WEBVTT 00:00.000 --> 00:29.560 Can a man spend his entire life for God? 00:30.000 --> 00:48.160 God informs us about the real meaning of the life of this world in Surah 67, verse 2. 00:49.280 --> 00:53.880 He who created death and life to test which of you is best in action, 00:54.740 --> 00:57.220 He is the Almighty, the Ever-Forgiving. 01:00.000 --> 01:04.080 As stated in this verse, everybody is tested in his deeds. 01:07.160 --> 01:11.860 Those who do good desire to earn the pleasure of God and to enter Paradise. 01:11.860 --> 01:20.320 And they know that they therefore need to spend every moment of their lives engaged in such an effort. 01:20.840 --> 01:23.220 Some people, however, are mistaken on this point. 01:23.220 --> 01:31.260 They think that only performing prayers and avoiding what is forbidden are for the pleasure of God. 01:31.260 --> 01:36.100 And that the rest of the time is not connected to the religion. 01:36.100 --> 01:42.660 In fact, man should try to earn the good pleasure of God at every single moment, 01:42.880 --> 01:46.260 In every word, in every thought, and in every deed. 01:46.260 --> 01:54.880 A person who intends to devote every moment of his life to God, 01:55.240 --> 01:58.360 Always speaks in a manner that will be pleasing to him. 01:59.960 --> 02:01.980 He reminds people of God, 02:02.720 --> 02:04.120 Forbids them what is wrong, 02:04.220 --> 02:06.160 And commands them to do what is right. 02:06.160 --> 02:07.500 At every instant, 02:07.500 --> 02:11.600 At every instant, he considers how he can best earn the good pleasure of God. 02:12.300 --> 02:16.720 To spend one's entire life for God is among the basic demands of the religion. 02:18.800 --> 02:21.680 Therefore, in Sura 6, verse 162, 02:22.160 --> 02:23.800 God commands believers to 02:23.800 --> 02:50.440 Why should not man deem himself self-sufficient? 02:53.800 --> 03:08.260 The main purpose of a person who fears God is to be morally pleasing to him. 03:11.940 --> 03:15.340 This person knows that he needs to improve himself 03:15.340 --> 03:18.920 And to engage in a continual effort to be better in behavior. 03:19.760 --> 03:21.740 Because virtues such as sincerity, 03:21.740 --> 03:22.740 Honesty, 03:22.740 --> 03:22.760 Honesty, 03:22.760 --> 03:23.980 Diligence, 03:23.980 --> 03:25.440 Self-sacrifice, 03:25.440 --> 03:27.900 And modesty have no upper limits. 03:29.900 --> 03:31.160 In other words, 03:31.560 --> 03:32.620 No one can say, 03:33.220 --> 03:34.920 I have achieved model behavior. 03:35.440 --> 03:37.300 It couldn't be any better than this. 03:38.660 --> 03:44.820 A person's spiritual improvement will be rapid if he sees himself as imperfect and seeks to become better. 03:44.820 --> 03:53.780 Such a person purifies himself of his wrongdoings and progresses towards even better behavior every single day. 03:53.780 --> 03:57.560 If someone sees himself as sufficient in any manner, 03:57.560 --> 04:01.420 Then he will not attempt to seek or to make any improvement. 04:02.580 --> 04:04.140 As a matter of fact, 04:04.520 --> 04:09.680 He is unable to find his faults and imperfections and so cannot amend them, 04:10.160 --> 04:11.560 Which prevents improvement. 04:11.560 --> 04:20.520 God states in Surah 96 verses 6 and 7 that imagining oneself to be self-sufficient is a serious mistake. 04:22.060 --> 04:22.940 No, indeed, 04:23.480 --> 04:27.200 Truly man is unbridled seeing himself as self-sufficient. 04:27.200 --> 04:32.320 For that reason, 04:32.720 --> 04:34.820 Man should not deem himself sufficient, 04:35.400 --> 04:38.340 Neither in performing good deeds that would please God, 04:38.660 --> 04:40.720 Nor in spiritually improving himself. 04:42.720 --> 04:45.400 Using the reason that God granted to him, 04:45.700 --> 04:47.680 He should always ask for improvement. 04:57.200 --> 05:10.820 Do concepts such as impatience and despair have any place in the lives of believers? 05:19.900 --> 05:22.620 In verse 200 of Surah 3, 05:23.220 --> 05:26.980 God advises the faithful to be patient in times of difficulty. 05:27.200 --> 05:31.740 You who believe, 05:32.180 --> 05:33.140 Be steadfast, 05:33.580 --> 05:35.680 Be supreme in steadfastness, 05:36.240 --> 05:37.580 Be firm on the battlefield, 05:38.240 --> 05:39.160 And heed God, 05:39.580 --> 05:41.580 So that hopefully you will be successful. 05:43.940 --> 05:45.700 Believers use their intellect, 05:46.200 --> 05:48.320 All material and spiritual means, 05:48.600 --> 05:52.040 And make the best possible effort in order to overcome difficulties. 05:54.600 --> 05:56.160 Yet on the other hand, 05:56.160 --> 06:00.920 Knowing that hardships are special conditions that God creates to test them, 06:00.920 --> 06:04.460 And that there is an absolute good hidden behind these events, 06:04.460 --> 06:09.640 They put their trust in God. 06:11.020 --> 06:14.320 Trust in God is essential in the steadfastness of believers. 06:14.320 --> 06:20.200 They have an explicit trust that God creates every event with absolute wisdom, 06:20.200 --> 06:23.240 And that in answering the prayers of believers, 06:23.240 --> 06:25.380 He will remove these difficulties. 06:25.380 --> 06:32.300 That is why believers never experience such feelings as despair and hopelessness. 06:34.300 --> 06:35.860 Stating in Surah 39, 06:36.080 --> 06:36.880 Verse 53, 06:36.880 --> 06:38.980 Say, 06:38.980 --> 06:40.180 My servants, 06:40.840 --> 06:43.460 You who have transgressed against yourselves, 06:44.100 --> 06:46.120 Do not despair of the mercy of God. 06:46.700 --> 06:49.140 Truly God forgives all wrong actions. 06:49.580 --> 06:50.940 He is the ever-forgiving, 06:51.480 --> 06:52.440 The most merciful. 06:52.440 --> 06:58.020 God commands believers not to despair of the mercy of God, 06:58.020 --> 06:59.760 No matter what happens. 07:09.200 --> 07:12.100 How is extravagance referred to in the Koran? 07:12.100 --> 07:23.000 God has forbidden his servants to be extravagant, 07:23.500 --> 07:26.440 Revealing what the criterion when spending should be. 07:29.000 --> 07:30.740 Those who, when they spend, 07:30.860 --> 07:32.620 Are neither extravagant nor mean, 07:32.960 --> 07:35.400 But take a stance midway between the two. 07:35.400 --> 07:43.860 Muslims spend everything they have in the way of God, 07:43.860 --> 07:46.200 And in the way that would please him most. 07:48.080 --> 07:52.220 They do not forget that what they have is what God has given them as a blessing, 07:52.480 --> 07:54.960 And that they are not the real owners of any of them. 07:58.240 --> 08:00.080 When they have to make sacrifices, 08:00.320 --> 08:03.180 They spend everything they have as commanded by the Koran. 08:03.180 --> 08:06.380 Yet, when it would be unnecessary expenditure, 08:06.960 --> 08:09.860 They avoid spending even a single penny wastefully. 08:11.920 --> 08:16.520 God in the Koran has commanded believers to give their goods to those in need, 08:16.920 --> 08:18.260 But not to squander them. 08:21.140 --> 08:23.020 Give your relatives their due, 08:23.440 --> 08:25.140 And the very poor and travelers, 08:25.400 --> 08:27.200 But do not squander what you have. 08:28.440 --> 08:30.420 Squanderers are brothers to the Satans, 08:30.640 --> 08:32.960 And Satan was ungrateful to his Lord. 08:33.180 --> 08:40.520 On the other hand, 08:41.020 --> 08:45.900 Avoiding extravagance should not be misunderstood as to mean avoiding the gifts of God. 08:46.540 --> 08:47.860 He states in the Koran, 08:48.380 --> 08:49.180 Eat and drink, 08:49.540 --> 08:51.000 But do not be profligate. 08:51.380 --> 08:53.040 He does not love the profligate. 08:55.540 --> 08:56.560 In this verse, 08:56.700 --> 08:59.260 God has told believers to enjoy his gifts, 08:59.260 --> 09:02.240 And has forbidden them only to spend wastefully. 09:02.240 --> 09:08.480 Today, however, 09:08.480 --> 09:10.580 In societies remote from religion, 09:11.080 --> 09:13.800 Extravagance is not paid the attention it is due. 09:14.700 --> 09:16.040 In restaurants and houses, 09:16.620 --> 09:17.500 Plates of food, 09:17.720 --> 09:18.680 Pounds of bread, 09:19.080 --> 09:20.060 Fruits and vegetables, 09:20.260 --> 09:21.740 Are thoughtlessly thrown away. 09:21.740 --> 09:25.740 But God has forbidden extravagance, 09:26.620 --> 09:29.380 Whether insignificant or insignificant amounts. 09:30.580 --> 09:30.860 Therefore, 09:31.120 --> 09:35.520 People should try to find a way to make use of all gifts before they spoil, 09:36.100 --> 09:37.980 Instead of throwing them away saying, 09:38.440 --> 09:39.540 This has gone off, 09:39.800 --> 09:41.260 Or we cannot use this. 09:41.260 --> 09:47.140 Only in this way, 09:47.280 --> 09:49.560 They can give these gifts their due value. 09:50.280 --> 09:50.600 Otherwise, 09:50.960 --> 09:53.940 The result is scarcity and ingratitude to God. 09:53.940 --> 10:10.960 How is jealousy referred to in the Quran? 10:20.960 --> 10:22.900 Envy is condemned in the Quran. 10:23.940 --> 10:28.240 God has revealed that he created the soul of mankind prone to envy, 10:28.680 --> 10:30.760 But that believers should be wary of it. 10:35.640 --> 10:38.260 But people are prone to selfish greed. 10:38.920 --> 10:41.020 If you do good and have fear of God, 10:41.400 --> 10:43.060 God is aware of what you do. 10:43.060 --> 10:55.260 Jealousy comes as a result of not accepting that somebody else is superior to oneself. 10:55.260 --> 11:04.740 This indeed is an attitude which may lead a person even to haughtiness against God, 11:04.740 --> 11:08.500 Because it is God who grants people everything they possess. 11:08.500 --> 11:14.900 He gives as he wills and no one can ever prevent this. 11:14.900 --> 11:17.500 Apart from this, 11:17.500 --> 11:23.900 It is also related in the Quran that Satan rebelled against God by not prostrating himself before Adam. 11:24.720 --> 11:28.700 We are informed that he regards himself superior to Adam. 11:28.700 --> 11:33.000 So we face an important fact at this point. 11:33.440 --> 11:36.520 Jealousy is in fact an attribute of Satan. 11:36.520 --> 11:39.520 And anyone who fears God should strictly avoid it. 11:39.520 --> 11:53.260 Where does calling others by offensive nickname stand in the Quran? 11:53.260 --> 12:23.240 People who do not live by the religion of God deride other people by calling them by offensive nicknames in attempt to dishonor them and thus exalt themselves. 12:23.260 --> 12:29.260 Believers, on the other hand, never behave in such a poor manner. 12:31.260 --> 12:38.260 God strictly prohibits believers from doing so, stating that those who do not obey this injunction are evildoers. 12:38.260 --> 12:55.420 You who believe, people should not ridicule others who may be better than themselves, nor should any woman ridicule other women who may be better than themselves. 12:55.420 --> 13:02.320 And do not find fault with one another or insult each other with derogatory nicknames. 13:02.320 --> 13:08.240 How evil it is to have a name for evil conduct after coming to faith. 13:08.960 --> 13:11.660 Those people who do not turn from it are wrongdoers. 13:11.660 --> 13:26.620 Those who conform to the morals of the Quran never behave in this indecent way, which is disapproved of by God. 13:27.420 --> 13:33.900 They address each other in the most pleasing way and deeply respect each other as sincere servants of God. 13:33.900 --> 13:50.960 What does the Quran say about mockery? 13:50.960 --> 14:07.040 Mockery is an example of poor morality which God certainly does not approve of. 14:07.540 --> 14:11.080 There are many manifestations of mockery in irreligious societies, 14:11.080 --> 14:17.740 including mocking the imperfections or defects of others and calling one another by unpleasant nicknames. 14:21.320 --> 14:26.060 In the Quran, God warns people against this evil act as follows. 14:28.120 --> 14:30.700 Woe to every fault-finding backbiter. 14:30.700 --> 14:42.280 Another type of mockery referred to by God in the Quran is that of believers by unbelievers. 14:44.780 --> 14:50.420 It is revealed in the Quran that unable to grasp that the believers were on the true path, 14:50.860 --> 14:54.520 people who believed themselves to be superior to the believers mocked them. 14:55.520 --> 14:57.640 Some of the verses on this subject read, 15:00.700 --> 15:06.140 Those who did evil used to laugh at those who believed. 15:06.660 --> 15:09.240 When they passed by them, they would wink at one another. 15:13.880 --> 15:17.320 Yet, God reveals that these people are greatly mistaken 15:17.320 --> 15:20.460 and heralds the tragic end they will come to as follows. 15:20.460 --> 15:31.100 So today, those who believe are laughing at the disbelievers on couches, gazing in wonder. 15:31.700 --> 15:34.380 Have the disbelievers been rewarded for what they did? 15:34.380 --> 15:51.060 Furthermore, God describes in the Quran those who hold Islam and His revelations to mockery 15:51.060 --> 15:55.720 and reveals that these people reject every warning from God and His messengers. 15:55.720 --> 16:07.060 They are the people who do not measure the power of God to its full extent 16:07.060 --> 16:10.680 and ignore the fact that they will be judged in His presence. 16:10.680 --> 16:19.580 Yet, these people will be bewildered in the hereafter 16:19.580 --> 16:22.900 and will be repaid for the mockery they used to engage in. 16:22.900 --> 16:30.840 This fact is clearly mentioned in the Quran as 16:30.840 --> 16:39.700 Those are the people who reject their Lord's signs and the meeting with Him. 16:40.460 --> 16:43.940 Their actions will come to nothing and, on the day of rising, 16:44.440 --> 16:46.120 we will not assign them any weight. 16:46.120 --> 16:51.600 That is their repayment, hell, because they disbelieved 16:51.600 --> 16:54.500 and made a mockery of My signs and of My messengers. 17:06.420 --> 17:08.720 What is the place of gossip in the Quran? 17:08.720 --> 17:18.220 In the Quran, God forbids believers from backbiting 17:18.220 --> 17:20.800 and refers to it as an indecency. 17:27.000 --> 17:28.820 Do not backbite one another. 17:29.600 --> 17:32.480 Would any of you like to eat his brother's dead flesh? 17:33.220 --> 17:34.660 No, you would hate it. 17:35.560 --> 17:36.400 And heed God. 17:36.980 --> 17:38.340 God is ever returning. 17:38.720 --> 17:39.620 Most merciful. 17:46.220 --> 17:48.080 As commanded by this verse, 17:48.560 --> 17:49.980 people who live by the religion 17:49.980 --> 17:52.300 and are like brothers and sisters to each other 17:52.300 --> 17:53.960 strictly avoid this behavior. 17:57.000 --> 17:58.240 On the contrary, 17:58.800 --> 18:01.680 believers remember only each other's good intentions 18:01.680 --> 18:04.380 and always try to highlight their good attributes. 18:04.380 --> 18:11.840 They do not try to find defects or faults in those who are submissive to the will of God. 18:16.880 --> 18:22.260 Gossip is a corruption that never exists among believers who maintain the limits set by God. 18:22.260 --> 18:30.900 When believers notice an imperfection or other defect in another, 18:30.900 --> 18:38.080 they do not backbite, but instead admonish the person directly so that he will amend his unacceptable behavior. 18:38.080 --> 18:55.320 How is suspicion defined in the Quran? 18:55.320 --> 18:56.320 How is suspicion defined in the Quran? 18:58.820 --> 19:01.020 Acting on suspicion and conjecture is another thing God does not approve of. 19:01.020 --> 19:14.140 Acting on suspicion and conjecture is another thing God does not approve of. 19:14.700 --> 19:23.840 God has indicated in many verses in the Koran that acting on suspicion is a characteristic of the societies of ignorance and that it brings no good to mankind. 19:23.840 --> 19:32.000 He has commanded his believing servants to avoid suspicion. 19:32.000 --> 19:43.400 Acting on this advice of God, believers do not develop any ideas on any issue based on unfounded information. 19:43.400 --> 19:58.400 Any word they utter or any idea they communicate is always in compliance with Koranic morals, always based on absolute evidence and always just. 19:58.400 --> 20:10.400 They do not arrive at suspicion based decisions about a person without asking his opinion or gathering valid evidence against him. 20:10.400 --> 20:17.400 The attention that believers pay to this issue is a result of their fear of God. 20:17.400 --> 20:30.400 Knowing that they will encounter every action they perform in the hereafter and fearing the punishment of God, believers are very careful and just in this respect. 20:30.400 --> 20:36.400 God describes suspicion in the Koran in these words, 20:36.400 --> 20:43.400 You who believe, avoid most suspicion. Indeed some suspicion is a crime. 20:57.400 --> 20:59.400 How should a Muslim spend his time? 20:59.400 --> 21:10.400 We see in the Koran that the concept of spare time does not apply to believers. 21:10.400 --> 21:14.400 Every instant of a Muslim's life is indeed occupied. 21:14.400 --> 21:22.400 Because someone who fears God and scrupulously abides by his commands works to perform even more auspicious deeds. 21:22.400 --> 21:34.400 A believer who fears God and meticulously obeys his commands performs continuous good deeds in order to do more good and thus to be among those closest to God. 21:34.400 --> 21:39.400 He spends his time in prayers that God has indicated in the Koran. 21:39.400 --> 21:43.400 Whenever he has finished one piece of work he embarks on another one. 21:43.400 --> 21:46.400 He continuously seeks goodness and beauty. 21:46.400 --> 21:51.400 There are no interruptions, pauses or limits during these efforts. 21:51.400 --> 21:57.400 Finishing one piece of work to believers merely indicates the need to start a new one. 21:57.400 --> 22:05.400 This is because a believer is well aware that he should spend every moment of this world making efforts to earn God's contentment 22:05.400 --> 22:09.400 and that in the hereafter he will have to account for every instant. 22:09.400 --> 22:14.400 These efforts made by believers are referred to in the Koran as follows. 22:14.400 --> 22:21.400 So when you have finished work on and make your Lord your goal. 22:21.400 --> 22:33.400 Since all that a believer does he does in order to gain the good pleasure of God, everything he does in his daily life becomes an act of worship. 22:33.400 --> 22:40.400 When he is weary he rests for the sake of God and when he is hungry he eats for his sake. 22:40.400 --> 22:45.400 He sleeps or washes for the sake of God. 22:45.400 --> 22:50.400 The important thing is never to forget God as one does all these things. 22:50.400 --> 22:54.400 To give thanks to him and to see everything as auspicious. 22:54.400 --> 23:08.400 How can one turn away from worthless and useless things? 23:08.400 --> 23:11.400 What are worthless and useless? 23:11.400 --> 23:31.400 One can turn away from worthless and useless things if one acts in order to gain the good pleasure of God alone. 23:31.400 --> 23:39.400 Believers know that they need to use the time granted to them in this world in the most efficient way. 23:39.400 --> 23:46.400 Because what they do in this world determines their permanent abode. 23:46.400 --> 23:54.400 Therefore, in every deed they perform they aim to gain a good deed for the hereafter. 23:54.400 --> 24:01.400 Naturally they talk, have fun, eat, laugh, think and work the same as everyone else. 24:01.400 --> 24:10.400 But in doing these things they always bear good thoughts in their minds which will be beneficial to other people and to the religion. 24:10.400 --> 24:15.400 Apart from these things all believers acts serve a purpose. 24:15.400 --> 24:20.400 They always turn towards to good deeds that will most gain the pleasure of God. 24:20.400 --> 24:29.400 They use their time efficiently by properly distinguishing between all worldly matters. 24:29.400 --> 24:39.400 They do this by use of their conscience and reason, decide what is worthless and what is useful, and act in a totally determined manner. 24:39.400 --> 24:46.400 The attitude adopted by believers when they hear worthless talk is related in the Quran in these words. 24:46.400 --> 24:50.400 When they hear worthless talk they turn away from it and say, 24:50.400 --> 24:54.400 We have our actions and you have your actions. Peace be upon you. 24:54.400 --> 25:06.400 We do not desire the company of the ignorant. 25:06.400 --> 25:13.400 Taking this superior morality described in the Quran as an example is a major source of ease for everyone. 25:13.400 --> 25:28.400 It is also good behavior that will be pleasing to God. 25:28.400 --> 25:37.400 What do believers show patience in? 25:37.400 --> 25:51.400 One of the distinguishing attributes of believers is their steadfastness. 25:51.400 --> 25:59.400 However, the concept of steadfastness that we learn from the Quran does not mean endurance at times of hardship. 25:59.400 --> 26:06.400 What is recommended in the Quran is to display patience when it comes to choosing the kind of behavior that will be pleasing to God 26:06.400 --> 26:10.400 and in all situations, in other words, at all times. 26:10.400 --> 26:19.400 Everyone who has faith knows that God tests people in this world with difficulties or sickness. 26:19.400 --> 26:33.400 For this reason, such people are patient and place themselves in the hands of God, even in the face of the worst sickness or difficulty. 26:33.400 --> 26:45.400 They turn to God in all things, in the knowledge that it is He who gives difficulty and sickness, and that only He can take them away. 26:45.400 --> 26:56.400 God tests believers with a variety of situations, such as hunger, fear, and loss of goods or prosperity. 26:56.400 --> 27:06.400 The believer described in the Quran perseveringly seeks the good pleasure of God regardless of the circumstances. 27:06.400 --> 27:14.400 In prosperity, He gives thanks to God. In case of difficulty and hardship, He puts his trust in Him. 27:14.400 --> 27:20.400 For Him, the benefits of the religion and believers are always superior to personal benefits. 27:20.400 --> 27:26.400 He fulfills every detail of a virtuous character throughout His entire life. 27:26.400 --> 27:32.400 He is sincere, honest, generous, diligent, and eager. 27:32.400 --> 27:40.400 He always speaks in generosity and gentleness, and always tries to serve the religion. 27:40.400 --> 27:46.400 Briefly, He applies everything that God points out as being good. 27:46.400 --> 27:58.400 As a reward for this, God gives His steadfast servants glad tidings in Surah 2, verse 155-157 as 27:58.400 --> 28:04.400 We will test you with a certain amount of fear and hunger and loss of wealth and life and fruits. 28:04.400 --> 28:06.400 But give good news to the steadfast. 28:06.400 --> 28:10.400 Those who, when disaster strikes them, say, 28:10.400 --> 28:14.400 We belong to God and to Him we will return. 28:14.400 --> 28:18.400 Those are the people who will have blessings and mercy from their Lord. 28:18.400 --> 28:20.400 They are the ones who are guided. 28:20.400 --> 28:32.400 If you want to have a pleasant reward in this world and the hereafter, 28:32.400 --> 28:38.400 then be patient and be of good morals in the face of all difficulty and sickness.