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O you who believe, you shall embrace total submission; do not follow the steps of Satan, for he is your most ardent enemy Qur'an 2:208
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Text khutbah
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Arson, Looting and Muslims |
“We should always entertain the hope, the possibility that our worst enemies today could become our beloved brothers and sisters tomorrow…” Arshad Gamiet/Royal Holloway University of London/Date 19 August 2011 (You can listen to this khutbah here: )“A-úthu billáhi minash shaytánir rajeem. Bismilláhir rahmánir raheem Al hamdu lillahi nahmaduhu wanasta’eenahu, wanastagh-firuhu, wanatoobu ilayhi, wana’oothu Billaahi min shuroori an-fusinaa, wamin sayyi aati a’maalinaa. May- Yahdillahu fa huwal muhtad, wa may- yudlill falan tajidaa lahu waliyan murshida. Wa ash-hadu an Laa ilaaha ill-Alláh, wahdahoo laa shareeka lah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhoo warasooluh” All Praise is due to Alláh, We praise Him and we seek help from Him. We ask forgiveness from Him. We repent to Him; and we seek refuge in Him from our own evils and our own bad deeds. Anyone who is guided by Alláh, he is indeed guided; and anyone who has been left astray, will find no one to guide him. I bear witness that there is no god but Alláh, the Only One without any partner; and I bear witness that Muhammad, sal-lal-laahu ‘alayhi wa sal-lam, is His servant, and His messenger. Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem! Yaa ay-yuhal-latheena ‘aamanut taqul-laaha, haqqa tuqaatihee wala tamu tun-na, il-la wa antum Muslimoon.” O You who believe, – Be aware of Allah, with correct awareness, and die not except as Muslims. Yaa ay-yuhal-latheena ‘aamanut taqul-laaha, wa qooloo qawlan sadeedaa. Yuslih-lakum a’maalakum wa yaghfir lakum thunoobakum, wamay yu-til-laaha warasoolah, faqad faaza fawzan atheemaa.” O You who believe, – Be aware of Allah, and speak a straightforward word. He will forgive your sins and repair your deeds. And whoever takes Allah and His Prophet as a guide, has already achieved a mighty victory. In the opening verse of Sura An-Nisaa’, Allah says: O mankind! Show reverence towards your Guardian-Lord Who created you from a single person, created, of like nature, his mate and from the two of them scattered (like seeds) countless men and women;― Be conscious of Allah, through Whom ye demand your mutual (rights) and (show reverence towards) the wombs (that bore you): for surely, Allah ever watches over you. My Dear Sisters and Brothers, In recent days, we’ve seen horrific scenes of arson, looting and mayhem on the streets of Britain. But out of the same chaos and confusion there has emerged some extraordinary examples of courage, generosity and wisdom. The mass media, which has become so accustomed to presenting Muslims in a bad light, could not ignore the huge public admiration for 2 Muslims in particular. There was the Malaysian student who arrived in London only a month ago. He was attacked by thugs, left with a broken jaw and his belongings stolen by those very same people who pretended to help him. Despite his painful ordeal that was filmed and shared around the world, he wasn’t bitter, his admiration for this country was undiminished and he certainly didn’t want to go home yet. Interviewed in his hospital bed, he just said he felt very ‘sorry’ for his attackers, who were “so young,” He wasn’t thinking of himself, of his own pain. He wasn’t feeling sorry for himself. He didn’t wish his attackers any harm. This gentleness and generosity of spirit touched the hearts of millions. Within a few days, Facebook and Twitter raised £20,000 to help him fly his mother over to see him. Meanwhile in Birmingham a very serious racial conflict was defused by a grieving father. Some of you may have followed this story. Tariq Jahan’s son was killed along with 2 brothers who were defending their property from rioters. A car was deliberately driven over them, killing all three. Muslims were very angry, and if Tariq Jahan gave way to his emotions at this crucial time then who knows what terrible violence would have followed. Anger and revenge between black and Asian neighbours was near breaking point. But Tariq Jahan is no ordinary man. He must have learnt from Prophet Muhammad’s sws advice: “Do not become angry. Do not become angry. Do not become angry.” (Hadith) In a time of unspeakable grief, he knew that his reaction would have far reaching consequences, immediately and in the long term, here and elsewhere. So this is what he said: “Blacks, Asians, whites — we all live in the same community. Why do we have to kill one another? Why are we doing this? I’ve just lost my son. Step forward if you want to lose your sons. Otherwise, calm down and go home — please!” This heartfelt plea from a grieving father took everyone by surprise, especially people who feed on a diet of bad news about Muslims. Thousands responded on the internet and in newspapers. One person wrote: “I used to hate Muslims, but this grieving father’s words were so dignified, so persuasive and generous hearted, it moved me to tears. Now I’m ashamed of my hatred for them. I shall never hate Muslims again.” Brothers and sisters, these words are as inspiring as they are humbling. They show us in a simple, practical way what we can achieve by not giving way to our anger, by not seeking revenge. Indeed, when we accept all the pain and loss that we suffer, simply as another test from Allah, then we are truly following the Straight Way, the siraat al mustaqeem. What can we learn from the momentous events that swept Britain last week? Here are a few suggestions: Don’t just give way to your anger in a crisis. It may be human to do so, but a real Muslim follows the Prophetic Sunnah, like Tariq Jehan did. Don’t get angry, don’t lash out. That only massages your bruised ego, your lower nafs. Do turn to your inner core, your pure heart, your qalb saleem, that you’ve trained so hard. Remember that Allah loves those who are patient and who persevere in times of hardship and distress. We know this from reading the Holy Quran in : Sura Al Baqara 2:153-6 “Ya ay yuhal latheena aamanus ta’eenu bis sabari was salaah. Innal laaha ma’as saabireen.” “O you who believe! Seek help with patient perseverance and prayer; for Allah is with those who patiently persevere…” Then the following verses continue: “And say not of those who are slain in the way of Allah: ‘They are dead.’ No, they are living, although you cannot perceive them.” Be sure We shall test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods or lives or the fruits of your hard work, but give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere, Who say, when they are afflicted with a calamity: “Inna lil laahi wa inna ilayhir raaji oon! To Allah we belong, and to Him is our return” “Ulaa ika ‘alayhim salawaatun min Rabbikum, wa Rahmah, wa ulaa ika humul muhtadoon.” “They are those on whome [descend] blessings from Allah, and Mercy, and they are the ones that receive guidance.” Brothers and sisters, if you ponder over these verses, you might think that they were written especially for the grieving families in Birmingham. But such is the majesty and beauty of Allah’s Book, revealed over 14 centuries ago, that its guidance and its healing and mercy will nourish the souls of Believers everywhere and always, until the end of time. SubhaanAllah! “Innalláha wa malaaikata yusallúna alan nabi. Yá ay yuhal latheena ámanu sallú alayhi wasalli mú tas leema. Allahumma salli alá Muhammad, wa ala áli Muhammad, kama salayta ala Ibrahim, wa ala ali Ibrahim. Allahumma barik ala Muhammad, kama barakta ala Ibrahim, wa ala ali ibrahim. Fil ála meen, innaka hameedun majeed.” Second Khutbah: “Soob’ hanallahi wal hamdu lillah, wala hawla wala quwwata illah billah yu althi yual theem” Glory to Allah! Praise to Allah! There is no power and no strength except from Allah! My dear sisters and brothers, When we restrain our anger, when we wrestle with our lower nafs and we throw ourselves at the feet of Allah’s Mercy, some amazing things happen. The reward for showing our utter reliance on Allah has many unexpected consequences. One of the most surprising reports I read last week (UK Sunday Times 14th August 2011) was that the racist (EDL) English Defence League’s leader was so moved by Tariq Jehan’s dignified example that he was going to ask all his members at their next meeting to hold a minute’s silence out of respect. Imagine that! At the beginning of the riots, reports were circulating that the EDL was planning arson attacks on mosques. We don’t know whether this is true or not. But a few days later, there’s a newspaper report that the EDL leader wants his followers to show some respect for the fallen Muslims in Birmingham. Allahu ‘alam! Allah knows best! Let us also remind ourselves that no matter how dire the situation, Allah can intervene in ways that we could never have hoped. Allah can change a heart from hatred to love in an instant. Allah has the key to all our hearts. Sura Al Anfal 8:24 reminds us that “Allah comes between a man and his heart…” There are many who hate Muslims and who wish us harm. We should of course take sensible precautions to defend ourselves. But we should never forget that our enemies could one day become our brothers and sisters in faith. Never forget that Khaled ibn Walid, who bitterly fought the Muslims in the Battle of Badr, became the most famous military commander after Allah came between him and his heart. He conquered the Roman and Persian armies for Islam. Don’t forget Amr ibn al As, who led the Quraish delegation to Abyssinia. He tried unsuccessfully to persuade the King Najashi to return the first Muslim asylum seekers and to hand them over to their oppressors. Soon afterwards, Allah came between Amr and his heart. Amr conquered Egypt for Islam and built the fist mosque on the African continent in Al Fustat. And who can forget Sayyidna Omar, who hated Prophet Muhammad so bitterly that he unsheathed his sword and set out to kill our Nabi. But Allah came between him and his heart, and when he heard his sister reciting the opening verses of Sura Ta-Ha, his hard heart melted and this big, fearsome warrior was moved to tears. He actually took shahadah in front of Prophet Muhammad, still holding his sword in his hand, the same sword that was meant to kill our beloved Prophet! What does all this mean, brothers and sisters? We all plan, but Allah is the best of planners. Don’t ever think that things out there are really as bad as they seem. Things could be a lot worse. Allah is completely in control of his entire creation. Slowly but surely, in ways we cannot always appreciate, Allah is fulfilling His Plan. We should never despair of Allah’s Mercy. Who knows… perhaps next Ramadan, some of those gangsters, rioters and former members of the EDL will be praying alongside us as our new brothers, for the taraweeh prayers! Who knows? Anything is possible for Allah. He has the key to unlock any heart! We should always entertain the hope, the possibility that our worst enemies today could become our beloved brothers and sisters tomorrow. This reminder is clearly given in Sura Al ‘Imran 3:103: “Wa’tasimu bi hablil laahi jamee-aah…” “And hold fast, all together, by the Rope which Allah (stretches out for you), and do not be divided among yourselves; and remember with gratitude Allah’s favour on you; for you were enemies and He joined your hearts in love, so that by His Grace, you became brothers; and you were on the brink of the pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. This is how Allah makes His Signs clear to you: That you may be guided.” My dear sisters and brothers, as we enter the last 10 days of Ramadan, the days of ‘freedom from hellfire,’ and the nights of laylatul Qadr, the Night of Power, let us reflect on the momentous events in our community. This is a crucial time for Muslims. There is some danger but there is also immense potential for good. This is no time for bruised egos, for settling old scores or for racial and tribal vendettas. Islam is too noble for such behaviour. Let us reach out to those who used to hate us and who now have doubts, so that we can share with them Allah’s beautiful message. The world is watching us. Let us become living examples of discipline, self control, humanity, mercy and Allah’s love. Let us pray that our three martyrs from Birmingham would not have died in vain. Let their example, and their fathers’ dignity at a time of unspeakable pain and grief, be an inspiration to Muslims and their neighbours all around the world. Great things happen in Ramadan. O Allah, let the tragedy in Birmingham become the key that unlocks the hearts of Islam-haters everywhere, so that their breasts can be opened Islam. Ameen! Brothers and sisters, to conclude our khutbah: InnaAllaha, Yamuru bil adel, wal ihsaan, wa eetaa-i zil qurba; wa yanha anil fuhshaa-i, wal munkari walbaghi; ya-idzukhum lallakum tathak-karoon. (Sura 16:90), “Surely Allah commands justice, good deeds and generosity to others and to relatives; and He forbids all shameful deeds, and injustice and rebellion: He instructs you, so that you may be reminded.” Fadth kuroonee adth kurkum, wash kuroolee walaa tak furoon [2:152]. “and remember Me: I will remember you. Be grateful to Me, and do not reject faith.” wala thikrul-Laahi akbar, Wal-Laahu ya’lamu maa tasna’oon.” [29:45]. “and without doubt, Remembrance of Allah is the Greatest Thing in life, and Allah knows the deeds that you do.”
Ameen. Aqeemus salaah Tags Arshad Gamiet Audio khutbah Beliefs and Practices of Islam Building Good Character Current Affairs and Politics History of Islam Inspiring 'Feel Good' Khutbahs Khutbah Noble Companions and Muslim Heroes Short khutbah Text khutbah Uncategorized |
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Burning Qurans |
Arshad Gamiet/Royal Holloway University of London/ 10 Sep 2010
“A-úthu billáhi minash shaytánir rajeem. Bismilláhir rahmánir raheem Al hamdu lillahi nahmaduhu wanasta’eenahu, wanastagh-firuhu, wanatoobu ilayhi, wana’oothu Billaahi min shuroori an-fusinaa, wamin sayyi aati a’maalinaa. May- Yahdillahu fa huwal muhtad, wa may- yudlill falan tajidaa lahu waliyan murshida. Wa ash-hadu an Laa ilaaha ill-Alláh, wahdahoo laa shareeka lah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhoo warasooluh” All Praise is due to Alláh, We praise Him and we seek help from Him. We ask forgiveness from Him. We repent to Him; and we seek refuge in Him from our own evils and our own bad deeds. Anyone who is guided by Alláh, he is indeed guided; and anyone who has been left astray, will find no one to guide him. I bear witness that there is no god but Alláh, the Only One without any partner; and I bear witness that Muhammad, sws, is His servant, and His messenger. Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem! Ya Ay-yuhal-latheena ‘aamanut taqul-laaha, haqqa tuqaatihee wala tamu tun-na, il-la wa antum Muslimoon.” O You who believe, – Fear Allah, as He should be feared, and die not except as Muslims. Ya Ay-yuhal-latheena ‘aamanut taqul-laaha, wa qooloo qawlan sadeedaa. Yuslih-lakum a’maalakum wa yaghfir lakum thunoobakum, wamay yu-til-laaha warasoolah, faqad faaza fawzan atheemaa.” O You who believe, – Be aware of Allah, and speak a straightforward word. He will forgive your sins and repair your deeds. And whoever takes Allah and His Prophet as a guide, has already achieved a mighty victory. In the opening verse of Sura An-Nisaa’, Allah says: O mankind! Show reverence towards your Guardian-Lord Who created you from a single person, created, of like nature, his mate and from the two of them scattered (like seeds) countless men and women;― Be conscious of Allah, through Whom ye demand your mutual (rights) and (show reverence towards) the wombs (that bore you): for surely, Allah ever watches over you.` My Dear Sisters and Brothers, 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.” “Innalláha wa malaaikata yusallúna alan nabi. Yá ay yuhal latheena ámanu sallú alayhi wasalli mú tas leema. Allahumma salli alá Muhammad, wa ala áli Muhammad, kama salayta ala Ibrahim, wa ala ali Ibrahim. Allahumma barik ala Muhammad, kama barakta ala Ibrahim, wa ala ali ibrahim. Fil ála meen, innaka hameedun majeed.” Second Khutbah: “Soob’ hanallahi wal hamdu lillah, wala hawla wala quwwata illah billah yu althi yual theem” Glory to Allah! Praise to Allah! There is no power and no strength except from Allah! My dear sisters and brothers, In 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:
Ameen. Aqeemus salaah Tags Arshad Gamiet Audio khutbah Author Beliefs and Practices of Islam Building Good Character Current Affairs and Politics History of Islam Inspiring 'Feel Good' Khutbahs Khutbah Short khutbah Text khutbah |
Reason and Rhetoric in the Quran
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World Cup: Goals for life |
Khutbah Goals For Life
Arshad Gamiet/Royal Holloway University of London/18 June 2010 “A-úthu billáhi minash shaytánir rajeem. Bismilláhir rahmánir raheem Al hamdu lillahi nahmaduhu wanasta’eenahu, wanastagh-firuhu, wanatoobu ilayhi, wana’oothu Billaahi min shuroori an-fusinaa, wamin sayyi aati a’maalinaa. May- Yahdillahu fa huwal muhtad, wa may- yudlill falan tajidaa lahu waliyan murshida. Wa ash-hadu an Laa ilaaha ill-Alláh, wahdahoo laa shareeka lah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhoo warasooluh” All Praise is due to Alláh, We praise Him and we seek help from Him. We ask forgiveness from Him. We repent to Him; and we seek refuge in Him from our own evils and our own bad deeds. Anyone who is guided by Alláh, he is indeed guided; and anyone who has been left astray, will find no one to guide him. I bear witness that there is no god but Alláh, the Only One without any partner; and I bear witness that Muhammad, sws, is His servant, and His messenger. Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem! Ya Ay-yuhal-latheena ‘aamanut taqul-laaha, haqqa tuqaatihee wala tamu tun-na, il-la wa antum Muslimoon.” O You who believe, – Fear Allah, as He should be feared, and die not except as Muslims. Ya Ay-yuhal-latheena ‘aamanut taqul-laaha, wa qooloo qawlan sadeedaa. Yuslih-lakum a’maalakum wa yaghfir lakum thunoobakum, wamay yu-til-laaha warasoolah, faqad faaza fawzan atheemaa.” O You who believe, – Be aware of Allah, and speak a straightforward word. He will forgive your sins and repair your deeds. And whoever takes Allah and His Prophet as a guide, has already achieved a mighty victory. In the opening verse of Sura An-Nisaa’, Allah says: O mankind! Show reverence towards your Guardian-Lord Who created you from a single person, created, of like nature, his mate and from the two of them scattered (like seeds) countless men and women;― Be conscious of Allah, through Whom ye demand your mutual (rights) and (show reverence towards) the wombs (that bore you): for surely, Allah ever watches over you.` My Dear Sisters and Brothers, 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:
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,
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:
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.
Second Khutbah:
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:
Ameen. Aqeemus salaah Tags Arshad Gamiet Audio khutbah Author Building Good Character Current Affairs and Politics Inspiring 'Feel Good' Khutbahs Khutbah Short khutbah Text khutbah |
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17.05.2012 11:01PM
You can find the story of the robber who "Kept a door open to Allah" in a khutbah by Sheikh Hassan E ...
Don’t judge others too harshly
13.05.2012 09:26PM
This is a very nice & an educative Khutbah. May Allah reward you abundantly. ...
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12.05.2012 10:36PM
As-Salaamu Alaikum Praise be to ALLAH (SWT) FOR SUCH BEAUTIFUL words of inspiration,we as muslims so ...
Don’t judge others too harshly
04.05.2012 06:05PM
May Allah(swt) reward you abundantly, we Muslims especially those that are miss practicing the Islam ...
Christians need protection, not persecution
04.05.2012 05:52PM
May Allah reward you abundantly,we Muslims especially those that are miss acting the Islamic faith n ...
Christians need protection, not persecution