Friday evening

Every Friday evening there is a little lecture in the mosque nearby and I try to attend as often as possible because it feels good for my faith, it makes me happy to be with these people and simply because it enlightens my heart.
I realised that I cant keep everything the Imam mentiones in mind and that it is much better for me to take some notes, which I want to share with you here.


Today we will continue to talk about the Surat Yusuf which tells us about the prophet Joseph, but why do we talk about him?
Its not just about his story as such, its more about how he reacted and what he did and how he practices Islam in his live.
Because he lived a life and we all are living a life!
Life is not just about to know what is haram and halal (allowed and forbidden), it is much more important to understand the sense, meaning and intention of Islam.
We have to develop the right feeling for Islam as a whole, we have to look at the whole picture to understand the whole and not just at tiny peaces of it.
Our Prophet Mohammad, peace be upon him, said:
"I have just been send to complete the beautyful character traits!"
So to elaborate our beautyful traits should be one of our main goals!
Surat Yusuf - Ayat 46: "Oh Yusuf, you veritable!"
What is the character trait that others would realte to you? Are you veritable to?
Or will they say: Laura, thats the girl who is always angry?
So are we veritable? Or what are the things we do good?
What are our beautyful character traits?

So the two prisoners who used to be with Yusuf in prison had forgotten about Yusuf and his request to ask to let him free. But when one of these prisoners had a problem again - which was analysing the Kings dream - he remembered Yusuf. He went to the prison were Yusuf still was whitout any apology and asked Yusuf to answer his question.
What would we do in that situation?
Wouldnt we say: "why should i answer you, you havent helped me!" ?
Or would we say: "Okay, ill help you but just if you let me free!" ?
And what did Yusuf? He helped emidiately, whitout question, whitout condition.
Simply because he could help he helped!
And thats the other thing about beautyful character traits,
they have to be constantly and unconditional.
I cant say I am a good person but just to people I like, just to people of my own family or religion.
I cant say today I am in a bad mood so I forget about all those beautyful treats, no,
they have be unconditional and constant to remain beautyful.
Yusufs traits were constant and unconditional, he were veritable with everybody, no matter if good or bad.
He helped when he could and didnt questioned wheter the person was muslim or not.
The egyptience at that time were not believers, but Yusuf didnt care!
He helped simply because he could help!

Today we see many people doing good but with conditions.
When we donate we just donate to muslim countries.
Is that a beautyful character trait that is constat? I dont think so!

"You are very poor and in need of food, so Ill help you when you become muslim!"
But do we want to convince people with their stomach?
shouldnt it be by free will and wile using brain and heart when a person decides for Islam?
"We are very nice because we build a hospital for your community, for your children a school, for your parents a factory and the only thing youll have to do for us is joing our faith!" ?
Is that a beautyful character trait that is unconditional? I dont think so!


Before Mohammad, peace be upoun him, was send, Allah had prepared everything for his arrival. There was a woman like Khadija that was strong enough to hold him,
to follow him as the first muslim.
The was already an Ummah (community) to follow and support him.
And which Ummah has Islam today? People that reduce Islam to how to wear hijab properly and wheater or not it is allowed to eat gelatine?
Its not that these are not important points, but again it it important to first undertand the sense of Islam as a whole before you can take a look at the details.

There are also people that use religion to refuge from their problems and responsibilities.
statement: "I am just interested in the hereafter, this world is meaningless for me!"
answer: "There is no priesthood in Islam! A muslim simply cant withdraw from this life!
Every person and every life has thousands of facetts and from Mohammad, peace be upon him, we can learn how to act in all those facetts."

Every prophet has his mission.
Before Jesus, peace be upon him, was send, people had reduced religion to rules, to halal/haram. Religion was not anymore a thing of emotion but of rules and brain.
So it was Jesus, peace be upon him, mission to bring faith back to the hearts,
and he did that just perfectly.
When Mohammad, peace be upon him, was send he brought the final balance between head and heart. Because the sense of rules in faith is to make life easier, more beautyful and to protect people from harm.

One of Mohammads, peace be upon him, companions used to work for a woman and got dates in exchange. after he got the dates he went to sit with the Prophet, peace be upon him, and to eat them together with him. They sat side by side and eat. Everytime the companion finished one date he layed the stone of the date in front of the Prophet, peace be upon him. As they finished all the dates the companion said: "Oh Prophet, peace be upon you, you have eaten so much, look at the amount of stones you have infront of you!"
The prophet, peace be upon him replied: " well, but I just eat the pulp of the date whereas you took the whole date and it the stones as well!"

Question:"did the Prophet, peace be upon him laughed?"
Answer: "He laughed and made other people laugh as well!"