#𝗔𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗿_𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗘𝗽. 𝟭𝟭: 𝗜 "𝗠𝘆 𝗟𝗼𝗿𝗱, 𝗘𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗹" 𝗜 𝗦𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗸𝗵 𝗬𝘂𝘀𝘂𝗳 𝗔𝗯𝗱𝗶

"𝗠𝘆 𝗟𝗼𝗿𝗱, 𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗱 𝘂𝗽𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘂𝗽𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝘆 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲. 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗶𝘁 𝗺𝗲 𝗯𝘆 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗰𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 [𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗼𝗳] 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀." 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗵 𝗔𝗻-𝗡𝗮𝗺𝗹 (𝟮𝟳:𝟭𝟵) This verse—the prayer of Prophet Sulaiman (AS) has shaped the life and humility of Sheikh Yusuf Abdi. In this heartwarming episode of the Athar Podcast, the legendary scholar takes us on a nostalgic journey through his childhood, sharing how his love for the Quran began at the tender age of four, when he cried to be allowed into a Quran school despite being told he was too young. He paints a vivid picture of a time when Quranic education was woven into the fabric of daily life, from writing on wooden slates to preparing ink from soot, from morning recitation circles to entire neighbourhoods waking up to the sounds of Abdul Basit's recitation. But beyond the nostalgia, Sheikh Yusuf delivers a powerful critique of how we have reduced the Quran to a book of blessings and decorations, while abandoning it as a guide for life. He challenges parents and teachers to introduce children to Allah through His beautiful names, Ar-Rahman, Al-Wadud, Al-Wahhab—rather than through fear alone. He reminds us that love for Allah must come first, and that true fear of Allah flows naturally from that love. He shares the profound lesson from Sulaiman's prayer: that even gratitude and righteous deeds require Allah's help, and that the greatest of prophets seek entry into Jannah not by their deeds, but by Allah's mercy. This conversation is a wake-up call to return the Quran to the centre of our lives, not just on our walls, but in our hearts, our homes, and our societies. 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦: 00:00:00 – Highlights 00:00:40 – Introduction: Meeting Sheikh Yusuf Abdi 00:02:10 – The Quran: A Journey of Love 00:03:30 – Living in Darkness Without the Quran 00:04:30 – Crying to Join Quran School at Age Four 00:06:30 – Learning on Wooden Slates: A Lost Tradition 00:08:30 – Completing the Quran by Age Six 00:09:30 – The Environment That Nurtured Quranic Love 00:11:30 – Why Children Today Run From the Quran 00:12:30 – Fear-Based Parenting vs. Introducing Allah's Beautiful Names 00:15:30 – Have You Ever Told Allah You Love Him? 00:17:30 – Surah Al-Fatiha: Beginning With Mercy 00:19:30 – Run to Allah, Not Away From Him 00:21:30 – Who Is Allah? A Personal Reflection 00:23:30 – Using Allah's Blessings to Disobey Him 00:24:30 – The Door of Repentance Is Always Open 00:26:30 – The People of Gaza: Living Embodiment of Quranic Patience 00:28:30 – Allah Invites Sinners to Return to Him 00:30:30 – The Prophet's Concern for Humanity 00:31:30 – Understanding the Quran vs. Memorising It 00:33:30 – Tawheed: Freedom From All False Gods 00:35:30 – Umar's Statement: Honour Through Islam 00:37:30 – The Computer Analogy: Quran as Life's Manual 00:39:30 – The Character of the Prophet Was the Quran 00:41:30 – The Danger of Spiritual Arrogance 00:43:30 – Imam Ahmad and the Drunkard: A Lesson in Humility 00:45:30 – The Verse That Shaped His Life: Surah An-Naml (27:19) 00:47:30 – Even Gratitude Requires Allah's Help 00:49:30 – Yusuf's Prayer: Die as a Muslim 00:51:30 – The Surah That Speaks to Him: Surah Ad-Duha 00:53:30 – If This Were Your Last Ramadan... 00:54:30 – Final Advice: Have Mercy on People 00:55:30 – Guiding One Person Is Better Than Red Camels 01:00:30 – The Regret of Time Wasted on Divisive Issues 01:04:00 – Closing Reflections and Gratitude 01:06:30 – Closing Du'a and Farewell 01:10:03 – End