MAKKAH/MADINA
SHEIKH Saleh Aal Talib, Imam and Khateeb of the Grand Mosque in Makkah advised Muslims to be God-conscious.

In his Friday sermon at the Grand Mosque, Sheikh Saleh dealt with the significance of Surah Al-Fatiha in the Holy Qur’an. The importance of the Surah, he said, can be gauged by the fact that no prayer, whether fardh (obligatory) or nafl (optional), can be completed without the recitation of this short Surah of 25 words. By reciting the second verse of the Surah, the worshipper praises and thanks Allah the Lord of the “Aalameen” (mankind, Jinn and all that is created by the Almighty).

He said Surah Al-Fatiha is both the light and the guidance for mankind. Therefore, it is the mother of the Qur’an. He further said that Al-Fatiha is a cure. In the Surah, the worshipper says, “You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we ask for help (for each and everything)”. In this verse the worshipper declares servitude to Allah alone. Sheikh Saleh said when a worshipper recites the Surah, he prays to Allah to guide him to the Straight Way (Path). The last verse says, “The Way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace, not (the way) of those who earned Your anger (such as the Jews), nor those who went astray (such as the Christians).”

At the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, Sheikh Ali Bin Abdul Rahman Al-Hudhaifi, dealt with the issue of patience (sabr) in his Friday sermon.

Sheikh Al-Hudhaifi said that the meaning of patience is to discipline himself to doing what Allah has ordained and keeping away from what He has forbidden. He said that patience is of several kinds; the greatest kind is to restrain oneself from sins, vice and all that Allah has forbidden. Sheikh Al-Hudhaifi said that most people can be patient in doing good deeds but they have no patience in restraining themselves from doing what Allah has forbidden.

Hence, they cannot be considered among the patient people (Al-Sabireen) and they cannot win the status of the patient Mujahideen (Al-Mujahideen al-sabireen) because it is great patience, real piety and the fear of the Almighty that restrains a person from following the dictates of his desires.

Sheikh Al-Hudhaifi said that if a Muslim does not have patience, he will be lured away by many worldly matters. He will be prone to commit sins as his will and determination will weaken considerably. Such a person will suffer a lot and will be punished severely in the Hereafter. If a person loses patience and does acts which have been forbidden by Allah, he will face humiliation or imprisonment in this world and in the Hereafter the hellfire will be his abode.

Sheikh Al-Hudhaifi said that the second kind of patience is to be patient in obeying Allah and doing what He has ordained.

He said the third kind of patience is to have forbearance in the face of tribulations and catastrophes. This kind of patience is not commendable unless a person believes that this tribulation or catastrophe is ordained by Allah and by being patient he seeks Allah’s reward. But if the person gets agitated and loses his cool he will have committed a sin.

Sheikh Al-Hudhaifi pointed out that Allah has promised great rewards for those who observe patience in all matters.