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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My respected Brothers and Sisters in Islam,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ammaa ba’ad:

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

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

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

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

Second Khutbah

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

Dear brothers and sisters,

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ameen! Aqeemus salaah!

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

Khutbah delivered in Orange County, USA,

27th January 2011

http://vimeo.com/19291892

Click on this link for the video:

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

By Ihsaan Bassier, a high-school student

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Allah commands justice, the doing of good,

and giving generously towards one’s family.

He forbids indecency, manifest evil, and oppression.

He exhorts you so that you may be mindful.”

---

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Second Khutbah

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

رَبَّنَا آَتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآَخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ

“Our Lord, grant us goodness in this life,

as well as goodness in the hereafter,

and protect us from the torment of fire

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

“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 Sisters and Brothers,

There has been an appalling rise in violence against Christians in some Muslim countries. Churches have been set on fire, some Christians have been accused of blasphemy and some have been attacked in the most brutal manner. This violence must stop. It is cruel, inhumane, unjust and it is totally against the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad sws. If you look to our prophetic role model, you will see that he not only treated followers of the earlier scriptures, the ahle kitaab, [people of the Book] with the utmost respect, but he also urged his followers to do the same. Prophet Muhammad sws guaranteed the protection of other religions under Muslim rule. In a well known Hadith he said that anyone who kills a dhimmi, that is, a non-Muslim living in a Muslim land, he will not even smell the fragrance of paradise. The bigot and the zealot are deluded, believing they are doing a service to Islam by harming others, when in fact they do the work of Shaitaan. The true believer, the servant of the All Merciful, suffers from no such delusions. The true believer knows that Allah chooses to guide whom He pleases, and He leaves to stray whom He pleases. The true believer enjoys inner peace, emotional maturity and spiritual generosity. The true believer respects others, cares for others’ wellbeing. The true believer is the one in whom all of mankind will find a sanctuary, a safe haven, for their lives and property. In another hadith Prophet Muhammad said that

“A Muslim is one from whose tongue and hands other Muslims are safe. A Mu’min (true believer) is one in whom all mankind has a sanctuary for life and property”

Let us then try to be servants of the All Merciful. Let us follow the true path of the Prophetic Sunnah, and stay away from the crooked path of Shaitaan, who will constantly urge us to harm others in the name of Islam.

Prophet Muhammad had so much respect for Christians that he once offered a delegation from Najran to do their prayers in his mosque! How many of us Muslims today will follow that Sunnah? How many mosques anywhere in the Muslim world will allow Christians to pray there? Yet there are so many good examples of Christians showing Muslims kindness and hospitality. So many Jumu’ah prayers would not be possible, here and elsewhere, without the help of a local church or church hall. Right here at Royal Holloway University, we often use the Jurgens Centre, which belongs to the local Catholic Church. They have never refused us a Jumuah, or Eid prayer, whenever the hall was available. Should we then not at least speak out firmly against any injustice that is done to Christians in Muslim lands? I hope that Muslims everywhere will do their best to stop violence against Christians and other faith communities. We should utterly condemn any atrocities committed in the name of Islam, and we should offer no excuses for these criminal acts.

We must remember that when we protect people of other faiths we are not just doing an optional act of generosity or demonstrating so called ‘religious tolerance’ on our part. It’s really an Islamic duty, a clear imperative supported by the Quran and the Prophetic Sunnah.

Let us examine what the Quran has to say about respecting Christians and followers of the Jewish faith:

“La ikraha fid deen”

“Let there be no compulsion in matters of faith.” Al Baqara (2:256)

“Surely those who believe, and those who are Jews, and the Christians, and the Sabians, whoever believes in Allāh and the Last day and does good, they shall have their reward from their Lord, and there is no fear for them, nor shall they grieve.” Al Baqara [2:62]

“And do not argue with the People of the Book unless it be in a way that is better, except with those of them who do wrong. But say, ‘We believe in the Revelation which has come down to us and in that which came down to you. Our God and your God is One; and it is to Him we submit (in Islam).’” Al Ankaboot (29:46)

“Allah forbids you not, with regard to those who fight you not for (your) Faith nor drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them: for Allah loves those who are just.” Quran Al Mumtahina 60:08

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

Second Khutbah:

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

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

My dear sisters and brothers,

During the early years of Prophet Muhammad’s preaching in Makka, the Muslims suffered so much hatred and violence that a delegation was sent to Ethiopia. These were Islam’s first asylum seekers. They were welcomed by a just and generous Christian king, the Negus of Abyssinia who took care of them at a time when Islam faced mortal danger. Differences in faith did not matter. The king later became a Muslim.

An amazing document still exists today, signed by the Prophet’s own hand. This document is known as the ‘Charter of Privileges to the Christians’ and a facsimile is held in St Catherine’s Monastery in the Sinai desert, in Egypt. The original document is in the Topkapi Museum, in Istanbul.

Here is a translation of the Charter of Privileges:

This is a message from Muhammad ibn Abdullah, as a covenant to those who adopt Christianity, near and far, we are with them.
Verily I, the servants, the helpers, and my followers defend them, because Christians are my citizens; and by Allah! I hold out against anything that displeases them.
No compulsion is to be on them.
Neither are their judges to be removed from their jobs nor their monks from their monasteries.
No one is to destroy a house of their religion, to damage it, or to carry anything from it to the Muslims’ houses.
Should anyone take any of these, he would spoil God’s covenant and disobey His Prophet. Verily, they are my allies and have my secure charter against all that they hate.
No one is to force them to travel or to oblige them to fight.
The Muslims are to fight for them.
If a female Christian is married to a Muslim it is not to take place without her approval. She is not to be prevented from visiting her church to pray.
Their churches are to be respected. They are neither to be prevented from repairing them nor the sacredness of their covenants.
No one of the nation (Muslims) is to disobey the covenant till the Last Day (end of the world).

This charter of privileges has been honoured and faithfully applied by many Muslim regimes throughout the centuries. Those who ‘spoil God’s Covenant’ and disobey clear instructions from Prophet Muhammad will have to answer to Almighty Allah. Let us therefore show respect and love for fellow believers among the ‘People of the earlier Scriptures.’ This is what Allah commands us to do, and for more than 14 centuries, Prophet Muhammad’s letter has reminded us all of this Covenant.

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

This Friday khutbah was authored and delivered by Arshad Gamiet at the Royal Holloway University of London on 3rd Dec 2010

Khutbah

You are a Royal Falcon

Arshad Gamiet/Royal Holloway University of London/Date 2011

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My Dear Sisters and Brothers,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Second Khutbah:

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

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

My dear sisters and brothers,

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

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

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

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

Brothers and sisters, to conclude our khutbah:

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

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

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

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

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

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

More than 4000 years ago, in the then city of Ur, a young man by the name of Abram or Ibrahim stole in the temple of Nanna, when the high priests were away attending a town festival and broke all the idols, the false objects of worship and submission, as he thought to himself. This was perhaps, the first act of ideological revolution in a civilized settlement of humans and the first ever expression of the rejection of false gods.

In so far as the archeologists have excavated, explored and unrivalled the history of civilization, the first ever civilization, which has revealed itself was in Mesopotamia (that is in present day Iraq). There were those Sumerian cities on the banks of the river Euphrates. Then some time in the third millennium B.C. a strong man by the name of Sargon conquered the various cities and established the Akkadian empire centered in the city of Akkad or Agade. Then after a few hundred years, when the Akkadian empire was waning, there was a short Sumerian revival and a third Sumerian dynasty came to power in Ur. At the time of Ibrahim (A), there was a king by the name of Ur-Nammu. The Judaic traditions mention his name as Nimrod, although the Qur’an doesn’t give the king any name: simply talks about him as malik (king). This king was very powerful. He gave the world the first ever legal code, 300 years before the code of Hammurabi. He erected Ziggurat (Zaqqarat), the tall structures like the pyramids. This king, also, probably for the first time in human history institutionalized polytheism, idol worship, in violation of what was engrained in human consciousness from day one. There were temples dedicated to sun, the moon and various other objects. The temple of Nanaa was the temple dedicated to moon. This was the temple where the young Ibrahim (A) carried out his act of idol breaking. With this historic act began the battle between Towheed and Shirk in human history. The legends associated with this battle have come to us through the Bible but the Qur’an gives us a wonderful narrative of a dialogue which ensued between the king, who ruled at the time and Ibrahim (A), one, an idol maker and the other, an idol breaker. This dialogue is a masterpiece of logic ever to be found in any literature.

Alam tara ila al-ladhi hajja Ibrahima fi rabbihi an atahullahul mulk.

Have you not seen the one, who argued with Ibrahim about his lord, the one whom Allah had given the kingdom?

Idh qala Ibrahimu rabbi al-ladhi yuhi wa yumit

When Ibrahim said that my Lord is the one who gives life and takes it away

Qala ana uhi wa umit

He replied: “I give life and I take life.”

(Legend has it that the king ordered two prisoners, who were condemned to death, to be brought in. He ordered one prisoner to be executed and pardoned the other one.)

Qala Ibrahimu fa innallaha yati bisshamsi min al-mashriq fati biha min al-maghrib fa buhitat al-ladhi kafar.

Ibrahim said: “ But surely Allah makes the sun rise from the east. You make it rise from the west. The one who talked kufr was thus confounded.”

No discussion, no debate and argument between the greatest philosophers of the world could be as clear and conclusive as in this dialogue given in the Qur’an. It’s beauty and simplicity is astounding.

As we can see, this conflict between the truth and falsehood, monotheism and polytheism, Towheed and Shirk started right at the dawn of civilization and is with us ever since. The Qur’an says that Ibrahim (A) was the imam (the leader) of the mankind. A leader is the one, who sets out to articulate his message; in this case inviting people to believe in one god and to reject false gods. As the history has told us, Ibrahim (A) left Mesopotamia; went to Kan’an, Syria and Egypt (the so called Fertile Crescent), before settling in Kan’an, the present day Palestine. This was the whole world of civilization at that time. Wherever he went, he invited people to Towheed (belief in One God, the creator, the one who gives life and takes life, the one who makes the sun rise from the east, acts which no one else in the universe can emulate, nor have any share in such action. Thus the essence of the kalmia: La ilaha illa Allah, the first element of the Islamic faith was institutionalized and which permeated the consciousness of every human being for all times to come.

Inviting people to Allah, which we call Da’wah is the most important Abrahamic tradition. Also, the breaking of idols as we have seen is another tradition of Ibrahim (A). The battle began with the smashing of idols in the temple of Nanna. You can take it as the manifestation of the first political action. History suggests that Ur-Nammu was the first to establish a kingdom. This action, this battle is never a one-time battle. The conflict is ongoing and eternal. Once you have broken some idols you cannot sit on your laurels, as the idols have a tendency to pop up again and again, at one place or another. Ibrahim’s (A) Sunnah had to be repeated by Prophet Mohammad (S) after he conquered Mekka. He smashed the heads of Lat wa Manat with his own hands. There is a symbolism here. Idols may not be made of stone. The icons of falsehood come in various shapes and forms. Sometimes the idols are ideas of falsehood. Sometimes, they are abstract like tyranny, oppression and injustice. With the smashing of their heads at one time and place in history, they do not disappear forever. They germinate again in suitable circumstance. It is therefore of absolute necessity that the revolutions made by Ibrahim (A) and by Mohammad (S) are kept alive, active and continuous. This continuous revolution is named in the Qur’an: amr bil maroof wa nahi an al-munkar enjoining good and forbidding evil..

In the context of our own history the conquest of Ka’ba did not solve the problem for ever. There was only a respite for a period; then the idols came back and set themselves up in Arabia, in Cairo, Baghdad, and Damascus and in all the other cities of the Crescent. For centuries, it looked as though the Sunnah of breaking the idols was in abeyance. The hands which are made to break the idols were paralyzed. It is only now, it seems that a ray of hope has penetrated the darkness of despair and we have witnessed the so-called Arab Spring, in Tunisia and in Egypt. The struggle continues in other countries. Time and again, year after year, we stood here as khateebs and decried the subjugation, which Muslims suffered and cursed the tyrants, who had terrorized the Muslim Ummah. We had given up hope and thought that the moment of liberation would not arrive at least in our life time but we had underestimated the spirit of our young people. They rose up, first in Tunisia, then in Egypt, in Libya, in Yemen and in Bahrain. However, the biggest challenge we are facing today is how to keep the Spring free from infiltration and contamination. The enemies of Revolution have joined the ranks of the revolutionaries, looking for opportunities to sabotage and subvert. There are ex-colonialists and neo-colonialists. There are demons coming forward wearing the faces of angels. History shows that any gold they have touched has turned into dust. The revolutionaries need not rejoice too soon. They need to be forever vigilant.

Our generation is living through one of the most tumultuous times in history. Only two decades ago, the world was divided into two camps: communism and capitalism. The protagonists of each camp believed in the absolute validity of their beliefs. They believed that their own system was the answer to all the problems of mankind. Then all of a sudden one camp tumbled and disintegrated, making the other camp the master of the whole world, allowing it to be arrogant to the extreme, hitting out in all directions and proclaiming a “new world order”. Soon the surviving camp realized that it was witnessing the second phase of a new world disorder. Communism was gone and capitalism is tattering at the edge of a disaster. It is committing suicide. People have woken up and a world revolution has begun, in New York, in Oakland and in almost every capitol in the world. While the communist system suffered from a lack of incentive and ownership, resulting in low productivity, capitalism gave incentive and utmost freedom to a few people to exploit and plunder. The vulnerability and the misery of the people was a commodity sold for exploitation. The gap between the rich and the poor kept widening and now it has reached a danger point. As we now well know 1% of the people own 40% of the wealth in this country (USA). A recent study has shown that one in fifteen people in America is suffering from extreme poverty. Who is to blame? A presidential candidate, who is a billionaire and happens to be black, has said that if you are not rich it is your own fault!

So, how did this gap between the rich and the poor develop and is widening every day? The answer is not as complicated as some people may think. It lies in the phrase: “redistribution of wealth”. This phrase is associated with socialism i.e. take from the rich and give to the poor. In fact it works both ways. What has happened during the past few decades is that the wealth has flown in the wrong direction: from the poor to the rich. Wages have been stagnant; benefits reduced, unions busted. Globalization has brought extremely competitive labor market. Jobs have been exported. All this has caused the income of the poor and the middle class to drop and the profits to increase, which the employers have refused to share with the employees. There was a time, when they used to share it with the workers and the wages were linked to productivity; not any more. Many corporations, including the pharmaceutical companies do not pay a penny in tax. The GE has paid zero income tax in America. At this time of widespread unemployment, the corporations are sitting on three trillion dollars of cash, which they could invest but are not investing and yet there is a lie being spread that if you give the rich a tax break they would invest that money and the economy would improve.

The oil companies wait for a small upheaval in the Middle East. As soon as it happens they jack up the gas prices. Each increase in the gas prices, while making windfall profits for the gas companies, increases food prices worldwide. As a result, people who are living on the edge of poverty fall off the edge. This is the grand larceny, which goes unpunished, even rewarded under Capitalism. Why are they unpunished? It is because they share some of their loot with the lawmakers.

We are only too aware of how the whole world economy was brought to a ruin by the greed of a few people recently, making scores of people homeless and throwing millions of people into misery, hunger and poverty. As it happened they first sold the so-called subprime mortgages to the unsuspecting, uneducated and vulnerable people; then packaged those toxic assets and sold them to unsuspecting investors. Knowing that these assets were going to fail, they bet against them and made enormous amounts of money. We all know what happened since. The banking system crashed, the whole world economy collapsed, making millions of people unemployed and homeless. What happened to these criminals? Did they go to prison? No. Our government again took our money and gave it to them under the pretext of stabilizing the system, which they used to give themselves bonuses. Goldman-Sachs has set aside $292,000/ per staff member as bonus this year, while millions of people in this country are struggling to make ends meet as a result of their criminal acts.

They threw the Patriot Act at us, setting themselves up as the symbols of patriotism. In fact it is the 1% elite, who are anything but patriotic, the antithesis of patriotism. They include the politicians, legislators, the incumbent presidents and the prospective presidents, who come to you for votes but serve the special interest groups after being elected. They have nobody’s interests in mind except their own. Marx and Engels had declared: “workers of the world unite”. They did not but the capitalists of the world did.

They start wars so that the businesses associated with the war industry may prosper, appealing to your patriotic instinct, designing and fashioning enemies for you, whom you are expected to hate in the darkness of your prejudiced minds, which they have crafted for you. This country of ours sent our sons and daughters to two world wars, the Korean War, the war in Vietnam, two Gulf wars and the Afghan War. What were your interests in those wars? The WWI started because a crackpot Serbian assassinated the crown prince of Austria: Archduke Ferdinand and the major European monarchs declared war against each other. The WWII started as Germany was economically oppressed as a result of the Treaty of Versailles and the German territories were taken from Germany and were given to the adjacent countries, forcing a resurrected Germany under Hitler to go to war to regain those territories. Wars in Korea and Vietnam were fought to stop the Domino Effect, whatever it meant! Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were fought on behalf of an unjust and unlawful state in the Middle East. Can any man in the street say that he benefitted from these wars? Those who benefitted were in the top one percent of the population, the capitalists and the industrialists, who paid the politicians to carry out these operations on their behalf. And of course like the elite members of the Roman Senate they claimed the crown of patriotism for themselves.

This country of ours, founded on the noblest principles of freedom and justice is now flouting justice domestically and internationally. Our prison population is one of the highest in the world. The poor are more likely to be convicted and executed than the rich. The black people, who are only 7% of the population, have a 32% share in the prison population. Our present administration, drunk with unchallenged power has broken every international law. Extrajudicial killing is its favorite pastime. Once in the middle ages there was this Old Man of the Mountains called Hassan Ibn Sabah, who created the act of assassination on the world stage. Centuries later, our government, equipped with drones instead of daggers is staging the same act in a grand finale.

In 2012, the circus of elections begins again. In 2008 the young people in this country were very optimistic. Today, that optimism has evaporated. They are on the streets now to occupy Wall Street and close down Oakland. They do not have any trust in the system or in the politicians. This may be the beginning of a revolution, at least in the thinking.

We as Muslims, have a greater reason to be skeptical. We know that both Communism and Capitalism are not the solutions to the ills of the society. We knew at the outset that these systems would fail. We have a better system, economic, social and political but we do not have a model of this system anywhere in the world today because of the dark ages which have interrupted our civilization.

The big question however is whether we should partake in the political circus of elections which is to come shortly while many honest non-Muslim citizens are rejecting it. I think that we should do well by keeping our distance from this ugly drama of treachery and deceit.

Reflections on the Hajj

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My Dear Brothers and Sisters,

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

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

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

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

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

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

and they all answered together in one thunderous voice,

“Balaa shahidna”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Second Khutbah:

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

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

Respected  brothers and sisters,

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

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

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

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

Brothers and sisters, to conclude our khutbah:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ameen.                   Aqeemus salaah!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My respected Brothers and Sisters,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Amma ba’ad, And, after this,

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

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

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

Ammaa ba’ad:

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

Part Two:

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

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

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ameen. Aqeemus salaah!

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

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

(You can listen to this khutbah here: )

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My Dear Sisters and Brothers,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Then the following verses continue:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Second Khutbah:

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

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

My dear sisters and brothers,

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

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

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

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

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

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

Brothers and sisters, to conclude our khutbah:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ameen.    Aqeemus salaah

Khutbah

Empowering New Muslims

Arshad Gamiet/Royal Holloway University of London/Date 2010

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My Dear Sisters and Brothers,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Second Khutbah:

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

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

My dear sisters and brothers,

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

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

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

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

Brothers and sisters, to conclude our khutbah:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Khutbah

Bringing Back Barakah

Arshad Gamiet/Royal Holloway University of London/Date 2011

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

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

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

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

O You who believe, – 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 Sisters and Brothers,

I recently visited the Jameel Gallery in London’s Victoria and Albert Museum. It has an amazing collection of arts and crafts from the great days of Muslim civilization, covering a thousand years from the 8^th to the 19^th Centuries. What impressed me most was the fact that many of these carpets, ceramic plates, vases, lamps and jewel boxes were owned by ordinary Muslim folk like you and me, quite unexceptional people, Centuries ago, you could walk into any Muslim home and find these items in daily use. Yet now these objects command astronomical sums in the auction rooms of London, Paris and New York! Our ancestors crafted their tools and utensils into objects of exceptional beauty, whose value increases even long after they themselves had passed away. This is something we ought to reflect on. How did this happen? How did our ancestors make things of such exquisite beauty and ever increasing value, when today we make things that soon become valueless?

These days we make most things by machine, Carpets, clothing, lamps, wall decorations and even the food we eat is often ‘untouched by human hand’ made in giant manufacturing complexes. Huge industries produce our cars, phones, gadgets and gizmos, items that won’t last, that lose their value so quickly. Compared to the handmade craftsmanship of an earlier age, our modern items appear to be so bereft of blessings. Why? Could it be that few of us remember Allah constantly during our daily work?

At the Prince’s School of Traditional Arts [established by Prince Charles] they teach their students how our ancestors used to sing praises to Allah (Dhikr) while they carved the wood, or polished the brass or mixed the colours for their exquisite handiwork. It was truly a labour of love. Every mundane action was simply an extended form of dhikr, of loving remembrance of Allah. Prayer, salaat, was not some kind of inconvenience that had to be rushed into a busy workday schedule. Prayer and dhikr was for our ancestors, the central point, the framework around which they planned their days, and earned their livelihood. Work was not just a means of ‘putting bread on the table.’ Work itself became an extended form of worship, of Dhikr, bringing Allah to remembrance. That’s how they created objects of such incredible light and beauty. That’s how their work earned Allah’s blessings. The Barakah was Allah’s reward for keeping Him in mind, with every breath and every heartbeat. Dhikr was not something reserved for special occasions or hurriedly done after prayers. It was part of the fabric of life. A scholar once remarked:

“Wasted, wasted wasted is the one’s life whose breath was not spent in remembrance of Allah.” That’s why we can still find traces of that divine blessing, that barakah in what remains of their works of art even to this day. Dhikr and salawaat (salutations on Prophet Muhammad) didn’t have to wait for some special time or occasion. It was part of the fabric of daily life. Without it, the day was not complete.

The Holy Quran tells us where true, lasting happiness can be found:

“Al-latheena aamanu, watat ma-innul quloobuhum, bi thikril-Laah. Ala bi thikrullaahi tatmainnahul quloob.”

“Those who have faith and whose hearts find satisfaction in Remembering Allah. Truly in remembering Allah will hearts find satisfaction” [S13:28]

Allah also reminds us in a famous Hadith Qudsi:

“I am as My servant thinks I am. I am with him when he makes mention of Me. If he makes mention of Me to himself, I make mention of him to Myself; and if he makes mention of Me in an assembly, I make mention of him in an assembly even better than that. And if he takes one step towards me, I take ten steps towards him. And if he comes walking to Me I go running towards him.” (Hadith Qudsi)

Brothers and sisters, where have the blessings gone?  Where’s the barakah of our lives today? We get things with so much ease. We don’t even have to leave home to do the shopping or to do serious academic research. One or two clicks on Google saves us many hours trawling through libraries and archives. One or two clicks and our groceries are delivered on our doorstep. Cheap flights enjoyed in a few hours of air-conditioned luxury cover distances that took our ancestors many months of dangerous travel over land and sea. In our highly mechanised world of work, our jobs don’t require the physical effort of yesteryear. We suffer obesity, backache and other ailments that come from too little physical activity. We earn so much more, and we own so much more than our predecessors. Yet in the most important ways, we are so much poorer than they were. And we’re less happy.

A BBC survey on human happiness found that people in Britain are today less happy than they were 60 years ago. In the 1950’s British people were much poorer. The majority had little personal wealth; homes were rented not owned, few had cars and yet there was a conspicuously greater sense of wellbeing and contentment. More people attended church regularly and fewer people than today would have described themselves as having no religion. Over the past half-century it seems that increasing personal wealth has been accompanied by a decrease in religious adherence.

The modern way is to keep religion purely in the private domain. Don’t even mention it in public. It’s not polite. No wonder there’s no blessing, no barakah in our lives. Once we remove the sacred from the public sphere, all we’ve left are the concerns of dunya, our material possessions, and our fragile egos that need to be massaged and worshipped like the false gods they are. Our lives are fraught with fears and anxieties, and we don’t understand why, in spite of being so materially well off, we are also deeply unhappy, so unfulfilled. Our parents and grandparents had only a fraction of the resources we have, yet they lived perfectly happy and complete lives. They earned so much less, but there was barakah in their wealth. It seemed like their meagre resources went so much further than the huge sums of money we handle today. Our ancestors easily raised big families with six or eight children. Today we struggle with 2 or 3.

How can we restore barakah in our lives again? How can we make modern life more fruitful, happy and enriching to ourselves and all those around us?

Time is short and our khutbah can only touch on the key points:

Priorities. Let’s put first things first. Don’t allow yourself to be deceived by putting your money, your career, your selfish ego, your vanity or your family and friends before Allah. Allah comes first.

Take time to do your prayers, Dhikr and other religious duties. Don’t treat your prayers and fasting and charity and Hajj as if these are hard chores that have to be done, without love and devotion. It’s not like some unwelcome but necessary chore like washing dishes or cleaning your room.

Appreciate Allah’s gifts. Everything we have comes from Him. So let’s start and end by thanking Him, praising Him, and keeping Allah foremost in our thoughts and feelings, 24/7 and not just on Fridays, not just in Ramadan.

Our ancestors were amazing artists, craftsmen and women whose work holds pride of place in the world’s top galleries and museums. They knew how to bring Barakah into their lives. They never forgot Allah for a moment. All day, as they spun their fabrics and shaped their patterns in wood, marble and glass, the asma’ ul husna, Allah’s beautiful Names were singing on their lips, Dhikr and salawaat smoothed the hard work of the day. By constantly keeping their hearts and minds connected to the Source of all Beauty, their hands fashioned objects of timeless beauty: Barakah, divine blessing expressed in earthly materials. Prophet Muhammad said that Allah is “jameel wa hibbul jimaal.” Allah is Beautiful, and He loves Beauty.

Let us then try to be like our ancestors. Let us bring Barakah into our own lives by bringing constant, rhythmic Remembrance of Allah into the big and small things we do. Let’s just not say, “Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem” in a thoughtless, mechanical way, as a force of habit. Let us really think, reflect and put purpose and meaning behind those words when we sanctify our actions “In the Name of Allah, the All Merciful, All Compassionate.” We have to retrain ourselves so that we imagine, in our mind’s eye, that we are constantly in the Presence of the Almighty. Imagine that we are in the grand audience hall of the Lord of the Universe. Be aware that every moment of our lives we are under His all-knowing all-pervasive Vision. Nothing is hidden from Allah, not even our innermost, unspoken thoughts.

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

Second Khutbah:

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

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

My dear sisters and brothers,

To bring Allah’s blessings, Baraka, back into our lives, we will have to start by cultivating a vibrant inner life. We have to stir an awakened spiritual consciousness within us, to light up the dreariness and darkness in our own lives. And, if it pleases Allah, when we do so, perhaps we, too, can inspire others, and hold out a candle to them.

We begin with a few small, simple steps. Try, just for one day, to stop malicious behaviour. Stop lying, backbiting, envying or deceiving others. Try, just for one day, to be an absolutely truthful, generous, forgiving, patient, loyal and upright person. It’s tough, but we can all make a start. Just try it for one day; let’s do it. Let’s commit ourselves. Then, when we’ve done this, we can try to repeat that for one more day, and so on.

To bring Barakah back into our lives, we must restore Dhikr, the constant and loving Remembrance of Allah, into our lives. Everything we do, big or small, must be infused with a sense of utter humility, a sense of awesome awareness of Allah’s generosity and greatness. Only when we become truly grateful for His countless blessings, will Allah send even more blessings down to us, from His limitless Bounty.

I pray that Allah will accept our prayers, and bring us all closer to Him, restore blessings into all our lives. Ameen.

Brothers and sisters, to conclude our khutbah:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ameen.                   Aqeemus salaah

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

“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 Sisters and Brothers,

What can we learn from the momentous events that are now unfolding across North Africa and the Middle East? The full impact of what is happening there has yet to be assessed. In the meantime, some important lessons are emerging: Firstly, our rulers should serve their people; People should not be expected to serve their rulers. Sadly, some Muslim rulers see themselves as modern Pharaohs, running their countries like a greedy family business. They have modest beginnings and end up as multi-billionaires, This is absolutely wrong. If you read the Quran and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad, you will see what an enormous responsibility lies on the shoulders of a ruler.

The Quran does not tell us in detail what a Halal government should look like: whether it should be a monarchy, a republic or a parliamentary democracy. After the death of Prophet Muhammad sws his pious Companions, the sahaaba, established a system of leadership known as the Caliphate. The leader or Caliph was responsible for the well being of all Muslims all over the world, as well as for the wellbeing of non-Muslims who live in Muslim lands. The Caliph has to be elected, and has to refer to the Quran and the prophetic examples for guidance. He has no right to appoint his own family as his successors. Muslim rulers should remember that they are there to serve the greater good of human society, not to serve their own personal whims and caprices. They must always guarantee freedom and justice for everyone.

At the end of every khutbah we hear these words: “Innal-laaha ya’muru bil ‘adl” “Allah commands justice…” It’s not an option or an afterthought. Justice is imperative: it’s the absolutely irreducible minimum, non-negotiable element of society. A civilized human society is built on Justice. Later the Quran also says:

“Obey Allah, and obey His Messenger, and those charged with authority over you.”[Quran chapter 4:v53]

Hence first Caliph, Sayiddna Abu Bakr, when he was appointed Ameerul Mu’mineen, Commander of the Faithful, he famously declared:

“O Muslims, follow me as long as I follow Allah and His Prophet. If I should deviate from that, I no longer have any right to your obedience.”

Leadership is all about accountability. A Muslim leader is accountable not only to those he leads, but also to Allah. It is with Allah’s permission that we achieve anything. We must realise that He will hold us to account. The 2^nd Caliph, Sayyidna Omar, gave this wise advice:

“Take account of yourself, before you are brought to account.” Caliph Omar was so diligent in his responsibilities. He once said that while he was ruling in Madinah, he was so worried that if a donkey trips and injures itself in Baghdad because of a pothole in the road, Allah will hold him accountable for negligence. Imagine that! How many leaders, Muslim or otherwise, could match Sayyidna Omar’s sense of responsibility? No wonder he and the other 3 original Caliphs will always be known as the Khilaafat ar-raashidun, the rightly-guided Caliphate.

In Islam, good rulers never seek power and authority. A good ruler is someone who is chosen by his people, and who accepts it humbly and reluctantly. The worst rulers are those who crave power, who are too eager to get the top job. They usually want to rule for the wrong reasons.

Another clear lesson from the events in North Africa: Allah’s decree is swift and decisive. In human terms we sometimes feel we are waiting almost to the point of despair, for relief from oppression. The Egyptians and Libyans have waited for 30-40 years, ruled by tyrants using brute force, and the end of their suffering is not yet clearly in sight. But Allah is fully in control over every detail in His creation. If we endure the test that Allah has presented before us, if we show determination, untiring effort, patience and reliance on His Mercy, then He will reward us. That we must believe for certain.

“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!” (Quran 2:214)

Never forget that Allah is constantly watchful over His creation, and that nothing escapes his attention, even our most secret, unspoken thoughts. “’Aalimul ghayb wash-shahaadah,” He knows all things, both secret and open, and everything is perfectly under His control, under His authority. People rise from obscurity to power and fame by Allah’s permission, and they fall from power and grace into humiliation, by Allah’s permission. His decree is irresistible, His power is absolute, yet, Allah’s intentions for His creation are always, unfailingly good. Read Sura Al-Imraan, verses 26-29:

“Qulil-laah humma maalikal mulki tu’til mulka man-tashaa’u watanzi-ul mulka mim-man-tashaa’, Wa tu’izzu man-tashaa’ watuzillu man-tashaa’ Biyadikal khair. Innaka ‘alaa kulli shay-in qadeer! [Sura Al-‘Imraan 3:27]

“Say: ‘O Allah, Sovereign of all dominion, You grant dominion to whom You will and take dominion away from whom You will. You exalt whom You will and abase whom You will. In Your hand is all that is good. You are able to do all things”. (Al-Imran, Verse 26)…”

We Muslims must have faith that ultimately everything is safe in Allah’s loving care. When Allah decrees a thing, he only has to say:

“Kun! Faya kuun..” Be! And it is!

Once people have broken through the fear barrier, nothing can stop them. When people no longer fear injury or death, they become a force to be reckoned with. Victor Hugo wrote, a hundred years ago, that: “Nothing is more powerful than an idea whose time has come.”  Today in North Africa and the Middle East, Freedom is the idea. The desire for freedom can defeat the mightiest armies. Let us pray that our brothers and sisters, who have suffered so hard for so long, will soon enjoy the freedoms that we in this country enjoy and sometimes take for granted. Ameen.

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

Second Khutbah:

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

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

My dear sisters and brothers,

We are all leaders of one kind or another. In our families, in our business or workplace, in our sports and social circles, we are called upon to lead others at some time in our lives. How do we exercise that authority, so that we promote the greater good, in a way that pleases Allah? We have seen clearly on the news these days, how bad things can get when leaders lose sight of their role as servants of their people, and they delude themselves into thinking that by some divine right, they have become the masters, to be served by others.

If we always hold ourselves to account, if we constantly monitor our inward state, the state of the heart, we can keep our greed, our ego and vanity, our lower passions in check. No person is born evil. The path from innocence to evil is a slippery one that begins with a little forgetfulness and distraction.

Only Dhikr, constant, loving, passionate remembrance of Allah is what polishes the heart and keeps it free of evil inclinations. Dhikr removes the rust of forgetfulness and distraction that can lead us to do wrong. That’s the secret. That’s the way we keep our hearts pure. That’s how we can prevent ourselves from sliding down the slippery slope that leads us away from Allah’s protecting Mercy and Grace. That’s what ultimately will protect us from hellfire: Dhikr, remembering Allah.

A scholar once said that the jihad-al-nafs, the struggle for inward purification, is what takes the spearhead out of the hands of a madman. That metaphor of course applied to bygone times. Nowadays we could say that constant Dhikr is what takes the gun or the bomb out of the hands of a madman. Without this crucial inward struggle, as leaders we risk simply becoming fools, tyrants and mass murderers.

Let us all remember Prophet Muhammad’s advice to his soldiers when they returned from a battle:

“You have now returned from the lesser Jihad. Now you must battle with the greater Jihad.”

He was of course, referring to the battle with one’s own demons, deep within our hearts: the battle to subdue our own greed, our envy, anger, lust and all the inclinations of the lower nafs, the nafs-al-ammara bis sow. That’s the nafs that inclines towards evil.

If the Muslim world of the future to be spared the corruption and tyranny we have seen for so long, then we must prepare ourselves for a different kind of leadership. Who knows, perhaps a future Muslim leader may well be right here today amongst us in this Jumuah! Allah alone knows! Let us therefore be prepared. Let us also remember that:

Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is within themselves, (i.e. what is withing their hearts). (Sura Al Anfaal 8:53)

And, ultimately, no one shall enter Allah’s garden, except those with a sound heart, qalb saleem. Let us constantly purify our hearts, by remembering Allah constantly, lovingly, in Dhikr.

Let  us take our leadership roles seriously, whether we lead a student group, a family, a big business or a nation. Big or small, we are all Caliphs, trustees of whatever Allah has placed in our trust. We must hold ourselves accountable, before we are brought to account.

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.