"Keep Working For Good" - Imam Zaid Talk, UK, 2011

Asalamalaikum,

So the below notes are a selection from notes taken during Imam Zaid Shakir's visit during his trip the UK in Summer 2011, at the Traditional Halaqa, arranged by Shifa Trust.

The talk was entitled "The End of Time" and was largely about the Signs and the Mehdi, though here I detail some more general and inspiring notes of advice and wisdom given.

As with all notes uploaded on here, please forgive any mistakes, all of which are reflective only on the inabilities of the one who heard the message [myself] and not on the one who conveyed the message.

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"The best way of preparing yourself for the end of times is to follow the ways of Rasool.

The Prophet didn't give the sahaba a list of signs to look for, but asked them what they had done to prepare for it.

The Prophet (saws) said, "You will be with those whom you love" and so we follow Allah's command and the Prophets example. That's the best we can do to prepare ourselves.

Divorce your heart from this world as Allah will love you - The love of Allah shouldn't be in our heads, it should be in our hearts. But with the dunya, we must keep it in the thought process (working on projects, working hard etc) and not in the heart.

The dunya can be in your hand and you use it for good. If it doesn't affect your heart, that's fine

One should always look to the direction He is sending one in. Maybe if you accept what Allah has given you, He will Give you through acceptance what you look for through divergence.

If we have good ettiquettes with Allah, He will give us what we are looking for, in the situation we find ourselves in.

Keep working for good, even at the end of times- if the final hour is coming and you have a seed in your hand, you should plant it. Stay in a good state.
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Whoever acts on what they know, Allah gives them knowledge of what they don't know.
If Allah Gives us knowledge, then what we can achieve is limitless.

The first stage towards this is the person acknowledging thier need for Allah.
We say we rely on our brainpower and intellect- yet what have we done for the deen? Yet look at [the success of] those who relied on Allah! Give yourself to Allah. He Will Enrich you. Uplift you. Empower you. No one humbles themselves for the sake of Allah except that He Elevates them. How much further can we go replying on ourselves? How much more of a mess can we make?

To overcome challenges we have to humble ourselves.

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The Prophet (saws) gave us a distinction which he didn't even give to his sahaba- that of being his brothers and sisters despite never seeing him (saws). This is a bushra [glad tiding] for us!!!

"Amongst people most intense in love for me in this Ummah are those who do not see me but love me. And they give their family and wealth just to see me" - wheras the sahaba saw his noor in its entirity.

The Prophet (saws) thus extends to us and praises us in love for hum and places its worth higher than that of the Sahaba. This is a class dinstinction. However, in regards to individuals, the best were them, the khulafaah al rashideen.

We must invoke, "Oh Allah, forgive us and those who preceeded us in Islam and don't place any ranquer in our hearts against them" --> we must have good opinion of all believers, people have been honoured with Islam and only those worthy are honoured.

We should thus uphold the 'izzah [respect] which Allah has given to the believers. We have to love the people who say La illah illAllah. Remember the parable of the believers, that we are one ummah, likened to one body. We don't have time for a bad opinion. This is a violation of others' rights! This puts a barrier between you and this is not right.

Give people the benefit of the doubt that they are atleast as good a muslim as you are if not better. --> we are all in this together.

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If we don't appreciate the advantages we have, Allah will take them away.

Allah didn't Put you in a refugee camp. He Put you here. He Gave you the opportunity to serve the people. To work for Islam. We have to know our place. Shed light for people. Be light for people.

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Realise that who you marry is part of a historical process.

If someone comes and you are pleased with their religion and character, marry him; or there will be great fasaad on the earth.

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If we were more spiritually connected, we wouldn't be so deeply haunted, not would we have so many faults.

Ask Allah for His lufdh- His Gentleness as He Unfolds His decree in our life.

If we want good and seek good, we will find good and find it wherever we are.
"I am as My Servant Thinks I am." This is encouragement.

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Our Times

Shaykh Hamza Yusuf in the company of Shaykh Ahmad Mushhur al Haddad; relates,

"In one blessed gathering held by the Shaykh, May Allah be Pleased with him, he told me that now is the age of hawsat. I did not know the meaning of this word and asked him what it meant.

He replied, "mental instability as a result of leaving the rememberance of Allah".

-The Prophetic Invocation, translated by Mostafa al-Badawi

Last Days

Narrated Sahl bin Sa'd:


I heard the Prophet saying, "I am your predecessor at the Lake-Fount (Kauthar), and whoever will come to it, will drink from it, and whoever will drink from it, will never become thirsty after that. There will come to me some people whom I know and they know me, and then a barrier will be set up between me and them." Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri added that the Prophet further said: "I will say those people are from me. It will be said, 'You do not know what changes and new things they did after you.' Then I will say, 'Far removed (from mercy), far removed (from mercy), those who changed (the religion) after me!


The Minor Signs of the Last Day


Qiyamah will come when...



Hadhrat Abu Musa Ash'ari (R.A.) narrates that Rasulallah (Sallallahu Alayhii Wassallam) said, "Qiyamah will come...

* When it will be regarded as a shame to act on Quranic injunctions.
* When untrustworthy people will be regarded as trustworthy and the trustworthy will be regarded as untrustworthy.
* When it will be hot in winter (and vice versa).
* When the length of days is stretched, i.e. a journey of a few days is covered in a matter of hours.
* When orators and lecturers lie openly.
* When people dispute over petty issues.
* When women with children come displeased on account of them bearing offspring, and barren women remain happy on account of having no responsibility of offspring.
* When oppression, jealousy, and greed become the order of the day.
* When people blatantly follow their passions and whims.
* When lies prevail over the truth.
* When violence, bloodshed and anarchy become common.
* When immorality overtakes shamelessness and is perpetrated publicly.
* When legislation matters pertaining to Deen is handed over to the worst elements of the Ummat, and if people accept them and are satisfied with their findings, then such persons will not smell the fragrance of Jannat.
* When the offspring become a cause of grief and anger (for their parents).







The following is part of a lengthy Hadith narrated by Hadhrat Abdullah Ibn Mas'ood (R.A.) when he inquired from Rasulallah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) about the Signs of Qiyamah.

* Music and musical instruments will be found in every home.
* People will indulge in homosexuality.
* There will be an abundance of illegitimate children.
* There will be an abundance of critics, tale-carriers, back- biters and taunters in society.
* People will establish ties with strangers and sever relations with their near and dear ones.
* Hypocrites will be in control of the affairs of the community and evil, immoral people will be at the helm of business establishments.
* The Masjid will be decorated, but the hearts of the people will be devoid of guidance.
* The courtyards of Masjids will be built beautifully and high mimbars (pulpits) will be erected.
* Gangsters and evil people will prevail.
* Various wines will be consumed excessively.







Auf bin Malik (R.A.) says: I came to Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) while he was in his skin tent during the Tabuk expedition. He said to me, "Count six things before the advent of Qiyamah:

1 My death
2 The conquest of Jerusalem
3 Mass deaths amongst you people, just as when sheep die in large numbers during an epidemic
4 Abundance of wealth to such an extent that if a person were to be given a hundred Dinars he will still not be satisfied
5 General anarchy and bloodshed, that no Arab household will be spared from it
6 Then a life of peace as a result of a peace agreement between you and the Banil Asfaar
(Romans) which they will break and attack you with a force consisting of eighty flags and under each flag will be an army of twelve thousand men." (Hadith: Sahih Bukhari).