courtesy of www.islamicity.com

The Prophet Muhammad taught love, kindness and compassion to his people, and was seen to be the most loving, kind, and compassionate of all of them. The Quran mentions his kind and gentle behavior in these words: “O Messenger of Allah! It is a great Mercy of God that you are gentle and kind towards them; for, had you been harsh and hard-hearted, they would all have broken away from you” (Quran 3:159).

There are many instances that show his kindness and gentleness, especially to the weak and the poor. Anas, who was his helper, said: “I served Allah’s Messenger for ten years and he never said to me, ‘Shame’ or ‘Why did you do such-and-such a thing?’ or ‘Why did you not do such-and-such a thing?’” (Bukhari, 2038).

Once he said to his wife: “0 ‘A’ishah! Never turn away any needy man from your door empty-handed. 0 ‘A’ishah! Love the poor; bring them near to you and God will bring you near to Him on the Day of Resurrection”. He also went much further on to say: “Seek me among your weak ones, for you are given provision, or you are given help only by reason of the presence of your weak ones”. (Rahman, Encyclopedia of Seerah, VOL. VIII, p. 151) God Almighty is Kind, and the Prophet imitated Allah’s example in its perfection by showing kindness to his servants and all creatures without any regard for their beliefs, color or nationality. The Prophet said: “God is kind and likes kindness in all things” (Bukhari, 6601).

His heart ached within him at the corrupt state of his fellow-Meccans and their rejection of One God. The Holy Quran testifies to it in these words: “0 Muhammad, you will, perhaps, consume yourself with grief because the people do not believe” (Quran 26:3). In Surah Kahf, we read: “Well, 0 Muhammad, it may be that you will kill yourself for their sake out of sorrow if they do not believe in this Message.” (Quran 18:6). And Surah Fatir says: “So let not your life be consumed in grief for their sake.” (Quran 35:8).

He took a great interest in the welfare of all people and had great compassion for people in trouble. The Prophet Muhammad imitated the attributes of God par excellence and translated them into practice in the highest form possible for man. Kindness is an attribute of Allah, which has no limits. It is extensive and encompasses all things and all beings without discrimination. Likewise was the kindness of the Prophet. He extended it to all beings, both animate and inanimate and benefited all without measure. The Quranic words for the Prophet’s kindness, ra’ufun rahirn (Quran 9:128) are very intensive and comprehensive in meaning and convey the true nature and extent of the Prophet’s kindness to people. The Prophet said: “One of the finest acts of kindness is for a man to treat his fathers’ friends in a kindly way after he has departed” (Abu dawud, 5123)

The issue of treating friends well was also extended to include relations: “He who wishes to have his provision enlarged and his term of life prolonged should treat his relatives well” (Bukhari, 5985). He emphasized on this matter because he deeply held the view that “Only kindness prolongs life, and a person is deprived of provisions for the faults he commits” (Ibn Majah). Bahz b. Hakim, on his father’s authority, said that his grandfather told him that he had asked Allah’s Messenger to whom he should show kindness and that the Prophet had replied: “Your mother.” He asked who came next and he replied: “Your mother.” He asked who came next and he replied for the third time: “Your mother.” He again asked who came next and he replied: “Your father, then your relatives in order of relationship” (Abu dawud, 5120). He dwelled on the issue of treating orphans humanely as he stated that “The best house among the Muslims is one which contains an orphan who is well treated, and the worst house among the Muslims is one which contains an orphan who is badly treated” (Ibn Majah, 3679). This means that the Prophet cautioned his followers against general maltreatment of anyone regardless of his status. By extending good treatment from friends to relatives and now to neighbors, Prophet Muhammad was intent in making all humans interdependent as he emphasized in the following words: “All creatures are Allah’s dependants, and those dearest to God are the ones who treat His dependants kindly” (Rahman, VOL VIII, p. 154). He emphasized the kind treatment of women again and again in his speeches:

Treat women kindly, since they are your helpers; . . . you have your rights upon your wives and they have their rights upon you. Your right is that they shall not allow anyone you dislike to enter your bed or your home, and their right is that you should treat them well. (from the Farewell Sermon of the Prophet)

Once a number of women complained to the Prophet’s wives about their ill-treatment by their husbands. On hearing of this, the Prophet said: “Such persons among you are not good persons.” (Abu Dawud, 1834). This condemnation by the Prophet himself was an indication that no one will be accepted before God who, while on earth, decided to be unkind to women. Another person said to the Prophet: “0 Messenger of Allah! My relatives are such that although I cooperate with them, they cut me off; I am kind to them but they ill treat me.” The Prophet said this in reply: “So long as you continue as you are, God will always help you and He will protect you against their mischief” (Muslim, 4640). This was not only a way of bringing comfort to the mind of the worried person but one of the communicative techniques of the Prophet to assure who ever found himself in that situation to look up to God to be consoled and protected. So it was pointless to preach vengeance to this kind of people suffering from this similar fate. Indeed, Prophet Muhammad was nothing short of a competent counselor.

He was always counseling people to be goodhearted regardless of their sex, age or gender. Once Asma bint Abu Bakr’s mother, who was still an unbeliever, came to see her in Madinah. She told this to the Prophet and said: “My mother has come to see me and she is expecting something from me. May I oblige her?” The Prophet said: “Yes, be kind to your mother” (Muslim, 2195). This attitude of the Prophet was equally extended to Zainab as-Saqafia, the wife of Abdullah ibn Mas’ud and an Ansari woman. She went to see the Prophet and to inquire whether it would be a charity if they spent something on their husbands and on the orphans under their care. The Prophet said: “They will get a two-fold reward, one for kindness towards their relatives and the other for charity” (Bukhari, 1466).

There are many Ahadith concerning his kindness to animals, birds and insects: “God prescribed kindness towards everything; so when you slaughter any animal, slaughter it well; when you sacrifice, make your sacrifice good. And let everyone sharpen his weapon and make it easy for his sacrificed animal” (Muslim, 5055). He made this kind of statement to demonstrate his love for both humans and animals. In essence, Prophet Muhammad was equally showing his followers that he too is feels pain.

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)

OnIslam.net, 12 June 2011

{Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah hearts are assured.} (Ar-Ra’d 13: 28)

When we try to figure out why we are so often bothered, why we feel disturbed internally, or why we feel sad – we need to go back to our hearts.

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:

“Do not talk too much without remembering and mentioning Allah (God), for too much talk without mentioning Allah hardens the heart, and the person farthest from Allah is the one with a hard heart.” (At-Tirmidhi)

Subhan Allah (glory to Allah) – our heart hardens when we do not remember God. The heart’s nourishment is the remembrance of God, and when we fail to remember Him, it is no wonder that we feel down for no apparent reason.

The Muslim Scholar, Ibn al-Qayyim stated: “In the heart there is hardness which can only be softened by remembrance of God. So the slave must treat the hardness of his heart with the remembrance of God.” For those of us who feel that Islam itself has become heavy upon us, look at the answer the Prophet Muhammad gave to a man who said:

“O Messenger of Allah, the laws of Islam seem to be a lot for me (to remember), so tell me something that I should stick to.” The Prophet replied: “Let your tongue never cease to be moist with the remembrance of Allah.” (At-Tirmidhi)

And what is the effect of this remembrance? It acts as a polish for the hearts from its rust, and causes us to be remembered by God the Most High. God tells us in this amazing hadith qudsi:

“I am to my servant as he expects of Me, I am with him when he remembers Me. If he remembers Me in his heart, I remember him to Myself, and if he remembers me in an assembly, I mention him in an assembly better than his…” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

So What Exactly Is Remembrance?

Remembrance of God includes specified dhikr (such as saying subhan’Allah, la ilaha ila Allah, etc.), but it is also anything you do related to God or mentioning God. Anything that you do with God in mind – whether it is thinking well of Him, giving charity with the specific intention of doing it for His sake, making du’a’ (supplication) and so on is within the realm of dhikr.

Ways of Dhikr

Let’s get more specific. What are the things we can do that are included indhikr?

Intention

We need to immerse ourselves in good works. That said, when we do good, we must always try to be conscious of the fact that we are doing it for God. Talk to God as you are doing the good deed, ask Him to accept it from you, and to enable you to do more good. Add intentions – such as doing it for God, following the Sunnah (tradition of the Prophet), helping fellow Muslims and people – the more you remember God, the more He will remember you. And inevitably you will feel that in your life.

Remember, when we do good, we need to do good with the heart. We probably do certain things anyway – such as giving charity here and there, making du`a (supplicating to God)’ and so on. But we do them without heart, without any feeling or emotion that this is for God. We need to do these things knowing that in them is a cure for what is in our hearts, and that when we feel down, we go to these things – whether it is helping out others or pleading with God in our sujud (prostration).

Turning to Him

“Whoever comes to me walking, I go to him at speed.” (Al Bukhari)

It is impossible for you to return to God and He rejects you. Look at all these hadiths on those who return to Him:

”Allah is happier when a servant of His repents to Him than a man who was on his camel in a waterless desert and the camel escaped from him with his food and water. When he has lost hope of finding it, he retired to a tree and lied down under its shade. As he was there, the camel suddenly appeared in front of him. He took hold of its halter and said in his state of excessive joy: ‘O my Lord You are my servant and I am Your Lord.’ He uttered this erroneous statement as a result of his being overjoyed.” (Muslim)

God says in a beautiful hadith qudsi (sacred hadith):

“O son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and were you then to ask forgiveness of Me, I would forgive you. O son of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth and were you then to face Me, ascribing no partner to Me, I would bring you forgiveness as great.” (At Tirmidhi)

“Remember Allah during times of ease and He will remember you during times of difficulty” (At Tirmidhi)

Thanking Him

{And [remember] when your Lord proclaimed, ‘If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor]…} (Ibrahim 14: 7)

Thanking is recognizing and appreciating. The more you thank, the more you will see. The more you see how God has blessed you, you see His presence in your life and this in itself should create a certain soothing of the heart. By thanking God, you are recognizing He is al-Wahhab (the Giver of gifts), ar-Razzaq (the Sustainer), al-Wadud (the Most Loving) and insha’Allah (God willingly) you will be able to recognize how He manifests His attributes and Names in your life. Take the time out every evening to thank God for the blessings in your day – not only will you be overwhelmed because you will never be able to enumerate them, but you will truly recognize God’s presence in your life.

Daily Word

{And remember your Lord much and exalt [Him with praise] in the evening and the morning.} (Al-Imran 3: 41)

We know that the Prophet Muhammad always remembered God – this is why we have du’a’ (supplication) and dhikr (remembrance) for almost everything we do: from entering into the restroom to what to say when someone compliments us. The Prophet also had specific remembrances that he said every morning and every evening. Each of these words and phrases are precious – not only do they polish your heart and cleanse them of their disturbances, but the Prophet would say them for protection, and that in itself should give us peace of mind and heart. Yaqeen (certainty) is so important – if the Prophet has told us that saying certain words will have an effect – we should have no doubt.

We should take the time to understand these words, so that they truly enter our hearts.

May Allah make us of people {who remember Allah while standing or sitting or [lying] on their sides and give thought to the creation of the heavens and the earth, [saying], “Our Lord, You did not create this aimlessly; exalted are You [above such a thing]; then protect us from the punishment of the Fire.} (Al-Imran 3: 191)

Source: Suhaib Webb.com - http://www.suhaibwebb.com

http://www.onislam.net/english/reading-islam/living-islam/growing-in-faith/452626-remember-me-i-will-remember-you.html

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

By Dr. Waheeduddin Ahmed

Life, Death and the Hereafter:

Hamd wa Thana

Allah (T) says in the Quran:                                                                                                     كُلُّ مَنْ عَلَيْهَا فَانٍ

“All that exists on earth will perish”

وَيَبْقَى وَجْهُ رَبِّكَ ذُو الْجَلالِ وَالإكْرَامِ

“Save the face of your Lord with its magnificence and glory”

Every now and then our preachers, our scholars and our khateebs remind us of this fact. Sometimes we listen to them inattentively, sometimes we yawn; other times we shake our heads up and down in agreement without particularly moved by what they have said, until it hits us personally, when there is a death in the family; a loved one passes away and a life familiar to us suddenly comes to an end.

Well! last week two members of our Islamic family were snatched away from us by the cruel hand of death. One was our beloved friend Numan Tugan  (alaihi Rahmah) who was a familiar face in this congregation. The other was Dr. Farooki who was afflicted with malaria on a hunting expedition in Tanzania and died. Born in India, educated in England, having practiced medicine in America, he died in Africa, spanning three continents. All this must prompt us to reflect on the question of death in the light of the Quran.

Verily, the knowledge of the hour is with Allah alone. It is He, who sends down rain and He who knows what is in the wombs; nor does anyone know what it is that he will earn  in the morrow; nor does anyone know in what land he is to die. Verily with God is full knowledge and He is acquainted with all things (Qur’an 31:34)

Neither the Late Brother Farooki nor his family nor his friends had any knowledge that he would die in Africa during a visit from another continent. By the same token, we have no choice where we are going to be born, in America? in the thick forest of Africa? or in the dust bowl of Arabia? We cannot choose to be a member of an affluent family or a starving family. We cannot be Black or White by choice. Our fates. our places of birth, our genus and our race are determined for us by our Creator.

Let us now think about our strengths and our prowess as human beings. We are scientists; we are engineers; we are doctors and researchers. We make great strides in all these fields. We probe deep into matter; unfold the secrets of nature; send spacecrafts into the cosmos; station Hubble telescope in space and catch the glimpses of galaxies billions of light years away. We discover cures for hitherto incurable diseases.  We think that we have conquered nature but are our conquests unlimited? Are we not helpless in determining where we are born and how we shall die? Death comes to us suddenly with a mosquito bite, a contemptible, miniscule creature. Our spacecraft takes us far into space but only as far as we are allowed to go, as the Qur’an declares:

“Oh assemblies of jins and humans, if you are able to pass beyond the zones of heavens and earth ,do it by all means but you will never be able to do it without authority  (from Allah).”  Our prowess is only to the extent we are empowered to, by God.

Everything, which is created has two points on the scale of existence: a starting point and an end point. Everything, which has a beginning in time has an ending in time, whether it is man, animal, heavenly bodies, sun, moon planets or stars. The cosmologists say that the universe began with a Big Bang, when a compact ball of energy exploded. With it began the time and the contours of space which are continuously expanding and in which the galaxies, the stars and the satellites are taking shape. The stars are then sinking into Black Hole, in a reversal of the Big Bang process. Thus it seems the universe will come to an end as it is sucked into a Black Hole.

Everything, which is created has a linear dimension on the time scale, with a beginning point and an end point. There is also a lateral dimension, which determines the field of existence — the capacity field. This is the enclosure in which every species’ capacities are confined. This also holds for the cosmos. The satellites and stars confined to their orbits. Every animal has a size limit, which is written into its DNA. A cat cannot grow into a tiger. Men cannot grow to be sixteen feet tall. Our perceptions have their ranges. Man’s vision has a range. He cannot see beyond violet at one end and red at the other, whereas some animals can see what man cannot see and hear what man cannot hear.

Likewise, our intellect has a range too. Human brain is getting bigger as the brain cells increase. We may not have reached the maximum range of our intellect yet, as more discoveries are awaiting us. Our space travel has not reached its farthest point, as our destinations are yonder still but the limit is imminent.

The Unseen (ghaib):

What is imperceptible to our eyes and ears and undetectable by our scientific instruments, the Hubble telescope and what is inconceivable by the regions of our brain fall in a realm, which, in the Qur’anic language is called Ilm- al-ghaib(knowledge of the unseen) Belief in the unseen is a fundamental tenet of Islam. The Qur’an declares in the very beginning:

“This is the book in which there is no doubt, a guide for the God-fearing, those who believe in the unseen, establish prayer and spend of what we have provided them with.” ِ

Ghaib means something that cannot be perceived by man howsoever he tries, for instance, the reality of God and the times and places of death. This also means that one must reject the notion that what cannot be seen does not exist. This is the contention of the naturalists, which our faith categorically rejects. Humans live in a very small world of their perception and knowledge. There is an infinite amount of reality beyond the scope of our knowledge.

Apart from perception, imagination and speculation, there is another property of our brain, which is called rationalization. Rationalization is essential for our survival. For instance, driving at a speed of one hundred miles an hour may cause us to lose control and have a fatal accident, so we slow down. This is rationalization. Hearing a smoke alarm, we rationalize that there may be a fire and we take necessary action. However, there are many things we cannot understand, cannot assign the causes and cannot speculate their effects. They are beyond the scope of our rational thinking. There is a death in the family. A young child dies, leaving the old, the mother, the father and the grandparents behind. Why should the young die, leaving the old to linger? Who can give a rational answer? Which branch of science can explain this? Science can often answer the question: how, the death caused by malaria, typhoid and so on but can it answer the question why? The answer does not lie in science but in the concept of Ghaib.

You are driving along on a road, whistling and listening to music, oblivious of what is ahead of you. Suddenly, you make a stupid mistake, causing a near fatal accident but you escape death by the skin of your teeth. You remember that days ago, a friend of yours, a very cautious driver, had got into an accident for no fault of his, hit by a drunk driver and was killed. Why was it that he should die and you survive? What is the rationale? There is none. The answer belongs in the realm of Ghaib.

Let us now look at another aspect of life and death One of our famous Urdu poets said:

Zindagi kya hai anasir men zahoor-e-tarteeb

Maut kya ait inhi ajza ka pareshan hona

What is life? It is the manifestation of order in elements.

What is death? It is the scattering of the very same elements.

Human life is the coming together of some elements in a unique order and harmony and the death is the reversal of that process. Life is order and death is disorder. Our bodies are composed of water, some elements like calcium, magnesium and phosphorous supplied by earth; carbon, supplied by carbon dioxide, a component of air, all compounded into biological matter as energy from the sun (fire) is added. So, they were not far off who said that we were made of water, dust, air and fire. When we die, our bodies disintegrate and revert back to these basic elements, dust to dust, water to water and air to air!

“It is He, who brings out the living from the dead and brings out the dead from the living and who gives life to the earth after it is dead and thus shall you be brought out.”

And also:

مِنْهَا خَلَقْنَاكُمْ وَفِيهَا نُعِيدُكُمْ وَمِنْهَا نُخْرِجُكُمْ تَارَةً أُخْرَىٰ ٰ

“From the earth did we create you and into it shall we return you. And from it shall we bring you out once again.”

Rooh (spirit)

Mechanical mixing of elements does not create life. What makes life happen is another mysterious element, which we call Rooh (spirit) but is the Rooh a common element like air and dust? The answer is no, because water can go back to water, air can mix with air and dust can return to dust but Rooh cannot merge with a common pool of Arwah (spirits). It had made an individual different from any other individual that had ever existed but we do not know its nature. The knowledge of it belongs in the realm of Ghaib. The Qur’an says;

وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الرُّوحِ ۖ قُلِ الرُّوحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّي وَمَا أُوتِيتُم مِّنَالْعِلْمِ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا

“And they ask you about spirit. Say: The spirit is in the realm of my Lord. Of the knowledge, only a little is communicated to you.”

Creation and resurrection are both in the form of body and soul. Life cannot be sustained without the soul. A living body cannot decompose as long as the body functions are active. You can take a powerful hypnotic drug and sleep for seven days, your flesh will not decompose; only a dead body disintegrates into its elements. The elements go back to their respective pools and the individual ceases to exist on the worldly plain.

Akhirah (Hereafter)

Let us now move to another tenet of our beliefs: Iman bil-akhirah (belief in the Hereafter). The Qur’an describes the God-fearing (Muttaqoon) in the verses already quoted earlier, as those who, among other things, have a firm belief in the Hereafter.

Life after death and the concept of reward and punishment, not only have a spiritual dimension but have an important sociological dimension too. There are two factors, which play a part in a society’s survival: legality and morality. Legality can be administered and enforced — although not completely — by the government machinery, consisting of a police force and a court system. Fear of punishment is a very important deterrent in enforcing legality. However, morality is something, which cannot be enforced by legislative and legal means. Secular societies only lightly recommend it. Greed can very easily strangle morality. The economic crisis we are undergoing today, caused by the devilish avarice of the operatives in finance, banking, oil, insurance and pharmaceutical industries is only the tip of the iceberg. These people do not care about the sick, the poor and the vulnerable. All the laws of the land favor them. No law will ever be written to stop them from devouring mankind’s resources. There will be no patriot act against them and no Guantanamo Bay will ever be awaiting their arrival. What a difference it would have made if these people had a touch of conscience and belief in the Hereafter!

Another argument, which supports the validity of the concept of Akhiah is belief in Divine Justice. When you see people, who are corrupt to the core, doing well in this world, living in luxury, without any apparent difficulties and discomforts, while some others, every bit virtuous, suffering all kinds of calamities: you ask: where is justice? The answer is simple. Divine Justice is never far away. One of the most important attributes of Allah is Adl (justice). We must understand that our life on this earth is only one phase of our spiritual existence. Each individual has his/her share of comfort and discomfort, grief and happiness, pain and pleasure. If it appears that one has a longer span of misfortune in this life, Allah’s justice requires that it must be compensated for on a different plane of existence. It can only happen if there is life after death

Arshad Gamiet/Royal Holloway University of London/Date 2010

“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, – 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.

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,

In a previous khutbah we looked at some examples of Metaphors and Parables in the Holy Qur’an. Today we will explore another powerful instrument of speech: the use of reason and rhetoric, which is deployed constantly throughout Allah’s Sacred Book. Here are some examples:

“Are the blind equal to those who can see? Or are the depths of darkness equal with Light? Or do they assign to Allah partners who have created [anything] as He has created, so that the creation seemed to them to be similar?” [Sura Al Ra’d 13:16]

“Qulil-Laahu Khaaliqu kulli-shay-in, wahuwal Waahidul-Qah-haar.”

“Say: Allah is the Creator of all things. He is The One, The Supreme and Irresistible.”

Again, further on towards the end of Sura Al Ra’d we read in verse 33:

“Is then He Who stands over every soul [and knows] all that it does, [like anyone else]? And yet they ascribe partners to Allah. Say: “But name them. Is it that you will inform Allah of something that He does not know on earth, or is it [just] a show of words?”” [Sura Ar-Ra’d  13:33]

And in Sura Az-Zumar 29:39: another example of reason and rhetoric:

“Allah sets forth an example: A man who serves many masters, all at odds with one another, and a man who serves just one master: are they the same?”

In Sura Yasin [ch36:v.77] another example:

“Awalam yaral insaanu an-na khalaq-nahu min nutfatin wa itha huwa haseemun mubeen…”

“Does Man not see that We created him from sperm? Yet, behold! He stands forth as an open adversary…”

In the next two verses [78-79] the Quran poses a rhetorical question that those without faith, puffed up with pride and arrogance, ask contemptuously:

“Wadaraba lanaa mathalan-wanasee khalqa, Qaala ma yuh-yil ithaama wahiya rameem.”

“And he makes comparisons for us, and he forg.ets his own [humble] origin and creation: He says: Who can give life to dry, decomposed bones?”

The answer comes in the Quran’s elegant, eloquent and irrefutable way:

“Qul yuh-yee hal-lathee an-sha-ahaa aw-wala marra, wahuwa bikulli khalaqin ‘aleem!”

“Say, He will give them life, Who created them for the first time! For He is well versed in every type of creation.”

These examples I have quoted show us that Allah’s Noble Book addresses its readers as sentient, articulate and rational human beings. We are not treated like cattle or sheep. Allah gave us the faculty of reason. He gave us the ability to weigh things up, to make considered judgements. Then, he presents us with a convincing argument and invites us to be the judge. He could have told us simply to believe so and so, without any supporting arguments. But no, Allah wants us to be utterly convinced, deep down, in our heart and soul, that what He revealed in the Quran is the Truth, and that the truth can stand up to any scrutiny.

Truth and falsehood are not the same. The one endures, the other perishes. When Prophet Muhammad sws re-entered Makka, he pronounced those timeless words:

“Wa qul jaa al haq, wa zahaqal baatil. Inna baatilan kaana zahooqaa[n]”

“And say: Truth has come, and falsehood has perished, because falsehood is by its nature, perishable.”

Brothers and sisters, that’s a good thought to consider. Why do we concern ourselves so much with the perishable pleasures of life? We should certainly enjoy what Allah has given us, but not too much. Our lives must not be centred around the pursuit of pleasures, leaving no time and space for our spiritual development. Life’s pleasures are a gift from Allah, and we must not deny His gifts. But always keep in mind that material things won’t last, our physical enjoyments won’t last, our life on earth won’t last. When we realize this, then we will become acutely aware of the preparations we must make for Aakhira, the life after our physical death. This is the Real Life that will last forever.

“Bal tu’ thiroonal hayaat ad-dunyaa, wal aakhiratu khairoo wa ab’qaa.”

“Behold, you enjoy the life of this world, but the life to come is more beautiful and longer lasting…” [Sura Al A’laa ch.87.v16-17]

Repeatedly, throughout the Sacred Text, there are invitations to use our reason and to consider, to compare and to weigh things up. The Holy Quran constantly appeals to our better judgement; it constantly invites us to reflect and to see the wisdom of Allah’s Divine Guidance.

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!

My brothers and sisters,

There are many more examples of  the Holy Quran’s powerful use of Reason and Rhetoric. In today’s khutbah we have time only for a few examples.

In Sura Ar-Rahman, the All-Merciful, we find a constant refrain:

“Fa bi ay-yi aa-laa i-Rabbi huma tukath-thibaan?”

“Then which of the favours of your Lord will you two deny?”

The ‘two’ here refers to the human beings and the Jinn. As we know, there are beings that exist beyond the threshold of human perception, and there are both good and bad jinni. Shaytan is the leader of the rebellious jinni.

The All-Merciful therefore invites us to consider His overflowing generosity. He asks us repeatedly, which one of His favours would we deny? This rhetorical question is asked 31 times in the Sura’s 78 verses, and towards the end, we reach the punch-line, the rhetorical climax:

“Hal-jazaa-u ilal-ihsaani ilal-ihsaan?”

“Is there any reward for Good, other than Good?”

A simple, logical question with an equally simple, logical answer, delivered with such brevity, clarity and beauty.

The Holy Quran uses both rhetoric and reason in a powerful way. It addresses us, the readers, not as passive consumers of information, but as critical and sentient human beings. It engages both our intellect and our innate sense of balance, fairness, reason, logic and beauty, which are gifts from Allah. So, not only does Allah ennoble us with this great intellectual gift, but He also deploys numerous tools to tease, challenge and stimulate our minds and hearts. This allows us to engage His divine message in an active, dynamic way.

Clearly the Holy Quran is a masterpiece of both style and substance. While we admire the use of so many tools of language, like metaphor and parable, rhyme, reason and rhetoric, we must never lose sight of the substance. The Holy Quran can be admired for many things, but it is first and foremost a Book of Guidance for human beings, “hudal lin-naas,”, it’s a vital road map to navigate our way through life so that we can please Allah, and reach that safe home which is Al-Jannah, His Eternal Garden. That’s the main agenda. We should never lose sight of the main goal.

My dear sisters and brothers, we must read and reflect on this wonderful gift from Allah, which is His Word, His noble Book, Al Qur’an. We must not just read it like parrots, without engaging our minds, our intellect. We must read and reflect deeply, so that it’s divine wisdom can penetrate our hearts, and marinate in our marrowbones. Allah’s Word has the power to change our behaviour and improve our conditions.

The Quran invokes our God-given faculties of reason, of common sense, and our aesthetic sensitivities, our natural yearning for beauty and harmony. The Quran is instructive, but it’s not a dreary Do-it-yourself manual. The Quran is poetic but it’s not just a book of vacuous poetry. No human mind is capable of matching the Quran’s eloquence, and for 14 centuries its challenge, in Sura Al Baqara, [2:23] has not been beaten:

“And if your are in doubt as to what We have revealed from time to time to Our servant, then produce a Surah like it, and call your witnesses of helpers besides Allah, if your [doubts] are true.”

The Holy Quran is its own miracle, standing by itself unchallenged in 14 centuries and will certainly keep its promise until the end of time. Allah’s Word is pre-eminently The Book of Divine Guidance, valid for all times and all places, inviting us to explore its depths and to find the gems of wisdom that will light up our own journey through the darkness of our own lives.

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!

Added January 10, 2009

“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 satan’s) turn them away from the path, though they (the people) persistently imagine that they are rightly guided….” (Qur’an 43:36-37)

This verse, highlights a repeatedly arising theme in the Qur’an – the importance of dhikr (remembrance of God) – but highlights it in a unique and powerfully crucial manner. It links the turning away from a steady and steadfast contemplation and remembrance of God in the aspect of His Mercy and compassion with the entry of Shaitan (Satan) into one’s affairs. And as verse 43:37 indicates, this entry is an invisible, unperceived arrival so that the person remains unaware that he has been turned and deflected away from a felicitous path but instead imagines that he “is rightly guided”. This theme of people turning away from God’s name of Mercy (al-Rahman) and compassion recurs in several places in the Qur’an and is perhaps due to these people desiring a special recognition or concession for their group, their viewpoint, their tribe, or their social and poitical status. “No remembrance comes to them from the All-Merciful newly arrived but they turn away from it.” (Qur’an 26:5) Instead they are faced with a general beneficence that does away with special pleading and levels all hierarchies except that of consciousness and awareness of God and beauty of conduct.

Rahman and Rahim are two denotations of mercy used throughout the Qur’an. The Rahman is generally considered to be an all-embracing universal mercy and compassion (linked to God’s Majesty) which pervades existence and from which everything in existence derives benefit, while Rahim is sometimes defined as a more specialized and focused mercy.

Here (in verse 43:36) we are invoking, through dhikr of the name al-Rahman, the entry into our hearts of that generalized mercy through which all creation obtains benefit – a benefit which is not restricted only to particular groups, and which is not withheld from anything or any creature in existence. And the invocation is an invitation for that mercy to enter and settle into our hearts.

Note: If there is an impediment to this process – to engaging in a remembrance with the heart – if we find it difficult to open this door it is, perhaps, because we ourselves are the door – and if the door is locked, it is locked through our forgetfulness, negligence, and through the careless habits acquired over a lifetime which hinder a true inward consciousness and awareness from arising within us. When we are in this state, then the dhikr is first a recognition of the door, then an approach to the door, then a knocking on the door, and finally an opening of the door of our heart.

When remembrance (dhikr) of Allah is connected with the aspect of His mercy and compassion, that quality of mercy begins to manifest within one’s own character – it gains a real, living presence and the heart expands with it’s growth. One’s thinking, words, actions, and all one’s relationships within families, communities, and in the wider world begins to display this mercy. This dhikr then becomes a shield against the countless invisible ways in which Shaitan injects himself into people’s lives, even into their religious lives so that, as the verse indicates,“…they (the people) persistently (and mistakenly) imagine that they are rightly guided….” (Qur’an 43:37) though they are deflected from correct guidance.

This is why we find Imam Ali (a.s.) provided a guideline for determining the character of a people. He said:

“Be not mislead by their prayers and fasting…rather, try them when it comes to telling the truth and fulfilling trusts.” (Nahjul Balagha)

When weighing a person’s trustworthiness and their religious ethos, the Imam said not to look at their prayer, fasting, and hajj but to look into their character and how this character displays itself in the workings of life. Then we can see where their attachments lie, what their desires lead to, and what principles manifest in their behavior and aspect.

This is because the prayer, fasting, etc. are a means. Although initially they may be an end in themselves, they are an extraordinary means of remembrance through worship (and they always remain a necessary obligation since they never cease to be an ever expanding means). Remembrance is a means of awakening a slumbering consciousness, which is in turn a means of transformation, and this transformation leads to inner upliftment, and this upliftment makes it possible to draw near to the one to Whom we pray. Prayer is the means and each prayer is an opportunity to advance in this process. So the question becomes: what has our prayer made of us?

The Prophet said that

“whoever has no worldly life has no religious life”.

By this he did not mean that we should plunge ourselves into worldly pursuits but that the one who separates his inner religious self from his life within the trials and distractions of the world has not grasped the full purport and meaning of religion. If we pray and fast, attend the masjid, perform the rituals and consider this the entirety of religious life we are, in a sense, secularizing our religion. Our inner religious self has never had its mettle tested in the world if it remains safely and comfortably within these confines. When it is tested, will the world get the better of us, or will our faith (our iman) guide and direct the quality of our behavior in the world?

We are to take the elevated character, the manners, the freedom from lower attachments that sincere adherence to the pillars of the religion can unfold within us, out into the world. We are to apply this in our day to day affairs – both the easy and the difficult. Truthfulness, patience, fulfillment of trusts, good speech and manners, generosity, kindness, humility, charity, mercy, guarding the weak, involving ourselves in the best affairs of society, in the guardianship of rights – and we are to do this in an ihsan (beautiful) manner – without crudeness, without being rough in action or speech. Like Prophet Yusuf (Joseph) who, in a foreign country, living among a foreign people with a foreign religion, rose to the highest prominence through his reliance on God’s mercy and acted with the patience, truthfulness, and beauty of character which emerged from this unwavering reliance. As Sura Yusuf says:

“…most surely (man’s) self (nafs) is wont to command (him to do) evil, except those who (are connected with) their Lord’s mercy….We reach with Our mercy whom We please, and We do not waste the reward of those who do good (who act in the most beautiful manner).” (Qur’an 12:53,56)

That society in which Yusuf rose to prominence did not look at his prayer and ritual practices (after all, these would have been foreign rituals to them) but they looked at his character, his truthfulness, his patience, his elevated knowledge, his sincerity, his fulfillment of trusts. Without these, which are among the fruits of efficacious prayer and fasting, can it be said that we have truly prayed and fasted. The people of Egypt reacted to how Yusuf comported himself within that society. He did not seek to blend in, that was not his goal – but he became known through the excellence of his conduct. “For the righteous are only known by that which God causes to pass concerning them on the tongues of His servants. So let the dearest of your treasuries be the treasury of righteous action….Infuse your heart with mercy, love and kindness….” (Imam Ali’s letter to Malik al-Ashtar)

Unfurling this level of awareness and comportment within ourselves is a difficult matter. For, as the Qur’an states, humans have a tendency to be forgetful and heedless when they interact in the world. In our thoughts it is easy to imagine ourselves behaving magnanimously and with dignity when faced with difficulty and hardship, when heavy pressures and dangers alight upon us. But when the reality surrounds us, our minds desperately seek escape or seek to strike out against the perceived causes of our difficulty and our hearts twist and turn confused and without direction. In such situations we may grasp, in our distress, at any direction that provides a path of action.

When our hearts are perturbed and made uneasy by events, the best direction to turn is towards the remembrance of God, for

“…surely by Allah’s remembrance are the hearts set at rest.” (Qur’an 13:28)

And the dhikr, the remembrance, that encompasses God’s aspect of Mercy through His name Al-Rahman, will stand as a protecting guard over error, arrogance, and an invisible, and deceptive enemy. Otherwise“…whoever turns himself away from the remembrance (dhikr) of al-Rahman, We appoint for him a Shaitan (a Satan)….” (Qur’an 43:36) This safeguarding dhikr begins on the tongue, enters the mind with concentrated consciousness, settles into a heart softened and cleansed through remembrance of Al-Rahman, and manifests in the myriad small actions a person engages in each day. It becomes a shield and a truly beautiful means of drawing near to the mercy of the Most-Merciful (al-Rahman) who has promised to be the companion of the one who engages in His dhikr.

“I am the close companion of the one who remembers Me.” (hadith Qudsi)

And for a people, a community, who live in a state of sincere remembrance, all things become possible.

- Irshaad Hussain-

This article was published with kind permission from Irshaad Hussain, whose website is at http://islamfrominside.com/

Related articles:

The fulfillment of Yusuf’s dream
The hermeneutics of takfir

“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, – 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.

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,

How often do we thank Allah for giving us two eyes, instead of just one? Two eyes give us stereoscopic vision. We can see things in depth. Each eye is set slightly apart from the other, and sees a slightly different image. Our brains match these slightly different images to give us perspective. Perspective, seeing in depth, is seeing things in their relative proportions to each other. It’s a big step forward from seeing things in just two dimensions, which is the best you can do with just one eye. Life is not just a flat surface; we have to evaluate, to judge, and to give everything its due proportion.

How fortunate we are, to have faith, to have Iman. Without faith, people see the world in 2 dimensions only. They only see themselves and everything that’s out there, the natural world, the animal, vegetable and mineral kingdoms, earth, water, wind and fire. That’s all: just the human self and everything outside it.

People of faith, on the other hand, see themselves, and the created order, and Allah in a kind of triangulation. God, human beings and other creatures: this is really the true spiritual perspective. Allah created the world to serve us, and He created us to serve Him.

“Laqad khalaqtul jinni wal insa liya’budoon” [Quran 5:56]

“I have not created jinn and human beings except for worshipping Me.”

We serve Him by acknowledging Him with gratitude, and we take care of other people, animals, plants, the land, sea and air, in order to reciprocate His overflowing love and mercy towards us.

Brothers and sisters, once we understand this simple fact of a 3-dimensional perspective of life, some things become abundantly clear to us:

Firstly, there is this invisible but inseparable triangulation between me, my Lord and the rest of His creation. In our mind’s eye, we must live every moment in a state of awareness of this 3-dimensional reality. Living with this awareness means that Allah not only watches over everything I do, but as long as I am aware of His presence, reminding my forgetful and infinitely distractible human nature of my total reliance on Him, He will be there to help me, to guide me and to protect me from harm. My very awareness of Him actually brings him closer to me, “closer than our jugular vein,” says the Quran [ch50:16]. Knowing this becomes a tremendous source of inner peace for me, a source of security and tranquillity, sakina. The Quran assures me that true, lasting satisfaction can only be earned by constantly remembering Allah. [Quran 13:28]

Secondly, when I realize that I am an important part of this triangular matrix, God-man-and-universe, then logic drives me to answer the obvious question: what’s the plan? What’s the purpose?

Everyone makes plans. We plan our professional careers, our family plans, holidays, work and leisure times. We even plan for retirement and death. Believers plan. Non-believers also have plans. But their plans exclude the central Reality in all our lives: Allah. The Holy Quran tells us that:

“The unbelievers plot and plan, and Allah also plans, and Allah is the best of planners.” [Sura 8:v30]

Believers use some Arabic expressions as part of everyday language, and I want us to reflect for a moment on the significance. Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem, inshAllah, Ma-sha-Allah, Alhamduli-Laah, bi-ithnil-Laah, Jazak-Allah-khairan. We use these terms so casually. We rarely stop to give them a second thought. But they are crucially important. When we begin anything we say that we begin in the Name of Allah. When we plan something for the future, we say, If Allah wills it. When we see a beautiful thing that we admire, we say, this is the Will of Allah, there is no power and no strength except from Allah. When we thank someone, we also thank Allah. With these simple everyday expressions, we sanctify everything we do. It’s another way of saying, Allah is connected to everything and everyone, even if we’re not aware of Him, even if some people don’t believe in Him. It’s a way of saying, I’m not living on a 2-dimensional flat surface. It’s not just me and what’s out there. Allah is an indispensable part of my reality. Nothing exists apart from Him, nothing happens without His permission. Indeed, come to think of it, nothing really exists in the real sense, except for Him. He, Allah is the only real Reality. Everything else is ephemeral, like a dream. Everything else came into existence, and will one day disappear, like smoke, like waking up from a dream. As Sura Al Rahmaan reminds us:

“Kullu man ‘alayhaa faan. Wa yab’qaa waj’hu Rabbika dhul jalaali wal ik’raam

“All that is on earth will perish, but only the Face of your Lord will endure, full of majesty, bounty and honour! Then, which of the favours of your Lord will you deny?” [Sura Rahmaan 55:26-27]

Brothers and sisters, how wonderful is the gift of Iman, the gift of faith! Allah has given us this gift so that we can appreciate everything around us, not just superficially, but deeply, so that we understand the meaning of things. Other people, who have no faith, look only at the surface of things, and they see how things relate to each other, and how other things relate to them. But they miss out the vital 3^rd Dimension: they miss out the One Who created everything, Allah. The difference between those who believe and those who do not, is the difference between the 2 Arabic words, basar, and baseerah. Basar is to see, to have sight, and baseerah is to have insight, to understand the hidden meaning of things. Without faith, we are like people who are blind to the true meaning of things. The Holy Quran reminds us not to be like those who have eyes, but see not, who have ears, but hear not. This is beautifully summed up in a rhetorical question, in  Surat Al-Hajj (Chapter 22, Verse 46)

“Do they not travel through the land, so that their hearts (and minds) may thus learn wisdom and their ears may thus learn to hear? Truly it is not their eyes that are blind, but their hearts which are in their breasts.”

Clearly the Qur’an assures us that wisdom does not repose in the eyes but in the heart, the spiritual heart,the Qalb, the locus of our personality which drives our motives and our desires. This spiritual heart is inspired by Allah towards guidance. In several verses the Qur’an tells that if it pleased Allah, He could have guided everyone. He could have made us all the same. But Allah does not guide those who are ignorant or arrogant. A pre-requisite for divine guidance is humility, and a willingness to learn. Islam is about submission, surrender to Allah, letting go of one’s vanity, letting go, liberating ourselves from our whimsical and capricious ego, the nafs al ammara bis sow.

Brothers and sisters, let us constantly keep in our mind’s eye, the 3-dimensional perspective, the invisible triangle that connects us to Allah and to His creation. Let us constantly try to find our place in the grand cosmic scheme of things. We have plans, and Allah is the best of planners. Where do we fit into His master-plan?

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!

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islam,

Over the years, I’ve noticed, and I’m sure you’ve noticed, how Muslims are getting on, making progress in the world. Walk through any mosque’s car park, or attend a wedding reception and you’ll see that Allah has blessed us with lots of creature comforts. We drive nice cars, we live in comfortable homes, and most of us are doing rather well. But is this all? Is this really what our lives are all about? Some of us seem to think that by dropping a few coins in a collection box or by sending the occasional cheque to Islamic Relief we’ve done our bit for the poor. We can settle back in front of our high-definition TV with a clear conscience that nothing more is needed from us.

I’m afraid that’s a big mistake. If we really understand the 3-dimensional link between ourselves, Allah and His creatures, we won’t waste so much time on pointless amusements. We would be overwhelmed with gratitude to Allah for our good fortune. We would be constantly looking for ways of expressing this gratitude in big and small acts of kindness and charity to others. Even if we tried to calculate how much we owe our Lord, we will realize that we can never repay Allah, we can never thank him enough, no matter how much we tried. The best we can do is to serve others as instruments of His mercy.

Remember, whatever fascinates you about this life, your sports, your hobbies, your loved ones, your nice car and your beautiful home, remember that Al-Jannah, Allah’s Garden, is infinitely better. Why not prepare yourself for where you’ll spend forever? Why mess around with elusive pleasures now, when Allah has prepared delights for you, beyond your wildest imaginings, that will endure for eternity?

“Bal-tu’ thiroonal hayaat-ad-dunyaa, wal aakhiratu khairu, wa ab’qaa!

Behold, you prefer the life of this world, when the life to come is more beautiful, and longer lasting!” [Sura Al A’la 87:16-17]

Brothers and sisters, let’s not be deceived by the fleeting pleasures and distractions of this life. Let’s move on beyond the dry formalities of worship. Let’s go beyond chequebook charity to real involvement with people who need our time and resources. This is the real living example of our beloved of Prophet Muhammad sws. We must spend whatever is beyond our modest personal needs in Allah’s service. This means, joining others, inside and outside the Muslim community, in promoting good and forbidding evil. Ta’moroona bil ma’roof, watan hawna ‘anil munkar. In Islam, worshipping Allah cannot be separated from serving others, from serving His creation. “aqeemus salaah, wa aatuz-zakaah,” says the Holy Quran. “Estabish prayer, and practice regular charity.” The poor and needy have a right over some of our wealth. It’s not just an optional matter for us. It’s a moral imperative, an obligation. Enough for now.

I pray that Allah should help us all keep in mind, and strengthen our triangular, 3-dimensional connection to Him and His creation. O Allah, help us to serve all of Your creatures, out of our love and gratitude to You. Help us to be like your final Prophet Muhammad sws, a mercy to all the worlds, rahmatul lil aalameen. We too, can be merciful to other people, to plants, animals and the natural environment. Guide us and help us to be good trustees of what You have given us into our care. Let us serve You and worship You in the best way that You deserve to be worshipped.

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!

February 13^th, 2009 – University of Pennsylvania

المقدمة

إن الحمد لله نحمده و نستعينه و نستغفروه و عليه نتوكل

و نعوذ به من شرور أنفسنا و من سيئات أعمالنا

فمن يهده الله فلا مضلل له, و من يضلله فلا هادي له

و نشهد أن لا إله إلا الله, وحده لا شريك له, رب الأرباب و مسبب الأسباب, فاطر السماوات السبع و خالق كل شئ

و نشهد أن نبينا و إمامنا و أميرنا محمد ابن عبد الله, أبي القاسم, عبده و رسوله, خطم الأنباء و أشرف المرسلين

صلى الله عليه و على آله و أزواجه و أصحابه و أنصاره و ذرياته و سلم

إن لله و ملائكته يصلون على النبي, يا أيها الذين آمنوا صلوا عليه و سلموا تسليما, و بعد

Surely, all praise is due to God, we praise Him, we seek His Aid, we ask for His forgiveness and upon Him do we rely solely. We seek protection in Him from the evil that resides within all of us as well as from the mischief of our own actions.

As for the one that God chooses to guide, there is no misguider for him – and for the one that God misguides, there is no guidance for him.

We bear witness that there is no god but God, known as Allah in the Arabic language, completely alone and without peer or partner, Lord of lords, Causer of all causation, the Fashioner of the Seven Heavens and the Creator of all that is.

We also bear witness that out Prophet, our Imam, our leader, Muhammad, the son of Abdullah, father of al-Qasim, is His slave and messenger – the seal of the Prophets and most noble of the Messengers. May God abundantly send peace and prayers upon him and on his noble family, his wives, his Companions, his helpers, and his progeny. “Surely, God and His Angels abundantly send peace and prayers upon the Prophet – therefore O’ you who believe! Lavish peace and prayers upon him frequently.

As for what follows,

The main topics of this khutbah will pick up on the last khutbah, which focused on looking at the psychology of the human being as Allah as laid out in His Book:

و لو يعجل الله للناس الشر استعجالهم بالخير لقضي عليهم أجلهم – سورة يوسف 10

“And if God were to answer mankind in the same manner for their evil requests as they wish he would hasten on the good, they would be totally annihilated.” [Yunus: 11]

Man often gets impatient when he feels he is under duress. But if God were to answer all of our requests equally, we would be finished. Therefore, God answers based on His Wisdom and judgment of what is really best. This is also a test – as we saw in suwrah al-Baqarah,

أم حسبتم أن تدخلوا الجنة و لما ياتكم مثل الذين خلوا من قبلكم مستهم البأساء و الضراء و زلزلوا حتى يقول الرسول و الذين آمنوا معه متى نصر الله

“Do you think that you shall waltz into the Paradise without such trials as those who passed away before you? They were afflicted with poverty and disease and they were shaken such that the Messenger and those who believed that were with him cried out, ‘When will the Help of God come?’” [al-Baqarah: 214]

As we summarized, being tested is a part of life and how we react to those tests, who we react to God for being tested will determine the results of our test. This is all said to help understand and inculcate the proper adab or etiquette towards God.

To look further into this issue, this issue of being honest to God, we must work on recognizing God, first and foremost, as an authority figure. We are conditioned in our various societies to recognize authority – one can even say this is a sunnah of Allah as it relates to the human beings’ primordial condition [fitrah]. We recognize our parents, our teachers, law enforcement officers as authority figures and we obey them. These signs [ayaat] should be no different to us than the signs that God has put in His Creation to call man to His attention:

هو الذي جعل الشمس ضياء و القمر نورا و قدره منازل لتعلموا عدد السنين و الحساب ما خلق الله ذلك إلا بالحق نفصل اللآيات لقوم يعلمون

إن افي اختلاف الليل النهار و ما خلق الله في السماوات والأرض لأيات لقوم يتقون

“It is He who has made the sun a shining spectacle and the Moon a light, having measured out for them appointed stages so you might come to know the number of years and how to account for time. And God created this in nothing else but pure Truth. Such do We explain the signs to people who have knowledge.” [Yunus: 5]

“Without a doubt, the variances in Night and Day and whatever God creates in the Heavens and in the earth are signs for a people that have taqwa.”

So we can recognize the authority of God by looking at His Creation. When we understand our proper relation with him, we may desist from petty bargaining with One-Who-Has-Everything.

· One of the many theories on the meaning of the word “Allah” in the Arabic language is that it is derived from the أداة التعريف or the definite article [ال] and the possessive له meaning “for him”. Combined, this comes to take on the meaning of “all of which belongs to him”

· ال+ له = الله

But we should not think that being tested only happens in a “negative” context. Indeed, Allah shows us that we are also tested in what is good:

و إذا أذقنا الناس رحمة من بعد ضراء مستهم إذا لهم مكر في آياتنا, قل الله أسرع مكرا, إن رسلنا يكتبون ما تعملون

“And when We have made mankind to taste some of Our mercy after a calamity has come upon them, Witness!, they take to plotting against Our Signs! Say [Prophet Muhammad], surely Allah is swifter in planning. Always are our messengers writing what it is you do!” [Yunus: 21]

It is pointless to try and barter with One Who Has It All. God is clearly showing His Superiority over man and thus counsels us to behave with that knowledge in hand.

We live in an age where many believe themselves to be self-made and self-sufficient people. Imam ‘Ali, may God be pleased with him, gives us some sound words of advice:

من ظن أنه بدون الجهد يصل فهو متمن – و من ظن أنه ببذل الجهد يصل فهو مستغن

“For the one that thinks that he will achieve his goal without effort is a wishful thinker – and for the one that thinks that he shall, by the expending of effort, be successful, is presumptuous.”

Being honest with God has many sides and facets for the human being to analyze and reflect upon. We mustn’t delude ourselves – we need God! And there are so many people out here in our society that need Allah, yet they may not know it.

May Allah make us of the people of sincerity.

The Parable of the Boat

We will see in the below verse how man is always cruising along, happy when the world’s “going his way” but then as soon as he is hit from an unseen vantage point, he cries out:

هو الذي يسيركم في البر البحر – حتى إذا كنتم في الفلك و جرين بهم بريح طيبة و فرحوبها – جائتها ريح عاصف و جاءهم الموج من كل مكان و ظنوا أنهم أحيط بهم – دعوا الله مخلصين له الدين لئن أنجيتنا من هذه لنكونن من الشاكرين

“It is He who makes it easy for you to travel by land or sea – such that you can even travel by boat with a favorable wind and thus they rejoice – then an ill wind turns their way and the waves crash in upon them from all sides and then they think they are overwhelmed – they cry out with all sincerity of the moment to Allah, pleading: ‘If you save us from this catastrophe, we pledge to be from amongst the most thankful of servants’.” [Yunus: 22]

Again – when man needs God [and when does he not need him?], he cries out in anguish, attempting to barter his pitiful obeisance to the One Who Owns Everything. Leave off gainless bargaining and begin a way of showing your obedience and love and respect to your Creator by improving your character – being thankful when your ni’mah is in abundance, not cursing your rizq when it is in short supply, and bearing hardship with patience and understanding. And a final word on good character, a hadith related to us from Imam Ibn Hanbal in his Musnab, through Imam al-Ghazali’s Ihya’:

أثقل ما يوضع في الميزان يوم القيامة تقوى الله و حسن الخلق

“The heaviest thing to be weighed on the Scale on the Day of Judgment will be taqwa of God [for now, we will term this God-consciousness] and goodness of character.”

We ask Allah to make us from amongst the people of good character and forgive us our sins.

Musa alayhis salaam led the elders and men, the women and children of Bani Israeel to the mouth of the raging sea. With nothing to defend themselves, they turned back to see Fir’own, furious, and his henchmen – blades sheathed – racing towards them. They cried to Musa, as recorded in the Qur’an:

And when the two hosts saw each other, the companions of Musa said, “Indeed, they shall catch us” (Ash-Shu’ara 26/61).

But Musa knew that Allah would not allow the da’wah to be wiped away and annihilated. Allah recorded Musa’s alayhis salaam reply, which radiated with the eman of a Prophet and Messenger:

He [Musa] said, “Nay! Indeed my Lord is with me, and He will guide me” (Ash-Shu’ara 26/62).

Immediately, Allah ta’aala commanded Musa:

Then We inspired Musa, “Strike with your staff the sea.” And it parted, and each portion became like a great towering mountain / And We advanced thereto the others [Fir’own’s party] / And We saved Musa and those with him, all together /Then We drowned the others (Ash-Shu’ara 26/63-66).

When Fir’own slipped out of the sea and ached with the pangs of death, he said:

…when drowning overtook him, he said, “I believe that there is no deity except that in whom Banu Israeel believe and I am of those that submit” (Yunus 10/90).

Ibn Abbas explains that on the day Fir’own slipped out of the sea, and knowing that death loomed, Jibraeel came to him and began kicking dirt into his face and mouth, for fear that Fir’own would plead for the Mercy of Allah, and he would be granted it.

But as Allah revealed to Fir’own and those who would wait till the gargling of the soul to do tauba:

Now (you believe) while you refused to believe before and you were one of the corrupters (Yunus 10/ 91).

Istighfaar means to seek forgiveness from Allah ta’aala with one’s tongue and heart. Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aala informs us:

And whoever does evil or wrongs himself but afterwards seeks Allah’s forgiveness, he will find Allah Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful (An-Nisaa’ 4/110).

And from the authority of Abu Hurayrah, Allah’s Messenger sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam said:

“(I testify) by He who holds my soul in His Hands, were you not to err, Allah ta’aala would have taken you (all) away [and] He would have brought a people that would err, and then ask Allah for forgiveness, so He would forgive them” (Muslim).

Today, in sha Allah, we shall take a tiny glimpse of the aayaat that speak about istighfaar, the seriousness of sin in the eyes of the early generations, the conditions of an accepted repentance, and what are some of the etiquettes when making du’a:

1. Istighfaar is a Characteristic of Those to Whom Allah shall Grant Success

Allah says:

(The evil dwellers of Hell shall say),“Our Lord, remove us from it (Hellfire), and if we were to return (to evil), we would indeed be wrongdoers / He [Allah] will say, “Remain despised therein and do not speak to Me / “Indeed there was a party of My servants who used to say, ‘Our Lord, we have believed, so forgive us and have mercy upon us, and You are the best of all who show mercy.’ / “But you took them in mockery” (Al-Mu’minoon 23/107-110)…

Then Allah says:

Indeed, I have rewarded them this Day for their patience; they are indeed the ones who are successful (Al-Mu’minoon 23/111).

2. Istighfaar Opens the Doors of All Goodness, in this Life and the Next

During the Khilaafah of Ameer Al-Mu’mineen ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattab radi Allahu anhu, a drought befell the Muslims of Madinah. Calling for the congregational rain prayer (Salaat Al-Istisqaa’), Umar ascended the mimbar and during his khutbah, he recited no more than those verses that dealt with istighfaar. He recited that day the words of Allah, speaking of what Nuh alayhis salaam said to his nation:

I [Nuh] said, “Ask forgiveness (Istighfaar) from your Lord; Verily, He is Oft-Forgiving / He will send upon you (rain from) the sky in showers / And give you increase in wealth and children, and provide for you gardens, and provide for you rivers” (Nuh 71/10-12).

3. Istighfaar is an Indication of Those Most Beloved to Allah

Abu Hurayrah radi Allahu anhu narrates that he heard Allah’s Messenger sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam say:

“By Allah, I ask Allah for forgiveness and return to Him in a single day more than seventy times.”

And in the story of Ayyub, Allah describes him:

(We said), “And take in your hand a bunch (of grass) and strike with it and do not break your oath.” Indeed We found him patient, an excellent servant. Indeed, he was one who repeatedly turned back (to Allah)” (As-Saad 38/44).

4. The Seriousness of Sin

I remember in Madinah University when we were studying Islamic criminal law and the Hadith of Maa’iz was the topic of discussion for the day. It was such a dramatic moment, leaving many students reflecting on istighfaar and how sincere Maa’iz must have been.

What happened was that Maa’iz had committed zina (fornication) and had come to the Prophet saying, “O Messenger of Allah, I have committed Zina!” Rasul Allah sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam avoided him so that perhaps Maa’iz would desist and save himself from the punishment, but Maa’iz kept stepping in the face of Allah’s Messenger and repeated, “I committed zina! I committed zina!”

When Maa’iz had said it again and again, Allah’s Messenger sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam asked him a series of questions. “Are you mad?”

“No.”

“Are you intoxicated (and he requested someone to smell his breath)?”

“No.”

“Did you enter her?”

“Yes.”

Allah’s Messenger then asked him slowly, “What do you want from all this?”

And Maa’iz said, “I want you to purify me!”

It is people like Maa’iz whose repentance to Allah was so blessed that the mercy from it could have extended to all the inhabitants of Madinah.

Hilaal Ibn Sa’d said, “Don’t look at the meagerness of your sin, look at who it was that you disobeyed.”

5. Conditions of a Sincere Repentance

Anas radi Allahu anhu narrates, Allah’s Messenger sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam said:

“All the children of Adam make mistakes, and the best of those that make mistakes are those who repent the most” (Tirmidhi).

Imam Nawawi rahimahullah wrote that repentance (tauba) is required for each sin. If that disobedience only concerns the slave and Allah – not concerning anyone else – then there are three conditions for the repentance’s acceptance:

1. That he desists from the sin
2. That he feels sincere regret for what happened
3. That he feels determination to never return to that sin.

If one of these three were missing, his tauba would be deficient.

A fourth condition is added if the sin involves the right of another human being: That he frees himself from the right of that human.

Thus if he stole something, he should return it. If he physically hurt someone, he should give that person the opportunity to hurt him back or ask forgiveness. If he slandered someone, he should ask that person for his pardon…all this so long as a greater evil does not result in him informing the other party.

On a final note – after heavy rainfall, Hisham Ibn Hasan was walking behind Al-Alaa’ Ibn Ziyaad through the sloppy muddy streets of their village. He noticed Ibn Ziyaad avoiding all the treacherous puddles, until someone bumped him and his sandal slipped into the puddle. Forced by the momentum, Ibn Ziyaad had to carry through to the other end of the unforgiving mire.

After they had reached their destination, Ibn Ziyad turned to Hisham and said, “Just like we avoided all those puddles on our way to this destination, so should as Muslim avoid the disobedience of Allah throughout his journey to the Hereafter. And just as you saw the momentum of falling into the puddle, such is the similitude of sin; when someone falls into it, it carries him deeper and deeper.”

“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, – 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 Dear Brothers and Sisters, our recent khutbahs have dealt with many aspects of the Hajj, and no doubt our Eid khutbah on Monday will re-confirm the legacy of love and sacrifice that Prophet Abraham a.s. taught us.

Today I’d like to deal with a topic that we all encounter, whenever we discuss natural disasters and personal grief with our friends and neighbours outside the Muslim community. It’s the “problem,” as they see it, of Suffering. Some people argue, that if God is Love, if Allah is All Merciful, then why do people suffer? There are so many earthquakes, floods, volcanoes; there’s so much warfare, hunger and disease: Why do innocent men, women and children have to endure unspeakable hardship? Why do the real sinners seem to get away with their crimes? Sometimes we hear people say, “How can I believe in a Merciful and Loving God when He allows so much suffering?” These people take the existence of suffering as proof that God doesn’t exist, or if He does exist, then He doesn’t deserve to be worshipped, because He appears to be so unjust [wa a-oothu bil-Laah!] How do we deal with such arguments?

First of all, we must be clear that every human being, without exception, will at some time or other have to endure hardship, pain, and death.

“Kullun nafsin thaa ikatul mawt,” says the Holy Quran; “Every soul will taste Death.” The same Quran also poses the rhetorical question, in Sura Al Baqara [2:214]:

أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُواْ الْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِكُم مَّثَلُ الَّذِينَ خَلَوْاْ مِن قَبْلِكُم مَّسَّتْهُمُ الْبَأْسَاء وَالضَّرَّاء وَزُلْزِلُواْ حَتَّى يَقُولَ الرَّسُولُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ مَعَهُ مَتَى نَصْرُ اللّهِ أَلا إِنَّ نَصْرَ اللّهِ قَرِيبٌ

“Or do you think that you will enter Heaven without being tested like those who were tested before you? They endured suffering and adversity, and were so shaken in spirit that even the Prophet and those of faith who were with him cried: ‘When will the help of Allah come?’ Ah! Truly, Allah’s help is always near!”

“Ala! Inna nasral-Laahi qareeb!” [2:214]

Allah’s help is always near! It’s much nearer than we think! Allah wants us to really feel and experience our desperate need for Him. He wants us to persevere, patiently. He wants us to repose our complete trust in His mercy, so that we can set ourselves apart from those who disbelieve, those who stand against faith. How blessed we are, we who believe in the Lord of all the worlds, and who have absolute certainty, yaqeen, of our Day of meeting with Him! How miserable and lonely, how futile and pointless the life of those without faith, who live from day to day, without any hope and without longing for what lies beyond death!

Bismillaahir Rahmaanir Raheem! Tabaark al-lathee biyadihil mulk wahuwa alaa kulli shay-in qadeer! Al-lathee khalaqal mawta wal hayaata liyab’luwakum ay-yukum ahsanu ‘amalaa. Wahuwal ‘Azeezul Ghaf-fuur!

“In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate! Blessed is He in Whose Hand is the Dominion; and He over all things has Power! He Who created Death and Life so that He may try which of you is best in deed, and He is the Exalted in Might, the Oft-forgiving!” [67:1-3]

Brothers and sisters, here is the key to what some people see as the “problem” of suffering. We know that suffering is a test for us, a test of our patience. We know that peace and prosperity is also a test, a test of our gratitude to Allah. Those who see suffering as a “problem” are really saying that they believe they have a right to a life of uninterrupted happiness, with no discomfort, no pain and no grief. But that’s not what this earthly life is all about! That’s what Allah promises us in akhira, not in dunya! We’re not there yet! We still have to earn the right to enter Allah’s garden!

Another point: When believers suffer hardship, they say, “Inna lil-laahi wa inna ilayhir-raaji-oon!” “From Allah do we come, and to Him is our return.” Believing Christians say, “The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. Praise the Lord!” You can see how Believers in different faiths speak the same spiritual language. They accept the Divine Decree. Allah does what He Wills, and His will is always, unfailingly good, however harsh it may appear to us on the surface. Our human perception is limited, like ants crawling over a carpet, we complain about the rough surface, the knots and the texture that make our journey difficult. But we cannot see the beauty of the carpet from above. We cannot see the beauty of Allah’s master plan, until we step outside our small, selfish worlds. Believers suffer, but they know their suffering is an expiation of their sins, and their patience and contentment brings them closer to Allah.

But the non-believer suffers at a much deeper level. Charles [Hassan] le Guy Eaton writes in his book, Islam and the Destiny of Man, [pp207]: “First there’s the pain and suffering itself. Then there’s the belief that it shouldn’t have happened at all. They suffer because something is wrong, then they suffer again because, now everything is wrong. At the end of this particular road is the abyss of despair, a grave sin for the Believing Muslim as it is for the Believing Catholic. A wound which might otherwise be cleaned and healed now becomes suppurated and poisons the bloodstream.”

It’s only when we try to generalize our suffering into a philosophical level, that we have a problem. When non-believers suffer, their lack of faith leads them to endless despair, and sometimes, even to suicide.

Let us thank Allah for illuminating our hearts with the light of His guidance. Even if our faith, our iman is as small as a mustard seed; If we truly believe in Allah and we learn to rely on Him completely, then we are much richer and more blessed than the wealthiest non-Believer, whose wealth and happiness stand on shaky foundations. Alhamdu lil-laah, Praise to Allah!

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:

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, 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.”

Brothers and Sisters,

The mystical poet, Jalaluddin Rumi says that “Suffering is a gift. In it is a hidden mercy.” Suffering teaches us patience, sabr, and it also teaches us Ridhaa, which is total reliance on Allah, and serene acceptance of whatever He has decreed. It teaches us to persevere, to work hard to seek Allah’s good pleasure, his Ridwaan. It teaches us humility, it teaches compassion for those less fortunate than ourselves. Our beloved Prophet Muhammad sws said, “How fortunate is the Believer, he endures hardship, and it is good for him [it teaches patience]; then he enjoys relief from hardship, and it is good for him [it gives a chance to be grateful to Allah]. Indeed, the true Friends of Allah are always overflowing with gratitude, in good times and in hard times…

There is really no ‘problem’ of suffering. The problem is our human ignorance. If we don’t know Allah, we won’t know His Plan. We won’t be able to accept His Decree. We won’t know our place in the vast cosmic scheme of things. We won’t know who we really are, why we’re here, where we’ve come from and where we’re going to, after our death. Prophet Muhammad, sws, often reminded us about the vital importance of self-knowledge. One saying that has been attributed to him, affirms that:

“He who knows himself, knows his Lord.”

Brothers and Sisters let us be truly grateful to Allah, that we have this wonderful gift of Iman, this gift of Faith, to illuminate our way through life’s challenges.

In many places the Holy Quran reminds us,

“Ala, inna awliya Allah, la khawfun alayhim wala hum yah-zanoon!”

“Behold, on the Friends of Allah, there is no fear, and no grief.” [10:62]

No fear and no grief, and yet, if you study the Friends of Allah, you’ll find that their lives were filled with incredible hardship, pain and endurance. The Friends of Allah taught us Ridha’, that wonderful and serene acceptance of Allah’s will. If we can be islands of calm in the oceans of turbulence; if we can show others a kind and helpful manner, in the midst of life’s problems, we will truly hold high that noble legacy of the Prophets and the Awliya, the Friends of Allah.

This is what our world needs today. Our friends and neighbours out there, are in dire need of spiritual guidance. They need a gentle helping hand to show them how to cope with natural and manmade calamities, how to keep their own pain and personal grief in perspective. Brothers and Sisters, let us set a good example, let us inspire our communities with our serenity, our dignity and our strength that come out of true faith in Allah, and total reliance on His Mercy, His Rahma.

To conclude our khutbah:

إِنَّ اللّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالإِحْسَانِ وَإِيتَاء ذِي الْقُرْبَى وَيَنْهَى عَنِ الْفَحْشَاء وَالْمُنكَرِ وَالْبَغْيِ يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ

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.” [16:90]

فَاذْكُرُونِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ وَاشْكُرُواْ لِي وَلاَ تَكْفُرُونِ

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.”

وَلَذِكْرُ اللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَصْنَعُونَ

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!

The world is in so much turmoil today. The global suffering and chaotic state of society are clear symptoms of the world’s state of spiritual bankruptcy. The prevalent moral decadence is a manifestation of man’s enslavement by his beastly qualities (nafs).

Oh Muslims, be dutiful to Allah Who created us and moulded us in the best of forms. He infused the human being with Ruh (the pure life giving force) as well as Nafs (beastly qualities).

When the Lord created the Nafs entity, and asked it, Who are you ? It replied: I am as mighty and powerful as you are Oh Lord. Then Allah burnt it in Hell fire for a thousand years. Again Allah asked the nafs the same question and it gave the same arrogant reply for the second time. Allah then froze it in the icy hell for a thousand years. After the nafs gave the same arrogant reply for the third time, Allah made it to fast for a thousand years. Finally, Allah asked it: Who are you ? The nafs then replied. You are the Almighty Creator of the universe and I am your humble slave Oh Allah.

Allah makes reference in the Glorious Qur’an with regards to the Nafs in Surah 91:8.

“Successful is the one who purifies (and tames) his nafs. And unsuccessful is he who becomes enslaved by it (the nafs).”

Oh Muslims, the glorious month of Ramadhan is basically on our doorstep. This month is an honoured guest from Allah, offering ailing humanity the cure of spiritual rejuvenation and revitalization. This is the month of opportunity to bring about spiritual and moral reformation within ourselves and our environment.

Our blessed Prophet (pbuh) said: “If my ummah knew the value of Ramadhan, they would wish Ramadhan to prevail the entire year.”

The Holy Prophet Moses (pbuh) requested to see Allah. The Lord said: Oh Musa, you cannot see me as there are seventy thousand veils between us. However, I shall give a month as a gift to the Ummah of my beloved Prophet Muhammad, which shall be called Ramadhan. Whoever of the believers will fast in this month, I shall so manifest myself at the time of Iftaar, there will be no veil between me and them.”

In a sacred Hadith Qudsi, Allah says:

“Fasting is for me and I will reward it.”

Oh servants of Allah, Ramadhan brings us in touch with our beloved creator, who is closer to us than our life-vein. Everyone of us is a dormant volcano. Let your spiritual lava erupt and flow towards the Divine throne. How wonderful to know Allah and feel His ever divine presence ?

The great Turkish Sufi master, Sheikh Muzaffer Ozak Al-Jerrahi urges: “How does one explain to the blind the beauty of colours, or the majestic sunrise and spectacular sunset? How will the deaf ever appreciate the joyful chirping of the morning birds and the melodious songs of the nightingales? How does one describe the fragrance of the scent of roses to those who have no sense of smell?

Oh servants of Allah, dive into the ocean of spirituality and immerse yourselves in the over flowing Rahmah and blessings of the holy month of Ramadhan. Spend time in worship and seclusion with your Lord and follow in the footsteps of the great and worthy Awliya (saints of Allah), and the obstructing veils will be lifted from your eyes. Soon you will see the beautiful colours, acquire the spiritual sense of smell and the ears of your spiritual heart will open and you will delight in the recitation of Al-Qur’an. Beneath the songs of the nightingales and the gurgling of the waters, you will hear the sweet sound of the affirmation of Divine unity.

In conclusion, I advise myself first and you to put on the garb of Taqwa and God-consciousness. Do not be gloomy, nor consider Ramadhan as a burden.

The blessed Prophet Jesus Christ (pbuh) said:

“When you fast, do not fast like the hypocrites, but wash your faces and comb your hair and meet people with a happy countenance.”

When Ramadhan comes, appreciate it, as it passes very rapidly. Life itself passes speedily. Don’t say Ramadhan will come again. Many Ramadhans have come and gone, but this Ramadhan may be your last? We conclude with the duah of our beloved Nabi Muhammad (pbuh):

“Oh Allah, bless us in the months of Rajab and Sha’baan and make us reach Ramadhan.”

Ameen. Jumuah Mubarak.

“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, – 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 Dear Brothers and Sisters

Some people believe that the Isra’ and Mi’raj occurred on On 27th Rajab. Others disagree about the date, saying no one knows for certain. Allah knows best. But no Muslim disagrees about the essence of Prophet Muhammad’s Isra’’ and Mi’raj: his Mystical Night Journey and his Ascension into the Heavenly Spheres. May Allah’s peace and mercy and blessings be ever upon him. The Holy Quran alludes to this momentous occasion in the first verse of Sura Bani Isra-eel:

“Bismillaahir Rahmaanir Raheem! Sub’haanal lathee Asraa-ab’dihee laylam-minal masjidil haraami ilal masjidil aq’saa, al-lathee baarak-naa hawlahoo linuriyahoo min aayaatinaa. Innahoo huwas Samee-;ul Baseer!”

“Glory to [Allah] Who did take His Servant on a journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque, whose precincts We sanctified; in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for Allah is He who hears and sees everything.”

This momentous event occurred more than 14 centuries ago. Then, as now, it aroused the sceptics and cynics to dismiss it as a fantasy, as a delusion. How can someone travel hundreds of miles in one night, and then claim to have travelled through the heavens to the throne of God? Then, as now, the true Believers have the same answer: He Who created the heavens and the earth out of nothing can do whatever He pleases. He can part the oceans to save the followers of Moses. He can drown Pharaoh in that same ocean. He can flood the world while saving Noah in the Ark. He can turn to the roaring flames that are licking at the feet of Prophet Abraham, and decree: “Fire, be cool!” And, Abraham can walk out of the fire with no burns. Allah can change the properties and behaviour of any part of His creation. He is not enslaved by the natural laws that He, Himself, wrote. He’s the Author. He can edit them as and when He pleases.

A man was once asked, can Allah pass a camel through the eye of a needle? He answered: Not only can Allah pass a camel through the eye of a needle; if He decided to put the whole dunya, the whole earth through the eye of a needle that’s easy for Him. He says: Kun, faya koon! … Be! And it is!

Centuries ago, this might have seemed fanciful. But nowadays, every physicist and scientist accepts that if the universe began with a big bang 14 billion years ago, then all matter and energy, all time and space must have been extremely dense, and concentrated within an incredibly small area, smaller than the head of a pin, and certainly, smaller than the eye of a needle. Today every self-respecting scientist believes that. But many of them hesitate to go one step further. Who created the Big Bang? Was it spontaneous? Did time and space all begin by accident? So many scientists have difficulty in taking that crucial next step. That is, to accept that this big bang did not just happen by chance. Everything follows the Will of Allah. When Allah decrees a thing, He only has to say, Kun! Faya koon! …. Be! And it is! Soob’haanal-Laah!

In the short time we have, I want deal with 3 points

1. The narrative of the Isra and Mi’raj
2. The significance of Mi’raj
3. and the Gift of the Mi’raj.

The narrative is well known: it has a horizontal aspect and a vertical aspect. The horizontal aspect is the journey itself, from Makka to Jerusalem and back, in one night. The vertical aspect is the Ascension from Jerusalem to the heavens into the very presence of Allah, the Glorified and exalted.

We are told that one night, the Prophet Muhammad sws was asleep near the Kaaba, when the archangel Jibreel [Gabriel] awoke him, washed his heart and placed him on Buraaq, a mystical winged horse. Buraaq could travel from horizon to horizon in one leap. Accompanied by Gabriel, they rode to Jerusalem and from there they travelled upward through the seven heavens, meeting and greeting all the earlier Prophets along the way, until Gabriel stopped by ‘the lote tree of the furthest extremity, the utmost boundary’ sidratul muntahar . Here he left Prophet Muhammad sws because not even angels could go further than this point. This is where Prophet Muhammad sws proceeded on his own until he was, as the Quran says, “Qaba qawsain,” two bows-length from Allah. [Let us remember that words are so inadequate We are trying here to describe what is infinitely beyond description, beyond our strongest imaginings] The Holy Quran simply uses an evocative description: “His vision did not waver, nor did the eyes deny what they saw…” This was the absolute nearest any human being has ever come to the Divine. Allah the Glorified and Exalted, and Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings on him, alone at last, face to face. No interlocutors, no distractions. Creator and created, indeed, the best of His creation in direct communion. Again in the words of the Holy Quran, Prophet Muhammad sws saw, “of the Signs of His Lord, the Greatest.” [Arabic?]

We are told that Nabi Muhammad sws then descended to earth, and in Jerusalem he led all the other Prophets in prayer. He returned from his meeting with Allah, carrying this blessed Gift of the Mi’raj, the Prayer, the Salaah, as we know it today. At first he had instructions that Muslims are required to pray 50 times each day. But when Musa Alayhis salaam, Prophet Moses, said that this would be too difficult, Prophet Muhammad sws went back several times till Allah reduced it to 5 times a day. Again Moses said that 5 daily prayers was too much, people are lazy and rebellious. But Prophet Muhammad sws replied that he was too embarrassed to go back and ask Allah for a further reduction. So there we have it. This gift of the 5 daily prayers, is a direct gift of the Mi’raj, over 14 centuries ago.

Imagine for a moment, what would Islam have been like without the salaah, without precisely detailed formal prayers. Our faith would have been little more than an academic exercise, something to tickle the intellect; a belief system with some quaint notions about the meaning and purpose of life, but with no pivotal connection between Creator and created. Salaah is what makes Islam more than just a good idea, but a functioning, purposeful relationship between Allah and His servants.

Before the Mi’raj Muslims had no idea as to how and when they should pray. Now we not only know how and when, but also, most importantly, we must remember the reason, the ‘why’ part. Why do we pray? Why 5 times a day? Why not just once?

Salaah is not a human invention. It’s not the product of Prophet Muhammad sws’ imagination. It’s planned and prescribed by Allah Himself. It’s our divinely designed means of communication with God. This is how He wants us to turn to Him, 5 times a day, amidst all our distractions and mundane pursuits of daily life. He does not want us simply to go into seclusion in a temple or monastery to remember Him, once in a while. He wants us to remember Him constantly, in the marketplace, in our offices, in our homes and during our leisure time. Right there in the midst of life’s distractions, we must keep our spiritual compass. We must maintain our moral integrity. This is the real challenge. While we are busy enjoying Allah’s blessings, we must never forget to thank Him. Salaah is our formal link with our Creator. It brings our body, mind and soul into complete harmony and submission to Allah. Properly performed, it helps us to cultivate an attitude of gratitude. Our hearts fill with stillness, serenity, sakina, and we develop a yearning to be close to Allah. We long to be in that blissful presence just as our beloved Prophet Muhammad had on the Mi’raj. Salaah is our own Mi’raj. Perhaps it’s the nearest we’ll ever be to Allah. With heads touching the ground, all limbs pointing towards Makka, all our thoughts and feelings and desires focussed on Allah, this is the magical moment when we become the connecting-point between time-space and eternity. In prostration, sujood, we humble creatures of dust, when we’ve shut off body, mind and soul to everything else except His Presence, we can become like lightning-rods that connect heaven and earth. In that moment of sheer and absolute surrender, we become truly, Allah’s khaleefah, His vice-regent, on the earth. Brothers and sisters, when we pray properly, as Allah decrees, then great things become possible. Let’s not neglect our prayers. Let’s not rush through them like some necessary but unwelcome habit like we’re brushing our teeth or washing the dishes. Let’s concentrate, meditate and rejuvenate with this wonderful gift of our personal Mi’raj. Let’s pray properly, with meaning and feeling. In Salaah we’re in the grand audience hall of the Lord of the universe. Let’s show him our love, courtesy and respect.

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:

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, 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,

When we Muslims pray, we enjoy a very special relationship with Allah. While others need intermediaries, we need no priest, no rabbi, Archbishop or even a Pope that stands between us and Allah. We worship Him directly and He answers us directly. Allah says “I listen to the prayer of everyone who calls me. Let them also then, listen to My call, so that they may walk on the straight way.”

Although 70,000 veils separate us from Allah, nothing separates Him from us. He says that He is “closer to us than our jugular veins.” What more do we need in the way of assurances and security? Without prayer, without regular, intimate contact with Allah, we would be exposed to all kinds of dangers, to body and soul. Prayer, salaah brings us intimately close to Allah. It brings us in to safety and security. We should never neglect our prayers.

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!

“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, – 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 Dear Brothers and Sisters

The Arabic word for mankind is ‘insaan.’ One of the meanings of ‘insaan’ is forgetfulness. Human beings are forgetful, and we need constant reminders as to who we are, why we are here, and to whom we owe a debt of gratitude. All our acts of worship, our Salaah, Zakaat, our fasting and Hajj, are actually reminders of this unique relationship between the Creator and the created, between the Rabb and His abd, the Lord and His servant. We Muslims, if we aspire to become true believers, we have to be constantly aware of our utter reliance on Allah: our utter and absolute helplessness in the face of the titanic forces of nature around us.

The Burmese cyclone and the Chinese earthquake are timely reminders, if we need reminding, that the image we have of earth, as a serene and peaceful planet, is actually wrong. This is not a peaceful planet, by any means. Those stunning and idyllic photographs and landscape paintings that we enjoy so much describe only one small facet, one small aspect of the face of mother earth. The wider picture of our planet is much more complex, much more fearsome. If we could look, literally, below the surface, if we could actually see what lies beneath our feet, we will see that there are oceans of boiling magma, liquid rock, thousands of miles thick, churning and oozing around the nickel-iron core. It’s like jahannam is right here, under our feet! The temperatures in that area range from 3500 to 5000 degrees Celsius! If we could fly a plane through that fiery mass at 600 miles an hour, it would take several hours to reach the centre of the earth, and more than a day’s flying to come out on the other side!

Our ‘solid earth’ is in fact only a wafer thin layer of continental land mass that rests like a cracked eggshell over a ball of boiling magma. This cracked eggshell is a shifting and grinding jigsaw puzzle of tectonic plates that produces earthquakes and tsunamis. Obviously, we’re shocked when natural disasters strike, but really, if we understood how finely tuned and delicately balanced are the awesome forces of nature, we wouldn’t be so surprised. We wouldn’t ask why they happen, but we’d wonder why don’t they happen more often and more intensely?

Scientists tell us that all life is possible only on the very narrowest of margins. What exactly do they mean? Time is short. But let’s look at one or two examples. If the sun were a ball 3 metres high like the height of this ceiling, then planet earth would be about 3 inches high, like a tennis ball. The distance between them, 93 million miles, would on that scale be would be about 60 miles, like from Oxford to Heathrow Airport [ or, from here to Brighton or Bournemouth]. During summer, our planet tilts 23½ degrees towards the sun, and we feel its power and heat. During winter it tilts 23½ degrees away from the sun and we’re freezing cold. The difference between scorching heat and freezing cold is that tiny tilt, which brings us just 4,000 miles closer to or further away from the sun. Take that 4,000 miles and divide it into 93 million miles and what do you get? The margin of comfort, being too hot or too cold, is not 1%, not 1/100th of 1%, but a mere 1/4000th of one percent! Just imagine! If we were slightly nearer to the sun, less that one thousandth of one percent, we’d perish from the heat, and if we were on thousandth of one percent further away, we’d freeze solid. Subhaanallah! Just think about it. And, we’re only talking of temperature. What about other factors? What about the relationship between the earth’s gravity and mass? Again, we are told that this balance is so critical, that it just about keeps life-giving oxygen in the atmosphere, and releases deadly ammonia harmlessly into space. If there was a fractional difference between earth’s gravity and mass, by a factor of one followed by ninety-nine zeros, – this is a number I cannot even imagine, – if there was such a tiny difference, then ammonia would be trapped in the atmosphere and all life would suffocate. We’ve only talked about gravity, mass and temperature. We haven’t even touched radiation, and the chances of meteor strikes or collisions with other planets. The scientists say that there are so many real and imminent threats to life on earth, in the midst of so many risks, that, statistically speaking, on the basis of mathematical probabilities, we shouldn’t actually be here at all! These are scientists and mathematicians, many of them are atheists. They say that life is possible only on the very narrowest of margins. Considering the awesome dangers all around us, it’s a miracle that life exists at all. Of course, as believing servants of Allah, we say that none of this happens by chance. None of this can be explained away by coincidence. Everything exists by His Mercy, by His Will, by His Decree. Allah reminds us in His Holy Book:

“See they not how little of the sky and the earth is open to them, and how much is hidden? If We wished We could cause the earth to swallow them up or cause a piece of the sky to fall upon them. Truly in this is a Sign for every servant that turns to Allah (in repentance)” (Saba’ 34:9)

“It is Allah Who sustains the heavens and the earth lest they cease (to function): and if they should fail there is none not one can sustain them thereafter: truly He is Most Forbearing Oft-Forgiving” Sura Fátir v41

Indeed! Allah grasps the heavens and the earth lest they should move away from their places, and if they were to move away from their places, there is not one that could grasp them after Him. Truly, He is Ever Most Forbearing, Oft-Forgiving. (Fatir 35:41)

Brothers and Sisters, next time we look up to the starry skies, let us think about those powerful forces that surround us. Forces that keep our very existence poised on a knife-edge, and let us thank Alláh subhánalláh wata-‘álá for his grace and mercy.

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:

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, 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.”

Brothers and Sisters,

Cyclones, earthquakes and Tsunamis, along with volcanoes, tornadoes and all other forces of nature, bring widespread suffering in their wake. Science tells us how these things happen but precisely why anything happens only Allah knows for certain. One thing we do know is that this life was never meant to be a paradise without pain and suffering. The Holy Quran repeatedly tells us that we will be tested in order to see who is best in their behaviour.

“Bismillaahir Rahmaanir Raheem! Tabaark al lathee biyadihil Mulk wa huwa alaa kulli shay in qadeer. Al lathee khalaqal mawta wal hayaata liyab’ luwakum ay-yu kum ahsanu ‘amalaa. Wahuwal ‘azeezul ghaffoor!”

“In the Name of Allah, most Merciful, most Compassionate! Blessed is He, in Whose Hand is Dominion, and He has power over all things. He Who created Death and Life, that He may try which of you is best in deed; and He is the Exalted in Might, Oft-Forgiving.” Sura Mulk; Ch 67:v1

In Sura Al-Baqara v 214, we read:

“Do you think that you will enter heaven without being tested like those who passed away before you ? Poverty and afflictions befell them and they were violently shaken until the Messenger and those who believe along with him said, `When will the help of ALLAH come ?’ Yea, surely the help of ALLAH is ever near.” ….”Ala inna nasrallahi qareeb.”

Brothers and sisters, no one should be surprised to encounter hardship and suffering. This is part of our human condition. It does not mean that Allah is angry with us or that He has forsaken us. Think how His beloved Prophets lived. None of them had an easy life. Every Prophet and wali, Friend of Allah, had to endure unspeakable hardship in order so set a good example to us. They showed us patience, perseverance and dignity in accepting whatever Allah has decreed for us.

Let us study the lives and times of all the Prophets, and see how much we can learn from them, how we can increase our faith, our patience and endurance. Let us do what we can to help lighten the burdens of all those who have lost loved ones and material possessions through natural and man-made disasters.

[Last week our small community raised £500 to sponsor the brothers who climbed the 2 highest mountains in Britain. The money will go to the Islamic Relief Burma Cyclone appeal. May Allah bless all those who contributed, and may Allah bless the young men who braved the elements to raise money for so many distressed and needy victims of the Burmese cyclone]

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!

Dear friends, I greet you with the greeting words of paradise, As-salaamu ‘alaykum, warahma tullaahi wabarakaatuh! May the Peace and Mercy and Blessings of God, Allah, be with you!

These days, our busy lives have become so frenetic, many of us find no time for contemplation, for reflection, for taking in the Big Picture, and for asking the Big Questions. Our work, study, sport, recreation and family life keeps us constantly engaged in the detail. But we must occasionally step outside this routine. We must reflect and ponder what might seem imponderable. We enjoy learning about the natural world, watching David Attenborough documentaries. We look at the world around us, from the microcosmic to the macrocosmic, from spinning electrons in the realm of quantum physics to those spectacular galaxies viewed through the Hubble telescope. Where did all this come from? How did the cosmos begin? Where will it end, and most compelling of all questions, why? Why are we here? What is the purpose of life? What’s the point of my life? An individual human life, set out on the enormous canvas of space and time, appears to be so infinitesimally small and insignificant. What is my own place in the great cosmic scheme of things? What happens to me when I die? Is death just a big black hole, or is there some form of conscious existence after death? Is this really important? Do I care? Should I care? Or, should I just push these thoughts out of sight and get on with the laundry, do the shopping, or rush to complete those work deadlines that must be met?

Now, we can bury those big questions under so many immediate priorities of daily life. But, like a nagging headache, they lurk in the back of our minds, and they resurface, time and again. Why am I here? What is the purpose of my life?

Science is very good at telling us how things work, but the why part is another matter. Programmes on science and astronomy, and David Attenborough’s award winning natural history films tell us about the fragile, complex relationships that sustain life on our planet. But they don’t tell us why we’re here. That question belongs to the realm of philosophy and faith.

[Continue reading this article in its original PDF format]

* This talk was delivered by Arshad Gamiet at the Experience Islam Week on Thursday 6th March 2008 in the Main Lecture Theatre, Royal Holloway University of London, UK.

“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, – 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 Dear Brothers and Sisters

Good guidance is God’s greatest gift. We cannot do without His guidance. Our lives will be absolutely bereft of any meaning, unless we acknowledge Allah and worship Him as He alone deserves to be worshipped. We can do without wealth and without good health and many other things. Although life would then be quite challenging, As long as we have right guidance, we would know where we came from and where we’re going to when we die. As Muslims, we are so very lucky because we don’t even have to hunt and search for the right guidance. In our Holy Quran and the life of our Prophet Muhammad sws we find all the guidance we need to be successful.

Every time we recite Sura Fatiha, we begin by thanking and praising and glorifying Allah, not because he needs praise and glory, but because we are so forgetful, we need to remind ourselves of Allah’s greatness and irresistible power:

Alhamdu lil-laahi Rabbil aalameen. Ar-Rahmanir Raheem. Maaliki yawmid-Deen.

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of All the worlds. The Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. King of the Day of Judgement.

The next line defines of relations with Allah:

Iy-ya kana’budu wa iy-ya kanas ta’een.

You [alone] do we worship and from You [alone] do we seek for help.

Then we come to the crux of the matter, the real core of Sura Al Fatiha:

“Ihdi nas Siraatal Mustaqeem!” “Guide us to the straight path!”

Siraatal latheena an ‘amta ‘alayhim, ghairil maghthoobi alayhim, waladd dhal-leen. Ameen.

“The path of those with whom you are pleased, not the path of those who make you angry, nor of those who go astray. Ameen”

Brothers and Sisters, Allah’s guidance is the greatest gift we can ever hope for. Pleading for it is the essence of Sura Al Fatiha, the first Sura of the Holy Quran. In the next Sura, Al Baqara, we read in the opening lines:

Alif, Laam-Meem. Thaalikal kitaabu la rayba fee, Hudan lil mut-taqeem.

A.L.M. This Book, there is no doubt in it, is a Guide to those who have Taqwa, [those who regard Allah with an awe-inspired sense of love, fear and hope].

So, the first Sura teaches us how to ask for Allah’s guidance, and, moments later, in the very beginning of the next Sura we are promised that Divine Guidance within the Holy Quran itself. But the Holy Scripture needs to be interpreted to us. It needs to be made visible within the human context of time, place and circumstance. So, the Holy Quran again tells us that, “Truly in the Messenger of Allah, we have the finest of examples,” Uswatul hasanah.

Allah’s guidance covers the whole spectrum of life, from personal cleanliness to inheritance laws and dealing justly with non-Muslims. Brothers and Sisters, never hesitate to ask Allah for help, even for the smallest thing. For many years, I made the big mistake of thinking that I shouldn’t bother Allah to ask him for silly, small things, only for the big important things. I imagined that He’s too busy to care about little things. Then, one day I realized that my attitude was completely wrong. By thinking he’s too busy, I had fallen into the dangerous trap of attributing human weaknesses to Allah. He’s never too busy. He keeps the planets in their orbits while feeding an ant under a black rock on a dark night in the middle of the desert. He’s cares for everything from the biggest to the smallest. And he never gets tired. As we read in Ayatul kursi, the verse of the Throne:

La ta’ khuthuhu sinatun wa la nawm. Slumber does not overtake Him, nor sleep

Wa la ya oothuhu hivthuhuma Guarding and preserving the whole cosmos does not cause Him any fatigue.”

So if you need anything, big or small, ask Allah.

We often forget that Allah alone can help us overcome the many problems we encounter in our daily lives. The secret is to keep Allah in mind, constantly, so that when any difficulty arises, we can address it confident in the knowledge that Allah is aware of our situation. We should never face any problem on our own; Allah is with us and He inspires and authorises the solution.

I remember reading a story about a young man who was keen to be a spiritual leader. But his Shaykh said to him, “Before you can hope to be a leader, you must answer this correctly. Imagine you are walking through the fields, when suddenly you are attacked by several sheepdogs at once. What will you do?” The man replied, “I will grab a stick or some stones to throw at them, and defend myself. His teacher smiled and said, “That’s not the answer. You may hold off one or two dogs, but the others will get you. You cannot defend yourself against so many attacking you all at once. The wise answer is to call on the shepherd, call the dogs’ master, and ask him for help. He’ll call the dogs away and they will leave you unharmed.”

Brothers and Sisters, this is of course a deeply philosophical story with many layers of meaning. The dogs are the problems we face in life, every day. The Shepherd is Allah. Don’t try to defend yourself without Allah. You cannot win. Take Allah into your confidence. Make Him part of your life, part of every waking and sleeping moment. Allah loves it when we seek his help in big and small matters. This is another dimension of Taqwa, being constantly mindful of Allah, filling our hearts with a sense of love fear and hope. We love Allah, we fear His punishment and we are ever hopeful of His forgiveness and Mercy.

At the beginning of this khutbah, we heard that, May- Yahdillahu fa huwal muhtad, wa may- yudlill falan tajidaa lahu waliyan murshida. Anyone who is guided by Alláh, he is certainly guided; and anyone who has been left astray, will find no one to guide him. The key word here is guidance. Think about it. We have many blessings from Allah. We enjoy good health, we live in comfortable homes. We have a good education. We value the love of family and friends. Health, wealth and happiness; we also have Allah’s guidance, through His sacred book, the Holy Quran and the life example of Prophet Muhammad sws. Which of these blessings is the most important? Which of Allah’s blessings are indispensible? Brothers and Sisters, without our health, with wealth or material happiness life would be challenging indeed. But Allah’s guidance would help us to endure hardship, to make suffering bearable. However, if we had no divine guidance, no matter how healthy or wealthy we were, we would be spiritually bankrupt and our lives would be empty of meaning.

Let us be truly thankful to Allah that we enjoy the great blessing of His guidance. We have no excuses. We have only to apply that guidance to our lives and to be good role models to others. That’s all. Let us pray that Allah accept our humble perhaps faltering, but essentially sincere efforts to follow His guidance, His Holy Quran, and His beloved Prophet Muhammad sws.

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:

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, 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,

There’s a saying that goes, “The proof of the pudding is in the eating.” You cannot appreciate something by just looking at it, admiring it but failing to experience it properly. Islam is no exception. There are many people, who admire Islamic art, study Islamic History, write beautiful books and give wonderful lectures about Islamic civilization, but they are not Muslim, and their hearts haven’t been opened to Islam. If they regard their extensive knowledge purely as a professional career, an intellectual exercise, it won’t be enough for their salvation. On the day of Judgement, Allah will not be impressed by our academic knowledge. He’ll want to know how we applied our knowledge to worship him and serve His creation. Therefore, a simple uneducated person, who loves and lives for Allah with a full heart, is really more successful than someone who may have acquired Ph.D’s and written scholarly books, but whose knowledge has not brought him closer to Allah.

The poet Jalaluddin Rumi asks: “Are you only going to admire the jug, or are you actually going to drink the water?” Brothers and Sisters, to make good use of God’s greatest gift, His divine guidance, we must know it in order to live it completely, wholeheartedly. Our thirst for spiritual knowledge will never be quenched by only admiring the jug. We must drink the water of Islam.

Allah says “And whomsoever Allah wills to guide, He opens his heart to Islam.” Brothers and Sisters, we have Allah’s guidance before us. Let’s take it up and live by it wholeheartedly. This is the way to appreciate Allah’s greatest gift.

Let us 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!

“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, – 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 Dear Brothers and Sisters

At least 5 times each day, we turn our faces towards Makka in prayer. At least once in a lifetime, we travel to Makka on pilgrimage, the Hajj. Prayer and Hajj: Let us consider these 2 pillars of Islam for a moment. Both of them are directional, and both are centred on the Kaaba in Makka. Salaah, prayer, is our connecting point between heaven and earth, between dunya and akhira, this world and the world of eternity. When our foreheads touch the ground, we are demonstrating the ultimate expression of humility: it is a gesture of complete surrender to Allah. As we align ourselves with the Qibla, our directional axis, with our limbs and joints all facing Makka, we are also connected to every other worshipper on planet earth. Imagine! For every moment of every day, someone, somewhere, is standing, sitting, bowing, or prostrating in prayer. We are like the individual petals of a huge flower, all opening and closing in unity. In prayer, this earth-sized flower is a living expression of Tawheed, the Unity of Allah reflected in the unity of all His servants. All faces point to Makka in prayer. If you look at a map of the world you will see that Arabia is at the centre, connecting the great continental land masses of Africa, Asia and Europe. In the centre of Makka you find the Kaaba, a simple cube, a square in 3 dimensions. This rigid structure is surrounded by an ocean of people, a vortex, a whirlpool in slow motion, moving in a circle that never ends. It is a symbol of stability in a world of constant change. The Kaaba is not only the focal point of every Muslim at prayer, all over the world: it is also the meeting point of our horizontal, earth-bound existence, and the vertical plane, of the Ruuh, the soul, reaching upwards to heaven.

We all know that time passes quickly, and as we grow older, it seems that time is racing past at ever increasing speed. But really this is just an illusion. The poet Jalaluddin Rumi says that when you’re in a boat on a fast flowing river, the trees on the bank seem to be passing by at breathtaking speed. But really the trees are standing still with their roots firmly anchored to the soil. It is you that’s speeding to your destiny, to your meeting with Allah. And when you die, your body will return to the dust from which it came, and your soul, your Ruuh will fly like a celestial bird, through the heavens, to return to its Maker.

Brothers and sisters, our lives are full of illusions, It’s not only the computer games that lead us into electronic worlds of virtual realities. From sport to television, from books to magazines to radio, cinema and theatre, our senses are overloaded with material to amuse and distract. We are constantly seduced from the one big reality that everyone must face: Our Death. We all know but we don’t seem to care that life will not go on forever, and sooner or later we will face that final appointment from which no-one can escape. We cannot postpone, adjourn or cancel our meeting with Allah’s angel, Malaikat al Mawt. We must be prepared, anytime, all times. To keep our lives in balance, we must be in touch with reality, even in the midst of all the distractions around us. Salaah, prayer, gives us the best reality check five times every day.

Every time we put our heads on the ground in sujood, we become like lightning rods that connect heaven and earth. We become energised, our spiritual batteries are recharged. In prayer, we are connecting the realm of time-space and eternity. According to Sahih Muslim, the Prophet Muhammad sws said that we, Allah’s servants, are never closer to Him than when we are prostrating in Sujood. This is when Allah can be closer to us than our jugular veins. Brothers and Sisters, let us make sure that our hearts are absolutely focussed and sincere when we pray. It’s not a time to be distracted. Remember that we are standing in the grand audience hall of the Lord of the Universe, we must be humble and fully aware of what we’re doing and saying.

“Innas salaatee, wanusukee, wamahi-yaaya wama ma’tee, lil laahi Rabbil Aalameen..”

“Truly my prayer, my sacrifice, my life and my death is for Allah, Lord of all the Worlds….” [Sura An’am 6:162]

When we read Sura Al Fatiha, we praise Allah and we plead for His help and Guidance. Here is when we get to the real substance of the prayer:

“Ihdi nas Siraatal Mustaqeem…” ”Guide us to the Straight Way.”

Divine guidance, this is what we need; this is what every soul yearns for. We go through all the motions of standing, bowing, prostrating and sitting, praising Allah and seeking forgiveness and help.

My dear Brothers and Sisters, when we’ve done our prayers properly, we become aware of a deep sense of peace and serenity that descends on our hearts. This profound sense of security and calm, this sakina, is a gift from Allah. It’s priceless, and it’s His reward for showing our utter reliance on Him. It comes like a cool breeze over our aching hearts. Why? Because the human soul is forever restless until it connects with Allah; when we set aside all the distractions of life, to remember Allah, the soul finds peace and tranquillity.

“Ala bi thikrullaahi tatmainnahul quloob.”

“Truly in the remembrance of Allah will hearts find satisfaction” [S13:28]

Whenever we melodiously recite Allah’s Beautiful Names in Zhikr, we bring ourselves into loving Remembrance of Allah, and something interesting happens to the Soul. In Zhikr, the soul awakens to an almost forgotten era. Here in this life, in the realm of space-time, the ruuh, the soul recognises a promise, a covenant that it made in the dim and distant past. Human history is like a very long movie, and our lives fit into a tiny portion on one single frame! Imagine. If we could just take this long epic movie of life, and put it on hold. If we could press the pause button, and put history back into fast rewind: Imagine if we could go back beyond our birth, way back beyond the beginning of human history, beyond the age of dinosaurs, beyond the big bang. Like ripples on a pond, no longer spreading outward but contracting inward. Go back before the moment when the stone hit the water’s surface. If we go back to that glorious occasion before time and space began. Even before Allah created Adam’s body, He created his Ruuh, his soul. He also created the soul, the Ruuh, of every human being that ever was and ever will be, including soul of the last baby to be born on the day of judgement, Yawmul Qiyyaamah. Imagine that! When Allah created them all, He turned to the assembled gathering of billions and billions of souls, and He asked them: “Am I not your Lord?” “Alasta bi Rabbikum?” The all answered in one thunderous voice: “Balaa,” “Yes, indeed you are our Lord! Lest we say on the Day of Judgement, that we were not aware of this!” [Sura Ar’af 7:172]

Brothers and sisters, every human soul has made a covenant, a promise, with Allah. This is the Primeval Covenant: the Covenant of Alast. Our human microchips, our spiritual circuit-boards have been pre-programmed and hard wired to worship Allah. But we’re also forgetful. And in our forgetfulness, we sometimes forget who we should worship. If we’re not careful, we can end up worshipping the wrong things: material things, sensory pleasures and even our own fragile egos. Sometimes it may be football, sometimes it may be shopping. But, our soul, our Ruuh knows where it came from and where it belongs. It remains in a state of painful separation until we re-connect it to its source. The poet Rumi asks if you know why the reed flute sings such a sad and melancholy tune. It’s because it longs to return to the reed-bed from which it was taken. This is an allegory of the human soul. We have an irresistible yearning to return to Allah. As long as we remain in this temporary realm of time and space, we need to keep alive our connection with Allah. Salaat helps us to do so, 5 times a day. And Zikr calling Allah to mind with loving Remembrance helps us along, when we are not actually in prayer. You know, when we worship Allah despite all the temptations around us, then we fulfil that Divine purpose for which we were created. We become truly, the Khaleefa tul-Laah, the vice-regents of Allah. Brothers and Sisters, Salaah and Dhikr are crucially important to us. Never allow yourself to neglect your prayers, and your loving remembrance of Allah.

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:

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, 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,

Let us take good care of our daily prayers, our salaah, and our Dhikr, loving Remembrance of Allah. This will help us keep our body, mind and soul perfectly aligned and focused on Taqwa, which is constant Allah-awareness. This will also improve our behaviour. We will become more truthful and sincere, and we will love to uphold justice. We’ll stop lying, cheating, and backbiting. We’ll stop behaving in a shameful manner. When we take good care of our conduct, Allah will raise our status and bring us nobility and honour us in ways we cannot imagine. But we must make that first step, and follow it up until it becomes a good habit.

In a famous Hadith Qudsi, Allah says that when we take one step towards Him, He will take ten steps towards us, when we come walking towards Him, He will come running towards us. I pray that Allah will help each and every one of us to put things right in our lives, and to do what we alone know, must be done to begin our journey to Allah’s good pleasure.

Brothers and sisters, we are beginning a new Islamic Year, 1429 Al Hijra. This great month of Muharram is a good place to start a new chapter in our lives. Keep those worldly material things at arms length, not close to the heart. It’s good to fast, not only in Ramadhan. Mondays and Thursdays are recommended. It’s also recommended to fast the 9th and 10th of Muharram, which will be next Thursday and Friday, Yawmal Ashoorah.

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!

“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, – 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, honoured guests and visitors,

Last Friday, I spoke about the human soul. The spirit, the soul, is that little piece of heaven, the breath of God, the breath of Allah that was inspired into our bodies. In our busy lives we pay so much attention to the needs of the body and the mind. Sometimes we forget about the needs of the soul, that timeless, space-less link with eternity that lives within us. The soul is the most important part of our personality. It’s the part that makes us truly ‘human’. Without it, our bodies are just so much flesh and blood and bone. Without our moral consciousness, we are no different from the wild beasts that roam the earth, foraging for food, for sex and shelter. Our human essence lies in our ability to tame those animal instincts, to transcend our selfish egos and to reach out and helps others. True faith teaches us to love others more than we love ourselves.

Nabi Isa, Prophet Jesus said, “Do unto others what you would have them do unto you.” Six centuries later, Prophet Muhammad sws said, “A believer is not truly a believer until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.” In another well known Hadith, he said, “A Muslim is he from whose tongue and hands, other Muslims are safe. A Mu’min, a true Believer, is he in whom all of mankind has a sanctuary, a safe haven for life and property.”

Just think about it. At the most basic level, we Muslims should not harm each other. But that’s not enough. If we want to become true Believers, we must become custodians, trustees; we must take good care of every other human being. Indeed, we must care for every living creature, within our trust. Life and property, everyone’s life and everyone’s property, must always be safe in our hands. This is what our beloved Prophet Muhammad sws taught us. What a big responsibility! What a high standard of conduct we Muslims must aspire to!

And you know, my dear Brothers and Sisters, this is precisely what the noble and illustrious followers of the Prophet did. Look to the history of the Four Righteous Caliphs, look to the history of Muslim Spain, India and Ottoman Turkey and you will find that for the most part, all races and all religions were safe there. Everyone prospered under the protection of Islam. The intolerance and violence we see today is not part of the Prophetic Sunnah, it’s not part of our noble heritage. And even when Muslims are the victims of injustice, we should not commit injustice to others. We should not let our oppressors become our teachers and role models. We should take advice from the Holy Quran:

“Laqad kana lakum Rasoolul-laahi uswatul hasanah…”

“You have indeed, in the Messenger of Allah, a beautiful pattern of conduct.”

As we engage with other people and as we face the ups and downs of life, we should always keep our sense of balance. Body, mind and soul must be in a state of equilibrium. The Arabic word is sakina. This is only possible when there is serenity and peace at the very centre of our being. It’s a gift from Allah, a reward for showing total reliance on Him. Purifying our soul, cleansing our heart is a lifelong process. The goal is to attain nearness to Allah, to become a friend of Allah. If we fail to purify our heart and soul with constant good thoughts, words and actions, there is a danger we’ll become a friend of the other guy. We could become friends of Satan, Shaytaan. We could become lovers of dirt and degradation, pursuing empty pleasures and corrupting ourselves and everyone around us. Sura Al Fajr says of the human soul:

“Wan nafsiw wama sow waahaa”

“By the Soul and the order and proportion given to it,”

“Qad af laha mun zak kaa haa, “Truly he succeeds that purifies it.”

Waqad’ khaaba man das-saahaa..” “And he fails who corrupts it.”

Brothers and sisters, at the end of our life’s journey, we all want to be winners, not losers. In His Holy Book, Allah reminds us that no one shall enter His garden except those with a sound heart. “Qalbun saleem”.

This is what the poet Jalaluddin Rumi describes as a polished mirror. Our good deeds will keep this mirror shining, unblemished, so that when we return to Allah and He looks down into our hearts, He will recognise His own reflection.

The same poet, Rumi, warns us of the dangers of procrastination, putting off our good deeds until later. We forget that time flies. We may not have another chance. He says that when we sit in a boat on a fast-flowing river, the trees on the riverbank seem to be racing past at breathtaking speed. But really, those trees are standing still. Their roots are firmly anchored to the earth. It is we who are speeding on towards our Destiny, towards our meeting point with Allah….

Brothers and sisters, let us act now, do all those good deeds now, while we still have time. Let’s cherish that little bit of heaven within us, purify our hearts, polish the mirror of our soul and return it to its Maker in factory perfect condition.

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. Amma ba’ad, And, after this,

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.

O Alláh! Send your greetings upon Muhammad and his family, just as you sent your greetings on Abraham, and his family. O Alláh, 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:

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, 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, honoured guests,

Over the next few days, millions of Muslims from all over the world will converge on Makkah. This is the season for Hajj, the Pilgrimage. Makka will expand like the womb of a pregnant mother, and for a few memorable days it will host more than 4 million people. Pilgrims will follow in the footsteps of Prophet Abraham, peace and blessings on him, who built the Kaaba, the world’s first place of worship there, long before any church, temple or synagogue was built. They will also follow the footsteps of his wife, Hagar, who ran between the hills of Safa and Marwa to find water for their son, Isma-il. They will remember Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son, when Allah ordered him to sacrifice what he loved most. The highlight of the Hajj will be on the day of wuqoof. Elsewhere around the world, more than a billion Muslims will be celebrating Eidul Adha on that day, but the pilgrims will all stand on the huge plain of Arafat. They will be following the footsteps of Adam and Eve. Here on Arafat, on a small hill called Jabal Rahma, the Mount of Mercy, Prophet Adam and his wife supplicated and pleaded with Allah to forgive them for their sins. Here on this same piece of real estate, every pilgrim will recite the same prayer that Adam recited, full of passion, full of humility and with tears of contrition streaming down their faces:

“Rabbana thalamna an fusana, wa il-lam tagh-fir lana watar-ham-na lana kuna minal khaasireen.” Sura 7:23

“Our Lord! We have wronged our own souls; if You do not forgive us and bestow Your Mercy on us, we will be surely be among the losers.”

Dear Brothers and Sisters, right here on the plain of Arafat, the first man and first woman sought forgiveness for the first act of disobedience, the original sin. This is were Allah showed us that His Mercy is greater than His Anger. Adam and Eve were forgiven. In the same way, every Muslim since time immemorial has sought forgiveness, in the same way and in the same place as Adam and Eve did. And so it will be until the end of time.

“Our Lord! We have wronged our own souls…”

Look at the choice of words. Adam could have said, “Our Lord, we have wronged You..” but he said, “we have wronged our own souls.” This clearly implies that sin is not only a transgression against God, against Allah, but it’s an own-goal, an injury that we inflict upon ourselves. If we leave our sins without repentance, they will not be forgiven and we face the punishment of hellfire. To repent, to admit our faults and to surrender ourselves to God’s mercy, is really to invite His forgiveness. Remember that forgiveness is not something that will visit us, uninvited. The Holy Quran describes Allah as Al-Ghafoorur-Raheem, ‘The Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Allahumma innaka ghafuwwun tuhubul afwa fa’fu’annaa.

“O Allah You are Most Forgiving. You love to forgive. Please forgive me!”

If our pilgrimage is successful, and if Allah accepts our pleas for Mercy and forgiveness, then we become like newborn babies. Islam teaches that all our sins are wiped away. We have a clean slate, a new beginning. This is the main objective of the pilgrimage: to get us one more chance.

During the days of pilgrimage we are dressed in 2 sheets of white cloth, just like burial shrouds. This reminds us of death. We have set aside all our designer clothes, our fine shoes and jewellery, all the trappings of wealth and status. We cannot tell the difference between a millionaire and a taxi driver, a State President and a window cleaner. When we see those millions of pilgrims all dressed in the same, simple manner, then we exactly know how Allah sees us all, with no pretentions, all equal in status except for our good deeds and our generosity to one another.

Let us pray that all pilgrims will have a successful Hajj this year. We pray that Allah will allow them safe passage to Makka, and safe journey back home.

Last year, I had the privilege of doing the Hajj with my wife and eldest daughter. For those of us who still aspire to make this great journey of a lifetime, let us pray that Allah will, in the near future, invite you to His Blessed House, insh-Allah, 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. (Quran 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, do 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!