Reflections from the Revelation | EP10 | Maryam: A Role Model For Mankind | Abu Bakr Zoud

0:27 Brothers and sisters in Islam, today I want to share with you a reflection from the story of Maryam radiallahu anha. But not the story itself. We're going to mention something about what makes her a role model. Because we all know that at the end of Surat at-Tahrim, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala mentioned that Maryam radiallahu anha, the mother of Jesus, the mother of Isa alayhis salaam, he mentioned to us that she was a role model for mankind.

0:59 Pharaoh. Allah Azzawajal has given an example to the believers, the wife of Pharaoh. Then the ayah afterwards, and the final ayah of Surat at-Tahrim, he said, "Wa Maryam ibnati Imran." And Maryam, the daughter of Imran. She was a role model for mankind. What made her a role model? There are essentially three things. I'm going to share with you one thing, and what we can reflect and learn and apply in our lives. Allah Azzawajal, he said, "Wa saddaqat bi kalimati rabbiha wa kutubihi."

1:31 She believed in the commandments, in the instructions of her Lord, and in the scriptures, the books from Allah Azzawajal. That's what made her a role model. Her faith and her belief in the commandments of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, and in the laws of Allah Azzawajal. But now the real question is this, how can this make her a role model? Shouldn't every believer believe in the commandments of Allah, and in the scriptures that Allah Azza Wajjal sent upon the prophets, there is absolutely no doubt. We all have to have a degree of faith in order to be Muslims.

2:08 So, what is Allah Azza Wajjal highlighting about Maryam radiyallahu anha? And how did this quality of her believing in Allah's commands, how did this quality of hers, this attribute, make her a role model? What do I learn in my brothers and sisters in Islam is that faith and adherence to the commandment of Allah Azza Wajjal is actually of two levels. There is an expected type of belief from everyone, so a general belief, a general faith that is expected from everyone.

2:44 Right? That's for you to believe in Allah's messengers, the books, the angels, the afterlife, and the divine decree, and to believe in Allah's commandments generally in the Quran. Otherwise, if you don't, a person is condemned as a disbeliever. Then there is a higher and elite type of faith. And I'll tell you what that is. But first, let me share with you a Hadith that teaches us that there is actually a difference.

3:19 There is a general belief and there is an elite belief. Nabi Sallallahu alaihi wasallam, he says that the people of the paradise, those that will be in a low level of the paradise, will look at those above them. They will look high above. Just like any one of you now standing on Earth looks up and sees the brilliant bright star. So, there are believers in a low level in the paradise, and there are believers high above them like you are looking up at a star in the sky.

3:59 So, they said, "Oh messenger of Allah, these are the dwellings of the prophets and the messengers. No one will get there except them." The messenger alayhi wasallam said, "No. These are the dwellings of That's not the case. He said to them, "Verily, those are going to be the dwellings of people who believed in Allah and believed in the messengers. They believed in the commandments of Allah azza wajall.

4:34 So, this hadith proves to us that there are two levels. A general level of believers that had general belief and an elite level of believers that believed in the commandment of Allah. But, what distinguishes between the two types of belief? What distinguishes between them is that the elite type of belief is the belief a person upholds when he is facing a severe and an intense calamity in his life.

5:09 That's what will make you from the elite believers. The uphold Allah's commandment and instruction and law despite the intense difficulties and calamities you may feel in life face in life. Now, subhanallah, and that's exactly seen in the life of Maryam radiyallahu anha. How is that the case? Allah azza wajall, he told us that Maryam radiyallahu anha faced an incredible calamity and a severe severe test in her life.

5:45 And that is when she became pregnant with Isa Alayhis Salaam. To the point where she said "I wish I had died much before this and I wish people can erase me from their memories." She said I wish I had died much before this and I wish people can erase me from their memories. You must be facing a difficult calamity in order for you to express your emotion in this manner. She wanted to die. That's how intense the situation was.

6:11 So Allah gave her instruction. And he said to her eat and drink and relax and bring happiness and joy to yourself by a means of looking at your child Isa Alayhis Salaam. Then he said to her "For cooling in me another to the Rahman so much." For then coming in Syria. This specific instruction Allah told her if you see any one of mankind then promise that you will remain silent.

6:45 Don't say a single word to any human being. For then coming in Syria. If you're not going to talk to any human being then you only talk to Allah Alayhis Salaam. That's what Allah is telling her. He instructed her with this. That's a very difficult commandment to adhere to. I tell you why. Because if a person is accused in his dignity and honor which is about to be the case for Maryam. She's going to be accused.

7:12 She's going to be accused of a zina. Well, may Allah save us. And when you're accused of al-haram in your chastity, your dignity, your honor there is a desire within the human being to rush and to clear himself and to prove his innocence. I mean, we see this all the day. And every time, especially on social media. Whenever there's a scandal, whenever a president, a prime minister, or a person of social whose they were attacked and they were accused in their dignity and chastity and their honor. What happens? In less than 24 hours, they've released a huge statement on their social media platforms explaining the incident, clearing their name, how they're innocent, and they prove everything, right? There's a desire to speak and to defend yourself when you're being accused of something you never did.

8:03 And you know, there is nothing greater in terms of oppression than being accused of a crime you never did, and you don't have any evidence to prove yourself innocent. That's the greatest form of oppression on Earth. That's what Maryam is going through right now. And Allah has told her, "Don't say a single word. Don't even prove your innocence with your own tongue." Allahu Akbar. How difficult is this commandment? How difficult is it? So, she walks away from her birth site where where she gave birth to her son, and she gets to her people. Finally, she sits on the ground, and she's breastfeeding her son.

8:42 And the people, her people, surround her and begin to throw hurl insults at her and accuse her. Ya ukhta Harun, O sister of Harun, this is intended to rub salt into the wound. She's not the actual sister of Harun who is the brother of Musa, but she had a similarity to Harun in terms of her worship. Harun was known for his worship, and Maryam was known for her piety and righteousness and worship.

9:13 So, it's like they're saying, "Ya ukhta Harun, O sister of the one who worships." Meaning, "O one who worships, you're known for your worship and your devout obedience to Allah. What's going on?" Where does this child come from? Ya ukhta Harun, ma kana abuki imra'a saw, "Your father wasn't an evil man. Wa ma kanat ummuki baghiyyan, your mother wasn't a woman of the streets, and she wasn't filthy and evil. Look at you, you shay and fadiya. You have come with this with this uh condemned action.

9:45 What have you got in your hands? How did you get this child? What a horrible woman you have become. Brothers and sisters in Islam, at this very moment, the greatest desire a person has is to speak up for himself and defend himself, especially when the accusation is baseless. Rather, she preferred to obey Allah's command. She remained silent. She did not say a single word to anyone. Allah Azza wa Jal said, "Fa ashaarat ilayh." She pointed to the baby, following Allah's command.

10:16 And so the idea is, if you follow Allah's command, despite the intense difficulty, relief will come in unimaginable ways. And as a result, Allah Azza wa Jal would allow the newborn, who normally doesn't talk, to actually talk. And he said, "Inni abdullahi atani al-kitab." I am the slave of Allah. He gave me the book. And he commanded me to pray and give zakat, and he commanded me to be righteous to my mother. Him speaking cleared his mother from all accusations that were hurled at her.

10:52 Allahu Akbar. And that's what made her a role model. Her adhering to the commandment of Allah, despite the difficulty and the intensity and the calamity face. And that was the situation of all the prophets and messengers, my brothers and sisters in Islam. Look at Musa alayhi salam. When he faced a difficulty and a calamity in life, he was told, "Take the staff, strike it on the ocean." How How's that going to help?

11:22 But he obeyed Allah's command, and relief came afterwards. The ocean split. Subhanallah. And so, my brothers and sisters in Islam, whenever you are facing a calamity and trouble in life, keep going. Do the right thing. When things have become so so so difficult, continue to observe your prayers. Continue to observe your hijab. Don't stop your salah because Allah my financial situation has become so tough, I can't even find time to pray. Don't say the environment has become so difficult, the fitna has become so difficult, I can't even find any person to marry, so as a result I removed my hijab.

12:02 My brothers and sisters in Islam, that will just make the situation a lot worse for you. And did stopping your prayers and taking your hijab off and abstaining from the commandments of Allah, did that solve your problems? Did it solve the problem? Did it pay your debts off? Did it make life easier? No, by Allah it did not make life easier. So, adhere to the commandments of Allah Azza wa Jal at all times. And the way you're going to be able to do this, so you may ask, how can I reach that level of Maryam? How can I find the strength and the power to worship Allah despite the difficulties I may face in life?

12:43 By seeking knowledge. You have to seek knowledge. Because when you seek knowledge and you learn, you will know who you're worshipping. The greatest knowledge, of course, the knowledge of Allah. Then you will know why and you will have the patience to remain uh firm and steadfast upon the commandments of Allah Azza wa Jal. You'll find that patience and that that that that that strength within you. Allah Azza wa Jal he says, "Wa kayfa tasbiru ala ma lam tuhit bihi khubra?"

13:12 How can you be patient upon something you have no knowledge about? So, Allah is teaching us in order to practice patience upon worshipping Allah during calamities and difficulties, you have to have knowledge. The more knowledge you have about Allah Azza wa Jal, the more you worship him despite the situation and circumstances you are facing. So we ask Allah to be pleased with Maryam. We ask Allah to be pleased with us all and to grant us strength and and power to continue to worship him until the last day and to accept from us and to keep us sincere. In the holy Quran Muhammad Ali as well.