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Praise be to Allah (SWT), the Lord of al-Alameen (the universe); peace and blessings be upon His Prophet Muhammad.

During the last episode, we spoke about bearing responsibility and the reasons behind the youth’s incapability and fear to bear it. We said that the goal behind the lecture was to create a new generation that is capable of bearing the responsibility. In order to achieve that, you need to focus on five aspects:

We will all be asked about the earth’s situation on the Day of Judgment. How was the status of Islam and our countries? How was Egypt? How was Morocco, Yemen, Tunisia, Algeria, etc? Imagine your reply as you are facing of Allah (SWT), the Almighty.

It will not be acceptable to just say, “I used to pray and worship you Allah but I had no interest in the situation of the world.” We will be asked about why we haven’t tried to do anything.

The whole earth belongs to Allah (SWT), the Almighty, and whosoever strives to repair it will be rewarded, helped and honored by Him. We are all responsible. That is what I’ve tried to explain during the last episode. We also stressed another very important point which is doing something practical, something that reflects our attitude towards bearing responsibility; words and advice are not enough. Slowly, the shackle hindering us from bearing the responsibility will break. Let us replace words with actions and do something practical this week. The solution is in our own hands, we can do it! Let us cooperate together in the project to fight the five narcotics namely: cigarettes, shisha (hookah), kat, alcohol, and drugs.

In the previous episode, we started with two of them; the cigarette and the shisha. We mentioned how to help in minimizing the smoking of cigarettes and shisha in public places by raising the motto, “No smoking in public places or harming others.” Moreover, we asked family members not to smoke at home because it would harm our children. Even if you would want to smoke at work or in public transportation, choose a place away from people so that you won’t harm anyone.

Let us try to put, “No smoking” and “Do not hurt us with your smoking” signs in public places. Let us refuse to make shisha the centre of our social life. It is not acceptable to render shisha an essential part of our gatherings with family and friends. If you want to smoke shisha, do it alone so as not to harm others.

Let us try to advise smokers and expose the dangers of smoking to them like: poor health, wasting money and time, etc. We have agreed upon the above mentioned points last week so let us see the results. The results are very promising; I shall tell you a few:

The results are promising, yet we need to double these numbers in order to be really effective in limiting smoking and addiction. Let us achieve our goal of bearing the responsibility.

Since the onset of our program, twenty young men in some university in Egypt started carrying the responsibility with us and decided to do something for their country. They went to a very poor district in Old Cairo and divided themselves such that every three would be responsible for one street. At the beginning their aim was to gain people’s confidence in order to make them cooperate with them in achieving their goal. The result was amazing. They were able to provide the district with the food, medicine, and clothes. They carried the responsibility of some widows (56 of them) and orphans in addition to their efforts of improving the district’s infrastructure. All of this was achieved by only twenty young men. Imagine their reward! Let us watch the video recording for those young men so that it pushes us towards imitating them.

It is about time that we become responsible for Islam, our country and our land. We should always remind ourselves that we will be asked about them by Allah (SWT), the Almighty.

There is a hadith that says, “Angels are offended by what offends humans.” Angels could never be in a place where there is smoke or shisha, only devils stay in such places. Why in the world would we hurt angels?

Do you know that the establishment of factories and buildings is much easier than the task we are currently doing? We are trying to change bad habits and the people who follow these habits. Awakening our countries requires a great effort. Each one of us is required to have strength to the power of ten. Allah says what can be translated as, “If there are twenty amongst you, patient and persevering, they will vanquish two hundred.” (TMQ, al-Anfal:65)[2]. This means that one Muslim alone could vanquish ten and in the worst case could vanquish two. When Amr Ibnul-Aas wanted to propagate and spread the word of Islam towards Egypt, he sent for Omar Ibnul-Khattab (RA) asking him for an army. Omar (RA) asked Amr about how many warriors he needed; Amr claimed to need 4,000 warriors. Omar (RA) sent only four. Amr, shocked, called for Omar (RA) again asking him why he had sent only four when he had asked for four thousand? Omar (RA) angrily said, “I sent you four warriors each one of them equal to a thousand.” “How is that?” Amr asked. Omar (RA) replied, “I swear by Allah that al-Q’aqa’s voice in battle is better than a thousand warriors.” Al-Q’aqa’ was one of the four warriors.

The battle started, Muslims were surrounding a fortress which was difficult to conquer. They were losing spirit, when suddenly al-Q’aqa’ started crying out in a loud voice saying, “Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest).” His voice lifted the Muslims’ spirits. The fortress was conquered and the Muslims won. Amr cried saying, “Omar (RA) was right, he knew his men better than me. This man is better than a thousand men.”

Now, we will start our project concerning the rest of the narcotics. We begin with the kat. It is a kind of plant whose leaves resemble the molokhia (plant used in Arabic food); one puts it in his mouth, chews it and absorbs its sap. At first, it gives energy, vigor and power, and then they all turns into weakness, deep silence, severe depression and one feels hatred towards everything and everyone around.

Kat is used in many Arab countries. Eighteen million Arabs chew[3] kat for an average of five hours a day. There might have been some disputes as to whether the kat is halal or haram (allowed or prohibited by Islam), but listen to this; three million people chew kat daily; each pay what is equivalent to two dollars per day. Do you realize how much money is wasted per day in chewing kat? Six million dollars a day! I wonder about how we will be facing Allah (SWT) and what we will be telling Him about this.

This money could have been used to build hospitals, treat Muslims, teach them, save them, bringing happiness to earth. Imagine that there are three million people who chew kat for five hours a day, meaning that they waste 15 million hours per day chewing kat. They have wasted 15 million hours of developing Islam. Sadly, some of you would comment saying, “Will the hour I spend, for example, in a coffee shop be the reason for Islam’s deterioration?” Tell me, what are you going to tell Allah (SWT) when He asks you about all the hours that you’ve wasted?

Cultivating kat in some countries requires 800 million cubic meters of water. What if Allah (SWT) became angry at us and held back the water? What will we do then? Allah, the Almighty, says what can be translated as, “Say, See ye? If your stream be some morning lost (in the underground earth), who then can supply you with clear flowing water?” (TMQ, al-Mulk:30). Fathers and mothers are spending five hours each day, away from their children chewing kat; even children themselves chew kat. What shall become of our nation? Will Allah (SWT) ever be pleased with us? Will Allah (SWT) be pleased when you delay your prayers and pray them after their allocated times because you have been chewing kat?

Do you know that cultivating kat requires the use of 320 types of insecticides? No wonder cancer and cirrhosis are spreading! Allah says what can be interpreted as, “Nor kill (or destroy) yourselves.” (TMQ, an-Nisa:29). The Messenger of Allah (SAWS) says, “On the Day of Judgment, every person will be asked about four things: his life-how he spent it; his body-how he wasted it; his money-how he earned it and on what he spent it, and his knowledge-how he used it.” Why don’t you warn others against these harmful things? Why don’t you try to make earth a better place? We need to repent and return back to Allah (SWT); we will not bear facing Allah (SWT) on the Day of Judgment with our failure in doing what He ordered us to do.

What is today’s project about? It is, ‘Stopping kat from reaching children and youth.’ If we haven’t been able to save the old generation, there may still be hope in saving the new one. The following is required:

1. Parents should warn their children against kat, even those who only chew it. They should keep advising children and explaining to them that what they are doing is wrong. Tell your children that you do not want them to repeat your mistakes and sins. Allah (SWT) might forgive you if you saved your children.

2. Students should put slogans against kat everywhere in schools and universities; that “Kat does not create life,” “Kat does not make a Muslim but destroys him,” and “You will be asked about chewing kat in the hereafter.” Refer to our website, www.amrkhaled.net., and we will help you do that. We should strive to stop kat from reaching the youth. All of us: parents, teachers, students; will do our best to launch such an unprecedented campaign titled, “The next generation will be a non-kat-chewer’s generation.” Help us through mentioning the dangers of kat as well as that it is haram, at least in the sense of life making. We will collect statistics and mention how to repent to Allah (SWT) and abandon chewing kat.

Fighting the five narcotics. We will help you with the tapes which we wish that you could spread among as many people as you can.

You shall find an essay about kat on the website; print it and spread it among as many people as possible as was done with the smoking and shisha topics.

Such is our project against kat. However, we need to be aware of the dangerous relationship between shisha and kat. Unfortunately, kat has spread widely among people. Some people have even started their lives with it, I mean their social relationships. In gatherings between family and friends, kat has become a must for these people. It has become an essential part of their social ties.

Likewise, the shisha is extremely dangerous as it is a shortcut leading to drug addiction. What is the solution then? You can start by downloading the tape from the website.

Now we are moving against the three narcotics together; smoking, shisha and kat. We must do our best because we are all responsible for each other. Allah (SWT), the Almighty says what can be translated as, “But stop them, for they must be asked.” (TMQ, as-Saffaat:24). This means that we will be questioned before entering paradise or hellfire. What are we going to tell Allah (SWT) on the Day of Judgment? You, who preferred to be silent and claimed that you had nothing to do with it, what are you going to tell to Allah (SWT)? Why aren’t you carrying the responsibility? What are you going to do after you listen to the ayah that says what can be translated as, “Therefore, by the Lord, we will, of a surety, call them to account for all their deeds. Therefore expound loudly what thou art commanded, and turn away from those who join false gods with God.” (TMQ, al-Hijr:92-94). This is an order for you to carry the responsibility until you reach a point where walls crack due to the vigor of your actions.

Let me tell you a story about bearing responsibility. It is the story of a man named Asa’ad Ibn Zorarah. The people of Makkah and other tribes rejected believing in Allah (SWT) and His Messenger (SAWS[4]). One day, Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) saw a group of youths whose ages ranged between 18 and 19 years old. They were all from the tribe of al-Khazraj. The Prophet (SAWS) went and had a talk with them. They looked at each other wondering, “Could he be the Prophet?” They all followed him and vowed to carry the responsibility. One of them told the Prophet (SAWS), “Why don’t you come with us to our tribe?” Nineteen year old Asa’ad replied saying, “No, don’t come now for if you came with us, only the al-Khazraj tribe would embrace Islam. We want you to be the Prophet of both tribes, al-Aws (another tribe) and al-Khazraj. Stay where you are until we come back to you after reconciling with our brethren al-Aws.” Wars had been going on between both tribes for 40 years. Therefore, these young men promised the Prophet (SAWS) to reconcile with the al-Aws tribe and to come back to him the following year. That way, everyone in Madinah would embrace Islam; not only their tribe.

The twelve young men returned to their home land. The following year, without being reminded by anyone, they came back to the Prophet (SAWS), this time they were nine from al-Khazraj and three from al-Aws. Asa’ad urged people to embrace Islam. He opened his house for all Muslims and it was in his house where the first jumu’a (Friday) prayers were ever performed as mosques were non-existent at that time. Finally, the Prophet (SAWS) came to Madinah. Asa’ad was one of the main reasons in bringing Islam to Madinah. After the Prophet’s arrival at Madinah, Asa’ad died at the tender age of 22. Allah (SWT) wanted him to rest; he had done his job and Allah (SWT) wanted him in paradise for all that he had done in the sake of Islam. This is the responsibility we need to carry.

We will now move on to alcoholic drinks. Previously, alcohol was not widely spread as it is at the present. Publicity has increased in order to attract people to drink alcohol. Advertisements are designed in such a manner inducing people to try tasting of alcohol, especially teenagers. Imagine that some alcohol advertisements carry the following statement, “Be a man and try.” They pervaded magazines, and regrettably such magazines are available in our countries. In addition, places which serve alcohol are fanned out despite the fact that there are laws in our countries banning the serving of alcohol in planes.

It is actually a big problem in the West which they are really hoping to solve, but they are still unable to do so. All their efforts have been a total failure. Do you believe that a number of campaigns were launched to arouse suspicions with regards to Islam’s prohibition of alcohol? The aim was to lessen religious motivations that lead Muslims to abstaining from drinking alcohol.

Allah says what can be translated as, “O you who believe! Narcotics (all kinds of alcoholic drinks), and gambling, and al-Ansab (Animals that are sacrificed (slaughtered) on an-Nusub[5] and al-Azlam (arrows for seeking luck or decision) are an abomination of Satan’s handiwork. So avoid (strictly all) that (abomination) in order that you may be successful-Satan wants only to excite enmity and hatred between you with narcotics (alcoholic drinks) and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of Allah and from as-Salat (prayer). So, will you not then abstain?” (TMQ, al-Ma’idah: 90).

When this ayah was revealed to the Prophet (SAWS), his companions reiterated, “We abstained Allah, we abstained Allah.” The Prophet (SAWS) then said, “Pledge to me not to worship any God but Allah, not to steal, not to commit adultery, nor drink alcohols.” I ask you then, what would you tell the Prophet (SAWS)?

Do you believe that one of the statistics states that 22.5% of secondary stage students in one of the largest Islamic countries drink alcohol? We should fight drinking alcohol ourselves, and now we shall agree on the project, ‘No for making alcohol and beer available to youth.’ They should not be granted access to alcohol. We will exert the best of our efforts to fight alcohol and beer. The Prophet (SAWS) said that Allah (SWT) damned alcohol, its drinker, its server, its transporter, the one whom it is transported to, its squeezer, and its seller. Don’t you see? Alcohol is a sort of damnation.

The Prophet (SAWS) also said that the one who drinks alcohol and commits adultery is slowly removing iman (belief) from their heart, just like removing their clothes. The Prophet (SAWS) linked drinking alcohol to adultery because one who drinks alcohol is more likely to commit adultery. Those of you who sell alcohol and serve it in ceremonies and weddings, how will you stand before Allah?

The Prophet (SAWS) once said that Allah vowed to make the one who drinks alcohol in this mundane life, to drink from ‘Tinat al Khabal.’ The Prophet (SAWS) was then asked, “What is “Tinat al Khabal?” and he replied that it is the pus of those who will be perpetuated in hell. Do you realize what this great sin may cause us? The West is suffering severely from the consequences of alcohol. One of the statistics concerning the effects of addiction states that in Germany, 25 billion Marks are spent on the treatment of alcohol addicts.

In the United States, 100,000 die annually from the consumption of alcohol and one fifth of Americans suffer from obesity as a result of drinking alcohol.

In England, 200,000 die annually because of alcohol. The losses due to drinking are estimated at two billion British Pounds. Half of crimes are committed by drunkards; other than the cases of suicides, car accidents and sexual assaults on children.

In Scotland, one fifth of patients in hospitals are there due to alcohol related problems.

They have tried a great deal but they failed because they do not own the will and determination that Islam gives us.

Three actions were taken by the United States to eliminate alcohol; however, Islam had already preceded them in these actions. The United States added a constitution in 1919, completely forbidding alcohol. In 1920, the law came into effect and as a result chaos prevailed, bad alcohol was sold and toxemias were reported. Consequently, the government cancelled the resolution in 1933.

Islam followed three steps as well, but they started with a psychological introduction. In Allah’s saying, which can be translated as, “They ask you (Muhammad) concerning alcoholic drink and gambling. Say, ‘In them is a great sin’.” (TMQ, al-Baqara:219).

Allah then says what can be translated as, “O you who believe! Approach not as-Salat (prayer) when you are in a drunken state until you know (the meaning) of what you utter.” (TMQ, an-Nisa:43).

Finally, Allah says what can be translated as, “O you who believe! Narcotics (all kinds of alcoholic drinks), and gambling, and al-Ansab (Animals that are sacrificed (slaughtered) on an-Nusub and al-Azlam (arrows for seeking luck or decision) are an abomination of Satan’s handiwork. So avoid (strictly all) that (abomination) in order that you may be successful.” (TMQ, al-Ma’idah:90-91).

The result came as a glaring success. When this ayah was revealed, the Prophet’s companions found the streets of Madinah all muddy, as if it was raining. The fact was that all the people reacted to the ayah, obeyed Allah’s order and spilt all the alcohol they had outside their homes. The difference is in our great religion and the strong will that we acquire of it. The West, on the other hand failed, making drinking alcohol permissible and propagated its imaginary benefits.

Can we then accept that they misguide our youth? Do you know that one drop of alcohol, if placed into your sins pan[6] will cause the sins pan to drop, infuriating Allah (SWT) and making the Prophet (SAWS) turn his face away from you.

Let us give advice to whoever drinks alcohol and talk to him about repenting. Allah says what can be translated as, “And march forth in the way (which leads to) forgiveness from your Lord, and for paradise as wide as the heavens and the earth, prepared for al-Muttaqun (the pious).” (TMQ, al-‘Imran:133). Allah (SWT) also says what can be translated as, “Know they not that Allah accepts repentance from His worshippers.” (TMQ At-Taubah:104). Allah (SWT) forgives his worshippers and accepts their repentance; the repentance of His worshippers pleases Him. He accepts repentance during night and day for the sins committed whether in the night or day.

After fulfilling these conditions, be sure that Allah (SWT) will forgive you for all your sins. Let us remind people about Allah’s mercy and forgiveness. The Prophet (SAWS) once told one of his repenting companions, “You should rejoice at this day. It is your best day ever since you were born. It is the day in which Allah accepted your repentance and forgave you.” Allah says what can be translated as, “O you who believe! Turn to Allah with sincere repentance!” (TMQ, at-Tahrim:8).

Let us make this week, the week of repentance, let us fix banners in all places where youth gather, carrying the slogan, “Say no to alcohol.” Each one shall speak to whomever he knows who drinks alcohol. We should file lawsuits against anyone placing billboards that propagate alcohol. Surely we will win because we have the right. No for spreading alcohol in our countries. Also, send us the names of magazines propagating alcohol, and we will list these magazines on the website to boycott them. We should speak with parents whose children drink alcohol; we should warn them and urge them to prevent their children from doing so.

As we did with smoking, it will be the same; you will find a tape on the site; download it and distribute it among the largest number of people you can reach in order to find the appropriate reply when you are asked by Allah (SWT) on the Day of Judgment. The Prophet (SAWS) said that the one who abstains from doing what Allah (SWT) prohibited and the one who does what Allah (SWT) prohibited can be compared to people in the same ship; some of them in the upper deck, and some in the bottom. When those in the bottom would want to drink they would go up, so instead, they thought of piercing the body of the ship to be able to drink without going up. If those in the lower deck had left them to do that, all of them would have perished but if they prevented them from piercing the ship, all of them would be safe.

Do you know that there is a relation between alcohol, shisha, and smoking? In all tobacco factories, tobacco is sterilized in alcohol for 24 hours. Consequently, they started to add colorful substances to the alcohol to prevent workers from stealing it. Do you know that the fruits in the shisha are usually fermented? Both cigarettes and shisha have a relation to alcohol.

We shall now move on to drugs, those which are leading our youth to complete destruction. All parents fear that their teenagers become addicts. What would we tell Allah (SWT) on the Day of Judgment? I will cite some statistics about drugs in the Arab world. In the beginning, I would like to thank the Egyptian police for their heroic role in eliminating drugs in Upper Egypt. The mission was like a battle, a number of policemen died, but finally they were able to beat drug dealers in al-Nekheila village. May Allah (SWT) reward them.

The matter is extremely difficult; we should all share the responsibility, as no one will be able to do much on their own. The state in the Arab world is really threatening. According to statistics, the amount of Bungo (marijuana) in Egypt alone was estimated at 10 tons in 1993. In 1997, it reached 100 tons and in 2002, it reached 600 tons.

The portion that is confiscated is only 30%. The rest remains to destroy our youth. Can you imagine the gravity of this disaster?

Drugs statistics in the Arab world – The source: National Planning Institute

· 22,824 are charged with crimes related to drugs (21,201 cases in the courts).

· Ninety-four percent of marijuana addicts develop into other more serious cases.

We must wake up! Imagine the state of Muslims on the Day of Judgment when millions of them are drug addicts, kat and shisha smokers all leading to millions of broken homes. Imagine the gravity of all that in front of Allah (SWT) on the Day of Judgment. On this day, the Prophet (SAWS) will turn his face away from us and go embrace the generation of Salah el-Din and Muhammad el-Fateh. Imagine how difficult this situation will be!

Imagine being asked by Allah (SWT) to go over your deeds, and you find out that you’ve wasted the most precious blessings (your mind and reasoning). You chose to chew kat until you destroyed your health? You chose to drink alcohol leading to the loss your family? You are responsible for Muslims losing every chance to success? You chose to be a non-smoker, and you’ve not advised anyone to stop? The Prophet (SAWS) will ask you, “Why didn’t you carry the responsibility?” He will tell you, “Has not iron been thrust into my cheeks in the Uhud battle? Haven’t you been told how I suffered and endured? What did you do for Islam?”

Omar Ibnul-Khattab (RA) was once surveying the conditions of citizens in a village and he saw a mother forcing her child to drink milk and stop breast-feeding (she was trying to wean him). The child was crying loudly. Omar (RA) asked her about why he was crying. She replied by saying that she heard that Omar (RA) does not allocate any allowances for mothers except after their children are weaned (she didn’t know that she was talking to Omar (RA) in person). Omar (RA) cried and blamed himself saying, “Omar, you have killed all those children of the nation of Muhammad!” As for us, how many souls have we killed by keeping silent?

On the website, you will find a tape on repentance from drug addiction. Download and distribute it, but that alone is not enough; there are two tasks to do this week:

The first: Concerning kat, shisha, cigarettes and alcohol. We have already agreed upon that.

The second: Concerning drugs; please think and send us your suggestions for fighting drugs. I plead with all people, even parents, to send to us their suggestions. Imagine yourselves before the Prophet (SAWS) asking you, “I have entrusted you with the Islamic nation, what have you done to rescue it?”

Finally: Concerning cigarettes, spread the slogan, ‘Do not hurt us with your smoking’ in public places and distribute the tape to as many as you can. As for the shisha, stop its spread in society. The same applies for the kat.

There is a tape concerning each of the narcotics on the website and there are also a few words about each. Distribute the tape, copy the words and distribute them. As for alcohol, we will not be satisfied if we lose our youth. We must boycott magazines and newspapers which propagate alcohol, file law suits and we will win inshallah (if Allah (SWT) permits). All of this must be performed with politeness and in good manner. Notify the authorities with any store that sells alcohols to youth under 18.

Distribute as much as you can of the tape concerning repentance from drinking alcohol.

[1] Pronounced in English (cot). Other variations for writing that name in English are: Kat and Khat, however “Qat” was the most widely known way for writing it over the internet.

[2] TMQ=Translation of the Meaning of the Qur'an. This translation is for the realized meaning, so far, of the stated (Surah: Ayah) of the Qur'an. Reading the translated meaning of the Qur'an can never replace reading it in Arabic, the language in which it was revealed.

[3] The leaves are placed in the mouth and held between the molars and the cheek. In fact, the correct translation of the verb “takhzeen” used to describe that act is "storing," not chewing.

[4] Sala-llahu Alahi Wa Salam = All Prayers and Peace of Allah be upon him.

[5] An-Nusub were stone-altars at fixed places or graves, whereon sacrifices were slaughtered on certain occasions in the name of idols, jinn, angels, pious men, saints in order to honor them, or to expect some benefit from them.

[6] In the day of Judgment sins and good deeds will be placed into a scale; a pan for good deeds and the other for sins.

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