All praise is due to Allaah, Lord of all the worlds. Peace and blessings of Allaah be upon the Messenger, his household and companions.
Fellow Muslims! Allaah says,
“O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person (Adam), and from him (Adam) He created his wife (Hawwâ (Eve)) and from them both He created many men and women; and fear Allâh through Whom you demand (your mutual rights), and (do not cut the relations of) the wombs (kinship). Surely, Allâh is Ever an All-Watcher over you.”
(An-Nisaa 4:1)
Fear Allaah, dear brethren! Be conscious of Him and obey His commandments in private and in public. Allaah says,
“And whosoever fears Allâh and keeps his duty to Him, He will make his matter easy for him.”
(At-Talaaq 65:4)
Dear brethren! Happiness is a necessity of the life of this world. Stability, progress and development cannot be achieved in the absence of happiness. If there is no happiness, man cannot appropriately worship his Lord. Humans have naturally be conditioned on finding solace in one another. That is why Allaah says while He reminds mankind of His favours upon them,
“And among His Signs is this, that He created for you wives from among yourselves, that you may find repose in them, and He has put between you affection and mercy. Verily, in that are indeed signs for a people who reflect.”
(Ar-Room 30:21)
Yes! Wives in whom you find repose; this is a proof that marriage is stability and peace of mind. This also implies the importance of marriage in Islaam and the attention that Islaam pays to the family. Islaam encourages marriage and it enjoins that it should be made easy. It forbids all that could impede it. Allaah says,
“Marry (other) women of your choice, two or three, or four; but if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one.”
(An-Nisaa 4:3)
Allaah also says,
“And marry those among you who are single (i.e. a man who has no wife and the woman who has no husband) and (also marry) the Sâlihûn (pious, fit and capable ones) of your (male) slaves and maid-servants (female slaves). If they be poor, Allâh will enrich them out of His Bounty.”
(An-Noor 24:32)
Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim reported the Messenger of Allaah said, “O young people! Let those who have the ability to maintain among you marry.” Marriage is therefore the way of the Messengers and part of the guidance of the righteous.
Fellow Muslims! Islaam is greatly concerned about formation and uprightness of the family. This is because it is the foundation of the society whose different parts enforces and supports one another. It is for this reason that Prophet likened the Muslims to a structure whose different parts strengthen one another.
Islaam commands that suitable men should be married to. It forbids preventing women from marrying. It explains in the Qur’aan and in the Sunnah rights and responsibilities of the husband and the wife because stability of homes and uprightness of families cannot be attained if both the husband and the wife are not stable and successful in their marital life. As it is known that you cannot give out something you do not own, it is also impossible for parents who failed in their marital life have nothing to offer the society let alone produce righteous children who will be capable of contributing constructively to the society.
A successful marriage therefore means success of the society as family destruction means the destruction of the society. The Messenger of Allaah said, “Satan places his throne upon the water and he sends his hosts and the greatest of them in causing crises in the land will be the nearest to him in position. One of the hosts will tell Satan, ‘I did this and that’, but Satan will then him, ‘you have done nothing’. Another host will come and he will tell Satan, ‘I did not leave him [one of the human whom Satan wants to mislead] until I caused separation between him and his wife.’ Satan will then bring closer to himself and tell him, ‘yes it is you who [is closest to me in position].’” (Muslim)
If this is the stand of the accursed Satan, his mischievous followers are keen to destroy this great edifice and ruin the foundations of the society through their causing of disruptions in the families so much so that the rate of divorce and has alarmingly increased and more and more women are remaining unmarried. This is undoubtedly dangerous. For a situation like this breaks up the society, exposes children to negligence, makes the corruption widespread and creates resentment among families.
It is therefore the obligation of educators, reformers and journalists to look into this matter.
Brethren in faith! We all know that it is impossible to be perfect and that having differences is naturally human. It is impossible for the two spouses to have the same nature, character, desires and thoughts. It is enough a difference that one is male and the other is female. So it is unnatural to have differences among members of the same family. Even the household of the Prophet had its own share of differences. This is the natural. However, a home that is established upon piety and in which both the husband and the wife know their rights and obligations will never be negatively affected by these differences. The differences rather increase them in steadfastness and awareness, which lead them to correct their mistakes and block the way to further evils.
Fellow Muslims! When we take a quick look at the causes of marital problems, we will realize that they all emanate from the violation of Allaah’s commandments in many of the issues of marriage. Some marriages have become a curse and a calamity instead of becoming a source of tranquility and mercy. Allaah says,
“And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned. And He pardons much.” (Ash-Shooraa 42:30)
There is no doubt in the fact that destruction of homes is one the greatest misfortunes.
One of the righteous predecessors said, “Whenever I disobey Allaah I see the impact of that in my mount animal and in the behaviour of my wife.”
Another said, “The sins of the righteous predecessors were few so they knew them and their causes.”
Yes! Can anyone who audaciously disobeys Allaah hope for success from Him? Can someone who disobeys Allaah wantonly expect his wife to obey him? Can a woman who is negligent in her obligations to Allaah expect her husband to fulfil her own rights? Though sins that either of the two spouses commits should not be made an excuse for maltreatment of his or her partner.
Dear brethren! There are general sins like neglecting the prayers and perpetrating forbidden things; and there are specifically related to marriage like transgression or negligence in marital rights and obligations. Differences occur between spouses in proportion to the degree of negligence.
The man who is negligent in his duties to his wife and the wife who is negligent in her duties to her husband should understand that they are disobeying Allaah. The Prophet said, “If a man invites his wife to his bed and she refuses and the man passes the night in the state of being of angry with her, the angels will continuously curse her till the morning.” (Al-Bukhaaree)
It is the duty of husband and wife to remember while they are fulfilling their marital obligations that they are performing acts of worship. The Messenger of Allaah has informed us that the Muslim would be rewarded for each morsel he puts in his wife’s mouth, though it is his obligation to spend on her.
The Messenger of Allaah is also authentically reported to have said that a man will be rewarded when he performs sexual intercourse with his wife, though he is naturally inclined to do so.
Therefore, the most important solution for those who want to lead a prosperous marital life is to fulfil the rights of Allaah, to carry out His commands and to fulfil all obligations. Let those who want to have an happy life read the saying of Allaah,
“Whoever works righteousness - whether male or female - while he (or she) is a true believer (of Islâmic Monotheism) verily, to him We will give a good life (in this world with respect, contentment and lawful provision).”
(An-Nahl 16:97)
Fellow Muslims! Selecting a good spouse is the foundation of happy and harmonious life. But negligence and disobeying Allaah regarding this vital matter cause problems. An example of this is to force a woman to marry a man she does not like as way of maintaining an obsolete tradition or because of the fame or the wealth of the suitor. This is definitely wrong and forbidden. Allaah’s Messenger said, “A matron should not be given in marriage except after consulting her; and a virgin should not be given in marriage except after her permission.” (A-Bukhaaree and Muslim)
However, young girl should seek to understand the opinion of their guardians and her utmost interest should be the criterion for selecting a suitor for her.
Another contravention of Islaam’s injunction regarding marriage is lie on the part of the husband or wife or their intermediary. This is betrayal the consequences of which the perpetrator will have to face in this world and the Hereafter.
Dear brethren! Another critical mistake made when selecting a suitor for girls is neglecting the religious aspects of his character and instead asking for his job, wealth and status in the society. The guardian who does this forgets that he who has betrayed Allaah and His Messenger could not be entrusted regarding his daughter. The suitor who neglects the religious aspects of his bride’s life forgets that a woman who is negligent in her duties to Allaah would never carry out her responsibility to her husband. A marital home built on materialism shall always be on the verge of destruction.
Brethren in faith! Guardians bear a part of this blame because of their indifference to the situation of the suitor and their failure to fulfil their obligations towards their daughters. There are many righteous girls who are afflicted with husbands who do not pray and who take intoxicants and commit forbidden things. This is a result of the negligence and indifference on the part of the girls’ guardians, for they did not bother to ask about the suitors’ religiosity.
Many are also is a man who insisted that his fiancé should fulfil all conditions available under the sun but gave only an insignificant consideration for her religiosity only to discover later after it was already late that the woman is not suitable to be a wife because of her lack religion and good morals.
The big question now is: what is the criterion for selecting a spouse?
This question is adequately answered by the Messenger of Allaah when he said, “When someone with whose religion and conduct you are pleased come for the hand of your daughter in marriage, marry to him. If you do not do so, there will be a great tribulation and widespread corruption on the land.” (At-Tirmidhee and Ibn Maajah)
The Messenger of Allaah also said, “A woman is married for one of the following four things: her wealth, nobility, beauty or her religiosity. Marry the one with religion, you will succeed.” (Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim)
Fellow Muslims! Can someone who opens his marital life with violation of Islaamic injunctions expect success from Allaah? What I mean by this is a lot of violations of Allaah’s commandments that are witnessed in marriage banquets like immodest dressing, mingling of men and women, taking pictures, playing of music and neglecting prayers. This is in addition to extravagant spending and ostentatious banquets.
Let all fear Allaah and carry out his responsibilities. We should not leave a chance for the mischievous.
Fellow Muslims! Understanding the causes of marital problems leads to avoiding them and warning the Muslims not fall into them, thereby giving the relatives of both the husband and the wife an opportunity to intervene into what is outside their concern. The Messenger of Allaah said, “Shunning what is not of one’s concern is an aspect of perfection of one’s religion.” Allaah has also forbidding spying on people.
It is also an act of ignorance and foolishness that one of the spouses should complain to relatives about his or her spouse. For widening the scope of disagreement and involving outsiders increase the situation in complexity. It is therefore our obligation to preserve our secrets and solve our problems by ourselves. If the situation is allowed to reach a crisis point, the mischief-makers will wade into it and the matter will become the talk of the town, which eventually leads to destruction of homes.
Dear brethren! One of the reasons of marital problems is a misconception about matrimonial life and lack of understanding the noble goals of marriage like preservation of chastity for both man and woman, living together peacefully, establishing the Muslim home, cooperating in righteousness and piety and bringing up the children upon righteous path. If the spouses keep these concepts in their minds, they will never pay attention to flimsy things. Even if some worldly mistakes happen along the way they deal with them wisely and remember Allaah’s instruction,
“And do not forget liberality between yourselves.”
(Al-Baqarah 2:237)
Also, the imperfections in either of the two spouses should be borne with tolerance. The Messenger of Allaah said, “No believing man should hate a believing woman. If he dislikes a trait in her, he will find in her other traits which he likes.” (Muslim)
Another shortsightedness is the consideration people give to beauty. The Muslim should make the goals of Sharee‘ah the basic criterion in selecting a spouse. An interesting story in this regard is what is narrated from Ash’Sha’bee that a man asked him, “I have married a woman but I later realized that there is a trace of limping in one her two legs. Can I return the woman [to her family] and reclaim my mahr?” Ash-Sha’bee answered him saying, “If you have married her to use her for racing, you may return her.”
You can also find a man who scorns his wife simply because other women are taller and more knowledgeable than her. Some men compare their wives to other women thereby causing great dissention.
Another factor that influences people’s perception of beauty are many films, magazines and periodicals with images of women and satellite channels with which we are afflicted these days. This phenomenon leads some men to dislike their wives because they have seen the pictures of whom they regard as more beautiful women.
Then is it lawful for a Muslim who believes in Allaah and the Last Day, knows that he would meet Allaah, hopes for His Paradise and is afraid of His Fire to prefer a disbelieving woman whom he saw on TV screen or in a promiscuous magazine to his Muslim and chaste wife?
There is no gainsaying in the fact that the magazines and satellite channels that show the images of men and women in a most decorative manner have opened the gates of evils. It is here that we realize the importance of Allaah’s injunction,
“Tell the believing men to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts). That is purer for them. Verily, Allâh is All-Aware of what they do. And tell the believing women to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things) and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts).”
(An-Noor 24:30-31)
We are also telling a woman who regards what she sees on TV screens as an embodiment of perfect life to fear Allaah and wake up from her delusions.
Things that are shown on satellite channels do not only stimulate sexual passion, they also destroy people’s morals and homes and cause a lot of mischief on the land. Allaah says,
“And when it is said to them: "Make not mischief on the earth," they say: "We are only peace-makers. Verily! They are the ones who make mischief, but they perceive not.”
(Al-Baqarah 2:11-12)
Fellow Muslims! One of the major causes of marital problems is the husband’s lack of playing his role as demanded by Islaam, or being negligent in the performance of that role or allowing the wife to challenging his guardianship.
Being a guardian upon the woman does not mean overpowering and an ability to treat woman unjustly. It rather means taking good care of her and carrying out one’s responsibilities towards her. Allaah explains the rights of both husband and wife in the clearest possible way when He says,
“And they (women) have rights (over their husbands as regards living expenses) similar (to those of their husbands) over them (as regards obedience and respect) to what is reasonable.”
(Al-Baqarah 2:228)
Allaah says, ‘to what is reasonable’ to indicate that demanding one’s right should not be by selfishness, for marriage is not a commercial companionship. It is rather a life companionship.
Even when the divorce becomes inevitable, Allaah commands that it should be carried out in the kindest manner. He says,
“Either you retain her on reasonable terms or release her with kindness.”
(Al-Baqarah 2:229)
Can you find a better way of reforming homes that these beautiful divine injunctions? Is it not appropriate for the writers and self-appointed reformists to follow the light of the Prophet, rather than waging a vicious war on hijaab and attempting to destroy homes? It is an Islaamic obligation to rein these elements of mischief in order to protect the society.
Dear brothers and sisters! Nothing can make people achieve happiness and prosperity except adherence to the correct religion, having good morals, overlooking mistakes, performance of duties and responsibilities, hoping to get the reward of all righteous deeds from Allaah and promoting societal harmony and love.
The wife should help to make her husband lower his gaze by making herself as attractive as possible to him. The husband should also be kind to his wife and satisfy her needs as much as he can.
Let all understanding that much violations breed hatred and that he who respects others get nothing in return but respect and honour and he who calls upon Allaah, never will Allaah disappoint him.
Dear brethren! The relationship between man and woman is not worldly or materialist, neither is it bestial. It is rather a spiritual honourable relationship if it is sincerely maintained. It is a relationship that transcends this mundane world to the Hereafter. Allaah says,
“'Adn (Eden) Paradise (everlasting Gardens), which they shall enter and (also) those who acted righteously from among their fathers, and their wives, and their offspring. And angels shall enter unto them from every gate (saying): "Salâmun 'Alaikum (peace be upon you) for you persevered in patience! Excellent indeed is the final home!”
ISIS (1) :Causing Mischief and Serving Enemy Interests
June 5, 2015 ~ Sha'baan 18, 1436
Shiekh Saalih Aal Taalib
Khutbah Topic
His Eminence Saleh ibn Muhammad al- Talib –May Allah protect him– delivered this Friday Khutbah entitled “ISIS: Causing Mischief and Serving Enemy Interests.” While talking about the group known as ISIS, the Sheikh warned his congregation against its suspicious nature as it adopts radicalism and extremism. He also warned people against following their approach as it is found in manifest contravention of the straight path. He
equally denounced the events which recently took place in the Eastern Province of the Kingdom, in reference to the assault against worshippers performing their prayer at the mosque and to the shedding of sanctified blood.
Part One
True praise be to Allah! We praise Him, seek His assistance, and ask for His forgiveness! We seek refuge in Allah from our own evils and misdeeds. He whom Allah guides will never be led astray and he whom Allah assigns to misguidance will find none to guide him to the right path. I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah alone with no associate. Far be He from being assigned a match, a counterpart, or a peer: "...There is
nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer" [Al-Shura: 11]. I equally bear witness that Muhammad is the Servant and Messenger of Allah, the radiating light. May Allah send His Salat (Graces, Honours, and Mercy), Peace (and Blessing) upon him, his family, his Companions, the tabi'in (the contemporaries of the Companions of the Prophet [May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him] after his death), and all those who
virtuously follow in their footsteps till the Day of Last Judgement!
Now then! The best speech is the Book of Allah and the best guidance is that found in the teachings of Muhammad –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him. Conversely, the worst things are those recently invented (in religion); knowing that each undesirable invention is a bid’ah (i.e. falsehood appended to religion), and each bid’ah is misguidance. In addition, the best advice ever offered is to exhort people to observe taqwa (fear of
disobeying Allah). So, adhere to taqwa and perform good deeds: "...whosoever becomes pious and righteous, on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve." [Al- A’raaf: 35]. He who observes taqwa vis-à-vis Allah will be rewarded contentment and he who fears people will reap nothing when brought to account in front of Allah.
O Muslims! With the dawn of Islam, the souls of its followers were inspired with its divine guidance. Their hearts were imbibed with its love and their spirits were yearning to serve its message. In fact, they learnt it, taught it, assimilated it, supported it, and sacrificed their own lives for it. They even left their homelands behind for its sake and travelled around the world to serve the cause of Allah. According to the chronicles of the Prophet’s tradition, when Prophet Muhammad –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– made consultations with his Companions on the day of the Battle of Badr, Saad –May Allah be pleased with him– said, “I swear by Allah on Whose Hand my soul is, even if you ordered us to cross the deep sea with our horses, we would comply with your order, and if you ordered us to go on expedition to the remotest land (be it in Arabia or in Yemen (2)) we would comply with your order.”[Reported by Muslim] Thus, sacrifice and self-abnegation were the hallmarks of the first generation of Muslims as well as their successors. Therefore, jihad –whose pioneers were imbibed with such moral values– used to be like floods whose flow could never be halted by any dam and an affliction whose fatal outcome was unstoppable. It was from the womb of such meanings that the famous words that Khaled Ibn Al-Waleed –May Allah be pleased with him–said to the King of Persia, “I have brought to you people who yearn for death just like you do for life.” Their jihad was characterised by guidance, compassion, and justice. They used to practice Sharia through worshipping Allah in all sincerity, pursuing and enhancing interests benefiting the whole Ummah, avoiding and minimising vulnerability to evil, and preserving the fundamental necessities of humanity through protecting the sanctity of (religious) faith, life, personal honour, reason, and property, which are inalienable fundaments and premises. The Islamic civilisation has perfectly accomplished this noble mission, outperforming all other civilisations with respect to reinforcing this principle through the proclamations of its jurisprudential scholars and the way its rulers exercised authority, being always inspired with the Words of Allah –May He be exalted: "And We have sent you (O Muhammad SAW) not but as a mercy for the 'Alamîn (mankind, jinns and all that exists)." [Al-Anbiya: 107] "...and seek not mischief in the land. Verily, Allâh likes not the Mufsidûn (those who commit great crimes and sins, oppressors, tyrants, mischief-makers, corrupts)." [Al-Qasas: 77] Successive communities of the human race embracing different religions and belonging to diverse sects and denominations have found shelter in the realm of the Islamic Ummah. Living in the same all-embracing homeland, they have enjoyed security and justice.
O Servants of Allah! As jihad and self-sacrifice have always epitomised the triumph of the Ummah and conversely the humiliation of its foes; and as the enemies failed to combat those two values from the outside, they had no choice but to infiltrate into its inner entity. Accordingly, inimical groups opposing the idea of jihad and self-sacrifice have throughout the various phases of history managed to infiltrate Muslims’ ranks and succeeded in diverting these values from their original objectives and in fashioning their ultimate outcomes. Quite significantly, notwithstanding massive bloodshed and the degree of sacrifice made by certain individuals generally known for their sincerity and aspiration to champion this religion since the very beginning of this Hijri century, the end result has not only been restricted to a manifest failure to realise expected goals but has also brought about reverse effects. Thus, Muslims themselves have been susceptible to the disastrous consequences of such sacrifice and have been victimised by such (reverse) devotion. Having successfully infiltrated into groups which were originally formed to stand up for religion,the enemies have now shifted into top gear and embarked on a more dangerous project, namely the establishment of an entity originally founded to eradicate Muslims’ power and annihilate the remnants of their countries.Theyaim to resist any of the Muslims’ attempts to liberate themselves from their victimisers and to recruit those whose are eager to lift the banner of religion in order to virtually use them as fuel for futile battles. Then, the enemies proceeded to decorate such a hybrid clone with the outfit of the Islamic Caliphate and called it ‘The Caliphate State.” They dubbed their crimes an implementation of divine law, which represents another episode in the process of offending Islam in the very name of Islam, although their undertaking has nothing to do with Islam. In fact, it is an entity based on contravening covenants, breaching contracts, shedding blood, guarding enemies’ interests, and usurping lands formerly emancipated from aggressors who used to persecute the indigenous inhabitants. Such a group cannot be part of Islam, even though it carries the most sublime labels and the noblest Islamic names. ISIS gangs, which emerged in the Sham (Greater Syria) and Iraq, have unmemorable founders and anonymous leaders. Even those of them who have been identified have literally neither history nor record in Islam. Instead, they are believed to play suspicious roles and act as traitors. One can assume that ISIS gangs represent a qualitative leap in the history of the enemies of Islam and Arabs, for they moved from the strategy of infiltrating Muslim groups to that of establishing a totally independent entity formed in step with their wishes and instructions. Its establishment was finalised by regional and international intelligence agencies and its constitutive components can be classified into three types: (a) leaders and activists who are by definition downright enemies, (b) renegade and naive kharijites (i.e. religious dissidents), and (c) immature people beguiled into acting as fervent supporters of religion. The latter category is used as the fuel to their war (against Islam). They are totally irrational, inexperienced, and devoid of religious knowledge and political awareness. As common in the axioms of politics, the success of any conspiracy requires that the majority of those involved in it are not aware that it is actually part of a conspiracy.
O Servants of Allah! If we, for the sake of revealing truth, examine the history of ISIS which is short but ominously apocalyptic for Muslims, we realise that their exclusive goal is to shed Muslim blood and capture their territories. As to their hypothetical enemies, they have remained safe except from some minor skirmishes exploited in reviving certain sectarian or ethnical conflicts, in manoeuvring the minds of their ignorant followers, or in realising the ultimate objective of their project, which consists of causing Islam to repulse people, distorting its image, and triggering universal hostility against Muslims. Another barefaced trick that ISIS recurrently plays on people consists in recruiting sincere and devout youths among Muslims everywhere in the world. They intend to use them as live coal to stir abating fire. However, as soon as the number of their raw recruits
increases, they get rid of some of them through artificially involving them in hopeless and aimless battles which hardly deserve a similar sacrifice. This was the case in their battle for Ain Al Arab (Kobani). For the sake of illustration, try to examine the moves of ISIS gangs as they deliberately spoil any achievement realised by victimised people, just to abort their dreams and continue to serve as protector of regimes they are normally supposed to consider as enemy, if they were actually sincere in their claims. In fact, whenever our country receives threats, their execution always bears the hallmarks of ISIS gangs, which illustrates their total harmony (with external parties) in all incidents.
O Servants of Allah! Neither Islam nor Muslims –be they individuals or states– have vested interest in offending or assaulting any other denomination. Islam never enjoins its followers to do so: "Allâh does not forbid you to deal justly and kindly with those who fought not against you on account of religion and did not drive you out of your homes. Verily, Allâh loves those who deal with equity." [Al-Mumtahinah: 8] In the Muslim creed, even the difference in faith –let alone the difference in religious school or denomination– does not justify aggression or offence. Prophet Muhammad –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– himself inhabited the same town as the Jews in Madinah and was their neighbour all his lifetime. Accordingly, the criminal acts perpetrated during the last two weeks in the Eastern Province of the Kingdom –claiming the lives of many people– are but an instance of a series of aggressions whose only outcome was the attempt to destabilise this country and compromise its security. The main purpose was to add it to the long list of neighbouring countries living in turmoil, to cause hundreds of thousands of casualties, and to displace millions of inhabitants. The real target of the recent events is the state and society at large, and the bloodshed is only meant to serve as fuel to get the fire alight in the whole region. So, feeling grieved over the assaults in the Eastern Province of the Kingdom is really justified, denouncing them is a duty, and combating them to prevent their recurrence is a responsibility. In fact, the criminal act has befallen the entire nation rather than just one of its sects. These gangs had previously targeted security forces all around our country, causing some casualties among them. They also targeted some public facilities and institutions, etc. In reality, the murderous atrocities perpetrated by ISIS gangsters –whose victims are among Muslims– is not comparable to the bloodshed committed against other communities, and the Sunni territories captured in Iraq and in Sham represent the integrity of the seized lands and nothing more, as they tend to dispossess nobody else (except Sunni Muslims). Accordingly, whoever claims that those ISIS gangs are the by-product of our creed and our way of life will by the same token contribute to the implementation of their agenda and will identify himself with the ultimate purpose for which ISIS was initially established. Although our religious discourse in this country might contain statements of approval or disapproval vis-à-vis certain convictional principles, it includes no explicit reference‒whether direct or indirect– to the permissibility of offending people embracing a different faith. On the contrary, our discourse insists on the sanctity of human blood, exhorts people to act in accordance with the method approached by the Jama’ah(the Sunnites) and prohibits insurgency against rulers. Paradoxically, some people mocked our attitude because they failed to understand that such an approach represents the idea of moderation recommended by Islam. Otherwise, what kind of Jihad is this when it leads to blowing up oneself amidst a group of people while they are performing the Friday Prayer inside a mosque?! In fact, there
is legal evidence for the prohibition of killing monks while in the church, let alone killing Muslims while they are performing their prayer. Furthermore, the houses of Allah (mosques) ‒Exalted be He‒ are places of feeling security not fear. In the “Conquest of Makkah”, the Prophet (May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him) said: “… andhe who enters the mosque is safe.”[Reported by Abu Dawood] Many are those who have taken advantage of such events to thump themselves, lay the blame on their people, and condemn educational curricula!We say to those: Just as there has been ideological perversion among some people in this country, there have also been forms of extremism and rejection of religious provisions among them.So, were those also a product of our educational curricula and religious discourse?! Why was the overwhelming majority of our citizens overlooked? Those who hold a moderate view of religion follow the path of believers and reject exaggeration and aversion? Those knowledgeable have reported that the vast majority of ISIS gangs have never
set foot in our country, let alone been impacted by our curricula and discourse. Rather, none of the leaderships among them are from our country. Why then the rush at home and abroad to lay the blame on the Kingdom –despite the fact that it is the victim in all of this– and to accuse it of being the nurturing environment, despite the immaculateness of its faith and the clarity of its approach?! Muslims in general must be aware of the gravity of the conspiracy that is being worked out against their homelands, particularly the Kingdom, the home of the Two Holy Mosques, an advocate of the Sunnah and a preacher of peace. May Allah guard and protect it! Indeed, Allah is the best Protector! Allah is the best Protector!
O Allah! We implore You to bless us by the Noble Qur'ān and the Sunnah, to make them beneficial to us and to raise our status through the verses and wisdom they contain! This being said, I ask Allah, the Almighty, to forgive you and me for all sins!
Part Two
Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds! No aggression must be carried out save against oppressors. I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah alone with no associate, Allah, the Ultimate Truth. I also bear witness that Mohammad (May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him) is His Servant and Messenger. May Allah send His Salat (Graces, Honours, Mercy), Peace and Blessing upon him, his family, and all of his Companions!
Now then, The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is an important power with major global influence; it is therefore targeted by opportunistic groups practicing violence and extremism,by countries marked with hostility, revolutionary stance, and the tendency to propagate sectarianism and terrorism, or by authoritarian regimes. With the endowments Allah has bestowed on it, the Kingdom constitutes an impediment in the face of extremist organizations and revolutionary and expansionistic regimes. Likewise, its stability and unity as well as its commitment to covenants and agreements represent a challenge to present-day affluent media.Those engaged in carrying out intrigue and conspiracy definitely know the extent of the Kingdom’s influence; they know that it is a responsible state with such a profound geographical, human, religious, and economic foundation. Therefore, whenever the Kingdom chose to employ its influence in any of the world’s issues the outcome would be effective thanks to its solid principles, noble goals, and close relations. Almighty Allah has endowed the Kingdom with His Grace for it has made out of His Holy Book and the Sunnah of His Messenger a constitution for the country. The kingdom is an advocate of peace and collaboration. We make no bids when it comes to our future and that of our Ummah. However, it is our critical fate to confront this turmoil. We take on the concerns of the Arab and Muslim worlds. We are certainly active and effective partners in
global decision-making, and it is for this reason that we are targeted by the covetous. The events we are facing and the conspiracies being carried out against us are all bound to fail by Allah’s Will. All the Saudi people, across the board, are willing to make it their obligation to abort such conspiracies. Whenever provoked, they shall stand their ground firmly as a rock amidst the valley. The enemies shall fail to overcome them and shall then lose all their stakes in the Arab region.The enemy’s bet is on destabilizing the internal front, whereas ours is on its unity and cohesiveness.So, let us defeat their hopes. The events that took place in some of the mosques at the Eastern Province are but a lethal bait for the inducement of sectarianism and its temptation to rise in order for it to assume on their behalf the task of self-annihilation. All the citizens in this country pertinently knowthe extent to which they are enjoying security, prosperity and freedom. Therefore, they will not accept to wind up in the same situation in which several of our brothers and sisters in a number of other countries have found themselves; a situation where things have run out of control. One of the greatest blessings Allah has bestowed on us in this country is that of security and unity, and any laxity in maintaining them will certainly imperil all without exception. Away from sectarianism and regionalism, our unity in this country is based on Islamic Faith and Sharia, and working towards safeguarding it is the way to ensure its continuity.
Anyone, no matter his religious or otherwise ideological affiliations, intending to endanger our unity and accord is considered an enemy to this nation and must therefore be dealt with firmly and decisively. The Faith upon which our country is based is one of equity, justice and mercy, and under it the legal rights of all other religious sects are well safeguarded. Indeed, our Sharia’ enfolds more mercy towards violators than anyone else. Seeking to employ such events by such conspirators in order to undermine the Ummah’s Faith, constants, curricula and statute is but an immoral outgrowth of this controversy. Muslim scholars and preachers, writers, media people and thinkers must speak justice, equity and moderation while assessing situations. Deviation from the path of moderation whether in praise or slander, accord or discord would force some into the abyss of chauvinism. "And follow not (O man i.e., say not, or do not or witness not) that of which you have no knowledge. Verily! The hearing, and the sight, and the heart, of each of those one will be questioned (by
Allâh)." [Al-Isra’: 36] We hereby express our profound respect and sense of pride towards our security forces as they succeed to preempt and abort evil conspiracy, or find out about it in fine details after it happens. This is so by the Grace of Almighty Allah! Our obligation vis-à-vis the security forces is to engage true supplication and active support for them as well as assume individual responsibility towards this country of ours; that
each one of us is a potential security man ready to defend it from his respective position or place. Therefore, let us join hands in this undertaking, following Allah’s Words: "And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allâh (i.e. this Qur’ân), and be not divided among yourselves." [Al Imran: 103]
O Allah! We implore You to protect our country and those of all Muslims against every evil and affliction! O Allah! Make preoccupied with their own evil and turn their plots and their cunning against them those who wish to harm Islam and Muslims!
O Allah! Make preoccupied with their own evil those who wish to harm our country, leaders, scholars, people and unity! Turn their plots and their cunning against them and make that the cause of their own destruction! O Lord of the worlds!
O Allah! Send Your Salat upon Muhammad and his family as You did upon Ibrahim and his family! You are All-Praiseworthy, All-Glorious! O Allah! Send Your Blessing upon Muhammad and his family as You did upon Ibrahim and his family! You are AllPraiseworthy, All-Glorious! O Allah! Be pleased with the four Caliphs and true Imams: Abu Bakr, Omar, Othman and Ali, with all the Companions, the tabi'in, and with those who followed them in righteousness until the Day of Judgement!
O Allah! Grant victory to Your religion, Your Book, the Sunnah of Your Prophet Muhammad (May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him)and Your truly-believing servants!
OAllah! Grant victory to Your religion, Your Book, the Sunnah of Your Prophet Muhammad (May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him)and Your truly-believing servants!
O Allah! Grant victory to those who are Mujahedeen in Your cause in Palestine and everywhere, O Lord of the worlds! O Allah!Save Al-Aqsa Mosque from the evil of the oppressors and the aggression of the occupiers!
O Allah! Alleviate the suffering of our brothers and sisters in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Burma, Central Africa, and everywhere! O Allah! Put an end to their affliction and grant them speedy relief!
O Allah! Defeat the tyrants and oppressors and those who side with them!
O Allah! Guide our leader to do whatever you love and accept! O Allah! Guide him to piety and righteousness! O Allah! Grant him, his Deputies, their brothers and assistants success to do what is good for the people and the country!
O Allah! Grant success to all the leaders of Muslims in order to govern by Your Sharia and follow the Sunnah of Your Prophet (May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him)!
O Allah! Make them merciful to Your true servants!
O Allah! Make safe and prosperous our country and all Muslim countries around the world!
O Allah! Protect us against the evil of wrongdoers and the maliciousness of the lecherous and the evil of those plotting to carry it out by day or night!
"…Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire!" [Al-Baqarah: 201]
"Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and our transgressions (in keeping our duties to You), establish our feet firmly, and give us victory over the disbelieving folk." [Al Imran: 147]
O Allah! Forgive our sins! O Allah! Forgive our sins, cover our flaws, make easy our affairs and make come true our wishes in what pleases You! O Allah! Forgive our sins, those of our parents and our grandparents!
O Allah! Bless their souls as they were mercy on us when we were small!
O Allah! Prolong the lives of those of them who are still alive so that they can worship you more and do more good!
O Allah! Engulf with Your mercy, satisfaction and forgiveness the graves of those who passed away!
O Allah! Make their graves bright and spacious; gardens similar to those in Your Paradise!
O Allah! Join us together with them in Your benefaction!
O Allah! Forgive our sins, those of our parents, our grandparents, our wives and children, You are All-Hearing!O Allah! Help us reach Ramadan,guide us to do good throughout it, and do accept our good deeds, O You, Lord of the Worlds!
O Lord! Accept from us (our supplication), You are the All-Hearing, the AllKnowing! Accept our repentance, You are All-Forgiving, All-Merciful!
Glorified be our Lord, the Lord of Honour and Power! He is free from what they attribute unto Him! Peace be on the Messengers! And all the praises and thanks be to Allah, Lord of the worlds!
__________________________________________________ _______________________________________________
(1) ISIS (the Islamic State in Iraq and Sham) is the English equivalent acronym for the Arabic ‘da’ish’ ( )داعشwhich
refers to “al-Dawlah al-Islamiyyah fi al-‘Iraq wa al-Ash-sham” (.)الدولة الإسلامیة فب العراق والشام
(2) The Arabic expression “barakal-ghimed” implies remote travelling distance without referring to any
specific geographic location. In certain interpretations of the Hadith, the word “Yemen” is explicitly
included in this idiomatic expression denoting, at the time, remoteness.
His Eminence Sheikh Saleh ibn Muhammad al-Talib –May Allah protect him– delivered this Friday’s Khutbah titled “The Merits of Supplicating Allah” in which he talked about the merits of supplicating in general, and particularly in Ramadan. Supporting what he said with quotations from the Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah, he explained the importance and benefits of supplicating and showed its best venues and times and how the servant of Allah can relish at supplicating Allah Almighty and having a secret dialogue with Him.
Part One
Praise be to Allah! Praise be to Allah whose hearing encompasses all voices, and Who knows the supplications of His servants even though they do not speak the same tongue. He controls accomplishments and fulfilments, fends off misfortunes and removes distress. May He be extolled and all praise is duly His. He is All Hearing, All Near; He is the Compassionate, and the Responsive Whose Kindness is extended to His servants in all situations and at all times. I bear witness that there is no deity except Almighty Allah alone with no associate, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger. May Allah's Salat (Graces, Honours, Mercy), Peace and Blessing be upon him, his family, Companions and the tabi’in (contemporaries of the Companions of the Prophet [May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him] after his death) and all those who follow in their footsteps until the Day of Judgement!
Now then, Observe real taqwa vis-à-vis Almighty Allah and hold on to Islam’s firm grip: "O you who believe! Observing As-Saum (the fasting) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqûn (the pious)." [Al-Baqarah: 183] Taqwa is a refuge and a shield; it is a means to gain Allah’s satisfaction and attain His Paradise. The Herein is bound to perish while the Hereafter is everlasting, and to Allah we shall all return.
O fasting Muslims! Congratulations on the honour of time and place and on the (spiritual) shade which the month of fasting and forgiveness is giving to you: "The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur’ân, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong)." [Al-Baqarah: 185] It is a month during which good deeds are multiplied, sins expiated, and prayers answered; a month which includes a night that is better than a thousand months. He who fasts this month out of belief and seeking Allah’s reward will have his past sins forgiven. He who observes night-prayer during it out of belief and seeking Allah’s reward will also have his past sins forgiven. He who observes night-prayer during the night of Al-Qadr (the night of Power) will also have his past sins forgiven. Therefore, come forward, O you who seek benevolence! Go away, O you who seek malevolence!
O Muslims! In this blessed month, Allah’s graces become profuse and amiable for the pious servants enhancing their stamina so as to sublimate their souls and purify their hearts, thereby both their Herein and Hereafter may reach refinement through calling them to Ramadan’s splendid gifts, especially the answering of their supplications. In the Qur’anic verses dealing fasting, the Only True God ‒Glorified be He‒ says: "And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad )صلى الله عليه وسلمconcerning Me, then (answer them), I am indeed near (to them by My Knowledge). I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me (without any mediator or intercessor). So let them obey Me and believe in Me, so that they may be led aright." [Al-Baqarah: 186] In Ramadan, the soul sublimates and gives its total attention to worship; the heart softens in submission to Allah, the eye waters and wells in tears and the vehemence of the self, that of the whim and of Satan subsides and breaks. The fasting Muslim’s condition straightens up as he humbles himself before Allah Almighty. His senses and limbs engage in doing good deeds. He submits totally to his Lord and engages in supplication with certainty, humbleness and insistence before his Lord. Thus, his supplications get heard and eventually answered.
O fasting Muslims! Supplication is a great form of worship that indicates the attributes of the Supplicated: Allah (Glorified be He). Supplication shows the way to Allah Almighty and proves that He is close to His servants. It also indicates His Omnipotence, Might, Self-Sufficiency, Hearing, Seeing, Knowledge, Omniscience, Magnanimity and Generosity. That is why supplication was the indefatigable habit of prophets: "Verily, they used to hasten on to do good deeds, and they used to call on Us with hope and fear, and used to humble themselves before Us." [Al-Anbiya’: 90]
Here is Noah ‒Peace be upon him‒ about whom his Lord says: "And (remember) Nûh (Noah), when he cried (to Us) aforetime. We answered his invocation and saved him and his family from the great distress." [Al-Anbiya’: 76] He ‒Glorified be He‒ also says: "And (remember) Ayyûb (Job), when he cried to his Lord: "Verily, distress has seized me, and You are the Most Merciful of all those who show mercy." So We answered his call, and We removed the distress that was on him, and We restored his family to him (that he had lost) and the like thereof along with them as a mercy from Ourselves and a Reminder for all those who worship Us." [Al-Anbiya’: 83-84] And the grief supplication from Jonah –Peace be upon him: "And (remember) Dhun-Nûn (Jonah), when he went off in anger, and imagined that We shall not punish him (i.e. the calamities which had befallen him)! But he cried through the darkness (saying): Lâ ilâha illâ Anta [none has the right to be worshipped but You (O, Allâh)], Glorified (and Exalted) be You [above all that (evil) they associate with You]! Truly, I have been of the wrong-doers." So We answered his call, and delivered him from the distress. And thus We do deliver the believers (who believe in the Oneness of Allâh, abstain from evil and work righteousness." [Al-Anbiya’: 87-88] "And (remember) Zakariyyâ (Zachariah), when he cried to his Lord: "O My Lord! Leave me not single (childless), though You are the Best of the inheritors." So We answered his call, and We bestowed upon him Yahyâ (John), and cured his wife (to bear a child) for him. Verily, they used to hasten on to do good deeds, and they used to call on Us with hope and fear, and used to humble themselves
before Us." [Al-Anbiya’: 89-90] Our Prophet Muhammad ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him– supplicated Almighty Allah very much and humiliated himself to Him both out of hope and out of fear. He supplicated Him for himself, his Companions, his family and his Ummah. Supplication is a form of worship. It shows man’s servility to his Lord, and shows that he is a helpless creature vis-à-vis an All-Sufficient Creator and that he depends to satisfy his needs on his Beneficent and Omniscient Lord when he raises his hands in humility, submissiveness, and hopefulness, saying: “O Lord! O Lord”. There he feels the pride of his servitude to Allah, cherishes persistence in supplicating Him, and finds spiritual comfort in getting closer to his Merciful Lord and feels relaxed deep down by imparting what is in his heart to his Great Lord. How beautiful such moments are when you supplicate your Lord complaining to Him about your burdens, asking Him alone, and no one else, to grant you what you need, begging Him for requests which you have not asked any human for! Rather, by so doing you will have confirmed His oneness. For He is the All-Powerful, the All-Sufficient Who suffices the servants who come to him in humility to grant them what they need. "Is not He (better than your gods) Who responds to the distressed one, when he calls on Him, and Who removes the evil, and makes you inheritors of the earth, generations after generations? Is there any ilâh (god) with Allâh? Little is that you remember!" [Al-Naml: 62]
O Muslims! Our Lord ‒Most High and Glorified be He– commissioned us to supplicate Him and to plead our needs before Him. "And your Lord said: "Invoke Me, [i.e. believe in My Oneness
(Islâmic Monotheism) and ask Me for anything] I will respond to your (invocation)." [Ghafir: 60] Where are those supplicating their Lord in response to His Call, their Lord Who is calling them to supplicate Him so that He may answer their supplications? The Prophet ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒ said, “Nothing is more noble to Allah than supplication.” [Narrated by Tirmidhy and Ibn Majah] He also said, “Supplication is the best form of worship.” [Narrated and considered authentic by AlHakim] Supplicating Allah with persistence is a necessary measure towards removing distress and fending off misfortunes. Khalil Al-Rahman (1) said: ""And I shall turn away from you and from those whom you invoke besides Allâh. And I shall call upon my Lord and I hope that I shall not be unblest in my invocation to my Lord."" [Mariam: 48] Prophet Zachariya ‒Peace be on him– said: "He said: "My Lord! Indeed my bones have grown feeble, and grey hair has spread on my head, And I have never been unblest in my invocation to You, O my Lord!" [Mariam: 4] How many a hopeless situation has been rectified after it was thought to be irreparable! How many a tyrant went to sleep, but received the arrow of Allah’s response to supplicants’ prayers before he woke up! Supplication –O you Muslims– is the passion of prophets, the attribute of messengers, the indefatigable habit of the righteous, and the intent of worshippers. With supplication, they seek and target the most favourable places. Allah’s houses (mosques) and Mount Arafat witnessed their imploration; their secret conversation with Allah was mixed with the darkness of night and the passing of time. Little wonder to see that supplication is the crown of worship. It is part of all the pillars of Islam, and it takes the forefront position thereof. When a worshipper prostrates himself, he is closest to Allah Almighty; prostration is the position of supplication when performing prayers. The greatest pillar of Hajj is standing in Mount Arafat, and this is the greatest place for supplication. You can hardly find a mandatory form of worship without concomitant supplication.It is part of good manners for Muslims to choose supplications with complete concentration –the ones that encompass the good of both the Herein and the Hereafter. They should be from among the supplications of the Prophet ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒ such as, “O Lord! Give us good in the Herein and good in the Hereafter, and protect us from the torture of Hellfire!” and “O Allah! Make good my religion which is the safeguarding of my life, make good my world in which I live, and make good my Hereafter to which I shall return! Make living an increase of all kinds of good for me, and make death a relief for me from every evil.” [Narrated by Imam Muslim] One should choose the times when supplications are more likely to be answered such as the fasting days, the time of breaking one’s fast, predawn time, during prostration, the last third of the night, the time between athan (call to prayer) and iqamah (just before starting prayer), and during the response time on Friday. The Prophet ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒ said, “Three supplications are not turned down: the parents’, the fasting person’s, and the traveler’s.” [Narrated by Al-Baihaqi, with a good chain of narration] One should also observe the supplication ethics such as the purity of the body, facing the qiblah (Makkah), raising one’s hands, insistence with submissiveness, humility and a lowered voice. Allah, the Almighty says: "Invoke your Lord with humility and in secret. He likes not the aggressors." [Al-Acraf: 55] Narrated Salman –May Allah be pleased with him‒ that the Prophet –May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him– said, “Verily, your Lord is diffident and generous; he would be diffident to see the raised hands of a supplicant return with nil reward” or he said ‘disappointed.’” [Reported by Ibn Majah and Al-Bayhaqi] The Prophet –May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him– also said, “The supplication of a servant will always be answered as long as he does not supplicate for sin or for severing kinship ties.” [Reported by Imam Muslim] The more faith a servant has in his Lord the more his supplication will be accepted; and the more humble and devout he is the closer he will get to obtaining that he has asked for. The Messenger of Allah ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒ said: "Hearts are vessels, and some of such vessels are more conscious than others. Therefore, when you supplicate Allah ‒Exalted be He‒ O people, supplicate Him and be certain of acceptance, for Allah does not answer a servant who supplicates Him while his heart is forgetful." [Narrated by Imam Ahmad from the hadith by Abdullah Ibn Amr ‒May Allah be pleased with him]
O fasting People! Being alone with Allah has its secrets and spiritual overflows that wash the ‘rust’ off the hearts and purify them; so let the servant of Allah choose a suitable time of his day or
night to be alone with his Lord, away from the noise and jostle of daily life in order to talk and complain to his Lord, to beg and flatter his Master. O Allah! How impactful these times of seclusion with Allah are on the soul, senses, and heart!? In fact, when kneeling or prostrating (to Allah) with eyes filled with tears, right then the doors of mercy are opened, supplications accepted, needs satisfied, and wrongdoings forgiven: "And in the hours before dawn, they were (found) asking (Allâh) for forgiveness.", [Al-Zâriyât: 18] "Their sides forsake their beds, to invoke their Lord in fear and hope" [Al-Sajdah: 16] Some of the salaf (righteous predecessors) said: "I feel happy when the night approaches because my life becomes pleasurable and my soul tranquil while I am having a secret conversation with Allah and submit in humility in front of Him." Indeed, the joy and happiness that a believer experiences in that closeness (to Allah) is the happiness, joy and tranquillity with Allah. This state entices one to continue walking towards Allah, to be close to Him, to supplicate in His majestic presence, and to seek His pleasure in everything. Whoever does not feel this pleasure or some of it should accuse his faith and deeds; for real faith has a special sweet flavour and whoever does not taste it must seek some light
with which he can regain the sweetness of faith. Supplication is the path of those who desire to get closer to Allah and the means of those who seek His satisfaction; it is the intercessor which is cannot be rejected, and the arrow that does not miss its target. Thus, when an opportunity of supplication presents itself to you, then this means that Allah has decreed good for you. Raise your hands to your Lord and supplicate Him with a humble heart and eyes shedding tears truthfully and sincerely and with certainty that Allah never rejects a supplicant nor does he fail him:
"Invoke your Lord with humility and in secret." [Al-A'râf: 55] Rest assured and hopeful, for our Lord is Generous: "Is one who is obedient to Allâh, prostrating himself or standing (in prayer) during the hours of the night, fearing the Hereafter and hoping for the Mercy of his Lord (like one who disbelieves)? Say: "Are those who know equal to those who know not?" It is only men
of understanding who will remember (i.e. get a lesson from Allâh's Signs and Verses)." [Al-Zumar: 9]
O Allah! We implore You to bless us with the Noble Qur'an and the Sunnah, to make them beneficial to us and to raise our status through the verses and wisdom they contain! This being said, I ask Allah, the Almighty, to forgive your sins and mine!
Part Two
Praise be to Allah! He is kind with His blessing, and He is the All-Sufficient; He sent down His mercy and He is the Most High. I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah alone with no associate. We have no intercessor or Lord except Him. I also bear witness that Mohammad (May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him) is His Servant and Messenger. May Allah send His Salat, Peace and Blessing upon him, his family, all of his Companions, the tabi'in and those who follow them righteously till the Day of Judgement!
Now then, During Ramadan people profusely supplicate in groups and as individuals in a state of humility and submission, begging their Great Lord, asking Him for the best of what He has, as He is the Most Generous. Supplication is most likely to be accepted and have the greatest impact if the supplicant understands its words and recognises its meanings. The worst malady that may strike the Ummah is when its forms of worship become mere formalities and routines; then weakness will prevail and the Ummah will become a body without a soul. Here, we find those who perform prayers but such prayers do not preclude them from committing sins. These prayers have no significant positive effect on their lives. Others fast only by abstaining from food and drink. In a hadith, the Prophet is reported to have said: "He who does not give up telling lies and keeps acting so, as well as engaging in offensive behaviour, Allah is in no need of his leaving his food and his drink.” [Narrated by Imam Bukhari] So be true to your Lord, think about your supplications, understand their meaning, and present your needs to your Great, Generous Lord.
Supplicate Allah insistently and keep calling Him wholeheartedly and in total submissiveness: “O You, the Owner of Majesty and Honour”; and during the shifting conditions of the Ummah, its painful reality, with every sorrow or disaster that befalls an individual or a group these divine scented breezes are meant to change people’s lives from grief to relief, from hardship to ease, and from affliction to benefaction. Those who are oppressed, subjugated, victimised and grieved on earth must take advantage of these times, for the Great Lord is indeed Omnipotent, All-Capable, Most High, All-Mighty, Irresistible, His Kingdom is within His Hand and He is capable of everything. He is not made incapable by the plotting of the plotters or the malice of the malicious. Rather, He does what He wills and His command ‒Elevated and Exalted be He‒ rests on the two (Arabic) letters: the Kaf and the Noon.(2) The voice of a pure devout believing servant supplicating his Lord submissively and humbly with hope and fear is dearer to the Creator than any other voice; for if the Generous accepts happily the repentant sinners, so imagine that he would do with a believing servant who constantly supplicates and repents unto Him! How much we are in need of supplication at all times and at this time in particular! Calamities are numerous, life is growing more complicated, earning a living is becoming tighter for people, and afflictions both on individual and public levels are continuous. Therefore, nothing saves man except a sincere return to his Lord, supplicating Him with certainty that relief comes from Him.
O fasting people! Do supplicate your Lord times and times again, for you are at a time where Allah ‒Exalted be He‒ will generously answer His righteous servants and generously bestows on
the sincere, fasting ones among them. This is indeed the right time for supplication and the expression of your needs to the Most Generous, the Most Merciful. Supplicate Allah for yourselves, your parents and progeny; supplicate Him for your leaders and those who are defending you at your countries outposts and borders. It is your duty to supplicate Allah for them. Mosques must resound with supplications for them. O Allah! We ask You for all the good: that which is immediate and that which is deferred, that of which we know and that of which we do not! O Allah! We seek refuge in You from all evil, that which is immediate and that which is deferred, that of which we know and that of which we do not! We ask you (to grant us) from the bounty which Your Servant and Messenger Muhammad ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒ has asked you for! We seek refuge in You from the worst and most evil from which Your Servant and Messenger Muhammad ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒ has sought refuge in You! O Allah! We ask You to set right our religion, our Herein, and our Hereafter!
This being said, send (O you Muslims) your salat and peace upon the best of Allah’s creatures, Muhammad Ibn Abdullah, the Hashimite, the Quraishite (May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him)! O Allah! Send Your Salat, Peace and Blessing upon Your Servant and Messenger, Muhammad, his virtuous and pure family, and his brave companions! O Allah! Be pleased with the four rightly-guided Caliphs: Abu Bakr, Omar, Othman and Ali, all the Companions of Your Prophet (May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him), and all those who follow their path and Sunnah, O You, the Lord of the Worlds!
O Allah! Grant glory to Islam and to Muslims and fail polytheism and polytheists, destroy the enemies of religion, and make this country along with all Muslim countries safe, secure, and tranquil!
O Allah! Whoever intends to harm us or our country, or call for division, O Allah, return his malice against him and make his plotting his own destruction!
O Allah! Grant victory to our soldiers who are positioned at our country's borders!
O Allah! Be their supporter and helper!
O Allah! Reward them for their good deeds, help them protect the borders, guide and protect all our security men everywhere!
O Allah! Guide and protect all our security men everywhere!
O Allah! Grant us security in our homes, set right our imams and leaders!
O Allah! Grant us security in our homeland and homes, set right our imams and leaders!
O Allah! Support with the Truth our leader! O Allah! Grant him success to follow Your Guidance and make his deeds win Your satisfaction!
O Allah! Grant him a righteous retinue!
O Allah! Guide him and his two deputies to do what is good for the people and the country!
O Allah! Show them the right path!
O Allah! Push away from us expensiveness, epidemics, usury, fornication, earthquakes, calamities, and the worst trials both those overt and hidden!
O Allah! Set right the conditions of Muslims everywhere!
O Allah! Gather them around the Truth and righteousness!
O Allah! Stop their bloodshed, replace their fear with security, protect their religion, honour, countries, and properties!
O Allah! Be on the side of the oppressed who are stricken with calamities!
O Allah! Grant victory to the oppressed Muslims everywhere!
O Allah! Grant them victory in Palestine!
O Allah! Grant them victory in Palestine!
O Allah! Grant victory to the Murabitoun (stationed defenders) around Alquds (Jerusalem), and gather them on the Truth, O Lord of the Worlds!
O Allah! Grant victory to Your religion, Your Book, the Sunnah of Your Prophet Muhammad (May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him) and Your truly-believing servants!
O Allah! Destroy the enemies of religion for You are capable of doing so!
"Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the[ Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire!" [Al-Baqarah: 201]
O Allah! Make our souls pious, purify them, for You are their best purifier! You are indeed their Lord! O Allah! We ask You for forgiveness, good health, and constant wellbeing in religion, this life, and the hereafter!
O Allah! Whatever good we asked you for in this generous month, O Allah, make the biggest share of it to us, our parents, grandparents, progeny, wives, and our Muslim beloved ones!
O Allah! Forgive our sins, cover our flaws, make easy our affairs and let our wishes come true in what pleases You!
O Allah! Do accept our prayers, fasting, supplications, and good deeds, for You are indeed the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing! And forgive us! You are indeed Most Forgiving, Most Merciful!
Glorified be Your Lord, the Lord of Honour and Power! You are free from what they attribute unto You! May peace be upon all the Messengers! And all praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds!
_______________________________________________
(1) Khalil Al-Rahman or Khalil Allah ( )خليل الرحمن / خليل اللهis an epithet of Ibrahim (Abraham) peace be upon him,
meaning close friend to Allah Almighty.
(2) The Arabic letters kaf ( )كand noon ( )نmake kun ( )كنwhich is the imperative form of kana ( ,)كانmeaning ‘be’
or ‘come into existence.’
Khutbah Topic
His Eminence Sheikh Saleh al-Talib –May Allah protect him– delivered this Friday khutbah entitled “Bidding Farewell to the Month of Ramadan”in which he talked about the month of Ramadan and the end of this season of good deeds. He also reminded his congregation of the need to continue doing good deeds after Ramadan and throughout the whole year.
Part One
Praise be to Allah! Praise be to Allah, the Initiator and Regenerator of creation. He instigates the re-coming of the Eid for His servants year after year. He makes promises (to reward doers of good) and issues threats(to punish doers of evil), but His promises always precede His threats. Praise be to Allah! Glorified be He! May His Names be sanctified! May He be extolled! All praise is due to Him! His blessings are countless and His graces are beyond enumeration. Innumerable thanks are therefore due to Allah in return for His innumerable blessings! I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah alone with no associate and I bear witness that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger. May Allah send His Salat (Graces, Honours, and Mercy), Peace and Blessingupon him, his family, his Companions, the tabi’in (the contemporaries of the Companions of the Prophet [May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him] after his death), and upon all those who piously follow in their footsteps till the Day of Judgement!
Now then! Observe taqwa of Allah (fear of disobeying Him) and show gratitude to Him. Obey His commands and never disobey Him. "O you who believe! Fear Allâh (by doing all that He has ordered and by abstaining from all that He has forbidden) as He should be feared. [Obey Him, be thankful to Him, and remember Him always], and die not except in a state of Islâm (as Muslims) with complete submission to Allâh."[Al Imran: 102] We praise Allah Almighty and show Him gratitude for the blessing of completing the observance of fasting in Ramadan and for His abundant favours and graces. We beseech Him –Be He extolled– to acceptour good deeds and yours and to beg His pardon for any negligence and faulty conduct on our part. May Allah respond to the insistent supplications of His humble servants during early night hours and may He accept their religious observances during the elapsed days!
O Muslims! Congratulations on this Eid! Blessed be you with what your Lord has stored for you on the day rewards will be increased! May Allah make all your lifetime full of bliss and may He
grant you the best reward and even more (1). May your days be blessed and your years longer in doing good deeds.May Allah accept your pious deeds, and may your lifetimes be associated with benevolence! How great the joy of those fasting is when they break their fast and when other people are frightened and they feel secure! "The greatest terror (on the Day of Resurrection) will not grieve them, and the angels will meet them, (with the greeting): "This is your Day which you were promised.""[Al-Anbiya’: 103] Whoever trades with Allah will reap much benefit from that trade, because in return for little work he will gain a huge reward. How generous Allah is!
O Muslims! Eid is a nice occasion for open-handed people to extend their hands in the various fields of charity and benevolence so that faces will be brightened with smiles and hearts overwhelmed with joy. Eid reinforces the bonds of parenthood and kinship as well as the brotherly relations with fellow Muslims and neighbours. Thus,hearts would get closer thanks to this mutual affection and grudges would be lifted.
O you who are celebrating Eid Al-Fitr! This is a day of gratitude and remembrance of Allah. It is a day of eating and drinking. Fasting on the Eid day is haram (forbidden), because doing so would imply a refusal to be the guest of the Generous Lord. So, consume permissible foods and drinks, feel happy, and show signs of happiness and joy with the Eid day and with the completion of Ramadan worship rites. "Say: "In the Bounty of Allâh, and in His Mercy (i.e. Islâm and the Qur'ân); -therein let them rejoice." That is better than what (the wealth) they amass."[Yunus: 58] Then, ask Allah to accept your good deeds, for among the salient traits of sincere believers is the one described in the following Qur’anic verse: "And those who give that (their charity) which they give (and also do other good deeds) with their hearts full of fear (whether their alms and charities, etc., have been accepted or not), because they are sure to return to their Lord (for reckoning)."[Al-Mu’menoon: 60] Narrated Aisha –May Allah be pleased with her– “I askedProphet Muhammad –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– about the following verse: "And those who give that (their charity) which they give (and also do other good deeds) with their hearts full of fear...". Aisha said, ‘Is it about those who drink wine and steal?’
He said, “No, daughter of al-Siddeeq [an epithet of her father Abu Bakr]. It is about those who observe fasting, perform prayer, and give charity, but they fear that their deeds should not be accepted. They are people who compete in doing good deeds.” [An authentic hadith narrated by al-Tirmithi]
O servants of Allah! Blessed be he whose fast and supererogatory night prayers have been accepted and whose sins and crimes have been expiated by Allah! Blessed be he who returns from the Eid Prayer after being awarded the prize of the benevolent Lord! As for those who spent the month of Ramadan distracted by trivialities and showed disrespect vis-à-vis their duties, and
whose Eid Feast would consequently reflect nonchalance and moral regression, they could only benefit from the outward appearance of Eid Al-Fitr and are likely to gain nothing except hard luck as they have missed its initial and final blessings.
O Muslims! It is an unalterable divine rule that every creature on earth is doomed to depart this life and every form of existence is destined for extinction. So, let us call ourselves to account and assess our own deeds, for the merchant always takes a break after the trade season is over in order to make an inventory, calculate his assets and liabilities, learn from his own mistakes,
and reinforce his achievements. I swear by Allah that a trade with Allah whose profit is paradise deserves more auditing and crosschecking effort (than any other trade). Allah has commanded you to observe these forms of worship in order to train you to adhere to taqwa, to impart to you lessons on patience, and to help you restrain your instinctive drives. Notice how you have developed a certain affinity for acts of obedience and a kind of abhorrence for acts of disobedience. You have also become cognizant with the value of time and life, and you have experienced the rapid flow of time by day and night. Therefore, Ramadan is an exemplary model of worship as it epitomizes the ecstasy of worship, repentance, and steadfastness. So, have we learnt the lesson? When a Muslim maintains the same rhythm of his worship rituals irrespective of the time interval during which they are regularly performed, it is one of the irrevocable proofs of divine acceptance and moral rectitude: "And worship your Lord until there comes unto you the certainty (i.e. death)."[Al-Hijr: 99] "Among the believers are men who have been true to their covenant with Allâh [i.e. they have gone out for Jihâd (holy fighting), and showed not their backs to the disbelievers], of them some have fulfilled their obligations (i.e. have been martyred), and some of them are still waiting, but they have never changed [i.e.they never proved treacherous to their covenant which they concluded with Allâh] in the least."[Al-Ahzab: 23] Keep up your worship rituals and stay away from sinning: "Be not like her who undoes the thread which she has spun, after it has become strong. […]"[Al-Nahl: 92] Nor like "[…]those who have changed the Blessings of Allâh into disbelief (by denying Prophet Muhammad صلى الله علیھ و سلمand his Message of Islâm)"[Ibrahim: 28] O you whom your Lord has saved from the Hellfire! Beware not to revert to it as a result of sinning! To those who have filled the mosques performing congregational prayer, I say ‘Make sure you do not neglect your prayers’. To those who have been patient observing halal (lawful deeds), I say ‘Stay the course fighting off the temptation of haram (forbidden deeds) until you are recompensed with Paradise:’ "[…] and (He) has enjoined on me Salât (prayer), and Zakât, as long as I live."[Maryam: 31]
O you Muslims! The area of righteousness is so broad and its concept so comprehensive. It includes those deeds that spring from the heart and limbs both inwardly and outwardly. In every action or inaction, you assume there is a potential act of obedience to Allah Almighty and perseverance worshipping Him. Righteousness involves both private and public deeds for the individual as well as for the group. All deeds are accounted for in the balance of the individual including his good intentions. These are kept in record in a book "[…]that leaves neither a small thing nor a big thing, but has recorded it with numbers."[Al-Kahf: 49] Therefore, do take good care of your time and do not belittle any of your deeds: "So whosoever does good equal to the weight of an atom (or a small ant) shall see it. And whosoever does evil equal to the weight of an atom (or a small ant) shall see it."[Al-Zalzalah: 7-8]
O Allah! We implore You to bless us by the Noble Qur'ān and the Sunnah and to make them beneficial to us through the verses and wisdom they contain! This being said, I ask Allah, the Almighty, to forgive my sins and yours!
Part Two
Praise be to Allah Whose Grace engenders all acts of righteousness and Who possesses the Best Names and the loftiest Attributes. I bear witness that there is no deity worth worshipping except Allah alone with no associate and that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger; a witness whereby we hope to win His satisfaction and save ourselves from the torment of His chastisement (on the Day of Judgement).
O Muslims! All of the Muslim’s lifetime is a special season. Every second in the life of those whom Allah has granted success is an opportunity for achieving further righteousness, reward and a lofty status in Paradise. Therefore, let Ramadan be the beginning of a long season where fate marks the end of one’s deeds and the advent of ‘Eid’.
O servants of Allah! As continuation to the acts of righteousness observed during the month of Ramadan, the month of Shawwal features a divine favour and a prophetic Sunnah that Almighty Allah has bestowed upon His servants so that He may raise their status and double their rewards. He has sanctioned the fasting of six days during Shawwal as a supererogatory act of benevolence following the obligatory fasting of Ramadan. Abu Ayoub Al Ansari –May Allah be pleased with him– reported that the Messenger of Allah‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ said: “He who observes Al-Saum (fasting) in the month of Ramadan, and also observes Al-Saum for six days in the month of Shawwal, it is as if he had observed Al-Saum for the whole year." [Narrated by Imam Muslim] These six days of Shawwal may be fasted altogether in a row, or at intervals, whether at the beginning, middle or end of the month. Although it is better to fast these days every year, there is no obligation to do so as this is utterly optional. Therefore, you are called upon to seek as many blessings as possible, to avoid lingering about your worshipping, to observe taqwa at all times, to hasten your pace down the path to Allah, to get ready and work hard for the Day of Account when you shall meet Allah. Do not waste your time for fate is the fastest thing to come to you.
This being said, I advise you to send your salat and peace upon the one whom Allah has called out to you to ask Him to send His Salat and Peace upon him. Allah, the Almighty, says: "Allâh sends His Salât (Graces, Honours, Blessings, Mercy) on the Prophet (Muhammad ,)صلى الله علیھ وسلمand also His angels (ask Allâh to bless and forgive him). O you who believe! Send your Salât on (ask Allâh to bless) him (Muhammad ,)صلى الله علیھ وسلمand (you should) greet (salute) him with the Islâmic way of greeting (salutation i.e. As-Salâmu ‘Alaikum." [Al Aḥzab: 56]
O Allah! Send Your Salat and Peace upon Your Servant and Messenger Muhammad, upon his virtuous and immaculate family,his blessed Companions, the rightly-guided Imams and Caliphs, Abu Bakr, Omar, Othman and Ali, upon all the Companions of Your Prophet Muhammad (May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him), and upon those who righteously followed them, O Lord of the Worlds!
O Allah! Grant glory to Islam and Muslims!
O Allah! Fail polytheism and polytheists (who associate partners with You) and destroy the enemies of Your religion!
O Allah! Grant this country and all Muslim countries security and peace!
O Allah! Grant us security in our homelands, and set right our Imams and leaders!
O Allah! Support with the Truth and success our Imam and leader!
O Allah! Grant him success to abide by Your guidance and make his deeds to Your satisfaction!
O Allah! Grant him, his deputies, his brothers and his assistants success in doing what is best for the people and the country and make them a torch of guidance to the path of righteousness!
O Allah! Set right the conditions of Muslims everywhere!
O Allah! Gather them around Your guidance and the Sunnah of Your Prophet!
O Allah! Stop their bloodshed, reassure them, safeguard their religion, honour, properties and homes, and suppress their enemy!
O Allah! Be with the defenseless among Muslims everywhere!Grant victory to Your Holy Book, the Sunnah of Your Prophet, and the believers among Your servants!
O Allah! We leave the enemies of Your religion to You for You are more than a match to them!
O Allah! Shove away from us expensiveness, epidemics, usury, adultery, earthquakes, trials, and the worst ordeals whether implicit or explicit!
"[…]…Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire!" [Al-Baqarah: 201]
O Allah! Forgive our sins, cover our flaws, make easy our affairs and make come true our wishes in what pleases You!
O Allah! Forgive our sins, those of our parents, our grandparents, our wives and children, You are All-Hearing!
O Allah! We implore You to accept our fasting, night prayers, supplication and righteous deeds, to help us persevere down the path of Truth and guidance, and to make the last of our deeds the most benevolent, O You, the Most Merciful!
O Allah! We implore You to bestow the biggest share of whatever good we have asked of You throughout this month of blessing on us, on our parents, grandparents, their children, our brothers and sisters, wives and children, on those who have asked us to supplicate for them and on those who have loved us through You!
O Lord! Accept from us, You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing! Accept our repentance! You are the One Who forgives, the Merciful! The last of our supplications is ‘praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds!’
(1) The expression in bold face is adopted from the Holy Qur’an " لِل َّذِینَ أ َحْسَنُوا الْحُسْنَى وَزِیَادَة": "“For those who have done good is the best (reward, i.e. Paradise) and even more (i.e. having the honour of glancing at the Countenance of Allâh…"[Yunus: 26].
His Eminence Sheikh Saleh ibn Muhammad al-Talib –May Allah protect him– delivered this Friday Khutbah titled Azan: Merits and Rulings in which he talked about azan, its merits as well as the merit of the muezzin and the reward awaiting him on the Day of Resurrection. He also explained the merit of responding to the azan by repeating what the muezzin says and mentioned the most important rulings related to it.
Part One
Praise be to Allah Almighty! We praise Him, seek His help, and implore Him for forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from the evils of ourselves and from our sinful deeds. He whom Allah chooses to guide,none can misguide and he whom Allah chooses not to, none can guide. I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah alone with no associate, and I also bear witness that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger. May Allah send His Salat, Peace and Blessing upon him, his family, and Companions until the Day of Judgement!
Now then, Observe true taqwa of Allah, the Almighty, and grasp the most trustworthy handhold (1) of Islam. "O you who believe! Fear Allâh (by doing all that He has ordered and by abstaining from all that He has forbidden) as He should be feared. [Obey Him, be thankful to Him, and remember Him always], and die not except in a state of Islâm (as Muslims) with complete submission to Allâh." [Al Imran: 102] Observe taqwa of Allah truly and sincerely so that He is totally obeyed, remembered, and thanked,with no sign of disobedience, oblivion, or denial. "[…] and whosoever fears Allâh and keeps his duty to Him, He will make his matter easy for him." [Al-Talaq: 4]
O you Muslims! When the Prophet ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒ came to Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah, he built a mosque and performed prayers.Azan did not exist then as we
know it today, and Muslims used to wait for the prayers’ time and gather in the mosque for this purpose. The Prophet ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒ was anxious about how to assemble people for congregational prayers. Sharing his concern, Muslims took counsel with one another about that important issue. Some suggested raising a banner when it was prayer time. Once Muslims saw it, they would notify one another. But the Prophet ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒ did not like it. Others said: “You’d rather light a guiding fire.”The Prophet ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒ said: “That was the practice of the Magi.”Some others mentioned blowing horns, but the Prophet ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒ did not like that either. “That was the practice of the Jews,” he said. Still some others suggested ringing a bell, but the Prophet ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒ turned this suggestion down saying:“This is what the Christians do.” It was the aspiration that this Ummah be distinguished by its religious rites and manifestations. Abdullah Ibn Zaid –May Allah be pleased with him– said, “I went back to my folks feeling dejected in sympathy with the Prophet’s concern ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him.” “I had a dream: there was a man wearing two green garments and holding a bell in his hand. ‘Would you sell me that bell?’ I asked him. ‘What do you want to do with it?’ he inquired. ‘We want to use it to call to prayer,’ I answered. ‘Shall I show you something better?’ he asked. ‘Yes, sure’ I answered. ‘You say, Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar; Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar; ash-hadu an la ilaha illa Allah, ash-hadu an la ilaha illa Allah; ashhadu anna Muhammadan rasoolu Allah, ash-hadu anna Muhammadan rasoolu Allah; hayyi ala as-salah, hayyi ala as-salah; hayyi alal-falah, hayyi alal-falah; Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar; la ilaha illa Allah,’ (2) he said.” Abdullah Ibn Zaid continued, “The man moved a few steps away then said, ‘Before starting your prayer, you should say: Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar;ash-hadu an la ilaha illa
Allah; ash-hadu anna Muhammadan rasoolu Allah; hayyi ala as-salah; hayyi alal-falah; qad qamati as-salat, qad qamati as-salat; Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar; la ilaha illa Allah.’” (3) The formula of azan can be translated as follows: Allah is Great (4 times), I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah (twice), I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah twice), come along to prayer (twice), come along to success (twice), Allah is Great (twice), there is no deity except Allah (once). The formula of the iqamah (beginning of Prayer), which is quite similar to azan, can be translated as follows: Allahu akbar (twice), I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah (once), I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah (once), come along to prayer (once), come along to success (once), prayer begins herewith (twice), Allah is Great (twice), there is no deity except Allah (once). “In the morning, I came to the Prophet ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒ and told him about my dream. “It is indeed a vision of truth, Allah willing!” Go to Bilal and tell him about your dream and let him do azan. His voice is more pleasant than yours. So I went with Bilal and mentioned the words to him, and he was chanting azan(calling to prayer using those words). Omar Ibn Al-Khattab, still at home, heard it and came running, dragging his cloak saying, ‘I swear by Him Who sent you with the Truth, O Messenger of Allah, that I had the same dream!’ ‘Al-hamdu lillah,’ (Praise be to Allah) the Prophet ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒answered’.” [Narrated by Ahmed, Abu Dawud and others with an authentic chain of narration]
O servants of Allah! This is how azan started! From then on, the Prophet ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒had muezzins.Among them were Bilal Ibn Abi Rabah, Abu Mahzoorah and
Abdullah Ibn Ummi Maktoom –May Allah be pleased with them– who raised the name of Allah Almighty high in their azan, and He in turn raised their status in people’s memory. Also, His Messenger was pleased with them, and Muslims loved them.
O Muslims! The azan words imply a declaration of Allah’s Oneness,Greatness and Divinity. It is a testimony to His Oneness and to the Message He had sent; theyare a call to prayer and to success. The words of azan cleanse the soul five times daily. Could the soul ever be tarnished after that? The heart yearns for these words, and the soul finds infinite comfort in them. They ripple to the ear declaring that there is no deity except Allah and that none is greater than Him. The words of azan call out: “O you believer!If you have done good deeds in the past few hours, then you should work harder in the coming hours. If, however, you have sinned, then you should expiate your sins, and let the hours cancel each other out. One act changes another, and a minute that remains in your life embodies a great hope in attaining Allah’s mercy.” Throughout the hours of the day, the believer displays his account (of deeds), humbly stands before Allah and turn it into Him. What situation would it be for the one who spends his entire life waiting while every few hours the call “Allahu akbar” is being repeated? From one prayer time to another, day and night, the Muslim clock chimes, “Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar.” From one prayer time to another, day and night, the spiritual words “Allahu akbar” resonate and people respond “Allahu akbar”, so that the believers can easily follow the pathof good deeds and learn how to achieve within mankind the meaning of togetherness within their household. Thus the response to every call becomes instilled in them and integrated in their natural disposition without any coercion. The words of azan were a divine inspiration from Allah Who chose them for this Muslim Ummah and distinguished it therewith. “Al-hamdu lillah!” (Praise be to Allah) is the expression said before by the Prophet ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒(when he learnt about the azan words), and we now say it after him.
O Muslims! How many great benefits are indeed missed by those who hear the muezzin but do not respond to his call nor repeat the azan words! In his Sahih, Imam Muslim narrated that Omar Ibn Al-Khattab quoted the Prophet‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒ as saying:‘If the muezzinsays: ‘Allahu akbar, Allah akbar,and you repeat after him: ‘Allahu akbar, Allah akbar,’ and then he says: ‘Ash-hadu an la ilaha illa Allah,’and you repeat after him: ‘Ash-hadu an la ilaha illa Allah,’ and then he says: ‘ash-had anna Muhammadan rasoolu Allah,’ and you repeat after him: ‘ash-had anna Muhammadan rasoolu Allah,’ and then he says: ‘hayyi ala as-salah,’and you say after him: ‘La hawla wa la quwata illa billah,’ and then he says: ‘hayyi alal-falah,’and you say after him: ‘La hawla wa la quwata illa billah,’ and then he says: ‘Allahu akbar, Allahu Akbar,’ and you repeat after him: ‘Allahu akbar, Allahu Akbar,’and then he says: ‘la
ilaha illa Allah,’and you repeat after him: ‘la ilaha illa Allah,’ from the bottom of your heart, you would enter Paradise.” It is reported in the Two Sahihs, quoting Abu Sa’id Al-Khudri ‒May Allah be pleased with him‒ that the Prophet ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒ said, “If you heard the call to prayer, repeat what the muezzin says.” Imam Muslim quoted Anas Ibn Malik ‒May Allah be pleased with him‒ as saying that when the Prophet ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒ heard a man saying, “Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar,’ he said, ‘By natural disposition!’ Then the man continued, ‘Ash-hadu an la ilaha illa Allah, Ash-hadu an la ilaha illa Allah.’ The Prophet ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒ said, ‘You are saved from the Hellfire’.” In his Sahih, Imam Muslim reported that Sa’d Ibn Abi Waqqas ‒May Allah be pleased with him‒ heard the Prophet ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒ say, “He who says, ‘ash-hadu an la ilaha illa Allah wahdahu la sharika lahu wa anna Muhammadan abduhu wa rasooluh; radhitu bi-llahi rabban wa bi-Muhammadin rasoolan wa bi-l-Islami deenan,’ all his sins will be forgiven.” (4) Abdullah Ibn Amr Ibn Al-As ‒May Allah be pleased with him‒ narrated that he heard the Prophet ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒say, “When you hear the muezzin, say as he says, then send your salat upon me,for Allah will send upon you ten salats for the one salat that you send upon me. Then, ask Allah to grant me Al-Waseelah –a position in Paradise that is only reserved for one of Allah’s servants– and I hope that this servant is me. He who implores Allah to grant me Al-Waseelah deserves my intercession.” [Narrated by Imam Muslim]
Jabir Ibn Abdullah narrated that the Prophet ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒ said, “He who says, ‘Allahumma rabba hathihial-da’wati at-tamah wa as-salati -lqa’imah, aati Muhammadan al-waseelata wa-l-fadheelah wa-b‘ath-hu maqaman mahmoodan al-lathi wa’adtahu (Al-Baihaqi added, ‘innaka la tukhlifu l-mee’ad,’ deserves my intercession on the Day of Resurrection.” (5) [Narrated by Imam Bukhari]
O Muslims! Here are four sunnahs and four merits: The four sunnahs: The first sunnah is to repeat what the muezzin says except for thetwoexpressions‘hayyi ala as-salah,’‘hayyi alal-falah.’
The second is to accept Allah asour Lord, Muhammad as our Messenger and Islam as our religion. The third is to send salat upon the Prophet ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him. The fourth is to ask Allah to grant him Al-Waseelah.
The four merits are: The first merit: the Muslim will be granted Paradise. The second merit: the Muslim will be spared Hellfire The third merit: the Muslim’s sins will be forgiven. The fourth merit: the Muslim will gain the Prophet’s intercession. There is also a fifth merit: Supplicating Allah between the azan and the Iqamah is accepted. Imam Ahmad and others narrated via Abdullah Ibn Amr Ibn Al-Aas ‒May Allah be pleased with him‒ that a man said to the Messenger of Allah ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ “O Messenger of Allah! The muezzins have an advantage over us by making azan.” The Messenger of Allah ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ said to him: “Say as they say; When you finish ask (Allah) and He will give you.”
The compilers of the Sunan(books) narrated via Anas Ibn Malik ‒May Allah be pleased with him‒ that the Messenger of Allah‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ said: “Supplication between the azan and the iqamah is not rejected.”
O Muslims! Allah, the Almighty, says: "And who is better in speech than he who [says: "My Lord is Allâh (believes in His Oneness)," and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites (men) to Allâh's (Islâmic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: "I am one of the Muslims.""[Fussilat: 33] Aisha ‒May Allah be pleased with her‒ said: “This verse (above)was revealed about muezzins.” This means that they are included in this verse. Who is worthier of the name“caller to Allah” than the muezzin?Every day, he calls to the Oneness of Allah and to prayer, which are the two greatest pillars of this religion.Again, which call is more complete than the azan about which the Prophet‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ said: “O Allah, the
Lord of this complete (most perfect) call?!” The muezzins will have the longest necks as the Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ said in the Hadith narrated by Imam Muslim. It is a metonymy of dignity and honour; for they will be looking forward to the reward of Allah, the Almighty. They will be the ones who have the longest necks when,on the Day of judgement,sweat bridles people. On the Day of Judgement, Allah will honour and be generous to the muezzin, for everyone and everything that heard his voice will witness in his favour. The messenger ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ said: “No jinn, human, or thing hears the voice of the muezzin but comes as a witness for him on the Day of Judgement." [Narrated by Imam Bukhari]
Let Muslims: those who live in the wilderness or in the desert make azan.Let Muslims who live in foreign countries make azan in public areas where it is possible to raise their voices, for how many doors of good it has opened and how many straying people it has guided (to truth)! Regarding competition to make azan, the Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ says: “If people knew the reward of the call to prayer and of the first line (while praying), they would throw the lot.” [Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim] Ibn Rajab ‒May Allah bless his soul‒ said: "The Hadith is an evidence of the honour and merit of azan, and a preference to compete for it among the notables; the most distinguished people used to compete in order to be able to make it.” Omar ‒May Allah be pleased with him‒ said: “If I could afford to make azan in addition to being the Caliph, I wouldhave made it.” Sa’d Ibn Abi Waqqas ‒May Allah be pleased with him‒ said: “If I were able to make azan, I would have liked it more than making Hajj, Umrah or Jihad.” The meaning of this was also conveyed by Ibn Omar and Ibn Mas’ud.Ibn Az-Zubair said: “I would have loved it had the Messenger of Allah ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ given us azan.” May Allah be pleased with all of them! Abu Hurairah ‒May Allah be pleased of him‒ narrated that the Messenger of Allah ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ said: “The Imam (prayer leader) is a guarantor and the muezzin is trusted. O Allah! Guide the imams and forgive the muezzins.” [Narrated by Abu Dawud and Al-Tirmidhi, and was judgedauthentic by a group of scholars in Hadith authentication] The azan, while being made, is better than leading the prayer according to many scholars; the muezzin deserves to be treated generously and benevolently as has been indicated by the Prophet’s Sunnah.
O servants of Allah! Some of the rulings of azan include the fact that it is a Sunnah which should be made by men and not women; it should be made indwelling or travelling for either the group or the individual, whether the prayer is made on time or delayed. The Sunnah requires that the voice of the muezzin should be loud enough and nice; he should be trustworthy and knowledgeable in terms of prayer timing. Another Sunnahrequires that he should make azanstanding, having made wudhu, facing the qiblah, and turning to both sides alternatively when he says, “Hayyi ala s-salah, hayyialal-falah”! He should make azanslowly and with ease;however, he should make iqamah quickly. So, congratulations to the one who awaits his reward from Allah
whether while he is making azan or repeating after the muezzin. This is azan and these are some of its merits for the muezzins as well as for the ones repeating after them. The believing soul is more sublime and stronger than matter and abasement; it must endure the troubles of life firmly and strongly.It is indeed as if azan were saying: Don’t be frustrated; this is the order… Don’t go astray; this is the way… . This is the call and nothing else can be beyond your ability as long as your word is‘Allahuakbar.’
O Allah! Bless us by the Qur’an and the Sunnah and grant us benefit from the verses and wisdom they contain. I say what I have said and ask Allah Almighty to forgive you and me.
Part Two
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful, the only owner of the Day of Judgement.I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah alone with no associate, the King, the Ultimate Truth. I also bear witness that Muhammad ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ is His Servant and Messenger, the truthful, the trustworthy. May Allah send His Salat, Peace and Blessing upon him, his family, and all his Companions!
Now then, O Muslims! In a dear Muslim land, the tyrant and enemy of Sham is still committing massacres one after the other in such a way that even foreign enemies would not dare to commit against the people of a foreign country. The most recent of these massacres that this criminal committed was in Duma where he killed dozens of children and burnt down dozens of houses in a public Souk which is not a battle field. It is the hatred and malevolence that he and his party have for Arabs and Muslims, especially that he has handed his humiliated neck to the
scorpion of the region.All of them are joined by the animosity of their religious denomination, race, and history against the people of Sham. Nevertheless, the world is still watching and there is no supporter except Allah. O Allah! We ask You to make what the tyrant of Sham has done the last of what he could ever do and the first steptowards his decline! O Allah! Move in him what is still, and make still in him what is moving and make him an example for those who are willing to learn! O Allah! Hasten Your punishment on him and those who help him! O Allah! You are
indeed a match for them! O Allah! Avenge the martyrs, the wounded, the widows, the orphans, and the oppressed, and please our hearts and the hearts of the believers! O Allah! Be kind to our brothers and sisters in Sham and fasten their relief, O You, the Most Merciful of all!
O Allah! Send Your Salat upon Muhammad and his family as You did upon Ibrahim and his family, and bless Muhammad and his family as you did with Ibrahim and his family! You are the All-Praiseworthy, the All-Glorious!
O Allah! Be pleased with the rightly-guided Imams and Caliphs, Abu Bakr, Omar, Othman and Ali, with all the Companions of Your Prophet Muhammad ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ and with those who righteously follow them till the Day of Judgement!
O Allah! Grant victory to Your religion, Your Book, the Sunnah of Your Prophet Muhammad ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ and Your truly-believing servants!
O Allah! Grant victory to the Mujahedeen in Your cause in Palestine and everywhere, O Lord of the Worlds!
O Allah! Protect our country and Muslim countries from all kinds of evil!
O Allah! Make preoccupied with their own evil and make their plotting return against them those who intend to do any evil against us, Islam, or Muslims! O Allah! Make preoccupied with their
own evil and return their plots and their cunning against them, those who intend to harm us, our country, leaders, scholars, people, and unity, O Lord of the Worlds!
O Allah! Guide our leader to do and say whatever You love and accept; guide him to benevolence and piety! O Allah! Guide him, his two deputies, his brothers, and assistants to
do whatever is good for the people and the country!
O Allah! Guide the leaders of Muslims to rule according to Your Sharia, and follow the Sunnah of Your Prophet Muhammad ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him!
O Allah! Make them a mercy on Your truly believing servants!
O Allah! Make safe and prosperous our country and those of all Muslims around the world! Protect us against the malevolence of wrongdoers, the maliciousness of the lecherous and the evil of those plotting to carry it out by day or night!
"…Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire!" [Al-Baqarah: 201]
""Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and our transgressions (in keeping our duties to You), establish our feet firmly, and give us victory over the disbelieving folk."" [Al Imran: 147]
O Allah! Forgive our sins, cover our flaws, make easy our affairs and let our wishes come true in what pleases You!
O Allah! Forgive our sins, those of our parents, and our grandparents,
O Allah! Have mercy on them as they have brought us up as children!
O Allah!For those of them who are still alive, grant them sound health and welfare so they can worship You, and for those of them who are deceased, we implore You –O Allah– to bless
their souls with Your Mercy, to lighten their graves, and to make them spacious gardens similar to those in Your heavens!
O Allah! Join us to them in the Dwell of Your Generosity (Paradise)!
O Allah! Forgive our sins, those of our parents, our grandparents, their progeny, our wives and children, You are All-Hearing!
O Allah! Do accept our good deeds, for You are indeed the All-Hearing, the AllKnowing! And forgive us! You are indeed Most Forgiving, Most Merciful!
Glorified be Your Lord, the Lord of Honour and Power! You are free from what they attribute unto You! May peace be upon all the Messengers! And all praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds!
(1) The expression in bold face is borrowed from the Holy Qur’an: Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse 256 " ... فقد استمسك . ..."فقد استمسك بالعرة الوثقى ..." and Surah Luqman, Verse 22 "بالعروى الوثقى ...
(4) The Arabic transcribed words can be translated as follows: I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah alone with no associate, and that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger. I have accepted Allah as my Lord, Muhammad as my Messenger, and Islam as my religion.
(5) The Arabic transcribed words can be translated as follows: O Lord of this complete Call and the prayer that is going to be performed, grant Muhammad the Waseelah, the Special Favour, and the praiseworthy position which You promised him. You never break Your promise.
His Eminence Sheikh Saleh Ibn Muhammad Al Talib –May Allah protect him– delivered this Friday khutbah entitled “Merits of the ‘Limited Number of Days” in which he talked about the Tashreeq Days. They are the “limited number of days” which Allah –May He be glorified– mentioned in the Holy Qur’an. The Sheikh explained what the pilgrim as well as the non-pilgrim should do during these days. Then, he reminded his congregation of the rulings pertaining to the slaughter animal,exhorting them to follow the Sunnah and avoid invented fabrications in religion.
Part One
Praise is due to Allah! Praise is due to Allah Whose Realm is glorifying Him! He truly deserves praise. May our Lord, Allah, be glorified and raised far above everything! Pilgrims hastened to respond to Him,travelling long distances to Makkah. I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah alone with neither partner nor peer, and I bear witness that Muhammad, who is the best of all Messengers, is the Servant and Messenger of Allah. May Allah send His Salat (Graces, Honours, and Mercy), Peace and Blessing upon him, his family, and his Companions until the Day of Judgement!
Now then, O Muslims! Hold fast to whatever pleases Allah and do adhere to taqwa (fear of disobeying His commands) vis-à-vis Him, for taqwa is the best commandment, the ideal provision to be made for the Hereafter, and the unsurpassed deed to be performed and stored for the future. It is through taqwa that blessings can be possibly obtained, afflictions warded off, deeds reformed, souls refined, sins forgiven, and depravities expiated. "O you who believe! Keep your duty to Allâh and fear Him, and speak (always) the truth.He will direct you to do righteous good deeds and will forgive you your sins. And whosoever obeys Allâh and His Messenger (SAW) he has indeed achieved a great achievement (i.e. he will be saved from the Hell-fire and made to enter Paradise)." [Al-Ahzab: 70-71]
O Pilgrims to the Ancient House of Allah! O Guests of the Compassionate! May Allah show you contentment with your deeds! What magnificent and blessed days you have spent and what fragranced nights you have experienced! You stood on the Arafah of Allah (Mount Arafat) and enjoyed full exposure to His Mercy and Forgiveness. Then, you spent the night at Mozdalifah making supplication to Allah at the sacred site on the eve of Eid Al-Ad’ha (Sacrifice Feast), which is the most blessed Eid. In the following morning, you lived the best day on earth, the Day of Immolation, the Day of the Greater Hajj. It is the greatest feast for Muslims, both the pilgrims and the rest of Muslims around the world. You stood on Arafah, made supplications, implored Allah to respond to your prayers, threw pebbles at jamarat, had your hair cut, and finally arrived at Allah’s Ancient House. "Verily, the first House (of worship) appointed for mankind was that at Bakkah (Makkah), full of blessing, and a guidance for Al-'Alamîn (the mankind and jinns). In it are manifest signs (for example), the Maqâm (place) of Ibrâhim (Abraham); whosoever enters it, he attains security. And Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) to the House (Ka'bah) is a duty that mankind owes to Allâh, those who can afford the expenses (for one's conveyance, provision and residence); …" [Al Imran: 96-97] On these hills, misdeeds are remitted, graces and blessing are hoped for, sins and wrongdoings are expiated, virtuous deeds are accepted, and ranks are raised. So, hold the sacredness of the House into high esteem and try hard to benefit from the blessings of both the timing and venue (i.e. hajj season). Your Prophet –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him–says:“Whoever performed hajj to this House and abstained from committing misdeeds would return home just like a newly-born baby (i.e. .sin-free).” [This hadith is agreed-upon (among the hadith scholars)]. Again, in the two Sahih books (by Imam Muslim and Imam Bukhari), Prophet Muhammad –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him–said: “The mabroor (accepted) Hajj has no (better) reward but Paradise.”
O servants of Allah! Today is the eleventh day of Dhu-l-Hijja (the last lunar month in the Muslim calendar); it is the first of the three Tashreeq Days (following the Eid Day), which are also known as Mina Days. Prophet Muhammad –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– called it “The Day of Settlement” because pilgrims settle down in Mina in preparation for throwing the pebbles (at jamarat) and spending the night there. In an authenticated narration, Prophet Muhammad –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him–said, “For Allah, the Day of Immolation is the greatest Day, then comes the Day of Settlement.”[Narrated by Ahmed and Abu Dawood] The hajj rituals to be performed today and the following tashreeq days include throwing pebbles at the three jamarat, spending the night at Mina, shortening the four rak’ah salats (prayers) without combining them.That is to say, each prayer must be performed in its regular timing, and keep remembering and mentioning Almighty Allah. Also, make a lot of tahleel (la ilaha illa Allah: there is no deity except Allah), takbeer (Allahu Akbar: Allah is Greatest), tahmeed (Alhamdu li-llah: Praise be to Allah), and tasbeeh (subhana Allah: Glory be to Allah).
Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar! La ilaha illa Allah! Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, wa lillahi al-hamd! (Allah is Greatest, Allah is Greatest, Allah is Greatest! There is no deity except Allah! Allah is Greatest, Allah is Greatest, and praise be to Allah!)
These are the “limited number of days” mentioned in the Holy Qur’an where Allah says: "And remember Allâh during the appointed Days…"[Al-Baqarah: 203] Make takbeer when you throw the pebbles at the jamarat; make takbeer when you immolate the (sacrificial) animal; make takbeer after the five (congregational) prayers, and make takbeer anytime. The rightly-guided Caliph, Omar Ibn Al-Khattab ‒May Allah be pleased with him‒ used to have a domed room at Mina from which he would make takbeer and people would make takbeer after him until Minashakes with their takbeer. Therefore, raise your voice with takbeer in obedience to Allah until the entire earth echoes your takbeer and until your takbeer towers to reach the heavens. Do make takbeer so that the Ummah could proclaim that obedience and subservience are to be strictly reserved for Allah, that humility and servility are to be exclusively shown to Him, and that He is indeed the Greatest. The sole provenance of assistance and support is from Allah and reliance should only be upon Him before proceeding to any action. "… and that you must magnify Allâh [i.e. to say Takbîr (AllâhuAkbar; Allâh is the Most Great) on seeing the crescent of the months of Ramadân and Shawwâl] for having guided you so that you may be grateful to Him." [Al-Baqarah: 185] In fact, all our religious ceremonies consist of tahleel, takbeer, shukr (saying ‘thank Allah’), and dhikr (remembrance and mention of Allah): "And say: "All the praises and thanks be to Allâh, Who has not begotten a son (nor an offspring), and Who has no partner in (His) Dominion, nor He is low to have a Walî (helper, protector or supporter). And magnify Him with all the magnificence, [AllâhuAkbar (Allâh is the Most Great)]."" [Al-Isra’: 111]
Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar! La ilaha illa Allah! Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, wa lillahi al-hamd!
Abu Moossa Al-Ash’ari –May Allah be pleased with him– used to say, “After the Day of Immolation, there are the three days which Allah mentioned as “the appointed days,” during which supplications are not rejected.” Therefore, do articulate your wishes in your supplications to Allah –to Whom belong Might and Majesty. Nubaishah Al-Hudhali –May Allah be pleased with him– narrated that Prophet Muhammad –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him–said: “The Days of Mina are days of eating, drinking, and remembering Allah.” [Reported by Imam Muslim]. It has to do here with gratifying the body’s needs with the pleasures of eating and drinking, and satisfying the needs of the hearts and souls with remembering Allah and thanking Him. This is how blessings are completed.
Allahu Akbar kabeera(n)! Al-hamdu lillahi katheera(n) wa subhana Allahi bukratan wa aseela(n)! (Allah is truly Greatest! Profuse praise is due to Allah! May Allah be glorified morning and evening!)
O pilgrims to the Sacred House of Allah! Congratulations! You have completed ‒thanks to Allah‒ the fifth pillar of Islam. Earlier on this very holy site, Allah had perfected our religion: "… This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islâm as your religion…" [Al-Ma’idah: 3] On this particular site, Allah has completed two blessings for you: the blessing of perfecting religion as well as the perfection of your religiosity. So, do acknowledge Allah’s favours and do grant these blessings their true value. Congratulations then once more on the completion of your hajj rituals! Enjoy the glad tidings of Allah’s promise to accept your hajj, and Allah never breaches His promise!
O you pilgrims! These days, you are standing on the land of the Revelation (to our Prophet Muhammad –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him)and the land of the Message (sent to humanity). You have seen the Ka’bah, embraced the Black Stone, performed prayer at the Maqam of Ibrahim, made sa’iy just like Hager (2) did, offered a sacrificial animal just like Ibrahim did, surrendered to the will of Allah just like Ismail did, performed circumambulation around the Ka’bah just like Muhammad–May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him and upon all the other prophets– did, visited the cradle of the pious Companions, and walked in hope for Allah’s reward and in total faith in Him. Who knows? Perhaps your footsteps coincided with those of such highly revered individuals! Perhaps, you performed circumambulation exactly where they did theirs! Perhaps, your sa’iy itinerary coincided with theirs! They are memorable moments revived across time and space and experienced by the successive generations of the Ummah, which can only deepen its sense of faith, strengthen its convictional certitude, and enhance its righteousness. They are indescribable feelings and inexpressible sentiments which are exclusively experienced by those who have performed such rituals and readily responded to their call. They are times, places and deeds which overwhelm your fatigued heart and instil into it a rebirth of spirit, sow in it the seeds of piety, and boost its faith. How great this religion is! How beautiful such Islam is! It is pure faith, unshakable belief, commendable behaviour, justice, equality, mercy, and action. Thus, if you aspire to glory as experienced by your predecessors and seek victory and empowerment as enjoyed by your ancestors, then just follow in their footsteps and adhere to their tradition. Prophet Muhammad –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him–said: “Stick to my Sunnah [tradition] and that of the rightly-guided caliphs after me; hold fast to it and never follow invented additions to religion because every such fabricated invention is misguidance.” In this vein, Imam Malik –May Allah have mercy on his soul– said: “The later generations of this Ummah will never improve their conditions except if they proceed to the same course of action which had once improved the conditions of its earlier generations.” His statement ‒May Allah have mercy on his soul– is validated by the following holy verse: "…Allâh will not change the good condition of a people as long as they do not change their state of goodness themselves (by committing sins and by being ungrateful and disobedient to Allâh)…" [Al-Ra’d: 11] As a rule, if Muslims do not unite on the basis of truth, they will diverge because of falsehood. If they are not united by the worship of the Compassionate, they will be disunited and torn apart through obedience to Satan. In addition, if they do not manage to unite on the basis of the word of tawheed (i.e. there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone with no associate), they will constantly remain in confusion and tumult.
O Muslims! Hasten to unite on the basis of the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Prophet–May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him. In the Holy Qur’an, the verse reads as follows: "And verily! This your religion (of Islâmic Monotheism) is one religion, and I am your Lord, so keep your duty to Me." [AlMu’minoon: 52] In fact, your deity is Allah; there is no deity except Him. Your prophet is Muhammad –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him; your book is the Holy Qur’an; your religion is Islam, and your Qiblah is the same. So, why should there be such schisms and conflicts if you have at your disposal the Book of Allah (the Holy Qur’an) and the Sunnah of His Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him? Once you stick to both of them, you will never go astray.
O servants of Allah! O Pilgrims to the Sacred House of Allah! Your Lord –May He be glorified– says: "So when you have accomplished your Manasik [(i.e. Ihrâm, Tawâf of the Ka'bah and As-Safâ and Al-Marwah), stay at 'Arafât, Muzdalifah and Mina, Ramy of Jamarât, (stoning of the specified pillars in Mina) slaughtering of Hady (animal, etc.)]. Remember Allâh as you remember your forefathers or with a far more remembrance. But of mankind there are some who say: "Our Lord! Give us (Your Bounties) in this world!" and for such there will be no portion in the Hereafter.And of them there are some who say: "Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire!"For them there will be alloted a share for what they have earned. And Allâh is Swift at reckoning." [Al-Baqarah: 200-202] Therefore, keep remembering, thanking, and supplicating Allah.
O pilgrims to the House of Allah! The Truth (Allah Almighty) says: "And remember Allâh during the appointed Days. But whosoever hastens to leave in two days, there is no sin on him and whosoever stays on, there is no sin on him, if his aim is to do good and obey Allâh (fear Him), and know that you will surely be gathered unto Him."[Al-Baqarah: 203] Therefore, whosoever hastens to leave Mina, he could do so after throwing the pebbles at the Jamarat on the 12th day of Dhi-l-Hijjah. However, whosoever stays on, he would spend the night of the 13th of the month and could then throw the pebbles on that day (13th). Prior to returning to his homeland, the pilgrim must perform the Farewell Tawaf, without having to do sa’iy or the shaving. For women who happen to be in menstruation or bleeding following child birth, they are exempted from the Farewell Tawaf. The same applies to the inhabitants of Makkah. May Allah Almighty accept our good deeds and yours!
O pilgrims to the Sacred House of Allah! O you Muslims wherever you may be! Do praise Allah for having guided you, and do perform the slaughtering ritual in the hope that He may accept from you this sacrifice. Do mention the Name of Allah for what He has bestowed upon you, and praise Him for His blessings and Graces. Eat from the meat of the animals you have slaughtered, give some of it away as charity and store the rest for yourselves. Keep away from what you have been prohibited to do. Bear in mind that the slaughtering days are four. They are the Eid day, and the following three Tashreeq days. Also remember the words of Allah –May He be extolled– in this regard: "It is neither their meat nor their blood that reaches Allâh, but it is piety from you that reaches Him. Thus have We made them subject to you that you may magnify Allâh for His Guidance to you. And give glad tidings (O Muhammad )صلى الله علیھ وسلمto the Muhsinûn (doers of good)." [Al-Hajj: 37]
May Allah Almighty bless me and you with the Holy Qur’an, and May He make beneficial to us the Sunnah of the Master of all messengers. I say this, and I ask Allah for forgiveness, for me and for you.
Part Two
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate, the Owner of the Day of Recompense! I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship save Allah, the King, the Clear Truth. I also bear witness that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger, the truthful, the honest one. May Allah’s Salat, Peace and Blessing be upon him, his family and all of his Companions!
Now then, The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with all its leaders, facilities, administrative apparatuses and institutions, spares no effort in the service of the pilgrims, and those Umrah performers or visitors. For years and years, and with great pride, the government of Saudi Arabia has been sponsoring and running the Hajj season with a high degree of competence and care. This should not be scathed by an accident caused by some pilgrims who were pushing and stampeding each other, or who did not follow the directives and instructions delivered to them. If Allah Almighty has willed martyrdom for some of His servants, then all the better for them as they happen to die in the best circumstances and the most honourable place on earth; and if He has willed for some others to be afflicted with some injuries, for which they shall be rewarded, then it is utterly unacceptable to ignore all the efforts and achievements that have thus been put forth, and employ such mishap for gloating and false outbidding. It is pure meanness and cynicism to beat one’s drum over the affliction of Muslims and to exploit it in order to achieve mundane gains and political ends. The Kingdom –Praise be to Allah– is able to manage the Hajj affairs without outbidding, and its sovereignty in carrying out this trust of serving the Two Holy Mosques, with which Allah Almighty has honoured it,goes undisputed. Such a trust is indeed an important precept assumed by the Kingdom’s Constitution and Statutes.The on-going construction works and the achievements that have already been made in this respect, with all the care that has been put forth for the sake of the Two Holy Mosques and their visitors, constitute clear and ample evidence to this effect.Allah Almighty has engulfed His House and His guests with security and peace of mind at a time when the world undergoes great turmoil and suffers from the fires of strife and wars. Praise be to Allah, Who has madeavailable for His Sacred Land truthful protectors through whom He has safeguarded religion,the country and the people. "Have they not seen that We have made (Makkah) a secure sanctuary, while men are being snatched away from all around them?" [Al-Ankabut: 67] While we praise Allah for His blessings in facilitating the pilgrimage and protection of hundreds of thousands of pilgrims, we hereby express our sadness as to the incident that was bound to happen to some of the pilgrims yesterday, who were meant to meet their Lord in the unfortunate stampeding event in Mina. Despite everything, we say only what pleases Allah with no indignation or objection to His Will. While efforts are being made to investigate the causes of the accident so that similar incidents will not occur in the future and the negligent are promptly brought to account, the efforts of tens of thousands of organizers and those serving the guests of the Merciful must not be ignored: those who have accompanied the pilgrims every step of the way, organizing them and following-up with them. They make secure their pathways, organize the crowds, care for the sick, help those lost among the pilgrims find their way, feed the hungry, give drinks to the thirsty, and help the disabled. To all of those who spent the time and effort in the service of the pilgrims we express our thanks and gratitude, and we supplicate Almighty Allah for them. Indeed, their hidden efforts outnumber those that are visible to people. May Allah recompense them and double their reward! It is unfair for some to exploit this incident in order to put into doubt or deprecate the efforts being put forth. The world has witnessed impressive endeavours and acts of giving from the part of the inhabitants of the country of the Two Holy Mosques, whether they are private individuals or public institutions. It is a fact that those who possess no sense of shame would permit themselves to do anything they like. It is therefore bitterly ironic that such individuals set themselves to fake mourning of the martyrs of Mina; these are the same kind of people who hold a criminal record of heresy that was previously manifested in the Holy Mosque through killing, bombing, smuggling weapons, terrifying and threatening pilgrims, and attempting to drive people away from it. It is only ironic that those faking feelings of concern and acts of mourning over the lives of Muslims are the same ones that are sending dozens of militias to Iraq, Yemen, and Syria for the killing of hundreds of thousands of Muslims and the displacement of millions, and for storing huge reserves of weapons in many Muslim countries. They are the ones who are nurturing hatred in the hearts of those who have fallen victim to their deception; they are teaching these people indoctrinated slogans, vowing to slaughter three-quarters of Muslims. May Allah protect Muslims from their malevolence and guide those who have been misled by them! To those ‘dancing over the wounds,’ with much ecstasy and jubilation, we say that‘the leaf of `piety` hiding your true nature has fallen and truth has finally come out’ and that those who have been skeptical about you may now see right through you. Allah Almighty has made many among us realize the difference between right and wrong, friend and foe. These are but the screams of the desperate and the murmurings of the shameless. The passing days have incurred nothing but disgrace on you, and such incident has added but insult to injury for you. You shall soon witness that which will please true Muslims, but make you sad… that which will rid the Arabs and Muslims of their calamities, but suppress and subdue you.
Here, at the Second Qiblah (the Holy Mosque in Makkah) we turn with our hearts to the First Qiblah, the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the land of Palestine, whose people have set the best example in endurance and sacrifice. By Allah, your efforts and perseverance shall not be in vain. It has been a long night for you, but daybreak is imminent. You have suffered and endured much agony and pain, but this only bolstered your spirit of sacrifice and stamina for patience. Just remember, that after patience there is but success. Your Zionist enemies and Allah’s have grown even more oppressive. However, Allah can hear and see everything. "… And if Allah had willed, He could have taken vengence upon them [Himself], but [He ordered armed struggle] to test some of you by means of others. …" [Muhammad: 4] Your records overflow with what would elevate you before Allah while theirs teem with what would incur His wrath. Both records are due to reach the end of their terms indeed.While you are destined to reap benevolence in the Herein, the Hereafter, or both, they are doomed to accrue but perdition and loss in the Herein, the Hereafter, or both. Therefore, glad tidings for you! Keep up the good hope, patience and perseverance, and observe taqwa of Allah so that you may succeed!
O pilgrims to the Sacred House of Allah! Let it be known to you that the government, with its leaders, facilities, administrative apparatuses, and institutions, is sparing no effort in your service and towards facilitating your pilgrimage. Order has been set for your own interest and all the efforts put forth for your sake. Therefore, you are called upon to follow the directives and instructions, to sense the sanctity of the place and time, and to show exemplary conduct and ethical behaviour. Observe serenity and decency.Do your best, strive, seek to draw near (to Allah), and be hopeful since you are before a Generous Lord. May Allah Almighty make your Hajj accepted into His Grace, your efforts approved and appreciated and your sins forgiven!
Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar! La ilaha illa Allah! Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, wa lillahi al-hamd!
This is said, send (O you Muslims) your Salat upon Muhammad Ibn Abdullah, the best of Allah’s creatures, and the most honest human being. O Allah! Send Your Salat, Peace and Blessing upon Your Servant and Messenger, Muhammad, upon his kind and pure family, and upon his pious Companions!
O Allah! Be pleased with the rightly-guided Imams and Caliphs, Abu Bakr, Omar, Othman and Ali, all of Your Prophet’s Companions, and those who righteously followed them, O You, the Lord of the worlds!
O Allah! Grant glory to Islam and Muslims, degrade polytheism and polytheists (who associate partners with You) andgrant safety and security to this homeland and to those of all Muslims!
O Allah! Grant us security in our homelands! Set right our leaders and those responsible for our affairs! O Allah! Support with the Truth our leader and ruler, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques!
O Allah! Grant him success to abide by Your guidance and guide him to what you like and accept!
O Allah! Prepare for him a righteous retinue!
O Allah! Reward him with Your Grace and Beneficence in return for his service and care vis-à- vis the Two Holy Mosques, the pilgrims and those performing Umrah!
O Allah! Grant him, his two deputies, his brothers and assistants success!
O Allah! Set right the conditions of Muslims everywhere! O Allah! Set right the conditions of Muslims everywhere!O Allah! Unite their word on the Truth and the right guidance!
O Allah! Spare their blood, safeguard their tranquility, bring them close together, and feed their hungry!
O Allah! Grant victory to the defenseless among our fellow Muslims wherever they may be, and unite them around the truth, O Lord of the worlds!
O Allah! Grant victory to Your religion, Your Book, the Sunnah of Your Prophet and Your believing servants!
O Allah! Do punish the enemies of religion, for You are more than a match to them!
O Allah! Do punish the enemies of religion, for You are more than a match to them!
O Allah! Do punish the Zionist usurpers! Do punish them, for You are more than a match to them!
"Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire!" [Al-Baqarah: 201]
O Allah! Forgive our sins, pardon our shortcomings, make easy our affairs, and fulfil our hopes in accordance with Your pleasure! O Lord! Forgive us, our parents, our grandparents,and their children,O You, Who hears our prayers!
O Lord! Forgive us, our parents, our grandparents, our wives and our children and all the Muslims!
O Allah! We implore You to protect the pilgrims and those performing Umrah!
O Allah! We implore You to protect the pilgrims and those performing Umrah, and to help them carry out their rituals with ease!
O Allah! We beseech You to accept (the good deeds)from us and from them!
O Allah! We implore You to accept from the pilgrims their Hajj, and to respond to their supplications!
O Allah! Do make their Hajj an accepted one, their efforts approved and appreciated and their sins forgiven!
O Allah! Do help them make a safe and successful return to their homelands!
O Allah! Accept (good deeds) from us and from them!
O Allah! Set our hearts on the truth and guidance and grant us a good ending, O You, the Most Merciful!
O Allah! Grant success and assistance to our security forces and those in the service of the pilgrims, and reward them with Your beneficence and benevolence, O Lord of the worlds!
O Allah! Double their rewards, upgrade their ranks, and forgive their sins, You the Living, the Everlasting, the Lord of Honour and Majesty!
Our Lord! Do accept from us (the good deeds) as You are the All-Hearing! Do accept our repentance as you are the Most Forgiving, Most Merciful!
Glorified be our Lord,the Lord of Honour and Power! You are free from what they wrongly attribute unto You! May peace be upon all the Messengers! All praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds!
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(1) In some translation of the meanings of the Holy Qur’an, the phrase ‘ayyaam ma’doodaat’ ( )أیام معدوداتis translated “appointed days” but “limited number of days” is closer to the Arabic meaning.
(2) Hager was the second wife of Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH) and the mother of Prophet Ismael (PBUH). She accompanied her husband, Prophet Ibrahim, to Makkah and was, with her son Prophet Ismael, the first settlers there. Her walking between the hills of Safa and Marwa in frantic search for water for her thirsty babyson, Ismail is commemorated in a ritual known in hajj or Omrah as sa’iy.
Faithfulness: One of the noble characters of the Prophet (May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him)
October 30, 2015 ~ Muharram 17, 1437
Khutbah Topic
His Eminence Sheikh Salehal-Talib –May Allah protect him– delivered this Friday khutbah titled “Faithfulness: One of the noble characters of the Prophet (May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him)”in which he talked about the Prophet’s ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him– nobility of character, with special reference to faithfulness. On the basis of the Prophet’s biography, the Sheikh cited examples of his faithfulness ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him– vis-à-vis his wives, daughters, Companions, Al-Ansar, and even the polytheists and the prisoners of war. He also exhorted Muslims to uphold this noble character and warned against treachery and perfidy,which are among the characteristics of the hypocrites.
Part One
Praise be to Allah Almighty! We praise Him, ask Him for help and seek His forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from the evils of ourselves and from our sinful deeds. He whom Allah guides, no one can lead astray, and He whom He misguides, no one else can guide him. I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah alone with no associate, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger. May Allah send His Salat, (Graces, Honours, Mercy) Peace and Blessing upon him, his kind and virtuous family, his righteous and pious Companions and the tabi’in (the contemporaries of his Companions after his death) and all those who follow in their footsteps until Judgement Day!
Now then, The best discourse is the Book of Allah, and the best guidance is Muhammad’s ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him. The worst of all things are innovations (in religion); every innovation is a bid’ah (heresy) and every bid’ah is misguidance. Adhere to taqwa (fear of disobeying Allah), submit to Almighty Allah and never disobey Him. "O you who believe! Fear Allâh (by doing all that He has ordered and by abstaining from all that He has forbidden) as He should be feared. [Obey Him, be thankful to Him, and remember Him always], and die not except in a state of Islâm (as Muslims) with complete submission to Allâh." [Al Imran: 102] O Allah! Please make our slips very few, forgive our sins, and with your Clemency pardon the ignorance of he who asks none but You! You are All-Forgiving. A sinner has no escape from his sin except to You.
O servants of Allah! The Messenger of Allah,Muhammad ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒ is the only person to be really great. Every great figure has a skeleton in the closet –a secret that he does his utmost to keep under wraps. This is not so with Prophet Muhammad ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him! He made his whole life an open book for all to read; there is not a single page closed, not a single line blotted out. It is open to the public to read from it whatever they want to.He alone permitted his Companions to disseminate and relay all they knew about him, so they narrated everything they witnessed about him.
O servants of Allah! Among his great moral qualities conveyed by his Companions is faithfulness which, in its broad sense, means fulfilling one’s duties, rewarding good deeds, maintaining love and honouring pledges. The Prophet ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒ excelled in this respect and has neither competitor nor peer. His noble character‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒ is faithfulness. He is faithful to his Lord. Unrivalled in worshiping Allah, the Messenger of Allah‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒ fulfilled all his worshiping duties vis-à-vis Allah as did Ibrahim –Peace be upon him‒ whom the Qur’an described thus: "And of Ibrâhim (Abraham) who fulfilled (or conveyed) all that (what Allâh ordered him to do or convey)," [Al-Najm: 37] He‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒ used to say: “I swear to Allah that I am the most pious and the most fearful vis-à-vis Allah.” When he stood for prayer, the Messenger of Allah‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒ used to lengthen it till his feet swelled and cracked(with fatigue). “O Messenger of Allah!” ‘Aisha would tell him, “Why are you doing this to yourself? Has not Allah forgiven you all your past and future sins?” “O ‘Aisha!” he would answer, “Shouldn’t I be a thankful servant?” [Narrated by Imam Muslim] It is also mentioned in the two Sahihs(books) quoting al-Mughirah ‒May Allah be pleased with him. He‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒ used to ask Allah for forgiveness and to repent to Him a hundred times a day.
Fulfilling one’s duties towards one’s parents and being good and dutiful to them as they raised him and took good care of him during infancy are epitomes of faithfulness par excellence and this becomes all the more pronounced when the parents are aged and feeble. After their death, being faithful to them continues through praying Allah for them and giving alms on their behalf.
Faithfulness is one of the moral qualities of the Prophet ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him. Quoting Abu Hurairah ‒May Allah be pleased with him‒Imam Muslim narrated that the Prophet ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒ visited his mother’s grave; he cried and made everyone else around him cry. He said: “I asked Allah for permission to supplicate Him to grant her forgiveness, but my supplication was declined. I supplicated Him to permit me to visit her grave, and permission was granted. Go and visit the graves; they do remind you of death.”
Faithfulness is one of his moral qualities‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him. It is mentioned in the two Sahihs that Al-Abbas Ibn Abdulmuttalib–May Allah be pleased with him– said, “O Messenger of Allah! Have you done AbuTalib any good turn? He used to protect you and support you?” “He is in a shallow area of the hellfire,” he answered. “Had it not been for me, he would have been in the deepest deck of the hellfire,” he concluded.
Faithfulness to his wives is one of the moral qualities of the Prophet ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him. The most benevolent among you is the most benevolent to his family. “I have never felt jealous of any of the Prophet’s wives,” said Aisha‒May Allah be pleased with her‒ “as I did of Khadija, though I never saw her. The Prophet ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒used to mention her very often that he would slaughter a sheep, chop it into pieces and then give it in charity for her.” “It was as if Khadija were the only woman in the world,” I would say to him. “She was so and so; and she gave me children,” he would answer. “I was given her love,” he would continue. Aisha ‒May Allah be pleased with her‒ is quoted in the two Sahihs as saying: “Halah bint Khuwailid –Khadija’s sister– requested an audience with the Prophet ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒ and he recognized Khadija’s request, which gave him comfort (another version says, ‘which alarmed him’) and he said, ‘O Allah! It is Halah!” On the Day of Badr, al-‘As ibn al-Rabi’ was taken prisoner, and Makkans sent ransom to set their prisoners free. To pay for her husband’s freedom, Zainab, the Prophet’s daughter, sent money and a necklace which was Khadijah’s wedding gift to her. Looking at the necklace, the Prophet was deeply touched and he remembered his early days (with Khadijah). His yearnings welled in his heart and said, “If you would like to free her prisoner and return to her what is rightfully hers, then do.” “Yes, Messenger of Allah!” they answered.
Faithfulness to his in-laws and blood relatives is one of his moral qualities‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him. He exhorted his Companions to treat Egyptians well. Abu Dhar was quoted in Sahih Muslim as saying that the Prophet ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒ said, “You are going to conquer Egypt. When you do, be good to its people; they are under your protection and they are your blood relatives (or he said ‘in laws’).”
Faithfulness is one of his moral qualities‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him. After fighting Hawazin (an Arab tribe), many women were taken prisoners. The wet nurses of the Messenger of Allah‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒ belonged to Hawazin, so when a delegation of the vanquished tribe pleaded with the Messenger of Allah that among the prisoners were his foster mothers and aunts and begged him to set them free, the Prophet ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒ freed six thousand boys and women. When his foster sister –Shayma’– came to see him, he spread his cloak for her, invited her to sit down with him and gave her presents.
Faithfulness to his Companions is yet another of his moral qualities‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him. He always acknowledged their efforts, prohibited calling them names, and elevated their status especially that of Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq who was with him in the cavern. (1) Abu Al-Darda’ –May Allah be pleased with him‒ narrated, “I was sitting with the Prophet ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒when Abu Bakr came holding the edge of his thaub which left his knee uncovered. The Prophet ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒said, ‘Your friend has got involved in a dispute.’ Abu Bakr greeted us and said, “There was a problem between Omar and me and I seem to have offended him. I regretted what I did and went to apologize to him, but he turned me down, so I came to you.’ The Prophet said, ‘May Allah forgive you, AbuBakr; ‘May Allah forgive you, AbuBakr; ‘May Allah forgive you, Abu Bakr (three times).” Later Omar also was sorry and came to see Abu Bakr at his home. “Is Abu Bakr home?” Omar asked. “No,” his family said. So Omar came to the Prophet ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒and greeted him. The face of the Prophet ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒defined anger. Apprehensive as he was, Abu Bakr fell on his knees and said, ‘I swear by Allah that my fault outweighs his; I swear by Allah that my fault outweighs his (twice). The Prophet ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒said, “Allah sent me to you, but you called me a liar;however, Abu Bakr said ‘He was telling the truth.’ He gave me support and solace with money and with himself. Won’t you leave my friend alone? Won’t you leave my friend alone (twice)?’ Abu Al-Darda’ said, ‘Abu Bakr was never harassed after that’.” During his last illness which soon after resulted in his death, the Prophet ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒ sat on the mimbar with a piece of cloth tied around his head. He praised and thanked Allah and said: “Nobody has been more generous to me, both by himself and his money, than Abu Bakr Ibn Abi Quhafah. If I were to choose a close friend, I would choose Abu Bakr. But the friendship of Islam is better. Lock every khawkhah(small door) to this mosque except that of Abu Bakr.”Scholars said:“That was a hint to the caliphate of Abu Bakr after the Prophet’s demise. He gave him access to the mosque because he would be the Caliph and Imam.” On the Day of Hunain, the Prophet ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒ distributed the spoils and gave al-Ansar nothing, which displeased them. The Prophet ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒ said, “O you Ansar! Are you disappointed because I gave trifling worldly objects (from the spoils)to those people in the hope that they may convert to Islam knowing that I have full confidence in your Islam? Aren’t you happy to see people leave with sheep and camels while you return with the Messenger of Allah? I swear by Allah that had it not been for al-hijra (the migration), I would have been one of al-Ansar: if all people chose to follow one route and al-Ansar chose to follow another, I would choose to follow al-Ansar’s. O Allah! Have mercy on al-Ansar, their children and grandchildren!” People cried then until their tears wet their beards, and said: "We accept the Messenger of Allah as our share and luck." [Narrated by Imam Ahmad, but it is originally in the two Sahihs (books).
Faithfulness is one of his moral qualities ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him. He was loyal to his Ummah, for he conveyed to them the revelation of the Qur'an, and left them in hold of a crystal clear way: "Verily, there has come unto you a Messenger (Muhammad SAW) from amongst yourselves (i.e. whom you know well). It grieves him that you should receive any injury or difficulty. He (Muhammad SAW) is anxious over you (to be rightly guided, to repent to Allâh, and beg Him to pardon and forgive your sins, in order that you may enter Paradise and be saved from the punishment of the Hell-fire), for the believers (he SAW is) full of pity, kind, and merciful." [AlTawbah: 128] He would leave many observances for fear of being too hard for his Ummah:"Were it not for fear that it would be hard for my Ummah, I would have ordered them to do so and so… ." It was narrated by Muslim from Abdullah Ibn Amruibn Al-‘As ‒May Allah be pleased with him‒ that the Prophet ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒ recited what Allah ‒to Whom belong Might and Majesty‒ said about Ibrahim (Abraham): ""O my Lord! They have indeed led astray many among mankind. But whoso follows me, he verily is of me." [Ibrahim: 36] ‘Isa (Jesus) ‒Peace be upon him‒ said: ""If You punish them, they are Your slaves, and if You forgive them, verily You, only You are the AllMighty, the AllWise."" [Al-Ma'idah: 118] The Prophet‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒ raised his hands in supplication and said:"O Allah! My Ummah, my Ummah", and he cried.Allah ‒May He be exalted‒ said:"O Gibreel (Gabriel)! Go to Muhammad and say: ‘We will satisfy you in Our dealing with your Ummah and We will not displease you."May Allah send His Salat and Peace upon His noble Messenger! "Verily, there has come unto you a Messenger (Muhammad SAW) from amongst yourselves (i.e. whom you know well). It grieves him that you should receive any injury or difficulty. He (Muhammad SAW) is anxious over you (to be rightly guided, to repent to Allâh, and beg Him to pardon and forgive your sins, in order that you may enter Paradise and be saved from the punishment of the Hell-fire), for the believers (he SAW is) full of pity, kind, and merciful." [AlTawbah: 128] May Allah bless me and you with the Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah, and may He grant us benefit from the verses and wisdom they contain.
I say what I have just said and ask Allah the Almighty to forgive you and me.
Part Two
Praise is due to Allah the Almighty!May Allah send His Salat and Peace upon His noble Prophet! I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah alone with no associate, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger.
Now then, O believers! Faithfulness is a noble trait; it is comely for everybody to adorn themselves with it; for it is sincere devotion that is free of treachery or betrayal; it is giving without limit. Beauty is indeed to live this trait wholeheartedly,with might and main, and truthfully without spuriousness or hypocrisy. Friendship that is built on faithfulness is indeed a true friendship where affection is sincere and loyalty is kept. Faithfulness is a religiosity and manliness; it is a characteristic of the generous and the site of good morals; for piety, faithfulness, truthfulness, generosity and manliness are integral traits that increase glow in the face, raise fame and reward, and please the Lord.True faithfulness only emanates from a pure heart and is caused by good intentions, and this is indeed a trait of Allah’s ‒Be He exalted: "Verily, Allâh has purchased of the believers their lives and their properties; for the price that theirs shall be the Paradise. They fight in Allâh's Cause, so they kill (others) and are killed. It is a promise in truth which is binding on Him in the Taurât (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel) and the Qur'ân. And who is truer to his covenant than Allâh?" [Al-Tawbah: 111] Faithfulness is also a characteristic of the Prophets: "And of Ibrâhim (Abraham) who fulfilled (or conveyed) all that (what Allâh ordered him to do or convey)," [Al-Najm: 37] "And mention in the Book (the Qur'ân) Ismâ'il (Ishmael). Verily! He was true to what he promised, and he was a Messenger, (and) a Prophet." [Maryam: 54]
Faithfulness is a feature of faith; Allah ‒to Whom belong Might and Majesty‒ said: "… and who fulfill their covenant when they make it" [Al-Baqarah: 177] It is also a characteristic of the Mutaqeen (those who fear Allah), and one of the greatest causes of gaining taqwa (fear of Allah). He ‒May He be exalted‒ said: "Yes, whoever fulfils his pledge and fears Allâh much; verily, then Allâh loves those who are Al-Muttaqûn(the pious - see V.2:2)." [Al Imran: 76] It is a way leading to the highest ranks (in Paradise): "… and whosoever fulfills what he has covenanted with Allâh, He will bestow on him a great reward." [Al-Fath: 10] In praising the believers, He said: "Those who fulfill the Covenant of Allâh and break not the Mîthâq(bond, treaty, covenant)" [Al-Ra'd: 20]
The verses that deal with faithfulness are more than twenty; all the verses containing the words ‘covenant’ and ‘bond’ indicate this. The greatest form of faithfulness is that vis-à-vis Allah the Almighty: "… and fulfill (your obligations to) My Covenant (with you) so that I fulfill (My Obligations to) your covenant (with Me), and fear none but Me." [Al-Baqarah: 40] "…and fulfill the Covenant of Allâh." [Al-Ana'am: 152] Ibn Jarir ‒May Allah bless his soul‒ said:"His covenant with them is that if they do respect their covenant with Allah, He will grant them Paradise." Parents are the most worthy of faithfulness, especially when in need at old age: "If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor shout at them but address them in terms of honour. (23) And lower unto them the wing of submission and humility through mercy, and say: "My Lord! Bestow on them Your Mercy as they did bring me up when I was small."" [Al-Isra’: 23- 24] Faithfulness must be observed when dealing with people in general: "O you who believe! Fulfil (your) obligations …"[Al-Ma’idah: 1]
Faithfulness must also be present in family life at all times, for the greatest covenant between two humans (a man and a woman) is the marriage covenant. The Messenger of Allah ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒ said:“From among all the conditions which you have to fulfil are those which make it legal for you to have sexual relations (i.e. the marriage contract).”[Narrated by Bukhari] Allah the Almighty says: "And how could you take it (back) while you have gone in unto each other, and they have taken from you a firm and strong covenant?" [Al-Nisa': 21] Also, He ‒May He be exalted‒ said: "And do not forget liberality between yourselves." [Al-Baqarah: 237]
O servants of Allah! If faithfulness is a feature of faith and piety, then treachery and perfidy are features of hypocrisy and immorality. Abdullah ibn Amr ibn Al-‘As ‒May Allah be pleased with both of them‒reported the Messenger of Allah ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ to have said:"Whoever has the following four (characteristics) will be a real hypocrite and whoever has one of them will have one characteristic of hypocrisy unless and until he gives it up: 1. Whenever he speaks, he tells lies. 2. Whenever he promises, he breaks his promise. 3. Whenever he makes a covenant, he acts perfidiously. 4. Whenever he quarrels, he acts immorally." [Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim] Ali ibn Abi Talib ‒May Allah be pleased with him‒reported the messenger of Allah ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ to have said: "And Whoever betrays a Muslim in this respect incurs the curse of Allah, of the angels, and of all the people, and in such case no deed will ever be accepted from him." [Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim] Among the worst perfidious acts is killing those in prayer, terrorizing secure people, and blowing up mosques: "And who is more unjust than those who forbid that Allâh's Name be glorified and mentioned much (i.e. prayers and invocations, etc.) in Allâh's Mosques and strive for their ruin? It was not fitting that such should themselves enter them (Allâh's Mosques) except in fear. For them there is disgrace in this world, and they will have a great torment in the Hereafter." [Al-Baqarah: 114] We seek refuge in Allah from meeting with disappointment and from following the paths of Satan. Fear Allah, O servants of Allah! Adjust yourselves to what your faith has ordered to do:to behave in a good manner and to show noble morals. As an act of faithfulness towards the one whom Allah sent to take us out of the darkness (of ignorance) into the light (of Islam) and to guide and counsel us is to send our salat and peace upon him (the Messenger of Allah) in abundance.
O Allah! Send Your Salat upon Muhammad and his family as You have sent Your Salat upon Ibrahim (Abraham) and the family of Ibrahim! You are the All-Praiseworthy, the All-Glorious! O Allah! Bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as You have blessed Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim in the worlds! You are the All-Praiseworthy, the All Glorious!
O Allah! Be pleased with the rightly-guided Imams and Caliphs: Abu Bakr, Omar, Othman and Ali, all of Your Prophet’s Companions, and those who righteously followed them till the Day of Judgement!
O Allah! Grant victory to Your religion, Your Book, the Sunnah of Your Prophet and Your truly-believing servants! O Allah! Grant victory to Your religion, Your Book, the Sunnah of Your Prophet and Your truly-believing servants!
O Allah! Grant victory to the Mujahedeen in Your cause in Palestine and the Sham and everywhere, O Lord of the Worlds!
O Allah! Save Al-Aqsa Mosque and the believers in and around it!
O Allah! Save AlAqsa Mosque and the believers in and around it from the evil of the aggressors and the oppression of the occupiers!
O Allah! Destroy the Zionist aggressors, for You are more than a match to them!
O Allah! Be with our brothers and sisters in Palestine and Syria, for their condition is worsening and their grief is growing! They have no supporter except You‒Exalted be You‒
O Allah! Hasten their victory and relief!
O Allah! Protect our country and Muslim countries from all kinds of evil!
O Allah! Protect our country and Muslim countries from all kinds of evil!
O Allah! Make preoccupied with their own evil and make their plotting return against them those who intend to do any evil against us, Islam, or Muslims!
O Allah! Make preoccupied with their own evil and return their plots and their cunning against them those who intend to harm our country, leaders, scholars, our people and unity, O Lord of the Worlds!
O Allah! Guide our leader to do and say whatever You love and accept! Guide him to benevolence and piety! O Allah! Guide him, his two deputies, his brothers, and assistants to do whatever is good for the people and the country!
O Allah! Guide the leaders of Muslims to rule according to Your Sharia, and follow the Sunnah of Your Prophet Muhammad ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him!
O Allah! Make them a mercy on Your truly believing servants!
O Allah! Make safe and prosperous our country and those of all Muslims around the world! Protect us against the malevolence of wrongdoers, the maliciousness of the lecherous and the evil of those plotting to carry it out by day or night!
"…Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire" [Al-Baqarah: 201]
""Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and our transgressions (in keeping our duties to You), establish our feet firmly, and give us victory over the disbelieving folk."" [Al Imran: 147]
O Allah! Forgive our sins, cover our flaws, make easy our affairs and let our wishes come true in what pleases You! O Allah! Forgive our sins, those of our parents, and our grandparents!
O Allah! Have mercy on them as they had brought us up as children!
O Allah! For those of them who are still alive, grant them sound health and welfare so they can worship You, and for those of them who are deceased, we implore You –O Allah– to bless
their souls with Your Mercy, to lighten their graves, and to make them spacious gardens similar to those in Your heavens! O Allah! Join us to them in the Dwell of Your Generosity (Paradise)!
O Allah! Forgive our sins, those of our parents, our grandparents, their progeny, our wives and children, You are All-Hearing!
We ask Allah for forgiveness! We ask Allah for forgiveness! We ask Allah forgiveness, Allah Who is the only deity worthy of worship! We repent unto Him. He is the Ever-Living, the Sustainer and Protector of all that exists!
O Allah! You are Allah and there is no deity worthy of worship except You! You are the Rich (Free of all needs) and we are poor! Do send down rain on us and do not make us among the desperate!
O Allah! Do send down rain on us!
O Allah! Do send down rain on us!
O Allah! Do send down rain on us, rain that is abundant, helpful, wholesome, and healthy.With it, You grant life to the land, provide drink for people, and make it a useful resource to urban and rural dwellers!
O Allah! We ask You to make it a sign of mercy, not one of torment, destruction, or drowning!
O Allah! We ask You to forgive us, for You are Forgiving, so do send down on us abundant rain!
O Allah! Do accept our good deeds, for You are indeed the All-Hearing, the AllKnowing! Forgive us! You are indeed Most Forgiving, Most Merciful!
Glorified be Your Lord, the Lord of Honour and Power! You are free from what they attribute unto You! May peace be upon all the Messengers! And all praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds!
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(1) This is a reference to the Prophet’s migration from Makkah to Madinah when, chased by the infidels of Makkah, the Prophet ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒and Abu Bakr hid in a cave.
His Eminence Sheikh Saleh ibn Muhammad AlTalib –May Allah protect him– delivered this Friday khutbah titled “Commandments to the Ummah”in which he addressed the current situation of Muslims and their enemies’ plots being fiercely contrived against them. Then, he put forth several commandments to the Ummah’s awakening, support and empowerment.
Part One
Praise be to Allah!Praise be to Allah Who sets sovereignty in successive rotation among mankind, changes their conditions despite their proclivity to clinging to them so that they would know that this life is no permanent residence for any human being, no target for the insightful, and no aspiration for the sagacious. Praise be to Allah Who has made Paradise a permanent abode for the perseverant! I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah with no associate, sitting firmly on the Throne in His Lofty Kingdom. I also bear witness that Muhammad is the Servant and Messenger of Allah with whom Allah has illuminated the universe and wiped out ignorance. May Allah send His Salat (Graces, Honours, Mercy), Peace and Blessing upon him, his family and his Companions who were the best of generations and of noblest models to follow. O Allah, our Lord! Praise be to You as You have created us, provided for us, guided us, granted us knowledge, saved us and dispelled our worries. O Allah! Help us to thank You for Your favours and for worshipping You as You should be worshipped. We seek refuge in You against the disappearance of Your blessings, the change of the good health You granted us, the suddenness of Your vengeance and all forms of Your wrath!
Now then, I recommend to you –O people–what Allah has recommended to many past nations as well as to the present one: "We have recommended to the people of the Scripture before you, and to you (O Muslims) that you (all) fear Allâh, and keep your duty to Him," [Al-Nisa: 131] The attentive will be saved; the negligent will feel sorry: "O mankind! Remember the Grace of Allâh upon you! Is there any creator other than Allâh who provides for you from the sky (rain) and the earth? LâilâhaillaHuwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He). How then are you turning away (from Him)?" [Fatir: 3]
O Muslims! In a world so inflamed world and amidst rapid vicissitudes therein and thereabout, we sense, more than ever, the dire necessity to hold on to our gains vis-à-vis our religion, our homeland, our security and our concord. Fate is quick to strike, and conditions are quick to change. We have neither promise nor covenant from our Lord that He will continue to supply us with bounties and protect us against misfortunes except what is inherent in His Divine Laws and stated in His Glorious Book. Divine Laws stipulate that Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves (1). Also, His Divine Laws stipulate that He does not amend the work of corruptors (2). Divine inspiration has been sent down with a Divine Law which Allah had applied to previous nations, and will inevitably apply to us too: "And if the people of the towns had believed and had the Taqwâ(piety), certainly, We should have opened for them blessings from the heaven and the earth, but they belied (the Messengers). So We took them (with punishment) for what they used to earn (polytheism and crimes, etc.)." [Al-A’raf: 96] These days, powers which, in accordance with human material criteria,we are unable to beat are lying in wait for us. We are more than ever in need to solidify our bond with the Creator, for we have no other Protector, and none, no matter how strong they may be, can protect themselves from Him. It is the bond of Allah which alleviates the fears of the desperate, switches powers and tips balance. It was the bond which extinguished the pyre that was supposed to incinerate Ibrahim (Abraham), parted the sea and dried its bottom for Moses, and cast Allah’s benevolence over Muhammad ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒ and his Muslim Companions when they were but a disesteemed small minority before their dominion eventually reached the corners of the world.
It is Allah’s benevolence that granted Muslims support, power and wealth because they sought it in accordance with its righteous channels and felt out its reasons. We, in this very country, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, have experienced this divine benevolence and seen its fruit. When the whole world was fighting two world wars and using the most lethal weapons then known to mankind –weapons that claimed over seventy million lives– none of the warring countries was able to expand an inch. Meanwhile, Allah granted us power and helped us to unify our country with primitive means and at a negligible cost. This gave us security, coalescence, and unmatchable treasures that gushed from the depth of the earth. Because the founders and the unifiers of this nation had been actually righteous and after all staunch believers in the Oneness of Allah, Allah Almighty made available to them things unavailable to armed superpowers that outnumber them. That was the same scene that prevailed during the early Muslim period, and after all, Allah’s Divine Law will continue as is.
O Muslims! Disunited as we Arabs and Muslims are,our material power is at present no match to that of other nations. Our enemies’ ambitious designs to our lands and resources are increasing and their lying-in-wait for us has become only too apparent. The truth to say none can protect us from them except Allah Almighty. While we should follow the Words of Allah ‒to Whom belong Might and Majesty: "And make ready against them all you can of power" [Al-Anfal: 60] and thus build a military force that can deter avid people casting covetous eyes on us, we should at the same time take great care of our moral power. We must protect and strengthen our acquired gain, namely religion, which is our unfailing weapon and formidable shield. Disgracing religion in our society, particularly at this very time, is capital treason; its open and public disgracing, in particular, results in our deprivation of Allah’s protective Hand and Benevolence. Islam is not only the guarantee for the hereafter, but also the rationale behind the Ummah’s very existence and the assertion of its identity. Betrayal also involves nonchalance towards Allah’s rights when the Ummah makes its love and hate contingent on its interests and not on its principles. Only when the Ummah got splintered and split, shunned its Lord and became heedless, were its enemies able to overcome it. The outlying world, no matter how secular and atheistic it may look, makes recourse to its religion in times of trouble and calls out to God to bless its armies and wars. However, some defeatists in our midst are trying to slacken the grip of religion on our life and religiosity in an attempt to diminish its influence on society. They propagate carnal desires so that the souls would surrender to insensibility and forget about tomorrow’s perils. This was the zero hour when disasters struck sometime in the Ummah's long history, and there are admonitions and lessons from the history of Andalusia and Baghdad.
(The Sheikh recites a line of poetry that can be rendered as follows):
He who is clad in garments of affluence
Without being thankful, Allah will take them off him.
A calamity-stricken nation whose religion and lands are targeted must shun worldly entertainments and pleasures and dedicate its efforts and potentials to getting closer to its Creator. It must adhere to Allah’s pure religion, abstain from carnal desires, avoid sins and forbidden acts, and above all, punish the impudent. Allah Almighty says: "So flee to Allâh (from His Torment to His Mercy Islâmic Monotheism), verily, I (Muhammad SAW) am a plain warner to you from Him." [Al-Thariyat: 50]
O Muslims! Among our greatest gains are the blessings of unity and concord. They were Allah’s Command to and bestowal upon previous nations: "and remember Allâh's Favour on you, for you were enemies one to another but He joined your hearts together, so that, by His Grace, you became brethren (in Islâmic Faith), …" [AlImran: 103] With dispersion, no celestial favour may be enjoyed. We have seen, and still see, that vast nations with flowing rivers and deep delved treasures have gone bankrupt and become fear-and-poverty-stricken. So the people there were compelled to migrate from their homeland and accept to live in humility in foreign countries in search for security and peace. May Allah guard them against harm and end their ordeal! He who has been used to good health may not know the suffering of the sick and may not appreciate the bliss he is enjoying. Thus, in order to continue enjoying Allah’s bounties, we must secure the reasons thereof; I mean the two main reasons of today: writing and speech. These two are causes of society’s disunity and homeland’s fragmentation.
O servants of Allah! Never before have spreading the word, giving one’s opinion, and criticising people and societies been so easier. This has been made possible by present-day media in general and its social type in particular. Despite the obvious benefits of these means of communication, there has always been a down side to them. Many have exploited them to spawn not only differences but also disunity, quarrels and disputes igniting hostility, hatred, and reciprocal accusations. What is rather saddening is seeing some religious people involved in these disputes, trying to find fault with each other and attack certain luminaries. Such disputes and reviling are present on the tribal and regional levels, and get worse in the field of sports.In fact, their negative effect is now growing day after day before our own eyes.
O Muslims! Most of your disputes are superfluously unbecoming in time of peace, let alone in time of war. Most hatred-spawning disputes are competently dealt with by rulers, officials, scholars, religious bodies and state institutions. Why call each other traitor? Why accuse each other of disloyalty and strip each other of citizenship? Such acts are perpetrated by people with neither official status nor authority. Their spurious purpose is to deepen hostility, achieve fame or settle old scores. Otherwise, the way to exhortation is clear, and tipping the police off about imminent danger is always a telephone call away.Allah has rendered defective people who, when there comes to them information about [public]security or fear, they spread it around, but (3): "…if only they had referred it to the Messenger or to those charged with authority among them, the proper investigators would have understood it from them (directly)." [Al-Nisa: 83] It is neither beneficial nor courteous to use writing to belittle others or to find fault with institutions or individuals. This would expose the country to serious harm and open the gates to the tendentious to pile accusations against the country and its citizens. Real patriots are those who defend their compatriots and their country: its traditions, faith and territory in media and political platforms. They defend their country through being faithful to their Ummah on every front where the believer works and carries out his duty. Real citizens are those who are stationed on the borderlines defending their faith, country, land and honour. The real heroes with whom the media should busy itself are those guarding the borders in the scorching heat of the summer and the freezing cold of the winter. Just to make us enjoy the comfort of our homes and the company of our families and in order to make a new history that brings pride to the whole Ummah, some have sacrificed their lives; their wives have been widowed and their children orphaned. Behind such heroes there are loyal men; they are the ones who are worthy of praise in writing and speaking; they deserve all our support and prayers.
O Muslims in general, and youths in particular! Busy yourselves with what is good for you. Remember Allah’s favours; beware of their cessation and the reasons thereof. Do your job in earnest. Prosperity cannot last without serious work and the path leading thereto; avoid hurdles and those fatal causes,especially obeying Satan and betraying your homeland. Loyalty to homelands is a principle that has disappeared from the minds of the ungrateful. In the case of those illusive minds, such principle has withered away.For they think that being loyal to one's own homeland would affect the universality of Islam and the brotherhood of all Muslims. The truth is that if one is not good to one’s own country, then how can one be good to the other Muslim countries!? And the one who denies the right of one’s close family and folks will be even more denying when it comes to the rights of the others. The feelings of loyalty overflew from that big heart of the Prophet ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒ towards his town Makkah whose inhabitants were still polytheists. Moreover, they were still hurting him and rejecting his religion.However, he did not accept the offer by Archangel Jibreel (Gabriel)‒Peace be upon him‒ to close the Akhshabain (mountains in Makkah) around them (as a punishment). Even when he entered Makkah in full victory, while its inhabitants had not embraced Islam yet, he did not change or destroy anything except the idols inside the sacred ka'bah, let alone kill anybody or destroy his own town. Yet still, his loyalty has reached such high peak as is narrated by Jubair ibn Mut'im ‒May Allah be pleased with him‒ who reported that the Prophet ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒ said concerning the captives of the Badr battle:“Had alMut'im ibn Uday been still alive and talked to me about freeing those smelly ones, I would have let them go for his sake.” [An agreed-upon Hadith] Based on these two noble meanings of loyalty towards one's homeland and loyalty towards a benevolent person, though not a Muslim (al-Mut'im ibn Uday), one can see clearly the huge difference and the big moral gap between those aggressing their homelands through killing, blasting, causing harm, and terrorizing people and the model of our Prophet Muhammad ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒ and his Sharia. So what if their homelands are Muslim homelands and their inhabitants are Muslims?! The Prophet ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒ would have accepted the intercession of a polytheist‒who used to protect him‒ to free polytheist warriors.So what about he who kills his own security men, who are fellow Muslims?! We here address the hijacking of minds by the gangs of “Daesh” (or ISIS) and their leaders. We are not addressing the leaders themselves, for the events have confirmed that their premises are not at all religious even if they pretend that they are so.Their problem does not lie in a twisted understanding of Islam, though they use Islam in their discourse; rather, their Islam is highly suspected by many, and their not being Muslims is confirmed by many more. In fact, we are addressing those who have surrendered their minds to some people
whose identities and religion are not known; they have surrendered their souls to them in order to kill other souls from their own people. They have given them their blood to be used in shedding that of their own compatriots; they have given them the bits and pieces of their own bodies in order to destroy buildings and constructive, meaningful ideas in their own countries. The Prophet‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒ was rather sent (by Allah) as mercy to the worlds. In this respect, ibn Taymiyyah ‒May Allah bless his soul‒ said: “All religion revolves around loyalty to the Truth and mercy towards Allah’s creatures.” O you who are deceived! Do you think that you are doing the right thing!? Remember that losing the Hereafter is greater than losing the Herein, great as this may sound.Indeed, sacrificing the reward of the Hereafter is a disaster that can never be remedied or prevented, for Allah's verses and the hadiths of His Prophet‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒ are clear about the fate of the one committing suicide or killing a Muslim. Why, then, leave what is confirmed in order to go stray?Why be uncertain about property and souls?! Still there are some Muslim youths who are derided their own selves, their Hereafter, country, and compatriots,so they handed themselves to a gang whose members are most likely enemies to his own religion and country.Moreover, those gangsters make fun of his people and his faith; thus, he loses his life for nothing in the Herein, and he deserves the threat of a severe punishment in the Hereafter. Those who have planned these attacks do not care about the faith of the killer or that of the killed; neither do they care about the denomination of those who pray in this place or that.What they really care about is to destabilize this country and to tear out its harmony; causing disunity is their goal. They have tried several times to play this tune, but failed, thanks to Allah. The advertence of this country's citizens remains a stumbling block in their way to success.
I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan. In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful: "(It is a great Grace and Protection from Allâh), for the taming of the Quraish, (1) (And with all those Allâh's Grace and Protections for their taming, We cause) the (Quraish) caravans to set forth safe in winter (to the south), and in summer (to the north without any fear), (2) So let them worship (Allâh) the Lord of this House (the Ka'bah in Makkah). (3) (He) Who has fed them against hunger, and has made them safe from fear."[Quraish: 1-4]
May Allah bless me and you by the Qur’an and the Sunnah, and grant us benefit from what they have of signs and wisdom. I say this and ask Allah, the Almighty, to forgive me and you!
Part Two
Praise be to Allah Who is praised in His Lofty Height, and thanks are due to Him: the Benefactor in both His earth and heaven. I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah alone with no associate; I also bear witness that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger, and the best of His prophets and selected creatures. May Allah send His Salat, Peace and Blessing upon him, his family, and all of his Companions!
O Muslims! Nowadays that plotting against Sham (Syria) and Shamians has reached its zenith in a form of conspiracy against land, religion, and people, we are awaiting a light of hope rising from here (the kingdom of Saudi Arabia)where delegates representing various factions of the Syrian people are convening.We hope that Allah will bless their meeting and render it useful to their people and that they will bring about a good omen for their compatriots and make them keys to their good! The condition of the Syrian people has reached a point where the warring factions must relinquish their own interests in order to strike gain for their country. They have all been guided by Allah to agree on the Riyadh Charter which we hope will be a start to cure injuries, stop tears, end the tragedy, be a beginning for the good of Sham, an uplifting of injustice, and a deterrent to the oppressor, for the meeting in itself is a victory before the actual victory, and this agreement carries the first good tidings of success.May Allah help loyal Syrians! What needs to be urgently emphasized these days is the need to increase aid to the Syrians in terms of food, clothes, and furnishings.Winter this year is harsher than before and the homeless inside and outside the Syrian borders are many. Expressing our sympathy to our Syrian brothers and sisters is an obligation on our part; helping them is their right, and not a favour. Therefore, you are called upon to give them their share of the blessings Allah has bestowed on you, to help protect them against the harshness of winter, the stings of hunger, and the ruthlessness of the oppressing enemy. If the situation in Sham is a trial to its people to see how they would react, it is also a trial to the other Muslims to see how they would stand up for the help of their fellow Muslims! The whole matter from the beginning of Creation to its end belongs to Allah alone. Allah sees and hears everything, and if He willed, He would have defeated them (the aggressors). But He ‒Glory be to Him‒ let fate take its course for appointed times and wise reasons. What encompasses all this is the hadith of our Prophet Muhammad ‒May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him‒ which cures wounds and stops tears: “How astonishing the affair of the believer is! All of his affair is good, and no one enjoys this (privilege)except a believer; for if something good happens to him, he thanks (Allah for it), and that is good for him; and if something harmful befalls him, he keeps patient, and that is good for him.” [Narrated by Imam Muslim] Though the Muslim Ummah is going through a difficult time and tough circumstances, I still see through this the signs of the morning break (i.e. relief), for lead gets stronger and denser when it reaches its melting point; gold cannot be purified except by fire; after the pitch darkness of the night comes dawn and sunrise, and how often, in life, pain is covered by hope! "And Allâh has full power and control over His Affairs, but most of men know not." [Yusuf: 21]
O Muslims! In Palestine there is action and change in confrontation.This has been going on for more than a month and has resulted in martyrdom for some, and injuries and captivity for others. It also resulted in the draining of the enemy’s capabilities and in their exhaustion and attrition. This is a reminder for all that injustice and oppression, no matter how long they stay, will always remain injustice and oppression, that occupation, no matter how long it lasts, will never be legal, and that the recognition by some states of the thief’s right to steal and be aggressive does not change the reality of things. Palestinian resistance is a jihad, their sticking to their land is garrisoning, and those killed amongst them are martyrs ‒Allah willing‒for they are promised victory in the end and a great reward on the Day of Resurrection. What is painful for every Muslim these days is the sight of pictures showing besieged Palestinians and their urgent need to cross the borders for medical treatment or for pressing needs, while they are constantly exposed to killing and harassment. It is incumbent upon every capable Muslim leader to rid them of their suffering,for whoever relieves a Muslim of hardship, Allah will equally relieve him of his hardships; and whoever falls down hard on an oppressed person, Allah will make things tight on him even if the whole world offers him support.
O servants of Allah! In Yemen, the aggressors are putting money and effort not in the interest of their homeland or their people's stability, but to distort its identity, take its people hostage, and exploit the country and the people to serve the interest of a distanced foreigner.May Allah help the Yemenis accomplish security and cleanse the land! We supplicate Allah to render successful all the efforts that are invested to spare their bloodshed, unify their country and people, and achieve advancement, security, and peace! Our country and the other gulf countries are pioneers in this; we hope that their last meeting brings them closer together and ensures power to their states, to the Arabs, and Muslims. All the Muslims’ attention is focussed on Riyadh, the capital of decision-making, in terms of political and economic power, as it is the land of the Two Holy Mosques, and the hub of Islam.May Allah protect it and bless its efforts!May He protect and guide all those who make sacrifices for the sake of Islam and Muslims! O Allah! We do absolve from our strength and power and resort to Your strength and power: "They said: "In Allâh we put our trust. Our Lord! Make us not a trial for the folk who are Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrong-doing) (i.e. do not make them overpower us). (85) "And save us by Your Mercy from the disbelieving folk."" [Yunus: 85-86]
Now do send your salat and peace upon the Given Mercy and Offered Blessing, Allah’s Prophet, Muhammad ibn Abdullah. O Allah! Send Your Salat, Peace and Blessing upon Your Servant and Messenger, Muhammad, upon his kind and pure family! O Allah! Be pleased with all Your Messenger’s pious Companions and those who follow them in righteousness till the Day of Judgement!
O Allah! Grant glory to Islam and to Muslims and fail tyrants, atheists, and corruptors!
O Allah! Grant victory to Your religion, Your Book, the Sunnah of Your Prophet, and Your believing servants!
O Allah! Grant victory to Mujahideen (fighters) in Your Cause in Palestine, the Sham area, and everywhere, O Lord of the Worlds! O Allah! Save the Aqsa Mosque and the believers in and around it from the aggression of the aggressors and the oppression of the occupiers! O Allah! Deal with the Zionist aggressors, for they cannot escape Your punishment!
O Allah! Be with our brothers and sisters in Palestine, Syria, and everywhere; for they are living unbearable hardships and their trial is severe!
O Allah! They have no supporter except You, O You‒Glory be to You!
O Allah! Grant them a quick victory and a speedy relief!
O Allah! Protect our country and all Muslim countries from every evil!
O Allah! Whoever intends to carry out evil against us, Islam, or Muslims, let him be busy with himself, and return his plotting against him! O Allah! Whoever intends to harm our country, leaders, scholars, and the public with harm, make him busy with himself and let him evil return against him, O Lord of the Worlds!
O Allah! Guide our ruler to what You like and accept and lead him to piety and righteousness! O Allah! Guide him, his two crown princes, their brothers and assistants to
what is good for the country and the people! O Allah! Guide Muslim leaders to rule according to Your Sharia and to follow the Sunnah of Your Prophet Muhammad ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him!
O Allah! Make them a mercy on Your believing servants!
O Allah! Spread security and prosperity in our country and all Muslim countries!
O Allah!Protect us against the evil of wrongdoers, the maliciousness of the lecherous and the evil of those plotting to carry it out by day or night!
"Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire!" [Al-Baqara: 201]
"Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and our transgressions (in keeping our duties to You), establish our feet firmly, and give us victory over the disbelieving folk." [Al-Imran: 147]
O Allah! Forgive our sins, cover our defects, make easy our tasks, make come true our wishes in what pleases You! O Allah! Forgive the sins of all Muslims and all believers, male and female, those who are dead and those still alive!
O Allah! Forgive us, our parents, their parents, our spouses and progeny! O Allah! Forgive us, our parents, their parents and progeny, our spouses and progeny; You are the Hearer of supplications!
We ask Allah for forgiveness, we ask Allah forgiveness, we ask Allah forgiveness! He is the only deity worthy of worship, the Ever Living, the Sustainer and Protector of all that exists.We repent unto Him.
O Allah! You are Allah, and there is no deity worthy of worship except You. You are the Self-Sufficient while we (humans) are destitute! Do send rain down on us and save us from despair!
O Allah! Send down rain on us!
O Allah! Send down rain on us!
O Allah! Bestow upon us expedient rain, a blissful, flowing, widespread, useful, and harmless rain: one that would rejuvenate the land, quench people’s thirst and reach the rural and the urban lands!
O Allah! Send down upon us rain of mercy, not rain of torment, disaster, destruction, or flooding!
Our Lord! Do accept from us (the good deeds) as You are the All-Hearing, the AllKnowing! Do accept our repentance as you are the Most Forgiving, Most Merciful! Glorified be our Lord, the Lord of Honour and Power! You are free from what they wrongly attribute unto You! May peace be upon all the Messengers! All praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds!
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(1) The expression in boldface is borrowed from the Holy Qur’an, surat Al-Ra’d, verse number 11.
(2) The expression in boldface is borrowed from the Holy Qur’an, surat Yunus, verse number 81.
(3) The expression in boldface is actually a slight paraphrase to the beginning of the Qur’anic quoted verse below (Al-Nisa’: 83).
His Eminence Sheikh Saleh ibn Muhammad al-Talib –May Allah protect him– delivered this Friday khutbah titled “Lessons from the Prophet’s Biography”in which he talked about Muslims’ current reality and reminded his audience that since the moment Allah ordained that the sun of this religion should rise in the horizon of this territory, He has been in charge of protecting it. He equally decreed that a victorious Muslim minority shall continue to enjoy divine support, without being the least harmed by those Muslims who fail them or those who oppose them. The Sheikh cited one situation from the Prophet’s biography, namely, the ghazwah (1) (Battle) of Hamra’al-Assad which represents the glory of the Muslims as epitomised by the personality of their extraordinary leader –Prophet Muhammad (May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him)– and from which lessons and morals are to be learnt. The Sheikh also advised people about the necessity to hold fast to this religion and to defend it against aggressors, referring to the commendable efforts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in this respect.
Part One
Praise be to Allah! We praise Him and supplicate Him to come to our assistance and to forgive our sins. We seek refuge in Allah from the vices of our inner selves and the evils of our misdeeds. None can misguide anybody whom Allah has guided (because they have chosen to follow His Guidance), and none can guide anybody whom Allah has misguided (He has left them to themselves because they have refused to follow His Guidance). I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah, alone with no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger. May Allah send His Salat (Graces, Honours, and Mercy), Peace and Blessing upon him, his family, his Companions, the tabi’in (the contemporaries of the Companions of the Prophet [May Allah’s Salāt and Peace be upon him] after his death), and all those who piously follow in their footsteps until the Day of Judgement!
Now then! The best of all speech is the Book of Allah, and the best of all guidance is that brought by Muhammad –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him. The worst of all matters is what has been fabricated into religion, and every fabrication introduced into religion is considered as bid’ah (condemned innovation in religion) and every bid’ah is by definition misguidance.
O people! I exhort you as well as myself to abide by what Allah had been exhorting bygone nations –and is still exhorting present-day nations: "...And verily, We have recommended to the people of the Scripture before you, and to you (O Muslims) that you (all) fear Allâh,..." [AlNisa’: 131] He who observes taqwa vis-à-vis Allah (fear of disobeying divine commands) will be salvaged.He who is vigilant will be safe, and he who is heedless will regret it. People are bound to be resurrected and scales shall be set in place to weigh their former deeds. So, get ready and make provision for that day: "And be afraid of the Day when you shall be brought back to Allâh. Then every person shall be paid what he earned, and they shall not be dealt with unjustly." [Al-Baqarah: 281]
O Muslims! Ever since Allah, the Almighty,has ordained that the sun of this religion should rise in the horizon of this territory and decreed that this faith would cover the entire globe, He – Glory be to Him– He took it upon Himself to protect it and had by the same token decreed that a victorious Muslim minority shall continue to enjoy divine support, without being the least harmed by those Muslims who fail them or those who oppose them. This minority of Muslims are normally loyal followers of Prophet Muhammad –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– and his Companions. Allah,the Almighty, established His universal law of testing the followers of this great religion through trials and ordeals, starting from the noble and much-revered prophet through his venerated Companions and on to their followers until the Day of Judgement so that He can select believers and identify His truthful servants. Since the era of prophethood and as decades elapse, further enemies and hypocrites continue to emerge. They come to the fore either from inside or outside the Ummah; they manifest themselves through either force and fight or deviant thought and misguidance. However, Allah has entrusted certain ulema (Scholars of the Islamic religion) and rulers in power with the mission of warding off the perils which jeopardise religion, clarifying truth to people, bringing people back to the pure fountain of faith, and exhorting them to hold fast to the Holy Qur’an and the Noble Sunnah: "And as to those who hold fast to the Book (i.e. act on its teachings) and perform As-Salât (Iqâmat-as-Salât), certainly, We shall never waste the reward of those who do righteous deeds." [AlA’raf: 170]
During the current century and the one before, the Ummah has been inflicted in both its religion and power.Fortunately, however,Allah’s Mercy spared the Arabian Peninsula, the place of Allah’s Revelation and the refuge of His Messenger(when he emigrated from Makkah to Madinah.This divine protection of this peninsula led to the formation of a young, Sunni state amidst international conflicts and world wars. Thus, Allah saved it from the afflictions of wars, and from the-then intellectual and political conflicts. This young new state has opted for a reasonably moderate way regarding both religion and worldly affairs. It has chosen as its constitution the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒discarded all types of bid’ah and myths (which have infiltrated religion), and showed the people the purity of religion. Nevertheless, the religious dedication of this newly-formed state has not prevented it from being an integral part of the modern world in such areas as politics, economics, sciences, industry, intellectual matters, and dialogue. Thus, Allah has empowered this state and bestowed upon it wealth after it had caused the treasures of the earth to spring up. Accordingly, it has become the supporter of victims of injustice, the helper of the needy, the destination for working and trading, and for earning a living. Consequently, its blessings and bounties have reached all those in need of help, whether they are countries or individuals; none can deny that except the envious. This country would not have reached such a privileged status had it not been for Allah’s support. That is because it has shown devotion to the creed of monotheism, practised the glorious precepts of sharia, adopted a moderate, sincere and fair line of thought as regards the religion of Allah, and held fast to the genuine values and principles of Islam.This ‒besides the abundant good inherent in the Muslims everywhere in the world and their solidarity‒ has earned it the appreciation and respect of Muslims who have recognised its leading role. Whenever certain events take place, you will notice the Kingdom on its guard, equipped with its unwavering principles and values of truth and justice, and supported by its sister states and sincere allies. The Ummah is, infact, a reservoir of good.
O Muslims! The universal law of Allah,the Almighty, still stipulates the eternal conflict between truth and falsehood, the difference and mutual fight between humans, and the affliction (of humans) with good and evil by way of trial. Nonetheless, Allah has not let down His devout worshippers. He has rather taught them and guided them by making at their disposal a divine Book through which they seek guidance and from which they derive inspiration to illuminate their way. This Book must be their refuge and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah their exemplary model, regardless of the nature and area of their afflictions or the intensity of their sufferings.
O Muslims everywhere in the world! Here is a glimpse from the Book of Allah and a situation which the Messenger of Allah and his Companions once experienced.In it there is perseverance for the believers, consolation for those suffering, and encouragement for those traumatised. In the Qur’anic surah titled Al Imran (chapter 3), the verses provide a survey of the struggle undertaken by our Prophet Muhammad –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– and his Companions against the polytheists from their people. The surah depicts the victory of the believers at the Battle of Badr, their defeat at the Battle of Uhud, the afflictions which had befallen them and the ordeals they had gone through, the conditions of the believers and the martyrs, and the positions taken by hypocrites and enemies. The verses of this surah narrate such a lengthy experience, highlighting the lessons and morals which can be learnt from its successive phases, accounting for the chronicled facts and events, picturing the divine laws (governing human life), inviting people to meditate on the causes and their consequences, and inciting them to adhere to certitude and to hold to the principles and positions. With regard to the principles, we read: "So if they dispute with you (Muhammad SAW) say: "I have submitted myself to Allâh (in Islâm), and (so have) those who follow me." ..." [Al Imran: 20] As to the positions to be taken, there is: "So do not become weak (against your enemy), nor be sad, and you will be superior (in victory) if you are indeed (true) believers." [Al Imran: 139] In relation to consoling afflicted believers, we read: "If a wound (and killing) has touched you, be sure a similar wound (and killing) has touched the others. And so are the days (good and not so good), We give to men by turns, that Allâh may test those who believe, and that He may take martyrs from among you. And Allâh likes not the Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrongdoers). And that Allâh may test (or purify) the believers (from sins) and destroy the disbelievers." [Al Imran: 140-141] In the end, falsehood has no future. There should be wounds and afflictions which would distinguish enemies from friends, sift out seekers of mundane gains and immediate benefits, and preserve loyal and honest people who are ready to support their Prophet in times of hardship and distress and to take refuge with their Lord, however harsh conditions might prove to be.
O Muslims! Allah also narrated in the aforementioned surah of the Qur’an what happened to Muslims after their defeat at the Battle of Uhud. Praising the commendable behaviour of His loyal servants, Allah said: "Those who answered (the Call of) Allâh and the Messenger (Muhammad SAW) after being wounded;..."[Al Imran: 172] That combat was called the Battle of Hamra’ al-Assad. It contains one of the lessons of politics, glory, and sacrifice. That was because Muslims were grieved after they had been defeated at the Battle of Uhud where seventy of the Companions were killed.Then, the polytheists retreated to settle in Al-Rawha’ (2). Prophet Muhammad –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– feared that the weakening of Muslims might stimulate the avidity of the polytheists who could be tempted to return and make incursions into the territories of the Madinah where there were Muslim children and property. The narrator said: “When the Messenger of Allah–May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– led Muslims in the Sobh (Fajr) Prayer after the battle of Uhud and notables from the Aws and Khzraj (3) were with him; they in fact had spent the night in the mosque. When the Messenger of Allah–May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– finished the prayer, he asked Bilal (4) to spread this message: ‘The Messenger of Allah orders you to chase your enemy, and only those who fought the battle yesterday are allowed to come with us.’” So, he went back home ordering his people to march on the enemy. According to the narrator’s account,there was a large number of injured people.The majority –or even all– of the Bani Abd Al-Ash-hal tribe were injured. Then, Saad ibn Muadh arrived and said: ‘The Messenger of Allah orders you to chase your enemy.’ The narrator adds: “Usaid Ibn Hudhair, who was trying to treat his seven wounds, said, ‘Allegiance and obedience to Allah and to His Messenger.’ Then, he grasped his weapon and never resumed treating his wounds,and joined the Messenger of Allah. Then Saad ibn Obadah came to his people ‒Bani Saaidah‒ and asked them to pursue their enemy. They wore their warrior clothes and embarked on the pursuit. Abu Qatadah also came to the Kharbaa people while they were treating their wounds and told them: ‘Here is the envoy of the Messenger of Allah ordering you to pursue your enemy.’ So, they jumped to their weapons and stoppedtreating their wounds. Forty injured Muslims from Bani Salimah set off to meet the Prophet: Al-Tufail ibn Al-No’man had thirteen wounds, Khirash ibn Al-Summah ten, Kaab ibn Malek more than ten, and Qutbah ibn Amer nine. After they had reached the Prophet at Bi’r Abi ‘Inabah located in Ra’s Al-Thaniyyah –equipped with their weapons– they were organised in rows to meet him. When the Messenger of Allah looked at them and noticed the density of wounds in their bodies, he said: ‘O Allah, have mercy on (the people of) Bani Salimah’” Al-Waqidi said: “Otbah Ibn Jubair also told me about some men from his own folk who said: ‘When Abdullah ibn Sahl and Raafi’ ibn Sahl ibn Abd Al-Ash-hal came back from Uhud, they had many wounds, but Abdullah was more seriously injured. In the morning, when Saad ibn Muadh came to them to tell them that the Messenger of Allah ordered them to pursue their enemy, one of the two men (i.e. Abdullah ibn Sahl or Raafi’ ibn Sahl ibn Abd AlAsh-hal) said to the other: ‘If we miss one ghazwah with the Messenger of Allah, that will be remiss of us; however, I swear by Allah, we have no horseback to ride and we do not know how to behave.’ Abdullah said: ‘Let us get started.’ ‘Really? I swear by Allah I cannot even stand up’, Raafi’retorted. His brother said: ‘Just set off down the road now; we will lean on each other and strive to walk.’ They left their home crawling, and whenever Raafi’ felt feeble and helpless his brother, Abdullah, would carry him on his back and they kept exchanging roles along their way to the Messenger of Allah –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him. When they reached him, it was already the Isha (evening) prayer time, and the guard on duty that night was Abbad ibn Bishr.’ When they were taken to the Messenger of Allah –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– he asked them:‘What kept you all this time?’ They told him about the cause.So he supplicated Allah to bless them and said: ‘If you live longer, you will have means of transport, including horses, mules, and camels …(see the rest of the hadith).’ Then, the Messenger of Allah –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– left home while still injured. His face was still bearing the trace of a wound caused by the two ringlets of a metallic helmet; his forehead was affected by a slight fracture visible at the roots of his hair skin; his lateral incisor (tooth) was dented; his lip was injured at the level of the oral cavity; his right shoulder was enfeebled because of a blow directed to it by ibn Qami’ah; and his knees were seriously scratched. The Messenger of Allah –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– entered the mosque and performed two Rak'ahs (supererogatory prayer). The crowds had gathered including people from the outskirts of the city, who came after they had heard the (Prophet’s) call. The Messenger of Allah –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– performed two rak'ahs. Then, he called for his horse to be brought to the door of the mosque where he was met by Talhah. The latter had heard the caller, so he went out to see when the Messenger of Allah ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– would depart. When he came into view, the Messenger of Allah –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– was thoroughly covered with a shield and a helmet except for his eyes. He said: ‘O Talhah! Your weapon!’ I Said: ‘right away.’ Talhah said:‘I took off running to put on my metal shield, get my sword, and throw my leather shield on my chest; I had nine wounds in my body, but I was concerned about the wounds of the Messenger of Allah –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– rather than mine.’ Then, the Messenger of Allah –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– came to Talhah and said: “See the people now?” He said: ‘They are at Sayyalah (5).’The Messenger of Allah –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– said:‘I thought so, but they will not defeat us like they did yesterday until Allah helps us conquer Makkah.’
The Messenger of Allah –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– remained with his Companions until they camped in Hamra’al-Assad (6). Jaber said: ‘Most of our provisions were dates.’ Saad ibn Obadah had thirty camels with him. He drove them until he reached Hamra’. He picked up some among them and slaughtered two the first day and three the next. The Messenger of Allah –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– instructed each one of them (the Companions) to collect firewood during the day, and to make a fire in the evening, so that each man made a fire. During those nights, we would make five hundred fires that could be seen from remote distances. In no time our camps and fires had become the talk of everyone and a means to suppress our enemy as in the words of Allah ‒May He be exalted‒ thus: "Those (i.e. believers) unto whom the people (hypocrites) said, "Verily, the people (pagans) have gathered against you (a great army), therefore, fear them." But it (only) increased them in Faith, and they said: "Allâh (Alone) is Sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of affairs (for us). So they returned with Grace and Bounty from Allâh. No harm touched them; and they followed the good Pleasure of Allâh. And Allâh is the Owner of Great Bounty." [Al Imran: 173-174] Such is the story of Hamra’ al-Assad and such are the events that took place there. The Prophet –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– and his Companions endured and marched forth carrying with them their pains and wounds, and putting up with agony and grief in order to show their enemy that they were still strong, that the land was still protected, that they were not defeated despite their wounds, that if no lions were seen in the land, then the foxes would take over. With the help of Allah, the believers came out victorious and the aggressors were defeated.
I seek refuge with Allah from the accursed Satan. In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful: "So do not become weak (against your enemy), nor be sad, and you will be superior (in victory) if you are indeed (true) believers. If a wound (and killing) has touched you, be sure a similar wound (and killing) has touched the others. And so are the days (good and not so good), We give to men by turns, that Allâh may test those who believe, and that He may take martyrs from among you. And Allâh likes not the Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrong-doers).And that Allâh may test (or purify) the believers (from sins) and destroy the disbelievers. Do you think that you will enter Paradise before Allâh tests those of you who fought (in His Cause) and (also) tests those who are As-Sâbirûn (the patient)?" [Al Imran: 139-142]
May Allah bless you and me by the Qur'an and Sunnah and benefit us with their verses and wisdom! Having said this, I ask Allah ‒Be He exalted‒ to forgive me and you!
Part Two
Praise be to Allah, the Supreme, the Almighty, "The Forgiver of sin, the Acceptor of repentance, the Severe in punishment, the Bestower (of favours). Lâ ilâha illâ Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), to Him is the final return" [Ghafir: 3], and I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah alone with no partner; to Him belongs sovereignty and praise. He gives life and causes death. He is Ever-Living,Immortal; in His Hand is all goodness and He is Able to do all things. I bear witness that Muhammad is His Messenger, the bearer of glad tidings and the warner, and the enlightening torch. May Allah send His Salat, Peace and Blessings upon him, his family, wives, Companions, the tabi’in and those who followed them in righteousness until the Day of Judgement!
Now then, We see the world, east and west, in a desperate move to undermine Muslims. At the same time, we see the enemy incognito and lying in wait for a chance to strike. In fact, throughout their long history, this enemy never missed a chance in this regard, stabbing the Ummah in its back in support of its enemies, briskly shaking it from within, and taking advantage of incidents and grievances across history that were none of their (the enemy’s) concerns and that had nothing to do with them. They accuse us of terrorism while we are its prime victims! It is sheer contradiction and blatant injustice which prompt the Ummah to get ready to defend itself putting its trust in Allah, the One and Only. All these changes in policies and shifting political alliances will not harm us so long as we remain firmly adherent to the One Who will never turn things around against us unless we first choose to do so; the One Who will never let us down if we do take refuge with Him. Indeed, He is our sponsor and warranty in this world and the hereafter, and He never let down anyone seeking His assistance whatever the case. Seeking to establish a close rapport with Allah at all times and in these particular circumstances is the ultimate obligation. People must feel the urge to make recourse to Allah and to maintain connection with Him; deviating from His path would be easy booty for the enemy. Our country –thank Allah– with its elites and common people, is well-aware of what is happening and what is being plotted against it. To us, such circumstances have turned all too familiar and it is through them that the true nature of Arabs and Muslims in this country is manifested, featuring a deeply-entrenched faith and unwavering integrity (vis-à-vis Allah Almighty). Thus, the bond of fraternity comes in to stir among people the spirit of solidarity urging the leadership to take its wisdom one step further into decisive action while leaning on the basis upon which it was founded, holding on firmly to the fundamental precept of unity and unification, relying on its people and getting ready (for any possible scenario). We see our Ummah looking forward to the future with hope. It is being actively involved down the road of advancement, competition and excellence. Our Ummah shall not give up though besieged by hurdles; it shall not succumb to hardships; it shall never lose hope as it is blessed by Almighty Allah and promised (resounding) victory. We are not the first nation that had to struggle and endure in order to live the way its wants to. Life has never been ‘a bowl of cherries’ for Muslims since the outset of their history, as the road before them has always been mined with impediments. This is the way Allah willed it to be, and any laxity or inadvertence on their part is bound to be exploited by the devils of mankind and jinn to get at Truth and its advocates. I swear to Allah that He will never humiliate or let us down while we undertake to observe and fulfill our goals set by the Qur'an: "Those (Muslim rulers) who, if We give them power in the land, (they) enjoin Iqamat-as-Salât [i.e. to perform the five compulsory congregational Salât (prayers) (the males in mosques)], to pay the Zakât and they enjoin Al-Ma‘rûf (i.e. Islâmic Monotheism and all that Islâm orders one to do), and forbid Al-Munkar (i.e. disbelief, polytheism and all that Islâm has forbidden) [i.e. they make the Qur’ân as the law of their country in all the spheres of life]. And with Allâh rests the end of (all) matters (of creatures)."[Hajj: 41] Doing good and preaching it are manifest attributes of this Ummah. They are inherent faculties in it and they constitute its permanent function and reputation that ‘fills horizons.’ An Ummah carrying the Message of Allah and embracing the call for Truth is one that cannot help but guard honour, rise above baseness and disgrace, and urge people to recommend one another to compassion and mercy. It is a nation to be marked with its support for the weak and compassion for the oppressed. Our country –thank Allah– is worthy of all that and in such a spirit of tolerance and munificence. Allah favours tawheed (monotheism) over polytheism, belief over disbelief, and justice over injustice. "And indeed We have written in Az-Zabûr [i.e. all the revealed Holy Books - the Taurât (Torah), the Injeel (Gospel), the Psalms, the Qur’ân,] after (We have already written in) Al-Lauh Al-Mahfûz (the Book that is in the heaven with Allâh), that My righteous slaves shall inherit the land (i.e. the land of Paradise)." [Al-Anbiya’: 105] The State –thank Allah– is strong, first by the grace of Allah, then by its fixed principles and firm belief (in Him). It is strong by its men, potentials and capabilities and will not tolerate attempts to undermine its security and create divisions within its Ummah. It is the sponsor and homeland of Islam and the qiblah (direction in prayer) of all Muslims. It is the guardian of the Two Holy Mosques, and its borders stretch into the hearts of one billion Muslims; its reverence and respect go far beyond open seas and wastelands. May Allah protect our country and those of all Muslims! Oh Allah! We disburden ourselves from any claim of power and might irrespective of Yours! "In Allah we put our trust. Our Lord! Make us not a trial for the folk who are Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doing) (i.e. do not make them overpower us and save us by Your Mercy from the disbelieving folk)." [Yunus: 85-86]
This is said, do ask Allah to send His Salat and Peace upon the Given Mercy and the Offered Blessing, Muhammad ibn Abdullah. O Allah! Send Your Salat, Peace and Blessing upon Your Servant and Messenger, Muhammad ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ and his kind and virtuous family! O Allah! Be pleased with all the Companions of Your Messenger, and those who righteously follow them till the Day of Judgement!
O Allah! Grant glory to Islam and Muslims! O Allah! Grant glory to Islam and Muslims and fail oppressors, infidels and corruptors! O Allah! Grant victory to Your religion, Your Book, the Sunnah of your Prophet, and Your servants who believe in You!
O Allah! Grant victory to the Mujahideen in Your cause in Palestine, in Sham and wherever they may be, O Lord of the worlds! O Allah! Save Al-Aqsa Mosque and the believers in and around it from the evil of the aggressors and the oppression of the occupiers!
O Allah! We leave the Zionist usurpers to You, for You are certainly more than a match to them!
O Allah! We implore You to be with our brothers and sisters in Palestine, Syria and everywhere as they are experiencing great suffering and grave calamities and they have no one else to turn to except You‒Glory be toYou! O Allah! Grant them speedy victory and relief and protect them! O Allah! Protect them, O You the Living, the Ever-Lasting, the Lord of Majesty and Bounty!
O Allah! Protect our country and all Muslim countries from all forms of evil!
O Allah! Make preoccupied with their own evil those who wish to harm Islam and Muslims and turn their plots and their cunning against them! O Allah! Whoever intends to carry out evil
deeds against our country, our leaders, our ulema, our people and our unity,
O Allah, busy him with himself and make his destruction in his planning, O Lord of the worlds!
O Allah! Guide our leader to do whatever you love and accept!
O Allah! Guide him to piety and righteousness !O Allah! Grant him, his Deputies, his brothers and aids success to do what is good for the people and the country!
O Allah! Grant success to all the leaders of Muslims in order to govern by Your Sharia and follow the Sunnah of Your Prophet –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him!
O Allah! Make them a mercy on Your true servants!
O Allah! Make our country and those of all Muslims around the world safe and prosperous! Protect us against the evil of wrongdoers, the maliciousness of the lecherous and the evil of those plotting to carry it out by day or night!
"Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire!" [Al-Baqarah: 201]
"Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and our transgressions (in keeping our duties to You), establish our feet firmly, and give us victory over the disbelieving folks." [Al Imran: 147]
O Allah! Forgive our sins, cover our flaws, make easy our affairs and make come true our wishes in what pleases You!
O Allah! We beseech You to forgive all Muslims and all believers, those who are still living and those who have passed away! O Allah! Forgive us, our parents and our grandparents and be merciful towards them as they were merciful towards us when we were small!
O Allah! Prolong the lives of those of them who are still alive so that they can worship you more and do more good! O Allah! Engulf with Your mercy those who passed away, light their graves and make them spacious!
O Allah! Make their graves a garden similar to those in Your heavens and reunite us together in Your House of Dignity and Generosity!
O Allah! Forgive our sins, those of our parents, our grandparents and their progeny, our wives and children, You are All-Hearing!
We ask Allah for forgiveness! We ask Allah for forgiveness! We ask Allah for forgiveness;We askour only deity, the Living, the Subsisting, and we repent unto Him!
O Allah! You are Allah, and there is no deity worthy of worship but You! You are the Self-Sufficient while we (humans) are destitute! Do send down rain on us and save us from despair!
O Allah! Send rain down on us!
O Allah! Send rain down on us!
O Allah! Send rain down on us! Bestow upon us expedient rain, a blissful, flowing, widespread, useful and harmless rain that would rejuvenate the land, quench people’s thirst and reach the rural and the urban lands!
O Allah! Send down upon us rain of mercy!
O Allah! Send down upon us rain of mercy!
O Allah! Send down upon us rain of mercy, not rain of torment, disaster, destruction, or flooding!
O Allah! Accept our prayers, for You are indeed the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing! And forgive us! You are indeed Most Forgiving, Most Merciful! Glorified be Your Lord, the Lord of Honour and Power! You are free from what they attribute unto You! May peace be upon all the Messengers! And all praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds!
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(1) The Arabic term ‘ghazwah’ normally refers to a battle or a campaign which was led by the Prophet [May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him] himself. It is contrasted with the term ‘sariyyah’ (expedition) which someone else led.
(2) It is a well-known location at about 80 km from Madinah. Caravans used to travel to Makkah and elsewhere via Al-Rawha’.
(3) Two famous Arab tribes from Madinah who supported the Prophet –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him. They are known as Al-Ansār (the supporters).
(4) He was one of the Companions of the Prophet –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– who used to call for prayer (muezzin).
The Merit of Ribat (1) and Murabiteen in the Cause of Allah
February 26, 2016 ~ Jumadal Ula 17, 1437
Sheikh Saalih Aal Taalib
Khutbah Topic
His Eminence Sheikh Saleh ibn Muhammad al-Talib –May Allah protect him– delivered this Friday khutbah entitled “The Merit of Ribat and Murabiteen in the Cause of Allah.” He talked about the merits of being stationed at frontline positions in the cause of Allah and explained the true meaning of being stationed to serve the cause of Allah, thus dissociating the term from what has been collated to it by feeble-minded and untrustworthy people. He equally addressed professional writers and media people and advised them about the need to abandon internal conflicts and turn instead to the conspiracies being strategized against the Ummah. He also pointed out that Muslims must protect their internal unity at all fronts just like soldiers stationed at the frontiers protect the territory from the enemies lying in ambush for Muslims.
Part One
True praise is due to Allah! We praise Him, seek His assistance, and ask Him for forgiveness!We seek refuge in Allah from the evils of our inner selves and from our vicious deeds. None can misguide anybody whom Allah has guided (because they have chosen to follow His Guidance), and none can guide anybody whom Allah has misguided (He has left them to themselves because they have refused to follow His Guidance). I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah, alone with no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger. May Allah send His Salat (Graces, Honours, and Mercy), Peace and Blessing upon him, his virtuous family, his Companions serving as role models for the pious, the tabi’in (the contemporaries of the Companions of the Prophet [May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him] after his death), and all those who devoutly follow in their footsteps until the Day of Judgement!
Now then! The best speech is that of the Book of Allah, that the best guidance is that of Muhammad ‒May Allah’s Salatand Peace be upon him‒ that the worst of matters are innovations (appended to religion), that every innovation is bid’ah(a type of worship not sanctioned by religion), and every bid’ah is a form of misguidance. I advise you –O people as well as myself– to observe taqwa vis-à-vis Allah (fear of disobeying Him), for it is indeed the ideal provision for the traveller, the best crop to be ever reaped and saved for tomorrow. "O you who believe! Fear Allâh and keep your duty to Him. And let every person look to what he has sent forth for the morrow, and fear Allâh. Verily, Allâh is All-Aware of what you do." [Al-Hashr: 18]
O Muslims! Security and tranquillity are blessings which Allah bestows on mankind. They are also inborn prerequisites for all living creatures on earth. In fact, only in secure conditions can people worship their Lord in tranquillity; so, they can go calmly and peacefully to their workplace and to educational institutions. As a result, they can regularly go about their life affairs and pursue their goals towards the Hereafter.
O believers! Just as doors are fitted with locks lest they should be broken into by thieves and dams are constructed to prevent the devastating effects of floods, the frontiers of the country are also equipped with barriers and gates to protect them –Allah willing– from the inundating effects of evil and the devastation of the homeland. There are men who stay awake so that other people can sleep and who exert themselves so that others can enjoy rest. In their records of good deeds, they have gained the equivalent merit of worshippers’ devotion, learners’ knowledge, merchants’ profits, and preachers’ guidance. They are the guards stationed at the outposts, the guards of the borders, and the guarantors of security.
O servants of Allah! Ribat is settling at the outposts:the sites whose inhabitants are exposed to the perils of enemy attacks. The murabit is someone who is preparing himself to engage in jihad in the cause of Allah and in defence of his religion and his brothers and sisters in faith. It is a duty ordained by Allah in His Words: "O you who believe! Endure and be more patient (than your enemy), and guard your territory by stationing army units permanently at the places from where the enemy can attack you, and fear Allâh, so that you may be successful." [Al Imran: 200] It is a form of worship with a far-reaching effect and a high risk. In his discussion of the merits of ribat in the cause of Allah, the Sheikh of Islam (i.e. Ibn Taymiyyah) reported that there was a large consensus among the Imams/scholars of Islam that it is better than living in the vicinity of the Holy Mosque (in Makkah), of the Prophet’s Mosque (in Madinah), or of the Aqsa Mosque (in Al-Quds: Jerusalem). Imagine then the reward of those who are stationed in defence of those holy sites and in order to protect them, guard their territory, and cater for the needs of their visitors! In this vein, Sahl ibn Saad –May Allah be pleased with both him and his father– narrated that the Messenger of Allah –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– said: “One day of ribat in the cause of Allah is better than the whole world and all it contains; the space of the whip’s length of any one you in paradise is better than the whole world and all it contains; a journey in the cause of Allah,whether in the evening or in the morning, is better than the whole world and all it contains.” [Reported by Imams Bukhari and Muslim]
O Muslims! Ribat and jihad are sharia-set duties. They have their own characteristics and limitations in accordance with sharia and not with whimsical desires,or again by the enemies’ distorted portrayal or by the misconception of the foolish. Ribat and jihad are legislated for the preservation of faith, human life, property, and territory. Whoever fights to make the Word of Allah supreme is the real mujahid (fighter) in the cause of Allah. Conversely, how can anyone claim to be raising the Word of Allah if he kills Muslims praying in the mosques, violates the sanctity of human life, destabilises the security of peaceful inhabitants, and targets Muslims –before anybody else– with killing, devastation, and destruction?! In fact, the appropriation of Islamic terminology by renegades should by no means negate its original significance. Accordingly, one is not allowed to abandon the truth on the pretext that it has already been misused by the advocates of falsehood. In actual fact, the real protector of the Muslim borders and the defender of Muslim lives is the murabit in the cause of Allah, as well as those stationed at the frontiers of the country to ensure its stability and guard its territory. The murabit is also anyone who devotes himself to defend Islam and its precepts, to protect them and guards them, even if not directly involved in actual military fight. The sheer act of murabatah (2) –even if armed fighting has not taken place– is full-fledged ribat for which the murabit is fully rewarded by Allah. Thus, in the above hadith of the Prophet –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– the expression “One day of ribat …” means staying at the frontiers with the purpose of protecting them. Narrated Salman –May Allah be pleased with him: “I heard the Messenger of Allah –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– say: “One day and a night of ribat is better than fasting and observing night prayer for one month. If he happens to die on that particular day, all his lifetime deeds will be counted as ribat; he will continue to benefit from equivalent reward eternally, and he will be safe from the trail of the grave.” [Reported by Imam Muslim] In the same vein, Fudhalah ibn Obeid –May Allah be pleased him– narrated that the Messenger of Allah –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– said: “The record of every person’s deeds will be closed on his/her death, except that of the murabit in the cause of Allah whose deeds will be continuously increased until Resurrection Day; in addition, he will be spared the trial of the grave.” [Reported by Abu Dawood, Al-Tirmithi, and AlNassaee via an authentic chain of narration] Abu Al-Dardaa –May Allah be pleased with him– narrated that the Messenger of Allah –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– said: “Aribat for one month is better than fasting for one’s lifetime. Whoever dies while doing ribat in the cause of Allah will be safe from the Great Horror, will be allocated paradisiacal reward day and night, and granted the recompense of a murabit until Allah –to Whom belong Might and Majesty‒ resurrects him from the dead.” [Reported by Al-Tabarani and its narrators are trustworthy] Abu Hurairah –May Allah be please with him– narrated that the Messenger of Allah ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– said: “Whoever dies as a murabit in the cause of Allah will be counted as continuously performing the good deeds he used to do during his lifetime, shall be offered eternal bounty, and he will be spared the trial of the grave. In addition, on Resurrection Day, Allah will resurrect him from the dead immune from the Great Horror.” [Reported by Ibn Majah via an authentic chain of narration] Certainly, Almighty Allah’s favours are great, for any person stationed at the vanguard of Muslim positions will be rewarded, even if they are inside the country. Ibn Abbas –May Allah be pleased with both him and his father– narrated: “I heard the Messenger of Allah – May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– say, ‘Two types of eyes will not be affected by hellfire: one which wept in awe of Allah and another which stayed awake to watch over (Muslims and their territories) in the cause of Allah.’”[Reported by Al-Tirmithi via an authentic chain of narration]
O Muslims! This is ribat and this is its merit even if no killing or armed fighting has taken place. On the other hand, if the believer is tested by Allah through placing him in direct encounter with the enemy, he is considered to be in a state of jihad in return for which he will be rewarded, in a privileged position for which others will envy him, and in an ordeal he is bound to go through to reach higher ranks. Allah –to Whom belong Might and Majesty‒ says: "And surely, We shall try you till We test those who strive hard (for the Cause of Allâh) and the patient ones, and We shall test your facts (i.e. the one who is a liar, and the one who is truthful)." [Muhammad: 31] He –May He be glorified– equally says: "... Allâh has preferred in grades those who strive hard and fight with their wealth and their lives above those who sit (at home). Unto each, Allâh has promised good (Paradise), but Allâh has preferred those who strive hard and fight, above those who sit (at home) by a huge reward." [Al-Nissa’: 95] He –Glory be to Him‒ also says: "And those who believed, and emigrated and strove hard in the Cause of Allâh (Al-Jihâd), as well as those who gave (them) asylum and aid; - these are the believers in truth, for them is forgiveness and Rizqun Karîm(a generous provision i.e. Paradise)." [Al-Anfal: 74] Abu Hurairah –May Allah be pleased with him–said: “The Messenger of Allah –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– said, ‘In Paradise, there are one hundred ranks which Allah has reserved for the mujahedeen in the cause of Allah; the distance between two ranks is similar to that between the earth and the heavens. Whenever you implore Allah, do ask Him for the Firdaws rank; it is the medium position and the highest one in Paradise; above it there is the Divine Throne of the Compassionate and from it spring out the rivers of Paradise.’” [An authentic hadith according to the criteria of hadith selection adopted by the two Sheikhs(Imam Muslim and Imam Bukhari)]
O servants of Allah! Undoubtedly, armed combat is quite arduous, and therefore loathsome by nature. Allah –to Whom belong Might and Majesty‒ says: "Jihâd(holy fighting in Allâh's Cause) is ordained for you (Muslims) though you dislike it, and it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing which is bad for you. Allâh knows but you do not know. [Al-Baqarah: 216] Of course, killing is not an end in itself, as the Muslim does not go out for jihad in order to be killed. Rather, he engages in jihad in order to support Allah’s religion, defend Muslims and their territories, and in order to succeed in his mission. However, martyrdom is guaranteed if things turn out to be otherwise. The believer is therefore bound to face one of two things: victory or martyrdom. Allah –to Whom belong Might and Majesty‒ says: "Say: "Do you wait for us (anything) except one of the two best things (martyrdom or victory); while we await for you either that Allâh will afflict you with a punishment from Himself or at our hands. So wait, we too are waiting with you."" [Al-Tawbah: 52] Quite certainly, truth requires supporters to enforce it, power to protect it, and men to defend it. O you murabitoon in the cause of Allah! I swear by Allah that you are envied for your great deeds and their respective divine recompense. Congratulations on such reward and honour! Be guided by the example of the Prophet and his Companions with respect to remembering and supplicating Allah, along with adhering to perseverance. Let me convey to you glad tidings of success and victory: "And many a Prophet (i.e. many from amongst the Prophets) fought (in Allâh's Cause) and along with him (fought) large bands of religious learned men. But they never lost heart for that which did befall them in Allâh's Way, nor did they weaken nor degrade themselves. And Allâh loves as-Sâbirin (the patient ones, etc.). And they said nothing but: "Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and our transgressions (in keeping our duties to You), establish our feet firmly, and give us victory over the disbelieving folk."So Allâh gave them the reward of this world, and the excellent reward of the Hereafter. And Allâh loves Al-Muhsinûn(the gooddoers)." [Al Imran: 146-148]
O Muslims! You are greatly indebted to the Mujahedeen and the murabiteen on the borders as they are putting their lives on the line and are undergoing great risk, exhaustion and distress so that you may live in peace, security, prosperity, tranquillity, and comfort. They are exposing themselves to all kinds of calamities and horrors; they have left behind their wives, children and parents so that their fellow citizens, brothers and sisters, may enjoy a good life. They are indeed carrying out such a great undertaking! Do pray for them, secretly and openly, and help them out in any way you can, for the Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ said: “… and he who looks after the family of a warrior in the cause of Allah will himself be considered a warrior."
May Allah bless me and you with the Glorious Qur'an and benefit us with the Sunnah of the Master of all Messengers! I say this, and I ask Allah Almighty for forgiveness to me and to you.
Part Two
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, the Merciful, the Owner of the Day of Judgement! I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah alone with no partner, the King, the Ultimate Truth, and I also bear witness that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger, the honest and trustworthy. May Allah send His Salat, Peace, and Blessing upon him, his family and Companions!
Now then, O Muslims! Just as ribat is usually carried out in outposts and on the outskirts of the country, people of the inland have their own ribat which is of no less importance, especially if the country is at war. Its (ribat) is the guard of the Ummah’s unity of ranks and concord: loopholes through which the enemy can get in if those in the outskirts prove to be impenetrable. In fact, the efforts to safeguard the borders of the country will turn rather futile if the latter is vulnerable from within. Such vulnerability is an alternative loophole that is usually targeted by hypocrites who might seek to entice the foolish and the ignorant into it. Reason and logic make it imperative that all internal conflicts or contentions, though deemed rightful, be postponed so long as the country is at war, much less when such contentions are fabricated and trivial ones that are contrived to keep communities preoccupied, draw high-profile attention, stir concern within the media, and fill the hearts with rancour and hatred. For several days, people would go engrossed in the news and developments incurred by such differences where the ego more often than the truth comes out victorious in utter disregard of the country’s status quo and the serious events being experienced. In every society, there are sensitive issues known to many of us, and no matter how these issues are approached, rightly or wrongly, controversy is bound to erupt about them, drawing much public attention and conjuring up hatred within society. Such issues are prodded by the simple-minded, or those who are carelessly rammed into them with no consideration of the ensuing consequences or the situation the state is currently undergoing. Hence, people forget all about the ongoing war only to be preoccupied with internal clashes. If judged legitimate, those sensitive issues are, at their best, badly timed. Otherwise, they are to be construed as an internal raid whose shots come from within and its targets are within. The Prophet –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– overlooked the preoccupation with the issue of Bani Al-Nadheer’s (3) betrayal of Muslims in the Battle of the Trench until the disintegration of Al-Ahzab (the confederates) and their retreat. Afterwards, the Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ brought the traitors to account.How can we stir concern within society because of issues of much less importance, issues that can wait?! In the first verse of Suratal-Anfal, Allah Almighty says: "So fear Allâh and adjust all matters of difference among you", and towards the middle of the Surat He says: "And obey Allâh and His Messenger, and do not dispute (with one another) lest you lose courage and your strength departs, and be patient. Surely, Allâh is with those who are AsSâbirûn (the patient)." [Al-Anfal: 46] Rushing matters and using them to suit one’s whims and desires are signs of failure and weakness. Media people in the public and private sectors alike must be aware of the current circumstances and the calamities surrounding our Ummah. Many are those who are not keeping up with events and who do not quite realize what is going on around them, hence the loss of earnestness when addressing issues and the absence of rising above pitiful agendas and instinct-based propagandas. It is indeed all too bizarre to see satellite channels owned by Arabs and Muslims, and yet their agendas are at odds with the ethical norms of Arabs and the provisions of Islamic Sharia. You also see others who are trying to appeal to the public through the use of affective language, tweets and articles while approaching certain matters; they do this in a blare fuelled by emotions and an appeal provoked by unbridled whims and passion that lead nowhere but to the awakening of seditions. Our country is envied because of its solid home front and widespread security; it is also targeted by enemies who are plotting against it and are waiting for it to meet with disaster.
With all the tremendous responsibilities it is currently assuming and carrying out, the state is in the process of managing momentous operations, facing multiple conflicts and wrestling a variety of contentions on the ground and under the domes of international bodies. Our country and its leaderships are racing to all that is good (4) and are stationing at the borders of the entire Ummah. Therefore, it is our duty to ensure the proper atmosphere in order for them to take the country and the people to safety. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a state Allah Almighty honoured with the service of the Holy Mosques and sites. Its founder –May Allah bless his soul– meant it to be established on the Straight Path. As a result, it has been endorsed, esteemed and trusted by Muslims worldwide, and it is determined to carry out its global obligation in this regard and live up to the trust with which Allah Almighty honoured it. Therefore, speakers and writers alike must seek to the best of their abilities to ensure accord, unity and cooperation among people in order to achieve our common objective. Beat up as it is now, and being infested with the insidious work of evil doers, time is unlikely to withstand further escalation and harassment. We must seek to control what we write and say so that Allah Almighty may bring an end to the crises looming about the Ummah and lift this affliction. Our Ummah is going through circumstances that prompt the halting of even that which is permissible, let alone that which is not?!The principles upon which our Ummah has stood for centuries are summed up in the Qur’an thus: "Those (Muslim rulers) who, if We give them power in the land, (they) enjoin Iqamat-as-Salât [i.e. to perform the five compulsory congregational Salât (prayers)(the males in mosques)], to pay the Zakât and they enjoin Al-Ma‘rûf (i.e. Islâmic Monotheism and all that Islâm orders one to do), and forbid Al-Munkar (i.e. disbelief, polytheism and all that Islâm has forbidden) [i.e. they make the Qur’ân as the law of their country in all the spheres of life]. And with Allâh rests the end of (all) matters (of creatures)." [Al-Hajj: 41]
This being said, I advise you to send your salat and peace upon the best and the purest of all mankind, Muhammad ibn Abdullah, Al-Hashimi, Al-Qurashi. O Allah! Send Your Salat, Peace, and Blessing upon Your Servant and Messenger, Muhammad, and upon his good and pure family, and be satisfied with all the Companions of Your Messenger, and with those who followed them in righteousness until the Day of Judgement!
O Allah! Grant glory to Islam and Muslims!
O Allah! Grant glory to Islam and victory to Muslims and fail tyrants, infidels and corruptors!
O Allah! Grant victory to Your Religion, Your Book, the Sunnah of Your Prophet, and Your believing servants!
O Allah! Grant victory to the Mujahedeen in Your cause in Palestine, Sham and everywhere, O Lord of the worlds!
O Allah! Grant victory to the Mujahedeen and the murabiteen in Palestine, Sham and everywhere, O Lord of the worlds!
Oh Allah! Save Al-Aqsa Mosque and the believers in and around it from the aggression of the aggressors, and the injustice of the occupiers!
O Allah! We leave them to You, those Zionist aggressors, for You are more than a match to them!
Oh Allah! Be with our brothers and sisters in Palestine, Syria, and everywhere! O Allah! Their situation has gone a lot worse and their anguish more intense and they have no one to side with them but You –Glory be to You!
O Allah! Grant them speedy victory and relief!
O Allah! Grant them speedy victory and relief! O You, the Everlasting, the SelfSubsisting, the Possessor of Majesty and Honour!
O Allah! Protect our country and Muslim countries from all evils!
O Allah! Make preoccupied with their own evil those who wish to harm us, Islam and Muslims! Turn their plots and their cunning against them!
O Allah! Make preoccupied with their own evil those who wish to harm our country, our leaders, our Ulema, our people, and our unity! O Allah! Turn their plots and their cunning against them, O Lord of the worlds!
O Allah! Guide our leader to do whatever You love and accept! Lead him to virtue and righteousness!
O Allah! Guide him, his deputies, his brothers and his helpers to do what is good for the country and the people!
O Allah! Grant success to all the leaders of Muslims in order to govern by Your Sharia and follow the Sunnah of Your Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him!
O Allah! Make them a mercy on Your believing servants!
O Allah! Make safe and prosperous our country and all Muslim countries around the world! Protect us against the evil of wrongdoers, the maliciousness of the lecherous and the evil of those plotting to carry it out by day or night!
"Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire!" [Al-Baqarah: 201]
"Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and our transgressions (in keeping our duties to You), establish our feet firmly, and give us victory over the disbelieving folk." [Al Imran: 147]
O Allah! Forgive our sins, cover our flaws, make easy our affairs and make come true our wishes in what pleases You!
O Allah! We beseech You to forgive all Muslims and believers, males and females, those who are still living and those who passed away!
O Allah! We implore You to forgive us, our parents and grandparents! O Allah! Bless their souls as they were mercy on us when we were small!
O Allah! Prolong the lives of those of them who are still alive so that they can worship you more and do more good!
O Allah! Engulf with Your Mercy those of them who have died, light up and render spacious their graves, make them gardens similar to those in Your Paradise, and join us together with them in the House of Your Magnanimity!
O Allah! We implore You to forgive us, our parents and grandparents, their progeny, our wives and our progeny! O You, the All-Hearing of our prayers!
We ask Allah for forgiveness! We ask Allah for forgiveness! We ask Allah for forgiveness!
Allah is the only deity, the Living, the Subsisting, and we repent unto Him!
O Allah! You are Allah, and there is no deity worthy of worship but You! You are the Self-Sufficient while we (humans) are destitute! Do send down rain on us and save us from despair!
O Allah! Send rain down on us! O Allah! Send rain down on us! O Allah! Send rain down on us!
Bestow upon us expedient rain, a blissful, flowing, widespread, useful and harmless rain, one that would rejuvenate the land, quench people’s thirst and reach the rural and the urban lands!
O Allah! Send down upon us rain of mercy, not rain of torment, disaster, destruction, or flooding!
O Allah! Accept our prayers, for You are indeed the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing! And forgive us! You are indeed Most Forgiving, Most Merciful!
Glorified be our Lord, the Lord of Honour and Power! You are far above what they attribute unto You! May peace be upon all the Messengers! And all praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds!
(1) In Islam, the Arabic word ( )رباطmeans guarding the borders of Muslim lands against possible enemy attacks. It is considered one of the highly praiseworthy forms of worship. The one who is stationed at the borders of Muslim lands is called murabit ( مرابطits Arabic plural form is murabitoon (.)مرابطون
(2) Another term for ribat
(3) One of the Jewish tribes which the Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ expelled from Madinah because of their treachery.
(4) The expression in boldface is a paraphrase from the holy Qur’an, surat Al-Baqarah, verse 148 and surat alMaedah, verse 48.
The Behaviour of the Prophet () with his Children and Grandchildren
March 25, 2016 ~ Jumadal Akhirah 16, 1437
Sheikh Saalih Aal Taalib
Khutbah Topic
His Eminence Sheikh Saleh ibn Muhammad al-Talib –May Allah protect him– delivered this Friday khutbah entitled “The Behaviour of the Prophet () with His Children and Grandchildren” in which he mentioned some instances of the Prophet‟s behaviour –May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him– and the way he used to treat his sons, daughters and grandchildren. The Sheikh offered a few glimpses of their biographies –May Allah be pleased with them all and may He grant them contentment– and talked about the compassion, modesty and humility of the Prophet –May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him–when dealing with children.
Part One
Praise be to Allah! Praise be to Allah, the Most-Revered and the Most-Benevolent in His sublime dominion! To Him shall be addressed the most sublime expressions of praise and the most transcendent forms of gratitude.For neither the blessings nor the gifts of our Lord can be ever requited. I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah alone with no partner. He decreed that wealth and offspring be the adornment of life and that the good righteous deeds associated with them afterwards be everlasting. I equally bear witness that Muhammad is the Servant, Messenger and Select creature of Allah. He is the most affectionate male parent ever born on earth, the ideal father whose heart overflew with affection and whose eyes shed tears on his dear departed children. May Allah send His Salat (Graces, Honours, and Mercy), Peace and Blessing upon him, his daughters and sons! May Allah also send His Salat upon his Wives, Companions, followers, and all those who follow him righteously till Doomsday!
Now then, O people! The best counsel to be offered and the noblest habit to be acquired remains forever taqwa (fear of disobeying divine commands). For it is the substance of all prophets‟ advice, the ornament of Allah‟s select servants, and the ideal provision on the Day of Encounter (with Almighty Allah): "…And We have instructed those who were given the Scripture before you and yourselves to fear Allâh. …"[Al-Nissa‟: 131] "O you who believe! Fear Allâh and keep your duty to Him. And let every person look to what he has sent forth for the morrow, and fear Allâh. Verily, Allâh is All-Aware of what you do." [Al-Hasher: 18]
O Muslims! The Seerah (biography) of the Prophet –May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him–is full of enlightening guidance in the areas of da‟wah (inviting people to Islam), education, politics, war, worship and ethics. You can get guidance and full benefit from whichever aspect of his Noble Seerah. Here is an instance of the Seal of Prophets‟ –May Allah‟s profuse Salat and Peace be upon him–graceful model behaviour when dealing with his children and grandchildren. It is a context where his humaneness, fatherhood, compassion, and affection become manifestly clear. Even the father whose child/children departed this life could find in the Prophet‟s model behaviour some consolation, especially when he realises that the same affliction befell someone of superior nature and higher rank(i.e. the Prophet –May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him). Every person could find in his Seerah rulings, benefits, and sharia guidance. The Seerah of the Prophet –May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him– is anyone‟s companion, and his accounts are the décor of social gatherings. Everybody enjoys listening about his Seerah and finds a sense of tranquillity and comfort in his accounts. Let us then engage in a journey back to his early days and his first home in the company of his children ‒May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him.
O servants of Allah! The Messenger of Allah –May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him– was a young man from Quraish. He was known among his peers –if the term „peer‟ applies to this context– for his truthfulness and honesty. They used to call him „al-Ameen‟ (the Trustworthy). His impeccable manners and moral rectitude spread east and west. So, Khadijah Bint Khuwailid ‒May Allah be pleased with her– chose him to be in charge of her trade in the Sham. Thus, she sent her servant Maysarah to accompany him; and you all know the rest of the story. Khadijah –May Allah be pleased with her‒ liked him, and the Prophet –May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him– married her while he was still twenty-five years old. She was older than him. The first home he formed was full of happiness and lighted with of faith. The Prophet –May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him– loved Khadijah so intensely that his later wives would feel jealous of her. He used to say: “I have been endowed with her love.” Their marital life lasted for twenty-five years, and he did not marry other women until after her death. He–May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ got from her six children: Two sons: Al-Qasim, Abdullah, and four daughters: Zainab, Ruqayyah, Umm Kulthoom, and Fatimah. Al-Qasim was the elder child of the Prophet –May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him; hence his nickname „Abu Al-Qasim‟(1). He –May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him– said: “Give your children my name, but do not use my nickname.” In this particular regard, most scholars unanimously agreed that such a prohibition mentioned in the Prophet‟s hadith above is time-restricted and was later rescinded, as is confirmed in Imam Muslim‟sSahih who reported that Anas –May Allah be pleased with him– said: “A man once addressed another man at al-Baqee‟as „Aba Al-Qasim‟. When the Messenger of Allah –May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him–turned around and looked at him, the man said: „O Messenger of Allah, I didn‟t mean to call you, but I called so and so. The Messenger of Allah –May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him– said: “Give your children my name, but do not use my nickname.” Al-Qasim had died in his early childhood before the bi‟thah (2) of the Prophet–May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him. Then, a girl was born to the Prophet–May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him. He called her Zainab. One of the details about her biography is that the Prophet –May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him– had married her to Aba al-„As ibn Abi Arrabee‟. She embraced the Islamic faith before him and emigrated from Makkah to Madinah while her husband only converted to Islam sometime before the fat‟h (3) (of Makkah). As a result, the Prophet –May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him– later reunited her with her husband. On the day of the Battle of Badr al-„As ibn Abi Arrabee‟ was among the prisoners of war. Each one of the people of Makkah sent a ransom to free their respective captives. Zainab sent some money and a necklace to ransom her husband. That necklace was Khadijah‟s gift to her daughter Zainab on her wedding day. Upon seeing it, the Messenger of Allah‒May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ felt so emotionally touched and remembered his early days with nostalgia. He then said: “If you deem it appropriate to set free her prisoner and return what she has sent (as ransom), then do.” They said: “Yes, we‟ll do, O Messenger of Allah.” Then, Zainab gave birth to a female baby, Omamah. As a token of his affectionate nature and modest behaviour, the Prophet –May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him– would occasionally hold Omamah in his hands while performing prayer. He would hold her when he was in an upright position and put her on the floor when in a prostration position. Muslim scholars have taken this behaviour to mean a permission to make certain gestures during prayer if need be. After his wife‟s death (Fatimah), Ali –May Allah be pleased with him– married Omamah, whose mother –Zainab– later died in the 8th year of Hijrah. Muslim women then washed her dead body and shroudedit in the loincloth of the Prophet –May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him. After Zainab, the Prophet –May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him– had another daughter whom he called Ruqayyahand married to Othman ibn „Affan –May Allah be pleased with him. On the day of the Battle of Badr (first battle opposing Muslims with nonbelievers and polytheists), Ruqayyah had serious health problems which prevented Othman from participating in the battle.Instead, he remained with his wife to nurse her. Then, she passed away –May Allah be pleased with her. Nonetheless, the Prophet–May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him– allocated to Othman a share of the spoils as if he took part in the battle. Imam Ahmed reported that Aisha –May Allah be pleased with her– narrated that the Messenger of Allah –May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him– was offered an onyx decorated collar as a present.So, he said: “I will definitely offer it to the dearest in my family.” The women present there said: “The daughter of Abi Quhafah (4) will certainly receive it, then.” Then, the Prophet –May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him– called Omamah, Zainab‟s daughter, and hung it around her neck. [This hadith‟s chain of narration is debatable] When Ruqayyah –May Allah be pleased with her– passed away, the Prophet–May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him– married his daughter, Umm Kulthoom, to Othman, hence his nickname „Thu al-Noorain‟ (i.e. he married two of the Prophet‟s daughters). Abu Hurairah narrated that when the Prophet–May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him– met Othman at the gate of the mosque, he said to him: “O Othman! Jibreel (Gabriel) visited me and informed me that Allah had married you Umm Kulthoom for the same dowry as that given to Ruqayyah and for the same type of marital relation.” [Reported by Ibn Majah, and its chain of narration is debatable] As to Fatimah, the youngest daughter of the Prophet –May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him– the following questions are worth raising here: Whose daughter was she? Whose wife was she? Whose mother was she? Who can even comeclose to her high glorious status?! In Imam Muslim‟sSahih, it is reported that ibn Massood –May Allah be pleased with him– said: “While the Messenger of Allah –May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him– was praying at the Holy Mosque, Abu Jahl (5) and some of his comrades were sitting nearby. It happened that the previous day a camel was slaughtered; so, Abu Jahl said, „Who can bring the viscera of the camel slaughtered by so and so and place it on Muhammad‟s shoulder when he lays prostrate?‟ The most wretched member of the group brought it swiftly, and when the Prophet –May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him– laid prostrate he placed it on between his shoulders.” Ibn Massaood added:“They burst into laughter each leaning on the other.”He continued:“At that time, I kept watching the scene.If I had had any guarantee of communal protection (against the reaction of Quraish), I would have removed the viscera from the back of the Messenger of Allah –May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him. While the Prophet –May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him– was lying prostrate without raising his head, someone went quickly to Fatimah and told her about the incident. At that time, she was still a little girl. Thus, she removed the viscera and then she went to them and insulted them. When the Prophet–May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him– finished his prayer, he raised his voice and supplicated Allah to punish them. It was in the habit of the Prophet –May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him– to repeat his supplications and prayers three times successively. Then he said three times: “O Allah! Punish Quraish!” When they heard his voice, they stopped laughing and looked frightened of his supplication.” The Prophet–May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him– married Fatimah –May Allah be pleased with her– to her cousin, Ali ibn Abi Taleb –May Allah be pleased with him– in the 2nd Hijri year. Then, she gave birth to Al-Hassan and Al-Hussein, the masters of the youth in Paradise. The prophet–May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him– loved them very much. He would often say: “They are my two sweet basils in this worldly life.” One day, while the Messenger of Allah –May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him– was delivering a khutbah, Al-Hassan and Al-Hussein came, wearing red overalls, stumbling and standing up. So, he stepped down the mimbar, took both of them and regained his place. He then said: “Allah tells but the truth when he says: "Your wealth and your children are only a trial..." (6). When I saw these two I couldn't stand it.” [A hadith reported by the five Imams of hadith] Another day, in a congregational prayer with his Companions, the Prophet–May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him– (unusually) lay prostrate for a long time. After finishing the prayer, the Companions asked him about the cause.He said: “My son climbed up my back, and I didn‟t like to disturb him until he had enough.” [Reported by Ahmed and Al-Nassae] Such is the heart of the Prophet –May Allah‟s Salat and Peace Be upon Him– and such is his merciful nature with children: no scolding, beating, or yelling at them, or at the child who climbed up his back while he was performing prayer; he simply prolonged his prostration until the boy got off his back. He –May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him– said: “My son climbed up my back, and I didn‟t like to disturb him until he had enough.” Al-Aqra‟ ibn Habis once visited the Prophet –May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him– and saw him kissing al-Hassan. He said: “I have ten children, but I have never kissed any one of them.” The Prophet then replied: “He who does not show mercy to others will not be shown mercy.” Such is the heart of the Prophet –May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him– and such is his merciful nature with children: "Indeed in the Messenger of Allâh (Muhammad )صلى الله عليه وسلمyou have a good example to follow," [Al-Ahzab: 21]. Those were Al-Hassan and Al-Hussein. Fatimah is but a part of the Prophet. He –May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him– said: “Indeed Fatimah is but a part of me;what disquiets me does so to her." Complaining about the blisters on her hand because of using a mill-stone,she came, one day, to the Prophet ‒May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ to ask him for a servant, but she did not find him (at home) and had to inform Aisha of her need. When he came back, Aisha informed him about it. Ali added: “He came to us when we had gone to bed. When I was going to get up, he said:„Stay where youare,‟and sat between us, till I felt the coolness of his feet on my chest.Then, he said:„Shall I not tell you of a thing which is better for you than a servant? When you (both) go to bed, say: 'Subhan Allah' thirty-three times, 'Alhamdu lillah' thirtythree times, and 'Allahu Akbar' thirty-four times. For that is better for you than a servant.‟” [Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim] Ibn Hajar said: “The point here is that he who mentions Allah continuously shall be granted power greater than that given to him through a servant.” It was reported in both Sahihs that Aisha –May Allah be pleased with her– said: “Once Fatimah came walking and her gait resembled the gait of the Prophet –May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him. The Prophet –May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him– said:„Welcome, O my daughter!‟ Then he made her sit on his right or on his left side and whispered something to her, and she started weeping. I asked her, „Why are you weeping?‟ He again whispered something else to her, and she started laughing. I said: „I never saw happiness so near to sadness as I saw today.‟ I asked her what the Prophet –May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him– had told her. She said: „I would never disclose the secret of Allah's Messenger –May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him‟. When the Prophet –May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him– died, I asked her about it. She replied. „The Prophet –May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him– said: „Every year Jibreel (Gabriel) used to revise the Qur'an with me once only, but this year he has done so twice. I think this portends my death, and you will be the first of my family to follow me.‟ So I started weeping. Then he said. „Don't you like to be the lady of all the women of Paradise or the lady of the believing women?‟ So I laughed for that.” Six months after the death of the Prophet –May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him– Fatimah passed away. May Allah be pleased with her, her husband, Ali ibn Abi Talib, and her two sons, Al-Hassan and Al-Hussein!We do take Allah as our witness that we love them, are loyal to them, and that we seek closeness to Him through this love and loyalty without aversion or hyperbole.
O Muslims! The youngest child of the Prophet‟s –May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him– from Khadijah was Abdullah, nicknamed the „Kind‟, or the „Pure‟. He was born after the bi‟thah and died while still young. Upon his death, Al-„As ibn Wael said with reference to the Prophet ‒May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him: “Leave him, for he is cut off(without offspring).When he dies, there will be no mention of him anymore as he has no son to live after him!” To this effect, Allah sent down the following verses: "Verily, We have granted you (O Muhammad )صلى الله عليه وسلمAl-Kauthar (a river in Paradise). Therefore turn in prayer to your Lord and sacrifice (to Him only). For he who hates you (O Muhammad ,)صلى الله عليه وسلمhe will be cut off (from posterity and every good thing in this world and in the Hereafter)." [Al-Kawthar: 1-3] As to our Prophet, Muhammad –May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him– Allah said, addressing him: "And have We not raised high your fame?" [Al-Sharh: 4] Those were the children of the Prophet –May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him– from Khadijah –May Allah be pleased with her: Al-Qassim, Abdullah, Zainab, Ruqayah, Umm Kulthoom, and Fatimah –May Allah be pleased with them all, and may His Salat, Peace and Blessing be upon our Prophet and his family!
May Allah bless you and me by the Qur'an and Sunnah and grant us benefit from their verses and wisdom!Having said this, I ask AllahtheAlmightyto forgive me and you!
Part Two
Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful and the Sovereign of the Day of Recompense. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah, the King, and the Manifest Truth. I also bear witness that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger. May Allah send His Salat, Peace and Blessing upon him, his family and all his Companions!
Now then, O Muslims! One day, the Prophet –May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him– performed fajr prayer and then turned around to his Companions and said: “A child was born to me at night and I named him Ibrahim after my father‟s.” Muslim scholars then sanctioned the naming of the new-born on the first day of birth. Al-Bayhaqui‒May Allah bless his soul‒ said: “Naming the new-born upon birth is more authentic than what was said concerning naming him on the seventh day.” Yes, indeed! Such was Ibrahim, son of Maria, the Egyptian Copt, whom AlMuqawquis offered as a gift to the Prophet –May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him–and who bore him Ibrahim. Anas ibn Malik‒May Allah be pleased with him‒ said: “I have never seen anyone so merciful with his own children as the Messenger of Allah –May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him. He had his son (Ibrahim) suckled in the outskirts of Madinah and the husband of his wet-nurse was a blacksmith. We used to go there together withus, and the house would be full of smoke from the bellows. He would kiss the child and then come back.” Ibrahim died in the tenth year (of the Hijrah) when he was eighteen months old. There was a solar eclipse the day he died and people believed that this was in mourning of his death. The Prophet –May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him–wept and said: “The eyes are shedding tears and the heart is grieved, and we will not say except what pleases our Lord. O Ibrahim! Indeed we are grieved by your departure.”He –May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon him– said: “He has a wet nurse in Paradise to complete his suckling period.”
May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be upon His Servant and Messenger Muhammad, his family, Companions, wives, progeny, and those who followed them in righteousness until the Day of Judgement! O Allah! Grant us his intercession and a drink from his Basin!
O Allah! Gather us on the Day of Resurrection as part of his group and grant us success to follow his Sunnah!
O Allah! Grant glory to Islam and Muslims, and degrade polytheism and polytheists (who associate partners with You)!
O Allah! Defeat all tyrants, infidels and corruptors!
O Allah! Grant victory to Your Holy Book, the Sunnah of Your Prophet and Your believing servants!
O Allah! Grant victory to the Mujahideen in Your Cause in Palestine, Sham and wherever they may be, O Lord of the worlds!
O Allah! Save Al-Aqsa Mosque and the believers in and around it from the aggression of the aggressors and the oppression of the occupiers!
O Allah! We leave them to You, those Zionist usurpers, for You are more than a match to them!
O Allah! Be on the side of our brothers and sisters in Palestine, Syria, and everywhere!
O Allah! Their situation has turned more serious and their calamity greater, and there is no one to grant them victory but You ‒Exalted be You!
O Allah! Grant them a speedy victory and relief!
O Allah! Protect our country and all Muslim countries from all forms of evil!
O Allah! Whoever intends to carry out evil deeds against us, Islam, and Muslims, O Allah, let him be kept busy him with himself, and let his plotting be to his own detriment!
O Allah! Whoever intends to carry out evil deeds against us, our homeland, our leaders, our ulema (religious scholars), our people, and our unity, O Allah, let him be kept busy him with himself, and let his plotting be to his own detriment, O Lord of the worlds!
O Allah! Guide our leader to do whatever you love and accept!
O Allah! Guide him to piety and righteousness!
O Allah! Grant him, his deputies, their brothers and assistants success to do what is good for the people and the country, O You, the Living, the Subsisting, the Lord of Majesty and Bounty!
O Allah! Grant success to all the leaders of Muslims in order to govern by Your Sharia and follow the Sunnah of Your Prophet, Muhammad –May Allah‟s Salat and Peace be
upon him!
O Allah! Make them a Mercy on Your true servants!
O Allah! Grant victory to our soldiers who are stationed on the borders!
O Allah! Grant victory to our Mujahidin(soldiers) who are stationed on the borders, and all of our security forces!
O Allah! Protect them just as they seek to protect Your Holy land and Your believing servants!
O Allah! Grant them steadfastness and restraint, bless their deeds and lives, their families and possessions!
O Allah! Reward them and accept from them (their good deeds), O Lord of the worlds!
O Allah! Make safe and prosperous our country and those of all Muslims around the world! Protect us against the evil of wrongdoers, the maliciousness of the lecherous and the evil of those plotting to carry it out by day or night!
"Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire!" [Al-Baqarah: 201],
"Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and our transgressions (in keeping our duties to You), establish our feet firmly, and give us victory over the disbelieving folks)." [Al Imran: 147]
O Allah! Forgive our sins! O Allah! Forgive our sins, cover our flaws, make easy our affairs and make our wishes come true in what pleases You!
O Allah! We beseech You to forgive all Muslims and believers, those who are still living and those who passed away!
O Allah! We implore You to forgive us, our parents and grandparents!
O Allah! Bless their souls as they were mercy on us when we were small!
O Allah! Prolong the lives of those of them who are still alive so that they can worship you more and do more good!
O Allah! Engulf with Your mercy those of them who have died, light up and render spacious their graves, make them gardens similar to those in Your Paradise, and join us together with them in Your Paradise, O Lord of the worlds!
O Allah! We implore You to forgive us, our parents and grandparents, their progeny, our wives and our progeny,O You, the All-Hearing of our prayers!
We ask Allah for forgiveness! We ask Allah for forgiveness! We ask Allah for forgiveness!
Allah is the only deity, the Living, the Subsisting, and we repent to Him!
O Allah! You are Allah, and there is no deity worthy of worship but You! You are the Self-Sufficient while we (humans) are destitute! Do send down rain on us and save us from despair!
O Allah! You are Allah, and there is no deity worthy of worship but You! You are the Self-Sufficient while we (humans) are destitute! Do send down rain on us and save us from despair!
O Allah! Send rain down on us! O Allah! Send rain down on us! O Allah! Send rain down on us! Bestow upon us expedient rain, a blissful, flowing, widespread, useful and harmless rain, one that would rejuvenate the land, quench people‟s thirst and reach the rural and urban lands!
O Allah! Send down upon us rain of mercy, not rain of torment, disaster, destruction, or flooding!
O Allah! Accept our prayers, for You are indeed the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing! And forgive us! You are indeed Most Forgiving, Most Merciful!
Glorified be Your Lord, the Lord of Honour and Power! You are free from what they attribute unto You! May peace be upon all the Messengers! And all praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds!
(1) The Arab tradition is to nickname the father by using the word ‘Abu’ (that is, father of) followed by the name
of his elder son or daughter.
(2) The time the Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ was appointed by Almighty Allah as His
Messenger and thus received the first revelation of the Qur’an.
(3) It means the peaceful capture of Makkah when the Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ and
his Companions made a victorious entry to it without fighting in the eighth year of Hijrah.
(4) This is the nickname of Abu Bakr ‒May Allah be pleased with him.
(5) His real name was Amr ibn Hisham, nicknamed by the Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ as “Abu Jahl”. He was one of the polytheist Quraishi leaders of Makkah who was known for his critical opposition towards Muhammad ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ and early Muslims.
His Eminence Sheikh Saleh ibn Muhammad Al Talib –May Allah protect him– delivered this Friday khutbah titled “The Effect of the Holy Qur’an on Hearts” in which he talked about the effect that the Holy Qur’an has on hearts, pointing out its impact on the polytheists when they heard it and how the Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ felt upon reciting it and hearing it recited. He also showed its effect on the Prophet’s Companions and others, such as the Jinn and the angels, and concluded with mentioning some hadiths about the merit of reciting the Holy Qur’an and that of those who have learned it.
Part One
Praise be to Allah! "All the praises and thanks be to Allâh, Who has sent down to His slave (Muhammad SAW) the Book (the Qur'ân), and has not placed therein any crookedness. (He has made it) Straight to give warning (to the disbelievers) of a severe punishment from Him, and to give glad tidings to the believers (in the Oneness of Allâh Islâmic Monotheism), who work righteous deeds, that they shall have a fair reward (i.e. Paradise)" [Al-Kahf: 1-2]. I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah alone with no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger. May Allah send His Salat (Graces, Honours, and Mercy), Peace and Blessing upon him, his family and all his Companions!
Now then, The best speech is Allah’s Book, and the best guidance is Muhammad’s –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him! The worst of all things are the novelties (in religion), and every novelty is a bid’ah (unlawful innovation in religion) and every bid’ah is misguidance. "O you who believe! Fear Allâh and keep your duty to Him. And let every person look to what he has sent forth for the morrow, and fear Allâh. Verily, Allâh is All-Aware of what you do" [Al-Hashr: 18] I exhort you to observe taqwa (fear of disobeying Allah) so that you may succeed. Do as many good deeds as you possibly can because you will soon be leaving (this world to the next). "Whosoever does a good deed, it is for his ownself, and whosoever does evil, it is against (his own self). Then to your Lord you will be made to return" [Al-Jathiyah: 15] Mention Allah Almighty when you are in prosperity, and He will mention you when you are in adversity. If you mention death, count yourself as one of the dead, and if your soul tempted you to covet some of its joys, look at the consequences.
O Servants of Allah! Living under the auspices of the Qur’an is a divine grace experienced only by the one who was given it. It is a grace that blesses and purifies life, guides the heart and makes it happy. What greater grace is there for a poor servant other than that of being spoken to by the Lord –May He be extolled– through this Qur’an? "Is it not sufficient for them that We have sent down to you the Book (the Qur'ân) which is recited to them? Verily, herein is mercy and a reminder (or an admonition) for a people who believe" [AlAnkaboot: 51] It is indeed a bounty, mercy and remembrance: "Say: "In the Bounty of Allâh, and in His Mercy (i.e. Islâm and the Qur'ân); -therein let them rejoice." That is better than what (the wealth) they amass." [Yunus: 58] Exegetes (of the Holy Qur’an) say that Allah’s bounty is Islam and His mercy is the Qur’an: "Say: "In the Bounty of Allâh, and in His Mercy (i.e. Islâm and the Qur'ân); -therein let them rejoice." That is better than what (the wealth) they amass." [Yunus: 58] The soul should be filled with joy owing to the Qur’an, and happiness and pleasure should be shining on the faces, extended to homes and societies. It is the joy of this Qur’an and of this bounty for which Allah has praised Himself before His praising servants could praise Him: "All the praises and thanks be to Allâh, Who has sent down to His slave (Muhammad SAW) the Book (the Qur'ân), and has not placed therein any crookedness.)."" [Al-Kahf: 1] This great book sent to this Muhammadan Ummah is indeed a way of life. It is the Message of Islam conveyed by the proselytizer and the preacher by which they can move people’s hearts. It is the tongue of the khatib (preacher) on his pulpit. It carries enough preaching and guidance. Sciences are honoured by approximating this Qur’an.
O Muslims! People have had certain positions with the Qur’an that have been proven by the Qur’an itself. There have been events recorded by history and stories circulated showing the effect of the Qur’an on souls: "Indeed in their stories, there is a lesson for men of understanding. It (the Qur'an) is not a forged statement but a confirmation of the Allâh's existing Books [the Taurât (Torah), the Injeel (Gospel) and other Scriptures of Allâh] and a detailed explanation of everything and a guide and a Mercy for the people who believe." [Yusuf: 111] Ibn Is-haq and others narrated the story of Utbah ibn Rabi’ah which says that when Quraish knew that Islam was spreading, they selected their best men to go and talk to the Prophet –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him! So when Abu al-Walid Utbah ibn Rabi’ah came to the Prophet and talked to him for a long time, the Prophet listened to him attentively. When he was through, the Prophet asked him: “Have you said all you have to say, Aba Al-Walid?” “Yes, I have,” he answered. Then the Prophet recited to him the beginning of Surat Fussilat: In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful: "HâMîm. [These letters are one of the miracles of the Qur'ân, and none but Allâh (Alone) knows their meanings.]. A revelation from Allâh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. A Book whereof the Verses are explained in detail; A Qur'ân in Arabic for people who know. Giving glad tidings [of Paradise to the one who believes in the Oneness of Allâh (i.e. Islâmic Monotheism) and fears Allâh much (abstains from all kinds of sins and evil deeds) and loves Allâh much (performing all kinds of good deeds which He has ordained)], and warning (of punishment in the Hell Fire to the one who disbelieves in the Oneness of Allâh), but most of them turn away, so they listen not" [Fussilat: 1-4] The Prophet continued reciting and Utbah was listening to him with his hand behind his back, until the Prophet reached the verse: "But if they turn away, then say (O Muhammad SAW): "I have warned you of a Sâ'iqah (a destructive awful cry, torment, hit, a thunderbolt) like the Sâ'iqah which overtook 'Ad and Thamûd (people)."" [Fussilat: 13] Utbah put his hand on the Prophet’s mouth and begged him in the name of Allah and
kinship to stop. Other versions (of the same story) narrate that Utbah returned to his people who said to each other: “We swear that Abu al-Walid returned to you with a different face!” When he sat with them, they asked him to tell them what happened. “I swear to Allah that I heard something like never before in my life,” he said. “I swear to Allah that it is not magic, poetry
or divination. O, Quraish! Obey me and count it as a favour to me. Let the man have his own way. I swear to Allah that what I heard will have a great impact. If the Arabs put an end to him, you would get rid of him through someone else. Should he prevail, then his triumph and his glory would be yours too; this would make you the happiest of all,” he concluded. “He must have cast a spell on you, Aba al-Walid, with his tongue,” they said to him. “That’s what I think of him, so do what you like,” he replied.
O servants of Allah! When the polytheists saw the magnificent effect the Qur’an had on people, and how people converted to Islam when they heard its divine verses, they advised each other not to listen to the Qur’an: "And those who disbelieve say: "Listen not to this Qur'ân, and make noise in the midst of its (recitation) that you may overcome."" [Fussilat: 26] The polytheists used to enjoy listening to the Qur’an when the Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ recited it. Abu Sufian, Abu Jahl and other Qurashi dignitaries used to sneak surreptitiously at night to the house of the Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ just to listen to the Qur’an. One night, Abu Sufian ibn Harb, Abu Jahl and al-Akhnas ibn Shuraiq al-Thaqafi went
out to listen to the Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ reciting the Qur’an in his prayers at home. Each took his place around the house of the Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him! None of them knew about his companion’s presence there. They spent the night listening to the Qur’an. What a night it was! The night the polytheists spent listening to the Holy Qur’an being recited by the Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him! Soon it was daybreak, so they dispersed only to meet on their way back (to their homes). They started blaming one another and agreed not to do it again. “If some idiots saw you, they would suspect that you are up to something,” they said. So they agreed not to do it again and went their way. The following night, each one returned to his former place to listen to the Qur’an and did exactly what he did the previous night. They kept coming for three nights. [The story was narrated by ibn Is-haq and others with an authentic chain of narration] Quoted by al-Bukhari in his Sahih, Jubair ibn Mut’im ibn ‘Adiy –May Allah be pleased with him‒ said: “I came to the Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒as member of the Badr prisoners-of-war delegation, and heard him recite (surat) AlToor at Maghreb prayer. When he reached "Were they created by nothing, or were they themselves the creators? Or did they create the heavens and the earth? Nay, but they have no firm Belief. Or are with them the treasures of your Lord? Or are they the tyrants with the authority to do as they like?" [Al-Toor: 35-37], I felt that my heart was about to get out of it place. Some versions other than that in Sahih go thus: “I felt distressed by his way of reciting,” or “I felt as if my heart cracked.” But in the Sahih, we read: “That was the first sign that belief started to be instilled in my heart.” Nonetheless, he ‒May Allah be pleased with him‒ did not embrace Islam until after the Hudaibiyah Peace Treaty and the Conquest of Makkah. Further proof of the wonderful effect of the Qur’an comes from a story narrated by Imam Muslim in his Sahih quoting Qutbah ibn Malik –May Allah be pleased with him! He said: “I performed my prayer, and the Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒was leading the prayers and he recited: "Qâf (1). By the Glorious Qur'ân." [Qaf: 1] until he reached "And tall date-palms, with ranged clusters." [Qaf: 10]. He said: “I started repeating it and lost track of what he said after that.”
O servants of Allah! Prophet Muhammad ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ to whom the Qur’an was revealed liked to listen to it recited by someone else. He told ibn Mas’ud –May Allah be please with him: “Read me the Qur’an,” and he started to read from the beginning of Surat Al-Nisa’. When he reached "How (will it be) then, when We bring from each nation a witness and We bring you (O Muhammad SAW) as a witness against these people?" [Al-Nisa’: 41], he said: “Enough now!” When ibn Mas’ud looked at him, he saw tears flowing from his eyes. Abdullah ibn Amru ibn Al-As –May Allah be pleased with both of them‒ reported that the Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ recited what Allah ‒Glorified be He‒ said about Ibrahim (Abraham) ‒Peace be upon him: ""O my Lord! They have indeed led astray many among mankind. But whoso follows me, he verily is of me." [Ibrahim: 36] and about Issa (Jesus) ‒Peace be upon him: ""If You punish them, they are Your slaves, and if You forgive them, verily You, only You are the AllMighty, the AllWise”" [Al-Maidah: 118]. Then, he raised his hands and said: “O Allah! My Ummah, my Ummah!” and he started to cry. Allah ‒Glorified be He‒ said: “O Jibreel! Go to Muhammad –and Your Lord knows best– and ask him: “Why are you crying?” Jibreel came to the Prophet and asked him, and the Prophet answered him. Allah ‒Glorified be He‒ said: “O Jibreel! Go to Muhammad and tell him: ‘We are going to keep you happy with your Ummah and We will never let you down!” [Narrated by Imam Muslim]
O servants of Allah! Before emigration to Madinah, the Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ dispatched Mus’ab ibn Umair –May Allah be pleased with him– there to teach and guide people. He stayed with As’ad ibn Zurarah. He invited him to Islam and recited the Qur’an to him, and the latter embraced Islam. People heard of Mus’ab, and Sa’d ibn Mu’ath, the master of the Aws tribe, came to see him wearing his pair of cuirasses with the intent to kill him. As’ad ibn Zurarah told him: “Cousin! Listen to him first. If you hear something evil, disprove it, and if you hear something righteous respond to him!” “What does he say?” Sa’d asked. Mus’ab then recited: “In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful: "HâMîm (2). By the manifest Book (that makes things clear, i.e. this Qur'ân). We verily, have made it a Qur'ân in Arabic, that you may be able to understand (its meanings and its admonitions). And Verily, it (this Qur'ân) is in the Mother of the Book (i.e. Al-Lauh AlMahfûz), before Us, indeed Exalted, full of Wisdom. Shall We then (warn you not and) take away the Reminder (this Qur'ân) from you, because you are a people Musrifûn." [Al-Zukhuf 1-5]. These are only the first verses of Surat Al-Zukhruf. Sa’d ibn Mu’ath then embraced Islam and became a magnanimous mujahid for whose death the Divine Throne shook! Biographers narrate that Sa’d returned to his people and said: “You will never talk to me until you believe in Allah and His Messenger. We swear to Allah that when the evening fell, no man or woman from the House of Bani Abd Al-Ash-hal (a big branch from the Aws tribe) was but a Muslim.” Remember Omar (ibn al-Khattab) –May Allah be pleased with him– who would always heed Allah’s hudood (3), admonish people with the Qur’an and reminds them of Allah through it: Ibn Abi Hatim and others narrated that a courageous man from Sham used to visit Omar ibn al-Khataab ‒May Allah be pleased with him! Omar missed him and said: “what did so and so do?” They said: “O Commander of the Faithful! He gave in to drinking.” Omar called his scribe and said: “Write down: ‘from Omar ibn al-Khataab to so and so. Peace be upon you. Now then, I praise Allah to you. There is no deity but Him, alone with no associate, the Forgiver of sin, the Acceptor of repentance, the Severe in punishment, the Owner of abundance. There is no deity but Him; to Him is the destination.’”(4) Then Omar said to his companions: Supplicate that your brother accepts this wholeheartedly, and that Allah may accept his repentance. When the man received Omar’s letter, he started to read it repeatedly saying: “(The Forgiver of sin, the Acceptor of repentance, the Severe in punishment.) He warned me against his punishment and promised to forgive my sins.” The man continued to repeat this verse to himself crying. Then, he totally gave up drinking sincerely and for good. When Omar ‒May Allah be pleased with him‒ heard this news, he said: “Do likewise. When you see that your brother has committed a wrongdoing, correct him, guide him, and supplicate Allah to accept his repentance. But don’t be assistants of Satan against him.”
O believers! The Qur’an had also its effect on the hearts of Christian priests: "And when they (who call themselves Christians) listen to what has been sent down to the Messenger (Muhammad SAW), you see their eyes overflowing with tears because of the truth they have recognised. They say: "Our Lord! We believe; so write us down among the witnesses." [Al-Ma’dah: 83] Even more, the most notorious of disobedient Jinn, who used to eavesdrop (in heaven) before its revelation, were affected by it: "Say (O Muhammad SAW): "It has been revealed to me that a group (from three to ten in number) of jinns listened (to this Qur'ân). They said: 'Verily! We have heard a wonderful Recital (this Qur'ân)! (1) 'It guides to the Right Path, and we have believed therein, and we shall never join (in worship) anything with our Lord (Allâh)." [Al-Jinn: 1-2] The Jinn came down to the Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ while he was reading the Qur’an under a palm tree. When they heard it, they said: “Listen to it!” They were nine Jinns. Then, Allah ‒Glorified be He‒ revealed the following verses: "And (remember) when We sent towards you (Muhammad SAW) Nafran (three to ten persons) of the jinns, (quietly) listening to the Qur'ân, when they stood in the presence thereof, they said: "Listen in silence!" And when it was finished, they returned to their people, as warners. (29) They said: "O our people! Verily! We have heard a Book (this Qur'ân) sent down after Mûsa (Moses), confirming what came before it, it guides to the truth and to a Straight Path (i.e. Islâm). (30) O our people! Respond (with obedience) to Allâh's Caller (i.e. Allâh's Messenger Muhammad SAW), and believe in him (i.e. believe in that which Muhammad SAW has brought from Allâh and follow him). He (Allâh) will forgive you of your sins, and will save you from a painful torment (i.e. Hell-fire)(31). And whosoever does not respond to Allâh's Caller, he cannot escape on earth, and there will be no Auliyâ' (protectors) for him besides Allâh (from Allâh's Punishment). Those are in manifest error." [Al-Ahqaf: 29-32] Have you ever read anything better than these words!? If this was this is the Jinn’s manner of speaking about the Qur’an, the Angels too have their own manner about it. In the two “Sahih” books (by Bukhari and Muslim), Osaid ibn Hudhair ‒May Allah be pleased with him‒ said that while he was reading the Holy Qur’an (surat al-Baqarah) at night and his mare tied close to him, the mare suddenly moved around. So he stopped and the mare calmed down. Then, he resumed reading, and again, it moved around, so he stopped, and it calmed down. Then, he resumed reading, and again it moved around. So, he stopped reading for he was afraid that the mare would hurt his son Yahia who was close by. The next morning, he told the story to the Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him. So the Prophet said to him: “Read, O Ibn Hudhair!” He replied: “I was afraid ‒O Messenger of Allah‒ that the horse would tread on Yahia who was close to it. I looked up to the sky and saw something like a cloud with things like lanterns. I went out to see them. The Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ said: “Do you know what those were?” He replied: “No.” the Prophet said: “Those were the angels; they came down closer to hear your voice. Had you continued to read, the people would have been able to see them in the morning without them concealing themselves.” Such are the news of the Jinn and the angels. As for the mountains, this is what Allah told us about them: "Had We sent down this Qur'ân on a mountain, you would surely have seen it humbling itself and rending asunder by the fear of Allâh. Such are the parables which We put forward to mankind that they may reflect." [Al-Hashr: 21] Had the hearts had real hearts and consciousness, and the Qur’an were revealed to them, then they would have been cleft out of fear of Allah: "Such are the parables which We put forward to mankind that they may reflect" [Al-Hashr: 21]
May Allah bless us with the Great Qur'an and guide us to His straight path! Having said this, I ask Allah the Almighty to forgive you and me!
Part Two
Praise be to Allah! He revealed to His servant the Book, the most dignified one. It was sent down via the most dignified of Angels (Jibreel or Gabriel) upon the most dignified of Messengers (Muhammad), to the most dignified Ummah, in the most dignified Tongue (Arabic), at the most dignified time and place. So all dignity has been secured to this Book: "And verily, this (the Qur'ân) is indeed a Reminder for you (O Muhammad SAW) and your people (Quraish people, or your followers), and you will be questioned (about it)." [Al-Zukhruf: 44] I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is Allah’s Messenger.
O Muslims! This Qur’an that is between our hands is the same Qur’an that was read by the first generations of Muslims. It is still fresh; however, hearts are no longer the same hearts: "Do they not then think deeply in the Qur'ân, or are their hearts locked up (from understanding it)?" [Muhammad: 24] Allah has made keys for these locks. The first of these keys is to know the speaker in this Qur’an. It is Allah ‒Exalted be He. He is your Lord and the Lord of your earliest ancestors, the Lord of the worlds, the Giver of life, the One who causes death, the Provider, the Most Strong, the Firm. Hence, the dignity of this speech derives from the dignity of the speaker. All kinds of human speech, no matter how lofty and sublime, are indeed lower than the words of Almighty Allah. This is not to mention those who leave the words of Allah and get busy with the amusing words of falsehood. Othman ‒May Allah be pleased with him‒ said: “If your hearts were pure, then you would never get your full of the words of your Lord.” [Narrated by Imam Ahmad] The second of these keys is to know the blessings of the Great Qur’an: "(This is) a Book (the Qur'ân) which We have sent down to you, full of blessings that they may ponder over its Verses, and that men of understanding may remember." [Sad: 29] The blessings of the Qur’an on individuals, families, and communities are general blessings in this world and the Hereafter: “Whoever reads a letter of the Book of Allah will be credited with a good deed, and a good deed is worth a ten-fold reward.” [Narrated by AlTirmithy] - “Recite the Qur’an, for it comes on the Day of Resurrection to intercede for the one who recited it.” - “Recite the Two Bright Ones: surat Al-Baqarah and surat Al Imran, for they will come during the Day of Resurrection like two clouds or two shades or two flocks of birds in ranks to plead for those who recited them.” - “Recite Surat Al-Baqarah as there is blessing in it, there is sorrow in leaving it, and the sorcerers cannot confront (or recite) it.” [Narrated by Muslim] - “There is a Surat in the Qur'an which contains thirty Ayats that kept interceding for a man until his sins are forgiven. They are "Blessed is He in Whose Hand is the dominion,' [Al-Mulk: 67]." [Narrated by Ahmad, Al-Tirmithy, and ibn Majah] - “The reciter of the Qur'an will be told (on the Day of Judgement): ‘Read, ascend (up into Paradise), and recite as you used to recite when you were in the world. Your rank will be at the last Ayat you recite.’” [Narrated by Ahmad, Abu Dawud, and Al-Tirmithy] - “He who is proficient in the recitation of the Qur'an will be with the honourable and obedient scribes (angels), and he who reads the Qur'an, stammers with it, and finds it difficult to read will have a double reward.” [Narrated by Muslim] These are some hadiths by your Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him!
O Muslims! The third key to padlocks is supplication. Imam Ahmad and others narrated via ibn Mas’ud ‒May Allah be pleased with him‒ that the Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ said: “Whoever is afflicted with grief and distress and says: “O Allah! I am your servant, the son of your servant, my forelock is in Your Hand, Your judgment of me is inescapable, Your trial of me is just; I am invoking You by all the Names which You use to call Yourself, which You have taught to anyone in Your creation, which You have mentioned in Your Book, or which You have kept unknown except to Yourself to let the Great Qur’an be the delight of my heart, the light of my bosom, the remover of my sadness and the pacifier of my worries,” then Allah will remove his grief and will change his sorrow into happiness.” In some other versions: “into relief”. It was said: “O Messenger of Allah! (Do) we have to learn these words?” He replied: “Yes, whoever hears them should learn them.” O Allah! Unlock our hearts, forgive our previous wrong doings and sins, guide us to recite your Book at night and during daytime! Help us to reflect on its verses and admonition! Enable us ‒O Lord‒ to witness the month of Ramadan, the month of the Qur’an! O Allah! Make it a blessing for us, help us to fast it, perform its night prayers and the most righteous of deeds! Successful will he be who fills his time with reading the Qur’an, and who makes the Qur’an his friend and companion: "The month of Ramadân in which was revealed the Qur'ân, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong)." [Al-Baqarah : 185]
Now, do ask Allah to send His Salat and Peace upon the best of all creation and the purest of all mankind, Muhammad ibn Abdullah, the Hashimite, the Quraishite! O Allah! Send Your Salat and Peace upon Your Servant and Messenger, Muhammad, and his kind and virtuous family! O Allah! Be pleased with all the Companions of Your Messenger, and those who righteously follow them till the Day of Judgement!
O Allah! Grant glory to Islam and Muslims and fail oppressors, infidels and corruptors!
O Allah! Grant victory to Your religion, Your Book, the Sunnah of your Prophet, and Your believing servants!
O Allah! Grant victory to the mujahideen in Your cause in Palestine, in Sham and wherever they may be, O Lord of the worlds!
O Allah! Save Al-Aqsa Mosque and the believers in and around it from the evil of the aggressors and the oppression of the occupiers! O Allah! We leave the Zionist usurpers to You, for You are certainly more than a match to them!
There is no deity except Allah, the Great, the Oft-Forbearing. There is no deity except Allah, the Lord of the Great Throne; there is no deity except Allah, the Lord of the heavens, the Lord of the earth, and the Lord of the Great Throne.
O Allah! We implore You to be with our brothers and sisters in Palestine, Syria and everywhere as they are experiencing great suffering and grave calamities, and they have no one else to turn to except You ‒Glory be to You!
O Allah! Grant them speedy victory and relief!
O Allah! We entrust to You the people of Fallujah, and certainly You protect the entrusted ‒Exalted be You! O Allah! Save them from the claws of the terrorists, the aggression of sectarians, and the oppression of oppressors!
O Allah! Protect our country and all Muslim countries from all forms of evil!
O Allah! Make preoccupied with their own evil those who wish to harm Islam and Muslims and turn their plots and their cunning against them!
O Allah! Whoever intends to carry out evil deeds against our country, our leaders, our ulema, our people and our unity, O Allah, let him be busy him with himself and make his destruction in his scheming, O Lord of the worlds!
O Allah! Guide our leader to do whatever you love and accept!
O Allah! Guide him to piety and righteousness!
O Allah! Grant him, his two Deputies, his brothers and aids success to do what is good for the people and the country!
O Allah! Grant success to all the leaders of Muslims in order to govern by Your Sharia and follow the Sunnah of Your Prophet –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him!
O Allah! Make them a mercy on Your true servants!
O Allah! Grant victory to our soldiers positioned on our borders, and to all our security men!
O Allah! Protect them as they are protecting Your holy country and believing servants!
O Allah! Grant them steadfastness, help them, and bless their deeds, lives, families, properties, and reward them and accept from them their deeds, O Lord of the Worlds!
O Allah! Make safe and prosperous our country and all Muslim countries around the world! Protect us against the evil of wrongdoers, the maliciousness of the lecherous and the evil of those plotting to carry it out by day or night!
"Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire!" [Al-Baqarah: 201]
"Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and our transgressions (in keeping our duties to You), establish our feet firmly, and give us victory over the disbelieving folk." [Al Imran: 147]
O Allah! Forgive our sins, cover our flaws, make easy our affairs and make come true our wishes in what pleases You!
O Allah! We beseech You to forgive all Muslims and believers, males and females, those who are still living and those who passed away!
O Allah! We implore You to forgive us, our parents and grandparents! O Allah! Bless their souls as they were mercy on us when we were small!
O Allah! Prolong the lives of those of them who are still alive so that they can worship you more and do more good!
O Allah! Engulf with Your Mercy those of them who have died, light up and render spacious their graves, make them gardens similar to those in Your Paradise, and join us together with them in the House of Your Magnanimity!
O Allah! We implore You to forgive us, our parents and grandparents, their progeny, our wives and our progeny! O You, the All-Hearing of our prayers!
O Allah! Accept our prayers, for You are indeed the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing! And forgive us! You are indeed Most Forgiving, Most Merciful!
Glorified be our Lord, the Lord of Honour and Power! You are far above what they attribute unto You! May peace be upon all the Messengers! And all praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds!
_______________________________________________
(1) Note: There are many surats (Chapters) in the Holy Qur’an which begin with just Arabic ‘letters’, liked surat Qaf. These letters are among the miracles of the Qur'an, and none but Allah (Alone) knows their meanings.
(2) See footnote one above.
(3) Limits set by Allah or prohibited by Him in the Holy Qur’an which should not be transgressed by a Muslim.
(4) The expression in boldface is a grammatical paraphrase of verse number 3, surat Ghafir.
His Eminence Sheikh Saleh ibn Muhammad Al Talib –May Allah protect him– delivered this Friday khutbah entitled “Conclusion of the Month of Ramadan” in which he talked about the good conclusion of this blessed month, Ramadan, and the special worship of Allah, the Almighty, that a Muslim should observe. He should make sure that every moment and hour of Ramadan is spent in obeying Allah –Sublime and exalted be He. He should remember Allah, supplicate Him, and recite the Qur’an. Finally, the Sheikh explained some rulings that concern every Muslim at the end of the month, namely al-Fitr zakat (The fastbreaking charity given to the needy at the end of Ramadan), and the rulings of Eid al-Fitr (The fast-breaking feast) and some of its ethics.
Part One
Praise be to Allah! He sends seasons of worship repeatedly to His servants in order to purify them. He prescribes to them certain kinds of worship that increase their reward abundantly. He calls them to repentance every now and then in order for their souls to be purged and purified. I bear witness that there is no deity (worthy of worship) except Allah. How much mercy there exists in His decrees and prescriptions (to His servants)! How much choice He made for us in what we were cautious or afraid of! He has the Kingship and the Kingdom of Heaven; He is the Glorious, the Omnipotent. His decrees are applicable to all creatures, and His treasure houses are full and can never be exhausted. He is glad with His servants’ requests, for He is the Generous. He is also pleased by supplicating Him for mercy, for He is the Merciful. I also bear witness that Muhammad is the Servant and Messenger of Allah; he was the role model for his Ummah. In fearing and supplicating his Lord, he was an example to follow. He filled all his life with worship and obedience; however, the peak of his servitude to his Lord was in these last ten days of Ramadan. He would do all his best during those radiant nights. May Allah’s Salat (Graces, Honours, Mercy), Peace, and Blessing be upon him, his family, his Companions, and his followers in righteousness until the Day of Judgement!
Now then, O Muslims! Taqwa (fear of disobeying Allah) remains the best recommendation and the best equipment for disasters: "And verily, We have recommended to the people of the Scripture before you, and to you (O Muslims) that you (all) fear Allâh, …." [AlNisa’: 131] Whoever does not pay attention to the fact that the passage of days and nights brings him closer to his Lord and takes him away from this world, and that every day that passes of his life-time is a box which is sealed and that every hour that passes takes away part of his soul ‒whoever does not realize all this‒ then he will have falsely elongated his expectation and left his death time out of consideration. Good Lord! How regretful he will be the one who has not taken advantage of his time in worshipping Allah! Do you know how one’s lifetime is stolen? He gets distracted off his present day in anticipation of his following day. He stays as such until his lifetime is over. The end result is that he is left empty-handed of any good.
O Muslims! The days and hours of the blessed month which Allah granted you are about to come to an end. Only the farewell days remain: three or four nights which are like droplets of water that one is trying hard to pour. Three or four nights and Ramadan will be taking its leave and it will be bidden farewell. It will carry the good deeds along with it; however, what remains of the month is the best, the most looked-forward to, the greatest, and the most brilliant. In it there exists the night that is the most looked-forward to: the Night of Al-Qadr (the Night of Power/Esteem/Decree). In it still exists the nights of redemption from Hell-fire. The last nights of Ramadan have unrivalled veneration. However, all reliance is indeed on Allah’s Mercy alone. Because this month’s days and hours are blessed, and because the blessings of Allah are limitless, I advise you to draw as much blessing as possible from what is remaining of this month. Make use of its hours, for you will never know which one of its hours will carry along for you infinite happiness, nor will you know the moment when Allah’s Mercy will engulf you, and when He will grant you full acceptance (of your good deeds). Therefore, use the remaining hours and nights of this month as mounts to get you closer to Allah’s satisfaction, and win His promised reward. For Allah’s help is extended to His servants depending on how much effort, perseverance, desire, and fear of him they show. By the same token, His letting them down is also in accordance with similar criteria. So, save yourself today while you can, for the day will come when you can do nothing: That is the day of Taghabun (Mutual Loss and Gain). (1)
O Muslims! The Messenger of Allah –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– used to be more assiduous in worshipping Allah during Ramadan than in other months, and he used to be more assiduous in worshipping Allah during the last ten days of Ramadan than the first twenty days. He used to make I’tikaf (2) in these last ten days and nights. He would do his best, stay up all night, and wake up his family, as was narrated by Bukhari and Muslim. That is because these nights are privileged and the Prophet had the desire to tally with the Night of Al-Qadr which Allah the Almighty has honoured and blessed. It is the night on which every precise matter is made distinct (3). That is, that year’s preordained events by Allah ‒Exalted be He‒ which are detached from Al-Lawh Al-Mahfoodh (the Divine Protected Tablet) (4) on to the Scribes (Angels): fates, boons, lifespans, good and evil, and other things of every precise matter.
In the Name of Allah the Compassionate, the Merciful:
"Verily! We have sent it (this Qur'ân) down in the night of Al-Qadr (Decree). And what will make you know what the night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is? The night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is better than a thousand months (i.e. worshipping Allâh in that night is better than worshipping Him a thousand months, i.e. 83 years and 4 months). Therein descend the angels and the Rûh [Jibrael (Gabriel)] by Allâh's Permission with all Decrees. Peace! (All that night, there is Peace and Goodness from Allâh to His believing slaves) until the appearance of dawn." [Al-Qadr: 1-5]
It is the night on which the Great Holy Qur’an was sent down. During this night many Angels descend to Earth because it is so much blessed and because Allah’s Mercy also descends (on His servants). It is peace for the believers and safety from everything they fear. Also, during this night, so many people are redeemed from Hell-fire and so many will be saved from torture (on the Day of Judgement). A Muslim’s worship of Allah therein is better than the worship of one thousand months. So, congratulations to those whom Allah has guided to worship Him during this night and accepted their worship! The Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ said: “He who performs the night prayer in the Night of Al-Qadr in full faith and in anticipation of Allah’s reward in the Hereafter will have all his previous sins forgiven,” [Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim]. It is the night of salvation from Hellfire; it is the night where Allah boasts in front of the Angels of His worshipping servants, the night of supplication and closeness to Allah, the night of mercy and forgiveness, the mother of all nights. In it there is much blessing; its hours are so precious since little worship is made much (worship), and much worship is multiplied. It is Allah’s Mercy for His servants that He made the Night of Al-Qadr unknown to them. He did so to help them increase their good deeds as they keep seeking it among the last ten nights of Ramadan by praying, remembering Allah and supplicating Him. All this would bring them closer to Allah and to His awaited recompense. He hid it in order to test them and see who are serious in seeking it and making the best out of it and who are lazy and indifferent. For those who care about something will definitely do their best to get it, regardless of how much hardship they come across along the way. Therefore, do your best in collecting good deeds. Aisha –May Allah be pleased with her– said: “The Messenger of Allah –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– used to stay in the Masjid during the last ten days of Ramadan, and he used to say: ‘Seek the Night of Al-Qadr among the last ten nights of Ramadan,” [Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim]. Each night is worthy of being the Night of Al-Qadr, especially the odd-number nights, and in particular the night of the twenty seventh day (of the month). In every night Allah saves a number of His servants from Hellfire. Aisha –May Allah be pleased with her– said: “I said: O Messenger of Allah! You see, if I knew which night was the Night of Al-Qadr, what should I say then? He said: ‘Say: O Allah! You are Forgiving and love forgiveness, so forgive me,” [An authentic hadith narrated by the following Imams: Ahmad, Al-Tirmithy, and ibn Majah]. Ibn Rajab ‒May Allah bless his soul‒ said: “During the last ten nights of Ramadan, the Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ would wake up all members of his family who were able to perform the night prayers.”
O Muslims! Performing the night prayer collectively with the believers in these nights is indeed a great blessing. It enlivens resolve and enhances energy and vitality: there is recitation of the Qur’an, prostrating, kneeling, and supplicating; there is also a Generous Lord. Long night prayer requires perseverance and patience, and whoever thinks about how many hours he has lost and wasted during the whole year, he would not consider long his hours spent in night prayer. Remember while performing your long night prayer the length of the time spent standing before Allah on the Resurrection Day. Therefore, try to make that long standing short by lengthening your night prayer. In your long prostration (to Allah), express to Him your needs, desires, and fears. Verily, Allah is near and responsive. Allah’s servant has two occasions during which he stands in front of Allah: the first at the time of performing prayer and the other at the time of meeting Him. Whoever honours rightly the first one, the second will be made easier for him. Therefore, make the conclusion (of this month) good! May Allah conclude it with the best reward (for you and us)! Insist on Allah in your supplications, for He loves those who insist on Him. Implore Allah and beg Him! Humble yourself to Him ‒May He be Exalted‒ and ask Him for forgiveness! Request whatever is good in this worldly life and in the Hereafter for yourselves, your families, relatives, countries, leaders, for those stationed in the frontlines in your defence on the borders of your countries, and for all Muslims. Also, devote part of your supplication for your disaster-stricken brothers and sisters, especially those in Syria and Palestine, and for every Muslim’s bleeding wound: "Invoke your Lord with humility and in secret. He likes not the aggressors. (55) And do not do mischief on the earth, after it has been set in order, and invoke Him with fear and hope; Surely, Allâh's Mercy is (ever) near unto the good doers," [Al-A’raf: 55-56].
May Allah bless you and me by the Qur'an and the Sunnah and benefit us with the marvels and wisdom they contain! I say this and ask Allah, the Almighty, to forgive me and you!
Part Two
Praise be to Allah, our Ultimate Source of Hope, the Generous, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful! I bear witness that there is no deity (worthy of worship) but Him, the King, the All-Knowing. I also bear witness that Muhammad is his Servant and Messenger. May Allah send His Salat, Peace, and Blessing upon him, his family and all his Companions!
O Muslims! Allah ‒May He be exalted‒ has prescribed for you at the end of your month (Ramadan) the undertaking of al-Fitr zakat, which is, according to Ijmaa’ (consensus) (5), an obligation incumbent on every Muslim on behalf of himself and his dependants. Indeed, alFitr zakat constitutes one of the bright facets of this great religion where Eid (6) is for all, the poor and the rich, the haves and the have-nots. For Eid to be a genuine festivity and celebration, it must bring joy and happiness to all. According to Sunnah, it is possible, but not obligatory, to pay al-Fitr zakat on behalf of one’s unborn babies. With respect to zakat payment time, it should be one or two days prior to Eid day up until before the Eid prayer time. Therefore, make certain –May Allah have mercy on you– that your zakat reaches those who are duly entitled to it. With respect to the value thereof, it is estimated at one saa’ (equivalent to 2.5 kilograms) of dates, barley or whatever the staple food such as wheat or rice. Al-Fitr zakat is to be paid in the country where the fasting person lives. However, it is permissible to pay it outside his/her country where there is more need for it. Abdullah ibn Omar ‒May Allah be pleased with him and his father‒ said: “The Messenger of Allah –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– made al-Fitr zakat obligatory on every Muslim, whether a free man or a slave, male or female, young or old, and ordered that it must be paid before the Eid prayer.” [Narrated by Bukhari] Ibn ’Abbas ‒May Allah be pleased with him and his father‒ reported that “The Messenger of Allah ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ made al-Fitr zakat obligatory so as to purify the fasting person from any foolish talk or obscene behaviour and to provide food for the needy. It is accepted as zakat for those who pay it before the Eid prayer and a Sadaqah (i.e. voluntary charity) for those who pay it after it.” [Reported by Abu Dawud and ibn Majah, among others, via an authentic chain of narration] Then, perform Eid prayer in congregation with the rest of the Muslims and bring along your children and wives, as it is one of those manifest rituals of Muslims. It is also part of the Prophet’s sunnah to make takbir (7) during the night of Eid up until the morning of that day and until the Imam enters the mosque. Takbir is also to be carried out loudly and in public (in the markets and streets). In this context, Allah, the Almighty, says: "(He wants that you) must complete the same number (of days), and that you must magnify Allâh [i.e. to say Takbîr(Allâhu Akbar; Allâh is the Most Great] for having guided you so that you may be grateful to Him." [Al Baqarah: 185] Muslims’ festivities are different from those of Jahiliya (8) in that they are meant to be a means of getting closer to Allah and of worshipping Him. Such festivities feature the exaltation and mentioning of Allah through takbir in both Eids (9), performing congregational prayer, paying al-Fitr zakat, showing joy and happiness for being blessed with Islam and the ability to conclude the fast successfully. Let us rejoice then, thank Allah for enabling us to fast, and ask Him to accept our worship in this regard and grant us a happy ending. Eid is a gift from Allah to His servants, so be happy and generous with yourselves and your families. For those whom Allah has honoured with leading Eid prayer and delivering its two khutbahs must see to it that the content of the latter be focussed on joy and merriness, generosity with the family, visiting relatives and continuation of doing pious deeds. It is unwise to call for sadness and misery on Eid day no matter how miserable the situation around us could be. It is a special day for Muslims, a day that Allah, the Almighty, has made to be celebrated in a special way, with joy and gladness. In this regard, the Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ said: “The fasting person experiences two moments of joy. One when he breaks his fast and the other when he meets his Lord,” [An agreed upon hadith]. Here, the joy of breaking the fast is used to mean the joy of Eid al-Fitr. It is for this reason that it is recommended to put on new clothes on Eid day and to be happy without disobeying Allah. By making reference to sadness in his khutbah and causing tears to flow, the Imam would be ruining the Eid day and putting down its spirit of jubilation and mirth. This is precisely what Allah hates for us to feel on this day in particular.
O Allah! Make the last of our deeds and days in this worldly life the best of them, and make the best of our days, the day we meet You! O Allah! Forgive our past mistakes and make righteous our future deeds! O Allah! We ask You to help us do good deeds, forsake reprehensible actions and love the needy! O Allah! We ask You to forgive us and have mercy upon us! O Allah! If You decree to send an affliction on a nation, please take our souls before your affliction strikes all! O Allah! We ask for Your love, the love of those who love You, and the love of all that would get us closer to Your love!
Remember –May Allah bless you– that Allah commanded you to do something, which He Himself started as He said: "Allâh sends His Salât (Graces, Honours, Blessings, Mercy) on the Prophet (Muhammad ,)صلى الله علیھ وسلمand also His angels (ask Allâh to bless and forgive him). O you who believe! Send your Salât on (ask Allâh to bless) him (Muhammad ,)صلى الله علیھ وسلمand (you should) greet (salute) him with the Islâmic way of greeting (salutation, i.e. As-Salâmu ‘Alaikum." [Al-Ahzab: 56] O Allah! Send Your Salat, Peace and Blessing upon Your Servant and Messenger, Muhammad, and upon his good and pure family! O Allah! Be pleased with all of Your Messenger’s Companions and those who followed them in righteousness until the Day of Judgement!
O Allah! Grant glory to Islam and Muslims and fail tyrants, infidels and corruptors!
O Allah! Grant glory to Your Religion, Your Book and the Sunnah of Your Prophet and Your believing servants!
O Allah! Foreordain for this Muslim Ummah a matter (an affair) of rationality (guidance) whereby the people of piety are honoured and sinful people are guided, and whereby al-ma’roof (good deeds) is enjoined and al-munkar (evil deeds) is prohibited, O Lord of the Worlds!
O Allah! Make preoccupied with their own evil those who wish to harm Islam and Muslims! Turn their plots and their cunning against them and make that the cause of their own destruction, O Lord of the worlds!
O Allah! Grant victory to the Mujahideen in Your cause in Palestine and everywhere, O Lord of the worlds!
O Allah! Lift the siege around them, improve their conditions, and suppress their enemy!
O Allah! We beseech You by Your Supreme Name to have mercy on our Muslim brothers and sisters everywhere! O Allah! Be there for them in Palestine, Syria, Iraq, Yemen and everywhere!
O Allah! Have mercy on them, lift their distress, grant them speedy relief, set right their conditions, and rally them on the grounds of right guidance!
O Allah! Protect them against the evil doers among them and suppress their enemy!
O Allah! Do punish the tyrants and aggressors and those who side with them!
O Allah! Do punish the tyrants and aggressors and those who side with them!
O Allah! Liberate Al-Aqsa Mosque from the oppressors’ injustice and the occupiers’ aggression!
O Allah! Guide our leader, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, to do whatever you love and accept!
O Allah! Guide him to piety and righteousness!
O Allah! Grant him, his Deputies, his brothers and aids success to do what is good for the people and the country and reward them with blessings for the efforts they are investing in the service of the Two Holy Mosques and their visitors!
O Allah! Grant success to our security forces and to those working in the service of the visitors of the Two Holy Mosques and those coming to perform Umrah, and bestow on them profuse rewards!
O Allah! Grant success and protection to our armed forces who are stationed on the borders, who are sacrificing themselves to safeguard the security of our country, families and the holy sites!
O Allah! Help, support, and protect them!
O Allah! Grant success to all Muslim leaders in order to govern by Your Sharia and follow the Sunnah of Your Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him!
O Allah! Make them mercy to Your true servants!
O Allah! Make safe and prosperous our country and all Muslim countries around the world! Protect us against the evil of wrongdoers and the maliciousness of the lecherous!
"Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire!" [Al-Baqarah: 201]
"Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and our transgressions (in keeping our duties to You), establish our feet firmly, and give us victory over the disbelieving folk." [Al Imran: 147]
O Allah! Forgive our sins, cover our flaws, make easy our affairs and fulfil our wishes in what pleases You!
O Allah! Grant us a share of whatever good, happiness, well-being and livelihood You have decreed (for Your creatures) these nights, so make our reward and share of them the biggest, and protect us and all Muslims against whatever evil, scourge, and sedition You have decided to send down, O Lord of the worlds!
O Allah! Forgive our sins, those of our parents, grandparents, wives and children, You are All-Hearing!
O Allah! We ask You to be pleased with us and to grant us Your Paradise, and we seek refuge in You against Your wrath and Hellfire!
O Allah! Grant us, our loved ones, those who urged us to make supplication for them, and all those to whom we are indebted the most of whatever good we have implored you to bestow on us throughout this holy month!
O Allah! Grant us success to observe prayer during the Night of Al-Qadr!
O Allah! We implore you to accept our good deeds and spare us the torment of Hellfire!
O Allah! We beseech you to accept our fasting, night prayers, supplications and good deeds as You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing!
O Allah! Do accept our repentance as You are Most Forgiving, Most Merciful!
Glorified be your Lord, the Lord of Honour and Power! You are free from what they attribute unto You! May peace be upon all the messengers! And all praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds!
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(1) See the Holy Qur’an, surat Al-Taghabun (No. 64).
(2) Retreat in a mosque, usually for a few days, for devotions. When in this state of worship, the mu’takif does not leave the mosque except for necessary errands.
(3) The expression in boldface is a paraphrase from the Holy Qur’an, surat Al-Dukhan, verse number 4.
(4) It is the Preserved Slate containing of all divine decrees and willed events, preordained by Allah, since the beginning of creation (See the Holy Qur’an, surat Al-Burooj, verse number 22).
(5) Ijmaa’ is the agreement of Muslim scholars over a certain issue. It is considered one of the main sources of Islamic jurisprudence.
(6) Eid al-Fitr (Feast of Breaking the Fast) is an important religious holiday, celebrated by Muslims worldwide, that marks the end of Ramadan.
(7) To say Allahu Akbar_( _الله أكبرAllah is Great).
(8) It is the Arabic label given to the pre-Islamic era.
(9) They are Eid al-Fitr (see footnote 4) and Eid al-Adha. Eid al-Adha ( عید الأضحىʻĪd al-’Aḍḥá, i.e. Feast of the Sacrifice, the Greater Eid) is an important religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide to honour the willingness of prophet Ibrāhīm (Abraham, peace be upon him) to sacrifice his young first-born son, Ismā’īl (Ishmael, peace be upon him) as an act of submission to Allah’s command and his son's acceptance to being sacrificed, before Allah intervened to provide Ibrāhīm with a lamb to sacrifice instead. In the lunar Islamic calendar, Eid al-Adhā falls on the 10th day of Dhul al-Hijjah (12th lunar month) and lasts for four days. Note that in the Gregorian calendar, the dates vary from year to year, drifting approximately 11 days earlier each year.
Deeds that Weigh Heavily on the Scales on Resurrection Day
July 29, 2016 ~ Shawwaal 24, 1437
Sheikh Saalih Aal Taalib
Khutbah Topic
His Eminence Sheikh Saleh ibn Muhammad al-Talib –May Allah protect him– delivered this Friday khutbah titled “Deeds that Weigh Heavily on the Scales on Resurrection Day” in which he talked about the Muslim’s duty to take advantage of his time and spend it in total obedience to Allah, the Almighty. One does not know which good deed might be the cause of Allah’s Mercy on him and which misdeed might bring him Allah’s wrath. Throughout his khutbah, the Sheikh mentioned some of the deeds which might weigh heavily on the servant’s scales on Resurrection Day.
Part One
Praise be to Allah! We praise Him, seek His assistance, and pray Him for forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from the evils of our own selves and from our misdeeds. He whom Allah guides will never be led astray, and he whom Allah misguides will find no one to guide him. I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah alone with no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger. May Allah send His profuse Salat (Graces, Honours, and Mercy), Peace and Blessing upon him, his Family, his Companions, and the tabi'in (the contemporaries of the Companions of the Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ after his death).
Now then, Verily, the best of all discourse is the Book of Allah, and the best of all guidance is available in the teachings of Muhammad –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him! The worst of all matters are those invented in religion (after it was already perfected); every such invention is considered bid’ah (fabricated precept in religion), and every bid’ah is misguidance and loss. "O you who believe! Fear Allâh and keep your duty to Him. And let every person look to what he has sent forth for the morrow, and fear Allâh. Verily, Allâh is All-Aware of what you do." [Al-Hashr: 18] So, do observe taqwa vis-à-vis Allah, and perform further good deeds, for you are soon departing (this mundane life). "Whosoever does a good deed, it is for his ownself, and whosoever does evil, it is against (his ownself). Then to your Lord you will be made to return." [Al-Jathiyah: 15] Remember Allah in your well-being, and He will remember you in times of trials and hardships. Whenever you remember or mention death, consider yourself among the departed, and whenever you feel inclined towards any of the mundane pleasures, do meditate on your destiny.
O servants of Allah! On resurrection day, people will get out from their graves naked, barefooted, and with parched lips. "… That is a Day whereon mankind will be gathered together, and that is a Day when all (the dwellers of the heavens and the earth) will be present." [Hood: 103] The disbelievers pretend that they will never be resurrected (for the Account). Say (O Muhammad SAW): "Yes! By my Lord, you will certainly be resurrected, then you will be informed of (and recompensed for) what you did, and that is easy for Allâh." [AlTaghabun: 7] On that awesome day, Allah will set up scales to weigh human deeds and to demonstrate His perfect justice –May He be glorified! "And We shall set up balances of justice on the Day of Resurrection, then none will be dealt with unjustly in anything. And if there be the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it. And Sufficient are We as Reckoners." [Al-Anbiya: 47] "Then, those whose scales (of good deeds) are heavy, - these, they are the successful. And those whose scales (of good deeds) are light, they are those who lose their ownselves, in Hell will they abide." [Al-Mu’minoon: 102-3] Blessed be the one whose good deeds will weigh heavily on the scales, and what a huge loss it will be for the one whose misdeeds will instead weigh heavily on Resurrection Day! "Then as for him whose balance (of good deeds) will be heavy, He will live a pleasant life (in Paradise). But as for him whose balance (of good deeds) will be light, He will have his home in Hawiyah (pit, i.e. Hell). And what will make you know what it is? (It is) a hot blazing Fire!" [Al-Qari’ah: 6-11] On that day, one would wish to gain an extra good deed to raise the status of one’s belief or any good deed which could weigh heavily on the scales. In this respect, Prophet Muhammad –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– mentioned acts which can weigh heavily on the scales on Resurrection Day. It stands to reason that one should try to identify and hold on to such acts. One of those deeds –May Allah protect you– is the realisation of tawheed (monotheism) and the sincere proclamation of the two shahadas (the statement whereby one bears witness that there is no deity except Allah alone without a partner and that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger) to Allah –the Lord of the Worlds. Al-Tirmithi, among other hadith scholars, reported a hadith narrated by Abdullah ibn Amr ibn Al-‘As –May Allah be pleased with him and his father (Amr)– where Prophet Muhammad –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– said: “Allah will salvage a man from among my Ummah in presence of all creatures on Resurrection Day. He will unfold for him ninety-nine registers where his sins had been recorded; the size of each register reaches the horizon. Then, Allah –to Whom belong all might and majesty– says: ‘Has any of my angel scribes (who minutely record human deeds) been unfair to you?’ The man says: ‘No, O Lord!’ Then, Allah says: ‘Do you have any excuse?’ The man replies: ‘No, O Lord!’ Allah says: ‘Oh yes! You have a good deed in Our registers. There is definitely no injustice today! Then, a card is brought forth to the man, on which is written: ‘I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.’ The man says: ‘What can this card do in front of all these registers?’ Then, the card will be placed on one plate of the scales while all the registers of the bad deeds will be placed on the other. So, the registers will be ejected out and the card will weigh heavily, for nothing can outweigh the name of Allah, the Almighty.”
O servants of Allah! This is a great hadith for which some scholars (of religion) have devoted entire volumes. The Truth (Allah) ‒Exalted be He‒ has truthfully said: "Verily, Allâh forgives not that partners should be set up with him in worship, but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He pleases, and whoever sets up partners with Allâh in worship, he has indeed invented a tremendous sin." [Al-Nissa’: 48] In the verse of ‘hope’, He also says: "Say: "O 'Ibâdî (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! despair not of the Mercy of Allâh, verily Allâh forgives all sins. Truly, He is OftForgiving, Most Merciful." [Al-Zumar: 53] Have you noticed what the two shahadas have done for those multitudes of sins and how they weighed heavily on the servant’s scales on Resurrection Day? This is because the man uttered the shahadas wholeheartedly with full dedication to Allah; he did not commit actions which contradicted or breached them, such as supplicating or worshipping any other divinity except Allah, believing in sorcery and fortune-telling, or being a disciple to anybody else except Allah.
O Muslims! Another deed which weighs heavily on the scales is the nobility of character. Abu AlDarda’ –May Allah be pleased with him– narrated that Prophet Muhammad –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– said: “Nothing weighs heavier on the scales than the nobility of character.” [This hadith is narrated by Abu Al-Darda’ and others] The nobility of character means saying kind words to people, smiling to your Muslim brother, being tactful, kind, magnanimous, friendly, benevolent, giving charity, and abstaining from harming people. That is why Allah has linked kind speech to major acts of worship. He, the Almighty, says: "And (remember) when We took a covenant from the Children of Israel, (saying): Worship none but Allâh (Alone) and be dutiful and good to parents, and to kindred, and to orphans and Al-Masâkîn (the poor), [Tafsir At-Tabarî, Vol. 10, Page 158 (Verse 9:60)] and speak good to people [i.e. enjoin righteousness and forbid evil, and say the truth about Muhammad Peace be upon him ], and perform As-Salât (Iqâmat-as-Salât), and give Zakât. Then you slid back, except a few of you, while you are backsliders." [Al-Baqarah: 83] He –May He be glorified– also said: "And say to My slaves (i.e. the true believers of Islâmic Monotheism) that they should (only) say those words that are the best. (Because) Shaitân (Satan) verily, sows disagreements among them..." [Al-Issra’: 53] Thus, if there is a choice between words that are kind and others that are kinder, then choose the ones that are kinder. The nobility of character should be used with all people without exception: believers and non-believers, youngsters and adults, rich and poor. Prophet Muhammad –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– says: “Man can attain with the nobility of his character the rank of someone observing fast and performing Qiyam (night prayers).” [Narrated by Imam Ahmed and Abu Dawood] He also says: “The most endeared amongst you to me and the closest in my company on Resurrection Day are those with the noblest character,” [Narrated by AlTirmithi]. Prophet Muhammad –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– also says: “The most frequent causes of people’s entry to paradise are taqwa vis-à-vis Allah and the nobility of character.” [Narrated by Imam Ahmed and Imam Al-Tirmithi] Those who mostly deserve your nobility of character are your next of kin: your parents, wives, and children. Prophet Muhammad –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– says: “The best amongst you are those whose treatment of their family is best; I am the best amongst you in treating my family.” [Narrated by Al-Tirmithi and ibn Majah]
O servants of Allah! The third type of good deed which weighs heavily on the scales on Resurrection Day is the remembrance of Allah, the Almighty. In the two Sahihs (that of Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim), as narrated by Abu Hurairah –May Allah be pleased with him– the Messenger of Allah ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ was reported to have said: "There are two words that are light for the tongue to utter, heavy in the scales and are dear to the Merciful: 'Subhana-Allahi wa bihamdihi! Subhana-Allahi-l-Alzim [Glory be to Allah and His is the praise! Glory be to Allah, the Great]'." This is the last hadith in the Sahih of Imam Bukhari. He who wishes his good deeds to weigh heavily on Resurrection Day, let him say as many times as he can those words, and let his tongue be soft with the remembrance of Allah. The Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ said: “That I should say: ‘Subhana-Allah, wa-l-hamdu lillah, wa la ilaha illallah, wa-llahu Akbar’ [Glory be to Allah; praise be to Allah; there is no deity but Allah; and Allah is the Greatest] is dearer to me than all that the sun has risen over.” [Narrated by Imam Muslim] The Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ also said: “He who says: 'Subhana-Allahi wa bihamdihi’ one hundred times a day, his sins will be effaced even if they are like sea foam." [An agreed-upon hadith among hadith scholars] The Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ once said to Abu Musa alAsha’ari –May Allah be pleased with him: "Shall I guide you to a treasure from the treasures of Paradise?" I said: ‘Yes, O Messenger of Allah!’ He said: 'La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah' [There is neither power nor strength except with Allah]." [An agreedupon hadith] The Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ met with Ibrahim on the Night of Isra’ (his night journey from Makkah to Jerusalem) and Mi’raj (his ascension from Jerusalem to the seven Heavens) and he said to him: “O Muhammad, convey my greetings to your Ummah, and tell them that Paradise has a vast plain of pure soil and sweet water. It is a plain levelled land. Plants grow there by uttering: ‘Subhana-Allah, wa-l-hamdu lillah, wa la ilaha illallah, wa-llahu Akbar’." [Narrated by al-Tirmidhi] Juwayriyah bint al-Harith, the Mother of Believers –May Allah be pleased with her– reported that the Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ left her early after fajr prayer while she was at the mosque. Then, he came back before noon and found her still sitting there. So, he said: “You have been in the same state and place since I left you. She said: ‘Yes’. He ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ said: “I said four words three times after I left you and if they are to be weighed against what you have said since morning, they would outweigh them. These words are: “Subhana-Allahi wa bi-hamdihi ‘adada khalqihi wa ridha nafsihi wa zinata ‘arshihi wa midad kalimatihi” [Glory be to Allah and praise be to Him as many times as the number of His creation, the pleasure of His Self, the weight of His Throne and as much as the ink used in recording His Words]." [Narrated by Imam Muslim]
We seek refuge with Allah from the accursed Satan:
"O you who believe! Remember Allâh with much remembrance. And glorify His Praises morning and afternoon [the early morning (Fajr) and ‘Asr prayers]. He it is Who sends Salât (His blessings) on you, and His angels too (ask Allâh to bless and forgive you), that He may bring you out from darkness (of disbelief and polytheism) into light (of Belief and Islâmic Monotheism). And He is Ever Most Merciful to the believers. Their greeting on the Day they shall meet Him will be "Salâm Peace (i.e. the angels will say to them: Salâmun ‘Alaikum)!" And He has prepared for them a generous reward (i.e. Paradise)." [Al-Ahzab: 41-44]
May Allah bless me and you with the Qur'an and the Sunnah and benefit us from the signs and wisdom they contain. I say this, and I ask Allah, the Almighty, to forgive me and you.
Part Two
Praise be to Allah for His beneficence, and for the success He granted us and the indebtedness we owe Him, and –by way of exalting and glorifying Him– I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah alone with no partner and I bear witness that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger, the one who calls upon us to seek His satisfaction. May Allah send His profuse Salat, Peace and Blessing upon him, his Family, Companions and brothers (in faith)!
Now then, O Muslims! If good deeds and bad deeds are to be weighed on Resurrection Day, then one should take care to consider acts of benevolence and avoid acts of malevolence, though trivial they may seem, for one does not really know which good deeds may incur Allah’s blessing and which bad ones may bring about His wrath. Therefore, you are called upon to do as many good deeds as you can and to stay away from evil ones as much as possible before it is too late.
Now, bear in mind (O you Muslims) that Allah ordered you, after beginning by Himself, saying: "O you who believe! Send your Salât on (ask Allâh to bless) him (Muhammad ,)صلى الله عليه وسلمand (you should) greet (salute) him with the Islâmic way of greeting(salutation i.e. As-Salâmu ‘Alaikum." [Al-Ahzab: 56] O Allah! Send Your Salat, Peace and increase Your Blessing upon Your Servant and Messenger, Muhammad, and upon his noble and chase Family! O Allah! Be pleased with all of Your Messenger’s Companions and those who followed them in righteousness until the Day of Judgement!
O Allah! Grant glory to Islam and Muslims and humiliate polytheism and polytheists!
O Allah! Fail tyrants, infidels and corruptors!
O Allah! Grant glory to Your Religion, Your Book and the sunnah of Your Prophet and Your believing servants!
O Allah! Foreordain for this Ummah a matter (an affair) of rationality (guidance) whereby the people of piety are honoured and sinful people are guided, and whereby alma’roof (good deeds) is promoted and al-munkar (evil deeds) is prevented, O Lord of the Worlds!
O Allah! Those who want to harm Islam, Muslims, and Muslim lands, let them be preoccupied with their own affairs! Turn their plots and their cunning against them and make that the cause of their own destruction! O Lord of the Worlds!
O Allah! Grant victory to the Mujahedeen in Your cause in Palestine and wherever they may be, O Lord of the Worlds!
O Allah! Lift the siege around them, improve their conditions, and suppress their enemy!
O Allah! Help us liberate Al-Aqsa Mosque from the oppressors’ injustice and the occupiers’ aggression!
O Allah! We beseech You by Your Supreme Name to have mercy on our fellow Muslims everywhere!
O Allah! Be with them in Palestine, Syria, Iraq, Yemen and wherever they may be!
O Allah! Have mercy on them, lift their distress and grant them speedy relief!
O Allah! Set right their conditions, gather them around the right guidance, spare them the malevolence of the evil doers among them and suppress their enemy!
O Allah! We beseech You to punish tyrants and oppressors and all those who side with them!
O Allah! We leave them to You as You are more than a match to them!
O Allah! Grant our leader success to do what You love and accept!
O Allah! Guide him to piety and righteousness!
O Allah! Grant him, his Deputies and his assistants success to do what is good for the people and the country!
O Allah! Reward them generously for all they are doing in the service of the Two Holy Mosques and their visitors!
O Allah! Grant success to our security forces and those working in the service of pilgrims, Umrah performers and visitors of the Two Holy Mosques!
O Allah! Do reward them generously!
O Allah! We beseech You to protect our armed forces stationed on our borders and grant them success, those mujahedeen who are working to safeguard the security of our country, people and holy sites!
O Allah! Grant them help, victory and protection from Your own!
O Allah! Cure their injuries, accept their martyrs, and take charge of their matter, O You, the All-Living, the Everlasting, the Lord of Majesty and Generosity!
O Allah! Help all Muslim leaders to abide by your Law and follow the Sunnah of Your Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him!
O Allah! Make them a mercy for your believing servants! Allah! Make safe and prosperous our country and all Muslim countries around the world! Protect us against the evil of wrongdoers, the maliciousness of the lecherous and the evil of those plotting to carry it out by day or night!
"Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire!" [Al-Baqarah: 201]
"Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and our transgressions (in keeping our duties to You), establish our feet firmly, and give us victory over the disbelieving folks." [Al Imran: 147]
O Allah! Forgive our sins, cover our flaws, make easy our affairs and make come true our wishes in what pleases You!
O Allah! Forgive our sins, those of our parents, grandparents, their children, our wives and our children as You are All-Hearing!
O Allah! We pray You for Your satisfaction and Paradise and seek refuge with You from Your wrath and Hellfire!
We pray Allah for forgiveness! Allah is the only deity, the Living, the Subsisting, and we repent to Him!
O Allah! Accept our prayers, for You are indeed the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing! O Allah! Forgive us, for You are indeed Most Forgiving, Most Merciful!
Glorified be Your Lord, the Lord of Honour and Power! You are free from what they attribute unto You! May peace be upon all the Messengers! And all praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds!
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