RISTalks: Imam Zaid Shakir - "Where Then Are You Going?" at RIS US 2010

"Where Then Are You Going?"

Reviving the Islamic Spirit
RIS US 2010 Convention Closing Session
Los Angeles, California
May 29 - 31, 2010
www.revivingtheislamicspirit.com

02: 54- "Allah swt asks this question of us: where then are you going? I can think of no better way to respond then with the book of Allah."

03:50- "To hasten to enter on the paths that involve the forgiveness from our lord. To hasten to enter on the path that involve those actions which will make it unnecessary for us to repent from our Lord. The paths that involve obedience to Allah swt. But being human even as we walk on those paths and specifically that path, we will fall into error and we should hasten to repent."

04:43- "He said everyone will be forgiven in Ramadan except those who refuse. And they said who would ever refuse oh Abu Huraira? He said, the one who refuses to ask Allah to be forgiven. So in hastening the quickest path, to the forgiveness of Allah from Allah, is to ask Allah with sincerity to forgive us. And that path in this world leads to that destination, the ultimate destination, Jannah."

05:53- "The first one if we look at this replica of the stars behind us, and we look at the stars at night, and we understand some of those stars are one hundred million light years away. That light travelling at one hundred and eighty six thousand miles a second, would take a hundred million years to reach that star. And then that star is situated in a universe that's constantly expanding, and that constantly expanding universe in this first lower heaven, is like a coin thrown into the desert, compared to the next level of heaven, and we go up through the seven heavens accordingly. And yet the Jannah is more expansive then all of them combined, and in spite of all that, and then just one of them is more expansive then all of them combined, and there's more than one, but we only want enough room there, for me and those who understand Islam the way that I do, and to keep everyone else out! La hawla wala kwata ela billah."

07:03- "There's room for everyone! We should be trying to get everyone in. We should be looking for the most general descriptions."

07:44- "Be mindful of the commandments and prohibitions of Allah swt. Be mindful of the commandments and prohibitions of Allah ta'ala."

08:07- "Spend your money. Spend your money. And this is important for Jannah. Because, if we can't let go of the world a little at a time. How are we going to let go of all of it when we leave it, once and for all."

08:50- "Because only when you restrain your anger can you bring your intellect to the fore. And the situation we are in, it doesn't call for temper tantrums, they're not going to get us anywhere. It calls for deep deep thought that is coupled with deep deep spirituality, that will give birth to solutions to the deep problems that we find ourselves in."

09:53- "We made some of you as trials and tribulations to others. Will you not then patiently endure?"

11:38- "In other words, Islam wants us to be something and it wants us to be something great. It wants us to be something deep. It wants us to be something that is in accord with this natural order, this celestial order, the earthly order that envelopes us. And Allah ta'ala loves those people."

12:02- "So brothers and sisters, as you strive as you leave these doors, make up your mind to be somebody and to be somebody great!"