WEEKLY LISTENING - Week 3

When Worlds Wither Away: Guidance in the Latter Days - 2013 - Shaykh Hamza Yusuf

Shaykh Hamza Yusuf is an American Islamic scholar and co-founder of Zaytuna College.He is a proponent of classical learning in Islam and has promoted Islamic sciences and classical teaching methodologies throughout the world.

Shaykh Hamza believes whe we fall into depression, we fall into the trap of iblees, as he wants us to be sad and wants to fill our lives with grief and tries to disconnect us from God. He knows and understands that people have different opinions so he starts off by asking his audience to believe and benefit from what he says and if they don't want to they are not forced to do that. He doesn't believe in arguments as Islam has no place for arguments.
He explains the purpose of human existence, There are three reasons for the existence of human species as in the words of Quran. 

1. Earth cultivation:

"It is He Who hath produced you from the earth and settled you therein." ~ Quran 11:61

We are sent on earth to cultivate it.

2. Worship:

I have only created Jinns and men that they may serve me ~ Quran 51:56

God created humans and jinns to worship him and love unconditionally. Humans to worship and serve God and to live their lives according to Islam.

3. Caliphate: 

There are two types of Khilafah 

1. Rule yourself

2. Rule others

There are three conditions to rule others:

1.Rule yourself first 

2.Control your will.

3.Control your desire

 Species are becoming extinct at alarming rates. The oceans’ acidity levels are rising and now threaten the great coral reefs and many aquatic species.Some scientists believe we as a species may not survive this century.some Islamic scholars argued that the 15th century would be Islam’s last. Humans are the reason behind all the pollution on earth. Pollution generally means undesirable state of the natural environment being contaminated with harmful substances as a consequence of human activities. He talks about how the world is decaying and how difficult it is getting for the living beings to live on this earth as the pollution is affecting and destroying lives. Soil is getting acidic because of the over consumption of oil and so is the ocean. These are the signs of the world coming to an end. 

Climate change is driving up the temperature and increasing wildlife risks. Earth is heating up, global warming is becoming a serious issue. The world is going in debt. Muslims are going on a different path and this is not the right path. The world is coming to an end, Muslims have stopped living their lives according to Islam.

“That no prophet from before accept that it was his duty to warn his community to show them all the good and to warn them from all the evil and let me tell you about your community (the muslims) the first part of your community is the best part but your last part will have great tribulations. There will be many things that you see and you reject them in your hearts and the fitna will come and each one will make the previous seem like it was nothing. Whoever of you wants to be remove from the fire let him not allow death to come to him accept that he believes in Allah and the last day.”