Mawlana Sheikh Mehmed Adil. Translations.

قُلْ سِيرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ فَانْظُرُوا (27:69) Allah, the Exalted, says: "Travel through the earth, look around, and learn a lesson from what you see." When we look at the state of the world and of people today, there is hardly anything human left. Everyone has lost their humanity. Hacı Anne used to say: "A person praises most what they lack themselves." Everyone claims about themselves: "I am honest" or "We are honest," yet there is no trace of honesty in them. As sad as it is, this is the current state of the world and of humanity. There is neither honesty nor reliability anymore. Everyone only follows their own ego (nafs), and whatever the ego demands, they consider to be the truth. They say: "My idea of honesty is what my ego wants." "No one else has the right to interfere in my life." "I do what I want anyway." People today tell themselves: "I have no mercy for others." The rights of the poor, the rights of their fellow human beings – they do not care about any of that at all. This is, unfortunately, the current state of humanity. Exactly for this reason, humanity has been lost. Humanity means justice; but above all else, humanity means mercy. Where these qualities are missing, wild animals are better than humans. When a wild animal finds food, it eats, lies down to rest, and simply lives its life. It holds no grudges. An animal does not think about: "How can I kill even more tomorrow? How can I cause even more damage?" Humans, on the other hand, carry this grudge within them and have an ego that is never satisfied. That is why our times today unfortunately look like this. We swim with the crowd. And because we swim with the crowd, everything seems completely normal to people. Yet there is absolutely nothing normal about it. Even if everyone else does it – do not do it. Their biggest excuse and justification is: "But the others are doing it too." Even if everyone does it, you should not do it. If everyone does bad things, then do not do them. Stay on the sidelines, keep your distance. Do not let yourself be carried away by the current, so that it does not wash you away too. Stay on this side, stand on the side of truth, be sincere. Do not rely on the honesty of your ego, but on the honesty that Allah has commanded us. The ego says: "Everything belongs to me." The situation is obvious: Even with people who are considered honest and highly praised, it turns out in the end that they are only following their ego. Nevertheless, there is no more sense of shame, so that they would say: "We have disgraced ourselves, we have lost our honor." Regarding modesty, it is said: "Al-haya'u minal-iman"; that means, a sense of shame is a part of faith. A sense of shame is something beautiful, but in the current state of the world and humanity, it is no longer seen as something good. People say: "The girl is far too modest, she doesn't leave the house, she barely speaks." Yet it is a very good thing that she feels a sense of shame. In their opinion, one should do whatever one wants, be ashamed of nothing, and indulge in everything freely; whoever does so is considered a respected person among them. Nowadays, someone who still feels a sense of shame is no longer considered respected. May Allah have mercy on our condition and send us a savior, insha'Allah. We are waiting for it, insha'Allah. May Allah soon lead people back to their true humanity, insha'Allah. They are not able to turn back on their own. May Allah send us a protector who will show us the way, insha'Allah.

إِنَّ هَٰذَا الْقُرْآنَ يَهْدِي لِلَّتِي هِيَ أَقْوَمُ (Indeed, this Quran guides to that which is most correct - 17:9) The noble Quran is the greatest miracle of our Prophet (sallAllahu aleyhi wa sallam). There is no greater miracle than this. For from beginning to end, everything is recorded in it. It lacks absolutely nothing. That is why the Quran is a tremendous blessing for Muslims. Everything good is to be found in it. In it lies blessing, in it lies healing, in it lies guidance. Furthermore, it protects people from all evil. This means: It enjoins good and forbids evil. Moreover, it is the word of Allah that mankind is allowed to hold in their hands in this world. As for the other revealed books, which were the word of Allah before the Quran... The Gospel, the Psalms, the Torah; they were all the word of Allah, but nothing is left of their original state. Over time, they were falsified and altered. People rewrote them according to their own ideas in order to deceive the people. But this book of Allah has remained completely unaltered. Exactly in the form in which it was sent down to our Prophet (sallAllahu aleyhi wa sallam), it will be preserved until the Day of Judgment, thanks to Allah. Therefore, learning and teaching the Quran brings immense reward. That is why they also teach the children during the summer holidays – may Allah be pleased with them. If the children learn it at a young age, they will benefit from it their whole lives. People often sacrifice their wealth and possessions for unnecessary things, just so their children can study. Yet the Quran is what is truly necessary. The very first thing they should learn is the Quran. Alhamdulillah, the imams in the mosques teach the children in the summer to the best of their abilities. For this they receive great reward. They belong to the best of people, for those who learn and teach the Quran are the best. Of course, it is not strictly necessary to become a Hafiz. More important than being a Hafiz is knowing the Quran and being able to read it correctly. It is of great value to read the letters exactly as Allah revealed them and our Prophet (sallAllahu aleyhi wa sallam) taught them. Therefore, those who claim: "It is not easy to learn" are mistaken. In truth, it is very easy. There are people who learn this word of Allah in just three days. Some learn it in a month, while others need a year. The main thing is to start and stick with it. Allah has promised a tremendous reward for it. This is the word of Allah. In the whole world, there is no holier word than this. In the entire universe, there is no holier word than this. Therefore, one must know how to appreciate its true value. Our Prophet said that for every single letter of the Mushaf – the noble Quran that we hold in our hands and which is the word of Allah – there are ten rewards. A single word in it can consist of three, five, or seven letters. And for each of these letters, there are ten rewards. But not just ten rewards: It simultaneously means the forgiveness of ten sins and the elevation by ten ranks. So Allah gifts us with His blessing and His mercy, and on top of that, we receive such an immense reward. May Allah open our minds to it; may we be able to learn and teach it easily, insha'Allah.

وَلَا تُؤْتُوا السُّفَهَاءَ أَمْوَالَكُمُ الَّتِي جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ قِيَامًا (4:5) Allah says: "Do not give your wealth to the foolish." A person is considered foolish if they waste their money without paying attention to Halal or Haram, and end up penniless. Allah says: "Under no circumstances entrust your wealth to those who cannot handle it." Give them only what they really need. Anything you give beyond that will only be pointlessly wasted anyway. Therefore He says: Do not give it to them, so that they do not carelessly squander the bounties of Allah. If you deny it to them, you are actually doing them a favor. Because otherwise, this money is mostly wasted and spent on forbidden things (Haram). After that, they are left completely penniless and only get into trouble again. Therefore, Allah has established this rule for everyone – whether young or old, man or woman. A so-called "fool" is someone who does not pay attention to Halal and Haram, but only wants to follow their desires. Nowadays, unfortunately, more than ninety percent of people behave foolishly in this way. There is no other way to explain it, for they do not know how to manage money properly. This runs through all classes, from the smallest to the greatest. Therefore, we must be mindful and preserve the bounties that Allah has entrusted to us. There is enough for you and your family anyway; Allah gives everyone their predetermined provision. However, if one is wasteful, the blessing fades, and everything is lost. We say "from small to great" – you can also see it in the state of the country. This means that unfortunately, the rulers are also among these foolish ones. For given the obvious situation of the country, one must not simply waste and distribute resources at will. Allah says: "Do not give it to them," because most people act foolishly. No matter how much you give them, they will only blame you in the end. The more good you do, the more ungrateful they will be. There is a saying: "False pity only causes harm." In truth, this is not pity at all, but simply injustice. One must pay attention to this – whether it is the common people, the influential, or the rulers. What they call the economy is ruined precisely by this behavior. Resources are placed in the hands of fools, and afterwards people wonder: "How are we supposed to save ourselves now? From whom else should we take money? Whom should we burden with new taxes?" Millions and billions are wasted on harmful institutions and useless things, and in the end, the bill is presented to the poor. It does not work like that. If you act like this, neither blessing nor anything good remains. Mercy should be shown to the poor. One must not take from the poor to pay the debts of the rich. One must treat everyone with justice. Allah explains very clearly in the noble Quran how justice is established. One must pay close attention to where the money comes from and where it goes, and one must know to whom one may give something and to whom not. You might say: "If we give nothing, we can win nothing." But what happens if you give it to these people? Then everyone loses in the end. May Allah protect us and grant us understanding and insight. If people would walk on the path of Allah, there would be more than enough bounties and provisions for everyone. But because they have strayed from the right path, the whole world has come unhinged. Nothing is in balance anymore. May Allah protect us and guide us all to the right path. It is exactly the same in the private sphere. People come and complain: "My son is gambling away his money, he is doing this and that." Well, then do not give him any money! If you say: "But then he will get angry" – well, then just let him be angry! What is the point if he has first squandered all your money? That benefits no one in the end. Therefore, one must remain steadfast in such matters. One must beware of those who have bad habits and spend money on nonsense. Really give them only what is absolutely necessary. May Allah be our helper. No matter how much we talk about it, it hardly seems to be of any use, for the world has fallen completely out of balance. But our task is to admonish and give advice. "Ad-dinu nasihah" (Religion is sincere advice) – and so we pass this advice on. Whoever wants to, can accept it, and whoever does not, should just do what they think is right. May Allah be our aid.

إِنَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ بَصِيرٌ (67:19) Allah, Azza wa Jalla, is the All-Seeing; nothing remains hidden from Him. When a believing Muslim is aware of this, his affairs succeed, and he stays away from evil. He always strives to do what Allah, Azza wa Jalla, loves. Of course, a person strives to the best of their abilities in doing so. But there are the ego (Nafs), the devil, and desires – many factors that try to divert a person from good. No one succeeds in this perfectly, but a person must absolutely control their ego as much as possible. Because Allah, Azza wa Jalla, sees everything. However, we are weak servants; we make mistakes and commit sins. It is in our own interest to show repentance and ask for forgiveness (Tawba and Istighfar), so that Allah forgives us. For if someone repents and asks for forgiveness, Allah, Azza wa Jalla, transforms the sins and mistakes they have committed into good deeds. However, whoever does not repent must bear the consequences themselves. Nowadays, many people follow their ego; they consider themselves great, do what they want, and on top of that, rebel against Allah, Azza wa Jalla. They consider themselves to be something special. Yet, in reality, they only harm themselves and do injustice to themselves. Whoever acts arrogantly towards Allah, Azza wa Jalla, in truth humiliates himself; for he has become the slave and mount of his own ego. His ego sits on his back and drives him on, while he considers himself important. May Allah protect us from the state of the people in these end times. May Allah grant them guidance and improve their condition. However, since we are in the end times, the devils and evil deceive people and tempt them into bad deeds. May Allah protect us from the evil of our own ego. Even in small matters, it is always for our best to oppose the ego. The more you resist it, the more strength Allah grants you, and your spiritual strength steadily increases. As long as you do not give in to your ego and resist it, you will, by Allah's permission, become stronger both spiritually and outwardly. May Allah protect us from our ego. وَمَن جَاهَدَ فَإِنَّمَا يُجَاهِدُ لِنَفْسِهِ (29:6) The jihad meant here is the struggle against one's own ego. We should wage jihad as our Prophet, sallAllahu aleyhi wa sallam, commanded: The greatest jihad is the struggle against one's own ego. If you do this, you are already considered a mujahid by Allah and attain the corresponding reward. May Allah be our helper and grant us the ability to defeat our ego, insha'Allah.

"Verily, the number of months with Allah is twelve months in the Book of Allah, the day He created the heavens and the earth." (9:36) The year with Allah, the Almighty and Exalted, consists of twelve months. Everything that Allah, the Exalted, has created with His wisdom, comes into existence through the secret of "Kun fa yakun" (Be, and it is). When the Lord says "be", it happens, and when He says "do not be", it stops; everything submits to His will. As Allah, the Exalted, has proclaimed, the secrets of the entire universe lie in the glorious Quran; everything is anchored there, in the noble Quran. Allah, the Exalted, has set the year to twelve months and created everything according to an exceedingly precise calculation. Nothing happens by itself or by pure chance. Each of these months has its very own, special spiritual effects. Thanks be to Allah that we have reached the month of Safar again. It is said that the month of Safar is a "heavy month," which is why it is also called "Safar al-Khayr" in the hope of good. May it, Allah willing, bring much good and keep evil away from us. Nowadays, of course, people hardly know about these spiritual truths anymore. They do not know how things really stand; they merely have their own, very superficial understanding of education. In the past, children were only sent to school for a few years, that was all. Today it is said: "They must go to university, study this, study that," but they draw no spiritual benefit from all this knowledge. They only know what they are shown; everything beyond that they either reject or they simply know nothing about it. Yet these months are very important; people should know about them. How Allah, the Exalted, created man and how a true servant of Allah should be – they must absolutely internalize this. One must know which months are blessed and which are somewhat more challenging. For behind everything lies a wisdom, and each month has its own tasks. Since this month carries a bit more weight, it brings its own duties that need to be fulfilled. In order for Allah to protect us, it is essential to perform these spiritual tasks conscientiously. Thus, evil transforms into good; with Allah's permission, bad things are transformed into good ones. These mentioned tasks are those acts of worship that we always speak of and which are written down in all religious sources. The most important among them is undoubtedly Sadaqa (the giving of alms). Our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) attached an extraordinarily great importance to Sadaqa. Thus he said: "Protect yourselves from the Hellfire, even if it is only with half a date as alms." Back then, people, yes even our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), could go two days without food and be content with just one date. Today, half a date would not be enough for anyone; for the people of today, not even half a kilo is enough. Therefore: No matter how small the amount may seem, be sure to give your Sadaqa and donate. Do not consider your alms as worthless. Whatever you can spare, be it money or something else, give it. For Sadaqa wards off calamity and misfortune and prolongs life. Especially because the current month is a heavy month, you must under no circumstances neglect the giving of alms. In addition, one should show much repentance and ask for forgiveness (Tauba and Istighfar); for repentance also keeps calamity away from us. Seeking forgiveness is a cure for every suffering. It is of the utmost importance to turn to Allah and ask only Him for help. Never say: "We have committed so many sins, Allah will no longer forgive us for that." Allah forgives, for Allah is the All-Forgiving. Given the spiritual heaviness of this month, you should intensify your repentance and pleas for forgiveness even further. If you have violated the rights of others (Kul Hakkı), free yourselves from this heavy burden by returning these rights to their rightful owners. The rights of fellow human beings are an exceedingly serious matter. The right of Allah weighs lightly, but the debt to fellow human beings weighs very heavily. Allah forgives the wrongdoings that have been committed against Himself; but as long as the wronged person does not forgive, Allah does not forgive this injustice either. One must necessarily return the right to the affected person and ask them for forgiveness. May Allah protect us all from violating the right of another. Ultimately, this too is a beautiful month; when a person is connected to Allah, everything is beautiful. As the blessed Yunus Emre already said: "Everything that comes from You is beautiful." Since everything comes from Allah, it is always beautiful at its core. This month is beautiful, the other months are beautiful; and inshaAllah, our coming months will also be beautiful. After all, this month is followed by the month of our Prophet, the month of Rabi' al-Awwal. May Allah beautify our days and fill our lives with faith. When one lives with faith, Iman, everything is beautiful by Allah's permission.

وَمَن كَانَ فِي هَٰذِهِ أَعْمَىٰ فَهُوَ فِي الْآخِرَةِ أَعْمَىٰ وَأَضَلُّ سَبِيلًا (17:72) May Allah not count us among the blind. Allah says, "Whoever is blind in this world will also be blind in the Hereafter." But blind is not the one whose eyes see nothing, but rather the one whose heart does not comprehend. Whoever does not recognize the truth is blind. Therefore, he who does not see the truth in this world and does not follow the right path will fare much worse in the Hereafter. He will not be able to see anything at all there. His end will be a terrible one both in this world and in the Hereafter. Allah has clearly set forth the truth; everyone can see and recognize it. But people follow their ego and do not accept the Halal and Haram established by Allah, the Exalted. They say, "We only do what our ego desires." "What our ego does not want, we reject." They say, "We do not accept it, and no one else is allowed to accept it." With this attitude, "Everyone must be exactly like us," we have now reached the end of the end times. They do not accept anything else. "All states, the whole world must adopt our misguided way of thinking." "No one is allowed to accept the commandments established by Allah." They demand: "You shall not follow His path, but our path – the path of Satan." See, these are the truly blind ones. Their souls are blind, their hearts black, and their thoughts dark. This is the state of a person who only follows his ego in everything. Nothing else can possibly arise from it. No good comes from evil. No knowledge arises from ignorance. What they call knowledge... A knowledge that Allah does not recognize is not true knowledge. A knowledge that Allah rejects and that only serves the ego is pure ignorance. The Jahiliyyah... We are living today in the second time of ignorance, of which our Prophet, sallallahu aleyhi wa sallam, spoke. This is far worse than the first Jahiliyyah – much worse. May Allah protect us from it. May our hearts and eyes not go blind, but recognize the truth. May no one remain blind, and may this be a guidance for the people. This is exactly what people need. What we need more than food, drink, and everything else, is faith. Our eyes must be open; we must not be blind. May Allah protect us. May Allah send the savior who will guide every person to the right path, insha'Allah.

فَقُطِعَ دَابِرُ الْقَوْمِ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا ۚ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ (6:45) Thanks be to Allah, the Almighty and Exalted, who has judged the unjust people. Thanks be to Him, all our praise belongs to Him. A thousand thanks be to Allah, all praise belongs to Him. The disbeliever is always an enemy and a threat to the Muslim; the greatest enemy, however, is Satan. Their enmity, coupled with that of Satan, is constant, but Allah, the Almighty and Exalted, is always the victor. He tears them out by the root. Against Allah, the Almighty and Exalted, they are completely powerless. They can try as much as they want – may Allah protect us from their evil. Satan, of course, considers every kind of deceit and malice to be perfectly within his rights. He does not care what others have to suffer; the main thing is that his own rule is strengthened. To him, any means to achieve this is justified. Therefore, may Allah protect us from their evil. A person on this path must seek refuge in Allah and hold on to an unshakable faith, so that He protects him from the evil of Satan and the malicious. Thanks be to Allah, a few years ago we experienced a drastic event as an entire nation. Praise be to Allah – He alone was the victor in the end. The ever-victorious is Allah; 'La ghaliba illallah' (There is no victor but Allah). Those who oppose Him will receive their just punishment in the end. There are many people who fall for their deceptions to this day. May Allah grant these people reason and insight; may they repent and stay away from bad deeds. For those involved in bad deeds might still be able to hide in this world; but in the Hereafter, the true extent of these deeds and the great harm they have caused will finally be revealed. To this day, there are many who have misled people with excuses like "it was like this" or "it was this". If the truth is so obvious, why then do you persist in your stubbornness? Stubbornness is a main characteristic of disbelief; the disbeliever is obdurate and obstinate. Even Abu Jahl said while dying, as the companions of the Prophet were about to behead him: "I know the truth, but out of arrogance and stubbornness I will not follow you and Muhammad." This shows: This stubbornness is a fundamental trait of disbelief. Therefore, return to the straight path, turn to Allah and sincerely repent. Then Allah will forgive your sins, you will save your Hereafter and be saved from taking Satan's side. For Allah's path is clear and distinct; there is nothing secret or hidden about it. Stick to the truth – nothing more is asked of you. May Allah forbid: If you pass this evil on to others, you will also have to bear the burden of their sins. May we, Insha'Allah, always belong to those who stand on the side of truth. May Allah protect us from all evil: from the evil of Satan, the evil of our own ego, and the evil of the disbelievers. Our ancestors already said: "The water may rest, but the enemy does not sleep." Therefore, may Allah guard and protect us. May He send a savior, Sahibm, so that the truth, Insha'Allah, completely comes to light.

وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ (68:4) Allah, the Exalted and Almighty, praises our Prophet, sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam. He says: "The most beautiful qualities are united in you." Allah, the Exalted and Almighty, speaks to our Prophet, sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam, in the Noble Quran: "You truly possess a great, exalted character." Our Prophet, sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam, is the best role model for us. He is the only true role model for all of humanity. How to become a perfect human being and how one should lead their life – in short, true humanity – all of this is embodied by our Prophet, sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam. In those who do not follow him, one finds neither humanity nor goodness nor any other form of beauty. Instead, they unite every kind of wickedness within themselves. For the path they have taken is a misguided one. They are on a path that opposes Allah. Therefore, the only path that brings salvation and true benefit to humanity is the path of our Prophet, sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam. This path never changes. It is the true, straight path. Nothing at all will benefit whoever is not on this straight path. Rather, it drags a person into endless darkness. The path of our Prophet, sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam, however, leads straight to Paradise. Never deviate from this path. Follow this path so that you may be among the successful ones. Attaining the Hereafter is far more important than being successful in this world. Whoever sacrifices the eternal Hereafter for the fleeting worldly life is foolish. As Allah, the Exalted and Almighty, proclaims: Our Prophet, sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam, is the guide who leads humanity in the most perfect way. We learn goodness, decency, good morals, and every kind of beauty through the example of our Prophet, sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam. Praise be to Allah that we belong to his Ummah. This is the greatest gift that Allah has granted us. Being blessed with faith as well as belonging to the Ummah of our Prophet, sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam... Infinite gratitude is due to Allah. May Allah make us steadfast on this path. May He also grant guidance to those who are not on this path. InshaAllah, those who have gone astray will also find the right path.

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «أَفْضَلُ الدَّنَانِيرِ دِينَارٌ يُنْفِقُهُ الرَّجُلُ عَلَى عِيَالِهِ، وَدِينَارٌ يُنْفِقُهُ الرَّجُلُ عَلَى دَابَّتِهِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ، وَدِينَارٌ يُنْفِقُهُ الرَّجُلُ عَلَى أَصْحَابِهِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ۔» Our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) said: "The best Dinar (the best money) that one can spend, is the one that someone spends on their own family." This means: This money is the most valuable and brings the most reward (Sawab). In second place follows the money spent on a riding animal in the path of Allah. This means: If someone goes to battle for Allah, the money for the care, strengthening, and provision of their riding animal also belongs to the best of expenditures. In third place is the money spent in the path of Allah, for His cause, and for one's Muslim brothers and sisters in faith. Our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) thus teaches us that spending to help others in the path of Allah comes in third place. قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «أَفْضَلُ الصَّدَقَةِ أَنْ تَصَدَّقَ وَأَنْتَ صَحِيحٌ شَحِيحٌ، تَأْمُلُ الْغِنَى وَتَخْشَى الْفَقْرَ، وَلَا تُمْهِلْ حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغَتِ الْحُلْقُومَ قُلْتَ: لِفُلَانٍ كَذَا، وَلِفُلَانٍ كَذَا، أَلَا وَقَدْ كَانَ لِفُلَانٍ كَذَا۔» Our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) explains as follows which Sadaqah (charity) is the best and most pleasing to Allah: It is the charity given while one is healthy and very attached to their wealth. Thus, the Sadaqah of a person who is full of strength, in the prime of life, and has the ambition to build wealth. That is the most valuable Sadaqah. It is given while one still hopes for wealth and fears poverty. So one still has all possibilities ahead, wants to become rich, and is afraid of being poor. Our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) says that a charity in exactly this phase of life brings the greatest reward and blessing. Do not postpone Sadaqah until your soul is in your throat and you are taking your last breaths. Until one is perhaps 80 or 90 years old, has never given charity, and suddenly asks oneself: "What do I do with my money now?" Do not wait for this last moment to say: "This part of my wealth is for this person," "and that Sadaqah is for the other person." Do not delay it until the moment when your belongings (as inheritance) will already pass into the hands of others anyway. Because in that moment, your wealth is already slipping away from you. Our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) warns: "Give the Sadaqah in time, when it is most valuable, and do not wait until your end." قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «أَفْضَلُ الصَّدَقَةِ جُهْدُ الْمُقِلِّ، وَابْدَأْ بِمَنْ تَعُولُ۔» Our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) says: The best Sadaqah is the one that someone gives to the best of their ability despite having little wealth. And begin your spending with those whose maintenance you are responsible for. Even if the means are limited, this Sadaqah is highly regarded by Allah. However, our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) generally recommends: "When you give charity, provide for your own family and those closest to you first." Because taking care of one's own household and providing for the family is also Sadaqah. قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «أَفْضَلُ الصَّدَقَةِ مَا كَانَ عَنْ ظَهْرِ غِنًى، وَالْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى، وَابْدَأْ بِمَنْ تَعُولُ۔» Our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) says: The best Sadaqah is the one given from a surplus. This means that one first covers one's own needs and only gives the remaining part as Sadaqah. For the giving hand is better than the receiving hand. Our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) emphasizes with this that giving is better than taking. Start with the Sadaqah here too, with your family, for whom you are responsible. Securing the maintenance of one's own family is in itself a great Sadaqah. Our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) says: "Start with them first." So one must not neglect one's family for others. Help in your own home first, and donate the rest to relatives, neighbors, and those in need. قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «أَفْضَلُ الصَّدَقَةِ سَقْيُ الْمَاءِ۔» Our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) says: One of the best charities is to provide people with drinking water. Offering water is a particularly blessed form of Sadaqah. قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «أَفْضَلُ الصَّدَقَةِ أَنْ يَتَعَلَّمَ الْمَرْءُ الْمُسْلِمُ عِلْمًا ثُمَّ يُعَلِّمَهُ أَخَاهُ الْمُسْلِمَ۔» Our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) says: One of the most valuable charities is when a Muslim acquires knowledge... (This means that acquiring knowledge is also a Sadaqah) ...and then passes this knowledge on to their Muslim brothers and sisters in faith. This "Sadaqah of knowledge" is extremely valuable. Charity does not only consist of money; one can also donate knowledge. Alhamdulillah, our teachers at the madrasa back then were outstanding scholars. They did not only take care of our provisions, but even paid us a scholarship. May Allah be pleased with them and grant them a high rank in Paradise. They used to say to us: "All we ask in return is that you pass on this knowledge." "We expect nothing else from you." From this, we see what a high status the passing on of knowledge has as Sadaqah. قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «أَفْضَلُ الصَّدَقَةِ الصَّدَقَةُ عَلَى ذِي الرَّحِمِ الْكَاشِحِ۔» Our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) says: The best Sadaqah is the one given to a hostile relative. It happens that relatives sometimes live in conflict for a long time. But especially the Sadaqah given to a relative who treats one badly belongs to the most valuable charities in the sight of Allah. قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «أَفْضَلُ الصَّدَقَةِ مَا تُصُدِّقَ بِهِ عَلَى مَمْلُوكٍ عِنْدَ مَالِكِ سَوْءٍ۔» Our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) says: One of the best charities is helping a worker (or slave) who suffers under a bad master. So if someone works for an unjust person and has to endure harassment, then the Sadaqah that benefits this worker is particularly blessed. قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «أَفْضَلُ الصَّدَقَةِ صَدَقَةٌ فِي رَمَضَانَ۔» Our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) says: The best Sadaqah is the one given in the month of Ramadan. Because the reward for a charity in this month is immense. Ramadan is the most blessed of all months, and its blessing is unique. Therefore, it is particularly valuable to perform Zakat, Sadaqah, and similar good deeds during Ramadan. One can of course donate at any time, but it is all the better when Zakat and Sadaqah fall in Ramadan.

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُخۡلِفُ ٱلۡمِيعَادَ (3:9) What Allah, the Exalted, has promised will certainly be fulfilled. Therefore, there must not be the slightest doubt about it, He says. Everything that Allah has pledged and promised will inevitably come to pass. Therefore, people should be vigilant. He admonishes them so that those who have strayed from the path may turn back. For this purpose, He sent the prophets. And after them the companions, scholars, and friends of Allah – they all came to save the people. Because many people were on the wrong path, He sent prophets, friends of Allah, and scholars to stand by them and save them. So that they take the path of Allah and do not turn away from it. For only in this lies true salvation. There is the Paradise promised by Allah, the Exalted – and there is Hell. Allah, the Exalted, invites us into His Paradise. He says: "Come in, enter Paradise. You are most beautifully welcome." This path is beautiful. Keep away from the bad, do not ruin yourselves, and do not plunge into destruction. "Save yourselves," says Allah, the Exalted, for His promise is true. Satan and his helpers, on the other hand, try by all means to drag people into the abyss. They whisper: "This is the only way. There is nothing but this world. You came into existence by chance, there is no Creator and no end." Thus they lead people astray. Yet it is completely impossible to exist without a Creator. And this Creator is Allah, the Exalted. He is the All-Knowing. What was, what is, and what will be – all of this is encompassed by Allah's knowledge. And He invites people to walk exactly this path – the path of Allah. His promise is true, so be absolutely vigilant. Follow the straight path, the good path. Stay away from the bad path, avoid the path of danger. Paradise awaits you. For what Allah, the Exalted, has promised us is Paradise. He calls: "Enter Paradise!" May Allah never divert us from this path. Let us always remain steadfast on this path. And let us not be led astray by the talk of others, insha'Allah.