The Straight Path

The order of the Quran

• Quran has been revealed to us
• It looks like it is not in order
• Allah has His own order for the Quran
• The Quran has multi-layers
• Each layer is connected to each other
• It is like a hologram that are all connected
• If you tilt it in different ways you see something different
• It may not seem it is not connected but it is

Guidance

• It forces you to reflect over all the ayat of Guidance in the Quran
• Surah Fatihah Allah talks about Guidance
• Surah Al Ankaboot Allah talks about Guidance
• You look at both places
• Allah talks about Guidance in so many places in the Quran
• Surah Al Ankaboot it says Those who exert themselves to reach us
  • Allah opens His pathways to them
• There is a context to different parts of Guidance throughout the Quran
• In Surah Ankaboot you are exerted to find Allah
• In Surah Fatihah you find it is the opening chapter

Surah Al Fatihah

• We read it all the time
• It is a very short surah with so many lessons and wisdoms
• Allah teaches us in this Surah to be Grateful to Him
• To Recognize Allah as the sole provider for everyone and everything
• Every type of Praise is for Allah whether anyone likes it or not
• I recognize Allah as Rabb for all nations and people
  • Sustainer, provider, nourishes, maintainer
• In every world there are many different world
• There are many types of Angels
  • Angels in each of the sevens heavens
  • Angels that carry Allah’s throne
  • Angels that write down our deeds
  • Angels that listen to the Quran
  • Angel that sends down revelation
• The World of animals and humans and jinn
• Allah is the extremely loving and caring right now and always for all
• Our Meeting is going to be on the day of Judgment
• There is a balance between Duniya and Akhira in Fatihah
• You alone we worship and You alone we seek help
• The biggest help we can ask is for Guidance

The Straight Path

• A balance within our lives and everything we do in our lives
• It is the Quran and the life of the Prophet Muhammad
• Everything Allah told us about balance in the Quran

Fatihah and Ar-Rahman

• In the Beginning of both surahs is the mention of Ar-Rahman
• It forces us to reflect over both places where Ar-Rahman is mentioned
• In Fatihah Allah says He is generally loving and caring for all
• In Surah Rahman Allah says as a general rahma
  • Allah teaches the Quran
  • Allah created us
  • Allah taught us how to speech
• In Surah Fatihah Allah says the biggest thing we need is the straight path
• In Surah Rahman Allah says the biggest thing we need is balance
• We should not violate this balance that Allah has set for us

The Balance between the Seen World and Unseen World

• Allah is the knower of the seen and the unseen
• We only see part of one seen world
• In Surah Baqarah Allah says it is guidance for
  • Those who believe in the unseen
  • Establish salah
  • Give zakah
• We put our faith in the unseen world and pray in the seen world

The Balance between The Duniya and the Akhira

• In Surah Qasas Allah says The next world is better than this world
• Be good and do not forget your portion of this world
• We live in this world but we must also be connected to the next world
• People leave their salah for money and this world life
• Some people just pray salah and forget this world
• We must have a balance

Example

• Abu Darda comes home and after Isha he offered nafl prayers
• His wife complained to Prophet that Abu Darda has no time for me
• Prophet sent Salman Al Farsi to Abu Darda as a guest
• Salman tells Abu Darda
  • fast and eat
  • pray and sleep
  • give time to your wife
• Abu Darda complained to the Prophet
• The Prophet said Salman Al Farsi spoke the truth

Your eye as a right over you

You body has a right over you

You family has a right over you

You Lord has a right over you

How do I know I am balanced?

• Look in the Quran
• Look in the Seerah of the Prophet who was balanced
• Be in the company of those who are balanced in deen and duniya

What if you break the Balance?

• You will always suffer

We must balance our wealth

• If we spend too much you broke the balance
• 17:29 Do not put your hands tied to the back of your head
• Do not say that I am not going to spend
• We must be a little generous
• Do not stretch out your arms too much
• Do not spend too much
• You spend and keep some
• You save some and spend some
• Some people save and never spend
• When you need to spend then you should spend
• 25:67 Allah loves those who spend moderately
• If you are too sweet than people will swallow you and use you
• If you are too bitter than people will spit you out
• We must remain in between
• Do not get too sweet or too bitter
• Ali Imran 159 If you were harsh hearted they would run away from you
• 17:74 Allah kept Prophet firm, so we don’t incline too much that way

The Balance between Love and Hate

• Do not love or hate too much
• I love my beloved moderately lest my beloved becomes my enemy
• I hate the one I hate moderately lest that person becomes beloved to you
• Prophet loved Ayesha moderately
  • When there was an argument Prophet was able to maintain his position
• The man is sitting at home and his wife is spending from his money
• Man does not say anything
• The women is home and she gives too much love to husband
• The husband just sits there
• Parents give too much love and let them play video games all day
• If you cannot get someone to listen to you
  • Its because you put yourself in a weak position
  • Because you gave too much love
• One part of the world there is too much love
• Another part too less love
• Both are suffering for different reasons
• A Man gave everything to his wife and one day she says she is not happy
  • Because he gave too much
  • He made it too sweet
• If you make it too sweet then you do not want to taste anything sour
• If you taste sour then something else does not taste so good
• We must have a balance

The Balance in our Emotions

• We must not get too angry
• Some people get too much angry and let everything out like hulk
• Some people get angry and just swallow it and do nothing about it
• When you get angry you have a right to get angry
• You should get your rights
• Prophet had to stand his grounds
• There are lines that you do not cross when making your stand
• Sahaba asked questions
• Some are good questions and some are silly questions
• Hadith of Jibril
  • Jibril came and asked the right questions
  • Because sahaba were afraid to ask questions
  • Then they were encouraged again to ask questions

A Balanced Life

• We live in a environment where everything is skewed to the left
• We live in a capitalist society
• We live in a world where money is everywhere
  • Money is everything
• People have lost their balanced
• People are too free
• We are a slave of Allah

The Balance Within ourselves

• We have needs inside us
• We have rights and responsibilities come with it too

Where is balance found?

• Quran
• Allah starts the Quran by saying That book there is no doubt
• Allah says that because He is referring to That Straight path
• That straight path we asked for in Fatihah
• That straight path is this book the Quran
• We also need to follow the life of Prophet Muhammad
• Prophet was in every aspect in his life
• Prophet balanced everything in his life

Capitalist Society

• People are driven by money
• We need money but we need to live to
• Working long hours and no time with yourself is not healthy
• The people working long hours earn good money but the connection with their family is not there
• They themselves are drained
• They became imbalanced

What do we need?

• We can go for a less package
• So we can be more happier
• Simple life is always better
• The sunnah is simple
• You can get a chair but you want a comfortable seat
• You work so hard for such luxuries
• We set the bar so high
• We don’t need so much food or drinks
• The more simpler your life is the happier you are
• The list never ends
• We want expensive brand name items for other people to rate you
• You do not need entertainment like movies and songs
• Make the Quran your entertainment
• Prophet found his greatest peace in salah it was the coolness of eyes
  • The apple of his eyes
• Nothing will fill the stomach of man except the dust of his or her grave
• Work enough, have enough, and live your life as a happy person

What is Happiness?

• Smiling and laughing is temporary
• True happiness is of the heart and not the face
• When you are happy you are happy inside
• People are so happy on social media but in reality they are so sad
• The only happiness is through the zikr of Allah
• Through entertainment people are looking to be happy
• 13:28 Those who believe they are content with zir of Allah
  • only through the zikr of Allah will you find long term peace

Who are balanced?

• Prophets
• Truthful
• Martyrs
• Righteous