Assalamualaikum fellow revvy-ers!

So yesterday i went to a talk at DMU and the event was called 'Be Like Muhammad - Through Thick and Thin'. As soon as i seen that the speaker was AbdelRahman Murphy, I HAD to make a effort to attend. I love watching his videos on youtube and I find him to be very relatable and he explains things in a simple manner, which I respect a lot.

So anyway, I thought I should share the scribbles of notes I made so people can learn what I learnt!

Islam is a light in our lives and without islam we would have no guidance or the ability to see clearly in life. In life our ultimate goal is to please Allah and the best way we can do this is to strive to be like our nabi صلى الله عليه و سلم. Allah didnt make the prophets from angels or jinn, he made them human so that the people can relate to them and so we can in turn strive to follow their example.

Dealing with stress -

(I cant remember the names, sorry!) a man once said that we will only find rest once we have taken 2 steps into Jannah. We will never find rest in this life, as it is a test and it is not for pleasure, although Allah has given us gifts in this life to enjoy too, of course within the limits of halal and haram.

The first step to solving our problems is accepting and admitting that we have them in the first place. The belief from someone else that we can deal with our stress helps in decreasing our stress, and makes us feel as though we have someone to relate to and someone to talk to, so why not relate to the experiences of our nabi صلى الله عليه و سلم when we are in difficult times.

For 40 years Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم had to prove himself to the Makkans and he was eventually known as As Sadiq Al Amin, meaning the truthful and the trustworthy. We try to prove ourselves to our friends and when they dont accept us we go off into a huff and become annoyed. 40 years!!!

Finding solace in someone always helps, not only can they relate to you and help you but they understand you and they know you to the core. Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم found solace in his wife Khadeejah (RA) and when he had his first revalation, he came back to the house frightened and worried that Allah was punishing him. His wife immediately comforted him and told him صلى الله عليه و سلم that Allah wasnt punishing him, he was as sadiq and al amin! The fact that he didnt go to his companions or his friends showed that his wife was closest to him. When we have a difficulty in life, it is best to share it with someone that truly cares about you, not someone who would show concern but mock you behind your back and in turn be happy that you have those problems.

When islam started to grow, the non muslims at the time would harass the messenger صلى الله عليه و سلم in the streets, everywhere he would go they would call him names. Being called a name 4/5 times is hard and in this day and age we would call it bullying and we would think of it as a nasty thing. Our nabi صلى الله عليه و سلم would be called these names 50/60 times in a day, even from people he didnt know! Imagine the mental stress this would put on him and how he would feel inside! It isnt from the good character of people to call others names and to bully people and we should never treat someone like this, especially if we know how it feels! Allah had to send down a verse to Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم  in surah Qalam, verse 2 "You (O Muhammad ) are not, by the Grace of your Lord, a madman". Imagine what thoughts must have been going through Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم  's head for Allah to send a verse down addressing his concern! Our nabi صلى الله عليه و سلم stayed strong during this time, and we should take this as an example, to stay strong if we are ever in a situation where people are backbiting about us or are calling us names. Indeed the reward will be with us if we remain patient and to stay quiet and let Allah deal with these people.

Eventually the people would start attacking the messenger صلى الله عليه و سلم. Once he was praying in front of the kabah and camel intestines were put onto his back. They were so heavy that he couldnt rise from his sujood. His daughter Fatimah came and began to remove the intestines from his back and shouted back at the men laughing at the prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم. The prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم then consoles her and tells her its okay and wipes her tears. We cant bear to be in a situation where we are being humiliated, imagine having our own child witnessing this and having to wipe their tears and telling them that its okay! Imagine the impact this would have on us and how this would make us feel.

Khadeejah (RA) was Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم 's main support and after she and Abu Talib had passed away, he had no support. When Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم realised that there was no hope to spread islam in Makkah, he went to Ta'if for aid and support, and to invite their people to islam. He صلى الله عليه و سلم remained polite and had good character when speaking to them. However, they rejected islam and told him to leave Ta'if. They were thrown of of the city and were met with crowds that jeered at them and mocked them. They were then attacked by rocks that the children had been told to throw at Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم, and this made him bleed so much that his feet became clotted to his shoes. Once he صلى الله عليه و سلم and Zayd ibn Harithah were out of the city walls he almost collapsed and leaned against a tree to rest. He then prayed to Allah, saying "O Allah, i complain to you about my weakness." He didnt complain to Allah about the situation, he complained about his own weakness. When we are in difficulty we are quick to point the blame elsewhere, however every single prophet of Allah has taken ownage for their difficulty and has accepted that they are to blame.

The solution to our difficulties is within ourselves and we should always identify that we are the ones to blame. We should be patient in our time of hardship, "Verily with hardship, there is relief" [94:5] and we should always make dua that Allah gives us strength in whatever difficulty we face, just like how the messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه و سلم was.

May Allah protect us all, aameen