by Dr Ahmad Soboh

To listen to this khutbah, please click here:

http://www.islamicity.com/islamitv/?ref=12208

The TEXT of the khutbah follows:

“A-úthu billáhi minash shaytánir rajeem. Bismilláhir rahmánir raheem

Al hamdu lillahi nahmaduhu wanasta’eenahu, wanastagh-firuhu, wanatoobu ilayhi, wana’oothu Billaahi min shuroori an-fusinaa, wamin sayyi aati a’maalinaa. May- Yahdillahu fa huwal muhtad, wa may- yudlill falan tajidaa lahu waliyan murshida. Wa ash-hadu an Laa ilaaha ill-Alláh, wahdahoo laa shareeka lah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhoo warasooluh”¬

All Praise is due to Alláh, We praise Him and we seek help from Him. We ask forgiveness from Him. We repent to Him; and we seek refuge in Him from our own evils and our own bad deeds. Anyone who is guided by Alláh,  is truly guided; and anyone who has been left astray, will find no one to guide him. I bear witness that there is no god but Alláh, the Only One without any partner; and I bear witness that Muhammad, sws, is His servant, and His messenger.

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem! Ya Ay-yuhal-latheena ‘aamanut taqul-laaha, haqqa tuqaatihee wala tamu tun-na, il-la wa antum Muslimoon.”

O You who believe, – be aware of Allah, with correct awareness, and die not except as Muslims.

Ya Ay-yuhal-latheena ‘aamanut taqul-laaha, wa qooloo qawlan sadeedaa. Yuslih-lakum a’maalakum wa yaghfir lakum thunoobakum, wamay yu-til-laaha warasoolah, faqad faaza fawzan atheemaa.”

O You who believe, – Be aware of Allah, and speak a straightforward word. He will forgive your sins and repair your deeds. And whoever takes Allah and His Prophet as a guide, has already achieved a mighty victory.

In the opening verse of Sura An-Nisaa’, Allah says:

O mankind! Show reverence towards your Guardian-Lord Who created you from a single person, created, of like nature, his mate and from the two of them scattered (like seeds) countless men and women;? Be conscious of Allah, through Whom ye demand your mutual (rights) and (show reverence towards) the wombs (that bore you): for surely, Allah ever watches over you.

My Dear Sisters and Brothers,

Last Friday our khutbah dealt with Prophet Muhammad’s encounter with some remarkable Christians in the early days of his mission. We reminded ourselves that, despite many centuries of rivalry and conflict, there’s always been a deep spiritual connection Christians and Muslims,

The trouble is that most people don’t handle complexity so easily. We like to keep things simple, sometimes too simple. We like to put things in neat little boxes, good and bad, right and wrong. We like to categorise other people as friends or enemies, good people or bad people. It’s much harder to appreciate the subtle and many faceted aspects of human nature.

Today’s khutbah is about how we can try to deal with complexity.

A person may have one or two bad habits, but that doesn’t necessarily make for a completely bad person. It’s so easy to oversimplify things and to end up with a completely wrong and distorted conclusion. Someone may have been rude or angry with us for a few moments, and we might judge that person by just that one brief encounter. We may forget the 99% of good things that person does at other times.

Let’s consider our own behaviour. We may think of ourselves good Muslims, public spirited, ever willing to help others with a smile. But on some rare occasions we might behave completely out of character. In some exceptional moments of anger, fear, frustration or temptation, we might do things that we later regret. We might slip from our normal high standards and fall into behaviour that, afterwards, we might feel deeply ashamed of. Would it be right for people to judge us on the basis of those momentary lapses? Wouldn’t we all expect some fairness, some balance and perspective? Wouldn’t we want our judges to overlook our brief lapses and to consider the many, many good deeds we do for most of the time?

The truth is that every human being has at least the potential to be extremely good, and extremely bad. It’s the repetition of good or bad deeds that grows into habits, and those habits shape our character. Our character ultimately decides our destiny. Whether we arrive at a high place in Allah’s Garden, or whether we suffer the endless pain in that hotter place down below, that is for Allah alone to decide. Allah is the best of judges.

Sura Al-Teen reminds us in these eloquent words:

“By the Fig and the Olive, (1) And the Mount of Sinai, (2) And this City of security? (3) We have indeed created man in the best of moulds, (4) Then do We abase him (to be) the lowest of the low? (5) Except those who believe and do righteous deeds: for they shall have a reward unfailing. (6) Then what can, after this, contradict you; as to the Judgment (to come)? (7) Is Allah not the wisest of Judges? (8)”

Brothers and sisters, Sura Al-Teen reminds us that Allah created us in the very best of forms, the most excellent of all His creation. Then it warns us that unless we have faith in Him, and do good deeds, we risk falling to the lowest of the low. Only Iman and ‘amilus saalihaat, only faith and good actions can save us from a very bad ending. That’s the key. The reward from Allah never fails, and never ends. Only Allah has the complete picture. Only Allah can judge with absolute fairness and justice.

We should all humbly admit our human limitations. When in doubt about someone’s behaviour, always give it the best interpretation. Surely, you would like others to give you the benefit of any doubt. So, why not do the same to them? Treat people as if you expect good from them. It’s human nature to try to live up to someone’s high expectations, when they think highly of us. Allah thinks highly of us. He expects us to be good to others. So let’s try to live up to Allah’s expectations. Let’s not disappoint Him.

“Innalláha wa malaaikata yusallúna alan nabi. Yá ay yuhal latheena ámanu sallú alayhi wasalli mú tas leema. Allahumma salli alá Muhammad, wa ala áli Muhammad, kama salayta ala Ibrahim, wa ala ali Ibrahim.Allahumma barik ala Muhammad, kama barakta ala Ibrahim, wa ala ali ibrahim. Fil ála meen, innaka hameedun majeed.”

Allah and His angels send greetings on Prophet Muhammad, O you who believe, send greetings on him, and salute him with a worthy salutation! O Allah, send peace on Muhammad and his family, just as you sent peace on Abraham and his family. O Allah, send blessings on Muhammad and his family, just as you sent blessings on Abraham and his family. In both worlds, You are Praiseworthy and Exalted.

Second Khutbah:

“Soob’ hanallahi wal hamdu lillah, wala hawla wala quwwata illah billah yu althi yual theem”

Glory to Allah!  Praise to Allah! There is no power and no strength except from Allah!

My dear sisters and brothers,

A well-known Scholar tells this story. Once on a journey, his caravan was attacked by some robbers. The robbers quickly seized all their possessions then started eating their food. But he noticed that their leader wasn’t eating. The gang leader just stood by, watching his men. So, the scholar walked up to him and asked why he wasn’t eating with his men. “Because I’m fasting,” said the leader. “You’re fasting, and you rob people? What a contradiction!” “Yes,” came the reply. “I may be a robber and I may be full of sins, but I still want to keep a door open to Allah.”

Just think about that, brothers and sisters, in the midst of his sinful behaviour, this leader of a gang of thieves still fasts while he robs people. He keeps a door open to Allah!

Years later, the Sheikh tells us that he was making tawaaf around the Kaaba, when he recognised the same man again, this time gang leader is also making tawaaf. As he moved closer, he heard the man making the most passionate and heartfelt duah for mercy and forgiveness… such a beautiful duah that he had never heard before!

What do we learn from this, my dear sisters and brothers? We learn that no matter how low we may have fallen in our behaviour, we must always keep open a door to Allah. Continue to pray and continue to fast, even when you’ve done something wrong. Pray and fast especially when you’ve done something wrong. Shaytaan will tell you that it’s hypocrisy, that only good people pray and fast. Shaytaan will tell you that it’s too late, you’re too bad, you’ve had too many chances, you’ve done too many sins and there’s no hope for you. But ignore him. Allah is ready to forgive a mountain of sins with an even bigger mountain of forgiveness. We must never despair of Allah’s capacity to forgive.

Never despair of Allah’s mercy. He forgives anything except that we should associate partners with him.

Those who’ve read the seerah literature will remember the story of the Abyssinian slave, Wahshy ibn Harb who was responsible for killing the Prophet’s uncle, Hamza, in the battle of Uhud. This caused Prophet Muhammad indescribable pain and grief. Yet such was our noble Prophet’s character, that he later sent several messages to Wahshy ibn Harb inviting him to Islam. Each time the man refused, knowing what pain and suffering he must have caused the Prophet. Wahshi feared that his sins were unforgivable. Finally, rasool-Allah-sws sent him this verse from the Sura Al Zumar v 53:

“O my Servants who have transgressed against their souls! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah: for Allah forgives all sins: Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful” (Quran 39:53)

Remember, dear sisters and brothers, Islam offers a message of hope, not despair. Prophet Muhammad loved optimism, not pessimism. In the midst of all the darkness, fear and danger, there is Allah’s guiding light. Find it, grasp it and be guided by it.

My dear sisters and brothers,

What can we take away from our khutbah today? Don’t judge people by one or two faults. Think good of others, think good of yourself and constantly keep a door open to Allah. Keep up your prayers and fasting. And do good deeds, often, even if only small ones.

Let’s do something easy, simple and practical. I have a suggestion that almost anyone can do on a regular basis, where the results can be huge in relation to the effort.

Next time you go to the supermarket to buy your groceries, buy some extra bread, cheese and butter or margarine. Take these extra items to your local charity that feeds homeless people. There are charities for the hungry and homeless in every city. Make sure you are wearing a Hijab or a kufiyya/prayer cap, anything that distinguishes you as a Muslim. This is important. You’re doing this charity not to show off for yourself. You’re doing it for Allah and His Prophet sws. You want people to see that Muslims care about the poor and hungry. You don’t have to identify yourself personally. Don’t give anyone your name. It’s enough that people can see you as a Muslim feeding the poor.

Try doing this regularly: once a week, if you can afford it, or even just once a month.

You are following Prophet Muhammad’s advice to “feed the hungry” and you want people to see that this is a Muslim who is feeding the hungry, not just anybody. It’s important that people out there associate Muslims with something good. Allah knows, the media are doing a pretty good job of constantly associating us with bad news! This I believe is a very easy, simple and effective way of bringing immediate benefit to some of the poorest and most vulnerable people around us. That’s the main priority. As a by-product, it helps us to promote a better image of the Muslim community. Always remember why you are doing this. You’re doing this out of love and gratitude to Allah and His Prophet, not for yourself. You’re not doing it to massage your own ego.

Sadaqa (voluntary charity) is such an important principle. Prophet Muhammad advised us to give generously in charity. Everyone can give something, even the poor can give, even if it is just a date or half a date. It’s the principle of giving that matters most. Sometimes we make the mistake of thinking that giving is only for the rich, and that we don’t have enough to give. If you think this way, then you really are poor! Poverty of the heart is the worst kind of poverty…. it suggests that you don’t trust Allah to provide for you. Give, and don’t fear that you won’t have enough for yourself. Allah will provide. When you give generously, even though your resources are modest, you’re showing Allah that you trust Him. Read Sura Talaq verses 2-3:

“Wamay-yattaqil laaha yaj’al-lahu makhraja. Wayar-zuqu min haythu la yahtasibu, wamay yatawakkal ‘alal-Laahi fahuwa hasbuhu, innal-Laaha baalighu amrihee qad’ja’alal-Laahu likulli shay-in qadaraa.”

“And for those who fear Allah, He always prepares a way out (2) And He provides for them from (sources) they never could imagine. And if anyone puts his trust in Allah, sufficient is (Allah) for him. For Allah will surely accomplish His purpose: truly, Allah has appointed a due proportion for all things.”

If you like, you can make a niyyah (intention) that this is for the benefit of some relative or friend who is sick, or it’s for your forthcoming exams, or for any other good reason. Allah will put barakah, blessings into your life and He will make easy and bearable whatever seems too difficult.

Brothers and sisters, to conclude our khutbah:

InnaAllaha, Yamuru bil adel, wal ihsaan, wa eetaa-i zil qurba; wa yanha anil fuhshaa-i, wal munkari walbaghi; ya-idzukhum lallakum tathak-karoon. (Sura 16:90),

“Surely Allah commands justice, good deeds and generosity to others and to relatives; and He forbids all shameful deeds, and injustice and rebellion: He instructs you, so that you may be reminded.”

Fadth kuroonee adth kurkum, wash kuroolee walaa tak furoon [2:152].

“and remember Me: I will remember you. Be grateful to Me, and do not reject faith.”

wala thikrul-Laahi akbar, Wal-Laahu ya’lamu maa tasna’oon.” [29:45].

“and without doubt, Remembrance of Allah is the Greatest Thing in life, and Allah knows the deeds that you do.”

Ameen.                   Aqeemus salaah

Watch the Youtube video of this khutbah: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QNd9kL4pGk

Watch this khutbah on Youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRWqb4vDFmg

“A-úthu billáhi minash shaytánir rajeem. Bismilláhir rahmánir raheem.

Al hamdu lillahi nahmaduhu wanasta’eenahu, wanastagh-firuhu, wanatoobu ilayhi, wana’oothu Billaahi min shuroori an-fusinaa, wamin sayyi aati a’maalinaa.

All Praise is due to Alláh, We praise Him and we seek help from Him. We ask forgiveness from Him. We repent to Him; and we seek refuge in Him from our own evils and our own bad deeds.

May- Yahdillahu fa huwal muhtad, wa may- yudlill falan tajidaa lahu waliyan murshida.

Anyone who is guided by Alláh, he is indeed guided; and anyone who has been left astray, will find no one to guide him.

Wa ash-hadu an Laa ilaaha ill-Alláh, wahdahoo laa shareeka lah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhoo warasooluh”

And, I bear witness that there is no god but Alláh, the Only One without any partner; and I bear witness that Muhammad, sws, is His servant, and His messenger.

My respected Brothers and Sisters in Islam,

The 12th Rabi-al-Awwal was the birthday of our beloved Prophet Muhammad, sws. Across the entire Muslim world, there were celebrations of what we call Moulood al Nabi. This is a good time for us to pause, and to reflect, on the life and Mission of this greatest of all men, who is described in The Holy Qur’án as, “Khaataman Nabii-een,” “The seal of the Prophets.”

What are the essential points about his life, that has meaning for us today, not only for Muslims, but for all mankind? We naturally feel a tremendous love, reverence and gratitude to our Holy Prophet Muhammad, sws. After all, it is he who brought us Islám, in its final and complete form. It is he who suffered humiliation and abuse from his own people, who endured exile and violence for the sake of his mission. It is he who established the foundations of this Ummah, this great Brotherhood of Muslims, of which we are privileged to belong. We can be excused for regarding him with so much love and affection, that, others might say we lack objectivity in our views. OK, that’s fine. If a Muslim says that Muhammad was the greatest man who ever lived, outsiders will probably not pay much attention. But, if the same words of admiration came from their own writers and thinkers, people do sit up and take notice.

One English writer who admired him greatly was Thomas Carlyle, who wrote (On Heroes and Hero Worship, and the Heroic in History, London, 1918).

“… These Arabs, the man Muhammad, and that one century. It is as if a spark had fallen, one spark on a world of what seemed black unnoticeable sand, but lo, the sand proves explosive powder, blazes heaven high from Delhi to Grenada: I said: the Great Man was always as lightning out of heaven; the rest of the men waited on him like fuel, and then they too would flame … How one man single-handedly could weld warring tribes and wandering boudouins into a most powerful and civilised nation in less then twenty years….”.

Another writer, Michael Hart, in his book, “The 100 greatest men in history,” placed Nabii Muhammad at the top of his list of men who had the biggest impact on human history.

We Muslims of course, have no need for anyone else to endorse the greatness of our beloved Prophet Muhammad, sws. We know that he is the greatest of all men. For us, it is enough that Alláh describes his status in The Holy Qur’án:

“Wa maa arsal naaka illaa Rahmatal lil-‘aalameen!”

“and We have not sent you [O Muhammad], but as a Mercy to all the Worlds.”

Note that the term ‘alameen” in Arabic, refers not only to all nations, or to all of mankind, but to all the worlds, i.e. including the world of matter and of the spirit. In the same way, the first line of Súra Al-Faatiha says: “Al-hamdu lillaahi Rabbil ‘aalameen,” “All praise is due to Alláh, Lord of all the worlds,” so The Holy Qur’án refers to our beloved Prophet Muhammad, sws as a Mercy to all the worlds. We who claim to be his followers, and who remember him in every prayer, should study his life and follow his example. For truly, in the Messenger of Alláh is the finest of examples.

“Alhamdu lillahi Rabbil ‘Aalameen. Was-salaatu was-salaamu alaa Khairil mursaleen. Muhammadin-nabeey-yil Ummiy-yee, wa-‘alaa aalihee, wasah-bihee, aj-ma’een.

All praise is due to Alláh, the Lord of all the Worlds; may the greetings and peace be upon the best messenger, Muhammad, the unlettered prophet; and upon his family and upon all of his companions.

Ammaa ba’ad:

Innalláha wa malaaikata yusallúna alan nabi. Yá ay yuhal latheena ámanu sallú alayhi wasalli mú tas leema.

Behold, Alláh and his angels shower blessings on the Prophet. O you who believe! Ask for blessings on him, and salute him with a worthy greeting.

Allahumma salli alá Muhammad, wa ala áli Muhammad, kama salayta ala Ibrahim, wa ala ali Ibrahim. Allahumma barik ala Muhammad, wa alaa áli Muhammad, kama barakta ala Ibrahim, wa ala ali ibrahim. Fil ála meen, innaka hameedun majeed.”

O Alláh! Send your greetings upon Muhammad and his family, just as you sent your greetings on Ibraheem, and his family. O Alláh, send you blessings on Muhammad and his family, just as you blessed Ibraheem and his family. In both worlds, you are praiseworthy and exalted.

Second Khutbah

Sub’ hanallahi wal hamdu lillah, wala hawla wala quwwata illah billah yu althi yual theem.

Dear brothers and sisters,

These are very difficult days for Muslims everywhere. We are presently weak and divided, and it seems the Ummah is being torn apart from within our ranks and from outside. But we must never despair, never lose hope. And we must not lose heart. Allah takes good care of His creation. He will take good care of His religion. History is on our side. Truth will prevail over falsehood. It will be a long and painful struggle, with many false dawns, but we should be in no doubt that the Religion of Alláh will triumph in the end.

Islám ennobled every human community that came under its influence. Even Ghengiz Khan, the most fearsome ‘international terrorist’ of his time, could not destroy Islam. He brought his Mongol horsemen sweeping out of the Steppes of Central Asia. His warriors destroyed everything else in their path, but they could not resist the appeal of “Laa ilaaha ill-lall-laah; Muhammadar-Rasoolull-laah.” “There is no god except Alláh, Muhammad is the Messenger of Alláh.” The Mongols raped and plundered their way southward and westward until they were stopped at the Battle of Ain Jalut in 1260. Here  the brave warriors led by Beybars under the  Mameluk Sultan, Kotoz “Noor el dein Mahmoud” turned the tide. This great victory allowed the entire world to breathe a collective sigh of relief. Despite themselves, and despite having destroyed a huge swathe of the Muslim world, including Baghdad, the Mongols in time accepted Islam as their religion. Their descendants became the Mogul emperors who ruled India for many centuries.

Today, ironically, while many Muslim individuals and nations are looking towards the West for their role-models, there are growing numbers of Europeans and North Americans who are turning the other way, turning to Islám in order to find some meaning and purpose to their lives. In a recent newspaper article, a Jewish historian wrote about her reflections about the growth of Islám in the West. She said that while travelling on a train in Brussels, she found herself with a large group of schoolgirls wearing hijab. “The girls smiled at me, and I smiled back,” she wrote, “and I could not help thinking, here is the future of Europe, and I am the past.”

Dear Brothers and Sisters, Islám is winning the hearts and minds of a many thinking people in the West. Alláh assures the ultimate victory of Islám, and we have no doubts about that. The real question is, what role are we going to play in helping that process along? Will Islám win with our help and effort, or will Islám win, in spite of us? That is what really matters. Are we going to concern ourselves only with our own narrow, selfish lives? – Are we only bothered about our career, our family and our leisure time? Are we not going to seek the good pleasure of Alláh, by serving Islám wholeheartedly, by serving all Allah’s creatures, unselfishly and with enthusiasm?

History shows that the struggle to establish Islám in every age and every land, was often carried forward by small numbers of Muslims, who had cultivated some quite exceptional qualities. Our beloved Prophet Muhammad, sws, and his illustrious Companions, were the most remarkable human beings that ever walked on this planet. Their qualities of faith in Alláh, obedience to His prophet, patience and honesty enabled them to build a world civilization.

Those were Believers who committed themselves and their possessions totally to Islám. For them, there were no half-measures. They did not make any plans without taking into account what pleases Alláh. It was more important for them to know how their plans should fit into the Master Plan of the Master Planner. These remarkable Muslims, the Companions of the Prophet, and all those who followed their noble example, worked hard, and reposed all their trust in Alláh. They feared nothing and no-one except Allah. They are the ones described in these beautiful last 2 verses of Súra Taubah:

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem!

128. Laqad jaaa-akum Rasuulum min ‘an-fusikum ‘azizun ‘alayhi maa’anit-tum harisun ‘alaykum bil-Mu’mineena ra’uufur-Raheem.

129. Fa-in tawal-low faqul has-biyal-laahu Laa-ilaaha il-laahu ‘alayhi tawakkal tu wa-huwa Rabbul ‘alrshil Adtheem!

128. Now has come unto you a Messenger from amongst yourselves. It grieves him that you should suffer. Ardently anxious is he over you. To the Believers he is most kind and merciful.

129. But if they turn away, say: “Alláh suffices me; there is no god but He, on Him is my trust; He is the Lord of the Magnificent Throne.”

These comforting and inspiring verses have helped Muslims in hardship and distress throughout the ages. They should also comfort and inspire us today.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islám, let us remember our beloved Prophet Muhammad, sws, by trying to be like him, and his illustrious Companions, the Sahaaba. Let us cultivate those noble qualities of ‘Imán and Taqwa’, honesty, reliability and integrity of character.  Let our lives be like beacons of light in the spiritual darkness of our present times. Prophet Muhammad sws is described in Sura 45:v16 as “siraj munir,” a lamp spreading light. By following him, we too can reflect light, however dimly, for those who are in utter darkness.

Let us become the True Believers who will end their lives responding to those evocative final verses of Súra Al-Fajr, where Alláh invites our souls in these words:

“fad-ghuleefee ‘ibaadee, wad-ghulee jan-natee.”

“enter you, my devotees, enter you my Heaven.”

Let us pray to Alláh, to help us earn His good pleasure, his ridwaan, to enter His Garden. Let us become worthy inheritors of this great Ummah whose foundations were laid by our beloved Prophet Muhammad, sws. That would be the best way to celebrate Moulood-an-Nabii.

Let us also make a special prayer for those who are busy with exams at this time. Whether it be GCSE’s, A-levels, or university examinations. It can be a stressful time for them and for their families. May Alláh in His infinite mercy and wisdom, help those who are writing exams, to achieve excellent results. May Alláh guide us all and help us all win His good pleasure.

Ameen! Aqeemus salaah!

* This khutbah (friday sermon) was originally delivered at Royal Holloway College, Univ. of London, UK on 31st May 2002

Khutbah delivered in Orange County, USA,

27th January 2011

http://vimeo.com/19291892

Click on this link for the video:

http://www.cmrm.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=574&Itemid=754

by Irshad Hussain

(reproduced, with his kind permission, from his blog; www.islamfrominside.com )

Man and Ecology: An Islamic Perspective

Added October 20, 2004

Environmental Crisis

“When the earth is shaken with a (violent) shaking,
And the earth reveals what burdens her,
And man says: What has befallen her?
On that day she shall tell her story….” (Qur’an 99:1-4)
In light of today’s environmental crises, many secular and religious  scholars have begun to look into underlying philosophical causes for man’s rapacious attitude towards his environment. Part of this search involves a look at root philosophies affecting the human outlook and interaction with the world and the responsibility religion shares in creating the attitudes and philosophies that have led to the desecration of nature that has occurred in the past few centuries and which seems to be accelerating in our times. As Ziauddin Sardar writes;

“The roots of our ecological crises are axiomatic: they lie in our belief and value structures which shape our relationship with nature, with each other and the lifestyles we lead.” (Sardar, Ziauddin. Islamic Futures. New York; Mensell Publishing Limited. 1985. pg.218)
For this reason traditional religions like Christianity, Judaism and Islam are held accountable as they supposedly espouse an anthropocentric (human-centered) reality. Writers like Lynn White Jr. see this as being the root cause for the ecological/environmental problems of today. He decries not only the dualistic nature of man’s relationship with nature but also the idea “that it is God’s will that man exploit nature for his proper end…” as “Man shares, in great measure, God’s transcendence over nature.” (White, Lynn. The Historical Roots of our Ecological Crises. Science, 155. 1967)

Note: Lynn White refers specifically to the problem inherent in the Christian tradition, but in a general sense extends it to all the monotheistic religions, as opposed to the pantheistic ones. About blaming Christianity, Parvez Manzoor, in The Touch Of Midas, writes: “…Christianity does not bear the blame for our environmental problems. It is the divorce of Christian ethics from the pursuit of knowledge, in fact what is known to be the age of ‘rationalism’ that ushered us into the era of environmental degradation.”

This short essay is a sincere effort to investigate the validity of White’s view that the disrespect for nature is inherent in the very nature of these religions. Dealing only with the Islamic tradition, it will take into consideration the nature of man, his place in relation to God, his rights and responsibilities before God, and his relationship to the rest of the world with regard to his rights over it. In other words the world-view of Islam is to be the starting point for the examination of man’s relation to the world of external nature.

“All religions, customs, schools of thought, and social philosophies rest on a world view. A school’s aims, methods, musts and must nots all result necessarily from its world view… A world view can become the basis of an ideology when it has attained the firmness and breadth of philosophical thought as well as the…sanctity of religious principles.” (Mutahhari, M. Fundamentals of Islamic Thought. Berkeley; Mizan Press. 1985)

The primary basis of an Islamic world view is the idea of Tauhid, or the oneness of God. A world view based on tauhid  sees this universe as originating from God, returning to Him, and centered around Him. It is a world created and sustained by God with a purpose, and a design. As this entire universe is a product of His divine wish, it is a universe unfolding with a divine purpose. The reference point, the center of all things is God.
“…Tauhid  is the matrix for human thought and action, it is all pervasive and penetrates every aspect of our endeavour.” (Sardar, Ziauddin. Islamic Futures. New York; Mensell Publishing Limited. 1985. pg.225)

The essential prerequisite, in Islam, is the belief in this absolute oneness and unity of God.

“God the Ultimate reality is One, and everything other than God comes from God and is related to Him. No true understanding of anything is possible unless  the object in view is defined in relationship to the divine. All things are centered on God.” (Chittick, William. Article, ‘The Concept of Human Perfection.’ from, The World & I. New York; News World Communications. Feb. 1991. pg. 500)

Tauhid  is the point of origin of a theological doctrine of ecology. All things seen or unseen are God’s signs (ayat) and act as witnesses to His existence. All things in the universe are manifestations of Him, all are from Him.

Human nature is the other key facet of the world-view of Islam. Man fulfills a very important role in this cosmos. Although all things are made by God and identified with God in as much as their being created by Him, man enjoys a role as God’s vicegerent (his representative) having a freedom and far-reaching power latent within him. In the Qur’an God says He has breathed His spirit into man.

“When thy Lord said unto the angels: lo! I am about to create a mortal out of mire, And when I have fashioned him and breathed into him of My Spirit, then fall down before him prostrate.” (Qur’an. Ch 38- vrs 72, 73)

This verse provides essential insights into man’s position and nature in this universe. Although he is a creation of God he is superior to the rest of God’s creation as he has within him the Spirit of God. In this way he is unique among the creations of God. It is only man to whom the angels  are commanded to prostrate themselves.
Another aspect that separates him from the rest of creation is his acceptance of the trust offered by God. This trust was offered to all of creation and man was the only one who accepted it.

“We did indeed offer the trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains; but they refused to undertake it, being afraid thereof. But man undertook it (the trust);…” (  Qur’an. Ch.33 vr.72)

In a matter of trust and trusteeship, the giver of the trust is giving a responsibility to the trustee. In other words the guardian of the trust has a high degree of freedom and accompanying responsibility in the use (or misuse) of the given trust.

The trustee is expected to fulfill the trust in the manner that the giver of the trust would expect of him.  If man did not have the power to either use or misuse this trust given to him by God, then the whole idea of offering the trust, in the first place, would be futile. Abdullah Yusuf Ali, a commentator of the Qur’an says of this verse;

“There is no trust if the trustee has no power, and the trust implies that the giver of the trust believes and expects that the trustee would use it according to the wish of the creator of the trust, and not otherwise.” (Ali, A.Y. The Holy Qur’an; Text, Translation and Commentary. Maryland; Amana Corporation. 1989. pg. 1080)

Note: This is not an attitude that is unique to Islam as can be seen in the following quote from the Bible “When a man has had a great deal given him, a great deal will be demanded of him; when a man has had a great deal given him on trust, even more will be expected of him.” (Luke: 12:48). It is, however, an attitude that is all pervasive in the Islamic world-view.

Thus man has the freedom to do what he wills with the power invested in him through these two means. One is his closeness to God in spirit and second is his acceptance of the trust. Man’s superiority, control and power over nature and the rest of creation was thus a part of this trust. After having taken the responsibility man had to show that he was indeed worthy of keeping it. If he forgets about the responsibility of the trust and instead takes full and destructive advantage of the power conferred upon him, the other side of his  superiority takes over. Because he has the spirit of God within him, he now deems to set himself up in rivalry to God. He wishes to take control of the destiny of the world not as a trustee but as a demi god.

“…He was indeed unjust and foolish. “ (Qur’an. Ch.33 vr.75 & 76)
When the power of his relationship to God is applied without the temperance of the responsibility of the trust, man misuses and abuses the abilities, potentials, and rights given to him by God. Nature has been given to man as a trust and nothing more. His right of domination over it (is) only by virtue of his theomorphic make up, not as a rebel against nature.’ (Nasr. S.H. The Encounter of Man and Nature. London; George Allen and Unwin Ltd. 1968. pg.96) God has given revelation, and the law (shariah) derived from the revelation to assist and guide man in fulfilling this trust. Ziauddin Sardar writes:

“The ultimate consequence of man’s acceptance of  trusteeship is the arbitration of his conduct by divine  judgment. To be a Muslim is to accept and practice the  injunctions of the Shariah. Thus the Shariah is both a consequence of one’s acceptance of Tauhid and it is a path.”(Sardar, Ziauddin. Islamic Futures. New York; Mensell Publishing Limited. 1985. pg.228)

The Shariah gives practical shape to the ethical norms in Islam. No moral or ethical issue is only an abstract idea in Islam. They are codified in the Shariah to be preached, practiced and incorporated into the laws of the land. The Shariah seeks to provide a framework, an environment within which men as individuals and as a society can fulfill the role of trustee. This Shariah sets the limits and parameters and the practical guidelines for giving shape to an ethical principle and when ignored causes the kind of disruption in human life, which can now be seen in the form of severe ecological crises. This is because that part of the Shariah pertaining to nature has been completely ignored. Instead of working in subservience to God as his vicegerent, man has developed an axiology that invites him to dominate nature rather than act as a protector over this aspect of God’s trust. Rather than fulfill a trust, man elevates himself to the status of dominator – deciding the fate of nature without reference to revelation. He has set himself on par with God and about this type of an action the Qur’an says:

“Indeed you have put forth a thing most monstrous! As if the skies are ready to burst, the earth to split asunder and the mountains to fall down in utter ruin.” (Qur’an. Ch.19. vr.88-89. This verse actually deals with the attribution of Jesus, son of Mary, to be the son of God. In this context it is being used to demonstrate the abhorrence of any equal being set up with God.)

In the Islamic world-view the relationship of man with nature should be like that of a just ruler with his subjects. Although the ruler has power over his subjects, his subjects are a trust over which he stands guards. He is expected to act in a responsible way (as defined by the revelation) toward them. Misuse and abuse of his power would shift him from being a leader to being a tyrant. The end result of tyranny is nothing but a revolt against the tyrant. This is precisely what is happening between man the tyrant and nature the tyrannized. Tyranny is effective only in the short term.

Among the works of Zain-al-Abideen (the fourth Imam of the Shi’ites), is his “Treatise on Rights”. Among the many  types of rights described he puts forward the rights of the subjects over their ruler. In this context they can be extended to form a value system for the formation of an ethic toward the environment or any other aspect of the world over which man has power or dominion.

All acts towards the ruled should be imbued with mercy and justice; the ruler’s disposition should be like a father toward his child.

“The right of your subjects through authority is that you should know that they have been made subjects through their weakness and your strength. Hence it is incumbent on you to act with justice toward them and to be like a compassionate father toward them….” (Zain al Abideen.  The Psalms of Islam. London; Mohammadi Trust. 1988. pg.286.)

Man, being above material nature due to his theomorphic make-up and the burden of the trust, must deal in a similar way with the environment. The “Treatise on Rights” also describes the rights a subject enjoys over his ruler through the aspect of the ruler’s knowledge. Taking knowledge to be synonymous with intelligence, man is endowed with a higher intelligence than the rest of creation. Because of this he must assume a role of guardianship over the rest of creation and interact with nature in a way that is worthy of this intelligence. If man does what is befitting of his high station, then God will increase His bounties toward man. If he does not, then whatever he was blessed with is withheld or taken back. Imam Zain-al-Abideen states it as follows:

“The right of your subjects through knowledge is that you should know that God has made you a caretaker over them only through the knowledge He has given you and His storehouses which He has opened up to you. If you do well…, not treating them roughly or annoying them, then God will increase His bounty toward you. But if you … treat them roughly…, then it will be God’s right to deprive you of knowledge and its splendor and make you fall from your place…” (Zain al Abideen. The Psalms of Islam. London; Mohammadi Trust. 1988. pg.286.)

Zain-al-Abideen then goes on to talk of the rights of those over whom you are in a position of mastership, such as a servant.

“…you should know that he is the creature of your Lord….You did not create any of his limbs, nor do you provide him with his sustenance; on the contrary, God gave you the sufficiency for that…and deposited him with you so that you may be safeguarded by the good you give to him. So act well toward him, just as God has acted well toward you.” (Zain al Abideen. The Psalms of Islam. London; Mohammadi Trust. 1988. pg.286.)

Nature has been made subservient to man, but it is as much a creature of God as man is. Neither has man created nature nor is he in any way able to sustain it. It is only because God has given him the sufficiency and capacity can he in any way do so. If he is able to plant a tree and administer its growth or manipulate its genetic characteristics, it is only because of the intelligence placed within him by God. Just as God has been good to man so also man must act with the same beneficence toward nature so that he may safeguard  himself when facing God.

Another key aspect of the Islamic world view is its immense stress on eschatology. Belief in a day of judgment is essential to the faith of an adherent. It creates an action guide arising from an awareness that actions have consequences far beyond their immediately apparent effects. Since man will be called to account for how he looked after the trust bestowed upon him, he is forced to not only consider present gains but to plan for the future in order to fulfill the responsibility with which he has been invested. His acts have repurcussions that ripple out horizontally from himself affecting what surrounds him in this world as well as vertically since his substance has a presence in the higher worlds. So the consequences of his actions accumulate within his substance and after his death he faces the reality of what he has done and what he has become.

“Then on that Day, Not a soul will be wronged in the least, And ye shall but be repaid the meeds of your past deeds” (Qur’an. Ch.36 vr.54)

Eschatology is the policing force within Islam which guides the believer to fulfill the trust that he had taken on. The thought of an impending judgment stops him from taking actions according to his own whims and fancies. It puts a brake on self-centered aspirations.

Man’s role of vicegerency, his mantle of superiority and his responsibility of trust are laid bare before him in the Qur’an, it is then his decision to choose which path to take. On the one hand he has before him all the treasures of nature to use and exploit as he wishes through the fulcrum of his knowledge. On the other hand is the temperance of the responsibility which coexists with the trust and intelligence given to him by God. The world-view of man and the conceptual foundations which underlie that world-view decide which course man will take.

“Can we…check this threat to our planet simply by introducing stricter legislation against pollution, industrial waste and nuclear spill? Can we reverse the degradation of our environment by adopting conservationist policies on both national and international levels? Or could it be that the whole ecological imbalance betokens the spiritual and teleological crisis of modern civilization itself? Does it require fundamental revision of our own way of life, our cherished goals, indeed our very conception of ourselves and the world?” (Parvez Manzoor, Touch of Midas)

It has been the contention of this brief essay that the roots of the man made environmental crises, and therefore their resolution, lie in man’s conception of his role in the overall scheme of creation. The crises that are being faced today are approaching a point of critical mass such that man is forced to confront certain basic questions about his relationship to the environment. These are not questions of technology, but questions about the fundamental nature of man, the nature of the universe he exists in, and of the ultimate nature of Reality.

- Atiya and Irshaad Hussain (1991)

By Ihsaan Bassier, a high-school student

(This khutbah is reproduced with the kind permission of the Main Road Mosque, Claremont, Cape Town, South Africa) 13th January 2012.

One of the most important distinctions between humans and animals is the human ability to reason and the human capacity for innovation. Therefore, as the New Year begins – some of us grudgingly into yet another year of school, some for the umpteenth time into a job, and others at a loss as to the future – I’d like to reflect on the importance of that human ability and capacity: which we call knowledge, from a contemporary Islamic perspective.
Before I deal with my topic directly, I would like to provide a context for my reflections.

Knowledge over the past decade has been revolutionised, in primarily three ways. Firstly, with practically omnipotent internet, constant media coverage and vibrant social networks, access to information is simply a button away. Secondly, there is immense emphasis on the value of knowledge, through patronage by governments, markets and every imaginable institution. And then, thirdly, NGOs, technology and globalisation have created abundant opportunities to spread this knowledge.

When considering the enormity of these three changes, we realize that we are in arguably the most capable and adept position historically.

With this context in mind, I suggest two duties that we should be mindful of as Muslims.  One is from a personal perspective and the other from a social one.

On a personal level, there is absolutely no excuse for ignorance and bigotry.

With such widespread access to information, we are easily exposed to a spectrum of opinions and viewpoints. Yet, whenever something that we perceive to be cardinal to our beliefs is challenged, we throw up retaliatory mental fortresses.

We need to each ask ourselves what our responses are when we are challenged with alternative arguments, perhaps regarding the validity of  one or other hadith, or our religious justification of women’s status, or our eating habits and the concept of halal or permissible food. Too often, we tend to dismiss the contrary views and interpretations of others without stepping back for a serious moment’s introspection.

Denying the possibility that something may contain truth, however absurd, is arrogance or kibr and is regarded by Islam as one of the worst sins.

However, the duty to engage extends beyond having a passive open mind-set. We should use our knowledge to actively challenge and engage others in constructive debate and discussion. This is especially important in circumstances where we may be witness to the perpetration of an injustice.

Justice, for me, is the most important principle of Islam: it is the ultimate goal of everything we do. This is affirmed by the weekly Qur’anic benediction from Surah al-Nahl, chapter 16, verse 90, we conclude with at the end of every jum`uah wherein we are commanded to enact justice and to stop oppression.

“Allah commands justice, the doing of good,

and giving generously towards one’s family.

He forbids indecency, manifest evil, and oppression.

He exhorts you so that you may be mindful.”

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Often, though, I find that when I witness an injustice I hesitate to step in, questioning the appropriateness of the timing or fearing a negative response.

We need to remember that upholding justice is difficult, but it is a duty incumbent on the conscientious Muslim. It takes courage and great wisdom.

An inspiring example of the use of knowledge to stand up for justice is recorded in the following story from the khilaphate of Sayyidina `Umar.

It is reported that `Umar, the second Rightly- Guided Caliph, was once standing on the pulpit delivering a khutbah, severely reprimanding the people and ordering them not to set excessive amounts of dower (mahr) at the time of marriage. A woman who was attending the jumuàh service on hearing `Umar’s sermon got up and objected by saying, “O `Umar, you have no right to intervene in a matter on which Allah the All-Mighty has already decreed in Quran.` Then she proceeded to quote verse 20 of Surah-al-Nisa, chapter of 4 of the Glorious Qur’an:

وَإِنْ أَرَدْتُمُ اسْتِبْدَالَ زَوْجٍ مَكَانَ زَوْجٍ وَآَتَيْتُمْ إِحْدَاهُنَّ قِنْطَارًا فَلَا تَأْخُذُوا مِنْهُ شَيْئًا أَتَأْخُذُونَهُ بُهْتَانًا وَإِثْمًا مُبِينًا

“If you intend to replace one wife by another and you have given one of them a Qintar (of gold, i.e., a great amount as Mahr bridal money), take not the least bit of it back; would you take it wrongfully without a right and (with) a manifest sin?” (V.4:20)

After being reminded of this Quranic verse, `Umar withdrew his order, saying,

“I am in the wrong and a woman is correct.”

In the most public of forums (the masjid), under the judgemental gaze of a patriarchal community and against the most revered of sources, a woman cast aside her fears and stood up for justice. That is something we should all strive towards.

The second duty that we should be mindful of as conscientious Muslims is that it is incumbent on those who have knowledge, to share and spread this knowledge.

The information society of today makes the spreading of knowledge so much easier than before. The Prophet Muhummad (pbuh) is reported to have said :

“The best charity is that of one who learns knowledge and later teaches it to another.”

Giving someone knowledge empowers them in every facet of their lives.

Let us all make a habit of regularly sharing our skills, insha-Allah

I began this Khutbah by quoting a verse from the Qur’an:
هَلْ يَسْتَوِي الَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُونَ وَالَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ إِنَّمَا يَتَذَكَّرُ أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ

“Say: ‘Are those equal, those who know and those who do not know?

It is those who are endowed with understanding that receive admonition.’”
May we all realise the importance of knowledge and make the decision to spread it.

May we take full advantage of our opportunities and circumstance, so that we may ultimately use it to benefit our community.

Second Khutbah

Apparently I am at a stage in which I can offer advice, what with having experienced a whole 11 years of school.  I’m a bit nerdish, so can’t speak for most. But, for those at school, here are a few suggestions:

Firstly, this period is the easiest in which to create your future.

While most follow the mundane setwork, those who pursue a passion or grab at opportunities stand out. There are so many companies and competitions that throw thousands of rands at every glimmer of promise in the most obscure of fields.

Your talent doesn’t need to be conventional at all – explore the so called weird, interesting ideas and hobbies. So pick a speciality. Get really good at it. Own it. And be curious about it.

Secondly, get your timing right. Come exam-time, study like it’s an obsession.

But otherwise, focus on that speciality area or your personal hobbies. Take up a sport or instrument, join a society.

We have so many opportunities – to learn, to influence and to create change.

We can walk right into the headmaster’s office at any moment, if only we had the guts to do so.

We all want to leave an impression beyond our scuffed textbooks: Even our most creative visions just need a bit of time. Take that time to develop yourself and your school into what you want.

Lastly, from what I’ve heard, this is the best period of our lives.

University allows zero respite, and work is hell. So enjoy these years. There’s plenty of time for enough crazy teenage fun, as well as productive hobbies and schoolwork.

Please join in me in a supplication to our All-Knowing God:

May this year, for those at school and otherwise, be productive and full of success.

May we always be cognizant of our duties as Muslims while pursuing our endeavours.

And may we be gifted with a thirst for some of those endeavours to be Spiritually aimed.

(Rabbana zidna ilma)
O God, increase us in knowledge.

رَبَّنَا آَتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآَخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ

“Our Lord, grant us goodness in this life,

as well as goodness in the hereafter,

and protect us from the torment of fire

http://www.cmrm.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=629:khutbah-january-13-2012-ihsaan-bassier&catid=46:khutab&Itemid=778

Khutbah

You are a Royal Falcon

Arshad Gamiet/Royal Holloway University of London/Date 2011

“A-úthu billáhi minash shaytánir rajeem. Bismilláhir rahmánir raheem

Al hamdu lillahi nahmaduhu wanasta’eenahu, wanastagh-firuhu, wanatoobu ilayhi, wana’oothu Billaahi min shuroori an-fusinaa, wamin sayyi aati a’maalinaa. May- Yahdillahu fa huwal muhtad, wa may- yudlill falan tajidaa lahu waliyan murshida. Wa ash-hadu an Laa ilaaha ill-Alláh, wahdahoo laa shareeka lah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhoo warasooluh”

All Praise is due to Alláh, We praise Him and we seek help from Him. We ask forgiveness from Him. We repent to Him; and we seek refuge in Him from our own evils and our own bad deeds. Anyone who is guided by Alláh, he is indeed guided; and anyone who has been left astray, will find no one to guide him. I bear witness that there is no god but Alláh, the Only One without any partner; and I bear witness that Muhammad, sws, is His servant, and His messenger.

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem! Ya Ay-yuhal-latheena ‘aamanut taqul-laaha, haqqa tuqaatihee wala tamu tun-na, il-la wa antum Muslimoon.”

O You who believe, – Be aware of Allah, with correct awareness, and die not except as Muslims.

Ya Ay-yuhal-latheena ‘aamanut taqul-laaha, wa qooloo qawlan sadeedaa. Yuslih-lakum a’maalakum wa yaghfir lakum thunoobakum, wamay yu-til-laaha warasoolah, faqad faaza fawzan atheemaa.”

O You who believe, – Be aware of Allah, and speak a straightforward word. He will forgive your sins and repair your deeds. And whoever takes Allah and His Prophet as a guide, has already achieved a mighty victory.

In the opening verse of Sura An-Nisaa’, Allah says:

O mankind! Show reverence towards your Guardian-Lord Who created you from a single person, created, of like nature, his mate and from the two of them scattered (like seeds) countless men and women;― Be conscious of Allah, through Whom ye demand your mutual (rights) and (show reverence towards) the wombs (that bore you): for surely, Allah ever watches over you.

My Dear Sisters and Brothers,

Our human personality has two parts, a body and a spirit. The body as we know, comprises blood, flesh and bone that’s made of elements from the periodic table, the carbon, magnesium, calcium and iron; the solids, gases ond liquids of the earth. It’s therefore natural that our bodies are attracted to the earth, and we need food and water, earthly substance, for our good health and survival.

Our soul, our ruuh, on the other hand, is not made of earthly matter. It’s not from this world. It’s a little piece of heaven, a part of eternity, it’s the ‘breath of God, ’ something of Allah’s spirit that was inspired into us a few weeks before we were born. It’s not attracted to earthly things. It longs to be connected to heaven. Our soul, our ruuh, longs for Allah,

You and I are therefore constantly under the influence of two powerful magnetic forces. Our bodies are drawn to the earth and our souls long for heaven.  Throughout our lives, we are tugged up and down, struggling to keep the balance. This is our human condition. This is how Allah made us.

When we lose the balance, that’s when things go wrong. We usually lose the balance in favour of dunya. Because we can’t see the soul, we sometimes forget it’s there. In fact, many people who have long forgotten or given up the spiritual dimension of life, seem to think that there is no spiritual life. They think that this earthly life is all that matters.  Allah is well aware of this corrosive influence that material things have on the life of His servants, so he advises us in His noble Book. Read Sura Al-‘Imran 2:14:

“Fair in the eyes of men is the love of things they covet: Women and sons; Heaped-up hoards of gold and silver; horses branded (for blood and excellence); and (wealth of) cattle and well-tilled land. Such are the possessions of this world’s life; but in nearness to Allah is the best of the goals (To return to),

The Quran was of course revealed over 1400 years ago so it speaks of horses and cattle instead cars, computers, gadgets and gizmos.

“Bal tu’ thiroonal hayaat ad dunya, wal aakhiratu khairu wa ab’qaa…”

“Behold, you love the life of this world. But the life to come is much more beautiful, and longer lasting…” Sura Al-Aalaa 87:16

The Holy Quran gently reminds us here, that we should not be distracted by the material things we see around us every day. What Allah provides in such great abundance is there for our sustenance, but we should take only what we need. We should remember that life is short. We came here with nothing. We leave here with nothing except for our record of deeds, good and bad. Don’t let the attractions of this world entrap our hearts so that we forget Allah and we forget our Day of meeting with Him.

The great mystical poet, Jalaaluddin Rumi, tells the story of a royal falcon that was caught by an old woman, The woman saw its long talons and huge wings, It didn’t look like her chickens, pigeons and canaries. So she took her scissors and clipped the falcon’s  wings and talons. No longer able to fly, it was now was now a prisoner of the old woman.

Rumi tells us that this is how we behave when we act on poor knowledge. We damage the Fitra, the natural order of things around us, thinking that we are making improvements. We must follow the advice of Rasool-Allah sws who said:

“Seek knowledge, from the cradle to the grave. Seek knowledge, even unto China.”

If we act on sound knowledge, we can improve things without disturbing the natural order that Allah has set up. But there is another message in this beautiful story of the falcon and the old woman. How did the falcon fall under her control? Falcons have very keen eyesight. Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad tells us that in Rumi’s poem, we are like royal falcons, spreading our wings and able to soar through the heavens. This old woman represents the dunya, the life of this world. From a far distance, she looks like a beautiful maiden. She is very seductive. We are attracted to her by instinct, and by the time we realise our mistake it’s too late. She has clipped our talons and wings, and we cannot escape. This is how the life of this world entraps us, and corrupts our very soul.

Brothers and sisters, there’s a powerful message here. You and I are royal falcons. Our souls were created to soar like a majestic birds through the heavens and to find our place beside the throne of the King. Our place is with Allah, to live constantly in His Presence.

Remember the Hadith of Gabriel, Jibreel, alayhis salaam, when he asked Prophet Muhammad sws: what is ihsaan? What is excellence? And the answer came: “To worship Allah as if you can see Him; knowing that, even if you cannot see Him, surely, He sees you!”

Brothers and sisters, this is what Islam is all about. We mustn’t allow ourselves to be deceived by the attractions of this world. As Rumi would have said, Don’t allow yourself to be seduced by an old woman disguised as a young virgin. The life of this world can be very deceptive. What comes after this life is much more worthwhile and it endures forever.

“Bal tu’ thiroonal hayaat ad dunya, wal aakhiratu khairu wa ab’qaa…”

One thousand years ago Ibn Hazm al Andalusi wrote that whoever trades the dunya for the  akhira is like someone who exchanges gemstones for gravel.

“Innalláha wa malaaikata yusallúna alan nabi. Yá ay yuhal latheena ámanu sallú alayhi wasalli mú tas leema. Allahumma salli alá Muhammad, wa ala áli Muhammad, kama salayta ala Ibrahim, wa ala ali Ibrahim. Allahumma barik ala Muhammad, kama barakta ala Ibrahim, wa ala ali ibrahim. Fil ála meen, innaka hameedun majeed.”

Second Khutbah:

“Soob’ hanallahi wal hamdu lillah, wala hawla wala quwwata illah billah yu althi yual theem”

Glory to Allah!  Praise to Allah! There is no power and no strength except from Allah!

My dear sisters and brothers,

In Sura Al-Hadid (57;20) Allah warns us:

“Know ye (all), that the life of this world is but play and amusement, pomp and mutual boasting and multiplying, (in rivalry) among yourselves, (your) riches and children. Here is a parable: How rain and the growth which it brings forth, delight (the hearts of) the gardeners; soon it withers; you will see it grow yellow; then it becomes dry and crumbles away. But in the life to come is a severe punishment (for those who do wrong). And Forgiveness from Allah and (His) Good Pleasure (His ridwaan) (for Allah’s devoted servants).. And what is the life of this world, but goods and chattels of deception?”

Let us keep things in perspective, my dear sisters and brothers. Allah has placed the whole world at our service, so that we can serve Him better. The world is not here for us to worship it’s many gifts. We should only take what we need, and we should use the rest for helping others, out of love and gratitude to our Generous Provider. That’s all.

Remember Jalaaluddin Rumi’s words. We are royal falcons. Beware the grip of the old woman, the life of this world, the dunya that seeks to trap us in her cage, to clip our talons and wings. We belong to the King, and our gaze must be fixed firmly on Him.

Brothers and sisters, to conclude our khutbah:

InnaAllaha, Yamuru bil adel, wal ihsaan, wa eetaa-i zil qurba; wa yanha anil fuhshaa-i, wal munkari walbaghi; ya-idzukhum lallakum tathak-karoon. (Sura 16:90),

“Surely Allah commands justice, good deeds and generosity to others and to relatives; and He forbids all shameful deeds, and injustice and rebellion: He instructs you, so that you may be reminded.”

Fadth kuroonee adth kurkum, wash kuroolee walaa tak furoon [2:152].

“and remember Me: I will remember you. Be grateful to Me, and do not reject faith.”

wala thikrul-Laahi akbar, Wal-Laahu ya’lamu maa tasna’oon.” [29:45].

“and without doubt, Remembrance of Allah is the Greatest Thing in life, and Allah knows the deeds that you do.” Ameen.    Aqeemus salaah

Reflections on the Hajj

Arshad Gamiet/Royal Holloway University of London/Date 4 Nov 2011

“As-salámu ‘alaikum wa rahmatul láhi wa barakátuh!”

“A-úthu billáhi minash shaytánir rajeem. Bismilláhir rahmánir raheem

Al hamdu lillahi nahmaduhu wanasta’eenahu, wanastagh-firuhu, wanatoobu ilayhi, wana’oothu Billaahi min shuroori an-fusinaa, wamin sayyi aati a’maalinaa. May- Yahdillahu fa huwal muhtad, wa may- yudlill falan tajidaa lahu waliyan murshida. Wa ash-hadu an Laa ilaaha ill-Alláh, wahdahoo laa shareeka lah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhoo warasooluh”

All Praise is due to Alláh, We praise Him and we seek help from Him. We ask forgiveness from Him. We repent to Him; and we seek refuge in Him from our own evils and our own bad deeds. Anyone who is guided by Alláh, he is indeed guided; and anyone who has been left astray, will find no one to guide him. I bear witness that there is no god but Alláh, the Only One without any partner; and I bear witness that Muhammad, sws, is His servant, and His messenger.

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem! Ya Ay-yuhal-latheena ‘aamanut taqul-laaha, haqqa tuqaatihee wala tamu tun-na, il-la wa antum Muslimoon.”

“O You who believe, – Be aware of Allah, with correct awareness, and die not except as Muslims.”

“Ya Ay-yuhal-latheena ‘aamanut taqul-laaha, wa qooloo qawlan sadeedaa. Yuslih-lakum a’maalakum wa yaghfir lakum thunoobakum, wamay yu-til-laaha warasoolah, faqad faaza fawzan atheemaa.”

“O You who believe, – Be aware of Allah, and speak a straightforward word. He will forgive your sins and repair your deeds. And whoever takes Allah and His Prophet as a guide, has already achieved a mighty victory.”

In the opening verse of Sura An-Nisaa’, Allah says:

“O mankind! Show reverence towards your Guardian-Lord Who created you from a single person, created, of like nature, his mate and from the two of them scattered (like seeds) countless men and women;― Be conscious of Allah, through Whom ye demand your mutual (rights) and (show reverence towards) the wombs (that bore you): for surely, Allah ever watches over you.”`

My Dear Brothers and Sisters,

At this very moment, millions of our brothers and sisters are about to complete the rituals of the Hajj, the most important journey in their lives. In this short khutbah I want to sum up a few key lessons for us all to remember about this momentous event. Hajj, the Pilgrimage to Makka, is an epic journey, a journey of a lifetime: It is also the summation of the dramatic story of our Faith, Islam.

It’s a journey that reminds us about our primordial human nature: Fitra. Fitra is our natural state, the way Allah made us. We were born innocent and pure, but we are infinitely distractible. It’s our human forgetfulness that leads us to sinful and shameful deeds.

But Hajj is also about Redemption, divine Mercy and Forgiveness. Hajj teaches us about sacrifice, about loving Allah more than anyone on anything else, just like Nabi Ibrahim, alayhis salaam, did. Prophet Abraham peace and blessings on him, was ready to sacrifice his own beloved son, Ismail alayhis salaam, and earned himself the honourable title of khaleel-Allah, the Friend of Allah.

Hajj takes us on a journey back through time, retelling the moral and spiritual history of humanity. We visit the Kaaba, the first place of worship, built before the first church, or temple, or synagogue. Here we find ourselves at the Baytul-Laah, the House of Allah. It is the home of Monotheism, the cradle of Tawheed,of Divine Unity. Here we walk around the geographical centre of Islam, the Kaaba, centre of our Islamic universe.

Our tawaaf symbolises effort, action, in a constant, circular motion, centred round a fixed and immovable idea of Unity: Tawheed. Unity of belief, Unity of purpose, amidst a diversity of opinions and different starting points. The great plain of Arafat becomes the stage for a dramatic role-play of the very beginning and the very end: Long before time and space existed, long before the ‘big bang’ 14 billion years ago, Allah created your soul and my soul and the souls of every human being that ever was and ever will be. Then He asked them to testify according to themselves, by declaring the First Shahaadah, the First Covenant. This was in the state of metaphysical or pre-Eternal Time. When Allah addressed the assembled gathering of human Souls, he asked them:

“Alasta bi Rabbikum?” “Am I not Your Lord?”

and they all answered together in one thunderous voice,

“Balaa shahidna”

“Yes, indeed, You are! we testify to this, so that we have no excuse on the Day of Judgement to say that we were not aware of this covenant.” [Sura Ar’af 7:172]

The great gathering on Arafat is also a dress rehearsal for the Day of Judgement, Yawmul qiy-yaamah. This is how the entire human race will one day stand before Allah, awaiting the Final Judgement. In our simple ihram clothes, we cannot distinguish anyone’s wealth and social status. No one can see who’s rich and who’s poor; the president, the billionaire, the taxi driver and the farmer all look exactly alike, just like Allah sees us. Allah is only concerned with who is best in their deeds. Who is best in their moral and ethical behaviour… this is what hayaat-ad-dunya, this earthly life, should really be all about: Preparing ourselves for the eternal life after death.

We come to Jabal Rahma: the Mount of Mercy, a low hill rising above the plain of ‘Arafat. Jabal Rahma signifies the central theme of atonement, forgiveness after we’ve acknowledged our sins and pleaded for Allah’s mercy. Here we follow the Adamic role model. Here we stand not simply as Muslims or Believers. Here we stand as Bani Adam, descendants of Adam and Eve. Here is where the first human beings sought forgiveness and this is where Allah forgave them:

“Rabbana zhalamna an fusina wa il-lam tagh-fir lana wa tar hamna lana koona minal khaasireen!” [7:23]

This is the same prayer of Nabi Adam, alayhis salaam, Adam and Eve, Allah’s peace and blessings on them both:

“Our Lord! We have truly wronged our own souls, and if You do not forgive us, we will truly be among the losers!”

Nabi Adam’s epic spiritual journey began from a state of fitra, primordial innocence, purity, and went through human forgetfulness and distraction to commit Sin. But Allah also gave him the ability to recognise his mistake, to regret, to be filled with remorse and to plead for forgiveness, and finally to earn redemption. All this is graphically, vividly recalled on the Hajj. Brothers and sisters, if you have not yet undertaken this blessed journey, make your intention, your niyyat, to do so, inshAllah, ASAP, as soon as possible.

Hajj is truly a journey of a lifetime. Hajj takes us not only on a journey tracing the spiritual history of Islam, it also symbolises the inward journey each and every one of us must undertake, to find our own centre, in the Kaaba of our heart. What desires, what emotions and passions are still circling, making tawaaf around our spiritual heart? The qalb is the locus of our personality. This is our real driving force. Let’s make sure that it is surrounded by loving thoughts of Remembrance of our most Beloved, Allah. It is only when we Remember Allah with love and gratitude that our hearts will ever find lasting peace and contentment.

“Al-latheena ‘aamanu, watat-ma-innul quloobuhum, bi dhikril-Laah. Alaa bi dhikril-Laahi tat-ma-innul quloob” [Sura al-Ra’d, 28]

“Those who Believe, and whose hearts find satisfaction in the Remembrance of Allah; for truly, in the Remembrance of Allah do hearts find satisfaction.”

Innalláha wa malaaikata yusallúna alan nabi. Yá ay yuhal latheena ámanu sallú alayhi wasalli mú tas leema. Allahumma salli alá Muhammad, wa ala áli Muhammad, kama salayta ala Ibrahim, wa ala ali Ibrahim. Allahumma barik ala Muhammad, kama barakta ala Ibrahim, wa ala ali ibrahim. Fil ála meen, innaka hameedun majeed.

Second Khutbah:

Sub’ hanallahi wal hamdu lillah, wala hawla wala quwwata illah billah yu althi yual theem

Glory to Allah!  Praise to Allah! There is no power and no strength except from Allah!

Respected  brothers and sisters,

We say we love Allah more than we love anyone or anything else. Do we really mean it? Do we really love Allah more than we love our families, more than our parents and children, more than our selfish egos? Really? Where’s the evidence? If we really love someone, there’s evidence. There’s phone calls, love poems, text messages and emails. Where’s the evidence of our love for Allah?  Where’s the evidence that we’re constantly seeking His smiling Face, in our prayers, in our Dhikr, and in our lifelong good works?

Prophet Abraham, Nabi Ebrahim, alayhis salaam, had a dream in which he was offering his son Ismail as a sacrifice to Allah. He told his son about the dream, and both father and son, being so devoted to Allah, they both agreed and prepared to follow Allah’s will. But just as the sharpened knife was about to pierce the jugular vein, Allah put a sheep in Ismail’s place. Both father and son proved their love and obedience to Allah. They passed the acid test of sincerity, ikhlaas.

Let us not forget the powerful message here. It’s easy to say, I love Islam, I love Allah and Prophet Muhammad sws. Talk is cheap, but where’s the evidence?. Let us show that we truly love Allah, by coming forward to help with our money, our time and our talent to serve others, to make our neighbourhood, our city and our country a better place, a safer place for everyone. This is the real proof of love for Allah. Serve His creation. Be an agent of His mercy. Do good, as Prophet Muhammad (sws) advised.

“Spread Peace, feed the poor, pray a small part of the night and you will enter Paradise.” [Hadith]

Brothers and sisters, to conclude our khutbah:

InnaAllaha, Yamuru bil adel, wal ihsaan, wa eetaa-i zil qurba; wa yanha anil fuhshaa-i, wal munkari walbaghi; ya-idzukhum lallakum tathak-karoon. (Sura 16:90),

“Surely Allah commands justice, good deeds and generosity to others and to relatives; and He forbids all shameful deeds, and injustice and rebellion: He instructs you, so that you may be reminded.”

Fadth kuroonee adth kurkum, wash kuroolee walaa tak furoon [2:152].

“and remember Me: I will remember you. Be grateful to Me, and do not reject faith.”

wala thikrul-Laahi akbar, Wal-Laahu ya’lamu maa tasna’oon.” [29:45].

“and without doubt, Remembrance of Allah is the Greatest Thing in life, and Allah knows the deeds that you do.”

Ameen.                   Aqeemus salaah!

It also calls for a submission that is spontaneous, without any hesitation or resistance against the will and guidance of Allah. “But no, by your Rabb, they can have no (real) faith, until they make you judge in all disputes between them, and find in their souls no resistance against your decisions, but accept them with the fullest conviction.” [4/an-Nisa'a/65]

There is great – truly great – news from Allah. “Those who have faith and do righteous deeds, they are the best of creatures, their reward is with Allah: Gardens of Eternity, beneath which rivers flow; they will dwell therein forever; Allah is well pleased with them, and they with Him: All this for such as fear their Rabb (the cherisher and sustainer).” [98/al-Bayyinah/7-8]

Today we have gathered here on a great occasion of joy and celebration. Ironically, this joy and celebration revolves around sacrifice. It would probably make sense to only those who understand that the joy of giving – that touches others’ lives – is far greater and deeper than the joy of receiving.

Today is the Eid al-Ad’ha. This great occasion is tied to an unique event, the Hajj; a unique city, Makkah; and a unique family, the family of Ibrahim (a). Indeed, what Qur’an refers to the Millat of Ibrahim is essentially rooted in the legacy of a model family. Say: “God speaks the Truth: follow the Millat of Ibrahim, the True in Faith; he was not of the Pagans.” [3/ale Imran/95]

We cannot discuss Eid al-Ad’ha without remembering Ibrahim (a), who represents in the Qur’an an ideal submission. He never hesitated to respond to the call and command of his Rabb. He never considered anything too precious to be withheld when it comes to the fulfilling the wish of his Rabb. Everything he was commanded by Allah, he fulfilled with honor and nobility. We are all too familiar with the story of his unwavering faith and conviction, and his supreme sacrifice as embodied in the event when he was ready to sacrifice his dear and only son to fulfill the wish of his Rabb. “Behold! his Rabb (Lord) said to him: “Bow/submit (your will to Me): He said: “I bow/submit (my will) to the Lord and Cherisher of the Universe.” [2/al-Baqarah/131]

Another member of this ideal family was the first son of Ibrahim (a), Ismail. The Qur’an presents him as like father, like son. “… (Abraham) he said: ‘O my son! I see in vision that I offer you in sacrifice: Now see what is your view!’ (The son) said: ‘O my father! Do as you are commanded: You will find me, if God so wills, one practising patience and constancy!” [19/as-Saffat/102]

In his submission to the will of his Rabb, Ismail was no less ideal. He submitted to the will of Allah whole-heartedly and with a heart full of peace and tranquility. Once again, there are very few among us who are not already familiar with the role and position of Ismail (a) in the heritage of Tawheed and the eternal truth.

In today’s khutbah, however, I want to focus on the not-so-familiar Legacy of a great woman, Mother Hajera (a), the wife of Ibrahim (a) and the mother of Ismail (a). Indeed, she is an integral and as important part of the legacy of Tawheed and the Millat of Ibrahim. Her submission to the will of her Rabb and her sacrifice were as ideal as that of Ibrahim (a) and Ismail (a). Allah has ennobled her in the Qur’an by making Safaa and Marwah integral to the performance of Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam. These are the two hills between which she ran back and forth in search of water for her beloved infant son, while she was all alone according to the plan of Allah s.w.t. Himself. “Behold! Safaa and Marwah are among the symbols of Allah. So if those who visit the House in the Season or at other times, should compass them round, it is no sin in them. And if any one obeys his own impulse to Good, be sure that Allah is He Who recognizes and knows.” [2/al-Baqarah/158]

If you have not read already, I invite all of you, my dear brothers and sisters, to read the hadith containing details of her story in Sahih al-Bukhari (Vol. 4, #583, Book of Ambiya or Prophets). It is a must reading.

Mother Hajera was not just a wife of Ibrahim (a), but she was deeply loved by him. But, once again, to fulfill the wish of Allah, he brought Mother Hajera and their beloved infant son, Ismail, to this abandoned, desolate, barren valley of Makkah. There was no such inhabited place called Makkah at that time.

As Ibrahim (a) brought Mother Hajera and Ismail (a) to that barren, rugged valley, she asks (as in the hadith): ‘O Ibrahim! Where are you going, leaving us in this valley where there is neither any person nor anything else (to survive)?’ She repeated that to him many times, but he did not look back at her. Then she asked him, ‘Has God instructed you to do so?’ He replied, ‘Yes.’…

That was enough for Mother Hajera. Now she knew that it was according to the Divine Will. With the same nobility and dignity of faith as it ran in that family, “She said, ‘Then God will not neglect us.’ (In another version): ‘I am pleased to be (left) with Allah.’

Then Ibrahim (a) left and she was alone with her infant. Makka was not an inhabited place yet. Food and water that Ibrahim (a) provided them with were finished. Then, she started searching for water running back and forth through the valley between the hills of Safaa and Marwah. Finally, she was visited by the arch-angel Jibril (a). [This is an important point for Muslims to ponder: What kind of persons are visited individually by Jibril (a)?]

Then, water, in the form of an everflowing spring, the Zamzam, was made available to them by direct intervention of Allah. Right during that time, the tribe of Jurhum, passing by the valley saw birds flying. Realizing that water must be available, they searched and discovered Mother Hajera and Ismail. They sought permission to settle there. Thus, the desolate valley of Makkah became an inhabited area. Hadrat Ibrahim returned there much later and laid the foundaton of Ka’ba. Makkah ultimately was to emerge as a city; no, even greater than that, the perennial heartland of Tawhid, the belief in oneness of Allah.

Subhanallah, Allah is glorified. He took such a significant and noble service from a woman. But consider another aspect. What kind of situation Mother Hajera was placed into? In that desolate, uninhabited valley, what might have been going on in her mind?

She, while whole-heartedly submitted to her Rabb, was constantly searching, moving and struggling not remembering herself any longer, but to find some water and save her infant. What could she think about herself? Once she was slave only to be given away by her Master, a King representing the owning class; now a victim and a stranger, exiled and abandoned by her family all alone with her child in her arms! She hardly ever had a dignified identity. Had she not been the mother of Ismail (a), who would have recognized her for anything worth? There, in that barren place, her identity did not matter any further. Yet, she reposed her complete trust in her true Lord (Rabb) and was determined to pursue whatever she could in the Way of Allah.

Now ask yourself. Whom would you consider the Founder of Makkah as a city? Is there any other civilization, or even a city of this stature, that has been brought about by such primary contribution and sacrifice of a woman? How ironical, unfortunate, and insulting that the city that came into existence by a lone woman now does not allow women to drive a car by herself. Nor does it allow a woman to travel to hajj by herself, even though the Prophet Muhammad (s) himself had the vision that woman would travel someday alone to perform hajj and indeed, the vision did materialize.

It is so unfortunate that so little about her is talked about even on such pertinent occasion of which she is an integral part. I don’t recall myself listening to any Khutbah that highlighted her faith, sacrifice, and contribution that were second to none. Indeed, I have read Sahih al-Bukhari before too, until a Muslim intellectual of our time, whose mind is keen about women’s contribution in the heritage of Tawheed, drew my attention to this.

What men and women can learn from a woman, whose service and contribution ennobled the Hills of Safaa and Marwah to the status of “among the Sign of Allah,” which must be visited, and whose quest for saving the object of her love must be reenacted.

From far away as the pilgrims perform this reenactment, we also want to be like Ismail and have a share of this noble woman’s affection. But there is a greater symbolic implication!

This community of believers follow the Way of Prophet Muhammad, a way that primarily was designed after the Way of Ibraham and his family. The role that was played primarily by the family of Ibrahim, was broadly assumed by the Prophet Muhammad (s), but now involving not just his family, but the larger community of believers. This community (Ummah) is created for mankind!

As it was true then, it is also now, humanity is in pursuit of doom and destruction. Can we not, should we not, think of the humanity as Ismail destined for death, to save which love, affection, and restless passion of Mother Hajera are needed again and again? Did not the Prophet Muhammad (s) carry on that mission of mercy and affection, and thus he was the Rahmatulllil Alamin, according to the Qur’an? Did not his loyal companions fulfilled the same mission? Then, does not this community (Ummah) need to be conscious of the trust Allah has given to them, for which the community will be accountable? What could be a better occasion for us to remind ourselves of that trust and invite ourselves to reflect on this and respond accordingly?

In conclusion, what is there, then, to celebrate? Listen.

“Our Lord! Grant us what you did promise to us through your Prophets, and save us from the shame on the Day of Judgment: for you never break Your promise.” And their Rabb (Lord) has accepted of them, and answered them: “Never will I suffer to be lost the work of any of you, be he male or female: you are members, one of another; those who have left their homes, or been driven out therefrom, or suffered harm in My Cause, or fought or been slain; Verily, I will blot out from them their iniquities, and admit them into Gardens with rivers flowing beneath; A reward from the Presence of Allah, and from His Presence is the best of rewards. [3: ale Imran: 194-195]

For all the toil and struggle, the hardship and sacrifice, the efforts and pursuits, is it not truly deserving of celebration that our works will not be in vain, will not suffer any loss. This is a guarantee from none other than Allah.

For me, that is good enough. No, more than good enough. With all the worldly promises, guarantees, and warranties that give us a sense of security, one tends to forget that there is also a vast world of deceptions. If we cannot have peace of mind with the promise from Allah, we have no where to turn to. Thus, what could be more worthy of our celebration than the invitation of Allah to an eternal life of peace, happiness, and prosperity, an invitation that comes with the unfailing promise of Allah.

* This is abridged from a khutbah delivered on Eid al-Ad’ha in Iowa City, Iowa. The author is a former editor of NABIC Newsletter and a faculty at Upper Iowa University.

Translated by Webb Translators

Principle 1: Have a sincere, unwavering intention.  Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, “each person will be rewarded for what he intended” (Muslim). This calls for determination in the heart to continuously act or to abstain from something only for God’s sake. A sign of having sincere intentions is that one does not change his resolve for fleeting reasons; what is done for God, the Truth, should not be forsaken to please His creation.

Principle 2: Work purely for God, (the One) without partners or associates. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: “worship God as though you see Him, but if you do not see Him (know that) He sees you” (Muslim). A sign of working purely for God is to not accept anything except the truth, and to see everything else besides the truth as vain and fleeting. As the prophet ﷺ said, “Let the slave of the dinar perish” (Bukhari). One should also beware of falling into doubtful matters. As Prophet Muhammad ﷺ: “Leave what is doubtful for what is not doubtful” (Tirmidhi and Nasa’i).

Principle 3: Align one’s desires with the guidelines and rulings of the Shari`ah (Islamic law). Be patient in times of hardship and difficulty, when struggling with personal desires, and in avoiding sinful acts and pleasures. Whoever practices this regularly reaches a state whereby he is in his sleep as if he were awake [worshipping], in his mixing with people as if he were in seclusion, in his fulfillment as if he were hungry, in his pride as if he were humiliated, and in talking to others as if he were silent.

Principle 4: Base one’s actions on following [the prophet’s way and scholarly opinions], and not on innovation. This prevents the following of one’s own desires and becoming proud of one’s own opinion. Surely, a person who takes himself as his own ruler will not succeed.

Principe 5: Have high ambitions, and do not procrastinate. It is said: “do not leave today’s work until tomorrow,” because actions are built on each another; and whoever is content with a lower [status] will be deprived of a higher one.

Principle 6: Be aware of one’s incapability and insignificance. This is not referring to laziness in worship or lack of productivity in work. It is about realizing that one is not capable of doing any action without support from God, the Most Capable, and Most Generous. This awareness is also manifested in viewing other people with respect and reverence, for people are means and helpers of one another on the path to God, the Exalted and Most Bountiful.

Principle 7: Have fear and hope, and do not be sure that your good deeds are accepted until you have witnessed this [on the day of Judgment]. One should have hope not because of the good deeds themselves, but because God Himself is the Most Benevolent and Generous.

Principle 8: Be consistent in one’s wird (regular litany of worship), for the one without a wird does not have additional source of support from God.  With a wird, the soul opens up in public and private; it becomes more mindful of the rights of others; it increases in loving and hating for others what it loves or hates for itself.  Also, having that wird makes one work more for God in order to please Him, just as a person would love that God does for him what he finds pleasing.

Principle 9: Be constantly observant of your actions and do not stray away from the remembrance of God even the blink of an eye. For the one who is always observant of his heart for the sake of God, and does not let other than God enter his heart besides, is one who has truly found God, experienced His Benevolence, and has reached ‘ilm al-yaqeen (certain knowledge). This is manifested in seeing God as the Enabler or Mover of everything that remains still or in motion around us. One’s mindfulness then increases from there until he recognizes that God is the Sustainer of everything, so His interaction with the creation is characterized by the best of manners. (Exemplifying this), the Prophet ﷺ said: “My Lord taught me good manners, and He gave me the best of manners.”

Principle 10: Know what one should be occupied with, both internally and externally for whoever thinks that he is not in need of obeying [God and His messenger] is a broke man who is in opposition to God’s words: “…Say ‘If you love Allah, then follow me, Allah will love you’ ”(Qur’an 3:31).  This is the foundation upon which have been built castles like no other.

http://www.suhaibwebb.com/personaldvlpt/character/excerpts-from-imam-ghazali%E2%80%99s-ten-principles-for-those-seeking-the-path-of-allah/

“A-úthu billáhi minash shaytánir rajeem. Bismilláhir rahmánir raheem.

Al hamdu lillahi nahmaduhu wanasta’eenahu, wanastagh-firuhu, wanatoobu ilayhi, wana’oothu Billaahi min shuroori an-fusinaa, wamin sayyi aati a’maalinaa. May- Yahdillahu fa huwal muhtad, wa may- yudlill falan tajidaa lahu waliyan murshida. Wa ash-hadu an Laa ilaaha ill-Allah, wahdahoo laa shareeka lah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhoo warasooluh”

All Praise is due to Allah, We praise Him and we seek help from Him. We ask forgiveness from Him. We repent to Him; and we seek refuge in Him from our own evils and our own bad deeds. Anyone who is guided by Allah, he is indeed guided; and anyone who has been left astray, will find no one to guide him. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, the Only One without any partner; and I bear witness that Muhammad, sws, is His servant, and His messenger.

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem! Ya Ay-yuhal-latheena ‘aamanut taqul-laaha, haqqa tuqaatihee wala tamu tun-na, il-la wa antum Muslimoon.”

O You who believe, – Fear Allah, as He should be feared, and die not except as Muslims.

Ya Ay-yuhal-latheena ‘aamanut taqul-laaha, wa qooloo qawlan sadeedaa. Yuslih-lakum a’maalakum wa yaghfir lakum thunoobakum, wamay yu-til-laaha warasoolah, faqad faaza fawzan atheemaa.”

O You who believe, – Be aware of Allah, and speak a straightforward word. He will forgive your sins and repair your deeds. And whoever takes Allah and His prophet as a guide, has already achieved a mighty victory…

My respected Brothers and Sisters,

By the Grace of Allah, we have completed another Ramadan. Another glorious month of Mercy, Forgiveness and Freedom from Hellfire has passed. A unique opportunity afforded to us for one precious month every year, where we can multiply our good deeds, has passed. We pray that Allah will accept our fasting and our other good deeds of the past month. Let us not be among the losers, who missed this opportunity, or who missed the main point of Ramadan. Let us not be among those who gained nothing from their fasting except hunger and thirst. They will have to wait for 11 months to get another opportunity. Let us ask Allah to spare us at least until next Ramadan. Let us in the meantime do our part of the bargain. Let us do the things that please Allah… the good Ramadan behaviour that we cultivated over the past few weeks. Let us try to fast at least one or 2 days a week, Mondays and Thursdays, throughout the year. Let us try to fast 6 days of Shawwal. But let us also today, think and reflect on what makes Ramadan so special.

It’s not just about fasting and feasting. Ramadan is pre-eminently the month of the Quran. It’s the month that contains a Night of Power, Lailatul Qadr, one night that’s worth more than 1,000 months. Why is this? What makes this night so special? Most people believe it was the 27^thnight of Ramadan, but it could well  be any of the last 5 odd nights, 21^st 23^rd, 25^th 27^th or 29^th. Allah alone knows for certain. This is the night in which Allah, the glorified and exalted, Rabbul Jalaal wal ikraam, the Lord of the Majesty and Honour, sent down His Archangel Gabriel, Jibreel alayis-salaam, to our earthly realm of time and space. The time was during the last ten nights of Ramadan in the year 610 of the Christian Era, and the place was in a cave on Jabal Nur, the Mountain of Light, near Makka. This is the epic story of One Night, One man, alone in cave, and One Book. Here Jibreel took Muhammad sws, the son of Abdullah, in a tight embrace, and commanded him to “Read.” Muhammad sws protested that he could not read, he was unschooled in reading and writing, but Jibreel persisted, and slowly, with great effort, the first majestic words of the Holy Qur’an rolled from Muhammad’s lips:

“Iqra! Bismi Rabbikal lathee khalaq! Khalaqal insaana min ‘alaq. Iqra! Wa Rabbukal akram. Al-lathee ‘al-lama bil qalam. ‘Al-lamal insaana maa lam ya’lam”.

“Read” in the Name of your Lord who created: He created man from a clinging form. Read! Your Lord is the Most Bountiful One, who taught by [means of] the pen, who taught man that which he did not know.”

Over the next 23 years, through pain, suffering and ultimate victory of truth over falsehood, the Words of Allah emerged from the timeless space-less realm of eternity, and entered into our earthly domain. These sacred words illuminated the spiritual darkness of Arabia in the 7th Century, and its irresistible light has beamed brightly down the ages. We must never forget what the world was like at the time, six hundred years after Jesus, Nabi Isa. The superpowers Rome and Persia were at war. Arabia and sunken back to idol worship. There were some Jews and Christians, but their scriptures were no longer the same revelations brought by Prophets Moses and Jesus. Through human error and human tampering, adding their own gospels, the Divine Word had been compromised. The pure monotheism taught by those great prophets, Moses and Jesus, was all but lost. It was time to put matters right. Allah’s answer was to send a ‘perspicacious Book,’ a Furqaan, a Criterion, to measure right from wrong, to distinguish truth from falsehood. The Holy Quran has reconstructed the pure original message of Divine Unity, the message of Tawheed, which was taught by all the Prophets. Those who describe Islam as a new religion are mistaken. Islam means peaceful submission to the One Who created everything. This is the oldest, not the newest Religion. The religion of One God, Tawheed, Divine Unity, is the same religion of all the Prophets from Adam through Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus. Prophet Muhammad sws himself said that he did not come to teach a new message, only to confirm and complete the message of earlier Prophets. The Holy Quran also confirms this with the last verse that was revealed at Arafat, during the Prophet Muhammad sws last Hajj:

“Al yawma akmaltu lakum deenakum, wa-at mamtu ‘alaykum ney’amatee, waradeetu lakumul Islaama deenaa.”

“This day have I perfected your religion for you, and completed my favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.” [S.5:v3]

My dear Brothers and Sisters, 1400 years ago Prophet Muhammad sws faced an uphill task against vested interests of his time. You must remember that the Kaaba had 360 idols around it. Pilgrims came there to worship those idols and this made the guardians of the Kaaba, the Quraish tribe, very wealthy. Muhammad’s message of One God was not welcomed. Just like Moses, Prophet Musa’s message angered Pharaoh, Ramses II. So today also, the message of Islam is a threat to the Pharaohs and Emperors of the modern age. You can see them falling in front of your eyes today, in Egypt and Libya. This message says that everything belongs to God, and we human beings are the trustees, the Ambassadors of God. We have to care for everything in our environment as a sacred trust. We cannot just abuse and exploit other people, or the earth as if there is no tomorrow. This is the message of Islam. This is the message of Lailatul Qadr, the Night of Power, the Night of Glory. We who are the heirs, the inheritors of the Prophets, must carry this message forward: Worship no one but One God, serve your fellow human beings and care for our common living environment with love and devotion to the One who Created us all, until the end of your days.

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all the Worlds; may the greetings and peace be upon the best messenger, Muhammad, the unlettered prophet; and upon his family and upon all of his companions.

Amma ba’ad, And, after this,

“Behold, Allah and his angels shower blessings on the Prophet. O you who believe! Ask for blessings on him, and salute him with a worthy greeting.

O Allah! Send your greetings upon Muhammad and his family, just as you sent your greetings on Abraham, and his family. O Allah, send your blessings on Muhammad and his family, just as you blessed Abraham and his family. In both worlds, you are praiseworthy and exalted.”

Alhamdu lillahi Rabbil ‘Aalameen. Was-salaatu was-salaamu alaa Khairil mursaleen. Muhammadin-nabeey-yil Ummiy-yee, wa-‘alaa aalihee, wasah-bihee, aj-ma’een.

Ammaa ba’ad:

InnAllaha wa malaaikata yusallúna alan nabi. Yá ay yuhal latheena ámanu sallú alayhi wasalli mú tas leema. Allahumma salli alá Muhammad, wa ala áli Muhammad, kama salayta ala Ibrahim, wa ala ali Ibrahim. Allahumma barik ala Muhammad, wa alaa áli Muhammad, kama barakta ala Ibrahim, wa ala ali ibrahim. Fil ála meen, innaka hameedun majeed.”

Part Two:

Sub’ hanallahi wal hamdu lillah, wala hawla wala quwwata illah billah yu althi yual theem.

“All glory is for Allah, and all praise is for Allah; There is no power and no strength except with Allah.”

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

How can you and I get the most benefit from Ramadhan, and from Lailatul Qadr, the Night of Glory? Here are some suggestions:

• Firstly, let us not just forget fasting until next year. Let us do all the good things of Ramadhan throughout the year, to keep us spiritually healthy and focussed.
• It is a recommended Sunnah to fast for 6 days of Shawwal and some people also fast on every Monday and Thursday throughout the year. This is a wonderful habit, because it keeps us connected to the spirit of Ramadhan. It keeps us connected to Allah’s blessings and it keeps us self disciplined. It keeps us away from excessive eating and drinking. It moderates our behaviour. Prophet Muhammad said, the worst thing a man can fill is his stomach. We should fill one third with food, one third with water, and one third we should leave empty. This is very wise. We only recently discovered that it takes 20 minutes for the stomach to tell the brain that it’s full. So that’s why we overeat. During those crucial 20 minutes we continue to see, smell and taste all those goodies on the table, and our brain thinks we’re still hungry but the stomach has already said: Stop! Enough! But we can’t hear our stomachs. Let us take Prophet Muhammad sws advice and moderate our eating. It will help us to moderate everything else.
• A very important suggestion for non-Arabic speakers. I think that most of us here do not speak Arabic as a first language. Let’s really work hard to understand every prayer and every supplication, in Arabic and English. This is so important. Arabic is the language of the Quran and it’s the lingua franca, the common language of the Muslim world. We must say our prayers in Arabic, because, when we travel to any part of this planet, we can join any Muslim group in India or Brazil or Nigeria or Outer Mongolia. When we hear the adhaan it’s the same words we hear everywhere on earth. Isn’t Islam wonderful? Isn’t it wonderful to be part of this global family? Imagine! we can lead the prayers or follow the prayers anywhere on the planet, with no problems. But remember that only 18% of the world Muslim population is Arabic. The vast majority, 88% of us are non-Arabs who must make a special effort to understand our prayers properly in our mother tongue. If you took a random sample, you will find that many of us non-Arab Muslims do not even understand the meaning of our prayers. We learn the words in Arabic, like parrots but we seldom care to learn the meanings. This is wrong. Do you think that Allah will be impressed if you can recite His Holy Book with such beautiful and melodious tones, but your mind is disconnected, because you haven’t bothered to learn the meaning of what you say? Brothers and Sisters, lets resolve today to start learning the meanings of our prayers, and our supplications, Salaah and Du’ah, so that we can put meaning and feeling into our communication with Allah. While our lips are saying the words in Arabic, our hearts and minds must recite the translation in English. This will help us to engage with our Creator with meaning and feeling, in other words, with sincerity. In the final analysis, Allah is not impressed with our outward actions, but with the intention in our hearts. Allah deserves nothing less from us, but to be sincere to Him.

O Allah, help us to purify ourselves in body, mind, heart and spirit. Help us to seek and find your good pleasure, and O Allah, remember us in the company of your beloved friends.

My Lord, help me to perfect my prayer, and of my descendants, Our Lord, accept this prayer….

Rabbi ja’alni muqeemus salaati, wamin dur-riy-yati, Rabbanaa wata qabbal du’aah…

My Lord, forgive me, and my parents, and all Believers until the Day of Reckoning..

Rabbigh firlee wali waali dayya, walil Mu’mineena yawma yaqoomul hisaab…

“O Allah, do not let our hearts deviate from the Truth now that we have been guided , but grant us Mercy from Your very Presence, for You are the Grantor of bounties without measure.”

Rabbana laa tuzigh quloobanaa, ba’da ith hadaytanaa wahablanaa milla dunka Rahma. Innaka antal wah-haab.

Glory to Allah, Lord of Majesty and Honour, and Peace on the Prophets, and Praise to Allah, Lord of all creation!

“Soob’ haanaka Rabika Rabbil-‘’izzati ‘Ammaa yasifoon, wasalaamun ‘alal Mursaleen, wal Hamdu lil-Laahi Rabbil Aalameen.”

Ameen. Aqeemus salaah!

“We should always entertain the hope, the possibility that our worst enemies today could become our beloved brothers and sisters tomorrow…”

Arshad Gamiet/Royal Holloway University of London/Date 19 August 2011

(You can listen to this khutbah here: )

“A-úthu billáhi minash shaytánir rajeem. Bismilláhir rahmánir raheem

Al hamdu lillahi nahmaduhu wanasta’eenahu, wanastagh-firuhu, wanatoobu ilayhi, wana’oothu Billaahi min shuroori an-fusinaa, wamin sayyi aati a’maalinaa. May- Yahdillahu fa huwal muhtad, wa may- yudlill falan tajidaa lahu waliyan murshida. Wa ash-hadu an Laa ilaaha ill-Alláh, wahdahoo laa shareeka lah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhoo warasooluh”

All Praise is due to Alláh, We praise Him and we seek help from Him. We ask forgiveness from Him. We repent to Him; and we seek refuge in Him from our own evils and our own bad deeds. Anyone who is guided by Alláh, he is indeed guided; and anyone who has been left astray, will find no one to guide him. I bear witness that there is no god but Alláh, the Only One without any partner; and I bear witness that Muhammad, sal-lal-laahu ‘alayhi wa sal-lam, is His servant, and His messenger.

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem! Yaa ay-yuhal-latheena ‘aamanut taqul-laaha, haqqa tuqaatihee wala tamu tun-na, il-la wa antum Muslimoon.”

O You who believe, – Be aware of Allah, with correct awareness, and die not except as Muslims.

Yaa ay-yuhal-latheena ‘aamanut taqul-laaha, wa qooloo qawlan sadeedaa. Yuslih-lakum a’maalakum wa yaghfir lakum thunoobakum, wamay yu-til-laaha warasoolah, faqad faaza fawzan atheemaa.”

O You who believe, – Be aware of Allah, and speak a straightforward word. He will forgive your sins and repair your deeds. And whoever takes Allah and His Prophet as a guide, has already achieved a mighty victory.

In the opening verse of Sura An-Nisaa’, Allah says:

O mankind! Show reverence towards your Guardian-Lord Who created you from a single person, created, of like nature, his mate and from the two of them scattered (like seeds) countless men and women;― Be conscious of Allah, through Whom ye demand your mutual (rights) and (show reverence towards) the wombs (that bore you): for surely, Allah ever watches over you.

My Dear Sisters and Brothers,

In recent days, we’ve seen horrific scenes of arson, looting and mayhem on the streets of Britain. But out of the same chaos and confusion there has emerged some extraordinary examples of courage, generosity and wisdom. The mass media, which has become so accustomed to presenting Muslims in a bad light, could not ignore the huge public admiration for 2 Muslims in particular.

There was the Malaysian student who arrived in London only a month ago. He was attacked by thugs, left with a broken jaw and his belongings stolen by those very same people who pretended to help him. Despite his painful ordeal that was filmed and shared around the world, he wasn’t bitter, his admiration for this country was undiminished and he certainly didn’t want to go home yet. Interviewed in his hospital bed, he just said he felt very ‘sorry’ for his attackers, who were “so young,” He wasn’t thinking of himself, of his own pain. He wasn’t feeling sorry for himself. He didn’t wish his attackers any harm. This gentleness and generosity of spirit touched the hearts of millions. Within a few days, Facebook and Twitter raised £20,000 to help him fly his mother over to see him.

Meanwhile in Birmingham a very serious racial conflict was defused by a grieving father. Some of you may have followed this story. Tariq Jahan’s son was killed along with 2 brothers who were defending their property from rioters. A car was deliberately driven over them, killing all three. Muslims were very angry, and if  Tariq Jahan gave way to his emotions at this crucial time then who knows what terrible violence would have followed. Anger and revenge between black and Asian neighbours was near breaking point. But Tariq Jahan is no ordinary man. He must have learnt from Prophet Muhammad’s sws advice:

“Do not become angry. Do not become angry. Do not become angry.” (Hadith)

In a time of unspeakable grief, he knew that his reaction would have far reaching consequences, immediately and in the long term, here and elsewhere. So this is what he said:

“Blacks, Asians, whites — we all live in the same community. Why do we have to kill one another? Why are we doing this? I’ve just lost my son. Step forward if you want to lose your sons. Otherwise, calm down and go home — please!”

This heartfelt plea from a grieving father took everyone by surprise, especially people who feed on a diet of bad news about Muslims. Thousands responded on the internet and in newspapers. One person wrote: “I used to hate Muslims, but this grieving father’s words were so dignified, so persuasive and generous hearted, it moved me to tears. Now I’m ashamed of my hatred for them. I shall never hate Muslims again.”

Brothers and sisters, these words are as inspiring as they are humbling. They show us in a simple, practical way what we can achieve by not giving way to our anger, by not seeking revenge. Indeed, when we accept all the pain and loss that we suffer, simply as another test from Allah, then we are truly following the Straight Way, the siraat al mustaqeem.

What can we learn from the momentous events that swept Britain last week? Here are a few suggestions:

Don’t just give way to your anger in a crisis. It may be human to do so, but a real Muslim follows the Prophetic Sunnah, like Tariq Jehan did. Don’t get angry, don’t lash out. That only massages your bruised ego, your lower nafs. Do turn to your inner core, your pure heart, your qalb saleem, that you’ve trained so hard. Remember that Allah loves those who are patient and who persevere in times of hardship and distress. We know this from reading the Holy Quran in : Sura Al Baqara 2:153-6

“Ya ay yuhal latheena aamanus ta’eenu bis sabari was salaah. Innal laaha ma’as saabireen.”

“O you who believe! Seek help with patient perseverance and prayer; for Allah is with those who patiently persevere…”

Then the following verses continue:

“And say not of those who are slain in the way of Allah: ‘They are dead.’ No, they are living, although you cannot perceive them.”

Be sure We shall test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods or lives or the fruits of your hard work, but give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere,

Who say, when they are afflicted with a calamity: “Inna lil laahi wa inna ilayhir raaji oon! To Allah we belong, and to Him is our return”

“Ulaa ika ‘alayhim salawaatun min Rabbikum, wa Rahmah, wa ulaa ika humul muhtadoon.”

“They are those on whome [descend] blessings from Allah, and Mercy, and they are the ones that receive guidance.”

Brothers and sisters, if you ponder over these verses, you might think that they were written especially for the grieving families in Birmingham. But such is the majesty and beauty of Allah’s Book, revealed over 14 centuries ago, that its guidance and its healing and mercy will nourish the souls of Believers everywhere and always, until the end of time. SubhaanAllah!

“Innalláha wa malaaikata yusallúna alan nabi. Yá ay yuhal latheena ámanu sallú alayhi wasalli mú tas leema. Allahumma salli alá Muhammad, wa ala áli Muhammad, kama salayta ala Ibrahim, wa ala ali Ibrahim. Allahumma barik ala Muhammad, kama barakta ala Ibrahim, wa ala ali ibrahim. Fil ála meen, innaka hameedun majeed.”

Second Khutbah:

“Soob’ hanallahi wal hamdu lillah, wala hawla wala quwwata illah billah yu althi yual theem”

Glory to Allah!  Praise to Allah! There is no power and no strength except from Allah!

My dear sisters and brothers,

When we restrain our anger, when we wrestle with our lower nafs and we throw ourselves at the feet of Allah’s Mercy, some amazing things happen. The reward for showing our utter reliance on Allah has many unexpected consequences. One of the most surprising reports I read last week (UK Sunday Times 14^th August 2011) was that the racist (EDL) English Defence League’s leader was so moved by Tariq Jehan’s dignified example that he was going to ask all his members at their next meeting to hold a minute’s silence out of respect. Imagine that! At the beginning of the riots, reports were circulating that the EDL was planning arson attacks on mosques. We don’t know whether this is true or not. But a few days later, there’s a newspaper report that the EDL leader wants his followers to show some respect for the fallen Muslims in Birmingham. Allahu ‘alam! Allah knows best! Let us also remind ourselves that no matter how dire the situation, Allah can intervene in ways that we could never have hoped. Allah can change a heart from hatred to love in an instant. Allah has the key to all our hearts. Sura Al Anfal 8:24 reminds us that “Allah comes between a man and his heart…”

There are many who hate Muslims and who wish us harm. We should of course take sensible precautions to defend ourselves. But we should never forget that our enemies could one day become our brothers and sisters in faith. Never forget that Khaled ibn Walid, who bitterly fought the Muslims in the Battle of Badr, became the most famous military commander after Allah came between him and his heart. He conquered the Roman and Persian armies for Islam. Don’t forget Amr ibn al As, who led the Quraish delegation to Abyssinia. He tried unsuccessfully to persuade the King Najashi to return the first Muslim asylum seekers and to hand them over to their oppressors. Soon afterwards, Allah came between Amr and his heart. Amr conquered Egypt for Islam and built the fist mosque on the African continent in Al Fustat. And who can forget Sayyidna Omar, who hated Prophet Muhammad so bitterly that he unsheathed his sword and set out to kill our Nabi. But Allah came between him and his heart, and when he heard his sister reciting the opening verses of Sura Ta-Ha, his hard heart melted and this big, fearsome warrior was moved to tears. He actually took shahadah in front of Prophet Muhammad, still holding his sword in his hand, the same sword that was meant to kill our beloved Prophet!

What does all this mean, brothers and sisters? We all plan, but Allah is the best of planners. Don’t ever think that things out there are really as bad as they seem. Things could be a lot worse. Allah is completely in control of his entire creation. Slowly but surely, in ways we cannot always appreciate, Allah is fulfilling His Plan. We should never despair of Allah’s Mercy. Who knows… perhaps next Ramadan, some of those gangsters, rioters and former members of the EDL will be praying alongside us as our new brothers, for the taraweeh prayers! Who knows? Anything is possible for Allah. He has the key to unlock any heart! We should always entertain the hope, the possibility that our worst enemies today could become our beloved brothers and sisters tomorrow. This reminder is clearly given in Sura Al ‘Imran 3:103:

“Wa’tasimu bi hablil laahi jamee-aah…”

“And hold fast,  all together, by the Rope which Allah (stretches out for you), and do not be divided among yourselves; and remember with gratitude Allah’s favour on you; for you were enemies and He joined your hearts in love, so that by His Grace, you became brothers; and you were on the brink of the pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. This is how Allah makes His Signs clear to you: That you may be guided.”

My dear sisters and brothers, as we enter the last 10 days of Ramadan, the days of ‘freedom from hellfire,’ and the nights of laylatul Qadr, the Night of Power, let us reflect on the momentous events in our community. This is a crucial time for Muslims. There is some danger but there is also immense potential for good. This is no time for bruised egos, for settling old scores or for racial and tribal vendettas. Islam is too noble for such behaviour. Let us reach out to those who used to hate us and who now have doubts, so that we can share with them Allah’s beautiful message. The world is watching us. Let us become living examples of discipline, self control, humanity, mercy and Allah’s love. Let us pray that our three martyrs from Birmingham would not have died in vain. Let their example, and their fathers’ dignity at a time of unspeakable pain and grief, be an inspiration to Muslims and their neighbours all around the world. Great things happen in Ramadan. O Allah, let the tragedy in Birmingham become the key that unlocks the hearts of Islam-haters everywhere, so that their breasts can be opened Islam. Ameen!

Brothers and sisters, to conclude our khutbah:

InnaAllaha, Yamuru bil adel, wal ihsaan, wa eetaa-i zil qurba; wa yanha anil fuhshaa-i, wal munkari walbaghi; ya-idzukhum lallakum tathak-karoon. (Sura 16:90),

“Surely Allah commands justice, good deeds and generosity to others and to relatives; and He forbids all shameful deeds, and injustice and rebellion: He instructs you, so that you may be reminded.”

Fadth kuroonee adth kurkum, wash kuroolee walaa tak furoon [2:152].

“and remember Me: I will remember you. Be grateful to Me, and do not reject faith.”

wala thikrul-Laahi akbar, Wal-Laahu ya’lamu maa tasna’oon.” [29:45].

“and without doubt, Remembrance of Allah is the Greatest Thing in life, and Allah knows the deeds that you do.”      

Ameen.    Aqeemus salaah

Detail from Van Gogh’s “Starry Night”

Fasting (Sawm) carries a two-fold meaning – two seemingly opposing definitions combined into a single word. And sawm, as described in the Qur’an and the hadith, simultaneously fulfills both of these definitions. The primary meaning is to hold back, to refrain from, to abstain – the further meaning is to rise beyond, to move past former limits.

The month of Ramadan is a time in which we hold our bodily compulsions and instincts under strict control, together with our thoughts and our mental states, our moods and desires. We submit ourselves (our nafs) and our accustomed patterns of life to a higher template, one that fosters a regimen of self-restraint within the body and mind and correspondingly seeks an intensification of the life of the spirit. The body is ordered to fast from what it needs, from what is normally allowed to it, from what it desires, from what it craves, from what it may seek on a whim, and from what it habitually seeks – from all that leads to an intensification of the activities of the nafs.

During the interval of daylight, halal (the allowed) transforms into haram (the forbidden) and whatever nourishes the physical body becomes haram. As for the nafs, it undertakes a psychic fast from anger, backbiting, gossip, harshness towards others, from reaching in any manner through any of the senses towards that which is disallowed. All those inclinations which strengthen the nafs, which allow it to inject itself with vigor and attachment into the flux of worldly life are proscribed and denied expression.

The nafs continuously asserts itself through it’s ties with the body and according to a complex and ever-shifting world of attraction and desire, knowledge and ignorance that endlessly churns within it. Through its movements and motions, it seeks what it needs and wants and can become, depending on circumstances, complacent or cavalier, disdainful or self-assured, arrogant or feaful, callous or ambitious, lethargic or craving – endlessly acting and reacting within the confines of its limited knowledge. What it does not know it is ignorant of, and what it does not know is infinitely more vast in extent than what it knows. So it’s knowledge is forever outweighed by it’s ignorance and it’s pursuits and actions are indicators of which of these (knowledge or ignorance) it acts upon.

The nafs is in continuous restless motion, but it is a motion that circumambulates around a center of manifold physical and chemical interactions that give rise to need, wants, pleasures, habits, moods, impulsions, compulsions, and desires. The complex system of body and mind are in an incessant state of movement (that ceases only with death), switching continually from one mode to the other, pouring forth a torrent of thoughts and internal impulses that turn the mind’s focus endlessly from one locus to another. There is perpetual movement and motion but within tightly constrained boundaries – pivoting around the locus of the nafs and what it seeks.

And so the qur’anic command is issued - “…fast until the night….”(Qur’an 2:187) Fast from what the nafs needs and desires. Let the nafs know that there is a truer aspect of yourself, a center capable of overseeing and stabilizing all the intersecting mental systems of the mind and all the material/chemical/habitual/hormonal systems of the body. Proclaim to it that there is a guardian and owner and ruler over the nafs and over the physical form with which it is integrally co-mingled. Let it know that the form and the stirrings of need and desire within the nafs have to submit to this guardian in seeking their satisfaction. The wants, needs, and desires that spring from the material form must submit to the governance and tutelage of a higher form – to the spiritual form indicated by the hadith that states: “God created Adam in His own form….” (hadith)

This is not the material form driven by chemical interactions but the spiritual substance which is the subtle, essential form of a human being – one that is masked by the ceaseless activity of an unconstrained nafs (nafs al-amarra).

The material form and its impulses (manifested through the nafs) are reigned in during fasting. All the things which give strength, vigor, and life to the body and nafs are terminated – the attachment is reduced, denuded, weakened. We cease to consume and are no longer able to enjoy what feeds our physical form and with that cessation we begin to unhook the clamps which bind us to the most basic goods of this world. We undo the shackles which tie us through our physicality to the world. By penetrating to the very root of our attachment, to the most fundamental layer, to the very seat of our creaturely connection to the world – food, water, sex (the three cardinal symbols of life) we overturn their dominion and arrive at a position where we, for a time, subdue them.

We deny creaturely externals, we let the creaturely demands and impulses remain unanswered – over the course of the days of fasting we let them subside and wane. We let them grow silent so we have a chance to hear what we otherwise would not hear, to perceive what we otherwise could not percieve. We subdue our physical form and when its clamoring grows silent we perhaps become aware of a spiritual form that resides subtly within us.

The vigil of denial and regulation of the physical form and the nafs is maintained until the spirit and mind’s ascendancy becomes clear. “Fast until the night….” (Qur’an 2:187) The night approaches and the day’s fast ends with the former hierarchy reversed – what was first (physically  and psychically generated needs, wants, and desires) comes last and what was last comes first, and with this new ordering of spirit and body in place, the fast is completed. Over the course of the month of Ramadan, as the days merge into the nights, this drama of reversal is repeated and intensified till the person fasting (the person who undertakes the fast with complete sincerity and profound intensity) approaches a state of spiritual readiness.

Until in the watch (the vigil) of the last ten nights of the month of Ramadan, there arrives the possibility of a profound inner remaking, an unfolding of the potential to witness the laylatul qadr. “And what can convey to you what laylatul qadr is? That night is better than a thousand months….” (Qur’an 97:2-3) During the day we break ourselves down, we fast from what sustains our existence – we submit our clay form to be unmade, to be kneaded and worked over – we remove ourselves from our material subsistence and turn to prayer and spiritual subsistence from God – we prepare ourselves to be reshaped. The onset of the darkness of night is representative of pure potential waiting to emerge into existence – waiting for the command and decree which will give it form. “The angels and the spirit (ruh) descend in it, by the command of their Lord with every decree….” (Qur’an 97:4) We turn ourselves into malleable clay awating the shaping command of that night – anticipating the profound and weighty descents that accompany laylatul qadr. “(That night is) Peace till the breaking of the dawn.” (Qur’an 97:5)

So sawm (fasting) fulfills its meanings – to hold back from, to abstain, pertains to the restraint engendered through the fast – to rise beyond pertains to the results that God bestows upon those who seek the fast with sincerity and knowledge. So the fast is at once a holding back and a lifting up. The body and it’s appetites are held back and through this holding back an elusive and subtle but profound awakening begins. We are provided the means by which to alter our reality, to shape what we ourselves are. By holding back the nafs from its activity and its sustenance, moments of stillness, of silence, are obtained – moments in which self-perception sharpens and deepens and spirit awakens and the (spiritual) form with which God created man begins to unfold itself. “And in yourselves – what do you not see?” (Qur’an 51:21)

- Irshaad Hussain

(Copied, with permission, from the author’s blog www.islamfrominside.com

http://www.islamfrominside.com/Pages/Articles/Fast%20until%20the%20night%20%28Ramadan%29.html

Khutbah

Empowering New Muslims

Arshad Gamiet/Royal Holloway University of London/Date 2010

“A-úthu billáhi minash shaytánir rajeem. Bismilláhir rahmánir raheem

Al hamdu lillahi nahmaduhu wanasta’eenahu, wanastagh-firuhu, wanatoobu ilayhi, wana’oothu Billaahi min shuroori an-fusinaa, wamin sayyi aati a’maalinaa. May- Yahdillahu fa huwal muhtad, wa may- yudlill falan tajidaa lahu waliyan murshida. Wa ash-hadu an Laa ilaaha ill-Alláh, wahdahoo laa shareeka lah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhoo warasooluh”

All Praise is due to Alláh, We praise Him and we seek help from Him. We ask forgiveness from Him. We repent to Him; and we seek refuge in Him from our own evils and our own bad deeds. Anyone who is guided by Alláh, he is indeed guided; and anyone who has been left astray, will find no one to guide him. I bear witness that there is no god but Alláh, the Only One without any partner; and I bear witness that Muhammad, sws, is His servant, and His messenger.

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem! Ya Ay-yuhal-latheena ‘aamanut taqul-laaha, haqqa tuqaatihee wala tamu tun-na, il-la wa antum Muslimoon.”

O You who believe, – Be aware of Allah, with correct awareness, and die not except as Muslims.

Ya Ay-yuhal-latheena ‘aamanut taqul-laaha, wa qooloo qawlan sadeedaa. Yuslih-lakum a’maalakum wa yaghfir lakum thunoobakum, wamay yu-til-laaha warasoolah, faqad faaza fawzan atheemaa.”

O You who believe, – Be aware of Allah, and speak a straightforward word. He will forgive your sins and repair your deeds. And whoever takes Allah and His Prophet as a guide, has already achieved a mighty victory.

In the opening verse of Sura An-Nisaa’, Allah says:

O mankind! Show reverence towards your Guardian-Lord Who created you from a single person, created, of like nature, his mate and from the two of them scattered (like seeds) countless men and women;― Be conscious of Allah, through Whom ye demand your mutual (rights) and (show reverence towards) the wombs (that bore you): for surely, Allah ever watches over you.

My Dear Sisters and Brothers,

Every day, more and more people are taking Shahaadah. Some reports say that Islam is the world’s fastest growing religion. These studies don’t tell us how many actually stay Muslim for more than a year, or how many leave Islam feeling somewhat disillusioned.

What can we who are born into Islam, do to help those who have chosen Islam as their faith? What can we do to empower new Muslims? How can remove the obstacles from their path to Allah? How can we facilitate our new brothers and sisters’ journey to become full and productive members of the Ummah?

Firstly, let’s not rush things. Too often we try to be too helpful. You can’t teach someone in a few days, what took you a lifetime to learn. You have to do things step by step, Priorities first. Allah urges us in Sura 16:125:

“Ud’oo ila sabeeli Rabbiki, wa mow-‘idatul hasanah…”

“Invite (others) to the Way of your Lord, with wisdom and beautiful speech.” The key here is wisdom, and beautiful speech…

What does this mean in practice? Here are some of my thoughts, based on my own humble observations and experience:

• Keep things simple. Islam is not a complicated religion with confusing dogmas and practices. The kalima shahadah can literally be summarised on the 5 fingers of one hand. It’s putting those universal principles into practice that’s the hard part. And the most important thing to remember is there’s a big difference between Islam and Culture. Islam and our ethnic, national or tribal culture is not one and the same thing.
• Islam is a universal set of moral and ethical principles that fit into every time and place. Muslim cultures reflect ethnic, geographical and historical influences at different times and places. Don’t confuse the two. For example, forced marriages, the oppression of women, so-called ‘honour killings’ have nothing to do with Islam. These are pre-Islamic tribal practices that Islam came to destroy. Don’t impose your own cultural excess baggage on your new brother or sister.
• New Muslims want to know how best to serve Allah within their own capacity and limitations. Make it easy, keep it simple. Our new sisters and brothers can keep their original names. They shouldn’t alienate their family and friends. On the contrary, ties of blood and friendship must strengthen and rise to a higher, more meaningful level, illuminated by love of Allah.
• A word about our dress code. There’s no such thing as ‘Islamic’ clothing. Any modest, clean, attractive, unostentatious clothing will do. Again, don’t confuse Islam with Muslim cultures. Becoming a Muslim is not like coming to a fancy-dress party. Tell them it’s perfectly halaal for them to continue to wear their usual Western clothing, as long as the clothes aren’t showy or provocative. Ethnic dress code is an option, not an obligation. Remember that. To dress yourself up like a wannabe Arab or wannabe Pakistani doesn’t make you a better Muslim..
• A good Muslim personality is constructed from the inside, not from the outside. It begins with the right attitude, the right disposition of the heart… When the attitude is right and the qalb, the spiritual heart is sound, everything else, including the Hijabs, niqabs, burqas, beards, thobes and turbans may (or may not) take care of themselves later… Let’s always keep our sense of perspective, and remember our priorities.
• From cultural baggage to ideological baggage. Don’t try to make new Muslims into loyal Salafis or Sufis. Don’t try to turn them into pukka Deobandis, Barelwis, Wahhabis, Hisbut Tahriris, Militant Jihadis or Tablighi Jamaatis, Shia-hating Sunnis or Sunni-hating Shias. Islam a simple, universal faith with an inclusive ethos. Diversity is celebrated and not feared. Being a Muslim means to be at peace with oneself and one’s Creator, to be at peace with all of Allah’s creation both inwardly and outwardly.
• Sow an action, reap a habit, sow a habit, reap a character, sow a character and reap a destiny. Remind yourself and your new Muslim sister and brother, that Prophet Muhammad (sws) preferred small, repeated acts of kindness to the grand gestures that are done occasionally. Grand gestures are often just for show. Small, repeated good deeds build real sound character and help to polish the heart, cleaning it and removing moral and spiritual pollution.
• Teach your new Muslim sister and brother to be inclusive, not exclusive. Don’t become judgemental. Allah is the best of judges. He alone knows the secrets of all hearts. Urge new Muslims to be merciful, with themselves and with others. Allah is Ar-Rahmaan, The All-Merciful, first and foremost. His last Prophet (sws) was sent as a Mercy to all the Worlds: “Wa maa arsal naaka il-laa Rahma tul-lil-Aalameen, (We have not sent you [O Muhammad] but as a Mercy to all the Worlds.”
• Any manifestation of Islam that lacks mercy becomes a serious danger, as Allah warns us in Sura 43: Al Zukhruf, The Inner Apartments: “And whoever turns himself away from the remembrance (dhikr) of al-Rahman (The Compassionate), We appoint for him a shaitan (a satan), so he becomes his close companion (and associate). And most surely they (the satans) turn them away from the path, though they (the people) persistently imagine that they are rightly guided….” (Qur’an 43:36-37)…” Let us all try to become the friends, the awliyaa of Allah, not the awliyaa of Shaitaan.
• This leads to the next point: If anyone became ‘Muslim’ in order to ‘wage a war on the kufaar’ they’ve made the wrong decision and you can’t help them at all. They’ve come to Islam for the wrong reason, or they’ve come to the wrong religion. Tell them that the world is like it is because of human failings, brought on by ignorance of Allah’s message or in defiance of Allah’s will. Yet everything happens with Allah’s permission. We can only put things right with hard work, justice tempered with mercy, and at all times showing patient perseverance, “Innal-laaha ma’as saabireen.” Allah is with those who patiently persevere. Whatever we do, we have to work strictly within the moral and ethical limits decreed by the Quran and the Prophetic Sunnah. We’ve heard the saying, “Desperate times calls for desperate measures.” This reaction belongs to the realm of secularists and Hollywood movies, not for God-fearing Muslims. Islam is not a religion for desperados. A Muslim who relies totally on Allah will be rewarded by a heart filled with ridhaa’, a serene acceptance of whatever Allah has decreed, good or bad. When we cultivate a sense of utter reliance on Allah, we will realize with absolute certainty, yaqeen, that Allah’s help is always near. “Innal-laaha nasral-laahi Qareeb.” In time, this inward struggle will be rewarded with sakeena, a deep sense of inner peace, serenity, confident that despite the chaotic and confusing appearance of the world outside, we must remain calm on the inside. Allah is in complete control. Sakina is the prize for trusting Allah completely.

“Innalláha wa malaaikata yusallúna alan nabi. Yá ay yuhal latheena ámanu sallú alayhi wasalli mú tas leema. Allahumma salli alá Muhammad, wa ala áli Muhammad, kama salayta ala Ibrahim, wa ala ali Ibrahim. Allahumma barik ala Muhammad, kama barakta ala Ibrahim, wa ala ali ibrahim. Fil ála meen, innaka hameedun majeed.”

Second Khutbah:

“Soob’ hanallahi wal hamdu lillah, wala hawla wala quwwata illah billah yu althi yual theem”

Glory to Allah!  Praise to Allah! There is no power and no strength except from Allah!

My dear sisters and brothers,

We are talking about empowering new Muslims. One final point I’d like to discuss is about Da’wah: calling others to Islam. There are many individuals and groups up and down the country feverishly working on this project.

One of my main worries about the current pervasive enthusiasm for da’wah is that some Muslims get carried away and they apply too much pressure on people to ‘take the Shahaadah’ too soon. We sometimes forget that it’s Allah who guides people, we cannot guide. At the beginning of the khutbah we hear that “Those whom Allah guides, no one can lead astray, and those whom Allah leaves to stray, no one can guide.” We also know that “Those whom Allah loves, He opens their heart to Islam.” We mustn’t mislead ourselves into thinking that the pressure is on us to pressurise others into Islam. Islam isn’t about numbers. It’s about quality, the quality and calibre of individual Muslims. That’s what really matters. That’s where the real work awaits us.

None of Allah’s Prophets used emotional blackmail or clever marketing tricks to find followers. They simply conveyed the Divine Message, and left Allah to do the rest. We should do the same. The results are not in our hands, and we should give people time to reflect on what we have told them about Islam. The Shahadah is too important to be treated lightly. Becoming a Muslim is a big responsibility. When we do the work of Allah, let’s make things easy. Be truthful, be generous and above all, be patient.

• There are some practical lessons for new Muslims, like Tahaarah (Cleanliness), good manners and behaviour (Adab), how and when to do the prayers, fasting, paying Zakaat and so on. These topics need to be taught gradually and simply.

Brothers and sisters, to conclude our khutbah:

InnaAllaha, Yamuru bil adel, wal ihsaan, wa eetaa-i zil qurba; wa yanha anil fuhshaa-i, wal munkari walbaghi; ya-idzukhum lallakum tathak-karoon. (Sura 16:90),

“Surely Allah commands justice, good deeds and generosity to others and to relatives; and He forbids all shameful deeds, and injustice and rebellion: He instructs you, so that you may be reminded.”

Fadth kuroonee adth kurkum, wash kuroolee walaa tak furoon [2:152].

“and remember Me: I will remember you. Be grateful to Me, and do not reject faith.”

wala thikrul-Laahi akbar, Wal-Laahu ya’lamu maa tasna’oon.” [29:45].

“and without doubt, Remembrance of Allah is the Greatest Thing in life, and Allah knows the deeds that you do.” Ameen.    Aqeemus salaah