Assalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuhu, May be peace and blessing of Allah be upon you all.

A very quick note for everybody, Allah says in the Quran ; Afala yatadabbarun alquran? do they not reflect upon the Quran? or are there locks on their hearts? [Surah Muhammad : 24]

If we reflect upon verse that tells us to reflect upon the Quran, we may conclude, that the more we contemplate, meditate and discover and analyze and search for the gems in the Quranic verses, the more our heart will become unlock to receive the mercy, guidance and divine love. Because brothers and sisters, the Quran is an ocean. And we must do tadabbur, reflection and pondering upon this book as Allah tells us. And the more we ponder, we take an ayat, we take a verse and we find out what is it mean for me? What does Allah want me to do concerning this verse? How does it affect my spiritual, social DNA? How am I supposed to act and live and behave? How am I supposed to be? Meaning, what kind of state I should be in? So I want to encourage all Brothers and Sisters and friends, to really engage with the Quran from this perspective because the Quran wants to be engaged with. Because the Quran was sent down for the whole of humanity and human being are thinking human being. So Allah, the Divine reality, the Lord of everything that exists is telling us, engage with His word, His eternal word. And I believe if we engage with it and ponder upon it, we can really find solutions for all of life but particularly our spiritual life and for our moral and ethical life. I want to give an example, I want you to go to Chapter 12 of the Quran. It has become my favorite chapter. But this is the beauty of the Quran, every time you understand a chapter, that becomes your favorite chapter. So I've done some work concerning the twelve chapter of the Quran. And I find it so fascinating. Even Allah says it the greatest story. So in this greatest story, I want you to read the story and find out why did Ya'kub(Jacob) alaihissalam, why was he suffering in distressed. We know that he was suffering in distressed because Yusuf (Joseph), his beloved son alaihissalam, Bunyamin his other little son was also missing. And he was in distressed, what he says in Chapter 12 verse 86. "I only complain of my suffering and grief to Allah, and I know from Allah that which you do not know".

So, from a perspective of a state of being, say we are depress sometime in life and we are really upset, or we don't know where we are going. And we have this kind of existence crisis. Who are we? Whose are we? What are we? Why are we? All this questions we can't really answer properly. We haven't really reflect upon those questions properly. Because we all need reminders. So we can be in a state of suffering and grief. So Yusuf alaihissalam, rather Ya'kub alaihissalam the father of Yusuf alaihissalam and Bunyamin. He said he is suffering and he is in grief. But look at his solution or look at what he does. And he says, "I only complain of my suffering and my grief to Allah". That number one. Now go to next verse, verse 87. He now advises his sons cause he had another 10 sons, to go and find out about Joseph and Bunyamin his brother. And look what Ya'kub alaihissalam says. He says, "And despair not of the life giving mercy of Allah for indeed the one who despair of the life giving mercy of God is the one who actively reject the truth". So there are some lessons here. He was teaching us how to deal with grief and distress and depression. Because Ya'kub alaihissalam, he was the one in genuine distress and grief because he love Joseph so much, he love Bunyamin so much, and he was really really really distress. But look what he does. He says, "I complain only to Allah". So that's the first point of calling when you distress and when you in grief. Complain to Allah. The second piece of advice which is quite significant is in the advice he give to his sons. And he says, "and despair not of the live giving mercy of Allah, for whoever despair of His mercy is the one who is in active state of disbelieve, who rejects the truth". So it means the one who is in grief and distress and depress, a solution out of this grief and depression is sincerely advice others and remind others of the mercy of Allah. Ya'kub alaihissalam was the one in distress and grief. But he advice his sons sincerely and he told them about Allah's mercy, His compassion, His love. So the way to get out of this grief and distress is actually to do that. Advice others sincerely and remind them of the mercy of Allah. And it is no wonder many of the counselors or psychotherapist, they were actually depressed and they got into the job just to help themselves because advising others actually helps you.

So keep on reflecting upon the Quran, brothers and sisters. I hope this example were a good example that would affect your lives in some way. And if you do feel a little bit distress, a bit in grief, rely on Allah, refer to Allah complain to Allah alone. Because He is the only one who can change the situation. No.2, sincerely advice others. No. 3, remind others sincerely of the life giving mercy of your Lord, Allah Subhanallah Taala.