As-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu

Welcome to Muslim Council of Hong Kong’s Ramadan Reminders 2024.

Today we continue reflecting Allah’s name. The name we will be exploring is the name Al-Hadi – The
Guide.

When Musa was sent to Firawn to deliver the message of Islam to the tyrant of his time.
Let’s set the scene together, imagine Musa is sent to a Kingdom he’s escaped from, a Kingdom served
by a King who’s known for his brutality and with ego so high that he calls himself god

And when Firawn finally asked who’s the Lord who’ve sent you two in Surah Taha?

Imagine this, that one question we'd always prepare for in an interview is "Describe yourself"

We would spend hours or even days meticulously crafting a response that suits the job
description and our most up-to-date skills and talent.

But Musa is tasked with answering the question – not to describe himself but to describe his
Lord.

And this may be his only chance to describe his Lord right.

And possibly need to craft an answer that is both concise and comprehensive and catered to
the thousands of audience in the palace listening.

So how did Musa respond?

Of the many different attributes and abilities Allah has, Musa chose the following description:
After creating us and many other creations, he did not leave us to our devices to survive. We are given
hands to craft, legs to walk, eyes to see, ears to hear
But what good will they serve if we can't or don't know how to use them? That’s why after we’re all
well crafted, we were also guided to know how to use them.
Salmons come back to the stream where they were 'born' because they 'know' it is a good place to
spawn eggs; they won't waste time looking for a stream with good habitat. Some species of salmon
will be living in the ocean throughout their life and swim miles back to the freshwater river they were
giving birth in. To this day, it's still inconclusive how Salmon find their way back to their birthplace.
Now who’s guided them?

Another example, I remember watching a documentary about how children in the first 2000 days of
their lives would develop. Humans are born with brains at a development level that’s similar to other
primate species, but human brains grow so much larger and more complex than other species after
birth. Because humans have weaker muscles compared to other primates so instead of using the
energy to move around we can direct our energy to brain development. That's how we would
eventually outsmart other animals in the kingdom.
And because of that the human infant brain is the only known machine able to master a natural
language and develop explicit, symbolic, and communicable systems of knowledge that deliver rich
representations of the external world.
All so to prepare us for the next level of Guidance – The messengers who are sent with revelation to
set for us, humanity, an example of guidance.
In Surah Sajdah

We may find ourselves struggling with following Allah’s guidance despite being designed so.
Here’s another verse for you, the third level of guidance,

In Surah Ankabut,
Allah will guide you to the path if you put in your part of the effort towards goodness,
So let’s put in the work and ask Allah, Al Hadi.
Because guidance is something we are guaranteed given if we seek it.
I will end with this hadith Qudsi collected in Sahih Muslim,
Abu Huraira reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said
where Allah himself says

‫َق َس ْم ُت الَّص اَل َة َب ْي ِني َو َب ْي َن َع ْب ِد ي ِنْص َف ْي ِن َو ِلَع ْب ِد ي َم ا َس َأَل‬

, “I have divided prayer between Myself and My servant into two halves, and My servant shall have
what he has asked for.
A response from Allah to the Surah Fatihah we are told to recite and ask for in every single one of our
prayers.
In every verse we read, Allah responds and acknowledge

And when we read ‫اْهِد َنا الِّص َر اَط اْلُم ْسَتِقيَم‬

Guide us to the straight path
Allah responds to us saying, again guaranteeing us an accepted dua

‫َقاَل َهَذ ا ِلَع ْبِد ي َو ِلَع ْبِد ي َم ا َس َأَل‬

Start reciting Surh Fatihah with Allah, Al Hadi in the picture, who’s guided you to perfection, guided
you to live thus far, guided you towards Islam, and guided you to be listening to this reminder.

Jazāk Allāhu Khayr for watching. Like, share and subscribe. And make sure to watch tomorrow’s
episode.
As-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu