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Peace be upon you and God’s mercy and blessings. Young people, let me begin by expressing my joy and happiness at being with you at this hour. I love interacting with young people in general, especially since they are generally more receptive to reform, improvement, and change than those who have grown older. They also tend to have a kind of humility toward the truth, as I see it.
As Ibn al-Qayyim—may God have mercy on him—once said, the person who calls others to God is more deserving of gratitude than those who are called. You have chosen to be a means for God’s mercy to descend upon me, and for me to earn reward, God willing. May God reward you for joining this competition and listening to these words. I ask God Almighty to place this in the scale of my good deeds and yours on the Day of Judgment.
Our lecture is titled "Why Are You Important?" I delivered this lecture two and a half years ago, then refined it and added new content, splitting it into two parts for easier digestion. Today, we will cover the first part, and tomorrow, God willing, the second.
In the art of delivering lectures, it is said: "Start with the 'why' before the 'what'." Why do we need to talk about your importance? Why should I try to convince you that you matter?
I shared a survey with you earlier, and the results were as follows:
Our goal today is to renew motivation, clarify purpose, and reach the conviction that our souls and time are precious and must not be wasted.
Who truly gives you importance? Who determines whether you matter or not? God Almighty says:
"It is God who created you, then provided for you, then will cause you to die, then will give you life again. Is there among your 'partners' any who does any of that? Exalted is He, and high above what they associate with Him." (Quran 30:40)
Since God is the Creator, Provider, the One who causes death, and the One who gives life, it is only logical that your greatest concern should be: "How can I become important in the sight of the Lord of the Worlds?"
Satan may whisper to some that religion is important, but he also wants them to be important in the eyes of people. Remember God’s words:
"Whoever is guided is only guided for [the benefit of] his soul. Whoever goes astray only goes astray against it. And no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another. And We never punish until We have sent a messenger." (Quran 17:15)
You are the sole beneficiary of this importance. God’s right and your own right do not conflict; rather, you gain great importance by magnifying God Almighty.
Before we embark on the "Journey of Divine Honor," we must shatter the illusions and constraints that make you feel unimportant:
This is the most common reason chosen (22%). Satan wants you to confuse "hating sin" with "belittling yourself." Rule: Hate your sin and separate it from your identity. Do not say, "I am worthless," but say, "I am important to God as a Muslim, and this sin does not befit my status or represent me."
Do not allow sin to sever your connection with God. Remember the story of the man who drank alcohol frequently and was flogged. When someone cursed him, the Prophet peace be upon him said: "Do not curse him, for by God, I know he loves God and His Messenger."
Some say: "I am one among billions of humans and angels—how could God possibly pay attention to me?" Response: You are dealing with a Lord whose concern is not distracted by one matter from another, nor by one creature from another.
"Your creation and resurrection are but as a single soul. Indeed, God is All-Hearing, All-Seeing." (Quran 31:28)
God is fully aware of you, hears your supplications, and manages your affairs as if you were the only one in this universe.
16% believe that a lack of intelligence, beauty, or wealth diminishes their worth. Response: God’s measure is entirely different:
"Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of God is the most righteous." (Quran 49:13)
The Prophet peace be upon him said: "God does not look at your appearance or wealth, but He looks at your hearts and deeds."
Remember the story of Zahr, who was unattractive in appearance. The Prophet peace be upon him said: "Rather, you are precious in the sight of God."
Some feel unimportant because Muslim blood is cheap or because we lag technologically. Response: True value does not lie in drones or skyscrapers that may destroy humanity, but in the divine revelation that preserves human nature. We are the best nation brought forth for humanity because we carry the truth. Our material backwardness does not diminish our value in God’s sight—every drop of blood and every pain is recorded in the scales of justice.
3% of you chose this reason, where some feel confused about the existence of the Creator or the validity of religion, leading them to see themselves as mere "chemical accidents," as promoted by atheists. Response: Those who see themselves as mere "chemical dirt" on a lost planet—as Stephen Hawking once described—will find no taste or meaning in life. But we Muslims understand that we were created for a great purpose: to worship God and manifest the attributes of His names and qualities within ourselves.
Advice: For those struggling with such doubts, I recommend following the series "Journey of Certainty" (especially from Episode 16) to realize, through rational and scientific evidence, the greatness of the Creator and humanity’s place in the universe.
12% feel unimportant because their families or society do not appreciate or humiliate them. Response: If the King of kings, in whose hand lies the dominion of all things, honors you and considers you important, what does it matter if people ignore you? Remember the Prophet’s peace be upon him words to Ibn Abbas:
"Know that if all the people were to gather to benefit you with something, they could not benefit you except with something God has already written for you. And if they were to gather to harm you with something, they could not harm you except with something God has already written against you. The pens have been lifted, and the pages have dried."
A person may be moved by a lecture for an hour or a day, then return to the cycle of feeling insignificant. The key is "addiction to the Quran."
The Quran is what sets your scales straight and helps you realize that this world is but a fleeting "dream" or "nightmare," while the Hereafter is the truth.
"And the life of this world is not but the enjoyment of delusion." (Quran 3:185)
When you recite the Quran with reflection, your soul rises above the bitterness of this transient reality, your feet remain on the ground, and your heart soars toward the heavens.
Reflect on this sacred hadith that shakes the soul, to recognize your true worth before Allah when you draw near to Him:
"Whoever shows enmity to a close friend of Mine, I declare war upon him. The most beloved thing with which My servant draws near to Me is what I have made obligatory upon him. My servant continues to draw near to Me with voluntary acts until I love him. When I love him, I become his hearing with which he hears, his sight with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes, and his foot with which he walks. If he asks Me, I will surely give him, and if he seeks refuge in Me, I will surely grant him refuge."
This hadith proves that your importance lies in your own hands; it is you who decides to draw near through obligatory acts, then voluntary ones, until you attain Allah’s love and His guidance in all your limbs.
Today, we addressed eight causes that hinder your sense of worth and clipped the wings of the illusions that shackle you. Tomorrow, God willing, we will embark on the journey of "Divine Honor" to witness the signs of Allah’s esteem for you from the birth of humanity until the Hour is established.
I hope you are prepared and energized for this journey.
Glory be to You, O Allah, our Lord, and praise be to You. We bear witness that there is no god but You. We seek Your forgiveness and repent to You.
Peace be upon you, and the mercy of Allah the Exalted, and His blessings.