Nouman Ali Khan

Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan showcases in the lecture on how we should never lose hope in Allah in spite of innumerable shortcomings and misdeeds that we might have committed in this lifetime.  Say, “O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful” (Qur’an 39:53). In the above Ayah, Allah SWT is addressing two different audiences. The first one addressed is the individual who is trying to preach Allah’s message. First and foremost, Allah SWT is talking to Prophet Muhammed ﷺ. The second one addressed in the verse is someone who has sinned so much that he has no hope of turning back to Allah SWT, and he has so much remorse and feelings of guilt that he thinks he has reached a point where there’s no way of receiving forgiveness. This sinner is being addressed through the agency of the Prophet or the da’iyah who recites and/or explains this verse to him and conveys the message of the boundless forgiveness and mercy of Allah SWT. Whatever sins have been committed, Allah tells us that there is still hope of returning back to Allah SWT. But Shaitan plays his dirty tricks and coaxes us into believing that we are so deeply drowning in sin that we shouldn’t hope for Allah’s forgiveness. Shaitan capitalizes on one sin of ours and tries to trick us into doing more wrong things, thus taking us further away from Allah.  Can a man’s evil deeds compare with the power of Allah’s mercy?  We should learn how to supplicate Allah SWT and ask for forgiveness, believing with a full heart that Allah not only hears us, He sees us and knows full well what resides in our hearts. Despite having wronged ourselves by sinning, Allah still considers us as His slaves who are worthy of being forgiven if we make Tawbah (repentance) sincerely. He is extremely Forgiving (Al-Ghafoor) and always Merciful (Al-Raheem). As a corollary, it is important that we guard ourselves against sin and wrongdoing by submitting to His will. When we do commit a sin, we must turn to Him in repentance and ask for forgiveness, never losing hope of His mercy. Then we will avoid being among those human beings who refuse to submit and never repent; deserving punishment, they are disgraced and dishonored on the Day of Reckoning.

Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan delves on an explicit explanation of the two Ayats from Surah At-Takathur. The purpose behind this is to make it easy for people to remember Allah, even after a Dars is done. The Ustadh hopes that if one can recite those Ayahs and enjoy something Allah SWT calls Khushoo’, concentration, humility in the prayer, then the end to the means has been achieved. The word ILHA in the Arabic Language translates it as “DISTRACTION” actually comes from the word LAHU which originally in Arabic means 2 things. It means: An entertainment. Something that preoccupies you or gets all of your attention and keeps you from doing something that was much more important. It got so much of your attention that nothing else could get your attention while you were engaged in it. AT TAKATHUR in it has 3 essential things: This word first and foremost means “THE WANT”, the desire to have more. It comes from “Kathra”- plentiness, plentifulness. The desire to have more. In other words, we are constantly worried about not what we have, but what we don’t have. We are always worried about getting more.  The second meaning of AT TAKATHUR is the “STRUGGLE FOR MORE”. Not just the want but to put effort into it and to exhaust yourself in getting that more.  The third meaning which is critical includes people who will say “We have more than you.” In other words, we have this urge to show off to each other how we have more than they do.

Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan acquaints us with the lessons imparted to us from an amazing individual that fascinates our imagination in the Quran and he is Moosa (AS). His narrative is mentioned at many places in the Quran and every time it's mind-boggling. The Ustadh shares with us tidbits that belong to Surah Taha where the dialogue between Moosa AS and Firaun is discussed and elucidated upon. Elaborating on various Ayahs of the Qur'an via the stories shared with us, in one such instance - we are intrigued as to who Moosa AS is getting to meet? Allah! This is a conversation that is of epic proportions in human history. A conversation between Allah and human being and the conversation was initiated by Allah and the human was called by his name directly! .Moosa! This part of the Ayah is exemplary with regard to the conversation Musa AS just had. If there's one thing Moosa AS is never going to forget, it's this. What does Allah say in this conversation? Allah says, even you! if you really want to remember me, establish Salah. Can you imagine the importance of Salah now with respect to remembering Allah! Next comes the secondary purpose which reminds us of a reasserts the impending fact that the hour is coming. The Judgement day is coming.

Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan talks about taking our narrative back and he divides the conversation into two parts - the conversation has to be taken back from the forces outside of ourselves and the forces within ourselves People have always tried to hijack the narrative which is evident in the case of all Messengers of Allah ﷺ. Their portrayal started with character assassination; of them being accused of having agendas other than their actual agenda or it being a point of ridicule. Whether it was words like magic or sorcery or whether they were accused of being liars. One of the greatest examples of that, which are repeated in the quran is the discourse between Firoun and Musa (AS).  He next talks about the exact propaganda that Islam is being painted with, by certain fringe media outlets, that exact narrative is being duplicated by certain Muslims that are calling for their definition of Jihad fisabillillah and writing blogs and articles and papers and there are a string of aayat and ahadith and many are victim to it. So, we are heading down a dangerous path and it is therefore essential that we have to make a distinction between those who are seeking knowledge still and those who are more knowledgeable than us and those who are scholars. Muslim youth in this country are pioneers and the Qur'an has to be studied in the right way such that it does not make us lazy and closes our eyes. Rather, it opens them! We must have the ability to carry this message as it should be carried in our speech, in our character, and in our actions. We must take this advice to heart and generate a source of motivation for the generations to come. We must strive to become a source of light in the midst of all this darkness and pray to Allah to protect us from vanity so that we are able to find a higher purpose and commit to it and become the people of balance. AMEEN!

A lively look at the many kinds of friends described in the Qur'an. The talk sketches protective, truthful, intimate, comfort-giving, secret-keeping, business-partner, and deceptive companions. It also warns about soul-destroying influences and illicit romantic ties. Short, clear portraits of who to keep close and who to avoid.

Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan delves and ponders on finding the true purpose of our existence with a “Thought Process”. Human beings have a sense of common decency across religions and cultures. So when we realized that there is a Creator, we also realized that He has created us in such a powerful way and He has given you abilities that He has not given to any other creatures. So when we acknowledge there’s a Creator and He created us amazingly well, with this profound intellect that He gave us and all these faculties and abilities – then what purpose do I have? We go back to the Creator to find our purpose and ask Him because He is the One who designed us.  Once we have reached this “Thought Process”, what’s our next step? We turn to the mysterious Creator declare one thing to Him that I acknowledge that you are my Creator; I acknowledge that I am supposed to be in service to You. Whatever I do in this life is supposed to live up to the purpose that you set for me, but I cannot fulfill that purpose on my own because I don’t know where to start. I don’t have anything. So even if I want to serve You, how am I going to do so unless you help me. This “Thought Process” is the “Thought Process” of the Quran, the first Surah. The first Surah of the Quran is actually the “Thought Process” of someone seeking the Truth. How so?  Listen intently and be mesmerised by the profound description given by the Ustadh. Now for people who are seeking this Truth, what is the measuring instinct? The first measure is our own conscience. The second measure is, if in fact, it is from God, then it has to meet one primary standard. And that primary standard is - there can be no one between me and the worship of the One True God.

Usthad Nouman Ali Khan delves into the pertinent and essential topic of being the best version of ourselves whilst we are with our parents. In Surah Al Isra, Verses 23 to 25, “And Your Lord has decreed that you Worship none but Him. And that you be dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age In your life, Say not to them a word of disrespect, nor shout at them but address them In terms of honour. And lower unto them the wing of submission and humility through Mercy, and say: "My Lord! Bestow on them Your Mercy as they did bring me up when I was small. Your Lord knows best what is in your inner-selves. If you are righteous, then, Verily, He is ever Most forgiving to those who turn unto Him again and again In obedience, and In repentance.” Allah is demanding from us nothing short of our best when it comes to our parents. We have to be good, patient, merciful, charitable or to have the courtesy to our parents. The status of the parents is second only to the status of Allah SWT.the easiest way to enter Jannah is through obedience to the parents. The widest of Jannah gates are for those who are obedient and good to parents. "And your Lord has decreed that you not worship except Him, and to parents, good treatment. Whether one or both of them reach old age (while) with you, say not to them (so much as), "uff," and do not repel them but speak to them a noble word. And lower to them the wing of humility out of mercy and say, "My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up (when I was) small."  The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “One who pleases his parents has verily pleased Allah and one who has angered his parents has verily angered Allah.” The status of the parents is second only to the status of Allah SWT.the easiest way to enter Jannah is through obedience to the parents. The widest of Jannah gates are for those who are obedient and good to parents. When they enter old age, one of them or two of them, we should not abandon them and speak to them in gracious respectable terms. We should not reciprocate anger with anger or reciprocate frustration with frustration. Whatever they use it doesn't matter, we should respond with respect and with gracious words. Listen intently to this emotional lecture and imbibe the message that comes across.