My brothers and sisters, every single one of us has to go through certain things that he or she does not want to go through. Sometimes we go through turbulent times, we go through loss of life of loved ones, we go through loss in terms of finance, financial loss, we go through for example unemployment, you know, it's time of a timeframe or a period of time where we're looking for a job and we didn't find or we go through sometimes the divorce, sometimes we go through a stage where perhaps we're looking for a spouse and we haven't yet come right, everyone goes through these things, everyone goes through things that they don't really want to go through. That shows us it's a lot in control and he tells you, bear patience, work towards what you'd like to achieve in the best possible way and be patient. So don't just sit back and relax and say, oh, it's been predestined already so I don't know, let me just sit back and wait, wait for what, a job? It's not like the world knows that you're a qualified person, go advertise, do something, go in front for a job, apply online and everywhere else and let people interview you 1, 2, 5, 10 and you might find a job by the will of Allah. But if you're going to sit back and relax, trust me, your boss is not going to drop out of the ceiling and say, hey, I need you, I need to, you know, I've got a job here and I need you, they don't know about you. The same applies to marriage, you need to make an effort, you don't just sit back and relax and say, it's not in our culture to actually look for us, so we're just going to sit back and wait. Well, you're going to wait until the day you die aren't you? Subhanallah. May Allah Subhanallah, O Allah, guide us. Culture is very good on condition that it does not contradict the demon. The minute it goes against the demon, what comes first, the demon of the culture. I heard people say the demon, I hope it does. Sometimes our culture punishes us, but we cling to it knowing that we are suffering or our family members are suffering. You know what, one of the cultures are? A younger girl is not allowed to marry until all those older than her is getting married. So we promote adultery and fornication. The reason is everything is set, but dads is known, you've got an elder sister. Wait, wait for what? What if in her destiny marriage is not written? So does that mean now I must also not be married, I must wait? No. You do not wait for anyone. If this is ready, the third daughter, the fifth one or the son, right at the bottom. The youngest one, ready for marriage, one marriage, age, everything is done. Alhamdulillah, you can skip one, two, three, four, five, get married and let everyone be happy. Are you ready to give up that dirty culture? The answer in a lot of cases is no, I'm not, because I love my other children. Well then who suffers? You are forcing the other kids or one of the kids to suffer. You're forcing them to do something that is really against Islam and against Allah's plan. Just because you want to cling to something, may Allah help us. I know I might have pressed the red button, but Allah He is about time someone spoke about it. Like that, there are so many matters. The issue of race. Someone wants to marry a person who belongs to a different race. Has Islam ever given you some instruction to be a racist? If anything, it's the other way around. But would you be ready? The answer is, I don't think so. That's what a lot of us would say. Why not? If you're a true Muslim, that culture stinks, trust me or that bit of the culture smells bad. It has an odor. No way. Don't be a racist. Look at people. If someone has entered the fold of Islam, you have reverts, brothers and sisters complaining that for them to get married is so difficult because some of the folks and some of the parents and the oldies happen to look at them and say, no way, you're not marrying a revered. For all I care, they probably purer in the eyes of Allah than those who were born Muslim because their book started later on in life. And you all started a long, long time before. Subhanallah. So stop this racism. Stop it. That is the transformation we need. That is the change we need. Why is it that we are Muslims and Islam teaches us that racism is haram and prohibited? But still we happen to have from amongst us racists or within us we happen to have little elements of racism now and again. May Allah, Subhanallah, who are to Allah forgive us. Like I said, people might not like what was said but you don't have to like it. It just has to be the truth. That's it. Imagine a person from a totally different race coming to ask for your daughter's hand in marriage and she is keen and interested. Subhanallah. And you just being a block. No way. I'm not interested. Who are you? How are you going to answer Allah on the day that he resurrects you from the soil and the dust? What answer are you going to give in your grave? There was nothing wrong. The man came ahead. He came forth. He was of brilliant character, proper deen. And the only reason you shook your head is because he belonged to another race. Stop it Allah. Is that Islam? No it isn't. May Allah, Subhanallah, who are to Allah, help us transform. May he help us change really. May he be with us at all times. May these things be matters that are discussed. Matters that really these type of issues considered taboo in society but not taboo in the eyes of Allah. They need to be crushed. They need the barrier needs to be crossed by the will of Allah, Subhanallah, who are to Allah. My brothers and sisters, it's about time we turn to Allah. Be patient upon that which Allah has tested you with but don't be foolish. This is why the Prophet Muhammad, salallahu alaikum, says, if you are a prophet, you are a prophet, you are a prophet. It's hard to achieve what you want. Seek the help of Allah. Don't be lazy. But if something happens not according to your plan, then just say that was the will of Allah and bear patience. But if you share the guilt, then you can blame yourself. Oh, I didn't. When I had the opportunity, I didn't do this and I did not do that. Subhanallah. We ask Allah's forgiveness and we turn a new leaf and we go back to Allah, Subhanallah, who are to Allah.