The Understanding of Islam

1. The Understanding of Islam April 3, 2010 Lecture for young people and youth at the American Moslem Society (Dearborn, MI)

2. Greeting and Introduction Greeting Introduction • As-Salaam • Tahmid • Salloo ‘alaan Nabee

3. Purpose • To encourage young Muslims to feel good about whom they are and to build the self-esteem and confidence that it takes to succeed in the world today

4. Objective • At the end of this lecture you will know how to apply, or act on, what you know in order to develop a better understanding of Al-Islam

5. KNOWLEDGE The Understanding of Islam

6. What is knowledge? • Knowledge is when you have the ability to remember anything you see, hear, smell, touch, or taste and can describe it.

7. How do you get knowledge?“…Walaa yu<heetdoona bishaym min ‘ilmihi illa bimaa shaa’ “(none of His knowledge they gain except as He wills) • Knowledge is obtained through the (natural)senses which Allah (swt) has blessed us with • Sight • Hearing • Smell • Touch • Taste • “The Sixth Sense” - Spirit

8. Lessons from the Qur’an The Understanding of Islam: Knowledge

9. Suratul Kahf • Musa and Khadir • “…hal t’alamu a<hadan ‘alama minka?”, Man from Bani Israel to Musa (as) • “Qala Musa (as) la.” • “Balaa ‘abdunaa Khadir.” Always say: “Allahu ‘Alim!”

10. Understanding The Understanding of Islam

11. What is understanding? • Understanding is when you are able to use what you know to make your life better

12. How do you get understanding? • You can you get understanding: • By being sincere in what you have already learned “Ikhlas” • asking questions and reviewing the meanings of things • When you make a mistake and then learn from it • Making yourself try and see what is good about another person’s opinion even if you disagree with them

13. Lessons in understanding from the Qur’an and Ahadith Suratul Kahf 68: Khadir to Musa 1) Mu’awiyah 2) Ibn Abbas • “Wa kaifa tasbiru ‘alaa maalam tu<hitdbihee khubraa” “ALLAHUL MIDHILLU” • Qaala Rasoolallah (saw), “ma(n)y yuridillahu bihi khaira(n)y yufaqihu feed Deen…” • Qaala Rasoolallah (saw), “Faqeehu(n) waa<hidun ashadda ‘alaash Shaytdaan mina alfi a’abid.”

14. Adding it all together The Understanding of Islam

15. Knowledge + Understanding (comprehension/practice) = Wisdom • There is no knowledge except what Allah allows you to gain and there is no understanding without practicing knowledge. This is called experience. And all life experiences lead to wisdom.

16. Conclusion • A proper, sane and moderate understanding of Al-Islam is very necessary • Empowering your Eman: “Be Muslim for yourself” (elaborate) • Love all Muslims and respect their opinions: “Try to avoid arguing over religion especially when there is no objective but to be right” (elaborate)

17. Conclusion (continued) Points to Remember • Everything in Al-Islam is conditional (elaborate) • There are rules and there exceptions; exceptions are for exceptional people and exceptional circumstances (elaborate)

18. May Allah (swt) give us understanding of this beautiful way of worship and perfect way of life - Amin THE END OF THE UNDERSTANDING OF ISLAM

19. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS • What is knowledge? • How do we get knowledge? • Why did Allah (swt) send Musa (as) to Khadir (as)? • What is understanding? • How do we get understanding? • Give one benefit the Prophet (saw) gave about receiving understanding. • Finish this equation: Knowledge + Understanding = • What type of understanding is necessary to have? • What is meant by everything is conditional? • Who are exceptions for?