KhutbahBank » Text khutbah

Don’t judge others too harshly

Editors — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 18:00:35 +0000

To hear this audio khutbah, click here:

The TEXT of the khutbah follows:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My Dear Sisters and Brothers,

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sura Al-Teen reminds us in these eloquent words:

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

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

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

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

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

Second Khutbah:

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

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

My dear sisters and brothers,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My dear sisters and brothers,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Brothers and sisters, to conclude our khutbah:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ameen. Aqeemus salaah

Christians and Muslims: The Other Story

Editors — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 14:31:37 +0000

Christians and Muslims: the other story

Arshad Gamiet/Royal Holloway University of London/16^th March 2012

(to listen to this khutbah, or to download the audio version, please click 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”

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.”

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 the verse I just quoted, the Holy Quran reminds us that we are all descended from common ancestors, we are all children of Adam and Eve, peace be on them. Yet there are still people who forget this, and who treat others with unbelievable hatred and contempt. In recent days, some Christians have been burning Qurans and some Muslims have been bombing churches and committing acts of mindless terror. They claim they are defending their religion and serving God. But each group is equally misguided. They’re just massaging their own bruised egos. Senseless violence between followers of one great religion and another has nothing to do with real faith.

Wars between Crusaders and Caliphates tell us more about the political rivalry for wealth and power between two civilizations. It tells us nothing about the spiritual connection that has always existed, very strongly, between believing Christians and believing Muslims.

In today’s khutbah I want to focus on this topic. Let’s look at three remarkable Christians to illustrate the intimate connection between the followers of Jesus and Muhammad, may Allah’s peace and blessings be on both of them. We can learn some important lessons from their stories.

They are Bahira, Waraqa and Najashi, the king, the Negus of Abyssinia.

Let’s begin with Bahira the Monk. As we know, Prophet Muhammad was an orphan. His father died before he was born, and his mother died just a few years later. So he was left in the care of his uncle Abu Talib. One day Abu Talib decided to take him along with a caravan to Syria. Along this route was a monastery. Bahira, a Christian monk lived there.

As the caravan approached, Bahira noticed a small cloud was shading it from the sun, in an otherwise cloudless sky. When the caravan stopped by a tree, the cloud also stopped. This tree, by the way, is still alive, subhanallah! It’s still there. It’s the only tree, in fact the only vegetation of any kind, for more than 100 miles in any direction, between Jordan and Syria. This tree stands all alone in the empty desert, the last living sahaba, the last living entity still connected with our beloved Prophet, sws

Bahira invited the travellers to a meal, and after examining the boy Muhammad closely he recognised the mark of prophet-hood on his back. He advised Abu Talib to take good care of him, because his own people would seek to harm him.

Our story goes fast-forward to a mountain cave near Makka and Muhammad is now a man of 40. He often comes here to meditate, but tonight, one of the last 10 nights of Ramadan, a strange thing happens. Suddenly, the Angel Gabriel appears, and hugs Muhammad in a tight embrace, almost squeezing the life out of him, commanding him to read. He protests: I cannot read! I’m illiterate! But again and again he is commanded: Read! Until the first verses of the Holy Quran come forth from his lips:

“Bismillaahir Rahmaanir Raheem! Iqra! Bismi Rabbikal lathee khalaq! Khalaqal insaana min ‘alaq. Iqra wa rabbukal akram; Al-lathee ‘al lama bil qalam, ‘alamal insaana ma lam ya’alam”

In the name of Allah, the All- Merciful, the All-Compassionate.
READ! In the name of thy Lord Who created, (1) Created man from a clot of blood. (2) Read: And thy Lord is the Most Bounteous, (3) Who teaches by the pen, (4) Teaches man that which he knew not

This was the beginning of Muhammad’s assignment as God’s last Prophet. Gripped by fear and dread, he rushed home to his wife, Khadija, pleading, “Cover me, cover me!” He feared that he was losing his mind. But Khadija reassured him, saying “You always maintain family ties, always feed the poor and you stand by the downtrodden. Allah would never humiliate you or forsake you.” And where do you think she took him to find advice and consolation? To the rich and powerful, the grandees of Makka? No! She was rich and powerful herself. But she took him to her cousin, Waraqa, a poor man in failing health who was a Christian. He was old and losing his sight, but he reassured Muhammad that this event was foretold in earlier scripture. “If I lived long enough I would stand by you, even when your people turn against you,” said Waraqa. “Will my people turn against me?” asked Prophet Muhammad. Waraqa replied: “Never has a prophet brought what your will bring without his people turning against him.”

We are reminded here, that Abraham, Noah, Moses and Jesus all met with ingratitude and violent rebellion from their own people, the very people who needed to be saved from themselves. Doesn’t that sound familiar? People of faith are always resisted by their own people who prefer to worship the false idols of power, greed and vanity.

Here’s another example of a great Christian of the time,The king, the Negus of Abyssinia, who protected a small group of Muslims from persecution from their own tribe, the Qureish of Makka.

As soon as Prophet Muhammad started preaching his message, he made enemies, lethal enemies. He called on people to worship the One God of Abraham and Moses and Jesus, not the many idols, 360 idols of wood and stone adorning the kaaba. This was bad for business. Imagine someone preaching against capitalism and consumerism in Trafalgar Square! Not quite the same earth-shaking message, but imagine! Prophet Muhammad urged people to stop burying alive their baby daughters, for the strong to stop oppressing the weak, for the tribes to stop genocidal warfare. He was calling for change, radical change, and his enemies, sensing a threat to their power and authority, started torturing and killing his followers.

Islam was now in mortal danger.

So as a precaution, Prophet Muhammad sent a small group to Abyssinia/ Ethiopia. “There you will find a just and tolerant Christian ruler who will protect you,” he assured them. These were the world’s first Muslim Asylum seekers, given protection by a Christian king in Africa, 1,400 years ago! Today, Good Christians in Britain and Europe are still following this noble tradition, taking care of asylum seekers who fear persecution in their own countries!

What about Muslim hospitality towards Christians?

While he was the Governor of Madinah, Prophet Muhammad received a delegation of Christians from Najran in Southern Arabia. When it was time to pray, they had no place to pray, so he invited them into his mosque and allowed them to pray in there.

My dear brothers and sisters! How many of us Muslims will do that today? How many mosques anywhere in the Muslim world, will offer their Christian neighbours that courtesy exemplified by our own Prophet?

Here at Royal Holloway University, in a few weeks time when students write their exams, we’ll have to do our Friday prayers in another hall. For years, we’ve used the Jurgens Centre at exam time. The Jurgens Centre belongs to the local Catholic Church. Remember that. We Muslims do our Friday prayers in a hall owned by the Catholic Church. 1400 years after the Najran Christians prayed in Prophet Muhammad’s mosque, Christians in Englefield Green are returning the favour!

When believers of any faith treat believers of another faith with kindness and respect, they are also showing a courtesy to God, to Allah.

My dear sisters and brothers, let’s remember the Golden Rule, the Ethic of Reciprocity: Nabi Isa, Jesus saidl “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” 600 years later, Prophet Muhammad expressed the same message in different words. He said that we are not believers until we desire for others what we desire for ourselves.

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

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

Second Khutbah:

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

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

My dear sisters and brothers,

The Islamic Calendar, the Hegira, began when Prophet Muhammad evaded assassination in Makka and migrated to Madinah. Jews, Christians and Muslims welcomed him as their new leader. They eagerly awaited his first speech, his first sermon, khutbah. It was short, eloquent, and powerful.

He summed up the entire teaching of Islam in one short sentence:

“Spread salaam (peace), feed the hungry; pray for a part of the night and you will enter paradise.” (Hadith)

That’s all… That’s what Islam is all about: Spreading peace between people, feeding the poor, thanking our generous Provider every night, and hoping for his good pleasure.

A few years ago my wife and I visited the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. In the middle of the Sinai desert we found Mount Sinai, where Moses received the 10 Commandments. At the foot of the mountain is the ancient St Catherine’s Monastery. We were amazed to find a mosque inside this monastery. We were also amazed to find that local Muslim Arabs have been coming to the monastery every day, for over 1,400 years, to knead the dough and bake the bread there, side by side, with Coptic Christian monks.

But the monks showed us something even more amazing. High up on a wall is a gold-framed Charter of Privileges to the Christians. It is written in Arabic, and it is signed by Prophet Muhammad, with the seal of his ring imprinted in red wax. The one we read was a copy, as the original Charter is in the Topkapi Museum in Istanbul. It reads:

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. Imagine that! Despite wars between Crusaders and Caliphates, Christians were safe here, making bread and breaking bread with local Muslims. There’s a powerful message for our troubled world today.

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 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),

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

Why Allah sent Prophets and Messengers

Editors — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 15:31:41 +0000

Khutbah on Prophets and Messengers

Moulood Al-Nabi

KhutbahBank — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:07:04 +0000

(This khutbah was delivered in May 2002 at Royal Holloway University of London)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My respected Brothers and Sisters in Islam,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ammaa ba’ad:

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

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

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

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

Second Khutbah

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

Dear brothers and sisters,

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ameen! Aqeemus salaah!

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

Christians need protection, not persecution

Editors — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 00:05:33 +0000

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

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.”

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),

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

You are like a royal falcon

Editors — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 00:45:25 +0000

Khutbah

You are a Royal Falcon

Arshad Gamiet/Royal Holloway University of London/Date 2011

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

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.”

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

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

My Dear Sisters and Brothers,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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),

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

Eidul Adha Khutbah

Editors — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 01:17:24 +0000

By Dr Waheeduddin Ahmed

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

Editors — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 11:11:42 +0000

Short Khutbah

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

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),

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!

Hajj, and the Neglected Legacy of a Great Woman

KhutbahBank — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 10:21:09 +0000

Islam teaches us to submit completely and whole-heartedly. “O you who believe! Enter into Islam completely, whole-heartedly…” [2/al-Baqarah/208]

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.

After Ramadan 2011

Editors — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 23:17:59 +0000

“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-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!

Arson, Looting and Muslims

Editors — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 13:11:51 +0000

“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

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.”

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!

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),

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

Empowering New Muslims

Editors — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 12:42:56 +0000

Khutbah

Empowering New Muslims

Arshad Gamiet/Royal Holloway University of London/Date 2010

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

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.”

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.

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),

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

Bring back the Barakah

Editors — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 23:07:51 +0000

Khutbah

Bringing Back Barakah

Arshad Gamiet/Royal Holloway University of London/Date 2011

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

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.”

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.

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

Life, Death and the Hereafter

Editors — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 22:40:32 +0000

Khutba delivered in the Milwaukee Islamic Da’wa Center on November. 20, 2009

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

Lessons from North Africa

Editors — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 00:35:06 +0000

Arshad Gamiet / Royal Holloway University of London/1st April 2011

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

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.”

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.

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),

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.

Adam and Eve: a (very) human story

Editors — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 13:40:26 +0000

Arshad Gamiet/Royal Holloway University of London/Date 2010

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

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.”

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,

The story of Adam and Eve, Nabi Adam and Hawwa is not just another ‘Tale of the Ancients’ in the Holy Quran. It’s a vitally important story about our human condition, a story that confirms primordial innocence, human frailty, regret, and remorse; the struggle for redemption, forgiveness and Divine Mercy. It’s not just the story of two people who gave birth to the human race after disobeying their Creator. It’s the story of every human being that ever was, is and ever will be. It’s your story and my story. It’s the story of our origin and our destiny, where we’ve come from and where we’re going to. The story of Adam and Eve deserves reflection. And after reflection, it deserves action, good actions that bring us nearer to Allah.

What does the story tell us? According to the Holy Quran, Allah said to the angels that He was going to create an Ambassador, a Vice-Regent, a khaleefah, on earth. That’s the first lesson. We human beings are not just the alpha-predators of the natural world, at the top of the food chain. We’re not just here to feed and breed like the wild beasts of the earth. Our lives have a greater meaning than that. We have been given a noble garment: We have been appointed as Trustees, caretakers, ambassadors of Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. When the angels asked whether Allah was going to create a creature that would create mischief and shed blood, the reply was:

“…Qaala ilaa a’lamu maa laa ta’lamoon.”

“I know what you do not know!” [Quran 2:30]

Adam would tell the angels the Names of Things, i.e. the knowledge inspired by Allah, knowledge withheld from the angels. Further Allah commanded that the angels bow down to Adam. From this we learn that in our purest human form, serving Allah alone, we can be higher in status than the angels.

We’ve all heard about Iblis, how he refused to bow, because he was proud and he said: “Ana khairun min!” “I am better than he is, I am made of smokeless fire, and he is made of dust, mud moulded into shape!”

Another lesson: We must avoid vanity and pride, that leads us to think we are better than someone else. If we ever hear those words in our heads, “I am better than him or her,” remember where they came from. Remember that Iblis was the first one in history to show the pride that comes before the fall. Don’t let us follow the footsteps of Shaytaan. He is “aduw-wum mubeen,” an avowed enemy.

Even so, Adam and Eve forgot. They were distracted, and they forgot to keep up their guard against the whisperings of Shaytaan. “Yuwas wisufee sudoorin naas,” The one who whispers into the hearts of people. “Minal jinnati wan naas.”

We too, have to keep a constant vigil on the promptings of our own lower self, the lower nafs, the nafs al ammara bis sow: The nafs that is inclined towards evil. This is where we are most vulnerable to Shaytaan’s influence. As human beings and as bani Adam, children of Adam, we cannot escape our fate. We cannot escape the trials and tribulations of life that Allah has decreed for us.

The good news is that as long as we nurture and strengthen our iman, our faith in Allah, as long as we hold fast to the rope which Allah stretches out for us, we can inshAllah, pass the test. We can triumph over adversity and we can truly deserve the noble status that confers us as khaleefahs.

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 summarise:

We are children of Adam and Eve, appointed as Allah’s ambassadors over all His creation.

The story of Adam and Eve is also our own story. We too, were born innocent, free from sin. We too, allow ourselves to be distracted, to become disobedient, to stray from siraatul mustaqeem, the straight path. We also will fall into sinful behaviour. And like Adam and Eve, we will recognise our mistakes. If we are true Believers, we will acknowledge our faults honestly, and seek forgiveness. Nabi Adam taught us how to begin this process with this wonderful prayer, a very short but powerful prayer that every pilgrim recits during the Hajj and on Arafat:

“Rabbanaa thalamnaa anfusanaa wa il-lam tagh firlanaa watarhamnaa lanakoonan-naa minal khaasireen.”

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

Like every other Prophet of Allah, Nabi Adam was a teacher. We have many important lessons to learn from him. Our journey from birth to death, from innocence to distraction, forgetfulness, sin, regret, remorse, seeing and finding Allah’s forgiveness and mercy, these are the Adamic lessons of life. Every human being is destined to learn from these lessons. Sadly, not every human being will try to mend their sinful ways. Not everyone will beg forgiveness and plea for Allah’s mercy. These are the losers. A-oothu bil-Laah! Let us not be amongst them!

Above all, the story of Adam and Eve has a happy ending. It’s the story of hope, of Mercy rising above despair. It’s the story of humility destroying pride and elevating the human spirit to celestial heights. Let us travel through life, ever hopeful of Allah’s mercy, fearing His anger, and being grateful for His love by serving His creatures with gentle, loving care.

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),

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

Abraham and his family: Archetypal Monotheists

Editors — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 11:23:07 +0000

Arshad Gamiet/Royal Holloway University of London/November 2010

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

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.”

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,

As the Hajj season approaches, let us consider the story of Prophet Abraham, his wife Hagar and their son, Ismail (may Allah send peace and blessings on them). This amazing family left us a great legacy that is the foundation of the Hajj. Their story is relevant for all Muslims for all times, and there’s a particular resonance for us today, as we shall see.

Nabi Ibrahim’s father was a devout mushrik, an idol worshipper. Despite all his son’s efforts, the father adamantly refused to stop worshipping idols. When he died he was still in denial of Allah. Nabi Ibrahim, the Friend of Allah, the quintessential monotheist, the Patriarch of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, could not save his father. We, too, must accept that we have no real power to influence others, not even our own parents, to accept Islam. Allah chooses to guide whom He pleases.

“May- Yahdillahu fa huwal muhtad, wa may- yudlill falan tajidaa lahu waliyan murshida.” [sura al-Kahf 18:17]

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

Our duty is only to share what Allah teaches, without pressure, without clever tricks. Allah is not in need of any of His creatures. We need Him.

Prophet Ibrahim destroyed the idols that his people worshipped, except for one. When the people asked him who did it, he pointed to the remaining idol. They told him the idol couldn’t have done it, so he asked them how is it that they worship something that can neither harm them nor help them! It couldn’t even defend itself from being destroyed! But such is the arrogance of misguided people, that logic and wisdom is wasted on them. Instead of using their God-given reason and logic, they resorted to violence. They tried to burn Prophet Abraham to death. He, on the other hand, was completely calm and unafraid, relying on Allah, and reposing his trust in Allah at all times. Allah commanded the fire to be cool, and thus Ibrahim alayhis salaam, survived.

When He and his wife, Hagar arrived in the desolate valley of Bakka, she repeated asked him why they had come there. He said nothing. Then, when she asked, is it Allah’s wish? He confirmed that it was indeed so. She immediately accepted this, without complaining. Both husband and wife knew that no matter how dire the situation, they were always safe in Allah’s hands.

“Biyadikal khair, innaka ala kulli shay-in qadeer.”

“In His Hand is all Good. Allah has power over all things.” [Sura 3:26]

Later, left alone with a hungry and thirsty infant child, she rushed from hilltop to hilltop in search of water, between Al Safa and Al Marwah. We commemorate this event during the Hajj, in Rami and Sa’i. She ran in desperation, she made the effort, and her effort and her pleading for help from Allah was well rewarded. The water came, in limitless abundance, like Allah’s mercy pouring out to his devoted servants. The Archangel Gabriel, Jibreel alayhis salaam, caused the well of Zamzam to gush pure, clean water from below baby Ismail’s feet, and for thousands of years, day in, day out, 24/7, it still flows today, refreshing and purifying millions of pilgrims. Let us think of Zamzam as Allah’s mercy overflowing, waiting to quench our spiritual thirst, our quest for meaning, our quest for nearness to Allah.

When Allah ordered Nabi Ibrahim to sacrifice what he loved most, both he and Ismail knew what that meant. Neither father nor son had the slightest hesitation. They fully understood what ‘sami’na wa ata’na’ means ‘we hear, and we obey.’ No questions, no lame excuses. Just do it!

At the crucial moment when the sharp-bladed knife touched the jugular vein, Allah caused another miracle: A ram, a sheep, appeared where Ismail patiently awaited his fate. Ismail’s life was spared. Prophet Abraham’s trial was over. Allah wanted to show us, and all generations to come until the end of time, what it means to love Allah, what it means to obey his every command.

Today we still remember that willingness to make the ultimate sacrifice. Our Qurbani might be a small symbolic gesture, but the lesson is timeless, and awesome.

As the Holy Quran reminds us, it is not the meat that reaches Allah, it is the taqwa, the piety, the awe-inspired reverence, filled with love, fear and hope.

How many of us will be ready to make this kind of sacrifice? How many of us will be willing to devote our most beloved to Allah? Our wealth, our families, our possessions seem so important to us. But where does Allah fit into our scheme of priorities? Do we really love Allah as much as we should? Is our greatest love reserved for Allah, or do we have more love for what He has created? Here’s some food for thought, my dear brothers and sisters.

“Innas salaatee wanusukee wamahiyaaya, wama ma’tee lil-Laahi Rabbil Aalalmeen. La shareekala wabithaalika umirtu, wa ana aw-walil Muslimeen”

“Surely, my prayer, my sacrifice, my life and my death is for Allah, Lord of all the Worlds. No partner has He, and I am first among the Muslims” [Sura 6:162]

This beautiful declaration was one of Nabi Ibrahim’s wonderful gifts to us. Every time we recite this prayer, at least 17 times a day, we re-dedicate our lives to Allah’s service. We remind our forgetful and infinitely distractible human nature, where our true priorities lie.

Let us remember with gratitude the awesome debt we owe Nabi Ibrahim and his family. We acknowledge this debt every time we pray, asking Allah to send peace and blessings on Nabi Muhammad and his family, just as he sent peace and blessings on Nabi Ibrahim and his family:

“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,

The Holy Quran reminds us to follow Prophet Abraham, who associated no partners with Allah, and whose way is described as the haneef way. What is the haneef way? Haneef means, to turn away from idol worship, to make no associations with Allah, to incline towards goodness, to be orthodox, to be a primordially upright person. This is the way of Nabi Ibrahim, and all those who worshipped Allah, even during the time of ignorance, the time of Jahiliyya.

Let us, during these momentous days of Dhul Hijja, remember Prophet Abraham, remember who he was and what he lived and died for. His great legacy is still with us today: Love Allah more than anyone or anything else, be willing to sacrifice anything in Allah’s cause, and strive your whole life to be a primordially upright person. Try to be a loyal friend, a loving wife or husband, an exemplary parent, a loving son or daughter, a helpful neighbour and a good, law abiding citizen. This is the haneef way,the way of Prophet Abraham and his family, the millata Ibraheema.

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),

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.”

Aqeemus salaah!

Burning Qurans

Editors — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 05:27:21 +0000

Arshad Gamiet/Royal Holloway University of London/ 10 Sep 2010

“We Muslims complain that Islam is being blamed for the actions of a few violent political extremists. How can we then blame all Danish people for the actions of a few cartoonists and their newspaper? How can we blame all Americans for the actions of a few neocons and a deluded preacher? It’s hypocritical! Where is our wisdom?…”

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

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.”

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,

The priest in Florida, who threatens to burn Qurans on September 11, reminds us that Muslims in the West, especially in the USA, are going through a rather difficult time. In recent years, Muslims have become fair game for bigots, warmongers, and all kinds of nasty people. From cartoon controversies to the illegal invasion and occupation of Muslim lands and seizure of energy resources, we appear to be easy targets. But this is by no means a new situation. We’ve encountered, and survived, much worse dangers in the past: The Mongol invasions of Genghis Khan, the Spanish Inquisition, and more recently, the genocide in the Balkans during the breakup of Yugoslavia, for example. Throughout history, Islam has had its enemies, and so it will be until the end of time. But the Holy Quran has reassuring words in Sura As-Saff ch.61 v8:

“….. their intention is to extinguish Allah’s light by blowing on it with their mouths, but Allah will perfect the revelation of His Light, even if the unbelievers may detest it…”

And again, :

“The unbelievers plot and plan, and Allah also plans, and Allah is the best of planners.”

We are living through a time of trial and tribulation: fitna. This is quite normal, to be expected. Life is a trial, a test. We must not panic and we must not respond to this kind of provocation in a way that brings our noble religion into disrepute. We must ask, how would our beloved Prophet Muhammad sws have reacted? Could we imaging him throwing temper tantrums, burning flags and hurling abuse at his enemies? No, of course not. Bruised egos and mob violence has nothing at all to do with the Prophetic sunnah. Even in the most dangerous times, Prophet Muhammad was the model of dignity and noble conduct. When the people of Taif drove him out of the city with such violence that he suffered physical injury, bleeding and with a broken tooth, he restrained the Angel of Mountains who offered to destroy Taif in an earthquake: “I am the Messenger of Mercy, not Revenge,” he pleaded, “Perhaps their children will one day accept Islam.” He was absolutely right. In time, all the people of Taif accepted Islam, despite their previous hatred and hostility.

Who can forget Sayyidna Omar ibn al Khattab’s conversion? With sword unsheathed, mind set on killing the Prophet of Islam, he made his way past his sister’s house where he heard the Quran being recited. In a moment of sheer magic, Allah came between Omar and his heart. As the Quran so eloquently declares: “Allah does come between a man and his heart.” ”Those whom Allah chooses to guide, no one can lead astray. Those whom Allah leaves to stray, no one can guide.” Sayyidna Omar was so deeply moved by the words of Allah’s Noble Book, that his hard heart softened. His emotions were stirred, and soon his hatred had turned to love. Such is Allah’s power, irresistible, able to soften the hardest hearts. With his sword still in his hand, Omar went to find Prophet Muhammad so that he could embrace him and declare his shahadah.

Truly, Allah holds the key to my heart and your heart. Who knows, perhaps the priest who burns Qurans today might become your Muslim brother tomorrow, or perhaps his children or grandchildren will? Allah alone knows. Look what happened to Abu Sufyan, Amr ibn al As, and Khaled bin Walid, amongst many others. They were sworn enemies of the Muslims who took up arms and tried to crush Islam in its infancy. But Allah had other plans. Allah is the best of planners. Allah urges us not to despair and not to become desperate, not to take matters into our own hands and to behave in an unseemly manner. Those who do so follow the whisperings of Shaytaan, who urges us to act beneath ourselves. Allah urges us to hold fast to His rope, His way that He has decreed for us.

“Wa’tasimu bihablil-Laahi jamee’aah …”

“And hold fast, all together, to 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.”[sura Al Imran 3:103]

Our own behaviour must be absolutely above reproach. Television news reports say that the priest admits that he hasn’t even read the Quran, but he still wants to burn it. What more proof do we need that the man is just deluded? Does it make sense for Muslims to behave foolishly in return? Surely we are above this kind of stupidity? Are we? Really?

What should we do? The answer is quite simple. Keep calm, don’t stoop to the same foolish behaviour. Do take this opportunity to tell people what the Quran really is all about. There may be a few other fools who will burn Qurans and hope to stir up a riot amongst the Muslims. But there are many more sensible people who will be horrified by such actions, and who will wonder what the Quran really has to say. Your job, and my job, is to satisfy this natural curiosity by sharing the message of Islam with those who will listen. And believe me, there are millions of decent, fair-minded people out there, who are becoming tired of the lies and propaganda from Islam-haters. Allah expects every Muslim to do his and her duty. Tell others, show others, who we are and what we believe. Be honest, be truthful and sincere. No lies, no spin, no propaganda. Islam doesn’t need fancy marketing campaigns, spin doctors or media makeovers. We don’t have to manipulate public opinion. Live Islam, be good to others, and trust Allah.

Don’t panic. Allah has everything well under control. History is safe in His Hands.

“..biyadikal khair. Innaka Alaa kulli shay-in qadeer.”

“…in His Hand is all Good. Allah has power over all things.”

Brothers and sisters, let’s not be distracted by the actions of foolish people. If we really love Allah and His Prophet sws, let us keep our priorities focussed, carry on serving others generously out of love and gratitude to Allah, and Allah will help us find a way out of our difficulty, in ways we could never have imagined.

Wamay-yat-taqil-laha yaj’al-lahu makhrajaa, wayar zuq’hu min khaythu la yahtasib, wamay-yatawak-kal ‘alal-Laahi fahuwa hasbu. Innal-laaha baalighu amri. Qad’ ja-alal-Laahu likulli shay-in qad’raa [Sura Talaq 65:2-3]

“And for those who have taqwa, [i.e. those who regard Allah with an awesome mixture of love and fear and hope], Allah [always] prepares a way out for them [from their difficulty], and He provides for them from [sources] they could never imagine. And if anyone puts his trust in Allah, sufficient is Allah for him. For Allah will surely accomplish His purpose.”

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 the wake of the Danish cartoon controversy, some Muslims went into a blind panic and started burning Danish flags, boycotting all Danish products, holding the Danish government, Danish companies and the Danish people responsible for a silly cartoonist and his newspaper. How silly can we Muslims get? We ignore the fact that the Danish people, and their government have often been in the forefront of human rights campaigns. In my own country of birth, they supported the anti-Apartheid struggle in South Africa when many western governments did the opposite.

We Muslims complain that Islam, and the entire Muslim world is being blamed for the actions of a few violent political extremists. How can we then blame all Danish people for the actions of a few cartoonists and their newspaper? How can we blame all Americans for the actions of a few neocons and crazy preachers? It’s hypocritical! Where is our wisdom? Where is our sense of fairness and proportion? We cannot blame all Americans for the actions of a few bigots and Islam-haters. Let’s not forget that other America, the America of Malcolm X, of Muhammad Ali, Martin Luther King and Rachel Corrie [who was crushed to death by an Israeli bulldozer while she tried to save a Palestinian home from being destroyed].

Our work in sharing the beautiful message of Islam is far too important to get us distracted by a few sensation-seekers.

As this holy month of Ramadan passes, let us ask Allah to help us keep our sense of balance, of justice and to rely on Allah to guide in our efforts to uphold His beautiful religion. 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

Reason and Rhetoric in the Quran

Editors — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 01:13:11 +0000

Arshad Gamiet/Royal Holloway University of London/Date 2010

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

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

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.”

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

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

My Dear Brothers and Sisters,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Second Khutbah:

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

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

My brothers and sisters,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Brothers and sisters, to conclude our khutbah:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ameen. Aqeemus salaah!

World Cup: Goals for life

Editors — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 14:39:35 +0000

Khutbah

Goals For Life

Arshad Gamiet/Royal Holloway University of London/18 June 2010

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

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.”

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,

Football fever is all around us these days. And those who know the game will tell you that it’s all about scoring goals. Our khutbah today is also about scoring goals, but goals of a different kind.

Let’s think about the goals we all strive for throughout life — our lifetime goals. Each one of us is likely to have some burning ambition, some clear objective or ideal that drives us forward each day. It may be a work related deadline, a forthcoming exam or a karate grading session, or we may be working towards a particular career that we want to pursue after leaving university.

Consciously or subconsciously, we all have short-, medium-, and long-term goals that we hope to achieve before our life is over. The difference from soccer is that in real life no one knows when the final whistle will blow. No one knows just how, when, and where their life will end. When we line up for our congregational prayers the Imam often reminds to live each day as if it is our last day and to pray every prayer as if it is our last prayer. We must therefore be totally focused and sincere in what we do.

In order to achieve any goal, there is nearly always an economic dimension. We need money to get things done. No matter how noble or generous we want to be, we still need some degree of financial independence for ourselves in order to get what we want. This is simply in the nature of things. We may not want to be wealthy just for own sake, to show off and live a flashy lifestyle; rather, in order to be more effective in society, we must be able to stand on our own feet financially.

Therefore, we need to work to earn money to do what we would like to do. The danger is that the means can sometimes become the end in itself. How many young people have not set out in life with high ideals of making the world a better place for all, only to be distracted along the way? How many of us simply become consumers, buying the latest gadgets and fashionable clothes, enjoying the material pleasures of life and forgetting that their life really does have a higher and nobler purpose?

Many people work hard, get rich, and look back with a sense of pride in what they have achieved. It’s only human nature. The pride we feel drives us to more effort, producing more wealth and more pride, and so on. But worldly success is meaningless if we do not aspire to a higher and nobler objective. Thus, Allah reminds us in the Holy Quran:

“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).” (Sura Al `Imran 3:14)

We shouldn’t feel guilty about making a success in this world. Allah wants us to enjoy the fruits of our hard work. He wants us to work hard and to enjoy a nice car and a nice home in a nice neighbourhood. But this should be the by-product of worship, not the main agenda. We should not love material things so much as to distract us from worshiping Him. Some religions teach that in order to grow spiritually, you must deny yourself the pleasures of this world. You may have to spend time in a monastery or become an ascetic. Islam teaches life fulfilment, not life denial. Islam teaches that the body and the spirit should live in harmony, not in conflict. In our daily prayers, we supplicate Allah saying,

“Rabbana aatina fid-dunya hasanatan, wafil aakhirati hasanatan, waqina athaaban-naar.”

“Our Lord! Give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and save us from the torment of the Fire.“

We have to get the balance right, between our work, family, home, community and our leisure time. Many of our parents came to Britain from other places in order to find work and a better life. We must make sure that our parents’ migration to Britain was not just for a better life for themselves and their children. We must make sure that our presence in this beautiful country will be a benefit to everyone who lives here.

Our country has many social problems related to financial debt, juvenile delinquency, failed marriages, and drug and alcohol abuse. We can and we should be working to put things right. Even if the reasons for our parents’ migration were mainly economic, we can extend that purpose to include good citizenship and being good and inspiring role models of what Islam can offer the modern world. That should be our intention. One hadith, narrated by `Umar ibn Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), says the following:

“Actions are judged by their intention and everyone shall have only what he intended. Therefore, those who migrate for Allah and His Messenger, their migration was for Allah and His Messenger; and those whose migration was to achieve some worldly benefit or to take some woman in marriage, their migration will be judged for their intentions.”

My dear sisters and brothers, let us today dedicate ourselves to the service of Allah. Whether our parents came here to study, to work, to run a business, to seek political asylum, or to enjoy a better life in general, let us make sure that our daily concerns focus not only on improving ourselves, but also improving our neighbourhood, our country and our natural environment. This will bring us nearer to Allah. Let us, in our spiritual life, make the hijrah, the migration, from what pleases us to what pleases Allah. It means, in essence, that we must aim to rise above selfishness, vanity and self-indulgence. We must fulfil the noble purpose that Allah has decreed for us, which is to be His ambassadors on earth.

Let’s try to make our goals in life well-balanced and pleasing to Allah. Allah told His angels that He created us so that we can be His ambassadors on earth. Remember, we are all ambassadors of Islam. As young students, your immediate goal is to do well at university so that you can do well in life generally. All the time, remember that you are being observed by others, and your behaviour is how people will judge all Muslims. You represent Islam. It’s a big responsibility, but it’s also an opportunity to show how beautiful Islam is.

“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!

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The fourth Caliph, Sayyidna Ali once said, that the most eloquent way of showing gratitude to Allah is to serve His creation. God is not impressed by our lip service. He’s not impressed with how many prayers and how many acts of formal devotion we can offer. He’s much more interested in our good actions. He wants to see our love and gratitude made visible. We must bring benefit to our wider community if we really love Allah.

Allah is described in the Holy Qur’an as “Ar-Rahmaan,” the One Who is most merciful. Prophet Muhammad (sws) is described as “Rahmatul-lil-Aalameen,” the one who came as a Mercy to all the nations. We Muslims say we worship Allah and we follow the example of His last Prophet. Shouldn’t we therefore be merciful to others? Shouldn’t we be agents of mercy, angels of mercy? Let us look at ourselves honestly, and ask? What have I done today, that promotes Allah’s mercy to His creation? Have I today, removed something from the burdens of human misery? Have I today, added something to the sum total of human happiness? This is what it means to be a Muslim, to worship Allah and follow the example of His messenger.

There are many ways in which we can be more proactive. We should be at the forefront of community work, regenerating poor neighbourhoods and leading the campaigns against drug and alcohol abuse. We should be good examples of strong family life that promotes an active community service. Here at Royal Holloway our community has been helping the students and the university for over 20 years. Come forward and join us. We need you.

Allah loves all His creation, not only those who call themselves Muslims. Taking good care of all Allah’s creatures is a way of showing courtesy to Him. The World Cup will come and go, but let’s remember the biggest goal of all: Earning Allah’s good pleasure, by showing respect and generosity to all His creatures.

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

Islam and Patriotism

Editors — Sun, 30 May 2010 00:20:52 +0000

Royal Holloway University of London/11th June 2010

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

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

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.”

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,

Today’s khutbah is about Patriotism: love for one’s country. Is it wrong to love one’s country? Should we love our country more than we love Justice, or God? Should our love for country blind us to what’s right and what’s wrong? In our mass media there are frequent questions as to whether we Muslims can be trusted, whether we are loyal to this country or whether our loyalties lie elsewhere. Living under constant suspicion is not acceptable. We have a duty set out clearly what Islam has to say about Patriotism so that we can remove unfounded fears and phobias about our presence here in Britain, in Europe and the West generally.

But first we must question those who question our patriotism. There’s always a reason why people frame such questions. What is their agenda? Before we give a hasty answer, we must understand why the question is being asked.

The English poet, Ben Johnson wrote: “Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel.” By this he meant that when leaders no longer command any moral authority, when they can no longer justify their views by rational argument, by moral and ethical criteria, they resort to rousing calls for patriotism. It is sometimes a last desperate attempt to justify immoral and unethical actions by making a crude appeal to the emotions of the public. What does Islam say?

The Holy Quran urges Muslims to

‘enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong’ and it describes the Believers as

“…the best of people, those who enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong, and who have faith in Allah.” [sura 3:110]

“Ta’ muroona bil ma’roof, watan hawna ‘anil munkar, wa tu’minoona bil-Laah.”

This has nothing to do with your emotions, your nationality, your race, your political party, or whether you are rich or poor, Christian, Jewish or Muslim. It’s a simple matter of right and wrong. Which side are you on, the side of good or evil? Do you work for God or against God? In the USA there is a motto: “One Nation under God.” It’s very important to understand clearly what God stands for, and what the Nation stands for. The two are not always on the same side! During the American Civil War, one General turned to Abraham Lincoln and said: “Don’t worry, Mr President, God is on our side!” The President replied: “What really worries me is: Are we on God’s side?” A very important difference…

Muslims in the USA, Canada, Europe and elsewhere in the ‘West’ should not be forced to make a false choice. Loyalty to a country should never be a simple matter of ‘my country right or wrong’. That’s basically immoral, unethical and ultimately disloyal and un-patriotic. The most loyal thing a citizen can do is to speak out when things are going the wrong way. When politicians wage unjust wars it is our duty to speak out. We must be witnesses to fair dealing. We must be just, not only when it’s easy, but also when it’s unpopular and risky. We must always be fair and just, even to our enemies.

“O ye who believe! stand out firmly for Allah, as witnesses to fair dealing, and let not the hatred of others towards you make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just: that is next to Piety: and fear Allah. For Allah is well-acquainted with all that you do“. Sura 5:8 al-Maa’ida.

Allah commands justice. It’s not an option. It’s an obligation. We must be critical, inwardly and outwardly. Jihad-al-nafs, the lifelong struggle against the lower Self, makes us constantly self-critical and self-purifying. We must also critically analyse what our political leaders are up to, and what they do in our name. This is our right and our responsibility as citizens. Beware of the politician who tells you that to make us feel safe over here, we have to make life unbearable for someone else over there. Patriotism is no excuse for foreign invasions, driven by Big Oil and the arms industry. Invading other countries does not make us safer. We must remind our governments to be even handed and consistent where human rights are concerned, at home and abroad. The lives of Iraqis, Afghans and Palestinians are just as valuable as British or American lives. No one life has more value than any other. We are all God’s creatures.

Muslims are called upon to the highest of callings… to follow in the footsteps of the Prophets, to be witnesses to fair dealing, even if it be against our families and our own interests. We are called on to wear a noble garment: Ambassadors of Allah, Khaleefatul-Laah. trustees and caretakers of planet earth. This most honourable of titles carries a heavy responsibility. There is no place of narrow national, tribal or secular loyalties. Yes, we may be Arab or Pakistani by birth, British, European or American by nationality and Muslim by faith. There’s absolutely no problem, no contradiction in that. But our first loyalty is to Allah, creator of the heavens and the earth. This means upholding the truth and being faithful to our conscience. This should make us the most patriotic of all citizens, not simply blind followers of capricious politicians.

As Allah has said:

“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 loveth those who are just” [Sura 60:8, al-Mum'tahina]

Sometimes, the most patriotic thing to do is to tell your leaders that they are wrong. Muhammad Ali, the boxer, did so when he refused to fight in Vietnam. He was called all sorts of nasty names. His patriotism was questioned, but later his stand was vindicated and he became an international hero. Nelson Mandela fought the unjust laws of the Apartheid regime in South Africa. He paid for that by spending 27 years in prison. He was accused him of being a traitor, being un-patriotic and un-South African. But today most South Africans treat him like their saviour, and his struggle inspires people who love justice and fair dealing, all over the world.

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!

Muslims who live in the West should be brave, honest and truthful. We must ‘speak truth to power’ and not feel that our citizenship and our loyalty is compromised in doing so. A nation that encourages healthy debate and self-criticism, holding its rulers to account, is a healthy nation. It’s not just a human right to speak the truth to power. It’s an Islamic duty. It’s a sacred responsibility.

Prophet Muhammad sws once declared that:

“The best jihad is to speak a word of truth in the court of an unjust ruler”

Muslims are reminded to put wrong things right with their hands, and if they cannot do that, they must speak out against it, and if they are too weak to do so, then they must at the very least, hate the injustice in their hearts.

Allahu a’lam. And Allah knows best.

One thing we must be absolutely clear. Suicide bombing and other acts of indiscriminate violence have no precedent in the prophetic sunnah. This is not the way to address injustices; it is not the way of our noble and illustrious predecessors. While we deplore injustice and oppression, Islam also provides a moral and ethical compass for our actions. As citizens we have a duty to awaken the moral and ethical consciousness of our fellow citizens. We Muslims also have a duty to keep our neighbourhoods safe. Prophet Muhammad (sws) declared that

“A Muslim is he from whose tongue and hand other Muslims are safe, and a true Believer is one in whom all of mankind has a sanctuary for life and property.”

We should be a safe pair of hands, trustees, caretakers of other people and their possessions. We must never give our neighbours any reason for fear or suspicion. In many ways the western countries we live in offer us far more freedom, hospitality and personal security than we find in many Muslim majority countries. Let’s never forget that!

We are not allowed to undermine the security or integrity of the countries we live in. We must earn the trust of our neighbours. We are obliged to remind our fellow citizens, and our governments, to be consistent on human rights issues, and to be even handed with people living inside and outside our national borders. This is the only way we can earn respect and promote world peace in a lasting way for the future.

Dear Sisters and brothers,

Let us pray to Allah and ask for His divine Mercy and intervention. O Allah, help us to become worthy and valued citizens of every land where Muslims live. Help us to earn the respect and affection of our neighbours, through our adab, our good conduct and through our service to society which we render out of love and gratitude to You.

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!

Safe Landings

Editors — Thu, 13 May 2010 17:36:04 +0000

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

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.”

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,

It has taken a cloud of volcanic ash to remind us how exposed we are, how vulnerable we are to the awesome forces of nature. Our sense of vulnerability is heightened when we travel. Travel has become a part of modern life. We’re always travelling. We travel from home to work, to study, to visit our relatives. We travel from town to town and from country to country, by road, by rail, sea and air. We almost take it for granted, that when we set out on a journey, we’ll get there safely. But there’s no guarantee. Accidents do happen. Bad weather, volcanic eruptions, human error and mechanical failure: things happen, and within seconds a routine journey can end in disaster.

The recent air crash that killed the Polish president and his entire entourage is just one example. Some people think that safe travel is only a matter of technology. Those who have no faith background depend entirely on technology and luck, but Muslims know that there’s no such thing as ‘luck.’ There is only Allah’s Decree, Destiny or Foreordainment, His Qadaa’ and Qadr. That is why we always say, insha-Allah, “if it pleases Allah.” We recognise that everything is under His control, and nothing happens in the heavens or the earth without His permission. We mortal human beings rely utterly on Allah’s mercy. No one but Allah can guarantee a safe journey. Only Allah can ensure that our trip to the supermarket and our flight to distant lands will bring us safely to our destination. Sura An-‘Am reminds us [ch 6:v63]

“Say: “who is it that delivers you from the dark recesses of land and sea, when you call upon Him in humility and silent terror: `if He only delivers us from these (dangers), (we vow) we shall truly show our gratitude’?” (63) Say: “It is Allah that delivers you from these and all (other) distresses: and yet ye worship false gods!”

Believers know that. They know that even the shortest routine journey can be fraught with hidden dangers.

While other people hope for a safe arrival, the true believer knows that only Allah can guarantee our safety. That is why our beloved Prophet Muhammad sws recommended specific prayers for the traveller. There are many prayers for travelling, and this is one of my personal favourites:

“Rabbee anzilnee manzilan mubarakan wa anta khairul-munzileen.”

“O My Lord! Cause me to land at a blessed landing place, and you are the Best of those to deliver safe landings”. [sura al-mu’minoon 23:29]

This was the prayer of Noah, Nabi Nooh, as the floodwaters rose up around the Ark which Allah ordered him to build. The Ark as we know enabled its passengers to survive the terrible flood. Eventually, when the flood subsided it came to rest at a safe landfall.

Modern transport is much faster and in some ways safer than the methods used by our ancestors. They had no satnav systems, no airbags, no ambulances or air-sea rescue teams in case of an emergency. They had to be in good health, physically, mentally and spiritually, to endure the rigors of travel. Distances we cover in a few hours today, took them several months of hardship and patience.

Times change, but our helplessness and vulnerability does not change. We still rely utterly on Allah’s mercy, not on luck. We human beings are by nature forgetful, insaan, and our Noble Quran helps us to remember how much we depend on our generous Lord and Educator. That’s why it teaches us this lovely prayer:

“Rabbee anzilnee manzilan mubarakan wa anta khairul-munzileen.”

“O My Lord! Cause me to land at a blessed landing place, and you are the Best of those to deliver safe landings”. [sura al-mu’minoon 23:29]

“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’re constantly on the move, on a journey, not just from one place to another in the physical world, but also from one state to another, in the spiritual world.

When we were born, our soul, our Ruuh has travelled from the realm of eternity into the world of time and space. It accompanies our body on this journey through life, and when we die, our Soul will separate from the body and travel again, back to eternity, back to Allah, back to the timeless and space-less dimension whence it began. Soob’haanal-Laah!

Our whole life is a journey, a most important journey. From our birth to our death, to our re-awakening in that eternal realm that awaits us all beyond the barzagh, the curtain of our physical death, this is the greatest of all journeys. This is the only chance we have, while body and soul are still connected as one personality. This is the only chance we have to live a successful life as our Lord, Creator and Sustainer has decreed. We must purify the soul, we must remove all the moral pollution, the greed, envy, anger, jealousy, arrogance and lust that drags the soul downward toward destruction. This is clear in Sura Al Shams ch91:v7-10

“Wa nafsiw-wama sow-waa haa. Fa-al hamahaa fujoorahaa wataq’waahaa. Qad’aflaha man zak-kaahaa. Waqad’ khaaba man das-saahaa…”

“By the Soul, and the proportion and order given to it; [7] and its enlightenment as to its wrong and its right; [8] Truly the successful ones purify it, [9] and the failures corrupt it…”

My dear Sisters and Brothers, the whole purpose of our journey through life is to be among the successful ones who have purified their soul and who return to Allah with a “qalb saleeem,” a “sound heart.”

“Al Jannah firdaws.” An elevated place in Allah’s Garden: that is our destination; that’s where we all want to be. Every wise person would want to arrive at this safest of all landing places. Al Jannah firdaws, that will be our reward for all the hardship, sacrifice, service to others out of love and gratitude to Allah. That’s the real prize. But if we lose, heaven forbid it, if we miss the opportunity, we might just find ourselves in the company of that nasty fellow downstairs, the one with the horns and the spiky tail, who whispers seductive and misleading ideas into our hearts, and who in the end will have led us to hellfire. Wa A-oothubil-Laah!

We should think, say and do all the right things, day by day, hour by hour, that will bring us to that blessed landing place, to Allah’s Ridwaan, His good pleasure.

As we journey through life, we should imagine that we are actually on a fast flowing river, racing to meet our destiny. Every moment, we’re being drawn, irresistibly, towards Allah.

“Inna lil-Laahi wa inna ilayhir raaji-oon.”

“From Allah have we come, and to Him, surely, we will return.” [Sura Al Baqara ch2:v156]

Dear Sisters and brothers, it’s not enough that we should desire for ourselves only to have a safe landing place. We should have that same desire for our families, for our wider communities and indeed for every human being. Prophet Muhammad (sws) said that a Believer is not a Believer until he desires for his brother whatever he desires for himself. Even if we don’t think of it that way, we’re all in the same ‘boat’ together. Planet earth is like a leaky boat, and we will ultimately either sink together or float together.

Imagine you’re standing on a riverbank where the torrent is rushing past. You hear a shout and you see someone struggling in the floodwater, reaching out to you for help. There’s a rope lying at your feet. You only have seconds to throw the rope and save him. He’s calling desperately for help. What do you do? Do you first ask him: Are you a Muslim? Are you a Christian or Jewish? Does it matter whether he’s a Sufi or a Salafi, or a Deobandi, Barehelwi or Wahhabi? Heavens, no, he’s just another human being like you, desperately needing help! You don’t have to think about it. Seeing any human being in distress should evoke a primeval, instinctive response. Throw the rope! Save a life! The Holy Quran assures us that to save one human life is like saving all mankind!

In a way, we’re all like that man in the floodwater, struggling to keep ourselves safe, out of debt, out of danger, out of the clutches of Shaitaan and hellfire. Allah reaches out to us, as He declares in His Noble Book:

“Wa’tasimu bi hablil-laahi jamee-aa…..”

“And hold fast, all together, to 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.”

[sura Al Imran 3:103]

The key is to hold fast, all together, despite our differences, despite our race or language or social status. Allah wants us to look deeper than the superficial things that divide us He wants us to recognise our common humanity, to recognise that we are all part of His wonderful Plan. When we do this, when we all hold fast to Allah’s rope, we will deserve a safe landing place in His garden.

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),

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

Giving and taking criticism

Editors — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 22:41:07 +0000

Friday 26^th March 2010 (Mohammed Mumtaz Khan. Keele University, UK)

Audhu billahi min ash shaytanir rajeem! Bismillah ir Rahmanir Raheem!

Al hamdu lillahi rabbil ‘alameen. Was salaatu was salaamu ‘alaa ashrafil anbiyaee wal mursaleen. Sayidinaa wa nabi’na wa moulanaa Muhammadin wa’ala aalihee wa sahbihee wa sallim.

‘Amma b’ad:

وَلْتَكُن مِّنْكُمْ أُمَّةٌ يَدْعُونَ إِلَى الْخَيْرِ وَيَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ “Wal Wal takunN minkum ummatunN yad’auna ilal khayri wa ya-muruna bil ma’rufi wa yanhona ‘an il munkar Wa ulaaika hum mul muflihoon”

“Let there arise out of you a group of people inviting to all that is good, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong: They are the ones to achieve success”

(Surah 3 Ali ‘Imran Verse 104).

Dear sisters, brothers, respected elders and learned colleagues, assalamu’alaykum!

This ayah is the essence of Islam. Being able to give criticism, being able to take criticism and being able to act on that criticism is what Islam is all about. So it’s not just about talking, it’s about doing. Islam is dynamic; it’s no use just making fancy speeches and not acting upon what we say! And this is what I’m going to talk about today, insha Allah.

If someone loves you, they will be critical sometimes! And if they see a fault in themselves, they’ll try to correct themselves as well. Just think, if someone tells you to your face that your breath smells, do they hate you or do they love you? The alternative is someone keeping quiet in front of you and telling fifty other people and they are laughing behind your back!

When I was young, I came to this country as a child, about nine years old. I was very close to my father but had he had to part with me because he desired for me good education and a better life than the life he had.

So I was brought up by my older brothers in this country. And believe me, it’s completely different to being brought up by your parents, because you feel you have a right over your parents whereas your brothers, well it’s not easy at the best of times. However, they did their best and may Allah (s) reward them and their wives for looking after me.

At that age, as you know, it’s easy to get into bad habits with your peers at school and I was no exception. I started smoking with a friend of mine to see what it was like. Unfortunately (or rather, fortunately), I got caught and my brothers were very strict and told me off really sternly. However, both of them themselves were smokers! Although I was too young to say anything to them and stopped smoking because I was really scared, they realised that if they didn’t give up themselves, it would send out the wrong message.

Therefore, the next day, they threw away their last packet of Benson and Hedges. Never to smoke again!

This act of theirs has left an indelible mark on me and I have remembered it ever since.

This is what Islam in action is all about. When the Companions used to leave each other, they would recite:

“Wal asr, innal insaana la fikhusr, il alladheena ‘amanu wa amilu salihaati wa tawaso bil haqqi wa tawaso bi sabr .”

This is the famous surah, Al Asr. Allah (s) swears by time that insaan (humankind) is in a state of loss (we are all losers because we are wasting time). Apart from those who believe and do good deeds and admonish others with the truth and bear with patience that which comes their way. You see, the Companions (r) were totally focussed on the hereafter, their only mission was to spread the deen and so they admonished each other to do this wherever they went.

Last year, I was driving up to Keele for the Jumu’ah prayer with my brother and he said to me: “Why do you give khutbahs every week when it doesn’t really make a difference!”

I thought this was quite a silly observation at the time, but later I realised that every week we give reminders and we talk about punishments and rewards and if I’m totally honest, I would be upset if no one was following my advice! I get upset at myself sometimes talking the talk and not being able to walk the walk…

So today, I don’t want to be judgemental, but I DO want you to monitor yourselves. You must ask yourselves this question:

“Is Islam a personal matter like the other religions or is it more than that?”

Don’t belittle yourselves, and don’t belittle your deen. It’s not just another religion – IT’S A WAY OF LIFE!

You are VERY IMPORTANT MUSLIMS, especially in this university environment where you are the future intellectuals. You are the future surgeons, saving lives with the idhn (permission) of Allah (s). And more importantly, you are the ambassadors of the Prophet (s).

You see, before Muhammad (s) came, people were lucky enough to have Prophets sent to them to remind them. Every time things went too far, a Prophet would come. But after Muhammad (s), this came to an end. Now, we have to fend for ourselves.

But let us look at this positively! Allah (s) trusts this ummah to deliver His message. Subhan Allah, this is a great honour.

What is more, all the world’s eyes are on us Muslims. Islam is under scrutiny. Why? Because the Shaytan and the friends of Shaytan are afraid of Islam.

Remember! The sunnah of Allah does not change, the sunnah of the Prophets does not change and the sunnah of the Devil does not change.

Why is there no media anger against other faiths? Because there’s always ONE TRUTH.

So we are Muslims entrusted with the truth! This is for us a great honour, but also a great responsibility.

Before people buy into your arguments, they look at you. Your behaviour, your character, your habits, what you do with your spare time, how you dress, what kind of friends you hang around with, your taste in clothes, what you listen to…

So before a non Muslim friend says to you “Hey Abdul, my man! How comes you flirting wiv dat girl man! I fought you said all females are your sistaz”, you have to wake up and scrutinise yourself!

You see, people buy people before they buy the product. Believe me, I’ve been in business since 1980 when I left school!

So if you work for Vodafone, how you interact with the customer will decide the customer’s perception of Vodafone! If you are polite and caring, they will forget that Vodafone is a huge company greedy for your money!

But there’s nothing wrong with the product you’re selling! ISLAM is a great product, it’s The TRUTH!

What is wrong is that WE’RE very bad salespeople!

Now if you think about the image of Islam, it’s at an all time low. People associate everything negative with Islam! What is more, ALL attention is on Islam and Muslims.

Again, let’s look at this positively, let’s use the interest to our advantage. Let’s show the world the characteristics of a Muslim.

A few weeks ago, someone left a baby at one of the local mosques. The baby died. Even now there are flowers and teddy bears where the baby was found. The media descended on the mosque. Mosque, baby, illegitimate relationship, Muslims!

Just think, one act of fornication and all this! But think about how this started. The two perpetrators didn’t meet all of a sudden and the baby was born. They must have met somewhere or been introduced by someone. What I’m saying is that it must started from something very small. The eyes meet, when they shouldn’t, then it leads to another thing, then another; each time, the person thinks it’s only a bit of harmless fun. Until it’s too late.

This is why Allah (s) says in the Holy Quran “La takraba az zina!” “Don’t even come near fornication!”

Cigarettes, drugs, alcohol have to be bought to be consumed, whereas your passions, your lower self is with you all the time. It needs CONTROL. This is why in Islam, there is no free mixing between the sexes.

Many non-Muslims even know about this! So when they see disparity between us and our deen, they mock us, we are easy prey for the tabloids!

There was a time when non-Muslims would deposit money with Muslims with long beards, the longer the beard, the more trustworthy the Muslim! But not today!

But youngsters! I have good news. All this can change! Because you are the ones most capable of change. This is in the middle of the Quran, you have the likes of inspirational surahs such as Surah Maryam, Surah Yusuf, Surah Kahf.

A young girl barely 13 or 14 years of age is given the responsibility of giving birth to a great Prophet and taking on all of her peoples’ taunts and mockery. You girls and boys are the ones Allah addresses when He wants change. The older you get the more resistant you are to change. It’s no use teaching me something, you’ve heard the saying ‘you can’t teach an old dog new tricks’!

Yusuf (p) was a youngster but he controlled his lower passions. The woman offered herself to Him but He refused. He preferred to go to prison than to participate in obscenity. He was young, in His prime.

Ibraheem (a) was a young man, taking on all His family, His father and His tribe.

The people in the Cave were young men, the word used is feti. The word for chivalry is futuwwa, being honourable, kind, helping, caring. So youth is connected to being chivalrous, not the opposite as is the case with many youngsters today.

But, let me remind you, it isn’t cool to walk around like a gangster.

Luqman the Wise (may Allah be pleased with Him) gives advice to his son: “Don’t walk about the earth as if you own it, don’t raise your voice like the eyoning of a donkey, an ass!”

I want you to take this advise and IMPLEMENT it. Don’t hang around shouting and chatting, don’t disturb other students, especially in the library.

When I was studying here at Keele as a mature student, trying to finish off essays in the library IT section was impossible sometimes because of some sections of students chitting and chatting and using foul language! And you know, most of the time, the noise was made by Pakistani students! Because I could understand Urdu I could understand Punjabi, Mirpuri, Pathohari, I knew what they were saying, and I’m almost deaf in one ear!!

In this country, a lot goes on that is bad. For example, promiscuity and drinking, pornography to name a few of the evils. However, one thing this country does have is the RIGHT TO CHOOSE.

In contrast, in some parts of the Muslim world, especially in villages, where people are illiterate and have little or no knowledge of Islam, there is a lot of jahilliyya (ignorance). And also because there is bigotry from the males, sex is treated as taboo and a lot of wrong goes on.

However, in this environment, we are educated. And what is more we have a choice: We can engage in these evil practices OR we can turn away.

Each one of you who is young has strong passions at this stage of your lives. This is a blessing from Allah (s). However, this blessing has to be controlled. The Prophet (s) prescribed MARRIAGE. If you love a sister, marry her, Allah will do the rest. If you can’t, stay away from sisters and fast. Fasting will help you to control your carnal desires.

You can research into details regarding these issues. I don’t have time to delve into these so please forgive me for being short and blunt.

Simply put, you cannot afford to think of the next life as being a great distance away. Bring it into this life, think of it as close to you as your shadow. Sometimes, the childish and scary ways are more effective. For example, when we were little kids, if we didn’t behave, we were warned to close our ears and listen to the sound of the hellfire. When we did this, we were reminded that this is what Allah (s) has in store for us if we didn’t do as we were told.

So, we must use all means to think of the hereafter. The Prophet (s) Himself was not just a Bashir (giver of glad tidings), He was a Nazir (Warner) as well.

We must also remember that our bodily parts will testify against us if we have misused them in this life. This is in Surah Yaseen. How can this be? Because in the next life, it will be IMPOSSIBLE to speak lies, people will not be able to say anything BUT THE TRUTH.

Furthermore, we will be resurrected in the state that we leave this world. So think about what your last act should be in this world, reading the Qur’an, listening to a nasheed or listening to a vulgar song.

Yes, of course it’s not easy, there is peer pressure etc. But then again, the better the person you want to become, the harder you will have to work. But THE GREATER THE REWARD! There is a hadith of the Prophet (s) that talks of the seven categories of Muslims who will be given the shade on the Day of Judgement when there will be no shade for anyone. And one of these will be a young man who said no to the seduction of a rich woman for the sake of Allah (s).

Again, I emphasise that it is not easy. After all, how long can you stay away from your peers? But, stay away we must, again using simple techniques. We have to be strong and NOT BE NAIVE. Would you jump into a well if someone asked you, would you kill someone at someone’s order? No you wouldn’t! So why follow other people’s silly advice when you should know better? You are undergraduates, post graduates, thinkers, not primary school kids!

We cannot and MUST not compromise on the deen. We cannot dilute this great way of life.

Why do we have to be so proactive? Because, no new religion is to come after Islam and no new Prophet is to come after Muhammad (s)

So it is our duty, whether we like it or not to speak out when we see something un-Islamic going on. This goes for everyone, young and old. If you old, you have no reason to be passive and think “Oh well, nothing will change, so why should I do anything?” WRONG! We are not the ones to bring about the change- it is Allah (s)! Our duty is only to tell off, (wa ma ‘alayna ilal balaagh). Allah will take care of the rest! Think about the hadith of the Prophet (s) who said that when the Angel of Death was told to destroy a community, He came back and said that there was a pious man who was always worshipping! What should he do? Allah (s) replied: Destroy this community and start with him first! Meaning that this man was passive, he did not enjoin the good and forbid the wrong. He was of the opinion that religion is a personal affair.

So you must realise dear elders that we must tell someone when the other brother, son or daughter is wrong because this criticism is LOVE. You must not be embarrased. These are your daughters and sons, your duty doesn’t end with your blood relations, it continues to those related to you through the deen!

The Prophet (s) said: “Be with your brother when he does good and when he does bad.” One of the companions was puzzled, he asked “Ya Rasul Allah (s)! I can understand being with my brother when he is doing good but what do you mean be with him when he is doing bad?” The Prophet (s) explained that you must tell him off when he is wrong!

FINALLY TO FINISH OFF:

To the Youngsters:

Treat this mosque like the cave that the youngsters ran away to and found the solace and Mercy of Allah (s)! Come to the mosque, come to the committee members, ask them for any help. Talk to anyone you feel comfortable to talk to. Don’t worry about your mistakes, we all make mistakes, it is part of human nature to make mistakes, but a bigger mistake would be to not learn from our mistakes.

To the Mosque Committee Members:

Appoint the right people, take on responsibilities, work with each other. Don’t be harsh with your sisters and brothers, listen to them, overlook their minor faults, help them in a positive way. Let’s also try to get learned scholars here to get the message across and answer questions! Don’t chase the youngsters away from the mosque, they should be attracted and made to feel safe here. They should feel safe from your hands and your tongue. Remember! The Prophet (s) was gentle with the believers hareesun ‘alaykum, he was Rauf, He had compassion for the Muslims.

So, I admonish you and I admonish myself! Criticise, take criticism and act on that criticism! That is the way of Islam.

May Allah give you, me and all Muslims the quwwa (power), the tawfeeq (ability) and the himma (strength) to be able to do this and be the best ambassadors of Islam. Ameen.

ARABIC KHUTBAHS, then salah.

Metaphors and Parables in the Quran

Editors — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 08:33:06 +0000

Metaphors and parables in the Noble Quran

Arshad Gamiet/Royal Holloway University of London/2010

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

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

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.”

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,

The more we read the Holy Qur’an the more we can wonder at its construction, its use of language. It has a unique ability to fire up the human imagination and to deliver ideas into our hearts and minds in a powerful way. Over the last 14 hundred years scholars, experts in Arabic language and literature have marvelled at the way the Holy Qur’an sets the standard for communication, by informing, instructing and inspiring its readers. The Quran has become the ideal standard by which the power of written and the spoken word can be measured. This amazing book is of course not the product of a human mind or human imagination. This is the very Word of Allah: the Revealed Word of the Most High, transmitted through the archangel Gabriel, Jibreel, alahis salaam, and made audible and intelligible to us by the noblest of all creation, the seal of all the Prophets, khaataman nabiy-yeen, Prophet Muhammad (sws).

Often when Allah wants to explain an important idea, He uses a powerful figure of speech, a story or a metaphor that lingers in the memory and helps us to take hold of the message and fix it firmly into our hearts. There are many examples in the Holy Qur’an but we have time only to consider a few.

One example is the importance of remembering that every good thing that comes to us comes from Allah, and every bad thing comes to us comes from our own lower nafs, when we pervert or do harm to our own soul, through our own bad thoughts and actions. If Allah were to simply make a statement in a bland way we may not remember the message. But he uses powerful imagery. He tells us a story, for example, a parable of the two men arguing in Sura Kahf. One is filled with pride and arrogance over his beautiful garden and he tries to humiliate his poorer neighbour. So to teach him a lesson, Allah destroys it overnight. The poor man then reminds him that he forgot to say,

“Ma sha Allah, la kuw-wata il-La bil-Lah!” (18:39)

“This is the Will of Allah, there is no power and no strength except from Allah.”

Muslims have been so impressed by the power of this parable, this simple story. To make sure we don’t become like the unfortunate man who was puffed up with pride, we’ve placed reminders about this story all around us. I’ve seen the Arabic words “Ma-Sha-Allah” beautifully inscribed on the marbelled walls of palatial homes and humbler dwellings, carefully and lovingly painted by hand on busses, trucks and scooter taxis from Karachi to Cairo and from Chittagong to Kuala Lumpur. No believing Muslim wants to invite a nasty fate by forgetting his utter reliance on Allah’s generosity and mercy.

Another parable or metaphor that the Holy Qur’an uses, is the the way Allah separates truth from falsehood, by separating what is good for us from what is evil. There is a beautiful verse in Sura Ra’d (ch 13.v 17) which describes the way rain falls and the floodwaters carry a scum that rises to the surface, just like metal ore heated in a furnace produces a scum that rises to the top.

“He sends water down from the sky, and the channels flow, each according to its measure; but the torrent bears away the foam that mounts up to the surface. Even so, from that [ore] they heat in the furnace to make ornaments or utensils there is a scum likewise. This is how Allah uses parables to explain Truth and Falsehood; for the scum disappears like froth cast out; while that which is for the good of mankind remains on earth. This is how Allah explains with parables.”

This powerful metaphor reminds us that all the hardship and suffering that we endure is simply Allah’s way of burning off the impurities in our character so that our hearts can be refined and purified. The famous poet Jalaluddin Rumi wrote, ‘Suffering is a Gift: in it is a hidden Mercy.’ Allah mercifully cleans out our hearts for us so that we can be ready for al-Jannah, because, as the Holy Qur’an reminds us, no one will enter Allah’s Garden except those with a sound heart [qalbun saleem] [sura 26:v89]

Brothers and sisters, let us cultivate a daily habit of reading the Quran, reading and pondering over its meaning, even if it’s just a few verses. We must read it every day, and we must consider our day incomplete unless we’ve spent at least a few minutes with Allah’s Noble Book, reading it with understanding, reading it with love, devotion, consideration, tafakkur, contemplation and reflection. This is the way we can light up our lives through the darkness of human ignorance around us.

Second Khutbah:

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

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

My brothers and sisters,

One more example, perhaps the best example, of the beautiful use of language, of metaphor in the Holy Qur’an is in Sura Nur, verse 36. This is the famous verse of Light:

“Allahun nurus-sama waati wal ard…”

“Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The parable of His Light is as if there were a Niche and within it a lamp: the Lamp enclosed in Glass: the glass as it were a brilliant star: lit from a blessed Tree, an Olive, neither of the East nor of the West, whose Oil is almost luminous, although fire barely touched it: Light upon Light! Allah does guide whom He pleases to His Light. Allah does set forth Parables for men: and Allah knows all things.”

36 Such a light shines in houses which Allah has permitted to be raised to honour; for the celebration in them of His name: in such houses, is He glorified in the mornings and in the evenings (again and again)

37 By people who are not distracted by trade nor business, from Remembering Allah nor from regular Prayer nor from the doing regular acts of Charity: their (only) fear is for the Day when hearts and eyes will be transformed (in a world completely new)

That Allah may reward them according to the best of their deeds and add even more for them out of His Grace: for Allah does provide for those whom He chooses, without measure.”

Brothers and sisters, these beautiful words have inspired people and moved them to tears, over the centuries. Truth and beauty are aspects of the same divine Reality. The truth and beauty of the Holy Qur’an will continue to inspire its readers until the end of time. But Allah’s Book is more than an inspired and inspiring literary classic. The Holy Qur’an is more than just the greatest work of literature in any language. It’s much more than a collection of amazing stories, metaphors and parables. It’s pre-eminently THE book of divine Wisdom, the Criterion between right and wrong, the radiant guiding light for us to navigate our way through the treacherous waters of life. Let’s honour this Greatest of all Books by reading it, living by its advice, heeding its warnings and sharing it’s eternal truth and beauty with others.

When we die, the Holy Qur’an will either be a witness for us, pleading our case to save us from the fire, or we will stand condemned by it, for our negligence, for our disregard. Which one will it be? That’s for us to decide: it’s our choice, it’s our call.

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),

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!

False Choices: Are you British, European, American or Muslim?

Editors — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 09:59:38 +0000

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

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

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.”

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,

Muslims in Britain are often asked, “Do you consider yourself British or Muslim?” In other parts of Europe, the question is, are you European or Muslim? And, across the Atlantic, “Are you American or Muslim, Canadian or Muslim?” And so on. The question presupposes that one’s identity and one’s loyalty can only fit into one category. It also betrays the questioner’s anxiety as to where we Muslims belong. Before we hasten to answer this question, we need to examine its assumptions critically. It’s and either/or question, and it assumes that being Muslim and being British or French or German or American/Canadian/Australian are mutually exclusive identities. It’s like asking, are you a husband, or a father, or a son? Obviously, one can be all these, without any conflict or contradictions. The question itself is absurd. So, don’t answer this question as if you accept its wrong assumptions. The simple truth is that one can be a good Muslim and be a loyal British citizen, or European or American citizen without any problems.

The problem arises when we define our meanings narrowly and exclusively.

What exactly does it mean to be British, or whatever?

If one defines ‘British’ as being white, Anglo-Saxon and Protestant [W.A.S.P. for short] then clearly we brown skinned colonial cousins won’t ever fit that description. It’s racially and religiously exclusive. Who is ‘British’ has to be redefined. It must include all those who may have been born elsewhere but who have made Britain their home and who are entitled to a British passport. Being British is someone who strives to promote the wellbeing of everyone who lives in this country, and who is sensitive to the needs of people beyond our shores, someone who believes that ‘fair play’ applies not only to cricket but to life generally This is a more inclusive and acceptable definition of British-ness. We Muslims can certainly accept this definition and strive to fulfil it, because we find in it a resonance with our own Islamic ethos.

To be a Muslim is to be a follower of a universal faith, to believe in One God and to believe in all His prophets. ‘Muslim’ is not a national identity. It’s a belief identity. A Muslim can be Pakistani, Bangladeshi or Egyptian by birth, British by nationality and at the same time be an obedient son, a loving father, a devoted husband as well as a helpful neighbour and a loyal and upright citizen. One can be all this at the same time, with absolutely no contradictions. The contradictions only exist in someone else’s mind.

“O mankind, I have created you from a single pair of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, so that you may know and respect one another and not despise one another…”[Sura Hujuraat ch 49 verse13]

To know and to respect other people of different cultures, languages and ethnicity is a moral and spiritual imperative, decreed by Allah. Knowing and respecting the diversity of Allah’s creation is something we must share with others. We must teach them and reassure them that diversity should not become a source of fear and loathing, but a source of wonder and admiration. It is one of the Ayaat, one of the Signs of Allah.

We must understand that in these fast-changing times, people feel uncertain and insecure about their own national identity. Some are no longer sure if they are British, English, Scottish, Welsh or European. What comes first? Does it really matter? Aren’t we first human beings, homo sapiens? Bani Adam? KhaleefatullAh?..trustees and custodians of planet Earth? We Muslims must understand this, and we must reassure our friends and neighbours in the wider community that they have nothing to fear from our presence in their midst. We have to do this by earning their respect and trust. By doing so, we will simply be following the “uswatul hasanah,” the grand exemplar, the perfect role-model of Prophet Muhammad (sws).

Let’s not forget that even before he was called upon by Allah to fulfil the most honoured role as “khaataman-nabiy-yeen,” the Last of the Prophets, he had, in the first 40 years of his life earned the title of “Al-ameen,” The Trustworthy.

Let us then work hard to earn that same reputation amongst our friends and neighbours in the wider community. We must always be truthful and trustworthy. Let us follow our beloved Prophet Muhammad (sws)’s example. There’s no quick fix here. It’s a long and serious process, a lifestyle and lifetime commitment. It will take lots of hard work over many years. But this is what it means to be a true Muslim. We who worship the Lord of Mercy and who follow the Mercy to all the Nations,

(Wa ma arsal naaka illa Rahmatal lil ‘aalameen)

We will have to show others the beauty of Islam, bit by bit, day by day, through our practical living example, through big and small acts of kindness, generosity and mercy. We will have to join others in improving our neighbourhoods, reducing crime, drug abuse and social exclusion. Every Muslim must be involved in at least one activity that promotes social cohesion, human welfare and good citizenship. It’s a long road ahead, but this is what Allah has decreed for us, and at the end of this road, inshAllah, awaits the Ridwaan, the Good Pleasure of our Lord.

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

Second Khutbah:

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

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

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

We’ve all heard about Islamic Relief. It’s one of the biggest Muslim charities, helping anyone in need, all over the world. How many of us actually know how this big international charity began?

During Ramadan I attended an Iftar dinner hosted by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. I heard Dr Hani Al Banna, the founder and CEO, tell us how it started 25 years ago. It was in Cairo, Egypt, where his young nephew came to him and said, “Uncle, here’s my pocket money. I don’t really need anything for myself. Please use it to help the poor people.” He handed over one Egyptian Pound [about 20p]. Dr Al Banna was deeply moved by this young boy’s generosity, giving his whole week’s pocket money to the poor. So he started Islamic Relief with that sum, just 20p. Today it’s an international relief agency that raises millions to provide help and support to the poorest and most vulnerable people on earth.

Let us take this as an example. Even the smallest good deed, driven by love and gratitude to Allah, can be magnified a million times over. Allah’s mercy and blessings are limitless. Sura Al Baqara reminds us of a grain of corn that sprouts seven ears, each carrying a hundred grains. Allah multiplies His rewards many times over. We should never take Allah’s loving mercy for granted.

Let us reflect on Allah’s living and loving generosity towards us. Let us show Him our gratitude, by serving His most vulnerable servants.

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),

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!

The importance of your Mother

Editors — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 23:12:34 +0000

Glory and Majesty belong to Allah, Supreme Sovereign of the universe. Peace and salutations on our illustrious Master, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) who was sent as a universal mercy and guide.

Allah says in the Glorious Qur’an;

“Your Lord has decreed that you shall worship none except Him; and show kindness to your parents. If one of them or both reach old age, never say to them ‘uf’, nor scold them. Rather speak to them graciously and lower for them your wing of mercy, and say, ‘My Lord, have mercy on them as they raised me mercifully when I was small.” ( 17:23 )

Oh Muslims, in this above verse Allah states categorically that He has prescribed affection, kindness and obedience towards parents. The Almighty absolutely forbids ill-treatment, abuse and neglect of parents. Paradise and divine approval are for those who are kind to their parents, as the Holy Prophet (pbuh) so beautifully states;

“Paradise lies at the feet of the Mothers”

Oh servants of Allah. We have just started the new academic year 2009. The learner, the educator, the professional, the layman, the business person, nay, everybody is in search of success and prosperity. The question is; What is true success ?

Firoun was a mighty ruler and very wealthy, yet he died horribly and unsuccessful.

Abu Jahl, who was an uncle of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), was an intellectual in his era, but his obstinacy and boastfull arrogance blinded him to the Truth, and he also died in disgrace and unsuccessful. How many of us move in mighty executive circles today, holding positions of esteem, but neglect and abandon our beloved parents? How many parents are crying of loneliness in old-age homes and cramped out buildings? Why are children’s memories so short? Have we forgotten so soon how our mothers painfully bore and brought us into this world? Remember, when our beloved Prophet was asked who is the most deserving of our affectionate company, he replied thrice, Your Mother, Your Mother, Your Mother and then your Father. Therefore understand! that one’s worship of Allah is incomplete if one deserts, abandons or abuses one’s parents.

Our Noble Prophet (pbuh) was asked: Why do you give the mother three degrees of preference over the father? He replied: “Your mother carried you for nine months in her blessed womb, then painfully gave birth to you. After that she gave up her sleep for you, suckled you, carried you in her arms for three years and cleaned up your mess. She did your laundry. She cooked and served your food for eighteen years. When you were forty, fifty, sixty, she still followed your progress with great interest. The man enquired; Oh Prophet, suppose I carry my mother on my back for years, clean up after her, cook for her and feed her. Suppose I attend to those same services as long as she may live? The Prophet replied; There will be this one difference between you. Your mother looked out for you to live, while you are waiting for her to die.”

Listen attentively and I will relate to you a beautiful qissah (story).

“One day Nabi Musa (as) was conversing with Allah on Mount Sinai, and Allah said: Oh Musa, go to certain place where you shall meet a certain person, who is a butcher by trade, He will be your close companion in Jannah. When Nabi Musa arrived in this town, he hid his true identity and requested hospitality from this butcher, saying he is a traveler. The butcher took him home that evening and made him sit, saying, make yourself at home, but kindly excuse me for a while as I have something very important to do first. Nabi Musa then noticed that his host tended to a very old and frail woman laying in a basket. He cleaned the old lady, brushed her hair, then lovingly fed her and made her comfortable. The old lady murmured something, to which the butcher said ‘Amen’. After a while Nabi Musa asked his host about the old lady, and he replied. She is my mother. Every morning before I leave, I see to her needs for the day and make her comfortable. When I return home, I clean her up and feed her before I see to my own needs. Then Nabi Musa asked, What did she murmur to you. The butcher smiled and said. My mother daily makes duah that Allah must make me the companion of Nabi Musa in Jannah. I only say Ameen to please her, because I am only an ordinary person in comparison to Nabi Musa who is the great prophet of Allah. Hear the good news, brother butcher, the blessed Nabi Musa said. Your mother’s duah has been accepted. I am Nabi Musa and you are to be my close companion in Jannah.”

Oh Muslims, Listen dearly and reflect on the following qissah (story) as well.

One day, the great wali, Imam Hasan Al-Basri (ra) was making Tawaf around the Ka’bah, and saw a young man carrying a basket on his back. The young man explained. We are poor folk. For years my mother had this deep yearning to visit the Ka’bah, but we could never afford it. She had grown old, but always spoke so lovingly of the Ka’bah, with eyes filled with tears. I could not bear to see my mother in such a state, so I placed her in this basket and brought her all the way from our house in Syria. Oh Imam, did I repay my Mother’s due by what I have done for her? The pious Imam replied: Even if you carry your mother on your back and perform tawaaf seventy times around the Ka’bah, you will never compensate her for one kick you gave her when you were in her blessed womb.”

Oh servants of Allah! Do I need to say more? Islam teaches us that our two beloved parents are our doorway to Paradise. Sheikh Muzaffer Ozak Al-Jerrahi urges;

“Be obedient and loving to your parents and earn Allah’s good pleasure. Your mother and father are your honoured guests. You will lose them one day, and be left all alone in this world. You will never find a friend and helper like your mother. For of all those who seem to be your friends, the most loyal is your mother. She is your true friend, all the rest are friends of your money, rank, beauty etc. Should you become bankrupt, ugly, old or sick, or be put into prison, your one real friend will be your MOTHER.” I pray from this sacred Mimbar to Almighty Allah to bless all our beloved parents lives with khair and barakah, and those who are deceased, to grant them Jannatul-Firdous, Ameen.

Jumuah Mubarak!!!

After the Hajj

Editors — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 23:27:13 +0000

Hajj Maqbool wha Mabroor & Muharram Mubarak.

Praise be to Almighty Allah, Sovereign of the universe and choicest blessings on our illustrious Master, Nabi Muhammad (pbuh), the absolute final of all divine emissaries.

Allah says in the Glorious Qur’an;

“I have not created Jinn and Mankind except for my worship.”

It is also stated in a Hadith Qudsi, that the Lord Almighty declares;

“I was a hidden treasure, and I wanted to become known. So I created the creation, for my glorification.”

Oh Muslims, taking cognizance of these divine statements, we ask. Is mankind on course in terms of this noble objective? Looking at global events, one finds Muslims in disarray, facing persecution which started with the commencement of the Prophetic mission, and perpetuated against Muslims in Bosnia, Kashmir, Palestine, Afghanistan, Iraq etc. Our own beloved country of South Africa seems to be going down a dark tunnel, with allegations of fraud, corruption and bribery, even on government level.

It seems as if our education system and institutions have failed us. Hooliganism and gangsterism are rife on schools. Alcohol and drugs are the order of the day and a great number of Muslim youth are trapped in the demonic cult of Satanism. Hence, we can see the local, national and international scene of the Muslim world gives a gloomy picture of despair. However, it is not my intention to stand here on this sacred platform of truth to make you morbid. No; there is indeed hope. Great hope for the future. Great hope for us to rid the world from the misery of godlessness, into the light of Godliness.

Let us start with thanking our beloved Creator for having afforded us the wonderful opportunity to have stood on the mighty plains of Arafah with approximately 3 million fellow pilgrims. Remember, beloved Hujaaj, that you have been crowned as ambassadors to convey the message of Arafah, but most importantly, to live your Hajj. The completion of this great Hajj ushers in the new Islamic year of Muharram 1430. New Year for a Muslim does not involve vulgarity obscenity and vanity. We are not clowns and coons to dance in public, like slaves to the tunes of their slave masters. Nay, New Year signifies a new and fresh beginning. It is an opportunity for us to recommit ourselves to the purpose of our creation, and fulfilling our Amanat (trust) as Allah has decreed for us.

“You (Muslims) are the best community, selected for the guidance of mankind. You order with the good and prevent from evil, and you have faith in Allah.” (Al-Qur’an).

It is this bounden duty of Da’wah, which we have neglected for so long, which resulted in the mess we find ourselves in.

Oh Muslims, don’t you see that everything revolves around Da’wah ? Look at the organized Da’wah campaigns of Satan’s dens of vice and sin through their gambling casinos, prostitution houses, shebeens and drug outlets. Now the world is groping in spiritual darkness. Where is that great Muslim Ummah who brought glory and civilization and led the world out of the dark ages?

Islam is the perfect Deen based on unity. We are an ummah united in our worship of One Allah, one Qur’an, one Kaa’bah as our qiblah under the one flag of our illustrious Master, Nabi Muhammad (pbuh). The rampant malady which grips this Ummah today is because ;

a) Mutual love has departed from our hearts, while hatred and animosity dominate the scene.

b) Harmony is ousted, while disharmony has entrenched itself.

c) Self righteous attitudes among us, that my perspective of an issue is the ultimate perspective, and my view must rule supreme.

We need to realize that it is this kind of immaturity and mediocre level of intellectual intollerence which curbs our progress and prolonging our intellectual and political impotency.

We therefore need to evaluate ourselves in the light of the Islamic value system which finds distinct expression for its promotion in its demand for human welfare and inner/ inter-religious harmony.

It is our religious duty to elect a strong and competent leadership, under whose guidance we need to convey the uncorrupted message of Tauheed.

Let us make a strong resolution, as we enter this new year, that we will live and propagate the message of Arafah. Positive change starts with our individual selves and within our homes and immediate environments. In conclusion, I remind myself and you of the last advise of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), from the plains of Arafah.

“ I leave behind two mighty things. Whosoever adheres to them, will never go astray. It is the Book of Allah (Al-Qur’an) and my Sunnah.

May Allah bless us all and grant us success and prosperity for the new year ahead, Ameen.

Muharram Mubarak

Hajj Reflections 2009

Editors — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 18:12:08 +0000

Short Khutbah

Hajj Reflections 2009

Arshad Gamiet/Royal Holloway University of London/Date 13 Nov 2009

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

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

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.”

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,

Brother Essam gave a very inspiring khutbah this morning after the Eid Prayers. I want to sum up a few key lessons for us all to remember about the Hajj, in this short khutbah. 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. It is a journey that reminds us about our primordial human nature: Fitra, innocence, purity, about human forgetfulness that leads us to sinful and shameful deeds. But it’s also about Redemption, divine Mercy and Forgiveness. Haj 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”

“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]

Arafat is also a dress rehearsal for the Day of Judgement, Yawmul qiy-yaamah. 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…

“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!”

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 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 circling, making tawaaf around our spiritual heart? The qalb is the locus of our personality. 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.”

Second Khutbah:

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

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

My brothers and sisters,

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 our families, more than our parents and children, more than our selfish egos? 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 were 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 spared father and son of the ultimate sacrifice, so that they passed the test of sincerity, ikhlaas.

“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),

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!

Life, Death and the Hereafter

Editors — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:40:35 +0000

Khutba delivered in the Milwaukee Islamic Da’wa Center on November. 20, 2009

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”

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.” ِ

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.

“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)

“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.”

Akhirah (Hereafter)

No Mercy, No Faith

Editors — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 01:36:08 +0000

Arshad Gamiet/Royal Holloway University of London/Date 13 Nov 2009

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

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

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.”

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

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

My Dear Brothers and Sisters,

In Sura Zukhroof, Ch 43:v36-37 we find a very serious warning from Allah:

“And whoever turns himself away from the dhikr [remembrance] Al-Rahman, the All-Merciful, Allah will appoint for him a Shaitan, to be his intimate friend and companion. Shaitan will lead him astray from the Path, even though he will persistently believe hat he is rightly guarded.”

It’s worth reading this verse over and again reflecting on its meaning. The verse tells us that those who turn away from remembering Allah as the All Merciful, are in serious trouble. If we choose only to remember Allah’s other names that describe His power and might, and we neglect the remembrance of The All Merciful, we are heading for trouble. Certainly Allah as the Al’Azeez, the Almighty, Al Qah-haar, The Compeller, Al Jab-baar, The Irresistible, Al-Muntaqeem, the Lord of Retribution, but let’s not forget, that He is also At-Taw-waab, The Ever Returning, Ever Relenting, Al-‘Afuww, The Pardoner, the Remover of Sins, He is also Al-Lateef, the Subtle, the Kind, Al-Haleem, The Infinitely Forbearing, Al Wali-y, The Protecting Friend, Patron and Helper; Over and above anything else, He is Ar-Rahmaan, the Infinitely Merciful. Throughout His Sacred Book, He refers to Himself as Al Gaffoorur Raheem, the Often Forgiving, All-Merciful, and He instructs us to initiate every action with Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem!… He instructs us begin every action, to sanctify, to make sacred, every action in the Name of Allah, the All Merciful, The All Compassionate! Brothers and Sisters, Allah wants us to be constantly mindful of His Mercy, and to express Mercy in our daily dealings with other people.

When we forget this, either deliberately or carelessly, when we turn away from remembering Ar-Rahman, then something strange happens. Shaitan will silently slip into our lives, even though we will be unaware of it. We will find ourselves doing evil things while believing sincerely that we are doing good. Shaitan will have quietly entered into our hearts, whispering and persuading us to commit grave sins, and we will think we are actually pleasing Allah. Because Mercy has left our hearts, Allah has allowed Shaitan to fill that space. And yet, it happens so quietly that we don’t even know what’s happening!

Brothers and sisters, I’m sure that no-one in his or her right mind wants Allah to appoint a Satan to be an intimate friend and confidante. None of us, I’m sure! Yet if you look at all the wicked things some people do in the name of Islam, you will understand the serious implications of this verse.

Throughout history, misguided people have used their religion as a way of promoting their own agendas. These days, angry militant groups have hijacked our faith, twisted it’s teachings out of context and used it to justify their killing of innocent civilians. Islam is not just another secular political idea that you can force down anyone’s throat. Islam is too good and too beautiful to be misused in this way.

“la ikraha fid-deen…” Let there be no compulsion in religion…” says the Quran [Sura Al Baqara 2:256]

Islam seeks to purify our human substance from within ourselves, from the heart, the qalb. When this happens we become the means through which Allah improves and beautifies the whole society. True Faith is a cleansing process that begins from within and works outward. It cannot be imposed from outside to work inward.

“Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem. Qul: A-oothu biRabbin-naas, malikin-naas, ilaahin-naas;Min sharril was waasil khan-naas; al-lathee yuwas-wisufee sudoorin naas, minal jinnati wan-naas.”

“In the Name of Allah, the Merciful and Compassionate! Say: I take refuge in the Lord of Mankind, the King of mankind, the God of mankind; from the evil whisperer when he whispers into the Hearts of mankind, among Jinns and among human beings”

Brothers and Sisters, be aware that Shaitaan does not go around with a big neon sign on his head saying, “watch out! I want to mislead you to the hellfire!” Shaitan is much more subtle and sophisticated. That’s why Evil often walks the streets respectably clothed. We must be on our guard. Shaitan prefers to slip quietly into our hearts, unnoticed. He prefers to whisper into our innermost thoughts and desires. That’s where we are most vulnerable. The most dangerous trap is to think that we are defending Islam, that we are pleasing Allah, when in reality we are defending your own bruised ego, and we are actually pleasing our lower self, nafs-al-amara-bis-sow.

Let us first look to our own behaviour, before we judge others. How well do we represent the All Merciful? How well do we try to be like Prophet Muhammad (sws) “the Mercy to all the Nations?” If we look in the mirror and all we see is anger and rage, if our neighbours cringe when they see us, if they do not feel safe in our presence, you can be sure that something’s wrong. Maybe we’ve lost our direction somewhere, maybe we’ve lost our moral compass. Maybe we started with the best of intentions, but we forgot to be merciful, generous, big-hearted. Maybe we got distracted from the Straight Path, the sirat al mustaqeem. We didn’t realize our mistake, and we carried on, believing that we were following Allah and His prophet. But really, could be following that fellow downstairs, the one with the evil grin, the big horns and the spiky tail…

Real faith, true iman, is about sincerity. Ikhlaas. Look at the history of our religion, and you will see that in every country that felt the influence of Islam, of true, sincere faith, there was an improvement in the affairs of all people. Compare Arabia, Turkey, Spain, India, West Africa or Indonesia, before and after Islam. Wherever you look, you’ll see that faith beautified every nation. Each country had its ‘golden age’ under Muslim rule. Faith does not enter a human heart without beautifying it. A faithful people do not flourish in any society without beautifying that society. We’re not just talking of cultural beauty here: like art, architecture, craftwork, music, poetry, and so on. We’re also talking about behaviour, personal conduct, ethics and morality. This higher spiritual influence is far more important that the stuff that gets auctioned at Sothebys. How to live and let others live as civilised human beings, that’s what real faith is all about. Prophet Muhammad (sws) declared

“I have not been sent for any other reason except to perfect adab, that is, good character.”

His mission was to improve human behaviour and to promote noble conduct. This was a universal mission, not only for the Bedouin Arabs. He is our uswatul hasanah, our Grand Exemplar as far as human behaviour is concerned. We must quietly work for the greater good of our society. We must improve moral and ethical values firstly within our own hearts, and then extend it to our families and our communities. Britain desperately needs better behaved citizens, not just better bankers and politicians! We must help to recalibrate the moral compass, and to reset the ethical agenda. What sort of legacy do we want to leave behind us? When historians of the future write about these times, let’s hope they will find that Muslims in Britain will have left something much more valuable than doner kebabs and chicken tikka!

Brothers and sisters, what are we doing to de-mystify our faith and way of life? Islam is not a spectator sport. It’s not a religion for couch potatoes watching the drama of their own boring lives being played out on high definition plasma screens. Islam is a religion of action: virtuous actions to improve the quality of life for everyone around us. Let’s do good actions to benefit our neighbours.

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

Second Khutbah:

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

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

My brothers and sisters,

We have to extend a hand of friendship to our neighbours. We must invite others into our homes and our mosques. Our Friday prayers have been open to visitors for many years now. That’s a good start, but we must do more than that. We can invite our neighbours to enjoy a cup of tea and we can listen to their concerns. We must also, as I said earlier, support initiatives that promote the general wellbeing of society. Find out how we can help local charities and voluntary groups. Let’s form partnerships with them. We should be helping out wherever there is youth crime, drug abuse and family breakdowns, where there is poverty and homelessness. This is the real sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (sws). As he spelt out in a famous Hadith:

“Spread Peace, feed the hungry, pray for part of the night. You will enter paradise.”

This was his very first message as he entered Madinah at the end of his epic journey, the Hegira from Makkah.

Where there’s a problem, we must be part of the solution. That’s what it means to be a Muslim, to be a servant of the All Merciful. Surely, when we worship the Lord of Mercy, and we follow His last Prophet, a Mercy to all the Nations, shouldn’t we also, in time, acquire some of that heavenly radiance? Shouldn’t we also cultivate some luminosity of character, shouldn’t our faces reflect some of that radiant spiritual afterglow to illuminate the way for others?

Brothers and sisters, for the benefit of those who missed the beginning of this khutbah, I repeat the warning in Sura Zukhroof, Ch 43:v36-37:

“And whoever turns himself away from the dhikr [remembrance] Al-Rahman, the All-Merciful, Allah will appoint for him a Shaitan, to be his intimate friend and companion. Shaitan will lead him away from the Straight Path, even though he will persistently believe hat he is rightly guarded.”

Let us pray and plead our case to our Lord: O Allah please help us to remember you constantly as Ar-Rahman, the All-Merciful, so that we can fill our lives with your divine Mercy. O Allah, help us all to become Your agents of mercy and indeed Your angels of mercy towards all your creatures.

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),

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!

Faith is a 3-D Experience

Arshad Gamiet — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 01:44:36 +0000

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My Dear Brothers and Sisters,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Second Khutbah:

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

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

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islam,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Brothers and sisters, to conclude our khutbah:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ameen. Aqeemus salaah!

Hypocrisy or Sincerity? The future of Islam in America

Arshad Gamiet — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 19:41:32 +0000

Khutba delivered in the Milwaukee Islamic Da’wa Center on July 17, 2009 By Dr Waheeduddin Ahmed

[I delivered the khutba extempore; so the following transcript is not verbatim]

Hamd wa Thana.

Allah (T) said: Inna khalaqnakum min zakarin wa untha wa Ja’lnakum shu’ban wa qabaila li ta’arafu. Inna akramakum I’ndAllahi atqakum.

Indeed We created you from one male and a female and made you peoples and tribes so that you may identify each other. Indeed the best among you are the God-fearing.

I discussed this verse in one of my previous khutbas. However, this verse is so profound that each time I read it, I find in it new dimensions of meaning and implications. Therefore, once again this is the opener for today’s discussion.

As can be seen this verse has three parts:

Part 1: Inna khalaqnakum min zakarin wa untha (We created you from one male and a female). This signifies the biological unity of man. We are all one species of creation, with commonality of anatomy and physiology. People, from the aborigines of Australia to the Nordic people of Scandinavia can interbreed. Also, we have a common ancestry, having descended from one pair of human beings

Secondary differences of color and physique are due to the different habitats that we found ourselves in: the climate etc. Our habitats have formed our habits.

We also have individual differences, which help us to tell one person from another. The greatest miracle of creation is that over the past tens and thousands of years of human history, no two individuals have been identical and this principle will hold for all the future generations. Thus our color, our complexion, our size, our sex, the shape of our nose and eyes and many others are the elements in our individual identity. This is how we know each other.

Part II: Wa ja’alnakum shu’ooban wa Qabai’la li ta’arafu: (and made you peoples and tribes so that you may identify each other).

Whereas the first part was concerned with biology and anthropology, the second part is to do with the sociology. Human beings are social animals. No man is an island. They need to live in association with each other for safety and protection from the hazards of the environment and for the division of labor. Thus they become peoples and tribes (shu’oob and qaba’el) as the necessity demands. Their different habitats bestow upon them different characteristics and habits. They become distinctive as groups of people. These distinctions give them different group identities. These distinctions however are only the composites of personal identification. It is natural to ask when two people meet in Hajj: What is your name and where are you from brother? This is Ta’arruf and has no social significance other than that.

Part III: Inna akramakum i’nd-Allahi atqakum: (Indeed the best of you in the eyes of Allah are those who are God-fearing).

Having declassified human beings from their compartments of race, genealogy, nationality etc, Allah (T) then reclassifies them into different grades according to their piety. Recall Rasoolullah’s signature speech in his final Hajj… This was the revolution, which dwarfs the French and the Bolshevik revolutions in the universality of its message. Your race, genealogy, your wealth, your social status do not make you superior to any other human being. Your degrees: Ph.D. and M.D. do not upgrade you if they do not provide you with a higher degree of humanism. If they do not make you a better person, they are simply tools for the exploitation of other human beings. Islam knocked down the slave master, dragged him into dirt and elevated the slave to the status of a commander. Read the story of Bilal and Umayyah, the history of Mamluk of Egypt and the Ghulaman dynasty of India. The Urdu poet Iqbal has depicted this revolution beautifully in the following verses:

Ek hi saf men khade hogaey Mahmood O Ayaz

Na koi banda raha aur na koi bandanawaz.

Banda O sahib O muhtaj O ghani ek huve

Teri sarkar meN paNhche to subhi ek huve.

Mahmoud* and Ayaz * stood in one line, shoulder to shoulder

No one a master, no one a slave.

The slave and the master, the poor and the rich together

When came to Thy rule, they were one forever.

* The reference here is to Sultan Mahmood of Ghazni (the great Mujahid and conqurer) and his slave Ayaz.

In the Aftermath of the Revolution:

This was the voice, which rose from the desert of Arabia. Hundreds, then thousands, then millions harkened to the message. We took this message from Asia to Africa and to Europe. This was the message that we brought to America. Simple people, the oppressed and those, disillusioned with the prevalent hypocrisy in Christianity were attracted to it, like the early Sahaba of the Prophet. Masjids arose in almost every city in America. Once, Br. Ayyub and I went to a synagogue in the city to give a lecture on Islam. They asked Br.Ayyub: what it was that brought him to Islam. (Br.Ayyub is an African-American) He answered that it was the message of brotherhood and equality, which had attracted him to Islam.

Islam and the Future Generations of Muslims in America:

If I was giving this khutba in a masjid in Amman, Cairo, Delhi, Lahore or Mogadishu, the audience would be elated and congratulating each other on the good fortune of being born as Muslims. Because of the homogeneity of race and culture, their perspective would be pure and simple. Their congregations would be mostly uniracial and monocultural. The situation in America is, however, unique. All the continents of the world are represented in our communities. It is as though Allah (T) has, for the first time, provided the Muslim Ummah a test for the practice of the principle that has been propagated in the literature and in our rhetoric. The question we must ask ourselves now is whether we are passing the test. Honestly, you cannot put your hand on your chest and say: Yes we are.

The Responsibility of the Leadership:

The masses are like herds. Muslims are generally easygoing all over the world. The hassles and the difficulties of their daily lives do not give them a chance to sit down and review their conduct using ideality as a criterion. They entrust this task to their scholars and their leaders.

We have immigrants from the Indian subcontinent, who have inherited cultural Islam. Their ritualism does not permit them to understand the letter and the spirit of the Quran. They are misfits in the land, where Islam is pristine. They also come from a land, where prejudices based on caste, class and color affect every walk of life. The leadership is muted in dealing with this problem.

The pioneers of the Islamic work in America were people of vision and of ideals. They worked hard selflessly to start us our communities and built us our masajid. Islam was their criterion and the integrity of the Ummah was their motto. Some of them did it, knowing very well that they or their children would not be the beneficiaries of their work as they were only transient in this country. They are now gone and gone with them is the idealism. The present crop of leadership is highly professional but is lacking in idealism. We now have masjid mangers and department mangers but where do we go to look for Islamic leadership?

Our communities are now divided between the Elite and the non-Elite. The Elite are looking for company among the non-Muslim Elite, looking for “respectability” and prestige. Interfaith dialogue is a priority but not the dialogue with fellow Muslims.

They are so busy in their pursuits that they do not even have time to turn their heads and look at the other segment of the society, which is looking at them in utter dismay and wondering whether this was the Islam they were introduced to by the pioneers.

Early on cracks developed between Black America and Muslim America, because of the attitudes of some people among us. This has now become a gap, which is widening. Soon it will be unbridgeable. This is now being followed by the disillusionment of Muslims, who happen to be black. This is the biggest tragedy of our time. We are leaving a terrible legacy for the future generations. They will read the verse that we discussed before, then look out and see the reality in stark contrast to the fiction in their hands. For non-Muslims it will be a bonanza. With clear proof they will be able to point out the “the Grand Islamic Hypocrisy” which is unveiling in America.

If we want to avoid this catastrophe, we have to act now. If we are able to stop this slide into ignominy and build the only real multiracial Islamic community in the world, we will have perfected the practice of the Message. We are standing at a crossroads. One road leads to disaster and the other to glory. Now, which one do we take?.

Successful indeed, are the Believers

Arshad Gamiet — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:33:45 +0000

My Dear Respected Brothers and Sisters,

Our students are coming to the end of the academic year. They’ve had a lot of pressure to meet deadlines and excel in the exams. Surely, excelling in the academic sphere is one of our main priorities at this stage in our lives since, with the help of Allah, it will assist us in paving our future and contributing positively to the society we live in. Yet, we also can very easily get lost in this earthbound way of thinking that the only way that I will ever be successful is to take care of my career, get a well paid job in order to live comfortably. There’s nothing wrong with this agenda but we should also ask ourselves if this is the proper definition of success.

Alhamdulillah we all gather together today as Muslims and inshaAllah as believers of this divine faith. We try our utmost to emulate the best of creation, Sayidna Muhammad (sas). Sayidna Muhammad (sas). He was the best of the creation because he willfully submitted himself to Allah. He was known to be the walking Qur’an. Reflecting on this title, we can conclude that this means two things, the first being that he was able to recite the Qur’an whenever necessary in order to give advice or derive a law. The second important inference that we gather from this title is the fact that the Prophet Muhammad (sas) implemented everything found in the Qur’an- the guidance for humanity. We can therefore conclude that if the Prophet Muhammad (sas) was the best of creation and he was also the walking Qur’an success is found through implementing what Allah tells us to do in His Book.

When we embark on any journey, we end up facing many uncertainties and variables. We are not sure whether majoring in economics is the best thing for our future. We cannot be one hundred percent confident that pursuing a higher degree before working is the best decision. We are never really sure on even bigger decisions that we will have to make in our lifetime, like choosing the most compatible spouse. Since we are finite human beings, the future for us is unclear. Yet, we have immeasurable blessings because of the generosity of Allah (swt). Allah promises the believers success.

In Surah Al-Mu’minoon [The Believers] Allah begins by saying:

“Qad aflaha al mu’minoon,”

which means Successful indeed are the believers.

This means that Allah guarantees the believers success. We all want to be successful. We all want to have a meaningful existence and most of us will do anything within our power to avoid failure. Humans naturally strive to excel, and Allah is telling us how to do just that. We excel through being mu’mineen- believers.

In order for someone to be considered a mu’min, he/she must have Imaan. Imaan is to have unwavering faith in Allah, His Angels, His Messengers, His Books, The Day of Judgment and the Divine Decree…. but also more. It is what takes position in the heart, and actions are what prove that statement. It is more than just a claim, al mu’minoon speak through their acts not their words.

Let us take this opportunity to take an even closer look at this one aya. “Qad aflaha al mu’minoon.” Allah begins it with قَدْ “qad” and when this word appears before a verb (in this case, أَفْلَحَ “aflaha”, “he succeeded’) it shows two things:

1- It appears before an expected matter, a matter that will surely occur. This denotes the meaning of: certainty, it is definitely going to happen. Also, Qad could also denote the PAST tense…so this matter has already happened in the “time” of Allah. This should give us all hope…we ALREADY are victorious inshaallah.

2- ‘qad’ makes the verb after it in the past, present and future tense, so it will give the meaning: certainly, the believers will succeed and will be successful and are successful and were successful…subhanAllah.

The word Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala uses for ’success’ is أَفْلَحَ “aflaha”, and a muflih is one who is successful. What does aflaha actually mean though?

Aflaha is derived from the root ف ل ح (fa-laam-ha) and it literally means to split something and cleave it. A fallaah is a farmer. How does success relate to farming? My dear brothers and sisters, a farmer is one who splits the earth, sows the seeds, waters it, watches it, and takes care of his farm, tending to it every day with great care. A fallaah is a person who puts in all the work. A person who wants to achieve his goals and breaks them down into tasks and milestones with determination and consistency.

The farmer cannot water his plants one week and leave them the next thinking they will still flourish properly without him doing anything else, So a Muflih is one who bears difficulty and hardship and puts in his maximum effort to achieve his aim and goal, effort is the most important aspect. What makes someone a success and one a faliure is how much effort they put in. Subhanallah, this is also true in anything in life (at work, in a relationship, etc) The farmer will go in the sun and heat, seven days a week and he will put in his highest effort until his plants are harvested properly.

A muflih is not just one who does a good deed here and there, but he does it until he reaches what he wants, consistently. Al-Muflihoon are the people who are successful and this success is not because of luck or good fortune, it didn’t just happen, but they became successful because they put in the work and effort to reach their goal which inshaAllah should be Jannah and receiving the pleasure of Allah.

However, this does not necessarily mean that the farmer will have the best of harvests for that year. There could have been a drought, or, at the other end of the spectrum, flooding. In one fell swoop, all of his effort could be gone. However, is it really gone? One’s answer can only be determined by asking ourselves what our ultimate concern is. Is our ultimate concern to live for this temporal life, fulfilling all our base desires and eventually passing that same mentality to future generations or, is it to live as believers knowing that this life is an exam for us, of which we are assured that those who believe will surely pass with flying colors?

Throughout the Qur’an, Allah gives us descriptions of what it means to be a believer. Believers are those who avoid vain talk, who guard their prayers, who have humility when they pray, who have chastity, who avoid backbiting and slander and who remain steadfast on the path of Allah. There is one particular aya my dear brothers and sisters that I wanted to focus on in today’s khutba which gives us three attributes of a mu’min.

In Suraht Al-Anfal verse 2 Allah says:

Innama al mu’minoon alladheena idha dhukirallahu wajilat quloobuhum wa idha tuliyat a’layhim ayaatuhu zaadat-hum imaanan wa ‘ala rabbihim yatawakkaloon.

Only they are believers whose hearts tremble when Allah is mentioned, and when His Signs are recited to them, their faith increases, and upon their Lord, they put their trust.

In just this one aya, we have three descriptions of the believers. The believers’ hearts are filled with fear (wajila) of Allah, their faith increases when they listen to the beautiful words of Allah and they have tawakul in Allah. The fact that Allah starts with Innama is key. This means that what is to follow will differentiate those who are believers to those who are not. Allah could have said believers do such and such, but rather, He uses innama which means that to be a believer you have to have these qualities.

- Just at the remembrance of Allah, their hearts tremble. Simply by saying alhamdulillah, or bismillah, or subhanAllah, there is a change in the Qalb, or heart. The qalb is a beautiful mysterious organ. Allah is Muqallib al Quloob (The turner of hearts) and we always ask Allah to thabit quloobina ala deenahu, which means to secure our hearts on His religion. Not only are the believers’ hearts turned (root- qalaba, to turn) towards Allah but they are attached. Attached to the point that they are vulnerable at the mere mention of His name. My dear brothers and sisters, when you may have a slight hunch that your friend is upset with you, you become so worried.

We usually ask ourselves, “What have I done to upset him? How can I make it up to him?” We should ask ourselves if we feel this same worry towards our Creator. Do we think of Allah and pray that He is pleased with us and really take heed of what it means to be in a constant state of thikr? Thikr can be remembrance, but at the same time it can also mean mention. At the mere mention of Allah, we should have a trembling heart.
The second part of this aya describing the muminoon is the fact that they increase in faith when they hear the Qur’an. This is interesting to note because it shows us that we are always on an uphill climb to increase our faith. Believers are not born with the utmost faith automatically. This illustrates our purposeful need to struggle in increasing our faith. We cannot just ask Allah to be of the believers without attempting to do things that will make us worthy of that title. This also shows that all hearts have different levels of faith- some are at a very high level while others are struggling to keep afloat. We should take heed of this in our approach towards dawa. Oftentimes it is easy to assume that everyone is at the same level of faith as us because it is easy to forget where we once were. I think this aya helps us to remember that faith is never a constant point, but rather sways and oscillates (inshaAllah all the awhile gradually increasing). We should remember that Umar ibn al-Khattab’s heart turned away from hating Islam towards an almost blind love for this deen through listening to the recitation of the Quran. My dear brothers and sisters, how is our relationship with the Qur’an? Are we listening to it every day? Are we attempting to at least read a couple of verses and reflect on the meaning? In order for us to find success in this life and in the hereafter, we have to have a relationship with this Most Generous Book. The Qur’an has a very important position on the Day of Judgment. On that Day, this Guidance to Humanity will either stand as a witness for us or stand as a witness against us. There will be specific surahs such as Al Baqarah and Ale Imran that will be clouds providing shade from the unbearable sun to those who memorized them. Reading Suraht Al-Mulk every night will protect us from the punishments of the grave. My dear brothers and sisters, we cannot afford to not have a relationship with the Qur’an. Even if we feel that our imaan will stay the same after reading a few verses, we should continue to strive. A body builder doesn’t become a body builder after only one visit to the gym. Let us not get discouraged and make a concerted effort to link ourselves with the best blessing that Allah could have given us, which is the Qur’an.
The third part of this aya which describes the qualities of the mu’min pertains to having tawwakul. Tawakkul is not an easy thing to achieve. There is definitely a balance when it comes to tawakkul. We can’t take a back seat and say Allah will take care of everything for us. At the same time my dear brothers and sisters, we sometimes want to be in control of everything and this can be seen as a lack of trust in Allah. For example, in choosing a spouse, we pray istikhara (tawakkul) and yet we also ask all the necessary questions in order to feel like we are making a properly informed decision. We get married having very little real knowledge about the person, but we have tawakkul that Allah will put baraka in the union because we did it for His sake.

Akoolu kawli hadha wastaghfir Allah lee wa laakum

Second Khutbah:

Dear Brothers and Sisters

My dear brothers and sisters, we are nearing the conclusion of this khutba. Before we part, I want to leave you with a story, one of my favorite stories having to do with this important aspect of tawakkul.

Once there was an amazing hiker. This hiker was remarkably skilled at climbing mountains. He was never afraid to climb mountains by himself. One day he decided that he wanted to conquer the highest and steepest mountain. He began very early in the morning, and went by himself. He never lost his tenacity or determination to reach the top and conquer the mountain. As the sun set, he began to notice how steep the climb really was and he had only reached the middle of the mountain. He had the option to continue forward in the darkness or to climb down and attempt the climb another day. He resolved to continue on. As nighttime fell, the weather began to drop and it had suddenly become very cold outside. All of a sudden the skilled mountain climber lost his footing and fell, still holding on to his rope. His rope fell with him but stopped at a specific point. At this point however, the mountain was cleaved in and all around him was just empty space and nothing to hold on to. His hands began to bleed from holding on to the rope so tightly for dear life. He began to shout to God asking God to help him and save him from this situation. All of a sudden he heard a voice. The voice said, “Do you believe in me?” The climber, in his complete hysteria, responded, “I always denied your existence outwardly, but I know that you exist.” The voice said, “Do you trust me?” The climber responded, “Of course I do, You are the only one who can help me.” The voice then said, “Let go of the rope.”

The climber said, “That is insane. There is no way I can let go of the rope- it is the only thing that is keeping me alive.”

The next day a rescue team went out to look for the climber and they found his body still holding tightly to the rope. He had frozen to death.

When people saw the frozen climber, they could not help but ask, “Why didn’t he just let go of the rope? He was only two feet off the ground.”

My dear brothers and sisters, let us be of those who attempt and strive and work hard towards Allah, and still have complete trust in Him and only Him.
May Allah make us of those who have trembling hearts when He is mentioned.
May Allah make us of those who increase in their faith when His verses are recited.

May Allah make us of those who have a deep trust in Him and only Him.

Akeemu salaah.

Marwa Aly is a Muslim Chaplain at Trinity College and Wesleyan University, USA

Death and Dying

Arshad Gamiet — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 14:55:32 +0000

Almighty Allah, Exhorts us in the Holy Quran:

“Every Soul (person) shall taste of death – And on the day of Judgment shall you paid your full recompense – Only he who is saved from the fire and admitted to paradise would have obtained the purpose of the life of this world-The life of the world is but goods and a chattel of deception)”. (Chapter3: 185) –

Our Prophet (Peace be upon him), declared:

“Live in this world as if you are a stranger passing through.” – All thanks and Praise is only due only to Almighty Allah only and benedictions, salutations, and blessings upon our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him).

As Muslims it is time for us to reassess our approach to dying and death. Dying is understood to be a part of living — an important part. Sometimes we may not want to know about the processes that occur after we die because we are afraid or don’t want to think about it. However, this should not be the attitude of a Muslim. — The prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said, “live in this world as though you are a stranger or a traveller (passing through it).” [Muslim]

We as Muslims are on a journey and should know about the whole journey’s itinerary, not just one part, and should also understand some things about the destination.– We should be foremost in learning and understanding about death and dying, so we can organize our lives accordingly. We are urged to accept the will of Almighty Allah with good grace and patience – but many Muslims when they find out that they are going to die – are quite appalled and indignant – They protest in agony and outrage-

-Dying is normally associated with Suffering –Pain and Trauma. — And it is normal to fear suffering, and react to it with anger and frustration, because we feel oppressed by it and powerless against it. The denial of our own power lies at the root of suffering. Quite often suffering blocks our faith (IMAN) and some of the many Questions that are asked are “Why Me” “Where is Allah in all of this” Why am I being Punished. — There is this Search for meaning.

SOURCES of information for Muslims –HQ. And Hadith — H.Q. 2 / 155-157. “(O Man whilst on the earth) be sure that we will test you with many things — Fear- Hunger- loss of goods – Life (sickness/death) — The Fruits of your toil. But give glad tidings to those (when they are tested) who turn to Almighty GOD when afflicted — with patience and prayer — and they will say ” O Allah everything comes from you and to you we will return.” Three Things will then happen when we submit to Almighty Allah — – Salawaat (Peace/Blessings) (Allah’s Mercy/Compassion) and (They will guided by Allah).

Pain & Suffering is most certainly not a curse from Almighty Allah but rather a blessing and a test to see how we will react when challenged and tested.

What is called DEATH is not pure annihilation but a movement from one state to another or transmigration from our form of biological existence to another in another zone or dimension. In the prophetic traditions this Zone or Dimension is referred to as BARZAGHT translated from the Arabic means Barrier or partition between two areas, zones or dimensions.-(The physical state and the Day of Resurrection) . So the human SPIRIT (Ruh) is released to a new life independent from the physical body. Such an event is what the word DEATH indicates. Almighty Allah states:

“Kullu Nafsien Thaa Ikatul Maut -Thumma Illayna Turja Oon” Every soul shall taste death, then in the end you shall all return to us. (Sura: 29, Ayah: 57.)

The person continues his life within a form of SPIRIT BODY the same way as within his physical body! Almighty declares— “And say not of those who are slain in the way of Allah as dead -Nay they are alive – though you perceive it not”. (2:154).

Following is a saying of Prophet Mohammed [S.A.W.] about death as it is recounted by one of the great Islamic scholars: “The deceased (who tasted death) knows those who washed his body, who shrouded the corpse, who performed the funeral service for him, who attended his funeral procession, who descended the corpse into the grave and who prompted over his grave! “

As narrated by Talha (r.a.) “On the day of the battle of Badr, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered that the 24 corpses from the Quraish tribe should be picked up all together and buried in a mass grave. After the battle, the Prophet (saw) stopped by the mass grave where the corpses of the slain Quraish had been thrown, and then called them by the names of their fathers: “O So-and-so! O, Aba Jahil Ibn-i Hisham! O, Utbe Ibn-i Rabia! Would not you be joyful now if you believed and obeyed “ALLAH” and His Messenger? We have indeed found the victory that our Lord promised us. Have you, too, found the victory that your idols promised you?” On hearing him speak, Omar (ra) asked: “O Rasulullah! How do you address people already dead?” The Prophet replied: “I swear by Him in whose hands Mohammed’s soul is that you are no better than they at hearing what I say! They can hear better than you]. This event is recounted in Bukhari 30, —

Clinical Psychologists Raymond Moody — Elizabeth Kubler Ross — Dr. Melvyn Morse – Ralph Wilkinson etc. who researched NDE’s (near death experiences) discovered in the 1960’s (after comparing case histories) some remarkable phenomena – during the experiences.

A strange sound and beautiful smell. A buzzing or ringing noise and a clean pure smell of fragrant perfume, while having a sense of being dead

Peace and painlessness. While people are dying, they may be in intense pain, but as soon as they leave the body the pain vanishes and they experience peace

Out-of-body experience. — The tunnel experience.— Rising rapidly into the heavens. Instead of a tunnel, some people report rising suddenly into the heavens and seeing the earth and the celestial sphere as they would be seen by astronauts in space.

People of light. Once on the other side of the tunnel, or after they have risen into the heavens, the dying meet people who glow with an inner light. Often they find that friends and relatives who have already died are there to greet them.

The Great being of light. After meeting the people of light, the dying often meet a powerful spiritual being whom some have called God, Jesus, or an Angel or Angels. Also, although they sometimes report feeling scared, they do not sense that they were on the way to hell or that they fell into it.

The life review. The being of light presents the dying person with a panoramic review of everything they have done in this life, based on certain non-verbal communication. In particular they are questioned about acts of worship, how most of their lives were spent, and they relive every act they have ever done to other people and come away feeling that love is the most important thing in life

Reluctance to return. The being of light sometimes tells the dying that they must return back to life. Other times, they are given a choice of staying or returning. In either case, they are reluctant to return. The people who choose to return do so only because of loved ones they do not wish to leave behind

One common question is — what possible evolutionary pressure could have resulted in Nde’s? Why would dying brains suddenly have the ability to perceive other realities? The Qur’an states:

“It is ALLAH that takes the souls (of men) at death; and those that die not (He takes) during their sleep; those on whom He has passed the decree of death, He keeps back (from returning to life) but the rest He sends (to their bodies) for a term appointed. Verily in these are signs for those who reflect.” (39:42)

Almighty Allah tells us in the Holy Quran:

“O! You people of Iman – Fear Allah as He (Allah) ought to be feared and die not – Accept in the state of full surrender and submission to the will of Almighty Allah”.

We are taught in Islam about life and how to die. –

Dying is normally associated with Suffering –Pain and Trauma. — And it is normal to fear suffering, and react to it with anger and frustration, because we feel oppressed by it and powerless against it. The denial of our own power lies at the root of suffering. Quite often suffering blocks our faith (IMAN) and some of the many Questions that are asked are “Why Me” “Where is Allah” Why am I being Punished. — There is this Search for meaning. SOURCES OF INFO for Muslims –HQ. And Hadith

CONCLUSION.

Nafs al-Mutma’inna (the Soul at Peace): (89:27) Almighty Allah tells us,

“O Contented Soul, “O satisfied Soul” (O! Purified Self) return unto thy Lord – Well pleased (Thyself) and He well pleased (with you). Enter Thou among My devotees! Yea Enter thou into My Paradise”

Death is a stage, which occurs when the spirit departs from the body to make it lifeless. As Muslims, A fundamental article of Faith (IMAN) is that we believe in the resurrection when the body and the spirit will be reunited in the hereafter. This life is a stage for action, “every action will have reaction in the hereafter”.

The life to come after the resurrection is a stage of reward. Human beings will either be in pure happiness or in total misery. It is part of the basic Islamic beliefs that after resurrection, we will account for our deeds and we will be judged accordingly. Those on whom Allah bestows His mercy will be in heaven, while those who are denied it will abide in hell, the place of absolute misery. It is also clearly stated by the Prophet (saw) that the deeds of even the best person will not be enough to send him to heaven without Allah’s grace.

Sayings of the Prophet —

“A true slave of Almighty Allah when he is afflicted with suffering or pain will turn to HIM and say in Prayer, “We belong to Allah and unto him Is our return” O Allah reward me for my affliction and give something better in exchange for it”.— O Allah! Cause me to live so long that life is better for me–and cause me to die when death is better for me.–”The road to paradise is paved with suffering and hardship, while the road to the hellfire is paved with desire.”

The prophet also stated

” O Muslims! you are need of having patience in dealing with adversity as well as success. That everything that happens in one’s life is for some purpose and we need to turn to Almighty God with patience and prayer. The prophet also stated — Increase the remembrance of the destroyer of all pleasures – Death”

We Pray Almighty Allah: To bless this congregation and the Ummah at large and To Create affection in the hearts of the Muslims. Reform them; guide them to the paths of safety and peace.

Draw them out from the Darkness into the Light, Assist them against the enemies of Islam. Our Lord, grant us beneficence in this world and in the Aakhirah. Save us from the torment of Jahannam.

Adab [etiqette] towards Allah

Arshad Gamiet — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 21:22:31 +0000

Continuing Thoughts on Building the Correct Adab Towards Allah

February 13^th, 2009 – University of Pennsylvania

المقدمة

إن الحمد لله نحمده و نستعينه و نستغفروه و عليه نتوكل

و نعوذ به من شرور أنفسنا و من سيئات أعمالنا

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

As for what follows,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

· ال+ له = الله

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

May Allah make us of the people of sincerity.

The Parable of the Boat

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Meritocracy: Leadership of the most talented

KhutbahBank — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 22:39:45 +0000

“As-salámu ‘alaikum wa rahmatul láhi wa barakátuh!” [Wait for adhán]

“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.

My respected Brothers and Sisters in Islam,

A few weeks ago, in my last khutbah, we had a brief look at Muslim Spain. We tried to understand why the most beautiful period in European history lasted for 800 years, and what lessons we can learn for today. We found that Spanish Islam lasted as long as it did, because it was, essentially, a just society. It promoted Wisdom, Justice, Taqwa’ or God-consciousness and Courage. It was a society whose core values were summed up in a beautiful inscription above the entrance to the University of Granada: And this is what every student would read on the way to classes in the morning:

The world is held up by four pillars:

The Wisdom of the Learned;

The Justice of the Great;

The Prayers of the Righteous and

The Valour of the Brave.

The wise Caliphs of Andalusia were not only concerned with the welfare of Muslims. They were totally committed to uphold justice and to guarantee the welfare of everyone in their dominion, including the Jews and Christians. Indeed Muslim rulers allowed Christians and Jews to set up and operate their own legal system according to the Torah and the Bible. This worked side by side with Shariah law. In Muslim Spain, as elsewhere in the Islamic world, there was passionate love for learning, for scientific enquiry, for mathematics and logic, there was a desire to engage with others in reasoned argument, in debating old and new ideas and philosophies. This led to a flowering of art, of architecture, music, poetry, literature and philosophy. Most importantly, there was a love of Justice, respect for the rights of others, and every citizen could expect to develop and flourish their God-given skills and talents, with no restriction on race or colour or religion or social status. In other words, Islamic civilization promoted meritocracy, a social system based on leadership of the most talented individuals.

This attitude of valuing individuals on merit, is in accordance with a fundamental principle established by the Holy Qur’án, which says in Sura Al-Imran [3:104]

“Wal takum minkum ummatuy yad’oona ilal khairi way ya’ muroona bil ma’roof. Wa yan houna anil munkar. Wa ulaa ika humul muflihoon.”

Let there arise out of you a band of people, who enjoin what is right, and forbid what is wrong. They are the successful ones.

And further in verse 110:

“Kuntum khayra ummatin, ukhrijat lin-naasi, ta’muroona bil ma’roofi wa tanhowna ‘anil munkari, watu’minoona billaah.”

You are the best of peoples evolved for mankind: Enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong, and believing in Allah.

Enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong: This is the clear and simple definition of human merit in Islam.

To further emphasize this important principle of meritocracy, our Holy Prophet Muhammad sws, declared in his famous Sermon on the Mount, that Arabs are not superior to non-Arabs, and non-Arabs are not superior to Arabs. The only distinction recognized by Allah, is good deeds. Just think for a moment, today, 14 centuries later, even in the most developed countries, people still suffer because they have the wrong colour, the wrong religion, the wrong sex or the wrong nationality. And yet, in 7th Century Arabia, in the lifetime of the Prophet, sws, the basic principle of meritocracy was established. And his followers, through successive dynasties, observed this principle over many centuries of Muslim power.

According to Stanley Lane-Poole, when the Muslims conquered Spain, they approached a town defended by a Visgoth named Theodomir. This town had no soldiers left, all had gone to the battlefield elsewhere. So Theodomir got all the women he could find, gave them helmets, and asked them to tie their long hair round their chins to look like beards. That evening, as the Muslim army approached the town they saw silhouetted against the setting sun, lines of what appeared to be soldiers on the city walls, so they decided it was too dangerous to attack immediately. They would do so next morning. But before the attack Theodomir approached the Muslim camp to negotiate with their leader. He offered to surrender the town without a fight, if the Muslims would allow everyone to go free. The Muslims agreed. But, when the city gates opened, instead of soldiers, long lines of women walked through the gates. The Muslim commander was so amused and impressed with this daring bluff, instead of being angry, he offered Theodomir to be the new Governor of the district. This was how our noble ancestors treated their most talented subjects, even those defeated in battle. This was Meritocracy in action, 1300 years ago.

During Ottoman times, the Caliphs took young men from captured lands, trained and disciplined them through the best schools and colleges, then promoted them to leading positions in the empire. The Mamluks Sultans of Egypt were in fact slave-soldiers who reached the very top of their society.

Dear Brothers and Sisters, the history of Islam and Europe has a great deal of interaction, far more than is admitted in western history books. Because of this narrow Eurocentric attitude, the West is largely unaware of the long and pervasive influence of Islam on its own way of life. One leader in the corporate business world who recently took up this topic is Carly Fiorina, the head of the Hewlett Packard corporation. Significantly, she made this speech just 2 weeks after the tragic events of September 11. It is entitled: “In praise of Islamic civilization” and I read only the last portion:

“There was once a civilization that was the greatest in the world.

It was able to create a continental super-state that stretched from ocean to ocean, and from northern climes to tropics and deserts. Within its dominion lived hundreds of millions of people, of different creeds and ethnic origins.

One of its languages became the universal language of much of the world, the bridge between the peoples of a hundred lands. Its armies were made up of people of many nationalities, and its military protection allowed a degree of peace and prosperity that had never been known. The reach of this civilization’s commerce extended from Latin America to China, and everywhere in between.

And this civilization was driven more than anything, by invention. Its architects designed buildings that defied gravity. Its mathematicians created the algebra and algorithms that would enable the building of computers, and the creation of encryption. Its doctors examined the human body, and found new cures for disease. Its astronomers looked into the heavens, named the stars, and paved the way for space travel and exploration.

Its writers created thousands of stories. Stories of courage, romance and magic. Its poets wrote of love, when others before them were too steeped in fear to think of such things.

When other nations were afraid of ideas, this civilization thrived on them, and kept them alive. When censors threatened to wipe out knowledge from past civilizations, this civilization kept the knowledge alive, and passed it on to others.

While modern Western civilization shares many of these traits, the civilization I’m talking about was the Islamic world from the year 800 to 1600, which included the Ottoman Empire and the courts of Baghdad, Damascus and Cairo, and enlightened rulers like Suleiman the Magnificent.

Although we are often unaware of our indebtedness to this other civilization, its gifts are very much a part of our heritage. The technology industry would not exist without the contributions of Arab mathematicians. Sufi poet-philosophers like Rumi challenged our notions of self and truth. Leaders like Suleiman contributed to our notions of tolerance and civic leadership.

And perhaps we can learn a lesson from his example: It was leadership based on meritocracy, not inheritance. It was leadership that harnessed the full capabilities of a very diverse population–that included Christianity, Islamic, and Jewish traditions.

This kind of enlightened leadership — leadership that nurtured culture, sustainability, diversity and courage — led to 800 years of invention and prosperity.

In dark and serious times like this, we must affirm our commitment to building societies and institutions that aspire to this kind of greatness. More than ever, we must focus on the importance of leadership– bold acts of leadership and decidedly personal acts of leadership.

The full text of this speech can be found at the Hewlett-Packard website at:

http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/execteam/speeches/fiorina/minnesota01.html

It was delivered on 26 September 2001 in Minneapolis, Minnesota at a conference whose theme was: “TECHNOLOGY, BUSINESS AND OUR WAY OF LIFE: WHAT’S NEXT”

Dear Brothers and Sisters, this speech by the CEO of a big multinational corporation was urging its audience to recognise the fine qualities of leadership by merit, which underpinned the success of Muslim civilization. She urges her audience to raise their own ambitions to the noble spirit of Islamic civilisation.

May Alláh, swt, help us Muslims once again establish those same values in our own hearts. May we Muslims rediscover the successful formula that made our noble and illustrious ancestors the leaders of the most morally advanced empire in History.

“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.

Second Khutbah:

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

Dear Brothers and Sisters

It is always interesting and refreshing to hear what some influential people have to say about our faith. One writer was Thomas Carlyle who wrote this, 84 years ago, in his book, (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….”.

These words of admiration and inspiration, are from people on the outside, looking in. Hopefully we Muslims on the inside will be sufficiently inspired to shape our own lives in the mould of our noble ancestors.

We can make a start, step by small step, reshaping our lives and building our character like those first Muslims did, so that they we, too, can become ‘like fuel, waiting to flame.’ One significant step we can take, is to treat those over whom we have some authority, our employees, our workers, with justice and respect. We should pay them and promote them according to their merit. We should not favour our family or friends or even other Muslims above our most talented workers. This is Islám, meritocracy, in action.

At times like this, when the Ummah appears weak and divided, the Golden Age of Islamic civilisation seems very far away, and many historians regard it as simply that. History. Something that happened before, and probably won’t happen again. But Muslims and Believers should think differently.

For most of our history, for 13 out of 14 centuries, Islám had political power and military muscle. It is only for the last 80 years since the fall of the Ottoman Caliphate that we have no political or military influence as a global nation, the Ummah.

We know that the forward march of Islám has not stopped. It has merely paused. It remains to us, Muslims and Believers, to work hard so that we can become a part of the process to move things forward. That is all that Alláh expects from us. Individually we can only do so much. But collectively, we can do much more than the sum of our numbers. We simply have to discover which part of Allah’s master plan is the bit where we fit in. Then, we must get up get up and do it.

O Alláh, please help us to develop the talents and skills you have given us. Help us to manage the resources of money, time and opportunity that you have placed in our trust, to bring benefit beyond our families and our selves to humankind as a whole. O Alláh, let us be part of a huge collective effort to raise the Ummah to that high status we enjoyed under your beloved Prophet Muhammad sws and his illustrious Companions.

“Rabbana atina fid-dunya hasanatan wa fil ‘akhirati hasanatan waqina ‘adhaban-nar.”

“Our Lord! grant us good in this world and good in the hereafter, and save us from the chastisement of the fire.” (2:201)

“Rabbi ‘j’alni muqima’s-Salati wa min Thurriyati, Rabbana wa taqqabal du’a', Rabbana’ghfirli wa li walidayya walil-Mu’minina yawma yaqumul-Hisab.”

“O my Lord! make me one who establishes regular Prayer, and also (raise such) among my offspring. O our Lord! and accept Thou my prayer.”

“O our Lord! cover (us) with Thy Forgiveness – me, my parents, and (all) Believers, on the Day that the Reckoning will be established!” (14:40-41)

Aqeemus Salaah!

* This khutba was delivered by Arshad Gamiet at Royal Holloway University of London, United Kingdom on 11 July 2003.

Culture and Islam

Arshad Gamiet — Wed, 27 May 2009 22:12:45 +0000

Royal Holloway University of London

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

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

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.”

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,

Today’s topic is about Culture and Islam. What is Culture, and what is Islam? Is there a difference? Is there an Islamic Culture? How does culture and Islam interact and overlap? There is a great deal of confusion on this subject. The confusion is not only in the minds of people looking at Islam from the outside. Many Muslims, themselves cannot tell the difference between their tribal and ethnic culture and the teachings of the Quran and Sunnah.

Let’s be clear about this. Islam is one thing. Tribal, ethnic culture is another. The two are not the same. Culture has many shades of meaning. Its Latin root refers to something that’s cultured, cultivated, as in a garden. Our meaning here is about the shared values, attitudes and practices of a group, for example an ethnic or national culture.

Although some aspects of culture can be positive, and some can be neutral, there are other aspects of culture that are bad, unjust and downright evil. Sadly, many children grow up developing a strong resentment towards Islam, because their parents impose intolerable burdens on them, cultural burdens, in the name of Islam. Some examples are: the oppression of women, denying girls the right to education, genital mutilation i.e. female circumcision, forced marriages and so-called ‘honour’ killings. None of these despicable and barbaric practices has anything at all to do with Islam. They are pre-Islamic traditions that are totally forbidden for Muslims. Yet some uneducated Muslims behave as if this is part of their religion. Sensation-hungry journalists often seize items like this and tag the words Islam and Muslim to spice up their story. These journalists betray the ethics of their profession, which ought to be about uncovering the truth. Instead, they promote crude stereotypes based on downright lies, just to sell a few more papers. But even worse than shoddy journalism is the inexcusable ignorance of Muslims who claim that these abominable tribal abuses are somehow Islamic.

So, how do we distinguish between Islam and Culture?

Whether we are conscious of it or not, every one of us is swimming around in an invisible ocean of culture, fed by many streams and rivers: Western culture, Arab culture, Pakistani, Malay, Somali or Bangladeshi culture. Each one is a world of values, assumptions and prejudices that informs our cultural identity: our likes and dislikes about everything from food, clothing, poetry, art and music, to our preferences and prejudices regarding other people. While many aspects of tribal culture are positive, promoting respect, honour, hospitality and service to others, we should be critically aware of the negative and destructive aspects of our ethnic cultural traditions. A good Muslim is constantly vigilant over the lower inclinations of the inward Self the Nafs. We should constantly ask ourselves, why do l prefer this over that? Is this good for my spiritual heart, my qalb? Is this good for Islam, or is it only good for my tribal culture? Am I driven by racial pride, greed, fear, egotism or am I driven by loving gratitude to my Lord? Is this right? Is this pleasing to Allah? We should always be aware of that subtle distinction between our cultural values and our Islamic values. The two are not the same. Sometimes, our cultural values may be in direct contradiction with Islam, and I mentioned a few examples earlier.

Islam, on the other hand, is very simple and clear: Worship Allah alone, making no associations with Him. Get to know Allah as best you can. The more we know Him, the more we will love Him and feel gratitude to Him, until our heart is overflowing. This overflowing love and gratitude to Allah will drive us beyond selfishness and vanity towards serving others. We will then become like those whom Prophet Muhammad (sws) described when he said: ‘A believer’s faith is not complete until he also wants for his brother that which he wants for himself.’ When we remember Allah with love and gratitude, we become anxious about the pain and suffering of others. We transcend selfishness towards selflessness. That’s when we want to show mercy and generosity to all creatures, human, animal, vegetable and mineral. This is what Islam sets out to do. Islam wants to make us, creatures of mud, moulded into shape, into the trustees and ambassadors of Allah on earth, khaleefatulLaah,. When we rise up and grow into this noble garment, then Allah elevates our status above the angels that surround him. These angels, as we remember, were commanded to bow down to Adam. That’s the reward for serving Allah. When we refuse to serve Allah, we not only fall below the angels. We fall below the wild beasts that roam the earth. We then become the followers of Shaytaan, the Cursed One.

“Laqad khalaqna fee ahsani taqweem” says the Holy Qur’an. “Surely We created Man of the best Stature. “Thumma radad’na fee asfala safileen.” Then did we reduced him to the lowest of the low,” “Il-lal-latheena ‘aamanu wa ‘amilus-saalihaat, falahum aj’run ghairu mumnoon.” except those who believe and do good works, and theirs is an unfailing reward .”

Brothers and sisters, let us be mindful of those powerful words in Sura Al-Teen.

We human beings can be the noble representatives and Ambassadors of Allah, or the followers of that fellow downstairs, The Cursed One. The choice is ours.

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

Second Khutbah:

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

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

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islam,

When the culture of nationalism or tribalism gets distorted, arrogating to itself a false sense of superiority over other people, then there’s trouble, big trouble. Israel is one example, where some Jews [not all Jews] have twisted monotheistic Judaism into a narrow political Zionism. As a result, the peace and stability of a whole region is being held hostage by a militant racially defined State.

In Afghanistan and Pakistan, there is an explosive mix of tribal and political agendas, hiding behind the beautiful name of Islam. Allah will not allow His religion to be abused in this way. Right now Pakistan is tearing itself apart, limb from limb. A nation founded in the name of Islam has, for most of its life, lurched from corrupt civilian rule to almost as corrupt military dictatorships. The humanitarian consequences, as we can all see, are quite catastrophic.

So, the big question arises: how can culture and Islam co-exist peacefully?

In the Holy Qur’an 49:13 Surah Al-Hujurat (The Inner Apartments) Allah declares:

“O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise each other). Truly the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things).”

Allah has created the human species as a one single entity, a unity that underpins the great diversity of cultures, ethnicities and nations. This cultural diversity is no accident: it’s a part of Allah’s plan. He intended it to be this way. He wants us to recognise each other, and to respect the many cultures that beautify the human family. We are a living work of art, a living expression of Allah’s marvellous ingenuity, His infinite creativity. But when we forget how and why Allah created us as nations and tribes, then we fall into division, hostility, injustice and evil. This is the consequence of forgetting who we really are, Who created us and why we were created. In Allah’s colourful garden, nations and tribes can flower like fragrant blossoms. But there are also ground rules for our us to observe. Prophet Muhammad (sws) laid these down in his final sermon on Arafat:

“O you people,” he said. “listen to my words, All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor does a non-Arab have any superiority over an Arab; also a white person has no superiority over a black person, nor does a black person have any superiority over white a white person except by Allah-consciousness and good deeds. Remember that every Muslim is a brother to every other Muslim and that you are all now, one brotherhood.”

In these momentous words, Prophet Muhammad (sws) set out the basis of harmonious human relations, for all time to come., for all nations. Imagine, 14 hundred years ago, in the 7th Century barren desert of Arabia, to hear this powerful declaration of Human Rights! Soobhaanal-Laah! Within our endless diversity there is unity. And within our unity there can be infinite diversity. Clearly, unity in Islam does not mean uniformity. Like flowers in a garden, we are all beautiful. We don’t all look the same, we don’t all have to think or act the same, like soldiers in a regiment. But we must have the same goals and the same universal values, regardless of our culture and background. We must worship Allah and be His agents of mercy, his angels of mercy, just as Prophet Muhammad (sws) was sent as a mercy to all the worlds.

Wama arsal naaka illa Rahmatal lil ‘aalameen!

And We have not sent you, [O Muhammad] except as a Mercy to all the Worlds.

We Muslims should be people of justice, people who promote good and prevent evil, and believe only in Allah:

Ta’ muroona bil ma’roof, watan hawna ‘anil munkar, wa tu’minoona bil-Laah.

So, as we end this week and look forward to the weekend, let us remember that our national culture, our tribal and ethnic affiliations are only tags and labels of convenience, but our core identity is Islam. This means that wherever we find ourselves on God’s earth, we must always be virtuous people, primordially upright human beings. We are Muslims first, and then we can be British, Pakistani, Arab or Indian. Let’s get our priorities right. Let’s aspire to the noble position that Allah has decreed for us. Let us be witnesses to Allah, and angels of mercy to all people.

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),

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

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].

Ameen. Aqeemus salaah!

Seeking Unity

Arshad Gamiet — Tue, 26 May 2009 23:08:38 +0000

Seeking Unity / توحيد

Alhamdulillah, indeed all praise is due to Allah. We praise him, we seek his help we ask for his guidance and we beg for his forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allah from our soul’s evils and from the effects of our wrong doings. He whom Allah guides, no one can misguide; and he whom Allah leaves to stray, will find no one to guide him.

I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad (pbuh) is his servant and messenger.

Allah almighty says in the Quran:

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلَّذِينَ يُقَـٰتِلُونَ فِى سَبِيلِهِۦ صَفًّ۬ا كَأَنَّهُم بُنۡيَـٰنٌ۬ مَّرۡصُوصٌ۬

Truly Allah loves those who fight in His Cause in battle array, as if they were a solid cemented structure.

As-Saff Chapter 61 Verse 4

وَٱعۡتَصِمُواْ بِحَبۡلِ ٱللَّهِ جَمِيعً۬ا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُواْ‌ۚ

And hold fast, by the rope which Allah Collectively; and be not divided among yourselves

Imran Chapter 3 Verse 103

The Quran is the syllabus of the Muslims and has been sent to us through our beloved Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in order to provide us with a means to seek guidance but it has also insisted that we use our intellect. The Quran was revealed over a period of 23 years. Some of the chapters were revealed in Makka and the others in Madinah. There is a clear distinction in style between the two types of chapters; Makkan chapters have a very spiritual tone with much mention of heaven and hell, reward and punishment, the day of judgement and death: all the things that move our hearts and encourage contemplation of our existence and destiny. Madinah chapters on the other hand have a more legislative tone where one will find the rulings of inheritance, divorce, money transactions, and so on. This chapter (Saff) was revealed in Madinah, where the first Muslim community and state was established; at a time when a structure was needed in order for the community to grow and be an example to others: How to implement Allah’s rule as a mercy to mankind.

“Truly Allah loves those who strive in his way as if they were a solid structure”; this Ayah indicates that as an Ummah (community) we need to be like a solid structure, and for a structure to be solid, we must have solid foundations along with a good framework (both from within and without). Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said that there will come a time when the ummah is like the “froth upon the sea.” (i.e. with no foundation or essence). He also gave the reasoning for why we will reach such a state and that was be cause our hearts will be filled with the love of the materialistic world, more than our love of the hereafter.

So as an Ummah we need to be solidly rooted in to all aspects of life and enhance our abilities collectively; From Medicine to Engineering… Science to Economics, History to Politics… sports to agriculture. We need to be the best in all of these aspects as a Muslim is not someone who settles for less. Our teaching states that the highest level of belief is “Ihsaan.” The root word for Ihsaan is “Hosn” which means beauty; and when our Prophet was asked by Angel Gabriel what Ihsaan is, he replied

“Ihsaan is to worship Allah as if you see him… and if you do not see him, then at least know that he sees you.”

If we were to follow this one rule, we could never commit a wrong action and everything that we do would be of the highest standard. When people working in a company see their Managing Director or superior approaching, they quickly re-arrange themselves and conduct themselves in the best manner by working more than they usually would and ensuring not to make any mistakes.. so for us as Muslims, who believe that Allah is watching us at all times, we should not have to change our ways if the Managing director enters as the lord of all the worlds is already watching us. So for us to be a solid structure we need to excel in all aspects of life. When one asks, “What is the best car in the world?” the answer is usually, “German cars, either Mercedes or BMW etc. When one asks, “Where is the best electrical equipment made?” the answer is usually Japan. But when one asks “what have the Muslims contributed to the world?” the answer always refers to the great historical characters who founded algebra, trigonometry, and much of the science that we know today. It is amazing when we look in to what our Muslim ancestors contributed to much of the technology we have today, but we need more than that. We need to excel in all aspects of life as this is a command from Allah and the teaching of our Prophet Mohamed. It is one thing reading about the legacies left by the historical greats, and it is another thing leaving our own legacy.

The only way for us to do this is to unite. A proverb in Egypt says,

“One man alone cannot build a single house… but 100 men together can build 100 houses”

When we unite, we can achieve so much more than if we were to be dispersed all over the land. An English proverb also says, “A chain is no stronger than its weakest link.”

Also in engineering, when a crane is built, the strength of each component is very light and quite weak, but when bound together a structure is created and the crane can lift tonnes of loads. The small strength of each individual component is multiplied when united with others. The same principle applies to people. When we stick together and do well, we can achieve so much more.

We pray 5 times a day and in each prayer we say “ihdina al Seraat al MustaQeem; (Guide us to the straight Path)” we canot say “ihdinee (guide me)” as this would nullify our prayer. So we are reminded at least 17 times a day when we read the Fatiha that we are a united Ummah. Hold on to Allah’s rope in collectiveness and BE NOT DIVIDED.

The essence of our teaching is Tawhid (monotheism, Unity of Allah). Tawhid also applies to the Ummah. Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) said, “The Ummah is one body; when one part is injured, the whole body is affected.”

So what do we need to do? If there is one verse we need to hold on to, it is the verse

“And hold fast, by the rope which Allah Collectively; and be not divided among yourselves”

We need to be very vigilant of our tongues. It is not difficult to come across those who condemn everyone, accusing others to be wrong and feeling that they are superior as they are part of the true way. You will find with those types of characters, that they find no good in anyone and have a constant negative tone to their talk. They reduce the true path to the small group that they are a member of and they are under the impression that many of the great scholars of the past were misguided. It is a shame to see nowadays also, people of knowledge and Shaikhs, standing on the pulpit and condemning other scholars and Sheikhs. This mentality will never unite the Ummah and we have to do our best not to get involved in discussions that are of no productive benefit.

Prophet Mohamed said in a Hadeeth:

There will be a Fitna* after me. He who is sitting in it will be better than he who is standing; He who is standing will be better than he who is walking; and he who is walking will be better than he who is running.”

The meaning of this Hadeeth is that one who is sitting in a gathering, with his companions, family etc, spreading talk that causes divisions is better than the one who is standing and talking to a crowd. The one who is standing talking to a crowd, instilling hatred in to people’s hearts of other Muslims is better than the one walking. The one walking means the one who is spreading the fitna further than his immediate surroundings; for example one who is sending emails, writing articles, going on TV to talk about the issue. And lastly the one who is walking is better than the one running. The one running means he who is exerting much effort to cause this division and add fuel to the fire of the fitna.

Notice the choice of words of our beloved Prophet (PBUH). He could have said that the one who is standing is worse than the one who is sitting and the one who is walking is worst than the one standing etc. But he (Pbuh) Chose to use the word “better” as it was of his nature to look at the good in people.

This is the mind set we must take when analysing matters. It is very easy to criticize and point out faults, but to give a constructive guide on how to deal with the matter in hand and turn it around takes much more skill. Islam is not like Marxism. Marxists are well-known for being critics and providing slogans but not ever providing a complete, lasting solution to the probiems of humanity. “Islam is the way” are the types of words we see written on the leaflets that are handed out, but what is needed more than the slogan is the unity of the Ummah to come together and contribute to strategic planning on how we can move forward.

(*Fitna; The root work of Fitna is “to test metals” as when you test metals, the impurities come to the top; so in times of fitna, our true nature shows. The word Fitna is used to mean civil-war or tribulation and it is used when stating that it is a test from Allah)

The dictionary defines Unity as: “absence of diversity; unvaried or uniform character.”

Allah is one, Islam is our religion, Tawhid (unity) is our essence, and it is the responsibility of each and every one of us to ask themselves… Am I causing a division? But more importantly What am I doing to hold the Ummah together?

People often fall in to the trap of looking to the exterior, analyzing the world, looking at the vast differences between nations and religions and divisions and sub-divisions within each group. This often results in depression and a sense of helplessness. “What can I do by myself? I am only one person.” are the words that we hear people say. But here is much we can do and if we excel in our own way, lead by example and not despair. In chapter Yusuf, Prophet Jacob tells his sons:

يَـٰبَنِىَّ ٱذۡهَبُواْ فَتَحَسَّسُواْ مِن يُوسُفَ وَأَخِيهِ وَلَا تَاْيۡـَٔسُواْ مِن رَّوۡحِ ٱللَّهِ‌ۖ إِنَّهُ ۥ لَا يَاْيۡـَٔسُ مِن رَّوۡحِ ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا ٱلۡقَوۡمُ ٱلۡكَـٰفِرُونَ (٨٧)

“O my sons! Go you and enquire about Yûsuf (Joseph) and his brother, and never give up hope of Allâh’s Mercy. Certainly no one despairs of Allâh’s Mercy, except the people who disbelieve.” (87)

Yusuf; Chapter 12, Verse 87

Never despair or give up hope. Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) was a very optimistic, positive and hopeful person, who always gave people hope.

Ahmed Zarooq, a great Moroccan scholar said that “the human soul flees from moderation in everything, and it is up to us to keep ourselves under constant examination to ensure that we take the right route.” The second chapter in the Quran is “Baqara”. The core message of the chapter Baqara is that the Son of Adam is responsible for the preservation of the world with Islam as our system. Throughout the chapter are examples of people who followed the prophetic tradition and succeeded and people who refused the prophets and failed. The chapter consists of 286 verses. The verse right in the middle (verse 143) states:

وَكَذَٲلِكَ جَعَلۡنَـٰكُمۡ أُمَّةً۬ وَسَطً۬ا لِّتَڪُونُواْ شُہَدَآءَ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ وَيَكُونَ ٱلرَّسُولُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ شَهِيدً۬ا‌ۗ وَمَا جَعَلۡنَا ٱلۡقِبۡلَةَ ٱلَّتِى كُنتَ عَلَيۡہَآ إِلَّا لِنَعۡلَمَ مَن يَتَّبِعُ ٱلرَّسُولَ مِمَّن يَنقَلِبُ عَلَىٰ عَقِبَيۡهِ‌ۚ وَإِن كَانَتۡ لَكَبِيرَةً إِلَّا عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ هَدَى ٱللَّهُ‌ۗ وَمَا كَانَ ٱللَّهُ لِيُضِيعَ إِيمَـٰنَكُمۡ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِٱلنَّاسِ لَرَءُوفٌ۬ رَّحِيمٌ۬ (١٤٣)

Thus have We made of you an Ummah justly balanced That you might be witnesses over the nations and the Messenger a witness over yourselves; and We appointed the Qiblah to which thou wast used, only to test those who followed the Messenger from those who would turn on their heels (from the faith). Indeed it was (a change) momentous except to those guided by Allah. And never would Allah make your faith of no effect. For Allah is to all people most surely full of kindness, Most Merciful. (143)

Baqara; Chapter 2, Verse 143

My focus is on Allah almighty’s statement that we are a “Justly balanced” Ummah. Neither right wing nor left. Moderate in all aspects of life.

So where do we go from here in order to maintain and increase the unity in our Ummah?

Here are 7 steps towards unifying the ummah:

We start first and foremost with ourselves by purifying our intentions for Allah; (as all actions are judged according to the intentions)
Become a part of the community in your local area and work on contributing with your own abilities by bringing other brothers and sisters together towards a good cause (eg. Quran lessons, science and educational lessons, regular sport activities, weekly gatherings, outings etc) (as the hand that is giving is better than the one taking)
Do not look down on anyone with the belief that you are better than them as only Allah knows our ranks and do not judge people by the apparent or because they are part of a particular group. (It was said by the scholar Fakhr al-Din al-Razi that Omar Bin Alkhataab was loved by Allah while he was worshiping idols; Omar Bin Alkhataab turned out to be one of the greatest leaders of our Ummah.
Avoid being involved in any talk that will not assist your cause.
Do not take an extreme path of thought as we discussed.
Maintain consistency and patience in your cause. Every long journey starts with a single step.
Have faith and put your trust in Allah.

فإذَا عَزَمت فتوَكَّل علَى الله

{{And when you have made your resolution, place your trust in Allah}}

Imran; Chapter 3. Verse 109

W Allaho Aalam.

Inculcating Taqwa in our lives

Arshad Gamiet — Thu, 21 May 2009 18:07:12 +0000

* This khutbah was delivered by Marc Manley at the University of Pennsylvania, USA on 8 May 2009. Download the PDF version of this khutbah.

Inculcating Taqwā In Our Lives

by Marc Manley

إن الحمد لله نحمده ونستعينه و نستغفروه و فيه نتوكل، و نعوذ به من شرور أنفسنا و سيئات أعمالنا،

فمن يهده الله فلا مضل له، و من يضلله فلا هادي له،

و نشهد أن لا إله إلا الله، وحده لا شريك له، رب الأرباب و مسبب الأسباب، فاطر السموات السبع، خالق كل شيئ،

و نشهد أن محمدا، النبي الأمي، عبده و رسوله، خطم الأنبياء و أشرف المرسلين، صلى الله عليه و على آله و أزواجه و أصحابه و أنصاره و ذرياته و سلم. إن الله و ملائكته يصلون على النبي، يا أيها الذين ءامنوا صلوا عليه و سلموا تسليما، و بعد

Verily all praise belongs to God – thus we praise Him, seek His aid, repent our sins to Him and in Him do we place our trust. We seek protection in Him from the evil whisperings of our own souls as well as from blameworthy actions and deeds.

For the one God has chosen to guide, there is no misguider for him. And as for one whom God has misguided, there is no guidance. And we bear testimony that there is no god but God, Allah, One is He, with no partner, Lord of lords, Causer of all causes, the Fashioner of the Seven Heavens, Creator of all that is. We also bear witness that Muhammad, the Unlettered Prophet, is His slave and messenger, Seal of the Prophets and most noble of the Messengers. May God send peace and blessings upon him, his family, his wives, his companions, his helpers, and his progeny. Surely God and His Angels send blessings upon the Prophet therefore O’ you who believe!, send prayers and blessings upon him abundantly.

Dear respected brothers and sisters in Islam, I greet you today with the تحية الجنة as-Salaamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuhu.

First Khutbah – Main Points

- Responsibility

Attached to every sane human being is the charge of responsibility.
Allah is well acquainted with our thoughts and our actions – this should serve as a guide and a warning for us to help sculpt our thoughts and actions.

إن ربهم بهم يومئذ لخبير

“Surely, on that day, their Lord shall be well-acquainted with them.” [Q: 100:11]

- Spiritual Training

Spiritual maturity requires spiritual training
- We must build and develop our religious and more importantly, spiritual reflexes such that we can make better use of the intellect [‘aql].
- The first step in any situation can often be the most critical – this is similar to boxing or fencing: the first step/move is crucial to the outcome and success.
- The intuition must be allowed to come into play – once the reflexes are trained then they can work in tandem with the mind [‘aql].
- Reflexes are often used in self-defense. From here, the idea of self-defense, is where we will look at and examine taqwā.

- The History & Meaning of Taqwā

The word taqwā was not unknown in pre-Islamic times [i.e., the Jāhiliyyah]. At-Tabrīzī, in his commentary, al-Hamāsah, gives us a very concise definition of taqwā as it was known to the Arabs:
- الإتقاء أن تجعل بينك و بين ما تخافه حاجزا يحفظك
- “Taqwā is the idea that you [A] place something [C] between yourself and that which you fear could destroy you [B].”
- Taqwā, in a sense, is a type of self-defense or self-preservation system or technique to ward off destruction by placing something between yourself and that impending doom. We will see shortly how this ties into the Qur’ān’s definition and the Sunnah’s definition of taqwā.
A quick look at taqwā in Jāhiliyyah poetry:
- In the Mu’allaqah, Zuhayr states boldly:
- و قال سأقضي حاجتي ثم أتقي * عدوي بألف من روائى ملجم
- Zuhayr says to himself, “I will satisfy my vengeance [on my brother’s killer by taking his life!], then I will defend myself from their reprisal with a thousand horses, all bridled in support of my cause!”
- This demonstrates the use of taqwā as a means of self-defense/preservation, from a physical foe. You have to love the Jāhiliy spirit!
- For a more philosophical take on how taqwā was used, we can look to ‘Amr bin al-Ahtam’s account:
- كل كريم يتقي الذم بالقرى
- “Every noble man guards himself against blame by showing hospitality”
- Here, “blame” is a non-physical threat [the idea of being stingy or unable to provide and be magnanimous was of great importance to the Arabs at this time – it is how they demonstrated their power].
- What taqwā demonstrates here is the need to be observant: to recognize an imminent danger and take actions to ward off that danger by placing something between one’s self and that destruction. What about danger that is not so tangible? In modern times, especially those of us who have “kept the wolf away from the door”, we think we are in no danger at all and are free to live “good lives” – that we can self-suffice what is good/bad without the need for a higher authority [Allah/Sunnah]. In the second khutbah, we shall examine the Qur’an’s take on this as well as examples from the Sunnah.

May Allah forgive us our sins and guide us to the Straight Path. For Allah is The Forgiver, The Loving…

الحمد لله, و الصلوات و السلام رسول الله و بعد

Second Khutbah – Main Points

- Allah states in the Suwrah al-Baqarah regarding taqwā:

و اتقوا يوما لا تجزي نفس عن نفس شيئا و لا يقبل منها شفاعة و لا يوخذ منها عدل و لا هم ينصرون

“Defend yourself against a day that will come where no soul shall be of assistance to another whatsoever – nor shall it put forth an intercessor in its place – no compensation will be taken from it – nor shall there be anyone to come to its aid.” [Q: 2:48]

- Allah also states in Suwrah al-Baqarah:

و إن كنتم في ريب مما نزلنا على عبدنا فاتو بسورة من مثله و ادعوا شهدائكم من دون الله إن كنتم صادقين – فإن لم تفعلو و لن تفعلوا فاتقوا النار التي وقودها الناس و الحجارة, أعدت للكافرين

“And if you still harbor doubts as to what we revealed to our slave then simply produce a single suwrah of its ilk, calling upon whatever witnesses you may have other than Allah, if you are true to your word! But if you are unable, and you most assuredly are unable!, then protect yourself from a blazing fire, whose fuel is men and stones, lying prepared for the ingrates!” [Q: 2:23]

- This is a clear articulation by Allah on the definition of taqwā:

Allah is giving us the chance to come clean and put our affairs in order before it is too late.
In other words, taqwā is a preemptive technique for staving off Divine Chastisement and Punishment.
The techniques of Zuhayr and all his horses will do us no good in the grave if we have not put something substantial between ourselves and the Reckoning of Allah.

- Inculcating Taqwā & Its Understanding

Like a wild animal, we must become aware! Take stock of our environment and what situations we put ourselves in.
A short hadīth from the Prophet [s] will demonstrate for us, with perhaps even a bit of humor, another aspect of taqwā:
عن عبد الرحمن بن علي, يعني ابن شيبان عن أبيه, قال, قال رسول الله, صلى الله عليه و سلم:
من بات على ظهر بيت ليس له حجار فقد برئت منه الذمة
On the authority of Abdur Rahmān, also known as Ibn Shaybān, stating that his father said that the Messenger of Allah said: “Whoever spends the night on the roof of a house that has no stone balustrade, then by all means, Allah’s responsibility towards him has been absolved!”
In other words, do not act recklessly as a fool and still expect Allah to pull you out! This is what is meant but having awareness and responsibility and a spiritual maturity.
It is here that we see the importance of following a mature outlook that the Qur’ān, the Sunnah, and the Muslim intellectual tradition attempts to inculcate within us: take responsibility for your actions while you can. You must use your brain and yet, not rely solely upon it as the only source of validation.

- Primary Means of Attaining Taqwā

A few examples:
- Related to us from Imam Mālik’s Muwatta’: Mālik heard the Messenger of Allah [s] state: “I was sent for the perfection of character.”
- عن مالك, أنه قد بلغه: أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم, بعثت لأتمم حسن الأخلاق
- Mālik relates to us on the authority of Safwān Bin Sulaym that he heard the Messenger of Allah [s] say: “I and the one who guarantees the orphan, whether for himself or someone else, will be like these two in the Paradise, when he has attained taqwā.”
- عن صفوان بن سليم, أنه بلغه أن النبي, صلى الله عليه و سلم, قال:
  أنا و كافل اليتيم, له أو لغيره, في الجنة كهاتين, إذا اتقى
  و أشار بإصبعيه الوسطى التي تلي الإبهام
- This is a beautiful example of three major points coming together that God willing, we can memorize and put in our hearts:

The Prophet [s] is stating that whoever commits this action will be like the middle finger and the index finger. Who would not desire this?!
Social responsibility! Taking responsibility for the orphan, even if you are not his primary ward, shows a consciousness and awareness that Allah is always watching. It is also a beautiful act of generosity that will help encourage us to other acts of kindness as well as the societal responsibility we have!
This act of generosity, this “good dead” is the self-defense/preservation act that will be a barrier between us and Allah on the Day of Judgment.

A closing du’ah, one which we should say every day, from one of the Companions of the Prophet [s], Mālik, where he stated:

اللهم اجعلني من أئمة المتقين
“O’ Allah, make me from amongst the people of Taqwā!”

“Allahumma, ij’alniy min u’immatil mu’taqiyn!”

Marc Manley is a khatiyb of Masjid Quba in Philadelphia, USA and frequently delivered khutbahs in the Philadelphia area. Read more of his khutbahs on his website.

Returning to Allah

KhutbahBank — Sat, 09 May 2009 22:31:07 +0000

* First published in Khutbah.com

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

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

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

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

Immediately, Allah ta’aala commanded Musa:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Allah says:

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

Then Allah says:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And in the story of Ayyub, Allah describes him:

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

4. The Seriousness of Sin

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

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

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

“No.”

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

“No.”

“Did you enter her?”

“Yes.”

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

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

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

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

5. Conditions of a Sincere Repentance

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

When Allah gives or removes Barakah [blessings]

Editors — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 22:40:09 +0000

All thanks and praises belong to Allah, Creator, Nourisher and Sustainer of the universe. We beseech Allah to bestow His eternal blessings on our illustrious Master, Nabi Muhammad (pbuh).

Oh Muslims, I urge you and myself first to be ever God-conscious and to construct our lives in the shadow of divine obedience.

On Wednesday (22 April 2009), the eyes of the world focused on our beloved country, South Africa. Approximately 23 million people have registered to vote in the National elections on that day. Hence millions voted and millions abstained from voting, based on their democratic right as South African citizens.

I want to state categorically that our khutbah today by no means intends to enter the arena of debate on this hot issue. Rather, I urge you that we remain steadfast and continue the struggle for justice, which is paramount. The struggle for justice is a lifelong struggle. We have many issues and challenges facing us on the pathway of life.

Global recession is on everyone’s tongue. And yes, it is a real fear. Thousands of people have lost their jobs and breadwinners panic and battle daily to feed their families. A major internet engine company retrenched 7000 (seven thousand) employees. Look at the horror situation unfolding in Dubai. The construction of Skyscrapers and buildings have come to a halt, standing half complete, Thousands of cars are abandoned daily as expatriates are fleeing the country, fearing prison, due to high debts. This glittering city that rose from the desert sand dunes and referred to as “the capital of bling” has been hard hit by the global recession. Hence this fear is real. But are we only concerned because it is affecting our stomachs and our standard of living? The world has already fallen into the abyss of a spiritual and moral recession. Where was that global concern then? However, we need to rise to this challenge with the realization that we have a recourse. Though the present economic crisis seems bleak and we face certain destruction, yet it is not too late. Our recourse is to turn to Allah, who is closer to us than our jugular vein. The road to success is beautifully taught to us in the supreme guidance of Al-Qur’an and Sunnah.

I would like to share with you the beautiful story told by Nabi Muhammad (pbuh) as documented in the books of Bukhari and Muslim.

“One day three people were on travel. Suddenly they were overtaken by a storm and they seeked refuge in a cave. An avalanche occurred and a massive rock blocked the mouth of the cave. The men knew they are faced with certain death, as their combined strength could not even move this rock an inch. They realized their only recourse is to pray very sincerely and ask Allah to help them.

The first one prayed and said. Oh Allah. I have two elderly parents. Every evening when I return from my day’s work, I first serve and feed them before I see to my wife and children. One evening when I returned, my parents were fast asleep as I came later than usual. I feared to disturb their precious sleep and stood with the milk in my hand till dawn. Meanwhile, my kids were crying, but I could not feed them before I have not fed my beloved old parents. Oh Allah, if I did it seeking your divine pleasure only, then please help us. Miraculously the rock moved some inches.

The second one prayed. Oh Allah, I had a very beautiful female cousin whom I loved and desired very passionately. One day she was in dire straits and I offered her financial aid on condition that she must have sexual intercourse with me. She consented. But as I was about to commence this evil act of zina, she said to me. “Fear Allah”. I immediately withdrew. I left her and did not demand the money back from her. Oh Allah, if I did it seeking your divine pleasure only, then help us. Miraculously the rock moved some inches. The third person then prayed and said. Oh Allah. One day I hired some labourers and then paid them their due. One of them left without his wages. I then used his money to buy some sheep and goats, and with the lapse of time, it increased in bounds. One day he came back to collect his due wages and I said to him. All these goats and sheep are yours. He first thought I was joking, but I assured him that this was all his investment. He happily took everything and left. Oh Allah, if I acted justly seeking your divine pleasure only, then please help us in this desperate situation. Miraculously the rock moved enough for the three of them to emerge safely from the cave”

The profound lesson we learn from here is that as these three persons were saved by Allah from certain ruin, likewise, we need to turn to our beloved creator. We have experienced an avalanche of spiritual and moral recession. The global economic recession is the result of our state of godlessness and promiscuity. Nabi Muhammad (pbuh) said.

“Before Judgment Day, Allah will take the barakah (divine blessings) out of this Earth.” Already we can see our homes and lives void of barakah. Where is the time when we had little money and belongings, but we could feed up to ten and twelve in a family. Now we have pigeon pair families, earning thousands of rands, but we are up to our necks in debt.

So I urge you, Oh Muslims, not to become fragmented and indulge in petty debates. Let us rise up as a dynamic Ummah and contribute to the success and prosperity of our beloved country. We need to fearlessly tell this government to turn the country around , from godlessness towards godliness. Divorcing God from our political chambers of power will only take this country to destruction. Politicians alone cannot run this country, as they need the guidance and directives of Ulama and religious leaders.

Positive change starts with every individual which will result into a positive nation.

Allah says in His Glorious Book, Al-Qur’an

“Allah will never change the condition of a people, unless they change what is within and around them.”

Jumu’ah Mubarak.

Earning Allah’s Barakah [blessings]

Arshad Gamiet — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 17:05:55 +0000

Earning Allah’s Barakah

By Sheikh Abduragmaan Alexander

Khutbah No.14

All thanks and praises belong to Allah, Creator, Nourisher and Sustainer of the universe. We beseech Allah to bestow His eternal blessings on our illustrious Master, Nabi Muhammad (pbuh).

Oh Muslims, I urge you and myself first to be ever God-conscious and to construct our lives in the shade of divine obedience.

Global recession is on everyone’s tongue. And yes, it is a real fear. Thousands of people have lost their jobs and breadwinners panic and battle daily to feed their families. A major internet search engine company retrenched 7000 (seven thousand) employees. Look at the horror situation unfolding in Dubai. The construction of Skyscrapers and buildings have come to a halt, standing half complete, Thousands of cars are abandoned daily as expatriates are fleeing the country, fearing prison, due to high debts. This glittering city that rose from the desert sand dunes and referred to as “the capital of bling” has been hard hit by the global recession. Hence this fear is real. But are we only concerned because it is affecting our stomachs and our standard of living? The world has already fallen into the abyss of a spiritual and moral recession. Where was that global concern then? However, we need to rise to this challenge with the realization that we have a recourse. Though the present economic crisis seems bleak and we face certain destruction, yet it is not too late. Our recourse is to turn to Allah, who is closer to us than our jugular vein. The road to success is beautifully taught to us in the supreme guidance of Al-Qur’an and Sunnah.

I would like to share with you the beautiful story told by Nabi Muhammad (pbuh) as documented in the books of Bukhari and Muslim.

“One day three people were on travel. Suddenly they were overtaken by a storm and they seeked refuge in a cave. An avalanche occurred and a massive rock blocked the mouth of the cave. The men knew they are faced with certain death, as their combined strength could not even move this rock an inch. They realized their only recourse is to pray very sincerely and ask Allah to help them.

The first one prayed and said. Oh Allah. I have two elderly parents. Every evening when I return from my day’s work, I first serve and feed them before I see to my wife and children. One evening when I returned, my parents were fast asleep as I came later than usual. I feared to disturb their precious sleep and stood with the milk in my hand till dawn. Meanwhile, my kids were crying, but I could not feed them before I have not fed my beloved old parents. Oh Allah, if I did it seeking your divine pleasure only, then please help us. Miraculously the rock moved some inches.

The second one prayed. Oh Allah, I had a very beautiful female cousin whom I loved and desired very passionately. One day she was in dire straits and I offered her financial aid on condition that she must have sexual intercourse with me. She consented. But as I was about to commence this evil act of zina, she said to me. “Fear Allah”. I immediately withdrew. I left her and did not demand the money back from her. Oh Allah, if I did it seeking your divine pleasure only, then help us. Miraculously the rock moved some inches. The third person then prayed and said. Oh Allah. One day I hired some labourers and then paid them their due. One of them left without his wages. I then used his money to buy some sheep and goats, and with the lapse of time, it increased in bounds. One day he came back to collect his due wages and I said to him. All these goats and sheep are yours. He first thought I was joking, but I assured him that this was all his investment. He happily took everything and left. Oh Allah, if I acted justly seeking your divine pleasure only, then please help us in this desperate situation. Miraculously the rock moved enough for the three of them to emerge safely from the cave”

Already we can see our homes and lives void of barakah. Where is the time when we had little money and belongings, but we could feed up to ten and twelve in a family? Now we have much smaller families and we earn huge incomes, but we are up to our necks in debt…

“Before Judgment Day, Allah will take the barakah (divine blessings) out of this Earth.”

Positive change starts with every individual which will result into a positive nation.

Allah says in His Glorious Book, Al-Qur’an

“Allah will never change the condition of a people, unless they change what is within and around them.”

Jumu’ah Mubarak.

Adversity Shapes Good Character

KhutbahBank — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 10:05:36 +0000

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

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

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.”

My Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Last week Br Essam gave us an excellent khutbah on the core values, the almost forgotten qualities that a good Muslim’s character is built on. Today I want to deal with our response to the huge problems of poverty, greed, violence and injustice around us. How should we Muslims cope with these challenges? Around the world there are natural and manmade disasters. At any given moment, there are numerous floods, famines and fires. There is war, invasion and oppression in Gaza, Iraq and Afghanistan. Closer to home, at a more personal level, many of us face uncertainties about our jobs and our homes. Will I still have a job next month? What if I’m made redundant? Will my business survive? What if I lose my home? What of the future? How does a Muslim deal with these issues? What is the Islamic answer?

First of all, when times are tough, remember, Don’t Panic, be Islamic. That’s not just an empty slogan. What does it mean to be Islamic and not to panic? It means to accept that whatever happens, good or bad, as it comes from Allah, with His permission. Even If the whole world is in chaos, He is still firmly in control. He allows things to happen for a purpose. Don’t be distressed, don’t freak out. Find out what you can do to make things better. Find out what your role is in Allah’s great cosmic plan. Don’t be a couch potato, don’t be a mere spectator while the drama of life unfolds around you. Get involved. Be part of the action. Islam is not a spectator sport. Islam calls us to be witnesses to fair dealing, to uphold justice, [Quran Sura Nisa 4:135] to speak the truth, even if it is unpleasant, even when it is against our selves. A well-known Hadith tells us to put wrong things right with our bare hands, and if we cannot do that, we must speak out against it, and if our faith, our iman is too weak to speak out against injustice, we must at the very least, hate it in our hearts, but that’s the absolute minimum for a Muslim.

The world is in a state of fermentation, of fitna, of struggle and strife. We are suffering the consequences of bad political and economic decisions. ‘The chickens have come home to roost’ as they say, Sometimes it takes a crisis to sort out the good from the bad, the truth from the falsehood. A beautiful verse in Sura Ra’d, [ch13:v17] describes this process:

“He sends water down from the sky, and the channels flow, each according to its measure; but the torrent bears away the foam that mounts up to the surface. Even so, from that [ore] they heat in the furnace to make ornaments or utensils there is a scum likewise. This is how Allah uses parables to explain Truth and Falsehood; for the scum disappears like froth cast out; while that which is for the good of mankind remains on earth. This is how Allah explains with parables.”

At the time when the Holy Quran was being revealed, pagan Makka was in turmoil, like a furnace. A furnace, as we know, creates intense heat that separates impurities, the dross, the slag, from pure metals. This is where the pure gold of a Muslim’s character was forged. A painful baptism of fire produced the luminosity of Prophet Muhammad (sws) and his noble Companions. May Allah’s peace and blessings be on all of them. Led by such radiant and luminous personalities, Muslims went onwards to establish a civilisation that brought light, learning and culture to the Medieval world.

Today, we are also going through such a period of sorting out. We can see Truth and falsehood being separated right here around us. So, don’t panic. Be Islamic.

Yesterday there was a big media story about the Dutch MP Geert Wilders who was refused entry to the UK. He made a film about the Quran, claiming it promotes violence and terror against non-Muslims. Anyone can take selective verses from any book and try to prove a point. There are verses in the Bible that can be misused this way. But we Muslims have no time for that kind of mischief. We should refute these false allegations calmly, with dignity and rational argument. I think it was a mistake to ban this man from coming to Britain. It gave him more publicity, just like Salman Rushdie had. We should let these people say what they have to say, and then put down their arguments with calmness and wisdom. The Quran says that unbelievers will try to extinguish Allah’s light, by blowing on it with their mouths. But Allah will never allow His light to be extinguished, even though the unbelievers detest it.

We must keep calm, we must keep our integrity as Muslims. If we trust Allah, He will instil sakina, a serene state of inward tranquillity in our hearts. That is the best way to deal with the madness of the world outside. We must work hard within the limits set by Allah, serving others, protecting the weak and trusting in Him. At the end of our endurance test, Allah promises relief.

Fa inna ma al usri yusra; inna ma al usri yusra. [Sura 94:5-6]

“With every hardship comes relief. Truly, with every hardship comes relief.”

Always remember, that we can do nothing without Allah’s help. So whenever we face difficulties, we should turn to Allah for His help and His guidance. In the Holy Quran, we find many words of comfort, of reassurance. In Sura Al Baqara, verse 153, we read:

Ya ay yuhal latheena aamanus ta’eenoo bis-sab’ri was-salaah. Innal-Laaha ma’as sabireen.….

O You who believe! Seek help with patient perseverance and prayer, for Allah is with those who patiently persevere.

And further on in another verse, we read:

155: 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 news to those who patiently persevere,

156: Who say, when they are afflicted by some calamity: Inna lil-Laahi wa inna ilayhir Raaji-oon: From Allah have we come, and to Him is our return!

Ulaa-ika ‘alayhim salawaatun-mir-Rabbihim wa Rahma, wa ulaa-ika humul muh-tadoon.

157: They are the ones on whom [descend] blessings from their Lord, and they are the ones that receive Guidance.”

Brothers and sisters, these deeply reassuring words of Allah must strengthen us and give us hope, even when things look hopeless. A true believing Muslim should never give in to despair. Everything is under Allah’s control, all of the time. Everything happens with His permission. Even the most cruel, ugly, sinful atrocities, can only happen with Allah’s permission. The Gaza war crimes happened with Allah’s permission. to test us. What will we do about it? If we cannot stop it with our hands, we must at least awaken the moral consciousness of people everywhere. We must do all we can, within the law, to uphold justice and human rights.

Allah gives us life and causes us to die. He gives us the freedom to choose a life of sin or a life of saintliness. Virtue and vice are equally accessible to us. We choose, and we enjoy the rewards or suffer the consequences of that choice.

No matter how difficult our circumstances might be, remember that it won’t last. Nothing lasts, except for Allah, whose Face will remain when everything else has perished [Sura Al Rahman, ch55.v26-27].

There’s a lovely verse often repeated in the Friday Khutbahs:

Fath-kuroonee, ath-kukum, wash-kuroolee, wala takfuroon! [Quran 2:152]

Remember Me, I will remember you. Be grateful to Me, and do not reject faith.

Such power; such beauty; such brevity! A short, simple promise and a stern warning. If we remember Allah gratefully, He will remember us. He will never forsake us. We, in turn must have faith. Without faith we are absolutely nothing. When we were born, no one could guarantee us a life of uninterrupted happiness, with no pain, no hardship. It’s humanly impossible. But the difference between a believer and a non-believer is this. When the non-believer is distraught, distressed and close to despair, the believer is calm and serene. He knows that this hardship is only a test from Allah. It’s a test to see whom do we turn to when we are in need, and whom do we thank when we are safe and sound.

Dear Brothers and sisters, what exactly does the Quran mean by patience, perseverance and prayer? Does it mean that we simply have to wait passively, hoping and praying that Allah will change our conditions for us, without any real effort on our side? Certainly not! Sitting idly will get us nowhere. If we think we can be lazy and just depend on our prayers alone, without any serious hard work, we contradict the very spirit and history of Islam. Our illustrious and noble predecessors sacrificed their lives and property in serving Islam. The Quran refers to the saabireen, those who patiently persevere, as people who work tirelessly and tenaciously, with every sinew and every last drop of energy, until they have exhausted themselves. Then and only then do they step back, leaving the results to Allah. When they’ve done their best, they graciously accept whatever Allah has decreed. This is real patience and real perseverance.

May Allah help us to cultivate the virtuous character of the prophets and their noble companions. May Allah teach us how to accept good fortune and misfortune with equal grace, gratitude and detachment. Everything in this life is a test, and may each test bring us nearer to Allah, nearer to His rid’waan, His good pleasure. This is the goal we all seek. May Allah help us to attain it.

“And for those who have taqwa, [i.e. those who regard Allah with an awesome mixture of love and fear and hope], Allah [always] prepares a way out for them [from their difficulty], and He provides for them from [sources] they could never imagine. And if anyone puts his trust in Allah, sufficient is Allah for him. For Allah will surely accomplish His purpose.”

Brothers and sisters, let us be counted among those who put their trust in Allah completely. Let us be counted among those who strive with all their energy, their wealth and possessions to serve others.

Second Khutbah:

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

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islam,

One of the most difficult things to bear is the death of a loved one. Be sure that every one of us will lose a loved one, sooner or later. Kullun nafsin tha ikatul mawt, says the Holy Quran, “Every soul will have a taste of death.”

Recently my wife lost her youngest sister, and earlier this week Br Kevin and his wife Halima lost her father. We pray that Allah will accept Halima’s father and Mariam’s sister, accept all their good deeds, forgive their sins and admit them to His garden, insh-Allah. For the families they leave behind, this can be a very difficult time. We ask Allah to give them strength to endure the loss. O Allah, please strengthen them in their patient perseverance and prayer.

Ya ay yuhal latheena aamanus-t’eenu bis sab’ri 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. Let us all work tirelessly to please Allah by serving others, being good to our families, be good neighbours and good citizens. Let’s work hard to make this country a better place for future generations. Let us through our own good living example, change the fear and hatred of Islam to respect and love. With Allah’s help, anything is possible.

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),

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!

The “Problem” of Suffering

KhutbahBank — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 10:02:13 +0000

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

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

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.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ammaa ba’ad:

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

Part Two:

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

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

Brothers and Sisters,

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

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

“He who knows himself, knows his Lord.”

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

In many places the Holy Quran reminds us,

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

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

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

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

To conclude our khutbah:

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

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

فَاذْكُرُونِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ وَاشْكُرُواْ لِي وَلاَ تَكْفُرُونِ

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

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

وَلَذِكْرُ اللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَصْنَعُونَ

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

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

Ameen. Aqeemus salaah!

Eid Khutbah Shawaal 1429

KhutbahBank — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 10:14:16 +0000

Allahu Akbar , Allahu Akbar , Allahu Akbar,

Laa ilaaha illallaahu whal laahu akbar, Allahu Akbar wha lillaahil – hamd.

Allah is the greatest, Allah is the greatest , Allah is the greatest,

The is no god except Him, And Allah is the greatest, To Him belongs all praise.

Glory be to Allah, Who has given us the precious gift of life. We thank Allah for this wonderful and beautiful day of Eid.

The sacred days of the glorious month of Ramadhan have gone past so speedily. People everywhere are making great preparations for the celebration of the festival of Eidul Fitr. We sadly bid farewell to the blessed month of Ramadhan, knowing that ahead of us lie many Ramadhans, which we may or may not reach.

The blessed day of Eid is a time of great joy for having served our Lord sincerely and feeling spiritually recharged. On this morning of Eid, Satan shouts with extreme disappointment and summons his armies to his accursed presence. They then inquire why they have been gathered and Satan replies:

“Don’t you see how Allah has pardoned the believing community of Muhammad (pbuh) ? Now go throughout the earth and lead them astray. Distract them from the divine remembrance and tempt them with lust, intoxicants and every mechanism of vice. Lead them back to their old evil and dirty habits that they may incur the anger of Allah and thus end up in Hell fire.”

Oh Muslims! Heed the golden advise of our illustrious Master, Nabi Muhammad (pbuh).

Enhance your days of Eid with good actions. Beautify your Eid day by giving charity to the poor and needy, supplicate to Allah and reconcile with your families, mending your estranged relations. Glorify your Lord, as He looks upon you with His Eye of divine Mercy.

The gracious day of Eid resembles the Resurrection Day. The Noble Prophet (pbuh) said:

“Whosoever commits a sin on Eid day is like one who commits a sin in Allah’s presence on Judgement day.”

Take note how crowds of people go about on Eid day. Some are walking on foot, while some are riding in various modes of transport. Some are crippled and struggle along, while the blind cannot find their own way without the necessary assistance. Many wear fine garbs, while a great number are barefoot and in tattered rags.

Reflect Oh people of Intellect! How will our condition be on Judgment day?

Do not walk about with arrogance, but remember the day when we wake from our graves and are made to walk to the plain of accountability and judgment. Do not scorn the cripple and handicap people who struggle along, but pray that we are nor raised with the unbelievers who will rise from their graves, dragging themselves along like snakes.

Reach out to the orphans and the under privileged, that you may be mercifully received by Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), who was the greatest orphan that ever lived.

Remember Oh Muslims!

Eid is not a day to strut around boastfully with expensive garments to show off.

Eid is not for those who ate and drank in Ramadhan without a valid excuse.

Eid is not for those who neglect their parents, causing them hurt and abuse.

Eid is for those only who are conscious of the meeting with their Lord, who live in His obedience and strive for the good and upliftment of humanity.

As this auspicious day of Eid ushers in the grand month of Shawaal (the season of Hajj), let us heed the encouragement of Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) who said:

“Whosoever fast six day in the month of Shawaal, will be rewarded as if he/she has fasted the entire year.”

Allahu Akbar! How great and overwhelming is Allah’s Rahma upon the Ummah of His beloved Rasool ! May the Almighty accept our fasting of Ramadhan and grant us the ability for the six days of Shawaal. This will only add to our spiritual rejuvenation and revitalization to meet the growing challenges of our time.

Ailing humanity stands at the brink of destruction through the stupendous achievement and production of weapons of mass destruction. Corruption and fraud is the order of the day, even on government level, which resulted in global political and economic instability. The high level of crime and promiscuity is eroding the moral and spiritual fibre of society at large.

Oh Muslims! As we stretch forth our hand of Eid Mubarak, let it be a resolve to be part and bring about positive change. Let our Eid Mubarak be a meaningful step towards a spiritual and moral revolution of love, justice, peace and harmonious co-existence.

Eid Mubarak to you and your families !

Allahu Akbar , Allahu Akbar , Allahu Akbar

Laa ilaaha illal laahu whallahu akbar

Allahu Akbar wha lillaa hil Hamd.

Ramadhan is a time to reflect

KhutbahBank — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 10:18:46 +0000

Alhamdulilah , Praise and Glory be to Almighty Allah, the Supreme Sovereign of the skies and the earth. Greetings and Salutations on our beloved and illustrious Master, Nabi Muhammad (pbuh), His family, friends and all believers until the end of time.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In a sacred Hadith Qudsi, Allah says:

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

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

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

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

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

The blessed Prophet Jesus Christ (pbuh) said:

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

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

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

Ameen. Jumuah Mubarak.

The Gift of Mi’raj

KhutbahBank — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 09:58:11 +0000

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

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

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.”

My Dear Brothers and Sisters

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ammaa ba’ad:

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

Part Two:

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

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

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

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

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

Brothers and sisters, to conclude our khutbah:

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

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!

Community

KhutbahBank — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 09:53:57 +0000

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

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

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.”

My Dear Brothers and Sisters

Today’s khutbah is about the importance of building a strong community, a strong Ummah. The Holy Quran speaks of the justly-balanced community, ummatan wasatan, and it also describes the best of peoples as those who enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong, ata’muroona bil ma’roof, watan hawna ‘anil munkar, watu’ minoona bil-Laah.

These words, of course, do not only apply to the worldwide family of Believers. It also applies to our local neighbourhoods and to small groups like we have here at Royal Holloway. We are indeed an Ummah in miniature. We, too have to invite to what is right and forbid what’s wrong. This principle goes right down to the individual. You and I must win the lifelong struggle against the lower nafs, the lower self. If we fail to do this, remember the words of Sura Ra’d 13:11.

“Truly, Allah will not change the condition of a people, until they change what is within themselves [with their own souls].

From the very beginning, the birth and spread of Islam has been a communal effort. When Allah plants the seed of faith in our hearts, that seed has to be nourished and nurtured; it has to grow and mature, through our interaction with other people. There is no place for selfish individualism in Islam.

The English poet, John Donne, wrote that “No man is an island entire of itself; – Each is a piece of the continent, a part of the main…any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind…” John Donne was expressing a deeply Islamic idea, that we are all interconnected, interdependent.

The ethos of our beautiful deen is selfless service to others, out of love and gratitude to Allah. It’s not enough to simply thank Allah during our prayers, and to spend the rest of our time preoccupied exclusively with our own selfish concerns. Simply ‘minding our own business’ and ignoring the needs of the wider community is against the true spirit of Islam.

Allah says in His Noble Book, [Sura Nisaa’ ch4:v95]

“Not equal are those Believers who sit [at home] and receive no discomfort, and those who strive in the Cause of Allah with their goods and their persons. Allah has granted a grade higher to those who strive and fight with their goods and their persons, than to those who sit [at home].

From this verse, my dear Brothers and Sisters, we can see that Allah does not approve of those who sit around like lazy couch potatoes, passively watching the unfolding drama of their own lives around them. Islam never was and never will be a spectator sport. Islam is a religion of action. Islam requires us to be active role players in the betterment of our society. Wherever Muslims went throughout their long history, they improved the conditions of the people in those lands. Islam raised the status of people from nobodies to the leaders of civilization. The golden age of Spain, India, Turkey, Mauritania, Nigeria, Egypt and every other domain of Islam, was during the period of Muslim rule. This is the rich legacy of our illustrious and noble predecessors. Let us remember this and let us think what legacy we can leave for our future generations. Let us ask not only what we can do for ourselves, but what we can do for our neighbours and fellow citizens of this beautiful country.

Life in Britain has many blessings and many challenges. Here we enjoy freedom and security that is still only dreamed of in many Muslim lands. We enjoy freedom of speech and expression. We can buy and sell property, educate our children and enjoy a free health service. We can even become British citizens and vote in free and fair elections, another rare commodity in our Muslim homelands! But Britain also has many problems and we can play a big part in solving them. The social fabric is under stress, family life has become an endangered species, and many people are becoming aware of a spiritual emptiness in their lives. We Muslims have much to offer. We must show by our personal living example that Islam is a better way of life, a better way of being. But our priorities are wrong. We seem to think we need a huge dawah industry. But really, we shouldn’t try so hard to ‘convert’ people to Islam. That’s not our job. Allah chooses whom He pleases to guide. He says so in His Book. We must simply try through our behaviour, to show our neighbours the living proof of Islam. In many places in Allah’s Holy Book, the Prophet Muhammad sws was reminded, that He should not be despondent when some people refuse his guidance [In Sura Nahl, 16:v82]: “But if they turn away, your duty is only to preach the Clear Message,” [also in 24:54, 29:18, 36:17].

Brothers and Sisters, we are not responsible for who accepts Allah’s guidance and who refuses it. Let’s concentrate on what Allah will hold us accountable for. Let’s build strong families and strong communities that enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong: “ta’muroona bil ma’roof, wa tan hawna ‘anil munkar, wa tu’minoona bil-Laah.”

If we fail to do this, my dear Brothers and Sisters, if we waste the wonderful opportunities we have, then Allah, and the future generations, our children and grand-children will not judge us kindly. If we do nothing to make our small community more dynamic, more active and productive, then Allah will withdraw His barakah from us. We will be left with nothing but empty lives and wasted opportunities. Let us all pray and work hard to ensure that this does not happen!

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

Ammaa ba’ad:

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

Part Two:

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

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

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

There is a lovely word in the English language called, Synergy. I like this word, because it sums up what I think community life is all about. Synergy means, to combine individual efforts so that the result is much more than the sum of the parts. Mathematically we know that if I put 5 £1 coins together I have £5. But when five well motivated and well organised people work together, their synergy delivers much more than 5 individuals . The result is more like 5 x 1 = 50, not just 5. This isn’t a recent psychological theory. It’s a basic Islamic principle. 14 centuries years ago, the Holy Quran, [in Sura Al-Anfal ch.8:v65] declared:

“O Prophet! Rouse the Believers to fight! If there are 20 amongst you, patient and persevering, they will defeat 200, if you are 100, you will defeat 1,000 of the unbelievers…”

So, by Allah’s own formula, the efforts of sincere and hardworking Believers can deliver results by a factor of 1 equals 10. Allah promises us that if we work hard in His cause, he will magnify the impact of our efforts. Those who serve Allah sincerely, out of love and gratitude, are never put off by the big challenges ahead. The entire history of Islam is an inspiring narrative of small numbers of Believers overcoming tremendous challenges.

If you look around you, our community has many talents. We have doctors, dentists, engineers and architects. We have students, businessmen and women, accountants, tradesmen, writers and IT specialists. Each and every one of us has something of value to offer. But at the moment we are disconnected from one another. This community needs your help, to become dynamic and proactive. Let us not be shy to come forward and to enliven the spirits of one another. The rewards are great, in this life and the next one. In our prayers, we ask Allah, “O My Lord, grant me the best of this life, and the best of the life to come, and save me from the tormnent of the Fire.” [2:201]

Rabbana atina fid duny hasanatan, wa fil aakhirati hasanatan, waqina athaban naar!

Let us guarantee that Allah accepts this prayer, by doing our bit. Let us commit some of our time, energy and resources for the greater good. Let’s join together, and generate a powerful synergy of collective effort. Let’s help our community, our family, ourselves and please Allah at the same time.

My dear brothers and sisters, Let us pray to Allah, subhanallahu ta’ala, to help us along this most difficult of all journeys: Our quest for self-improvement and community building. O Alláh, please plant within our hearts, the desire to improve ourselves. O Alláh, help us to build a strong foundation for Islam in Britain. O Allah, help us to be good ambassadors of Islam, excellent role models for our children, and for those of our neighbours who have not yet received Your message.

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),

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!

Cyclones, earthquakes and Allah’s Mercy

KhutbahBank — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 09:50:03 +0000

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

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

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.”

My Dear Brothers and Sisters

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ammaa ba’ad:

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

Part Two:

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

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

Brothers and Sisters,

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

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

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

In Sura Al-Baqara v 214, we read:

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

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

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

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

Brothers and sisters, to conclude our khutbah:

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

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!

“The woman is right and Umar is wrong…”

KhutbahBank — Sat, 10 May 2008 05:58:31 +0000

“The woman is right and Umar is wrong…” said the Caliph Umar from the Mimbar during a sermon.

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. All praise be to Allah, the Supreme Creator, Nourisher and Sustainer of the universe. We beseech the Almighty to bestow His choicest blessings on our illustrious Master, Nabi Muhammad (peace be upon Him), on His pure family, His noble companions and all believers in every era.

Oh Muslims ! The Glorious Qur’an exhorts us to be ever conscious of the Omni-presence of Allah, our beloved creator, Who gave us the precious gift of life and bestowed on us His countless Favours and Mercy. In accordance with the divine injunctions,

“to rejoice the Favour and Mercy of Allah” (Surah 10:58),

and

“to publicise the Favour of Allah” ( Surah 93:11 )

This universal Mercy and Favour, in the person of Prophet Muhammad ( P.B.U.H ), the global Muslim community joyously commemorated and celebrated the noble birth and advent of the Prophet in the blessed month of Rabi-ul-Awwal. His illustrious birth was was more radiant than the glorious sunrise onto a world steeped in the darkness of animalism, superstition and ignorance. But, we find that in a short span of 23 years, He achieved the most glorious and comprehensive success, and accomplished what stands up to this day as “the noblest and most profound revolution in human history”.

Reflect! oh servants of Allah, how the Prophet led mankind out of the abyss of moral and spiritual degradation, to the highest pinnacle of civilization, through the processes of “Iqra’!”(read), constructive critical thinking and dialoque. It is for this reason that the Almighty endowed us with the faculty of intellect, which distinguishes us from the brute creation. The Holy Qur’an bears testimony to this :

“Most certainly the worst of animals in the sight of God are the deaf and dumb who do not apply their Aql ( faculty of intelligence).” ( Surah 8:22 )

“None will grasp the message, but people of intellect.” ( Surah 2:269 )

Muslims must be proud and thankful to Allah for providing the world with the divine and all-comprehensive Shari’ah Law, of which one of the basic objectives is “the preservation of Aql”.

The Prophet (P.B.U.H) said :

“Whoever allows his vain desires and lust to control him, is considered lower than the beast, and whoever applies his aql (intellect), is considered higher than the Angels in the estimation of Allah.”

One of the primary sources on which our Islamic legal system is built, is the principle of Ijtihaad, which means “to exert oneself” through applying your Aql on the premise of profound knowledge. The Prophet is reported to have advised Mu’adh Ibn Jabal, on dispatching him to Yemen to lead the new Muslim community there, to judge by the Qur’an and Sunnah. On being asked how he would judge if he cannot find an answer in Qur’an and Sunnah, Mu’adh replied that “I will apply my Aql” (ijtihaad). The Prophet then praised him.

Oh servants of Allah! Is it not crystal clear that Islam came to save us from all kinds of bondage, especially intellectual slavery. We are not bound by blind following like sheep, nor to just swallow everything “hook, line and sinker”, but rather act on informed decisions. We have the right to dialoque, constructive critical thinking and freedom of speech. Let me remind you of the incident when Hazrat Umar, the second khalifa of Islam, one day delivered a sermon against the practice of settling large sums as Mahr (dower-money), it was a woman who stood up and objected, saying: Oh Ameerul Mu’mineen, how dare you oppose the Qur’anic dictate that even a heap of gold may be settled on the wife as dowry? Umar did not resent this, but on the contrary showed appreciation for this woman’s courage of her conviction and right to freedom of speech. He exclaimed:

“The woman is right and Umar is wrong.”

This is the product moulded by the blessed hands of Rahmatu-lil-‘Alameen. I urge you, from this mimbar, the sacred platform of truth, not to live our lives striving only for physical pleasure like the animals, but rather ponder, reflect and apply our God-given Aql in every venture we undertake. Modern challenges demand that our Darul-Ulooms and religious institutions not only educate our youth through mere memorization of religious texts, but compliments it through encouraging independent thinking.

In conclusion, I urge you to note, that peaceful dialoque is conducive towards harmonious co-existence and constructive critical thinking leads the way to the advancement of every field of arts and science. Indeed the Prophet of Islam said:

“Allah has decreed excellence in everything”

Praise be to Allah and choicest blessings on our beloved Prophet. Jumuah Mubarak!

* Sheikh Abduragmaan Alexander is the Imam at Bridgetown Masjid, Cape Town, South Africa and President of Cape Mazaar Society, South Africa.