Episode 43 Rida It Up
This episode of Level Up (Episode 43: "Rida It Up"), hosted by Ziyaad, Nabihah, and Isa Plaatjes, covers current events, community concerns, and a thoughtful discussion on life values.
Here is a summary of the main segments:
Weekly News Breakdown:
- Madlanga Commission: The show discusses recent developments regarding the SARS rogue unit saga and the Adriano Mazoti tax settlement (4:03).
- Social Issues: The hosts address the misinformation surrounding the "March and March" protest and the situation regarding foreign nationals stranded at the Durban Drive-In site (5:05).
- Community Safety: A statement from the Jamiatul Ulama South Africa is addressed regarding rumors of law enforcement raids on masjids during Juma (8:02).
- Local Appointments: Congratulations are shared for Yusuf Kasm, the new Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, noting his background in student activism (12:27).
- Sports: A recap of Bafana Bafana's performance in the FIFA World Cup and the Protea women's cricket team at the T20 World Cup (15:43).
Main Discussion: Ambition, Greed, and Contentment (18:09): The hosts delve into Islamic concepts of wealth and mindset, inspired by a recent Juma lecture:
- Contentment vs. Sabr: True contentment is defined as having safety, health, and enough for the day (35:46). Sabr (patience) applies when one is facing hardship below those baseline needs (36:22).
- Ambition vs. Greed: Ambition is described as having legitimate goals pursued through halal means, whereas greed involves overstepping halal boundaries for gain or power (37:06).
- The Importance of Avoiding Assumptions: The hosts emphasize that judging others' wealth or lifestyles—especially on social media—is not only prone to error but can be a form of sin (19:04).
- Supporting Community: They encourage supporting Muslim-owned businesses to help grow the economy and employ more people (43:53).
The episode concludes with a reminder to focus on halal earnings and the importance of being supportive of one another in the community.
Listen to Level Up with Ziyaad, Nabihah, and Isa Plaatjes on Radio Islam International MW 1548
Episode 43: Rida It Up
Sunday 05 July 2026 / 19th Muharram 1448AH 14h00 - 15h00 (CAT)
Watch Level Up with Ziyaad, Nabihah, and Isa Plaatjes on Radio Islam International MW 1548
Episode 43: Rida It Up
Sunday 05 July 2026 / 19th Muharram 1448AH 14h00 - 15h00 (CAT)
Read the Transcript for Level Up with Ziyaad, Nabihah, and Isa Plaatjes on Radio Islam International MW 1548
Episode 43: Rida It Up
Sunday 05 July 2026 / 19th Muharram 1448AH 14h00 - 15h00 (CAT)
0:08
8 seconds
To dear listeners, it's just past 200 p.m. right here in South Africa and it's our favorite day of the week, Yom Aad.
0:18
18 seconds
It's the 19th day of Muharam 1448 ah alhamdulillah. It corresponds to Sunday the 5th of July 2026.
0:30
30 seconds
I'm Zad Plachies and with me are my co-hosts Nabir and Issa Plachis. Welcome to Level Up where we listen, learn, and
0:37
37 seconds
grow inshallah with Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala's guidance and we break down the week's news and talk about what really matters to young Muslims today. Our
0:46
46 seconds
WhatsApp line is open. The number is 0727861548.
0:52
52 seconds
You can call in on 01854702 or DM us on iilov.com. That's ov zoom m.
1:03
1 minute, 3 seconds
We on Instagram, Facebookx, LinkedIn, YouTube, Tik Tok threads as well as upcrolled.
1:12
1 minute, 12 seconds
Can you believe that we're already halfway through 2026?
1:18
1 minute, 18 seconds
No, I cannot believe it. I can definitely not believe it. It's going too fast, but at the same time, it's
1:24
1 minute, 24 seconds
actually also going quite slow. And the other day, I was looking at my um diary planner book, and I noticed something
1:34
1 minute, 34 seconds
that said 181/ 179, then 1801.
1:43
1 minute, 43 seconds
And I was thinking, what is that? And as the first numbers got higher, the the the second numbers got lower. And then I
1:52
1 minute, 52 seconds
realized it is the 180th week and there's like 179 to go. Something like that. It it
2:00
2 minutes
was basically that's what it was trying to say.
2:03
2 minutes, 3 seconds
Oh, I thought it was your blood pressure. I was I was a bit worried that in the book in my diary that's already written.
2:11
2 minutes, 11 seconds
No, no. Cuz I was thinking then I went back to the first page and then I saw one of 364.
2:20
2 minutes, 20 seconds
So three one week down 364 to go. So that's what it was basically saying. So when I saw that then I was like, "Oh my gosh, we really are at the middle of the
2:29
2 minutes, 29 seconds
year." Yes, we are. And may Allah subhanana wa ta'ala grant us baraka in our time in
2:36
2 minutes, 36 seconds
the remainder of this year of 2026 and make it beneficial for all of us. Amen.
2:43
2 minutes, 43 seconds
So with all that has been been happening in the past few weeks and the news that we have been listening to, reading and watching, we thought after the break, we
2:52
2 minutes, 52 seconds
would discuss the differences between ambition and greed as well as sabar and contentment cuz I think it it ties in
3:01
3 minutes, 1 second
with a lot that's been happening, a lot that we've been seeing. Um, you know, there's big numbers uh in terms of money
3:10
3 minutes, 10 seconds
that's been spoken about. um in a lot of the the news then there's also obviously you know um jobs being lost uh people
3:20
3 minutes, 20 seconds
being moved from country that they've been living in for 20 years. So I think it's it we need to discuss it and and
3:27
3 minutes, 27 seconds
also um it comes off I'll say off the bat I'm using a sports term but it comes off the bat of um the last juma that we
3:36
3 minutes, 36 seconds
that we attended which was obviously Friday and the molana was speaking about the exact same thing. Um so we are going
3:45
3 minutes, 45 seconds
to borrow a little bit of what what he spoke about as well. Um may Allah reward him for you know inspiring
3:52
3 minutes, 52 seconds
inspiring us and also imparting his knowledge. Exactly.
3:56
3 minutes, 56 seconds
Um but we are going to talk about that after the break inshallah.
3:59
3 minutes, 59 seconds
But first let's take a look at the week's news. So, the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry on Friday revisited 2014, the
4:08
4 minutes, 8 seconds
destructive SARS rogue unit saga and criminal admissions made in a 2020 25 million rand tax settlement between SARS
4:17
4 minutes, 17 seconds
and Adriano Mazoti, the controversial cigarette manufacturer. While senior South African police service uh SAPS
4:25
4 minutes, 25 seconds
crime intelligence officer Major General Fio Khan remains in hospital after being shot in his car in Hton last week and
4:34
4 minutes, 34 seconds
unable to testify as a key witness at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry.
4:38
4 minutes, 38 seconds
Evidence leaders on Friday the 3rd of July outlined documents downloaded from two confiscated iPhones seized during a
4:47
4 minutes, 47 seconds
raid on his home in May. The focus of Friday's session was on Khan's specific relationship with Khani links tobacco
4:55
4 minutes, 55 seconds
company founder Muhammad Mosed and director Adriano Mazoti and various communications between the policemen and the businessmen.
5:05
5 minutes, 5 seconds
Spa has rejected a viral claim that march and march protest helped open 15,000 jobs for South Africans at the
5:12
5 minutes, 12 seconds
supermarket group. The anti-immigrant group and its followers are spreading similar claims around delivery work,
5:19
5 minutes, 19 seconds
restaurants, factories, domestic work, and informal.
5:22
5 minutes, 22 seconds
I've actually read that. I just wanted to interject. I read something just recently, just this morning, actually.
5:29
5 minutes, 29 seconds
It said um that this um lady managed to get her spas a shop now that the foreigners were dispersed.
5:38
5 minutes, 38 seconds
Alhamdulillah.
5:39
5 minutes, 39 seconds
No, no. I think it's claims just like how this has been claims. I think this is claims as well. So, I think they're trying to put that fear into people and
5:48
5 minutes, 48 seconds
to show them um that you see now if you can get rid of the foreigners, you're going to get something. But I think that's exactly what it is. It's trying to put fear in
5:57
5 minutes, 57 seconds
people. It's trying to put this false hope into people as well. I think there might also be um bots that have been
6:06
6 minutes, 6 seconds
commenting on on posts as well because I have seen quite a few posts where people have said I've got an interview, I got a
6:13
6 minutes, 13 seconds
job, you know, like and it was like very quickly.
6:17
6 minutes, 17 seconds
Yes. So, and it's not that quick. We know that you can't just get a job that quickly.
6:22
6 minutes, 22 seconds
So, so it could it could be that as well.
6:25
6 minutes, 25 seconds
and they say the claims are made without any evidence and ignore migrants who may legally work in South Africa. Meanwhile,
6:33
6 minutes, 33 seconds
on the ground on Friday night, over 700 plus migrants were still stranded in Argal Road, Durban, Hungary and without
6:40
6 minutes, 40 seconds
shelter as employers have been accused of dropping them off at the Durban drive-in site, which was officially closed earlier in the week. Employees
6:50
6 minutes, 50 seconds
are urged to kindly provide private transportation for their foreign national employees to Musina, that's in Limpopo, where they will be processed
6:58
6 minutes, 58 seconds
and repatriated. I think that's very sad as well because there was actually a message sent out um during the week to
7:06
7 minutes, 6 seconds
say, you know, they officially closing the Durban Drive-In site and people were still going there knowing like even if
7:14
7 minutes, 14 seconds
uh you didn't see the message, you could see that that the Durban drive-in was closed and they just left people there.
7:21
7 minutes, 21 seconds
But that's that's extremely sad and that's actually disappointing on a human level for other humans. I mean, humans
7:29
7 minutes, 29 seconds
to leave other humans, you know, just drop them off and leave them without any um shelter, without, you know, they're
7:37
7 minutes, 37 seconds
the ones that gave them the jobs because they're saying this is the employees that are dropping them.
7:41
7 minutes, 41 seconds
Well, that's that's that's that's the thing is that you've had these people work for you or live in your home, you know, working for you for I mean, some
7:50
7 minutes, 50 seconds
people have been here for like 20 years, more than 20 years, and then just leave them on the side of the road, literally dropping them That's inhumane to be honest.
8:02
8 minutes, 2 seconds
Anyway, following a message circulating during the week um which read Assalamu alaykumah.
8:09
8 minutes, 9 seconds
It was a public notice. There are voice notes circulating about home affairs and police going to masids at Juma time tomorrow to look for foreigners and to check documents. That was on Thursday.
8:19
8 minutes, 19 seconds
On Thursday for Friday. Yeah.
8:22
8 minutes, 22 seconds
Um we ask that if these officials do come that we do not engage them, argue or fight them. The Jamaat has appointed designated people that will engage them
8:30
8 minutes, 30 seconds
and deal with the situation should it arise. If there are official home affair officials, we request that you comply with their request. Therefore, we
8:39
8 minutes, 39 seconds
encourage you to keep your SA ID document on you should it be required.
8:43
8 minutes, 43 seconds
Please make special dua for everyone everyone's safety. Jazakah. So with that in mind um on Friday the Jetal Olas of
8:53
8 minutes, 53 seconds
South Africa issued a statement um and that read that the heading was alleged law enforcement raids on Masid
9:02
9 minutes, 2 seconds
on Majid a community statement and said assalamu alaykum following social media posts
9:09
9 minutes, 9 seconds
that have gained currency over the past 24 hours that there would be raids on massagi during the jumat Today in the
9:18
9 minutes, 18 seconds
light of the question of irregular migration the jamatama South Africa sought to engage relevant authorities.
9:26
9 minutes, 26 seconds
According to the authorities there has not been any such specific instructions given to law enforcement agencies to single out places of worship in general
9:35
9 minutes, 35 seconds
and massage it in particular. In the event of any such incident occurring at a masid, responsible masid
9:43
9 minutes, 43 seconds
representatives and members of the community are hereby kindly being advised to contact the Jital ama South Africa officers on telephone number
9:51
9 minutes, 51 seconds
013738000 or via WhatsApp 0613738000 or email info@jamiatsa.org.
10:02
10 minutes, 2 seconds
May Allah subhanana wa ta'ala guide and protect one and all. Amen. Um so um yeah I think it you know there's
10:12
10 minutes, 12 seconds
always we always have to verify any information that goes out but at at the same time I think it's very important
10:19
10 minutes, 19 seconds
that we are made aware even if it's false allegations um you know you need to be aware of such things cuz if it does happen what do you
10:29
10 minutes, 29 seconds
do in that situation so um like they said don't fight with with anybody if there are officials even if you are
10:36
10 minutes, 36 seconds
south African. Um, show them your your your ID. If you didn't carry your ID with, show them your license. Just be legal at all times.
10:45
10 minutes, 45 seconds
Yeah. Just just be compliant.
10:47
10 minutes, 47 seconds
Compliance. But I mean legal as in don't drive around now without a license because it, like I said, you you don't usually carry your ID book, but a lot of
10:56
10 minutes, 56 seconds
people now have converted to the ID card, but you don't usually carry that.
11:00
11 minutes
So, you would have your license if you're driving. So, show them that. Just Yeah. Be prepared. So as a young kid say just don't be sus.
11:07
11 minutes, 7 seconds
Yeah. Don't be sus. And if anyone doesn't understand that means don't be what? Suspicious or suspect.
11:14
11 minutes, 14 seconds
No but because you carried yours just in case you Yeah. And then alhamdulillah how was the mazjid you know did
11:22
11 minutes, 22 seconds
there wasn't there wasn't alhamdulillah there wasn't anything.
11:26
11 minutes, 26 seconds
I haven't heard of any masjids you know having any of those. So if any of you did unfortunately have please let us
11:33
11 minutes, 33 seconds
know. But uh you you you're also supposed to let what the German know as well because it's actually not it was actually not supposed to happen. But
11:42
11 minutes, 42 seconds
just keeping in mind like we said always make sure that you have your ID book with you or your ID card or your license with you.
11:50
11 minutes, 50 seconds
I think most people have smart IDs now. I think uh you and I are the only two.
11:54
11 minutes, 54 seconds
Um you can you is there anyone else who who still has their green ID book and hasn't converted
12:02
12 minutes, 2 seconds
to the card yet? Let us know also so we know that we are not the only dinosaurs.
12:08
12 minutes, 8 seconds
I think it's a it's a souvenir. I don't think we should give up those ID books.
12:12
12 minutes, 12 seconds
No, especially if they're in good condition.
12:16
12 minutes, 16 seconds
Yeah. Mine not so much, but um mine still has a lot of stamps from when I voted. So Oh, I'll frame it.
12:27
12 minutes, 27 seconds
Okay. And then in in other we've had some good news. So congratulations to Nelson Mandela University alumnist Yusf Kasm on his appointment as deputy
12:35
12 minutes, 35 seconds
minister of higher education and training having assumed office on the 1st of July 2026 under President Sir
12:43
12 minutes, 43 seconds
Raapa. He's a senior member of the Democratic Alliance and serves as the party's provincial chairperson in the Eastern Cape. Deputy Minister Kasm was
12:52
12 minutes, 52 seconds
also South Africa's youngest member of parliament when he first entered the National Assembly in 2014 at the age of 24.
13:00
13 minutes
He served until 2019 wherea aftera after he was a member of the eastern cape provincial legislature to 2026.
13:07
13 minutes, 7 seconds
Born in Karha and a BCOM graduate, deputy minister Kasm served as student representative council president in 2012
13:14
13 minutes, 14 seconds
and held a leadership role within the Muslim student association. He was an active member of the Madiva's debating
13:22
13 minutes, 22 seconds
club and founded and launched the Democratic Alliance student organization at Mandela University, pioneering the organization's establishment in the
13:30
13 minutes, 30 seconds
Eastern Cape. Deputy Minister Kassm is a product of Mandela University's student governance and development unit and university student leadership ecosystem.
13:39
13 minutes, 39 seconds
His journey reflects the transformative impact of the leadership opportunities and development afforded to our students
13:46
13 minutes, 46 seconds
said Queenie Inashi acting director student governance and development.
13:53
13 minutes, 53 seconds
We wish him well on his appointment and make dua that Allah subhanana wa ta'ala continues to guide him in making the correct decisions for our current and future generations of South Africa.
14:03
14 minutes, 3 seconds
Amen.
14:04
14 minutes, 4 seconds
Amen. So we know that because um you know just uh after just before that he was appointed um there was that march and protest and all of this is going on.
14:16
14 minutes, 16 seconds
So obviously there was backlash obviously there were bad comments but I want to tell you that I actually found some really nice comments on the post.
14:24
14 minutes, 24 seconds
Um there were quite a few people who congratulated him and they even said that they they remember him um when they
14:34
14 minutes, 34 seconds
fought that one person said you fought for me to get NSFAS back in 2011.
14:40
14 minutes, 40 seconds
There's no one who deserves this more than you. Um then there's someone else also said you always put students first
14:47
14 minutes, 47 seconds
and you showed us what innovation is by showcasing that students can use their book allowances to buy tablets back in
14:54
14 minutes, 54 seconds
2012 to 2023 and there was quite a few people who were congratulating him and remembering that you know he took part
15:03
15 minutes, 3 seconds
in the student politics uh politics campaign in university. So they're very happy alhamdulillah that you know he is
15:12
15 minutes, 12 seconds
the one who is what is deputy minister of higher education because they know that he will fight for what's right
15:20
15 minutes, 20 seconds
inshallah and we hope that well that that statement that I read was from the university so they have you
15:27
15 minutes, 27 seconds
know acknowledged it and and um they congratulating him on his accolades and you know reminding people that this is
15:35
15 minutes, 35 seconds
what he did while he was at the university which is very commendable and that's why we we wish him all the best inshallah. Inshallah amen.
15:43
15 minutes, 43 seconds
Bafana Bafana bowed out gracefully of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a stellar performance against host nation Canada
15:50
15 minutes, 50 seconds
on Sunday. A 90 92 second minute goal from Canada's starting captain secured them a 1-nil victory against South
15:58
15 minutes, 58 seconds
Africa. The tournament's round of 16 started last night and will continue until Tuesday the 7th of July. The
16:05
16 minutes, 5 seconds
protier women's cricket team also fought well but were 40 runs short of a win against England in their 2026 T20 World Cup semi-final match.
16:15
16 minutes, 15 seconds
I just wanted to quickly say you were quite sad about the buffana you and Issa were quite sad about the buffana buffana
16:22
16 minutes, 22 seconds
uh match this last Yeah. Well, I mean 902nd minute is like extra time
16:30
16 minutes, 30 seconds
and you said they were playing well all throughout.
16:32
16 minutes, 32 seconds
All throughout. So a shame that wasn't just it wasn't in their tak neither was it in the protier women's cricket team takir but inshallah they I mean they
16:40
16 minutes, 40 seconds
made it that far um semifinals there round of 16 um round of 32 for bafana bafana inshallah maybe next time Allah knows best.
16:51
16 minutes, 51 seconds
Amen. If you would like to join the conversation, I would say blindness 0727861548
16:58
16 minutes, 58 seconds
or you can call in on 0185472 or you can even DM us on.com
17:06
17 minutes, 6 seconds
on social media. That's ov zoom m. Let's go for a break and when we get back
17:13
17 minutes, 13 seconds
we'll be discussing greed vers ambition and sabar verse contentment inshallah.
17:20
17 minutes, 20 seconds
tutoring, mentoring, homeschool assistance, concessions, facilitation, and more.
17:27
17 minutes, 27 seconds
Visit After Faj Academy, the dawn of excellence
17:36
17 minutes, 36 seconds
and welcome back to Level Up. If you've just tuned in, we've been talking about the Madlang Madlanga Commission, the
17:46
17 minutes, 46 seconds
after effects of March and March, Yu Kasim's appointment, and Bafana Bafana
17:54
17 minutes, 54 seconds
and Protier women's cricket team. If you missed it, be sure to check out the Radio Islam International Soundcloud
18:01
18 minutes, 1 second
during the week for the podcast as well as our website adam.com for the video podcast. But right now
18:09
18 minutes, 9 seconds
we'll be diving into our discussion of the difference between ambition and greed as well as sabar and contentment.
18:18
18 minutes, 18 seconds
If you would like to join the conversation, I would sublime is open.
18:22
18 minutes, 22 seconds
The number is 0727861548 or you can call in on 0185472
18:32
18 minutes, 32 seconds
or you can even DM us on.com. That's I L O V E Z A C O M.
18:38
18 minutes, 38 seconds
I think our topic for this week, Nabia, you and I discuss it quite often. I think different aspects of it and we all
18:46
18 minutes, 46 seconds
about listening, learning and growing here on level up. So um as I mentioned, Molana spoke about a similar topic in
18:55
18 minutes, 55 seconds
this week's Juma lecture which prompted us or rather inspired us to speak about um this topic this week.
19:04
19 minutes, 4 seconds
with social media and the content that we view. I think society has become very quick to judge, to accuse, and to make assumptions.
19:13
19 minutes, 13 seconds
Uh, but it's been happening now. It's been for as long as I can remember. Um, that is true. You know, people are quick
19:21
19 minutes, 21 seconds
and I like how you said quick to assume and quick to it's not just judge, it's quick to assume things. Um, very often I
19:30
19 minutes, 30 seconds
get very irritated by this where people just assume I want to say something and finish my sentence for me and that's exactly not what I'm saying or that's
19:39
19 minutes, 39 seconds
not exactly what I want to say or you know um assume things about your life and did you know that it actually is a sin
19:47
19 minutes, 47 seconds
assuming something about someone else sus is basically suspicion and suspicion is a sin. It says there is some hadith
19:55
19 minutes, 55 seconds
somewhere, but I'm honestly can't remember right now. I have to go look for it. But I'm telling you that suspecting is the same as assuming.
20:03
20 minutes, 3 seconds
Suspecting you you someone has a different way of life or sus suspecting someone. It's not just suspecting someone of a sin. Suspecting someone has a life that you don't. That's assuming.
20:16
20 minutes, 16 seconds
So most people think assuming and that is a sin. Yes. But yes, back to that. Yeah. No, no, that's very, very true.
20:22
20 minutes, 22 seconds
And I think it needs to be said because um there's often things that we do in our daily lives that we don't know that
20:30
20 minutes, 30 seconds
we are sinning like we said we spoke about it a few weeks ago and lots of people backbite you know um and these things need to be spoken about because
20:39
20 minutes, 39 seconds
we listening learning and growing and I mean we don't have all the answers and maybe our listeners um know a little bit
20:46
20 minutes, 46 seconds
more about certain things and you're free to join the conversation like we always say you can WhatsApp us uh phone
20:53
20 minutes, 53 seconds
in, DM us and we here to all grow together inshallah. Inshallah I mean yes.
20:59
20 minutes, 59 seconds
So back to the topic I I said um let me give you a personal example. Uh we were at university I think about 20 years ago Nabia.
21:09
21 minutes, 9 seconds
Okay. Yes. Two decades ago. Yes.
21:11
21 minutes, 11 seconds
Yeah. And we're giving our age away. And back then having your own um mode of
21:18
21 minutes, 18 seconds
transportation, so your own car uh vehicle was a luxury, right? Mhm.
21:24
21 minutes, 24 seconds
Um and many uh either had a family car or um if you had uh rich parents then
21:34
21 minutes, 34 seconds
you would you know your parents would obviously buy your car if it was like a newer car or you know that type of thing. Mhm. Right.
21:41
21 minutes, 41 seconds
Yes. So university I was driving I think a family car definitely. Yeah. And you okay so alhamdulillah I started working
21:51
21 minutes, 51 seconds
at a young age and I started a business when I was 13 years old and
21:58
21 minutes, 58 seconds
alhamdulillah Allah subhanana wa ta'ala helped me grow the business uh increased my wealth and there was baraka in in my
22:06
22 minutes, 6 seconds
earnings. I'm I'm just going to tell the listeners what the the the business was because they maybe quite a few of you around the world actually that you used to um sell the your greeting cards too.
22:18
22 minutes, 18 seconds
So back then Zad used to have a greeting card business where um he would make quotes or or something. Um I actually
22:26
22 minutes, 26 seconds
don't even know what what is your card business.
22:29
22 minutes, 29 seconds
No. So I had different it was a greeting card but not like your normal happy birthday or uh get well soon type of
22:36
22 minutes, 36 seconds
thing. So I used to take um quotes uh hadith
22:42
22 minutes, 42 seconds
um Quranic uh you know like sayings and put those on cards and then people could
22:49
22 minutes, 49 seconds
write their own message but it would be relevant you know in terms of Yes. cuz I know I have I've actually
22:57
22 minutes, 57 seconds
received a few messages, you know, when you did mention it before. Um there were a few people I I do remember um getting
23:04
23 minutes, 4 seconds
a few of those cards and some were um sent to them through someone else who had bought them from you as well. So, alhamdulillah.
23:12
23 minutes, 12 seconds
Alhamdulillah. Okay. But back to what you were saying.
23:15
23 minutes, 15 seconds
So, alhamdulillah um the business allowed me to purchase a brand new car and over over the what was that seven years?
23:22
23 minutes, 22 seconds
So I was 20 years old when I when I purchased that and that vehicle obviously took me to campus. It um
23:31
23 minutes, 31 seconds
helped me in my business and obviously helped me to do my family tasks. Alhamdulillah.
23:38
23 minutes, 38 seconds
Um but because I was like a very let's say private person and I mean obviously
23:46
23 minutes, 46 seconds
there wasn't social media so people didn't know what I was doing if they didn't know that I had a business. It wasn't like public knowledge. Um then
23:55
23 minutes, 55 seconds
you were in university there was a a student like shop or something that you were selling in but I actually didn't even know about that.
24:03
24 minutes, 3 seconds
So that's true. You were a private person. I didn't know until afterwards that you actually were selling in um there was a store on you on campus, isn't it?
24:13
24 minutes, 13 seconds
Yeah. I was part of it wasn't it wasn't your store.
24:15
24 minutes, 15 seconds
It was a joint collaboration with somebody else.
24:18
24 minutes, 18 seconds
Um but yeah, I did sell at campus as well. Um and but people obviously assumed that
24:26
24 minutes, 26 seconds
because it was a new car and you know that I had rich parents and they had
24:33
24 minutes, 33 seconds
purchased the vehicle for me. So that's already what maybe most of them you know if if
24:41
24 minutes, 41 seconds
you actually also assume I think this is from experience a lot of people I've noticed assume from what they know you
24:49
24 minutes, 49 seconds
know they there they assume something about a person's life but they assume because of what they know so maybe they have rich parents and the their parents
24:58
24 minutes, 58 seconds
bought them a car so your parents must have bought you a car. Well, you see that's what I'm I'm assuming which I shouldn't do.
25:06
25 minutes, 6 seconds
You see people No, I think people put um themselves in a box um and they compare
25:15
25 minutes, 15 seconds
themselves to other people but based on their own circumstances. So say for example now we on social media a lot
25:23
25 minutes, 23 seconds
right and we are um giving out information about certain brands about
25:30
25 minutes, 30 seconds
certain businesses about the places that we visit the things that we do cars which one is the best car to drive
25:38
25 minutes, 38 seconds
and how far and and certain information about cars.
25:41
25 minutes, 41 seconds
Yes. And then people see this and they assume we're either doing well, we're either getting paid well. Um, which
25:48
25 minutes, 48 seconds
alhamdulillah we, you know, like we, which we're going to talk about next about contentment. Alhamdulillah, Allah has blessed us in different ways.
25:58
25 minutes, 58 seconds
In different ways. Exactly. And that operative word in different ways.
26:03
26 minutes, 3 seconds
And and people would think that, oh, it would be so nice. I have a say salary
26:10
26 minutes, 10 seconds
salary job. So this is what what you you assuming like a person would say that no I'm not assuming I'm saying that
26:18
26 minutes, 18 seconds
people who have who have like say a salary job would look at this on social media and then
26:25
26 minutes, 25 seconds
say I wish I had that as well forgetting that that maybe we are not blessed in that way
26:33
26 minutes, 33 seconds
that they are blessed in but because we are blessed in a certain way they want that as well and this listeners I really
26:40
26 minutes, 40 seconds
wish listeners and people who are um viewing this afterwards um on YouTube and so on, please understand this. You
26:48
26 minutes, 48 seconds
are actually firstly comparing, but you're also um wanting what another
26:55
26 minutes, 55 seconds
person has while not realizing what you already have. Yes.
27:00
27 minutes
Because like as we mentioned, what you already have, someone else might not have, but they're blessed in a different
27:07
27 minutes, 7 seconds
way. That's very very very important to understand and and remember.
27:12
27 minutes, 12 seconds
But I think also the most important thing like you said um going back to the the the car story that from the ages of
27:22
27 minutes, 22 seconds
13 to 20 that 7 years it took me in order to purchase that vehicle. Right.
27:28
27 minutes, 28 seconds
And I can tell you honestly from 13 to 7 a lot of us were just being kids. Yeah.
27:33
27 minutes, 33 seconds
No one wants to work that hard. Yes. I did sell Avon products. Yes, I did, you know, now and again do part-time, but I
27:42
27 minutes, 42 seconds
didn't save up to actually, no, I'm lying. I did I did save up quite a lot.
27:47
27 minutes, 47 seconds
So that not long after you, I also managed to but I didn't manage to buy a whole car. I managed to put down only
27:53
27 minutes, 53 seconds
half for But let let me not get into my stories.
27:58
27 minutes, 58 seconds
But but you you see the thing is that you worked, right? And that's that's what we're talking about is that even now with social media, people see we
28:07
28 minutes, 7 seconds
posting things and they think it just falls in our lap, you know, like these cars just come uh we just go to events,
28:14
28 minutes, 14 seconds
we just um happen to be uh gifted certain things and they don't realize the work that goes invol that that's
28:21
28 minutes, 21 seconds
involved in it. Um I mean Nia, you know, Issa knows how we have to like let's
28:29
28 minutes, 29 seconds
take a car for example. you know, the amount of content that um has to be done
28:36
28 minutes, 36 seconds
early mornings, late nights, um going away not because we we want to go,
28:44
28 minutes, 44 seconds
it's because we need to obviously, you know, test the vehicles.
28:48
28 minutes, 48 seconds
Um so do the the the the things that other people won't. You you're testing it on the long road. You're testing on the short road. You you you keeping an eye out. A lot of people would just drive.
28:59
28 minutes, 59 seconds
Yeah. whereas you're driving and analyzing, you're driving and um storing information, collecting information. So yeah, basically there's a lot to do with
29:07
29 minutes, 7 seconds
it and and it's within a short space of time. Sometimes 5 days, sometimes 7 days, sometimes it's a day.
29:14
29 minutes, 14 seconds
Um so there's a lot of work that goes into it. And that's why we're saying, you know, like just like don't assume.
29:20
29 minutes, 20 seconds
But with that in mind, um and talking about suspicions, we we've been hearing about the Madlanga Commission. We heard
29:27
29 minutes, 27 seconds
about the Tambisa hospital and other similar cases where millions and sometimes billions of rans are been
29:34
29 minutes, 34 seconds
spoken about and as humans right we sometimes think about who benefits from this right
29:42
29 minutes, 42 seconds
what we would do with the money if we had it or I would never even imagine having that amount of money like what would
29:51
29 minutes, 51 seconds
where how how does that amount even come anyway some of us wouldn't even know or see that amount in in our lifetimes.
29:59
29 minutes, 59 seconds
In our lifetime.
30:00
30 minutes
Yeah. But uh so like you say, what what would we do? Some people think what would we what would they do if they had
30:07
30 minutes, 7 seconds
that kind of money or um what can we also like inverted commas if we were
30:16
30 minutes, 16 seconds
blessed with just a portion of that wealth you know what I'm sure a lot of our listeners how to change our lives
30:23
30 minutes, 23 seconds
could actually you know maybe not have in mind already but maybe they you know would think um if I would have a portion
30:31
30 minutes, 31 seconds
of that certain amount I could do this and this. So, you're already basically making plans for it.
30:37
30 minutes, 37 seconds
Yeah. You um what's the word? Counting your chicks before they hatch.
30:43
30 minutes, 43 seconds
But, but I think is that um ambition, you know, is that maybe Oh, no. What is that? I I
30:50
30 minutes, 50 seconds
have mentioned before um to you, what if it's something called visualizing, you know, they say that you should actually
30:58
30 minutes, 58 seconds
visualize yourself um receiving that amount. So, is that part of what you're going to say? Is that part of the the
31:06
31 minutes, 6 seconds
differences and and and and things that we should know about greed, about contentment, about sovere is that what we should know?
31:14
31 minutes, 14 seconds
Yes, this this is exactly what we're going to talk and I think we we should start the topic off um with there's two different types of economies. There's the halal and there's the haram, right?
31:24
31 minutes, 24 seconds
We obviously trying to stay on the halal path, right? Um there's a lot of
31:31
31 minutes, 31 seconds
obviously haram going around. Um and it's it's difficult in the societies
31:38
31 minutes, 38 seconds
that we living in around the world but we try our best to live halal to earn halal to spend halal um you know to live halal.
31:48
31 minutes, 48 seconds
There's a dua that I constantly say and um I just want to just add that part here because you keep saying halal risk.
31:54
31 minutes, 54 seconds
So um we we constantly ask Ya Allah the provider provide us with
32:01
32 minutes, 1 second
halal risk. So that is something that we should constantly say before you get into the the differences between them.
32:09
32 minutes, 9 seconds
Please continue to make this dua so that we are always blessed with halal risk cuz you obviously don't want haram risk.
32:17
32 minutes, 17 seconds
There's consequences which I'm sure you're going to mention.
32:20
32 minutes, 20 seconds
No. Well, obviously with halal risk um there's there's baraka in in that money.
32:26
32 minutes, 26 seconds
you know, it might not be the millions and billions that you've mentioned that we might not see.
32:32
32 minutes, 32 seconds
No, but baraka doesn't mean that you um like yeah, you you're rolling in money.
32:38
32 minutes, 38 seconds
You have a uh you know, you can jump into a pool of money. Baraka means that it sustain the sustainability,
32:47
32 minutes, 47 seconds
you know, um that you you blessed in a way like like we said, we are blessed in in a different type of way. We might not have millions but Allah provides for us.
32:57
32 minutes, 57 seconds
Alhamdulillah. Alhamdulillah.
32:59
32 minutes, 59 seconds
And you know that that's what you need to look at. And we um obviously haram would be
33:06
33 minutes, 6 seconds
it's wrong, right? And if you suspect that it's wrong, it's usually wrong. But obviously there's mufties, there's jamat
33:14
33 minutes, 14 seconds
to speak to them to find out because there's a lot of um so-called new um uh
33:21
33 minutes, 21 seconds
careers now that are are borderline or or gray areas and it needs to be spoken
33:29
33 minutes, 29 seconds
about in more detail which we're not going to get into now. We might get into another I make a quick uh assumption again assumption of I shouldn't be
33:37
33 minutes, 37 seconds
assuming but is haram money um usually quick fast money like you know if you
33:46
33 minutes, 46 seconds
get money quickly and fast well well you see that's that's one of the things that we're going to discuss is that the rate of your business or the
33:54
33 minutes, 54 seconds
rate of your earnings right um there's a there's a certain rate that you should be going at. If you
34:03
34 minutes, 3 seconds
are going too fast, then sometimes it's not to say that it's not um No, maybe Allah is blessing you.
34:11
34 minutes, 11 seconds
Yes. Like abundantly quickly.
34:14
34 minutes, 14 seconds
Yeah. And and and Allah does it. Allah knows um how to distribute wealth, right? Allah does it in a certain way so
34:22
34 minutes, 22 seconds
that the world can function. Um if Allah was to bless everybody with wealth then who would we pay zakat to? Who would
34:32
34 minutes, 32 seconds
work for us? Who you know like it it just it just wouldn't work. So there's a distribution of there will be a balance. There's a
34:40
34 minutes, 40 seconds
distribution in wealth and Allah knows who to bless with uh whatever amount um at whatever at a specific time.
34:49
34 minutes, 49 seconds
And we should also remember that these are also tests. You are test with certain things. Exactly.
34:55
34 minutes, 55 seconds
And um if you're you know you have abundant of wealth know that all that's also a test you know are you able to
35:02
35 minutes, 2 seconds
part with it easily? Are you able to help those in need or if you if you're not how do you make do with what you have? And if you're
35:10
35 minutes, 10 seconds
not, you're also not, you know, not supposed to just um, you know, keep try and keep it. You they actually even say
35:17
35 minutes, 17 seconds
even if you're not, and I always, this is something that I'm not, I wasn't sure about at first because I mean, if you don't have much, how how do you give?
35:26
35 minutes, 26 seconds
But that's actually a test. So, you know, everything is a test. Exactly. Because this world we know is a test. Yes.
35:34
35 minutes, 34 seconds
And and with with that in mind, let's let's talk about saber and contentment.
35:39
35 minutes, 39 seconds
So let's start with contentment. So if and molana said this uh that I'm I'm paraphrasing him.
35:48
35 minutes, 48 seconds
Can I say it? Yeah, you can say it. Okay. If you remember it.
35:52
35 minutes, 52 seconds
Um so I remember it. He said that if you wake up in the morning and your family
36:01
36 minutes, 1 second
is safe and uh you have enough food for the day just for that day and you have good
36:09
36 minutes, 9 seconds
health that is contentment. Alhamdulillah. Yes, that is contentment.
36:17
36 minutes, 17 seconds
And then obviously if you and and then he said he went on to say that if you're below that then that's when you're in a
36:26
36 minutes, 26 seconds
state of sabar sober sabber sober it means for those who don't know sober means patience.
36:32
36 minutes, 32 seconds
Yes. And he said that um people often confuse contentment and sober saying
36:40
36 minutes, 40 seconds
using it as a synonym. And those two are different concepts, right? Sober and
36:46
36 minutes, 46 seconds
contentment. And he also mentioned the halal and haram earnings. And he said that the two are parallel, meaning that the two will never meet. Don't think
36:55
36 minutes, 55 seconds
that your halal earnings will overlap your haram earnings or vice versa. Um again I'm paraphrasing what what he
37:03
37 minutes, 3 seconds
said. Then he spoke about um ambition and greed saying that you could have
37:09
37 minutes, 9 seconds
ambition and can be absent of greed right. So ambition is is that you know
37:17
37 minutes, 17 seconds
we we in this world right and there's certain things or certain goals that we want to achieve or that we need to
37:24
37 minutes, 24 seconds
achieve right and we do it in the halal way right we have ambition we want to um
37:34
37 minutes, 34 seconds
be president of the country or we we want to so basically that's saying that's not
37:41
37 minutes, 41 seconds
greed no that is a goal that's a goal And that's ambition.
37:45
37 minutes, 45 seconds
That's ambition. And there are halal ways in which to become a president. Okay? Right?
37:51
37 minutes, 51 seconds
But you can also want to become a president. And because you want to you think that there's lots of money to be made
38:00
38 minutes
or power and then your goal is to go through it by any means necessary no
38:07
38 minutes, 7 seconds
matter who you wrong. And that yes would be greed.
38:11
38 minutes, 11 seconds
Greed. So that's when you overstep the halal boundary and you move into the haram um parallel universe.
38:19
38 minutes, 19 seconds
Parallel universe. Yes. So so that's that was the gist of of what he was saying. And
38:28
38 minutes, 28 seconds
then then a lot of people shouldn't confuse that. And what's stra what is strange is that many people actually do
38:35
38 minutes, 35 seconds
they confuse the two those two and and they confuse those two the the previous two that you mentioned as well. Then
38:44
38 minutes, 44 seconds
it's very strange because you see they they say oh no make sober make sober when in sometimes maybe um there you should actually be content.
38:55
38 minutes, 55 seconds
Alhamdulillah, you should actually say, "Alhamdulillah, you have that." Or if you're striving to maybe say put a roof
39:04
39 minutes, 4 seconds
over your head every month and you go out and you do halal earnings and you do, you know, you know, um make a
39:12
39 minutes, 12 seconds
business for yourself, you try and get an income halal way. Of course, then there's people saying, "Oh, um why are you being so greedy? Why do you want
39:21
39 minutes, 21 seconds
things?" you know things is not um the basic needs the their things may be you know like different things that are
39:29
39 minutes, 29 seconds
actually not part of needs if any if you understand what I'm saying no you see because at the end of the day
39:36
39 minutes, 36 seconds
we are living on this earth so there's certain things that we unfortunately have to do in order for us to live on
39:44
39 minutes, 44 seconds
this earth yes and by unfortunate you don't mean the wrong things you mean unfortunately we have to make money in in order to
39:52
39 minutes, 52 seconds
have a a roof over our head. We're not birds. A lot of people use the the birds as um an analogy for um you know risk.
40:00
40 minutes
The birds go out every day looking for their risk. You're talking about food. Yes.
40:04
40 minutes, 4 seconds
Okay. But birds don't need Okay. Birds make do make nests, but they don't need to pay someone to
40:11
40 minutes, 11 seconds
have land to make a nest. Do you know what I mean?
40:14
40 minutes, 14 seconds
No. But the thing is that Allah will provide.
40:18
40 minutes, 18 seconds
Yes. But at the same time, you need to go out and do the work. I always use this example and um it's become quite a
40:26
40 minutes, 26 seconds
joke that you you have to study for your exam. You can't just put yasin under your pillow and expect to Allah is going
40:33
40 minutes, 33 seconds
to help you in your exam. You know, um in the same way, you have to go out and you have to work. And I think that's
40:42
40 minutes, 42 seconds
that was um one of the key issues in this week's March and March is that people were expecting that they that jobs would just fall into their lap.
40:52
40 minutes, 52 seconds
They wouldn't have to work for it. There were people that have come from other uh countries who have been working and they
41:00
41 minutes
just want to work. We we heard it last week and also they want to be documented.
41:05
41 minutes, 5 seconds
Yes. But because of certain um difficulties or shortfalls in our
41:12
41 minutes, 12 seconds
government and and certain uh areas like home affairs, they probably are not. Yes. And these people were not greedy.
41:19
41 minutes, 19 seconds
They were earning a sometimes not even a livable wage. Um but they were content
41:28
41 minutes, 28 seconds
because their family was safe. They had food for the day and they had their health. Alhamdulillah. And that's all that that they wanted.
41:37
41 minutes, 37 seconds
And that's not ambition. No, neither is it greed. That is contentment. Yeah. So it's easy for, you know, those with financial certainty to say, you know,
41:45
41 minutes, 45 seconds
don't worry about worldly things. But the thing is there's a distinct line between a desire for excess and the necessity of stability.
41:54
41 minutes, 54 seconds
Yes.
41:54
41 minutes, 54 seconds
And uh true contentment, you know, doesn't mean we stop working to change our circumstances.
42:01
42 minutes, 1 second
And uh high ambition isn't the same as greed. So that's basically what you've been saying.
42:06
42 minutes, 6 seconds
You know, if we we we want to build truly supportive communities and that's honestly what we really need to do. We
42:14
42 minutes, 14 seconds
have to we have to build we have to firstly become more understandings ourselves. So and in order to become
42:21
42 minutes, 21 seconds
understanding we need to we need to learn more and you know listen more so that we can grow. But you know basically
42:30
42 minutes, 30 seconds
what what I'm saying is to become supportive we have to recognize that um there's different needs and there's different concepts and the difference between those things.
42:40
42 minutes, 40 seconds
Yeah. Well you know you talking about being supportive and I think it's very important not only as support but as the
42:48
42 minutes, 48 seconds
fact that you are like I said earning in a halal way and spending in a halal way.
42:54
42 minutes, 54 seconds
You know I saw a post on social media. I always post on social media.
42:58
42 minutes, 58 seconds
That's that's your newspaper now. Do you read the newspaper? Actually, we should ask people if you read the newspaper now.
43:04
43 minutes, 4 seconds
I do read a lot of articles because obviously I'm writing articles as well.
43:08
43 minutes, 8 seconds
Okay. And listeners out there also tell us if you read any articles and what's it about? Because we just hear people reading about stuff on social media
43:17
43 minutes, 17 seconds
nowadays. Please. I also want a breath of fresh air. I want to know do you read the newspaper? Okay, back to you. But um
43:24
43 minutes, 24 seconds
yeah, so I read this and this person asked are they were looking for a new car and they wanted to know um whatever
43:32
43 minutes, 32 seconds
brand it was if they are Muslim owned uh you know dealership of this and people
43:40
43 minutes, 40 seconds
were like making it as if it was a joke must it be s halal are you getting a halal car and whatever and the thing is
43:48
43 minutes, 48 seconds
that it might seem as an innocent joke but at the end of the We should be looking to support
43:55
43 minutes, 55 seconds
Muslimowned businesses because if we are doing that we know that um you know
44:02
44 minutes, 2 seconds
those businesses are employing other people. They are feeding other families.
44:06
44 minutes, 6 seconds
They are paying zakat um they could grow and they could open up more dealerships.
44:13
44 minutes, 13 seconds
We're talking about cars um and employ more people. And that's exactly what we want, you know, for the
44:23
44 minutes, 23 seconds
community and for for for Muslims at large. And that we know that there's, you know, um we always because we we
44:30
44 minutes, 30 seconds
travel a lot, we always looking for halal places to eat, halal places to stay. And there's not a lot when you start going out into these smaller towns. Mhm.
44:40
44 minutes, 40 seconds
And if we are supportive of businesses within the bigger cities, maybe they
44:47
44 minutes, 47 seconds
could open up branches in these smaller towns. Maybe they could um you know uh streets along the way, not too many in
44:55
44 minutes, 55 seconds
one area. Maybe along the way for when we do need, you know, while while people are on the road.
45:01
45 minutes, 1 second
Yeah. or assist locals in those areas to to establish halal businesses and
45:09
45 minutes, 9 seconds
imagine what what a lovely society and what a lovely country and world we live in inshallah. Yeah. So yes, we definitely
45:18
45 minutes, 18 seconds
need to stop confusing survival with materialism and know the difference that there is a huge difference between you
45:26
45 minutes, 26 seconds
know chasing luxury holidays and chasing basic security. So we need to understand the different concepts and we need to be
45:33
45 minutes, 33 seconds
more understanding and the most important thing is we need to stop assuming because assuming and comparing is actually a sin.
45:42
45 minutes, 42 seconds
Yes. So once again if you would like to join the conversation during the week you can do so on our social media pages.
45:50
45 minutes, 50 seconds
That's I L O V Z A M. We are on Instagram, Facebook X, LinkedIn, YouTube, Tik Tok threads, um, and
45:58
45 minutes, 58 seconds
Upscrolled as well. You're welcome to read the articles on our website as well as listen, watch, and read the past
46:05
46 minutes, 5 seconds
episodes of, um, Level Up on our website, ioveza.com.
46:10
46 minutes, 10 seconds
And if you've missed any of the other Level Up um, episodes or you'd like to just go back and listen to it, you are welcome to do so on the Radio Islam International SoundCloud.
46:21
46 minutes, 21 seconds
to our dear listeners for joining us on this lovely Sunday afternoon. Please join us every Sunday right here on Radio Islam International from 2 to 3:00 p.m.
46:30
46 minutes, 30 seconds
Inshallah. Amen. From myself, Nabiha from Isa and from Zad. We wish you a wonderful week ahead inshallah. Amen.
46:40
46 minutes, 40 seconds
Enjoy your Sunday.
