere. Thanks to Allah, all these things that we see with our own eyes are truly heartwarming. The only thing that truly delights the human heart at its core is the path of Allah. What truly brings happiness to human beings in a real sense is the invaluable gift of faith and Islam that Allah grants. Whoever gives up the Hereafter, chases only after the world, and attaches importance to it alone, feels neither joy nor peace of mind, living in constant worry and distress. Yet Allah, Azza wa Jalla, has already granted you the greatest blessing of all: He gave you faith and showed you the right path. Stride persistently forward on this path so that you may attain eternal bliss. May Allah, if Allah wills, never let a single one of us stray from this beautiful path. The path of those blessed figures... Even if, looking from the outside, one sees only the graves of about 300 to 500 blessed figures there, in truth, hundreds of thousands, even millions of blessed people have emerged from this historic land. Since they naturally did everything solely and exclusively for the pleasure of Allah, they craved neither worldly fame nor any other possession. For this very reason, their entire work and the end of their lives were also full of goodness and blessings. Today, divine blessing virtually bubbles up from this soil and spreads everywhere in all directions. May Allah allow this wonderful blessing to endure forever. May all our visits and prayers be accepted by Allah, insha'Allah.

Today we set off, insha'Allah, on the journey to Central Asia – to the region of Turkestan and Turkmenistan. From this land came people who guided Allah's creation to the path of faith. Because they followed the path of our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), they were granted to bring knowledge, wisdom, beauty, mercy, and every kind of good to the world. Both in the outward and inward sciences and in the spiritual realm, they accomplished great things for Islam and humanity. Be it in the science of Hadith or in the knowledge of the Quran... At the forefront, of course, stands the spiritual path, the Tariqa – without it, such great merits would not have existed at all. For the Tariqa is nothing other than the living path of our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). From there, they carried their light to the entire world. Long before the sword, they sent ahead refined people who showed the people the way and guided them toward goodness. Therein lies the wisdom of Allah; it lies right in that place. Our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) already said: “Utruku't-Turka ma tarakukum.” “Do not attack the Turks, do not fight them, as long as they do not fight you,” that is: Leave them be. Indeed, the word “Turk” in Arabic is related to “leaving [alone]”. Thus, step by step, they found their way into this task... And then, for over a thousand years, they preserved Islam and guided countless people to the way. Praise be to Allah, we have already been blessed to be there. Twice we were able to travel there with our master, our father. The third time was about five years ago. And this is now our fourth time in these blessed places. Many friends of Allah and also companions of our Prophet rest there. Of course, we have not yet been able to visit all the shrines of the saints. Hopefully, this time we will manage to visit those we have missed, so that we may partake in their spiritual blessing. May Allah bless our journey. For there are so many kind-hearted people living there. They are already waiting for us. They know us from the broadcasts, and many wish so deeply to meet us in person. We sincerely wish to fulfill this desire for them. We simply want to come together with them for the sake of Allah. Our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said in his blessed words: “When two believers visit one another, for every step a sin is forgiven, a good deed is credited, and their rank is raised by a degree.” May this journey contribute to that and further strengthen our spiritual power. May it also be a blessing and guidance for them. Of course, there are also many there who simply do not know any better or have been deceived. Some claim: “Only this is true Islam,” and see an enemy in the Tariqa. Others, in turn, consider faith in general to be backward. Our intention is to build a bridge of guidance for all of them – may it be of benefit to both them and us, insha'Allah. May Allah bring us there and back safely and turn everything to good. We do this solely for Allah's pleasure, not for money or worldly goods. We want to bring joy to these people and touch their hearts. May we all attain Allah's pleasure, insha'Allah.

Our Prophet (sallAllahu aleyhi wa sallam) says: The human body has 360 joints. Because Allah, the Exalted, inspired it into him, our Prophet naturally knows everything about humans—down to the smallest detail. He knows things that even doctors do not know. Our Prophet (sallAllahu aleyhi wa sallam) explains that charity (Sadaqa) is due daily for every single one of these joints. He also says, “Sadaqa can, of course, be given with money.” Yet he continues, “Likewise, removing obstacles like stones, thorns, or trash from the path is also charity.” After all, not everyone can afford to give charity in money 360 times every day. That is why our Prophet (sallAllahu aleyhi wa sallam) emphasizes that all these good deeds count equally as Sadaqa. However, all of that can already be fulfilled by two units of the forenoon prayer (Duha). This prayer can be performed about twenty minutes, half an hour, or an hour after sunrise. The first two units that are prayed shortly after sunrise are called the Ishraq prayer. The Duha prayer consists of between two and twelve units. Just two of them are enough to pay the due gratitude for every single joint in the body. If you begin your day with the night or dawn prayer, do during the day what pleases Allah and benefits you, and conclude the day again with prayer—then you spend your entire life in the path of Allah. That does you good and grants your body health—for charity heals—and it simultaneously strengthens your soul. That is something truly wonderful. In this way, you become a servant whom Allah loves. Someone whom our Prophet (sallAllahu aleyhi wa sallam) also holds dear in his heart. Your affection for him will grow deeper and more alive. For living his Sunnah means being like him and becoming more and more similar to him. That is precisely what our spiritual path and the whole of Islam are about. To follow our Prophet, walk in his footsteps, and draw as close to him as possible—that is the greatest virtue and the most beautiful fulfillment for every believer. Honoring him sincerely is an equally high value. May Allah protect us from those who show him no respect. For great mischief stems from them. They keep you away from this precious reward and a fulfilled life. If you become like them, in the end, not a single word and not a single deed will benefit you anymore. May Allah protect us all from that. May He grant us, inshaAllah, to remain steadfast on His path until our last breath.

فَاسْتَقِمْ كَمَا أُمِرْتَ وَمَن تَابَ مَعَكَ (11:112) Regarding this verse, the Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “It has aged me, it has made me old.” For the command is: Remain upright on the path—you and all who are by your side. One must not deviate from it; that is why it is such an immense command. People must abide by it. Above all, the believers, all Muslims, must remain true to this path and not stray. No one should lightly say: “Let us deviate just for a moment and return later.” Whoever deviates once will find it hard to return. That is why steadfastness is so crucial. People often look to those they trust. These act like guideposts, but then stray from the path themselves. And people follow them, believing: “This is the right way.” In doing so, they also mislead others and plunge them into sin. And they bring heavy guilt upon themselves. That is why uprightness is so important: Whoever remains on the right path as a believer receives Allah's support and His love. But whoever strays from the path, Allah does not love him. For he harms not only himself, but also his fellow human beings. Stay on the straight path! Don't think: “I'll just do it this way, people will like it better, then more will come. I'll deviate briefly and then carry on afterwards.” Once you have deviated, you have already lost the way. “Fa-man shadhdha shudhdha fī an-nār”—whoever strays from the path, his path leads to Hell. As it says in the hadith: “Whoever deviates, his path ends in the Hellfire.” May Allah protect us from that! There is no point in fooling oneself. Giving in to one's own ego or the whims of people and leaving the path is devastating. For the path of the Prophet is clear and unambiguous. Actually, it is not difficult at all—it is only difficult for the ego. Because the ego resists it, it also seems hard to you, and people say: “It is too hard.” They have strength for all kinds of things, but walking the path of worship steadfastly is difficult for them. That is why, as the Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) said, this is a monumental task that must be fulfilled. One must not deviate a single step from it. Istiqāma means uprightness: You must be upright and truthful. Never deviate from the truth. Continue on this path undeterred, be steadfast. Without steadfastness, you lose—and you also lose everything you have already worked for. May Allah make our footsteps firm so that, inshaAllah, we never stray from the straight path. May Allah assist us.

Allah has entrusted Islam to mankind as a gift. It is the greatest of all gifts. The beauty of Islam is that it accompanies every single minute of a person's life. Without it, life lacks true beauty. Because firm order and structure are crucial. The most important thing in the morning, when beginning worship, is purity: clean clothes, complete ritual purity, and finally the ablution. After all, without ablution, no prayer is valid. First and foremost the morning prayer: whoever does not make it for Tahajjud at least gets up for it—and whoever wakes up only after that begins their day immediately with ablution. And this ablution—as the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Everywhere the water moistened the face, hands, head, and feet, there will be bright light on the Day of Resurrection. Through the blessing of this ablution, the believers will shine in full radiance among all people. Others, on the other hand, will stand in darkness and without light; but the face of the believer will shine—every spot touched by water will become light. And so it continues throughout the day: if you begin the day pure and with prayer, this blessing lasts until the next prayer. Throughout the entire day—a full twenty-four hours—one remains in this way in the presence of Allah. Not a single moment is detached from it. Praise be to Allah, we did our military service back then, over forty years ago. For twenty-four hours, you literally had not a minute to yourself. When you sleep, when you eat, when you walk, and when you line up—everything was strictly regulated. Back then, we only did the shortened service for one month, but during that time under their command, there was not a single minute of personal freedom. That is exactly the principle in Islam. Military service is a good parable that makes one realize: Life is not meaningless. There is simply no such thing as wasting time. Every minute counts. That is why it starts in the morning: whether you get up for Tahajjud or only at the call to prayer—and if you missed it, you simply start as soon as you are awake, and hold fast to your duties until you go to sleep. That is also how you do it in the evening: before going to sleep, you pray and perform ablution. One goes to sleep with ritual ablution (Wudu), or one prays two Rakat and sleeps like that, and in this way performs Qiyam al-Layl (the night vigil). In this way, you have spent the entire twenty-four hours in service and obedience to Allah. Then life is truly fulfilled. Sometimes people among us ask: “What is the point of all this? What is the meaning of life?”—This right here is the meaning of life! After all, you did not come into this world simply on your own whim. Allah placed you here and told you exactly what your task is. That is what you are supposed to do. Nothing more is demanded of you. Allah provides your sustenance and guides your steps in everything you do. Simply do the best within your power and live according to Allah's commandments until the end. If you depart from this world in this state, that is the greatest success of all—your life was not in vain. Otherwise, the phrase one hears so often today comes true: “He lost his life.” Many people actually squander their lives. They let it slip by completely unused. So let us not waste our time, but use our lives meaningfully, insha'Allah. May Allah help us all with this. May He also guide those who do not yet know, so that they too may recognize the true value of their lives, insha'Allah.

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «أَفْضَلُ الصَّدَقَةِ جُهْدُ الْمُقِلِّ، وَابْدَأْ بِمَنْ تَعُولُ» The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) says: “The best charity is that which someone gives despite limited means, through their own sacrifice.” This means: when a person in need donates what he himself can barely spare. And he adds: “Start with those you must provide for.” Even someone who has little and wishes to give charity should consider his own family first. For whatever one spends on them already counts as charity. He says that this is precisely the most valuable charity. قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «أَفْضَلُ الصَّدَقَةِ مَا كَانَ عَنْ ظَهْرِ غِنًى، وَالْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى، وَابْدَأْ بِمَنْ تَعُولُ» The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) says: “The best charity comes from surplus—that is, from what one can spare.” “The giving hand is better than the receiving hand.” And he says: “Start giving first to your dependents, whose upkeep you must provide for.” Charity should therefore come from what exceeds one's own living needs. First, one covers their own basic needs; whatever is left over after that, one gives in charity. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) emphasizes: “The giving hand is better than the receiving hand.” قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «أَفْضَلُ الصَّدَقَةِ الصَّدَقَةُ عَلَى ذِي الرَّحِمِ الْكَاشِحِ» The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) says: “The best charity is that given to a relative who harbors ill feelings toward you.” May Allah reform us—today, unfortunately, there are many who harm their relatives instead of standing by them. Nevertheless, overlooking this resentment and helping such a relative anyway is of great merit. One overcomes their own pride and helps him simply because he is in need. That is precisely among the most valuable and sincere deeds in the sight of Allah. قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «أَفْضَلُ الصَّدَقَةِ مَا تَصَدَّقْتَ بِهِ عَلَى مَمْلُوكٍ عِنْدَ مَالِكِ سُوءٍ» The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) says: “The best charity is that given to a servant or slave who is at the mercy of an unjust master.” Although slavery no longer exists today, there are certainly dependent workers in precarious conditions. Standing by these people, who toil for influential employers and have to worry about getting their fair wages, is especially meritorious. For often, such bosses squander their money wastefully while withholding the bare necessities from their ordinary employees. Whoever lends a helping hand to such people performs one of the best forms of charity. قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «أَفْضَلُ الصَّدَقَةِ سِرٌّ إِلَى فَقِيرٍ، وَجُهْدٌ مِنْ مُقِلِّ» The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) says: “The best charity is given in secret—or by someone who gives all they can despite limited means.” This means: whoever gives charity secretly preserves the dignity of the recipient and does not humiliate him. Likewise, help given by people who can barely make ends meet themselves is among the noblest of deeds. قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «أَرْبَعٌ لَا يُقْبَلْنَ فِي أَرْبَعٍ: نَفَقَةٌ مِنْ خِيَانَةٍ، أَوْ سَرِقَةٍ، أَوْ غُلُولٍ، أَوْ مَالِ يَتِيمٍ؛ فِي حَجٍّ، وَلَا عُمْرَةٍ، وَلَا جِهَادٍ، وَلَا صَدَقَةٍ» The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) says: “Four kinds of unlawfully acquired wealth are not accepted in four kinds of good deeds.” Acts of worship or good deeds financed with money from these four forbidden (haram) sources are worthless: First: money from a breach of trust—that is, when one has abused the trust of others and unlawfully enriched oneself. Second: money from theft—simply what has been stolen. Third: money from the embezzlement of public property—today this corresponds to state funds or communal assets that one has secretly pocketed. Fourth: money from the inheritance or property of orphans—that is, when one has violated their rights. No good deed funded with such money will be accepted. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) lists the most important of them: Hajj: Whoever has stolen, embezzled orphans' funds, and committed injustice need not even set out on the pilgrimage with it—it will not be accepted. Umrah: The same applies to the minor pilgrimage. Jihad: In the past, people bought weapons and equipment for it; however, no service for Allah can be performed with illicit money. Giving charity: One cannot give alms from stolen goods. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) makes it clear that none of it is valid. Therefore, do not hope for any reward from Allah when you donate such money. The only thing that counts is: return it to its rightful owners to absolve yourselves of the guilt. قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «عَجِبْتُ لِمَنْ يَشْتَرِي الْمَمَالِيكَ بِمَالِهِ ثُمَّ يُعْتِقُهُمْ، كَيْفَ لَا يَشْتَرِي الْأَحْرَارَ بِمَعْرُوفِهِ فَهُوَ أَعْظَمُ ثَوَابًا؟!» The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) says: “I wonder at those who buy slaves with their own money only to free them.” At that time, slavery was a reality, and some would buy slaves to free them. Yet the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) says: “I wonder at them.” “Why do they not instead win the hearts of free people through acts of kindness—when the reward for that would be far greater?!” Freeing slaves was good, but when you help fellow free human beings, you bind them to yourself from the heart out of genuine gratitude. In return for the kindness shown, they grant you deep affection and loyalty. This is a lesson for the future: slavery no longer exists, but the needy certainly do. Help them with kindness—their sincere gratitude and love will be assured to you. قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «كُلُّ نَفَقَةٍ يُنْفِقُهَا الْمُسْلِمُ يُؤْجَرُ فِيهَا: عَلَى نَفْسِهِ، وَعَلَى عِيَالِهِ، وَعَلَى صَدِيقِهِ، وَعَلَى بَهِيمَتِهِ؛ إِلَّا فِي بِنَاءٍ، إِلَّا فِي بِنَاءِ مَسْجِدٍ يَبْتَغِي بِهِ وَجْهَ اللَّهِ» The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) says: “For everything a Muslim spends, he is rewarded: on himself, on his family, on his friend, and even on his animal.” For all of that, he receives a reward from Allah. “Except, however, for the money he puts into building his own house; there is no reward for that.” Because one's own home serves personal residential needs, this does not count as charity. “Unless one donates toward building a mosque, sincerely seeking thereby the pleasure of Allah.” Thus, whoever builds a house for their own luxury earns no reward for it—but whoever supports the construction of a house of Allah will be richly rewarded.

The Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, says in a noble Hadith: "Addabani Rabbi fa-ahsana ta'dibi." "Allah disciplined me with the best manners, He taught me the best conduct." The most perfect manners are found in the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. We sometimes make mistakes, but Prophets make no mistakes. Their attributes are the most perfect attributes. Among all human beings, the attributes of the Prophets are the most sublime. There can be no flaw or imperfection in them whatsoever. However, some things happen so that people may learn a lesson from them, in order to instruct them. As with the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, in the Surah we recite: Abasa wa Tawalla... He said in meaning: "Allah, Azza wa Jalla, admonished me because of an action of mine." For when the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, was conveying the message, he turned to a disbeliever, and he frowned and turned away. He says: "You turn to him, while a blind man comes to you seeking to learn." And that was Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum; he was the second muezzin, just as Bilal al-Habashi was one of the excellent muezzins of the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam... He comes to you, and He instructs him: "Do not act like this"—this occurred to teach the community. One must show appreciation to every human being. One must not turn away from the one who seeks it. To the one who does not want it, you convey the message; if he comes, he comes, if not, it is his decision. That means it was not destined for him. Therefore, as already stated, all Prophets possess the most sublime attributes. Goodness is with them, beauty is with them, strength and generosity; all noble attributes are found in the Prophets. Yet unfortunately nowadays, some people say, in order to alienate people from the Prophets or to strip them of reverence for them: "They were just human beings like us, after all." That is not so. Of course they were human beings, but had they been human beings like you and me, neither their name nor their memory would have endured to this day. Their attributes are immense. Recently, a child, our grandchild, had an exam, and they asked about the attributes of Musa (Moses), alayhis-salam. Among these attributes they asked: "Is this correct?", and mixed in one attribute: mercy. When the child marked "mercy", they marked it as wrong. They deceived the child and said: "That is a mistake." Unbelievable, such a thing must not be true! Musa, alayhis-salam, also belongs to the Ulu l-'Azm (the Prophets of highest resolve). There are 313 Messengers who were bearers of a divine message. Seven of them belong to the greatest of all, the so-called Ulu l-'Azm. To deny him this attribute is absolutely unacceptable. This means sowing poison into the minds of children; they make people grow up without holding any respect. They say: "Musa, alayhis-salam, belongs to the Jews." Is he Jewish? No! They are all our Prophets. From Adam, alayhis-salam, until today, all Prophets without exception are Prophets of Islam, they are our Prophets. No distinction is made between them. Yet their true intention is ultimately to be able to claim: "Prophets have flaws." That is their real goal. That is the work of Satan. There are devils among men and followers of the devil; they are even worse than Satan himself. Of the devil, it is known that he is the devil; but this other one says: "I am a Muslim, I am a scholar, this and that, a great professor, graduated from several universities," and does such a thing. After that, he has no value whatsoever anymore. There are matters in which one must make no concessions at all. None of the Prophets exhibits any flaw. If you make concessions, you become like the Christians of today, who corrupted the true religion. Their main belief today is: "Adam, alayhis-salam, sinned, and we bear the punishment for it; had he not done so, we would be living carefree." They lack all reason. And then they still want to give advice to people, as if they were wise. They can keep their intellect to themselves. May they repent and return to the straight path. These blessed personalities are human beings chosen and sent individually out of billions. Allah sent them and endowed them with the finest attributes. May Allah protect our children and descendants. May no discord be sown into their hearts, and may no one tamper with their faith, insha'Allah. May Allah strengthen our faith, insha'Allah.

أَلَا إِنَّ أَوْلِيَاءَ اللَّهِ لَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ (10:62) Allah, the Exalted, and His friends... A friend of Allah is someone who is obedient to Allah. Someone whom Allah loves. Anyone can become a friend of Allah. It is not something unattainable. Whoever desires it, obeys Allah, and follows His commandments is a servant beloved by Him—that is precisely what a friend of Allah means. Some people therefore mistakenly think that there are no longer any friends of Allah today. Yet, they do exist: with His support, anyone who follows Him can belong to these beloved servants. Such people harm no one. They hurt no one's feelings. They walk their path with Allah in peace. Yet their enemies—the ego, the devil, desires, and worldly temptations—are numerous. As long as they walk this path, they find inner peace. Only the devil is restless—such people disturb him. He does everything he can to lead them astray. He incites adversaries against them. Yet because they know Allah is by their side, they fear nothing. Allah holds His protective hand over them. That is how one should be. One often wonders, “How does one become a friend of Allah?”—just like that. He does not engage in any dispute. He does not react to attacks. Allah stands by him. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) narrates: “Whoever wrongs him or speaks ill of him, I have declared war upon him,” says Allah, the Almighty. Therefore, the friends of Allah do not need to justify themselves or argue in the first place. No matter what others plot against them, their protector is Allah. Whoever attacks them or opposes them always comes out on the losing end. After all, no one can win against Allah. These are the blessed words of our Prophet. Therefore, unfortunately, there are always people who thoughtlessly talk nonsense. May Allah guide them so that they are not harmed by His punishment. For in essence, they have declared war on Allah. They can never win this battle—they will always lose. We must be very careful about this. For we live in a time full of confusion and discord. The temptations are great. People even try to lead the good among us astray from the right path. Often, people harbor evil suspicions completely without reason. They speculate wildly and speak ill—and with every word, they burden themselves with sin. In doing so, they oppose Allah. May Allah protect us from this. One really has to be vigilant here. We should hold on to sincere people. To those people who are close to Allah and whom He loves, insha'Allah. May He count us all among them. May Allah protect us. So that we do not lose ourselves in discord, insha'Allah.

Our Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—says: “In the end times, knowledge will diminish, but scholars will become more numerous.” What does that mean? That there will be many people who overestimate themselves. They spread false knowledge and flawed teachings that lead people astray from the right path. These so-called scholars—corrupt scholars—take a tremendous burden of sin upon themselves. And there are many of them. They issue legal rulings simply according to their own whims. They speak according to their personal inclinations or their own interests. That is exactly what the end times are like; that is exactly the time in which we live today. Everyone just talks away, saying whatever comes to mind. And he even believes it himself: “I am right! Look, people want my advice and ask me what they should do.” In doing so, he burdens himself with immense responsibility. For if someone acts upon it, he bears the blame for it. That is why even the greatest scholars said without hesitation: “I do not know.” When they did not know something: “I do not know.” Imam Malik, the founder of the Maliki school of jurisprudence—someone once asked him questions. “What do you know about this?” “I do not know,” he replied. Out of about fifty questions, he is said to have answered thirty-five with “I do not know.” “How can you not know that?” the people asked in astonishment. “I do not want to bear this burden,” he said. “If I do not know something, I say: I do not know.” Admitting “I do not know” is a great virtue and a high distinction. For if one follows one's ego just to avoid looking ignorant, and answers anyway—then one brings heavy guilt upon oneself. If you do not know something, you must ask and investigate thoroughly. For there are so many who pass judgments unasked and fabricate a fatwa for everything. The weight of this responsibility is heavy. One can hardly imagine it—we could talk until evening: there are so many absurd statements, judgments, and false answers. Therefore, be mindful: do not take this burden upon yourself! How heavy is this burden? If 100 kilos are placed upon you, you are crushed; at 500 kilos, you are completely pulverized. Yet this spiritual burden is many times heavier. You cannot see it, but its weight is crushing—do not wait until the Hereafter to regret it! If someone asks you, refer them further: “Go to the Mufti, ask a Hodja, ask a scholar.” Never burden yourself with this guilt regarding things you do not know. Whether it is matters of inheritance, family affairs, or money: do not meddle in things you do not understand. Simply say: “I do not know.” A simple “I do not know” frees you from this burden. Only if you know it with certainty and can benefit people with it should you answer. But if it is only about your ego... Back then people mocked: “What kind of man is this?”—Even to the great Imam Malik they said: “How can you not know that? You are considered such a great scholar!” Yet he replied: “I do not want to carry this burden.” Yet today, utterly ignorant people present themselves as so-called “scholars,” wanting to guide the people, and in doing so, they lead both themselves and the people astray. May Allah protect us from that. May Allah protect us all from such people who only follow their own ego.

لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا (2:286) Allah does not burden anyone with a load they cannot bear. Allah, Azza wa Jalla, only demands of us what we are capable of doing. And those are prayer, fasting, Zakat, and pilgrimage—acts of worship that a person can easily fulfill. He has enjoined them upon us, and everyone must fulfill these duties for themselves. No one else can do it for you—unless you are sick. Yet even for the sick, there are concessions so they can manage it in their own way. You perform it yourself. Illness or valid reasons are exceptions, but normally, it is not difficult for a person at all. After all, in everyday life, one manages far more strenuous things. Nothing there poses any trouble. But when it comes to prayer, laziness prevails, and he does not pray. And another thing: If you make a promise, commit to something, or take on a task—never promise something you cannot keep. That is precisely what matters. No one forces you to make a promise. Instead of hastily saying, “I'll do it,” you should pause: “Let me think first. Can I really manage this? Is it feasible, or will I end up breaking my word?” Therefore, do not make hasty decisions. Do not give the other person false hopes. Do not end up making yourself look like a hypocrite. For the most defining trait of a hypocrite is that he breaks his promises. Unfortunately, many of our people talk hastily, get carried away, promise the moon—and in the end, cannot keep it. At that moment, one incurs heavy guilt. Allah, Azza wa Jalla, Himself says that He does not burden anyone beyond their capacity. So do not impose obligations upon yourself either that exceed your strength. You are not obligated to do so. Your actual obligations are the five prayers, fasting, Zakat, and Hajj. The five daily prayers and fasting apply to everyone; the other two only to those who have the money for them. Only that is binding. Beyond that, you have no obligation to anyone. No one forces you to talk big, make promises, and then break your word. Because it feels like ninety-nine percent of people today no longer keep their word. We always advise: If you agree on something, put it in writing. Yet even what is written down often no longer helps. Because many are used to talking big: they just make empty promises and think, “If it works out, fine—if not, what do I care?” Such behavior is completely unacceptable. Do not let yourself become a hypocrite—may Allah forbid! Only say for things you can truly accomplish: “My brother, I'll take care of that.” Sometimes, however, one is also heavily pressured by the other person. Regarding this, it is said: “Ma uhidha bil-haya fa-huwa haram.” Whatever is extracted from someone out of embarrassment or shame is unlawful. It is a sin—one must not do such a thing. One pressures someone so much until they give in out of shame and agree. If he then cannot keep it, he incurs guilt and has broken his word. Yet the true sin in this case lies with the one who coerced him through shame. The tables are turned. Allah has given us intellect and the ability to think beforehand. Haste is from the devil. Haste belongs solely to good deeds. In all other matters, one must wait, reflect, weigh things thoroughly, and only decide with deliberation. May Allah keep us steadfast so that we are among those who remain true to their word, insha'Allah. May He prevent us from being among the hypocrites, insha'Allah.