Arshad Gamiet/Royal Holloway University of London/ 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 plans 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 new. 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. 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 ch.61 v8:

“….. they try to blow out Allah’s light with their mouths, but Allah will perfect his light, even if they detest it…”

And again:

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

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 comes 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, and his was instantly moved. His emotions were stirred, and  his hatred 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 everyone’s 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 a fool? Does it make sense for Muslims to behave foolishly in return? Surely we are above this kind of stupidity, or not?

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 fools. If we really love Allah and His Prophet sws, let us do good, serve 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.

“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, Muslims went into a blind panic and started 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, 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 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, 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

Arshad Gamiet/Royal Holloway University of London/Date 2010

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My Dear Brothers and Sisters,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Second Khutbah:

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

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

My brothers and sisters,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Brothers and sisters, to conclude our khutbah:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ameen.                   Aqeemus salaah!

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:

“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

“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,

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!

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,

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),

“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

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

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,

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.

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,

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),

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

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

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

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

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

Ameen.                   Aqeemus salaah!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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),

“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!

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

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,

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…

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 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 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.”

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 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.

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

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

Brothers and sisters, to conclude our khutbah:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ameen.                   Aqeemus salaah!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My Dear Brothers and Sisters,

In 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),

“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!

Arshad Gamiet

One of the most pervasive forms of misguidance is our human tendency to assume that a dominant culture is somehow superior to all other cultures. Just because the Western nations have economic and military muscle, we should not assume that they are also superior, morally, ethically and spiritually. This is a serious mistake. Many influential people in Muslim countries think that they should aspire to the dominant culture, and accept all its terms of reference. They believe that to be ‘modern’ you have to turn your back on your own heritage, to reject or at least hide your own religion in the garden shed. This inferiority complex, they think, is a sign of ‘education’ and ‘progress.’ Part of this problem is that people wrongly confuse their own tribal and national culture with Islam. In reality, Islam and Culture, and I mean tribal, ethnic and national culture, are quite separate and distinct ideas. I covered this topic in my previous khutbah. Islam is a way of living, away of being, ordained by Allah. It is a set of universal principles. Islam never changes. Culture is what people accept as normal behaviour from time to time and place to place. It’s always susceptible to change, depending on widely accepted norms in society. Sometimes, culture can be destructive when it becomes a vehicle of oppression for other people.

Oppression and enslavement take many forms. There is open political oppression, when governments restrict the human rights of citizens, free speech and free movement. Sometimes oppression can be economic, where the rich exploit the poor. Quite often oppressive governments use military force not to defend their country from enemies outside, but to defend their interests against their own people. These are obvious and open forms of oppression. But there are also hidden forms of oppression, more dangerous because we hardly notice them.

Cultural imperialism is a good example. It is unintentional when people naively think their own culture is inferior, and they must copy the dominant culture. But it can also be deliberate, when it involves the psychological manipulation of people’s wants and desires, enslaving their hopes and ideals. Cultural imperialism undermines a people’s self-confidence and self-image. The subtle, insidious nature of cultural imperialism easily traps the unwary. Language is one of the powerful ways in which one culture can assert its dominance over others

For example, in South Africa the Afrikaans dictionary used to tell us that a ‘gentleman’ in English is a ‘witman’ or ‘white man’ in Afrikaans, the language of Dutch settlers. The English/Afrikaans dictionaries also addressed other races in a demeaning manner that would not apply to white people.

In this country we are referred to as ‘ethnic minorities’ but no-one talks of the ‘ethnic majority.’ I prefer to use neutral terms like ‘the Asian community, the host community, the Afro-Carribean community and so on. Similarly, I don’t even like the term, ‘non-Muslim.’ It has a negative connotation. I prefer to say, ‘our friends and neighbours in the wider society.’ It’s much more friendly and inclusive. Islam is friendly and inclusive.

When we read the papers or watch the news, we should be aware of the use and misuse of language. Be critical. Separate hard facts from opinions. Carefully examine the hidden assumptions. Don’t just blindly accept someone else’s framework of debate. Question the terms of reference. Does it make sense? Is it fair and reasonable? If you feel even the slightest twinge of discomfort, you can be sure that something is amiss. Don’t ignore your instinct, your intuition. Don’t let someone make up your mind for you. Don’t let others set your emotional agenda. If you’re not careful, someone else will decide when you should laugh, when you should cry and become angry. Before you know it, you may stop thinking like a Muslim, and you’ll simply have become another little brown Englishman or Englishwoman.

Deliberately or naively, cultural imperialism turns people from the colonies into mirror-images of their masters: They become little brown Englishmen, and little brown Europeans. They pose no threat to the status quo, in fact they help to keep things as they are. They reinforce the false notion of superiority of one human being over another, one cultural system over others.

Sadly, many Muslim countries are politically independent but culturally enslaved. Their elites uncritically accept western norms of behaviour. They espouse western notions of “freedom,” “democracy,” ”progress” and being “civilized” without questioning the underlying assumptions these ideas are based on.

Forty years ago in South Africa, Steve Biko started the Black Consciousness Movement in South Africa, His views overturned the white/non-white, positive/negative, normal/abnormal paradigm and mindset. Biko’s life and tragic death was eloquently told in Richard Attenborough’s film, Cry Freedom. “Black” he said, is a more positive description than “non-white.” Muslims need to understand these hidden cultural assumptions and we must interrogate their validity. Don’t let others frame the debate on their terms. We must re-examine these assumptions where they are based on false notions of superiority. We must re-define the norms, where they are misguided, unfair or unjust. For example, the hijab/headscarf is not a sign of domination or oppression of women. It’s simply a dress code. It promotes modesty. Women should not be seen as sexual objects. The headscarf confers dignity on our women. Some Muslim regimes enforce it, some want to ban it, but among Muslims in the west, it’s clearly a matter of personal choice. Many sisters will tell you that it helps them define who they are. We don’t have to apologise for it. It’s not a sign of backwardness or enslavement. The real backwardness is in the assumption that western culture is somehow superior. The economic, political and military power of the West has also brought a certain cultural arrogance. This arrogance presents a world viewed through distorted lenses.

Empires and their cultures rise and fall, just as day alternates with night and the seasons follow each other in succession. This is Allah’s Decree. In His Noble Book, He reminds us:

“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)…”

But to solve the real problem of cultural imperialism, and of Muslims’ misplaced inferiority complex, we have to turn again to the Holy Quran. Where else?!

“O Mankind, I have created you from a single pair of a male and a female, then I made you into nations and tribes, so that you may know [and respect] one another, not that you should despise one another. Truly the best of you are those most inclined to good conduct, and Allah has full knowledge and is aware of all things.” [Sura Al-Hujuraa 49:13]

We need to articulate the Islamic world view and celebrate the Islamic ethos. We have to reassure our neighbours in the wider community that they have nothing to fear from a resurgent Islamic awareness. This is a natural and healthy process, when people regain self-respect and self confidence. In modern street parlance, we should be saying, ‘Islam is cool, man! Islamophobia is so, yesterday! Come on, for once, just step outside yourself; step outside your Eurocentric mindset, for once, step outside your misplaced sense of cultural superiority. You have nothing to lose but your prejudices.’

Let’s change the wrong perceptions, the fear and hatred of Islam. Through our personal example, we must show our friends and neighbours in the wider community that living Islam is a mercy and a blessing to all. There’s nothing to be afraid of. Those who promote violent political agendas, both inside and outside our faith communities, are the dangerous ones. Militant jihadis and far-right white supremacists are desperate people, who misuse Islam to try to clothe their political ambitions with a measure of respectability.

We Muslims who live in the ‘West’ have a huge responsibility to our neighbours in the wider society, to our children and to future generations. We must show by a clear, practical example, that Islam offers an alternative, sustainable way of living. We must try to be role models for others: We should educate ourselves with the essence of our faith, so that we can deal with the challenges of modern living, and be totally at peace spiritually, morally, and intellectually.

We can reduce the impact of cultural imperialism by taking a few simple steps. Change the channel or better still, switch off the TV. Don’t constantly expose yourself or your children to programmes that condone immoral attitudes. In school, college or the work environment attitudes towards drugs, alcohol, male-female relationships and same-sex relationships are very different to ours. Smile, be courteous and say why we differ. Treat others with respect and they will respect you. Don’t be rude or confrontational. On the other hand, don’t court popularity or seek approval for yourself by adopting values that will displease Allah. Islam shows us where to draw a line in the sand, but always with dignity and grace. Explain that Islamic values protect society as a whole, and some aspects of western culture lead to abuses of all kinds, from drugs and alcohol to the innocence of children and dignity of womanhood. Western liberties and excess has left a trail of broken families and a crumbling society. Islam offers a healthier alternative, placing the society’s wellbeing above the whims and caprices of individuals. Say this in a courteous and pleasant manner.

The way to resist the domination of one culture over another is to return to the true Islamic idea of unity in diversity. Human beings are one species, a unity, within the diversity of many cultures, languages and ethnicities. Allah’s divine Unity [Tawheed] is the unifying principle that connects all the diversity of His creation. We were created from the union of Adam and Eve, then multiplied through countless tribes and nations, diverse, colourful, yet equal in our status as human beings, custodians and trustees of Allah’s creation. This is an awesome responsibility. We Muslims are people of the middle way, the Ummatan wasatan. We ought to shun all kinds of extremes. We can be British, Pakistani, white, black, Asian, but essentially we are all equal human beings. We must never become obsessive with national or cultural pride. That’s losing the plot. Islam is not exclusive. It’s inclusive. We must be warm, welcoming and we must enable others to feel comfortable and secure in our presence. Prophet Muhammad said in a well known hadith,

“A Muslim is one from whose hands and tongue other Muslims are safe. A Mu’min [true Believer] is one in whom all humanity will find safety of their lives and property.”

When we consider the rising levels of fear, suspicion and Islamophobia today, we have to ask, how much are we ourselves a part of the problem? How far have we fallen short of our noble Prophet’s standards? Some of us still judge one another by wealth, by nationality, by race and social status. This is pre-Islamic behaviour, Jahiliyyah. Yet Allah and His Prophet constantly remind us that our only acceptable ranking is in our piety, in our loving awareness of Allah, expressed through our thoughts, words and actions. This is the only way we can measure superiority or inferiority among people: good actions driven by gratitude and love for Allah. We have to live in a constant state of love, fear and hope, loving Allah because He clearly loves us, fearing His displeasure and being ever hopeful of His Mercy. This is the real meaning of taqwa. I sincerely pray that Allah will help you and me, and all our loved ones, to become real people of taqwa, al-muttaqeen. Ameen. Then and only then, can we begin to free ourselves from psychological domination and cultural imperialism.

“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!

“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 109:

“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.

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

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.

“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,

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.”

“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].

Ameen.                   Aqeemus salaah!

For the record, this is how the website looked like from its humble inception in 1999 until March 2009:

And this is how it will hopefully look like when it’s finished:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My Dear Brothers and Sisters,

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.

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.”

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.

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

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),

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

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

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

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

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

Ameen! Aqeemus salaah!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ammaa ba’ad:

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

Part Two:

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

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

Brothers and Sisters,

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

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

“He who knows himself, knows his Lord.”

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

In many places the Holy Quran reminds us,

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

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

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

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

To conclude our khutbah:

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

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

“Surely Allah commands justice, good deeds and generosity to others and to relatives; and He forbids all shameful deeds, and injustice and rebellion: He instructs you, so that you may be reminded.” [16:90]

فَاذْكُرُونِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ وَاشْكُرُواْ لِي وَلاَ تَكْفُرُونِ

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

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

وَلَذِكْرُ اللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَصْنَعُونَ

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

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

Ameen. Aqeemus salaah!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My Dear Brothers and Sisters

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ammaa ba’ad:

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

Part Two:

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

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

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

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

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

Brothers and sisters, to conclude our khutbah:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ameen. Aqeemus salaah!

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

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

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

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

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

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

O You who believe, – Be aware of Allah, and speak a straightforward word. He will forgive your sins and repair your deeds. And whoever takes Allah and His prophet as a guide, has already achieved a mighty victory…[33:70-71]

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),

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

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

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

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

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

Ameen. Aqeemus salaah!

A mosque has a pivotal role in the Muslim community. As a place of worship surrounded by homes and businesses, it symbolizes the centrality of Faith in God, amidst all the distractions and the mundane pursuits of daily life.

As you entered, you removed your shoes and passed an ablution area. In Islam Cleanliness is vital, for body, mind and soul. We cannot pray or touch the Holy Quran without having washed ourselves, out of respect and reverence for God. Indeed, to a devout Muslim, our entire life is one long a purification process. We were born pure and free of sins, but as we go through life we pick up bad habits that blemish our moral purity. We must therefore constantly strive to polish and refine our conduct. This lifelong struggle to cultivate good character is what Prophet Muhammad described as the ‘greater jihad’ or struggle. The ‘lesser jihad is military self-defence. More about this later…

When you entered this large prayer hall, you must have noticed that the carpets have not been lined up squarely with the four walls. In fact, it has been offset by about 120 degrees from North. This is not because we had a bad carpet layer! All Muslims must face Makka during prayers. This direction is known as the Qibla. It is the directional axis that connects every Muslim at prayer, all over the planet. Even when I pray at home, in my mind’s eye I know that others are praying too, at that same moment, somewhere around the world, and we are all facing in the same direction, even if we cannot see each other. We are also reciting the prayers in the same language, Arabic.

[Read the rest of this article in its original PDF format]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My Dear Brothers and Sisters

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ammaa ba’ad:

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

Part Two:

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

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

Brothers and Sisters,

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

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

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

In Sura Al-Baqara v 214, we read:

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

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

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

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

Brothers and sisters, to conclude our khutbah:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ameen. Aqeemus salaah!

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

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

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

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

[Continue reading this article in its original PDF format]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My Dear Brothers and Sisters

Looking around me I see many of you who, like me, were not born in Britain, although Britain has now become our home. Many of us were raised elsewhere, and we’ve come here to better ourselves. Our individual circumstances may differ but the common theme is that we’ve made a kind of Hijra, a migration. In 2 weeks’ time, we will commemorate, Hijratur Rasool, that original migration of Prophet Muhammad sws and his followers, over 14 centuries ago. They fled from Makka to Madina, from persecution to safety. This momentous event is the starting point of the Islamic era. The subject of Hijra, migration, is also the starting point of some major collections of Hadith, such as the 40 Hadith of Imam Nawawi: The first Hadith in this collection will be familiar to many of us:

“Actions are [judged] only according to intentions, and each [person will be judged] only [by] what he intended. Whoever migrates towards Allah and His Messenger, his migration is towards Allah and His Messenger; whoever migrates for the attainment of a worldly goal or in order to marry a woman, then his migration is[judged] only by what he migrated to.”

Brothers and sisters, some of us may have come here to study or to advance our professions and to increase our personal wealth; others may have come to find a refuge from political violence and oppression. These are perfectly good reasons for migration. But most of all, we must never leave Allah and His prophet out of the picture. The secret of real success in this life is to frame every intention, around a lifelong desire to please Allah and follow the example of his noble messenger, Muhammad sws. Whether or not we make a physical Hijra from one place to another, each one of us has to make a spiritual Hijra, from the misguidance of pleasing our own selfish ego, to what pleases Allah.

Our intention, our niyyat, is crucially important. Muslims must always have a clearly defined intention before we start an action. It becomes our point of departure and our point of reference for the future. Whether we succeed or not is another matter. What really matters is the sincerity of our intention. Sincerity is the key. Intentions and actions are in our hands, but results are not. The result belongs to Allah. He gives success to whoever He pleases. We are only responsible for the intention and the action that follows it. While on the subject, we should also remember that no matter how bad any situation appears to us, we must never despair, never become desperate. Never give up hope of Divine help. Always remember that Allah is in control of everything, all of the time. Despite appearances, History is always in His safe hands:

“Biyadikal khair; Innaka alaa kulli shay-in qadeer!”

“In His hand is all good. Truly He has power over everything.”[ S. Al Imran 3:27]

It’s easy to feel victimized when every day, newspapers, radio and TV programmes constantly deliver bad news about Islam and the Muslims. But we must never lose heart, because this is not a punishment. Did Prophet Muhammad sws and his companions not have the same, and worse, experiences? All of Allah’s Prophets had to suffer the most unspeakable hardships. So, we can take heart from the fact that we’re in good company! It’s a test of perseverance and endurance. We’re being challenged, and we must deal with these challenges in a positive and creative way. Allah knows and sees everything. He promises us victory if we remain steadfast. And He never breaks His promise. As we know, He decides the results of our actions, and He sometimes applies what is known as the law of unintended consequences. He often delivers results completely different from what his enemies intended. He never lets his believing servants down. We can see so often in the history of Islam that all the plots and plans of Allah’s enemies ultimately ended in failure. “The unbelievers plot and plan, and Allah also plans. Allah is the best of planners.” [Sura 8:30]

Allah further reminds us, in several verses in the Holy Quran, that we should:

“Travel through the earth, and see what was the end of those who rejected faith.” [3:137, 6:11, 16:36, etc ]

Brothers and Sisters, for every Pharaoh there is a Moses, for every Crusader there is a Salahuddin, for every racist tyrant there is a Nelson Mandela who will rise up and lead his people to freedom. Be steadfast, brothers and sisters: maintain your integrity, even when others around you seem to be losing theirs. Life is full of challenges. It’s a place of trial and tribulation for believers and a paradise for those who have no faith. Right now, you and I could have been having lunch or shopping or watching TV or playing golf or doing something else … but instead, we chose to be here, to remember Allah and to serve Him with love and gratitude. Right now, in this room, while we listen to the khutbah, while we pray and thank Allah and seek His guidance, His angels are surrounding us with their wings and protecting us. We can worship Allah anywhere. Unlike churches that have to be specially consecrated for worship, a Muslim can pray anywhere that’s clean. The whole earth is a mosque.

In Sura Nur Allah reminds us that He, “Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth:” “Allahu nuurus sama waati wa lard…” and further on, He tells us that He has illuminated with a special light and raised the status of those places where His name is celebrated. Today we have set aside a precious hours for Allah. We have set aside our studies, our work, our trade and commerce and our love of worldly wealth, because we aspire for something infinitely more valuable and rewarding. We want to remember Allah and we yearn to be near to Him, and to be welcomed into His Garden, when we die.

Brothers and Sisters, while we are celebrating Allah’s Holy Name, here in this hall, Royal Holloway University is being illuminated by the divine radiance of Allah’s light. We’re here not just casually fulfilling a Friday obligation; we’re thanking our generous Lord, we are returning His love and seeking His guidance and pleasure. This is a lifelong process of purifying ourselves, inwardly and outwardly, Zahir and Batin, Some Muslims get these priorities wrong. They’re more concerned with human appearances than with the human substance. Keeping up appearances, apart from being the title of a well known comedy series, is not a Sunnah of our beloved Prophet Muhammad sws. He was not concerned with appearances, but with substance. He was always much more concerned with our inward state. Sincerity, Ikhlaas, is an unblemished state of the heart. He said that within the body there is a lump of flesh, if this is sound then the whole body will be sound and healthy. Truly, he said, it is the heart.

Brothers and Sisters! Let us avoid extremes in our behaviour. Let us maintain a healthy balance, in our lives. Let us strive for aafiyah, so that Allah can always be pleased with us. And when He’s pleased with us, He will help us to overcome all hardships. He will instil within us, a sense of peace and serenity. He will instil sakina, into our hearts.

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,

An important aspect of the Prophetic Hijra was that it brought mutual benefit for the refugees, the muhajireen from Makka, and the Ansaar¸the helpers in Madina. There were no losers. It was a win-win situation. The migrants found safety from persecution, and the helpers found an inspiring leader who resolved their bitter disputes and shaped them into a model community. Until the end of time the Madina period will be held up as the perfect example of a truly Islamic state. Wherever the Muslims went: India, China, Spain, North and South Africa, they brought something of value. They improved the societies in which they found themselves: In science they paved the way for the European renaissance, the rebirth of learning. In Architecture, they constructed buildings like the Taj Mahal that seems to defy gravity. In engineering, mathematics and literature, they left a rich legacy to share with others.

What will history have to say about our present-day contribution to British society? Will our legacy be something more substantial than doner kebabs, chicken tikka and ghulab jamun? Britain has many serious social problems: Juvenile crime, teenage pregnancies, drug and alcohol abuse, and broken families, to name a few. We Muslims can show by our personal example that there is a better way to live. Islam offers good guidance and a siraat al Mustaqeem, a straight path to Allah’s good pleasure. The Messenger of Islam came as “Rahmatul lil-aalameen,” “A mercy unto all the worlds.” We have no right to keep his message to ourselves only. We have a duty to share his message.

Our beloved Prophet Muhammad sws is also described in the Holy Quran as “Uswatul Hasanah” the best of role models. By following in his illustrious footsteps, we must aspire to become good examples for others. Brothers and Sisters, we have to make a start somewhere. Let’s de-mystify Islam. Let’s cultivate good relations with our neighbours in the wider community. Invite them into our homes. Invite them to our Friday prayers. Let them also hear the khutbah and observe how we do our prayers. Let them see with their own eyes that Islam as lived by 99% of Muslims is quite different to the stuff of mass hysteria that’s promoted in the tabloid press.

Many British people are already more than halfway towards Islam, but they don’t know it. They love fairness and justice, they are clean in their personal habits, and they are honest in their business dealings, truthful and generous hearted. Just look at the number of charities and good causes that they promote in this country. Many British people are in some aspects of their behaviour, closer to Islam than some of us Muslims are! The only thing that’s missing is the kalima shahaadah… the Declaration of Faith. Islam is not a million miles away from where most decent, truthful and good hearted British people are. It’s often just one more step to go… to acknowledge that there is no god but Allah, and to bear witness that Prophet Muhammad sws is His final Messenger. So, my dear fellow Muslims, let’s help, not hinder our neighbours on their way to Islam!

Another point, let’s promote unity amongst ourselves by avoiding harsh criticism of other Muslims, simply because they don’t share our particular interpretation of Islam. Let us be more inclusive rather than exclusive in matters of faith. In our liberal secular world these days, it’s quite an achievement to have any religious faith left at all. Let’s not be harsh and judgemental. It doesn’t matter whether the person next to you is a Sufi or a Salafi, a Sunni, Shia, a Deobandi or Brehelwi, an Ahle this or Ahle that. Live and let live. Let Allah be the judge. He knows who truly worships Him and who worships their own egos. Let’s not do Shaytaan’s work for him, by promoting division and dispute amongst ourselves. We read in Sura Al-Imran:

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

“And hold fast, all together, to the rope of ALLAH and not be divided; and remember the favour of ALLAH which HE bestowed upon you when you were enemies and HE united your hearts in love, so that by HIS grace you became as brothers; and you were on the brink of a pit of fire and HE saved you from it. Thus does ALLAH explain to you HIS commandments that you may be guided.” [3:104]

Brothers and sisters, let’s return to the quintessential spirit, the true spirit of the Hijra. Let’s journey away from ignorance towards Allah’s wisdom. Let’s migrate from the oppression of worshipping the false gods of our own egos, towards the eternal truth, the safety and security of worshipping Allah alone. This is the message of Tawhid, the message of Divine Unity.

Now, to conclude our khutbah:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ameen. Aqeemus salaah!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My Dear Brothers and Sisters

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

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

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

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

The next line defines of relations with Allah:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ammaa ba’ad:

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

Part Two:

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

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

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

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

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

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

Let us conclude our khutbah:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ameen. Aqeemus salaah!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My Dear Brothers and Sisters

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Ala bi thikrullaahi tatmainnahul quloob.”

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

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

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

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

Ammaa ba’ad:

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

Part Two:

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

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

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

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

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

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

To conclude our khutbah:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ameen. Aqeemus salaah!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My respected Brothers and Sisters, honoured guests and visitors,

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

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

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

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

“Laqad kana lakum Rasoolul-laahi uswatul hasanah…”

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

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

“Wan nafsiw wama sow waahaa”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ammaa ba’ad:

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

Part Two:

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

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

Dear Brothers and Sisters, honoured guests,

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

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

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

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

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

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

Allahumma innaka ghafuwwun tuhubul afwa fa’fu’annaa.

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

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

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

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

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

Brothers and sisters, to conclude our khutbah:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ameen. Aqeemus salaah!

“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…

“Ya ay yuhan-naasut taqoo Rabbukum min nafseew waahida, wakhalaqa min haa zawjuhaa, wabath-thamin huma rijaalan katheeran wanisaa-a. Wat-taquLaah hal lathee tasaa aloona bihee, wal arhaam. Innal Laaha kaana ‘alaykum raqeebaa.”

“O mankind! Show reverence to your Guardian-Lord, who created you from a single person, and created, of like nature, His mate, and from the two of them scattered (like seeds) countless men and women;- Show reverence to Allah, through whom ye demand your mutual (rights), and (show reverence to) the wombs (That bore you): for Allah always watches over you.” [Sura Nisa 4:1]

My respected Brothers and Sisters,

In my last khutbah we looked at our relationship with Allah, using the analogy of a landlord and his tenants. We can better understand this relationship if we think of Allah as the Generous Landlord of the universe, Who gives us everything for our benefit, and all that He expects as rent, is for us to acknowledge Him and to say, ‘Thank You’. This analogy and indeed this khutbah is based on an excellent speech by Shaikh Abdal Hakim Murad. It’s entitled: ‘When the Generous appears with the name Avenger’ and it was delivered at an Islamic conference in London in 1999, after a devastating earthquake that hit Turkey during that year.

Shaikh Murad uses the Landlord/tenant analogy and my previous khutbah only refers to the first half of his speech. Insh Alláh, in this khutbah I will try to deal with the other half of what he said. What happens when the tenant refuses to acknowledge the landlord, and refuses to pay the rent? What happens when people who enjoy Allah’s countless blessings every day, every moment, simply refuse to accept Him and offer thanks for His boundless generosity?

In surat al-Furqan, Allah tells us:

‘The Messenger said: My Lord, my people have taken this Qur’an as something abandoned.’

Perhaps this could be the epitaph of the traditional Islamic world. Many Muslims still adhere to [some] aspects of the Qur’anic message; but there seem to be whole sections of the revelation which we read, formally, but fail to digest. A little later in the same sura we come to one of these forgotten Qur’anic themes. The text reads:

‘And We gave Musa the book, and appointed with him his brother Harun as a supporter. Then We said: Go together unto the people who have denied Our signs. Then We destroyed them, with a destruction that was complete.’

‘And Nuh’s people, when they denied the Messengers; We drowned them, and made of them a sign for mankind. We have prepared a painful punishment for those who work injustice.’

‘And the tribes of Ad, and Thamud, and the dwellers of al-Rass, and many generations in between.’

‘To each of them We coined parables; and each of them We destroyed without a trace.’

We have read these verses many times. And we know that they were addressed, the first time they were heard on earth, to the heathen of Quraysh, as a warning. Earlier nations who had denied God’s signs were swept away by His punishment. If they persisted in denying sayyidina Muhammad (sws) they were opening themselves up to the same possibility.

Allah has names of Beauty: Al Rahman, Al Rahim, Compassionate, the Merciful, the Gentle, and many others. But He also has Names of Rigour: Al Jabbaar, the Overwhelming, Al Adl, the Just, Al Muntaqim, the Avenger. The world in which we live exists as the interaction and the manifestation of all of the divine attributes. Hence it is a place of ease and of hardship, of joy and of sorrow. It has to be this way: a world in which there was only ease could not be a place in which we can discover ourselves to be true human beings. It is only by experiencing hardship, and loss, and bereavement, and disease that we rise above our egos, and show that we can live for others, and for principles, rather than only for ourselves.

A feature of this world, this dunya, is therefore the existence of catastrophe. Sometimes this catastrophe takes the form of a test: in which case it may be a gift. At other times, however, it may take the form of a punishment. The dunya is, as the athar states, ‘the prison of the believer, and the paradise of the kafir.’ But sometimes Allah’s anger at the repeated and scornful denial of His signs can lead to a sudden snatching away of the delights of this world.

My dear Brothers and Sisters, one of the early Muslims said:

‘Know that when one of Allah’s servants sins against Him, He deals with him leniently. Should he sin again, He conceals this for him. But should he don its garments, [that is, should he wear the clothes of sin and become completely shameless] then Allah conceives against him such wrath as the very heavens and the earth could not compass, neither the mountains, the trees, nor the animals; what man could then withstand such wrath?’

One of the purposes of the Qur’an is to explain to us the risks involved in rejecting the will of Allah. If we obey our Creator, and respect His attributes, and emulate those attributes to the extent and in the way that is appropriate for us, we become like Adam and Hawwa, upon them be peace. We are restored to the fitra, to the primordial norm of our species. And we gain our designed place as Allah’s khalifas over the natural order.

However, if we turn our backs on the source of our being, if we face the blackness of space rather than the sun, if we reject infinite unity and prefer infinite multiplicity, we have become anti-khalifas; or rather, we have become the khalifas of Iblis, not of Allah. We acquire the attributes of Iblis: so that like him we become deceivers, liars, cowards, lovers of dirt and impurity, cynical advocates of empty pleasures.

To reject our God-given status as khulafa of our Maker, and to accept a position as khulafa of Iblis, is hence to deny our own humanity. We share in his primordial sin: like him, we refuse to acknowledge Adam, that luminous saint before whom even the angels must bow down. Instead, we prostrate ourselves before our own whims, our own desires, our own all-too-fallible judgements.

A-ra’ayta man ittakhada ilahahu hawah, says the Qur’an:

‘have you seen the one who takes his own passions to be his god?’[S 25:v43 and S 45:v23]

Violating the normality of our kind is a crime against the one who designed that normality. It’s a denial of His wisdom and artistry. And this violation can also render us vulnerable to the inherently rigorous forces of nature.

If we forget Allah, why should He care about us? If the tenant refuses to pay the rent, the Landlord has no obligation to maintain the property. Whenever we suffer floods, global warming and earthquakes, obviously something has gone wrong with planet earth’s plumbing, air conditioning, and the stability of its foundations. Why should our Landlord care about our troubles if we’re ignoring Him and not paying the rent?

We follow one material pleasure after another. Life becomes a series of short, pleasant experiences; but true lasting happiness eludes us. Why? Because we’re looking in the wrong places. We’re disconnected from our Maker, from our origins and from the Source of our being. The only way back is via the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad sws: the path that leads back to Allah, back to safety and security, back to wellbeing and lasting happiness. All other routes lead nowhere. They are paths of deception, signposted by Shaytaan with his false promises.

Brothers and Sisters, we can choose to travel in endless distraction after empty pleasures, or we can follow the Path of Allah with the promise of paradise. Allah, as we know for certain, never breaks His promise.

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.”

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

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

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

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.”

My respected brothers and sisters,

Some people meet their death in horrific circumstances: a car accident, an earthquake, drowning in a flood or through violence inflicted by others. Some people die peacefully in their sleep. No one except Allah really knows how, where or when we will die, but we are all absolutely sure that one day we will die.

“Kullu nafsin thaa ikatul mawt”

“Every soul will have a taste of death” says the Holy Quran, “and only on the Day of Judgement shall you be paid your full reward. Only those who are saved far from the fire and admitted to the Garden will have attained the object of this life: for the life of this world is but goods and chattels of deception.” [Sura Al Imran 3:185]

This powerful verse 185 of Sura Al’Imraan says it all. Everyone of us will die, and we will not necessarily see true justice in this life. Our full reward waits in the next life, on the Day of Accounting. We must take account of our lives now, and make amends, before we are brought to account.

Brothers and sisters, let’s enjoy every good thing that Allah has put at our disposal in this life, but let’s not get emotionally attached to it. Don’t allow the pleasures of life to deceive us. The pleasures of dunya will pass. Every created thing passes. But what endures forever is our faith, love for Allah, and all the good works that flow from this state of the heart. I pray that Allah in His infinite mercy and love, will keep you and me and all our families and dear friends sincerely devoted to Him, loving Him and thanking Him, as grateful tenants should do, paying our rent on time, to our generous Landlord.

To end today’s khutbah,

InnaAllaha, Yamuru bil adel, wal ihsaan, wa itaa-i zil qurba; wa yanha anil fahshaa-i, wal munkari walbaghi; ya-ith-thukhum lallakum tathak-karoon. (Quran 16:90),

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

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

“and remember Me: I will remember you. Be grateful to Me, 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. Let the prayers begin! Aqeemus salaah!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My respected Brothers and Sisters,

Our Holy Prophet Muhammad sws, laid great emphasis on the quest for knowledge, and he urged Muslims to ‘seek knowledge, from the cradle to the grave, and to seek knowledge, even unto China’.

There are some new faces here today. I would therefore like to welcome all the new students, and the non-students who have come to our Jum’ah for the first time. You will find in the coming days and weeks, as we enjoy the blessings of Ramadan, that we have a very special community at Royal Holloway University. Our community is a wide cross-section of the Muslim world, it’s an Ummah in miniature. All our families have a close and caring relationship towards each other, and towards our students.

Someone described our community as the ‘Ansar’ or ‘helpers’ and the students as the ‘Muhajireen’ or ‘those who migrated.’ Just like those Ansar of Madina who helped the Muhajireen of Makka during that momentous journey the Hegira of Prophet Muhammad sws. This marked the beginning of the Islamic Calendar.

In a way, every student is also making a kind of Hegira, a migration, by travelling far from their homes and loved ones, in search of knowledge. And at a much deeper level, those who go forth in search of knowledge are making the Hegira or migration from ignorance towards Knowledge, towards Understanding and Wisdom. This is a noble ambition that is very strongly encouraged in Islám. It was the quest for knowledge, activated by The Holy Qur’án and the Prophetic Sunnah, that transformed those desert nomads, our noble and illustrious ancestors, into the leaders of a great civilization when most of Europe was gripped in superstition and darkness.

Dear Brothers and Sisters, as you commence this great adventure of learning at University, you must always be critically aware of any cultural bias in your study material. The Euro-centric view is often found in subjects like History. In its crudest form, it portrays the entire history of mankind is simply an enlarged history of Europe and its Greek and Roman origins. Other civilisations are only considered in the way they impinged on the history of West. For example, you may read that Christopher Columbus ‘discovered’ America. It’s as if the red Indians, or ‘first nations,’ were there, just waiting to be ‘discovered’ by the Europeans! But really, the truth is that Columbus was looking for India and he lost his way. The Native Americans discovered him, and after they told him where he was, they gave him some potatoes and tobacco and he returned home!

Be aware of any subliminal messages and hidden agendas in your study material. Sometimes unproven theories are presented as hard truths. If you are studying the natural sciences, be mindful of the pervasive influence of Darwinism. There is today, a lively debate between Creationists and Darwinists. You know, scientific theories and assumptions are there to be questioned and challenged. Don’t take anything at face value. Do engage with your tutors and fellow students in a healthy intellectual discourse. This is what Universities are all about. Discussion and debate, searching for Truth.

The Islamic view is not anti-scientific. Islam encourages science and puts its work into perspective. For example, the accepted modern scientific view of Creation is that the whole universe, matter, energy, space and time began with a ‘big bang’ some 14 billion years ago. The theory is that everything began purely by a chance, and it flatly denies the possibility of a Creator having brought things to life as part of a deliberate plan.

If indeed everything began with a ‘big bang’ then we Muslims know that this bang occurred precisely between the Arabic letters, Kaaf and Nuun: “Kun!” “Be!” “fayakuun!” and it “IS!” Alláh the Glorified and Exalted, tells us in The Holy Qur’án, in the last 3 verses of Sura Yasin:

Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem! “Awalaysal lathee khalaqas sama wati wal arda biqaa dirin ‘alaa ay-yakh luka mith lahum. Balaa, wahuwal khal-laaqul aleem!

Inna maa amruhoo ithaa araada shay-an Ay-yaqoola lahum, Kun! Fayakuun! Fasoob’ haanal lathee biyadihee malakootu kulli shay-in wa ilayhi tur-ja’oon.”

“Is not He Who created the heavens and the earth, able to create the like thereof? Yes, indeed! For He is the Creator Supreme, of infinite skill and knowledge! Truly, when He intends a thing, His Command is: “BE” and it IS! So Glory to Him in Whose hands is the dominion of all things, and to Him will you all be brought back.”

Here in these beautiful and eloquent verses from the heart of the Holy Qur’án, we discover the simple truth about the beginning and the end of everything. I promise you, if you take all the scientific theories and lay them side by side with the Quranic view of Creation. You will not find a simpler, more logical and rational explanation. The idea that the infinite, marvelous complexity of the universe, all began by chance, by a random collision of matter, is very difficult to accept. All the complex laws of phyics, of motion and gravity, of chemistry and genetics, they are so finely balanced. Living cells have such an intricate design, that they simply cannot have come into existence by chance. After many years of study, research and reflection, the famous British astronomer and mathematician, Fred Hoyle, came to this conclusion. He said that if you can believe that everything began by chance, without a Creator, then it’s like saying that a tornado can rip its way through a junk-yard, and it assembles a complete Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet, as it moves away. If you can believe that, then you can believe anything!

[Pause]

Dear Brothers and Sisters, I do hope you will enjoy your learning adventure. Remember, as Muslims and Believers, you will have a great advantage over others. You have a spiritual dimension, which informs your search for knowledge, and gives it a context and meaning. Whether you are studying Petroleum Geology or Mathematics, Computer encryption or Medieval History, Astronomy or Management, you are really exploring Alláh’s wonderful world, in order to make a positive contribution to humankind. Remember always, that with every step you take on this exciting journey, with every new idea that swims into your mental horizon, you should say, Sub-haanalah, Alhamdu lillah, Allahu Akbar! Glory to Alláh, Praise Alláh, Alláh is the Greatest! When your colleagues say, Wow! It’s only their way of saying, Allahu Akbar! Allah is Great! But they don’t know it yet. All beneficial knowledge comes from Alláh, because we live in a purposive universe. Alláh has created everything for a purpose. Remember that every time you learn something new and useful, Alláh has lifted a veil, and uncovered another sign or Ayaat for you, from his wonderful unwritten Qur’án, which is the world of Nature.

Verse 190 of Sura Al-‘Imraan makes this very clear:

“Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem! Inna fee khalqis samaa waati wal ardi, Wakhtila fil layli wan-hah-haari, la-aayaatil li-oolil albaab. Al-latheena yath-kuroonal-laaha qiyaamaw waqu-oodaw wa ‘alaa junoobi him wayata fak-karoona fee khalqis samaa waati wal ard, Rabbanaa maa khalaqta haa-thaa baatilan, Soob’haanaka, faqinaa athaaban naar.”

“Behold! In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, there are indeed signs, for men of understanding. Men who celebrate the praises of Alláh, standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and contemplate the wonders of creation in the heavens and the earth, with the thought: Our Lord! Not for nothing have you created all this! Glory to You! Save us from the penalty of the fire!

“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 are 2 kinds of university. Royal Holloway belongs to the first kind, where you formally enrol to study and your hard work is rewarded by a Degree or a Doctorate. This kind of university is something you can choose to enter or not.

The other kind of university is the University of life. This is where we all acquire our informal, or non-formal education, which can be as important as any formal degree or doctorate. We all have to pass through this one, we have no choice in the matter, and the main section is the Faculty Hard Knocks, which you can also call the Department of Distress and Endurance. All of the most distinguished human beings, the Prophets, the Sages, the Friends of Alláh and great leaders of history have graduated from this department.

How well we do depends on our preparation. Are we equipped, physically, emotionally and spiritually, for the University of Life?

Studying Islam through the Holy Quran and Prophetic Sunnah, reading widely and even listening to this khutbah is part of our course material. The University of Life offers a long course, it’s literally life-long learning.

These 2 kinds of university are not mutually exclusive. In fact, they compliment and reinforce each other…. Your formal university should be an extension of your university of life, and vice versa. When our beloved Prophet Muhammad sws urged his followers to seek knowledge he was not just talking of formal education, as we know it today. In Islám, there is no artificial barrier between formal and informal learning, just as there is no artificial barrier between secular and sacred learning. All useful knowledge is from Allah. If you pursue knowledge that leads to a better understanding of God’s wonderful creation, and you use that knowledge for the benefit of humankind, you are given a very high status. Listen to what the Holy Prophet Muhammad sws had to say about those who seek knowledge:

Mu’ath bin Jabal narrated that the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said:

“Acquire knowledge, for surely it leads to awareness of Alláh. Seeking it is an act of worship; studying it is praising Allah; seeking it is jihad; teaching it to whomever doesn’t known it is an act of charity and giving it to its people draws one closer to them. Knowledge points to what is permissible and the forbidden; and it is a shining light pointing the way to Paradise. It comforts the lonely, it befriends the stranger, and it talks to you in seclusion. It is a guide through prosperity and adversity; it is a weapon against enemies; and it is the best of friends. With knowledge, Alláh raises people to high stations, making them leaders in goodness, whose steps are followed. Their example is emulated, their opinion valued. The angels like to sit with the people of knowledge, surrounding their wings; and everything dry or wet, -fish of the sea and animals on land, – will ask Allah to forgive them. [I really like this part, so I’ll repeat it] The angels like to sit with the people of knowledge, surrounding their wings; and everything dry or wet, -fish of the sea and animals on land, – will ask Allah to forgive them!

Knowledge gives life to the heart in the midst of ignorance, and illuminates vision in the darkness. With knowledge, God’s servants become the elite and reach the highest degrees in this life and in the life to come. Contemplation with knowledge is equivalent to fasting; spending time to study it is equivalent to standing at night in prayer; duties to relatives are fulfilled by it; and through it permissible and forbidden things are known. Knowledge precedes action and action always follows it. The fortunate ones attain it and the miserable ones are deprived of it.”

These beautiful words concerning Knowledge came from the unlettered Prophet Muhammad, may Allah’s peace and blessings be on him. What a beautiful and inspiring speech! My dear brothers and sisters, I sincerely hope that you will pursue your lifelong quest for knowledge, in the true Islamic spirit of seeking to please Alláh, glorifying His name, and serving all His creatures with love and compassion. Make it your main goal, to seek and find Alláh’s good pleasure, and consider your work, your career, and even your leisure time as simply the practical way in which you have chosen to do this. Whatever you do, make sure that the material things and creature comforts do not become your main concern. If by Alláh’s grace, you will earn a high salary, you enjoy a comfortable home and drive a nice car, make sure you keep them all at arm’s length. Do not hold them close to your heart. Let these material things, all those gadgets and gizmos, take them as the by-products of serving Alláh. It should never become your main agenda. Remember that Allah is the Landlord, and we are his tenants. All he wants for rent is for us to acknowledge Him and say to, Thank You. That’s all. And yet, for some of us, saying thank you to Allah seems to be the most difficult thing……

Let us try to be like those wonderful human beings, our noble and illustrious predecessors, who pursued knowledge with energy and passion, who became the intellectual giants of their age, but they never lost sight of their Faith.

To mention a few examples, people like

• Ibn Khaldun who laid out the foundations of modern Sociology and Historiography.
• Ibn Sina, whose Qanun Fit-tibb or Canon of Medicine was a standard medical textbook in Europe for six hundred years.
• Al Khawarizmi, whose work in mathematics gave us Algorithms that underpin the work of computers and space travel.
• Ibn Hazm, who was a brilliant jurist, mathematician, logician, linguist and scholar, a true Renaissance Man, three centuries before the Renaissance, the rebirth of learning in Europe!

The list goes on and on. I cannot imagine any of these great and noble scholars saying, “well, that’s good enough. I’ll just stop here now and do something else. This is hard work, it’s more than by job’s worth!” These men worked tirelessly until they achieved excellent results. Quality and excellence was a passion. That’s what it takes to produce work of lasting value.

Brothers and Sisters, let’s learn form our illustrious predecessors. Let’s not be ashamed to do well. We should be passionate in doing the very best we can. We must try to exceed our own humble expectations….Reach for the sky and aim for the stars!

Let us pray to Alláh, to spiritualise our quest for knowledge, so that every path we take brings us closer to him.

“Rabbana atina fid dunya hasanatan wafil akhirati hasanatan waqeena athaaban naar.”

“O My Lord, give us the best of this world, and the best of the next world, and save us from the torment of the fire!”

“O Alláh! Let us become like our beloved and noble predecessors, whom Your angels surrounded with their wings, and let all creatures wet or dry, on land and sea, pray forgiveness for us, in our quest to find Your sacred knowledge. O Allah, help us to use your knowledge only for the good of all your creatures!”

Ameen. Aqeemus salaah!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My respected Brothers and Sisters,

Something of Heaven lives within each and every one of us. It’s the Ruuh, the soul, the breath of Allah that was inspired into our mortal flesh shortly before we were born, and it will detach from this body when we die. When life as we know it comes to an end, our bodies will return to the earth whence it came. Our bodies decompose into its constituent elements, carbon and hydrogen and magnesium, and all the minerals and gases and liquids that sustained us through life. After death these elements will again nourish the earth and what’s left of our bodies will help to ‘push up the daisies’ as the saying goes. When we die, our soul also returns to its origins, to the timeless, space-less realm of eternity, whence it came. Before we were born, our soul was pure, unblemished, like a shining mirror. When we die it returns to Allah, carrying with it a record of our deeds. We should remember this fact, so that we are constantly mindful of the burden that we place on our soul to carry into the next world.

Brothers and sisters, our human personality is made up of a body, a mind and a soul. Modern life lays so much emphasis on the needs of the body and the mind, but it cares little about the soul. What is the relationship between the body and the soul? Which one is more important? Am I a body, attached to a soul, or am I a soul, attached to a body? This is a very important question. If we believe our body is more important than our soul, then our main concern throughout life will be to satisfy our bodily needs, and we may neglect the soul. If we believe that our soul is more important then we need to know more about the nature of the soul, what strengthens it and what harms it.

The materialists and secularists deny that we have a soul. They believe that human beings need only to satisfy our material and physical needs. Christians will remember what Jesus said, that “man shall not live by bread alone,” meaning that it’s not enough simply to fulfil our biological needs. Human beings need much more to complete their human destiny. Believers from all faiths contend that the Soul is more important than the Body. But the soul and the body each have its own needs. How do we satisfy one without harming the other? Different faiths have different answers. Some teach that renunciation of the world and the demands of the body will lead to spiritual fulfilment, or Nirvana. That’s why some people devote their lives to seclusion in monasteries and temples. Islam teaches a holistic message that we can and should enjoy physical, intellectual and spiritual growth in a balanced way. Muslims daily recite this well-known prayer, [Sura Al Baqara, 2:201]

“Rabbana aatina fid dunya hasanatan, wafil aakhirati hasanatan, wa qina athaaban naar.”

“Our Lord, grant us the best of this life, and the best of the life to come, and defend us from the torment of the fire.”

To a Muslim, it’s not an either-or situation. We don’t have to make a choice between the body and the soul. Each one has its place, and we must enjoy life in a holistic way. Everything we have is a gift from Allah to be enjoyed as a trust, in due proportion. Unfortunately, those human beings who know how to balance body, mind and soul perfectly are very hard to find. Indeed the very best examples were the Prophets, human beings chosen by Allah to be our spiritual guides and role models.

If we look around us we can see how the wrong approach to satisfying body and soul has damaged so many lives. Many of the problems we encounter in human relationships can be traced to this imbalance. From personal values to family and community life, to international affairs, human suffering and human happiness is directly connected to the balance or imbalance between body, mind and soul. How do we address their needs? Whose formula do we apply? Do we rely on our human, subjective solutions, or do we turn to the One who created us all and Who continues to sustain us?

The Holy Quran describes the human soul in these beautiful words: [Ash-Shams, 91:7-10]

“Bismillaahir Rahmaanir Raheem!” “Wan-nafsiw wamaa sow-waahaa, fa al hamahaa fujoorahaa wataq’waa haa. Qad’ aflaha man zak-kaha, wa qad’ khaaba man-das-saahaa.”

“By the Soul and the proportion and order given to it; and its enlightenment as to its wrong and right; Truly he succeeds that purifies it, and he fails that corrupts it.”

My dear respected Brothers and Sisters, if we follow the natural inclination of our soul, constantly seeking unity with Allah, yearning to return to Him and earnestly seeking His good pleasure, then we will bring some order and proportion to our lives. This is the big challenge we face. And, it’s not only seeking balance, order and proportion in our own lives, but bringing something of this beauty and grace, this serenity, this sakina, into the lives of our families, our communities and the world beyond.

It begins with us, within ourselves. We have to rediscover that little bit of heaven that Allah breathed into us, even before we took our own first breath of fresh air in the physical world. We need to explore the nature of the Ruuh, the soul, the ‘breath of Allah’ within us, try to understand its needs, try to understand how every thought we think and every action we make has an impact on our soul. Our soul will be our crown witness on the Day of Judgement. We must learn how to purify it and not to corrupt it.

In Sura Nisa, 4:111 we read:

“Wamay yaksib ithman fa innamaa yaksibuhoo ‘alaa nafsihee; Wa kaana-Allahu ‘aleeman hakeemaa.”

“And if anyone earns sin, he earns it against his own soul: for Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom!

Every time we commit a shameful deed, we do not only harm others, we also harm ourselves. That’s why the Holy Quran frequently uses the term, “O you who have sinned against your own souls…” This clearly tell us that our disobedience and rebellion against Allah inflicts harm on ourselves. It also implies that in its natural state, the human soul is pure. There is no blemish, no stain of ‘original sin.’ Allah gave us a pure human soul and he expects us to take good care of it. When we die, we must then return it to him in the same factory-perfect condition. This is what our whole life’s endeavour is all about.

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

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

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

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

Ammaa ba’ad:

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

Part Two:

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

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

My respected brothers and sisters,

In the 19th Century Charles Darwin put forward his theory of ‘natural selection’ and from this we’ve learnt about ‘survival of the fittest’ also known as the ‘law of the jungle.’ Sadly this attitude has also informed the behaviour of human beings at every level. The ugly use of brute force to impose the will of rich nations on others is simply a global picture of the playground bully, who makes life miserable for so many school children. The values we adopt at the personal level have a resonance at the international level, and at every stage in between.

According to the Bible, Jesus, Nabi Esa, said that it would be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. He was explaining the huge responsibility on the shoulders of wealthy people, to use their influence as a force for good, rather than as an opportunity to indulge their greed and vanity. Prophet Muhammad sws so impressed his followers with the importance of spending “fee sabeelil Laah,” “in the way of Allah,” that his companion, Abu Bakr R.A. wanted to give away all his wealth to the poor. When the Prophet Muhammad sws asked him, how much will he keep for his family, his replied that Allah and His Prophet are enough for his family.

Brothers and sisters, do you really think that it’s enough to say, I am a Muslim, and therefore I expect to find a place in paradise? We Muslims are not Allah’s chosen people. We have no guarantees of paradise, simply because we call ourselves Muslims. To earn our salvation, we must work hard to live a virtuous life. We must be inspiring role models for others. We are not superior to anyone, and we are not inferior to anyone.

The correct Islamic attitude is summed up in a Latin term, “Primus inter pares,” which means, ‘senior among equals.’ It’s not about superiority or inferiority about race or language or colour. It’s about good actions, right conduct. In his last sermon, the Prophet Muhammad sws warned that Arabs are not superior to non-Arabs and non-Arabs are not superior to Arabs. We are all children of Adam and Adam was made out of clay. We are all equal in Allah’s sight. Only good deeds distinguish true human worth. Everything else is peripheral. Only selfless actions to please Allah, to relieve suffering, to enjoin right and forbid wrong, will earn our salvation. In Islam, every human being has an equal chance to be a winner, to enter Paradise, Al-Jannah. We must simply focus our lives on doing the good deeds that please Allah and benefit all His creatures. The Holy Quran reminds us that only those with a pure heart, “Qalbun Saleem,” will enter Allah’s Garden. Let me then remind myself and you, to strive to our utmost, every day, to keep our hearts clean and our intentions pure.

Brothers and sisters, to conclude our khutbah:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ameen. Aqeemus salaah!

“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. [Sura Al-Imraan, ch3:v102]

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… [Sura Al Ahzaab Ch33:70-71]

“Ya ay yuhan-naasut taqoo Rabbukum min nafseew waahida, wakhalaqa min haa zawjuhaa, wabath-thamin huma rijaalan katheeran wanisaa-a. Wat-taquLaah hal lathee tasaa aloona bihee, wal arhaam. Innal Laaha kaana ‘alaykum raqeebaa.”

“O mankind! Show reverence to your Guardian-Lord, who created you from a single person, and created, of like nature, His mate, and from the two of them scattered (like seeds) countless men and women;- Show reverence to Allah, through whom ye demand your mutual (rights), and (show reverence to) the wombs (That bore you): for Allah always watches over you.” [Sura Nisa 4:1]

My respected Brothers and Sisters,

Let us welcome our honourable guests and neighbours from the wider community. We want to de-mystify this way of life we call Islam, and we are so pleased to open all our Friday services to visitors from other faith communities, including those, perhaps, who feel they still have no faith to call their own.

We have just begun the holy month of Ramadhan. During this month, thirst strikes and hunger bites. Thirst and hunger really come up close and personal. But then, it’s also the month when God’s love, Allah’s love and mercy overflows. [for the benefit of our visitors, Allah is the Arabic name for God. Even Christian Arabs use Allah’s name in their prayers]. We are really close to God, to Allah, when we fast. His love increases, because we are responding to His call, we are fasting for His sake. Fasting is the only act of worship that you can do in absolute privacy and sincerity. No-one can tell that you’re fasting. Every other act is clearly visible, from praying to giving to charity and doing the pilgrimage to Makka But fasting is a private, intimate act of devotion between you and your Lord. In the Holy Quran [ch 33:v35] Allah says:

“For Muslim men and women, for believing men and women, for devout men and women, for true men and women, for men and women who are patient and constant, for men and women who humble themselves, for men and women who give in charity, for men and women who fast [and deny themselves], for men and women who guard their chastity, and for men and women who engage much in Allah’s praise, for them has Allah prepared forgiveness and a great reward.”

During this month, we forgo some of the lawful necessities of life. Food and drink, as well as sexual relations, are forbidden from sunrise till sunset. So also is angry and intemperate behaviour. This rigorous exercise helps us to cultivate self-discipline, more compassion for the poor and greater obedience to the One who created us and who sustains us during every moment of our lives. The Holy Quran tells us that fasting is for Allah alone, and He will reward those who fast. Let us pray that Allah accepts our fasting and our sacrifice during this blessed month, Ameen.

Brothers and sisters, we live in an age where acts of faith, like fasting and prayer, have become the strangest things, and where trying to remain connected to God, to Allah, seems to be the most unusual thing. It seems more common today to be atomised, to be disconnected, to be an island unto yourself. Our secular material world encourages us to be ourselves, to indulge ourselves because we owe it to ourselves. The glossy magazines and TV celebrities tell us how to mix and match, how to select from a range of fashionable lifestyle options. What you see here today, a preacher addressing his congregation, and the entire assembly performing the salaah, the Islamic form of prayer, is still one of the enduring examples of worship from a great age of faith. Except for the outer forms of clothing, the essential practice, the words and the actions are exactly as Muslims prayed since the time of Prophet Muhammad [pboh] 1,428 years ago.

Human beings need stability and certainty in an ever changing world. For Muslims, Islam offers that stability. The principles of our faith, the forms of worship and the Sacred Book itself have not changed for 14 centuries. The Holy Quran is still precisely the same, word for word, commas and fullstops, exactly as Prophet Muhammad sws received the revelations from Jibreel, the archangel Gabriel. Some things will never change. We can thank God. We can thank Allah for that.

Brothers and sisters, my high school in South Africa had a motto in Latin, “Nosce te Ipsum”, which means, “Know thyself”. Prophet Muhammad sws said, “He who knows himself, knows his Lord.” Self-knowledge is a vital part of faith. We need to understand our human nature. But what is our human nature? Are we sinful, or merely forgetful? Islam teaches us that human beings are not sinful by nature, but we are forgetful. We are infinitely distractible. And it is to this forgetful, distractible and sometimes rebellious creature that Islam addresses itself. Allah tells us in His Noble Book that to Remember Him, with gratitude, is the greatest thing in life. Wa thikrul-Laahi akbar…”

Allah also reminds us that He created this world for our benefit, and He created us to worship Him.

“Laqad karamna bani Adam…” God says, in Ch.17 V.70 “I have honoured the Children of Adam, by giving them mastery over land and sea; given them for sustenance things good and pure; and conferred on them special favours, above a great part of our creation”

We have all the gifts of this world, its diverse plant and animal life, its mineral resources, all created by Allah for our benefit. All he wants is for us to worship Him. As Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad says, Allah is the landlord. We are the tenants, and we must pay the rent. Clearly He’s a very generous landlord. We can live a good life, and all he wants for the rent is for us to say ‘Thank You.’ That’s all. We only have to acknowledge Him with gratitude. And yet for so many people saying thank you to God seems to be the most difficult thing to do.

If you read the Holy Quran you will see constant reminders about the stories of the earlier Prophets, from Adam to Noah, David, Solomon and Abraham. From Moses to Jesus and finally to Muhammad, may Allah’s peace and blessings be on all of them.

“La nufarriqu bayna ahadim mir Rusulih,” says the Holy Quran, ch2v285 “We make no distinctions between the Prophets of Allah. These noble and illustrious guides were all messengers of monotheism. Each and every one was a leader and spiritual guide, calling his forgetful, distracted and rebellious people to reject their idols, their false gods, and to worship the One True God. All Prophets taught us how to live a virtuous life, how to uphold justice and to be generous to one another. But time and again, except for the small minority of believers, most people lapsed into their errant ways. Virtuous people, God-loving and God-fearing people have always been few and far between.

Our lifelong struggle is therefore against the lower inclinations of human nature, in Arabic, the nafs al amara bis sow. This is the inclination towards greed, towards vanity, self-indulgence and aggression. Life is a constant struggle, a jihad against the ego. Prophet Muhammad taught us that the greater jihad is the struggle within ourselves, to become good people. To realize our true humanity we must tame the beast within our breasts. This is what makes fasting so important.

Just as fasting reminds us of our obligations to the poor and hungry millions elsewhere, so our 5 daily prayers remind us of our absolute reliance on Allah. Islam is a very practical way of life, and every ritual has within it the elements of Divine wisdom. Everything points back to its source, and forward to its final destiny.

“Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhir raaji oon.” says the Holy Quran.

“From Allah have we come and to Him is our return”.

Every thing points to Allah. Every pillar, every practice of Islam seeks to cultivate a mental attitude, a mindset and a noble, elevated state of the heart. We’re talking here not of the physical heart but the spiritual heart, the locus of our personality. All our desires, our emotions and passions must be tamed and brought into service, to maintain God-awareness. The Arabic word is Taqwa. Every person that knows his fragile human nature, and strives to overcome it, develops this Taqwa, this constant Allah-awareness. The high summit of spiritual excellence is to worship God as if you can actually see him right there in front of you, knowing that even if you cannot see Him, then surely He sees you. We ask Allah to bring us to that high state of absolute sincerity and intimacy with Him.

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.”

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

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

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

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.”

My respected brothers and sisters, and our honourable guests,

Islam means submission, joyful, willing and passionate surrender of the whole self, the whole personality, to God, to Allah. Muslims do not render unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God. In Islam, everything belongs to Allah. As I said earlier, He is our landlord, and we are his tenants. We have no freehold rights. We came into this world with nothing, and we leave it with nothing except our record of deeds, good and bad. Many of us spend our whole lives amassing wealth, seeking to build great empires, but in the end we must be satisfied with just six feet of earth. An epitaph on the tomb of Darius, a great Persian emperor reads: “Grudge me not this mound of earth that covers my body.” Prophet Isa, Alayhis salaam, Jesus [may Allahs peace and blessings be on him,] is claimed to have said: “It will be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven”. He was, of course, referring to the great responsibility that comes with wealth and power. Rich or poor, we are all going to be held to account for our actions.

Allah wants us to enjoy all the good things of life that He has provided for us. He wants us only to acknowledge Him and be grateful. That’s so generous of Him. He asks for so little. We owe him so much. Think for a moment how utterly we depend on Him for our very existence. Every moment dozens of finely-tuned chemical and biological processes keep our bodies comfortable, healthy and alive. Beneath our feet, beneath this green and verdant land, thousands of miles of superheated magma boils and churns round the core of planet earth, while we sleep peacefully. We are insulated from this inferno by a thin crust of tectonic plates, like a cracked eggshell. Above our heads, the fragile biosphere clings to life on a knife edge. Infinitesimally small differences between the earth’s gravity and mass, gives us clean air to breathe, instead of deadly ammonia that is released harmlessly into space. If we were just 1/4000th of 1% closer to, or further from the sun, we would be either roasted or frozen to death. Yet, as the Quran says, most people do not reflect. Most of us are so ungrateful.

Fifty years ago, as a child in a Christian school in South Africa, I learnt a hymn which said, Count your blessings, name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done… This is a Christian way of remembering God. In Islam we call it Dhikr. This is grateful and loving remembrance of Allah.

Brothers and Sisters, friends and neighbours, let us be good tenants and pay our rent. Let us be truly thankful for what our Landlord has freely given us, to nourish and sustain us, for our comfort and enjoyment.

Brothers and sisters, to conclude our khutbah:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ameen. Let the prayers begin! Aqeemus salaah!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My respected Brothers and Sisters,

The humanitarian crisis in Darfur is getting worse. Around 200,000 people have been killed, mostly civilians, and 2 ½ million people have been made homeless. The international community has been very slow to respond to this problem, and the attitude of Muslims on the whole has been rather shameful. It’s abundantly clear that the Sudanese government has been using Janjaweed bandits to commit mass murder and rape in their campaign against the people of Dafur. The oppressors are Muslims and the victims are fellow-Muslims. The sheer scale of suffering is quite appalling. But one hears hardly a whisper of protest from the Muslim world generally. Why have we become so selective in our sense of justice? Why do we only complain and demand justice when we are the victims? Why do we remain silent when our fellow Muslims are the oppressors? Does Islam not teach us to be just, even when it is inconvenient for us, even when justice rules against our personal interests?

Allah deplores those who apply justice selectively, those who are guilty of double standards. Such people are classed as hypocrites: munaafiqoon. The hottest part of hell is reserved for them, and we Muslims must avoid doing anything that brings us near to hypocrisy. We must be absolutely impartial, fair-minded and scrupulously just at all times. We dare not turn a blind eye to unjust and dishonourable behaviour of our fellow Muslims, whether it happens in Darfur or Damascus, Cairo, Karachi or Kuala Lumpur, or, for that matter, when Muslims behave badly in New York or London. When brother Muslims commit war crimes, crimes against humanity, they deserve our utter condemnation. Allah has not given anyone the licence to behave unjustly. We must be as vigorous in our condemnation of their behaviour just as much as we condemn the attacks by others, on Muslims elsewhere in the world. There’s no such thing as halaal oppression or halaal terrorism.

In the standardised universal format, every khutbah ends with these words from Sura Nahl, The Bee:

“InnaAllaha, Yamuru bil ‘adel, wal ihsaan, wa itaa-i zil qurba; wa yanha ‘anil fahshaa-i, wal munkari walbaghi; ya-ith-thukhum lallakum tathak-karoon.” (Quran 16:90),

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

Brothers and sisters, we are used to hearing this verse at the end of every Arabic sermon, khutbah, but how often do we reflect on its meaning? It tells us the Allah commands justice. Allah doesn’t say it’s an optional matter. We can’t just take it or leave it. If we disregard justice, we violate a clear command from Allah. That’s serious, and the consequences of disobeying Allah’s command can be absolutely fearsome and devastating.

In the 12th Century of the Common Era, the Caliph Al Mu’tasim ordered his soldiers to kill the ambassador of a Mongolian leader. This un-diplomatic and unjust incident was to have far reaching consequences. The Mongol leader was Genghis Khan, and he didn’t take insults lightly. Muslims had become so arrogant with wealth and power, some of their leaders thought they could treat other nations with impunity. Genghis Khan was so enraged by this atrocity. He mobilised his army and with his fearsome warrior horsemen, he unleashed a tidal wave of death that swept across the Asia towards Europe. The Mongols destroyed everything in their path. Baghdad, with its great libraries, its beautiful palaces and public buildings, was burnt to the ground. Caliph Al Mu’tasim was rolled up in an exquisite carpet, and trampled to death under the horses’ hooves. Genghis Khan boasted: “I am the wrath of God, sent to punish mankind for their sins,” When he was asked, why did he commit this terrible massacre? He replied: “Because you Muslims were unjust.”

Brothers and sisters, Justice is an integral part of Islam. We Muslims are not Allah’s chosen people. We cannot do as we please and expect Allah to favour us above other communities. Being a Muslim is a great blessing, and it’s also a great responsibility. We have a duty to study and to understand what that responsibility is. There are no excuses for ignorance. Justice is one of the non-negotiable parts of our faith. We have to be just and fair in our dealings with others, even to our enemies, even if it is against ourselves. There are several verses in the Holy Quran that confirm this.

In Sura Al Nisa 4:v58 the Holy Quran says:

“Allah commands you to render back your Trusts to those to whom they are due: and when you judge between one person and another, that you judge with justice: Truly, how excellent is the teaching which He gives you! Indeed Allah knows and sees everything.”

And, again in Sura An-Nisá, 4:135 we read:

“O you who Believe! Stand out firmly for justice as witnesses to Alláh, even as against yourselves or your parents or your family and whether it be (against) rich or poor: for Allah can best protect both. Do not follow the lusts (of your hearts) in case you might swerve. If you distort (justice) or decline to uphold justice, truly Allah is well-acquainted with all that you do.”

In Sura Al-Máida, verse 8, we are told: “O you who believe! Stand out firmly for Allah as witnesses to fair dealing; and do not the hatred of some people towards you, lead you to act unjustly towards them. Be just: that is next to Piety: and fear Allah for Allah is well acquainted with all that you do.”

Islam also teaches absolute equality before the law: Rich or poor, black or white, Muslim, Christian, Jew, Sikh or Buddhist, we are all children of Adam [A.S] and we all deserve equal treatment in the eyes of the law.

A woman belonging to a high and noble family was arrested for stealing. She was brought to the Prophet Muhammad, sws, and it was recommended that she might be spared the punishment because of her status. This suggestion angered the Prophet Muhammad sws so that the vein on his neck swelled up and he said:

“The nations that lived before you were destroyed by Alláh, because they punished the common man, and let their dignitaries go unpunished for their crimes. I swear, by The One Who holds my life in His hand that even if my daughter, Fatima, had committed this crime, I would have cut off her hand.”

Brothers and Sisters, our Beloved Prophet Muhammad sws would not have spared his own daughter if she committed a crime. What clearer example do we need? If we behave unjustly, we not only harm others, we also wrong our own souls. And Allah will hold us accountable for everything we do.

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

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

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

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

Ammaa ba’ad:

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

Part Two:

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

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

My respected brothers and sisters,

When we pray to Allah, we always beg for His mercy and His forgiveness, never for His justice. That’s an interesting point. Why don’t we ask Allah for justice? Why are there no du’ahs, no supplications asking Allah to impose His justice on us? The answer is simple. If Allah dispensed His justice, without His mercy and forgiveness, then we would be doomed. Allah says in His Holy Book, [Sura 16:61 and 35:45], that if he were to punish us for our wrong doing, and give human beings what they deserved, because of their sins, there wouldn’t be a single living thing left on the face of the earth. So, Allah’s relationship with human beings is based on His generosity and His mercy.

He says, “I have imposed Mercy on Myself.” And remember that no one will enter paradise because of their good deeds alone. Only Allah’s mercy will make this possible.

The Holy Quran teaches us that Allah has 99 Beautiful Names, “Asmaa ul Husna,” and the two Names that we invoke most often are Al Rahman and Al Rahim, the Most Merciful and Most Compassionate. As you all know, one of the most beautiful and evocative suras in the Holy Quran – they are all beautiful suras, but this one is really special – It’s called Sura Al Rahman.

We are very, very fortunate that Allah does not reward our good deeds and bad deeds in a mechanical, mathematical sort of way. We are all so forgetful, so sinful and rebellious, and our good deeds are so few and far between. If we were to be rewarded one-for-one, we’d be totally lost. But Islam teaches us that every bad deed is recorded as one bad deed, and every good deed is recorded as ten good deeds. Allah is so generous! Furthermore, He assures us in His Hadith Qudsi, that even if we came to him with sins as high as mountains, and we sincerely ask forgiveness from Him, associating no partners to Him, then He will forgive us.

Brothers and Sisters, I often hear some of us talking about the value of our good deeds. I’ve heard brothers actually calculating their ‘thawaab’ and adding some numerical value to their actions. They’re so used to working out their profit margins in business, they seem to think that Allah is some kind of chief accountant with a huge spreadsheet to do his calculations. I don’t think it really works that way, I don’t think we can go to Allah with our payslip and complain that there was a mistake in our wages….. If we really want to please Him and to earn our special place in paradise, we will have to rely not on His Justice, but on His Generosity, His Mercy.

Allah says in Sura Al Shu’raa [the Poets] ch26:v89 that ‘none shall enter the garden except those with a sound heart’ … “qalbun saleem”.

Let’s forget our calculations about good and bad deeds. Entering paradise, Allah’s garden Al Jannah is not going to be a mathematical exercise. It really is about our disposition spiritually. How was our love and gratitude to Allah expressed through our dealings with His creation? Did we harm anyone? Did we deny anyone’s rights? Did we care for animals and for the environment? How much did we add to the sum total of human happiness? How much did we remove from the burdens of human misery and despair? Did we make the world just a wee bit better than we found it? Brothers and sisters, the answer to all these questions will be decided by the disposition of our hearts. Let’s remember that beautiful prayer,

Rabbana la tuzigh quloobana, ba’da ith haday tanaa, wahablanaa mil-ladunka Rahma; Innaka antal Wah-haab.

“O my Lord! 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!”

Brothers and sisters, to conclude our khutbah on Justice:

InnaAllaha, Yamuru bil adel, wal ihsaan, wa itaa-i zil qurba; wa yanha anil fahshaa-i, wal munkari walbaghi; ya-ith-thukhum lallakum tathak-karoon. (Quran 16:90),

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

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

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

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

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

Ameen. Aqeemus salaah!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My respected Brothers and Sisters,

This is the smallest Jumu’ah congregation that I’ve ever had the pleasure of joining. But small isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Never mind the Size: it’s the quality that counts. When Rasool-Allah, sws travelled with Sayyidna Abu Bakr on that epoch making journey, the Hegira, they were forced to hide in a cave. The Quraish were hot on their heels. But they were not afraid. Prophet Muhammad sws re-assured his Companion. “When there are two of us, Allah is the third, when there are three of us, Allah is the fourth.” Fear and anxiety are natural emotions when we face danger. But Muslims must always remember that when we strive hard to please Allah, we are never alone.

“Alaa inna awliyaa Allah, la khawfun alayhim wala hum yahzanoon!”

“Behold, on the Friends of Allah, there is no fear and no grief.”

When we engage our body, heart and mind in service to Allah swt, then He is indeed near to us, nearer than our jugular veins. So let’s be truly grateful that Allah has enabled us to gather here today for Jumu’ah, to remind ourselves of our utter dependence on Him. Surely Allah says in His Hadith Qudsi: “When my servant remembers me in a gathering, I remember him in an even better gathering than that; when My servant takes one step towards Me, I take ten steps towards him, and when he comes walking to Me, I come running towards him…”

Brothers and Sisters, how can we go wrong when we remain conscious of Allah and we sincerely, constantly seek His guidance? Here we are, in one of the remotest parts of Canada, between the rugged Rocky Mountains and the vast open plains, but Allah has a purpose and a plan for all of us wherever might find ourselves on planet earth. For Muslims, the whole earth is a mosque, a place of worship. We should constantly seek Allah’s guidance, in order to understand where we fit into His master plan. Allah, as we know, is the best of planners, and it’s vital that we know exactly what our special role is in the great cosmic scheme of things.

My wife and I have gathered a wealth of experience in our 60 years, Alhamdu lil-laah. We’d like to share this with you. When we were younger, we, too, concentrated our energies on the immediate priorities: working hard, building a career, raising children, paying the mortgage, saving for retirement. Sometimes, the attractions of dunya can be quite compelling, and for some of us, almost overwhelming. We can easily be distracted from the balanced way, the straight path, Siraatal Mustaqeem.

In Sura Al Imran, verse 14, Allah remind us:

“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).”

Our wealth and our material possessions are a test from Allah, and a by-product of worshipping Him. It’s really not the main agenda. Sometimes, we forget our main agenda, to worship Allah, and we worship the by-products.

Allah wants us to enjoy the fruits of our hard work, but not so much as to distract us from worshipping him. We should enjoy His earthly gifts at arm’s length, not close to the heart. Our hearts belong to Allah alone. Other religions teach that in order to grow spiritually, you must deny yourself the pleasures of this world. Islam is unique among all religions in that it teaches life fulfilment, not life denial, and that the worlds of the flesh and the spirit should live in harmony, not conflict. In our daily prayers, we say:

Rabbanaa aatina fid dunya hasanatan wafil aakhirati hasanatan wa qinaa athaa ban naar.

“O my Lord, please grant me the best of this world, and the best of the hereafter, and save me from the torment of the fire.”

Sura Al-Rahman repeatedly asks the rhetorical question:

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

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

Allah created us to be easily distracted and forgetful – it’s in our human nature. And herein lies the great challenge to remember Allah and to remember our obligations through a great welter of constant distractions. This Remembrance of Allah is based firstly on the pillars of Islam; Bearing witness to Divine Unity; prayer, fasting, Zakaat and Hajj, and it’s reinforced by our constant, voluntary acts of Zikr: loving remembrance of Allah, and longing to return to Him with a pure, unblemished heart. Unlike many faiths where worship is set aside for special times on special days, worship in Islam is a way of living, a way of being, 24/7, and the Holy Quran says that “Wa thikrulLaahi akbar…” “and Remembrance of Allah is the greatest thing [in life].”

Brothers and sisters, therefore let me remind myself and you, that true faith is not simply doing our prayers, fasting and other duties in a mechanical sort of way. We should try to be deeply mindful of what we’re doing, and why we’re doing it. We should ask Allah to lift the veils of ignorance from our eyes, so that we can truly plunge into the depths of His Divine Wisdom, and emerge, illuminated with some of that luminosity and Divine Grace within our own hearts.

Think, for example, next time we make sujood, that we are not simply facing Makka, prostrating and carelessly rattling off Arabic words whilst our hearts and minds are elsewhere, thinking about work, shopping or other thoughts. Remember that we are by nature forgetful and distractible. We must struggle to keep body, heart and mind synchronised, especially in prayer. We are in the High Court of the Lord of all Creation. This is not a time to be careless or forgetful. We have summoned all our energies to turn away from Shaitaan, the Cursed One. We are taming the lower nafs, that ugly beast within our breasts. We are making sujood, prostrating, submitting body, mind and soul to Allah’s service. As our foreheads touch the ground, we bring the highest, noblest part of our body down to earth, and Allah raises our status beyond the angels when we do so. When we make sajda, we can become like lightning rods connecting heaven and earth, time-space and eternity. When we overcome all the odds, all the distractions and temptations around us, to worship Allah as He deserves to be worshipped, then we truly become His khaleefah, His vice-regent on earth. Sujood is a serious matter, reminding us of our utter lowliness and helplessness in the Presence of Allah swt.

Brothers and sisters, if we concentrate on the significance of our prayers, on the great power, authority and honour that Allah bestows on His abd, His beloved servant, then our prayers will have a dramatic transformative effect on our hearts, and through our hearts, on our lives. Sadly, perhaps this is why we Muslims are in such a parlous state. Perhaps we are too mechanical and too distracted in our prayers. We must strive sincerely, with body, mind and spirit, to improve our prayers so that we can tap into that great reservoir of spiritual energy that Allah reserves for His devoted servants.

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

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

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

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

Ammaa ba’ad:

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

Part Two:

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

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

My respected brothers and sisters,

The key to a successful prayer is how we behave once the prayer is over, and when we step out into the marketplace, into the street, into the company of other people. How often haven’t we seen apparently sincere brothers and sisters getting up from their prayers and resuming their bad habits of lying, cheating and backbiting? If we want real benefit from our prayers, then we must allow our hearts to be moved, and our behaviour to be improved. Things cannot remain as they were before. True faith, true iman, illuminates and beautifies the heart. Others must be able to discern a tangible improvement in our ways if we have done our prayers sincerely and conscientiously. Even as we leave the mosque to enter the marketplace, our hearts must still be in a state of sujood, loving devotion, supplication and obedience to Allah. Our hearts must still be in that state of sujood until the next prayer. This is what we must all strive for. This is the key to bringing an improvement, a change in our conditions. This is the real meaning of the Quranic verse that says: “Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is within themselves”, i.e. until they change what is in their hearts.

So, my dear Brothers and Sisters, let us pray to Allah, to help us filter out all the vanities, all the temptations and distractions that stand between us and Him.

As Nabi Adam prayed, after wandering in disobedience to Allah’s command, let us also memorise this beautiful prayer:

“Rabbana zalamna anfusina wa il lam taghfir lana wa tarhamna lana kuna minal-khasireen”

“Our Lord! We have wronged our own souls: If You do not forgive us not and bestow Your mercy on us, we shall certainly be lost.” [7:23]

Let us end this khutbah with some supplications, duas, taught to us by the anbiyyaa, the Prophets of Allah:

“O my Lord, do not let our hearts deviate, now that we have been guided to the truth, but send us Mercy from Your very Presence, for You are the Grantor or Bounties without measure.”

Rabbana la tuzigh quloobanaa, ba’da ith hadaytanaa, wa hablanaa min ladunka Rahma. Innaka antal Wah-haab.

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…

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!

Your feedback will help us to improve our khutbahs. Please let us have your comments and suggestions., by writing to : mail@khutbahbank.org.uk Jazakallah Khairan!

This khutbah, and others, can be downloaded on www.khutbahbank.com and www.khutbahbank.org.uk

Ameen. Aqeemus salaah!

* This khutbah was delivered at Dawson Creek BC, Canada on 13 July 2007

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My respected brothers and sisters,

Our worldwide family of Islam, the Muslim Ummah, is over one billion strong. How many of us speak Arabic as our mother-tongue? Do you know? Can you guess? The answer is less than 20%. To be precise, it’s 18%. That means that the vast majority of Muslims, 88% including you and me, are non-Arabic speakers. We must make a special effort to understand what we read in the Quran and what we recite in salaah, du’ah and dhikr.

Brothers and Sisters, I hope no-one will take offence, and I mean no disrespect to anyone. But I have to say that too many of us do not appreciate the importance of understanding the meaning of our salaah, our du’ah and dhikr. We’re quite satisfied to recite without knowing the meaning, without caring to learn the translations. I’m sure Allah swt enjoys listening to us reciting His holy Words with such tremendous passion, with meticulous pronunciation of every haraf in [tajweed]. But, how much more will Allah swt not appreciate our efforts, if we actually knew what we are saying? Imagine, we are speaking to Allah in the most elegant language of the Quran, our lips are moving and creating the most beautiful sounds, but our thoughts and our feelings are disconnected because we don’t really feel the full impact of what we are saying. We don’t really understand. And sadly, many of us make no real effort to understand. If only we could memorise a few short suras in our own language. If only we could think about the meanings when we recite the Arabic, then we could put meaning and feeling into those beautiful and soul-stirring words. If we did this regularly and systematically, then the true power and influence of Allah’s sacred words will touch our hearts. And when this happens, it will change us, it will transform us from what we are to what Allah wants us to become.

Brothers and Sisters, if we can allow Allah’s words to polish our hearts and improve our actions, then I guarantee you, Allah will enable us to put right many of the problems we see around us in our community and in our wider society. It must begin within ourselves, as Allah will not change our condition until we change what is within ourselves. Let us make a start, by learning the meaning and reciting with feeling, passionate feeling, our salaah, du’ah and dhikr.

I must admit, I was a big man in my 20’s when I first understood the meaning of the words that we say several times a day when we pray:

“Innas salaatee, wanusukee, wamahiyaaya wamamaatee, lil Laahi Rabbil aalameen”

“Truly, all my prayers, my sacrifice, my life and my death is for Allah, the Lord of all the worlds.”

When I realised the meaning of those words, I thought, Wow! That’s heavy stuff! I never knew that I was taking on such a huge responsiblility every time I made my salaah! I was actually promising and re-affirming that all my prayers, my sacrifice, my life and my death belong to Allah! These words cannot be taken lightly. It’s a complete, lifelong commitment and it affects everything we say and do. And you know, the more we think of the meaning, the more our salaah our du’ah and dhikr will change our lives for the better. Imagine if we really understood every du’ah and every dhikr and we reflected deeply on the meanings. This understanding will generate a complete transformation in the way we think and feel about ourselves and our responsibilities to others. True faith, true iman, does not enter someone’s heart without improving it, without beautifying it. So, if we want our lives to be improved, to be beautified, than we can begin by learning the meanings of all that we recite in Arabic with so much skill and elegance.

If you want proof of this power of Allah’s words to transform human beings from half savages to leaders of great civilisations, then look to the history of every people before their contact with Islam, and afterwards. This is what happened to the sahaaba so many years ago, and to all the awliyah-Allah, the Friends of Allah, throughout the ages. They understood every word of their salaah, du’ah and dhikr, so that they could put meaning and feeling into their worship. They could be absolutely sincere to Allah swt. Unless we know what we’re saying, feeling and doing, our efforts will lack complete sincerity.

So, for those of us who do not speak Arabic, let us make a sincere effort to memorise the meanings of our salaah, du’ah and dhikr. Let us think and reflect on these meanings so that our hearts can be moved and our behaviour improved. This will bring us closer to Allah swt. Thinking, reflecting and contemplating the words of Allah is highly recommended in the Holy Quran. Those who do so are referred to as “yatafak-karoon” or, people of understanding.

These inspiring and soul-stirring words come from the last verses of Sura Al-‘Imraan:

“Inna fi khalqis samáwáti wal ardi wakhtilá fil laili wan nahári la’áyátil lil’úlil albáb.

Allatheena yath-kurúnalláha qiyámaw wa qu’údaw wa ‘alá junúbihim wayata fakkarúna fí khalqis samáwáti wal ard, Rabbaná má khaqta háthá bátilan. Subhánaka faqiná athában nár.

190 “Behold! in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of night and day there are indeed Signs for men of understanding.

191 Men who celebrate the praises of Allah standing sitting and lying down on their sides and contemplate the (wonders of) creation in the heavens and the earth (with the thought): “Our Lord! not in vain have You created (all) this! Glory to You! give us salvation from the penalty of the fire.”

In Islam people who think and reflect are highly valued above those who simply follow without thinking, without reflection and therefore without insight into the deeper meanings of life. [Check Malik Badri’s book] “Contemplation is worth much more than xxx nights of prayer….”

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

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

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

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

Ammaa ba’ad:

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

Part Two:

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

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

Brothers and Sisters, let us through a deeper understanding of our faith become those whom Allah calls, yatafak-karoon, ‘­people who contemplate,’ people who reflect, people who understand.

I ask Allah to give us all some of his divine wisdom, hikma, so that we have a light to illuminate our way through the confusion in the world out there. May Allah help us and all our future generations to know and love the beautiful Way of Islam. May we all hold fast to the rope that Allah extends for us. May we all set a good example for others, a justly balanced community, ummatan wasatan, and a witness to the nations [Quran 2:143]

Our Lord! Accept (this service) from us: For Thou art the All-Hearing, the All-knowing [2:127]

Rabbana taqabbal minna innaka antas Sameeaul Aleem

O my Lord! Grant unto us wives and offspring who will be the comfort of our eyes, and give us (the grace) to lead the righteous [25:74]

Rabbana Hablana min azwaajina wadhurriy-yatina, qurrata ‘ayioni wa-jalna lil-muttaqeena Imaama

Our Lord! Forgive us, and our brethren who came before us into the Faith, and leave not, in our hearts, rancour (or sense of injury) against those who have believed. [59:10]

Rabbana-ghfir lana wa li ‘ikhwani nalladhina sabaquna bil imani wa la taj’al fi qulubina ghillal-lilladhina amanu

Our Lord! Thou art indeed Full of Kindness, Most Merciful. [59:10]

Rabbana innaka Ra’ufur Rahim

Our Lord! In Thee do we trust, and to Thee do we turn in repentance: to Thee is (our) Final Goal [60:4]

Rabbana ‘alayka tawakkalna wa-ilayka anabna wa-ilaykal masir

Ameen. Aqeemus salaah!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My respected Brothers and Sisters,

I recently visited South Africa, where Muslims have lived as a tiny minority, [less than 5%] for over 300 years. For the first 150 years, Islam was a banned religion in that country, and if you were caught trying to convert others to Islam, you faced the death penalty. Even when Islam was legally recognised, Muslims were still treated as second class citizens. For the next 150 years, they could not vote until Nelson Mandela was freed from prison in 1989, and became State President of a non-racial South Africa. Three centuries of hardship produces a certain calibre of Muslim. When you are treated unjustly, when your faith is in danger, and when you have no legal protection for your human rights, then you really seek Allah’s help, and you are drawn closer to your God.

Now that South Africa is free, there are other challenges. Muslims have survived the oppression, but are they surviving the freedom? The answer is far from clear. There are simply so many distractions and opportunities for Shaytaan to do his work. There is a huge difference between the rich and the poor, and the gap widens by the day. Crime, gambling and financial debt along with the breakdown of family life, drug and alcohol abuse, have become serious problems over there. Does this sound familiar? It’s a problem over here also. Brothers and Sisters, these are worldwide problems of modern life. These are the challenges we all face, inside and outside the Muslim communities. We say that here in the West, we are free. But free for what? We may be politically free to think and speak and write and vote as we please. But are we really free from crime? Are we free from financial debt? And, most importantly, are we free from the burning desire to have those things that distract our attention from Allah, swt? Are we free from the misguidance of Shaytaan, from greed, envy, and the love of material things? These are questions we must answer.

Has our political freedom made us better Muslims? Have we come closer to Allah than our forefathers were? If Prophet Muhammad sws were to visit Britain today, would he be proud to see the condition of his followers here? Brothers and Sisters, many of us have suffered hardship just to get here to Britain; but the bigger challenge remains: now that we are here, can we survive the freedom without damaging our faith and our moral values?

Here in Britain as in South Africa and elsewhere in the West, the success of Muslims in politics, business and the professions is well known. Muslims in private and public life are making a big contribution to their country’s progress. For the small numbers that we represent, we are punching well above our weight. But there are some worrying tendencies. We’ve become so materialistic. Our lives are centred on trivial and silly things. We must have that new car, those designer clothes and all the latest gizmos and gadgets. Some of us really believe those adverts that promise so much pleasure, but they deliver so little lasting happiness.

With pressures from all sides, inside and outside, how can we ensure that we and our children and grandchildren will hold fast to Allah’s rope, and stay united? How can we survive the freedom and prosperity even better than we survived the difficulties in our countries of birth?

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Brothers and Sisters, there’s something about human nature we must understand. We human beings are not evil by nature, but we are forgetful, and our forgetfulness can lead us to do wrong. Allah made us that way. We are easily distractible, and we only remember Allah with effort and practice. We remember Allah mostly when we are in danger, when fear grips our hearts. That’s why they say there are no atheists on a sinking ship, or a plane that’s making an emergency landing. Even atheists and agnostics quickly find God when death stares them in the face. But when the plane lands safely, or the lifeboats rescue the survivors from the sea, how many of us truly turn to Allah in gratitude? In Sura An ‘aam v [6:63] Allah swt asks us a beautiful rhetorical question:

“Say: Who is it that delivers you from the dark recesses of land and sea, when you call upon Allah in humility and silent terror, saying: If only Allah would deliver us safely from these dangers, we vow we shall truly show our gratitude.”

Most people are ungrateful, and they forget the Hand of Mercy that reached out to save them from disaster.

Brothers and sisters, we must thank Allah swt for helping us to keep our Iman and Taqwa intact for all these years. We are politically free, but we must still keep Iman and Taqwa even stronger, to avoid the temptations of shaitaan. We must work hard to ensure that we leave our children a good legacy on which they can build. But life has become so cosy and safe for us and some of us don’t think we need Allah’s help as much as we did before.

We must not be seduced by the attractions of this life, the attractions of dunya, and forget what’s even better, waiting for us in the akhira, in the life to come. In the last verses of Sura Al-A’la:

“Bal tu’ thiroonal hayaatad dunya. Wal aakhiratu khairu wa ab’qaa!”

“Behold, you prefer the life of this world, when the life to come is better for you, and more enduring.”

“Inna ha thaa lafis suhufil oolaaa; suhufee Ebraheema wa Moosa”

“This has been explained in the earlier Books; the books of Abraham and Moses.”

Brothers and Sisters, Allah does not want us to be like monks in a monastery, to turn away from His favours that He bestows on us from this world. In Sura Al Rahmaan He constantly asks us the rhetorical question:

“Fa bi ayyi aalaa-i-Rabbihumaa tukath thibaan?”

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

Allah swt does not want us to deny His favours. He wants us only to put them in their proper place. He wants us to enjoy his favours without forgetting Him. He is he Main Agenda. His favours are only the bonuses. The material benefits of this world, the nice car, the big house, the clever gadgets we play with, these are only the by-products of our Ibaadah, of worshipping Allah swt. They should come incidentally, not intentionally. It’s not the main agenda. The main agenda is to remember Allah at every moment, with love and gratitude. When we put Allah first, at all times, then he sends us all these comforts and conveniences both as a test for gratitude and as a bonus. So let us not be distracted by the bonuses, the by products of worship, and forget the main agenda. Let us be Allah-aware at all times.

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

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

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

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

Ammaa ba’ad:

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

Part Two:

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

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

My respected brothers and sisters,

The Holy Quran reminds us, “Wa thikrul-Laahi Akbar,” “And Remembrance of Allah is the greatest thing in life,”. It’s not just good enough to remember Allah in the Masjid or when we’re making salaah at home or when we make du’ah. We must keep ourselves in that state of Allah-awareness all the time, 24/7. Our connection with our Lord must be like one of those broadband internet connections that’s always on, always connected. We shouldn’t be like old dial-up modems that sometimes work, but mostly give problems. Our spiritual life should influence all our worldly affairs. Our Salaah, du’ah and dhikr must not be disconnected from our family relations, our business affairs or social life. This is wrong. When we put our heads down in prayer, we are especially close to Allah swt. When we worship sincerely, then He is closer to us than our jugular vein. We should try to keep this mindset, this state of intimacy with Allah swt beyond our prayer time, and let it guide us through our many dealings at work, at leasure and in our own homes. This is especially important when we deal with other people. Don’t lie, don’t cheat, don’t back-bite. Allah’s watching us, 24/7.

If we can remember Allah in good times and bad, in illness and health, in youth and old age, day and night, winter and summer, Allah will remember us also, and He will shower his blessings, His barakah, on all our actions. I’d like to share one of my favourite Hadith to illustrate this point:

“Remember Allah in times of ease, and He will recognise you in times of distress. What hit you could not have missed you. What missed you could not have hit you. Remember that victory comes with patience, relief comes with affliction, and ease comes after hardship.”

“Fa innama al usri yusraa; Innama al usri yusraa.”

After every hardship comes relief, truly, after every hardship comes relief.

Let us keep ourselves focussed, heart and soul, on remembrance of Allah. Let our busy lives never detract from this remembrance. Let every thought and every action become blessed with the barakah of Allah. In a recent newspaper article, a western journalist defined Barakah as a unique quality of being blessed and being the channel of blessings at the same time. May Allah give us this special quality of barakah, to be blessed and to pass His blessings through us to others. May Allah through his ever wondrous and mysterious ways, illuminate our lives so that we can be a light for ourselves, our families and for our wider communities. May we not only survive the freedom of western society with our faith intact, but may Allah increase that faith constantly.

Ameen. Aqeemus salaah!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My respected Brothers and Sisters,

If we look around us we find that our physical environment is made of 4 elements: Earth, Water, Wind and Fire. Each of these elements is of a lighter and finer substance than the other: Earth is heaviest and roughest; then comes water, lighter and finer than earth; wind is lighter and finer than water and above them all, fire is the lightest and finest.

One of the great beauties of the Holy Quran is in its eloquent use of language, especially of metaphor. The Quran often refers to these 4 elements in the most graphic and evocative verses. Fire is often mentioned in connection with Hell, Jahannam, and its painful torment…’fee naari jahannam..’. But it is also connected with the pride and arrogance of Iblis, who was one of the Jinn In Sura Ar’af 7:v12, [and Sura Saad 38:v76] Allah tells us that when He commanded the angels to bow down to Adam, they all bowed down, except the evil Jinn, Iblis, who said: “Ana khairun Minn!” “I am better than He!” Iblis was saying, I am made of fire, and he, Adam, is made of lowly clay, earth, which is a coarser and cruder substance than fire. Iblis was of course, full of arrogance and pride. But Allah knows what Iblis could never know. Allah made Jinn from fire without smoke, and human beings were made from dust. But when we human beings, humble creatures, often forgetful and distractible as we are, bow down in prayer, touching the ground with our foreheads, when we obey our Lord, He raises our status even higher than the angels. We become the best of all creation. And when we disobey Allah, when we follow our lower passions and desires, we can become worse than animals. In Sura Al Teen, we read: [Bismillaahir Rahmaanir Raheem!]

“La qad khalaq nal insaana fee ahsani taqweem”

“We have created Man in the best of moulds ..”

And, just in case we become, like Iblis, too conceited and arrogant, in the very next verse, we are reminded of the darker side of human nature.

“Thumma radudná hu asfala sáfileen…”

“Then do we abase him to be the lowest of the low…”

” Illall latheena ‘aamanu wa’amilus sawlihaat. Falahum ‘ajrun ghairu mumnoon.”

“Except those who believe and do righteous deeds, for they shall have a reward unfailing. ”

Angels cannot make moral choices. Only Jinn and Mankind have this capacity. That is why, when we make the right moral choices, against all the temptations of Shaytaan, we can rise higher than angels. Allah says that He has created Jinn and Mankind for one purpose only: to worship Him. In Sura Dhariyát, Allah says,

“Wamá khalqtul jinna wal insa illá liya’ budoon.”

“I have only created jinns and men, that they may serve Me”

Every time we resist the temptations of Shaytaan, and we respond to Allah’s call, we are really achieving the purpose of our creation. This epic battle between the lower nafs, the nafs al ammara bis sow, and our conscience, the nafs al law-waamah, the self-blaming nafs, is the most important victory we can ever achieve. The prize is True iman, faith, and Taqwa, which is awesome and loving awareness of Allah, and fearing His anger. These are the fruits of this jihad against our lower self. And the key to this struggle lies in the simple intention that we recite numerous times every day, at the beginning of every important action:

A-oothu bil-Laahi minash shaytaanir rajeem. Bismillaahir Rahmaanir Raheem!

I turn away from Shaytaan, the Cursed One. I begin in the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate!

These simple words pass our lips so many times a day. But do we really ponder over their meaning and significance? Note that turning away from Shaytaan comes before we begin anything in the Name of Allah swt. We do not say Bismillaahir Rahmaanir Raheem, A-oothu billaahi minash shaytaanir rajeem! It would not make sense that way. First the negative: Turning away from Shaytaan, then the positive: Begin in the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate. By saying these words in the way Prophet Muhammad sws taught us, we are reminded of the original sin of Prophet Adam, who allowed himself to be tempted by Shaytaan. Brothers and Sisters, whenever we say, with absolute sincerity:

“A-oothu bil-Laahi minash Shaytaanir rajeem, Bismillaahir Rahmaanir Raheem,”

When we say this sincerely, when we reconnect our body, our mind and soul with its Maker, when we reject all our lower impulses and anything that displeases Allah then we truly become His Khalifa, his vice-regent, His ambassador on the earth. This is how we build and strengthen Iman and Taqwa.

The gifts of faith and Allah awareness, Iman and Taqwa, do not simply fall from the sky. Those who have it know that they’ve earned it through the hardships of life. Hardship cultivates patience, perseverance and total reliance on Allah. In the English language we talk of a ‘baptism of fire’ meaning that one often suffers hardship to learn valuable lessons that build good character.

If we study the extraordinary and eventful life of Prophet Muhammad sws we will see how his many hardships forged his unique and noble character. Indeed, Makka at that time has been described as a Crucible, a furnace where the fine metal of the first Ummah was forged to such high quality. Just like a real crucible separates impurities, base metals from pure gold, so the hardships in Makka separated truth from falsehood. Not surprising, therefore, that when Rasool-Allah sws returned to conquer Makka, he pronounced those memorable words:

“Wa qul jaa al haqqa, wa zahaqal baatil. Inna baatilan kaana zahooqaa…”

“And say, truth has come, and falsehood has perished. Truly, falsehood is bound to perish.”

Brothers and sisters, the victory in Makka came after many years of hardship and sacrifice. We are told that the darkest hour is just before the dawn. Let’s not forget how Prophet Muhammad sws struggled in the early days, both within himself and around himself, against his own fears and anxieties, after the first revelations. After a delay of many months Allah revealed Sura Dhu-haa:

Bismillaahir Rahmaanir Raheem! Wadh dhuhaa/Wal laili idzaa sajaa/Maa wad da’aka rab buka wa maa qalaa/Wa lal aakhiratu khairul laka minal oo laa/Wa lasaufa yutika rabbuka fatardaa/Alam yajika yatiman fa a_waa/Wa wajadaka daa-lan fahadaa/Wa wajadaka aa-ilan fa agnaa/Fa am mal yatima falaa taqhar/Wa am mas saa ila falaa tanhar/Wa am maa bini mati rabbika fahad-dith

By the glorious morning light, and by the night when it is still; Your Lord has not forsaken you, nor is He displeased. Truly, what comes after this will be much better for you than the present. Have we not found you an orphan, and gave you shelter and care? Have we not found you wandering, and gave you guidance? Therefore, do not treat the orphan with harshness, nor turn away the questioner unheard; but Rehearse and proclaim the blessings of your Lord!

This truly inspiring and comforting Sura addresses Prophet Muhammad sws directly, and it also addresses all Muslims indirectly. It’s as relevant to us now in the 21st century as it was to the first Ummah in the 7th century. It is a timeless promise from Allah that ease comes after hardship, and victory comes after sacrifice.

Fa inna ma’al usri yusra, innama al usri yusra….

With every hardship comes relief, truly with every hardship comes relief.

A hadith narrated by Abu ‘Abbas ‘Abdullah, says:

“Remember Allah in times of ease, and He will recognise you in times of distress. What hit you could not have missed you, what missed you could not have hit you. Remember that victory comes with patience, relief comes with affliction and ease comes with hardship”.

Brothers and sisters, each one of us will have to endure some hardship during our lifetime. That’s guaranteed. That’s the fire, the crucible, the furnace that will help us separate the impurities from within our own hearts and souls. May Allah make us steadfast to follow the example of our beloved Prophet Muhammad sws

…….0000……

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

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

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

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

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

Part Two:

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

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

My respected brothers and sisters,

Whenever we criticise and condemn others, nitpicking and exaggerating those human frailties we see in other people, we are really saying: Ana khairun min, “ I am better than him!” Those words should be familiar to us…. The words Shaytaan used when Allah ordered him to bow down to Adam, Alayhis salaam.

I will urge myself and you, to avoid judging others. We have enough of our own faults to put right. We shouldn’t have the time, or the desire to compare others unfavourably with ourselves. Only Shaytaan can convince you that you are better than someone else. As soon as this thought comes to your mind, push it aside and say A-oothu bilLaahi minash shaytaanir rajeem! Allah warns us that he is to us an avowed enemy “Innahoo lakum a’doo-woon mubeen” Shaytaan does not always carry a big bright flashing neon sign that says: “Watch out for me….I’m going to mislead you!” He is often very subtle and insidious. Sometimes you don’t even notice him whispering quietly. He offers us all kinds of excuses for our bad behaviour, trying to distract us from our conscience. “Yuwas wisufee sudoorin naas. Minal jinnati wan naas.” He whispers into our hearts and if we are not careful, we might even believe those whisperings. We must be constantly watchful over our own thoughts, our feelings, our words and actions. We must constantly question and re-examine our own motives. Why am I doing this? Why am I thinking this or feeling this way. Does this come from Allah, or from Shaytaan? Will this feeling, this thought or action bring me closer to Allah, or will it drive me away from Him?

I’d like to share one of my favourite Hadith. Prophet Muhammad sws said that

“A Muslim is he from whose tongue and hands, other Muslims are safe. A Mu’min [true Believer] is he in whom all of mankind has an asylum, a sanctuary for its life and property.”

O Allah! Help us to become not only good Muslims, but also True Believers like the Companions of Your Prophet Muhammad sws. O Allah, help us all to endure the trials and hardships of life with good grace and forbearance. Help us to follow the footsteps of our beloved Prophet Muhammad sws and help us to set a good example for our children and future generations.

Glory to Allah, Lord of Majesty and Honour, and Peace on all 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!

“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.

“Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem!

“Alif, Laaam,-Meem! Thaalikal kitaabula rayba fee-hi hudan lil muttaqeen. Al-latheena yu’ minoona bil ghaibi wa youqeemus salaata wamim-maa razaq-naa hum yun fiqoon. Wal latheena yu’ minoona bimaa oonzila ilayka wamaaaa oonzila min qablik. Wa bil aakhirati hum yu’qinoon. Ulaaaa ika ‘allaaa hundan mir-Rabbikum wa ulaaaa ika humul muflihoon.”

“In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate!

A. L. M. This is the Book, there is no doubt in it. It is a guide to those who have fear Allah, who believe in the Unseen, are steadfast in their prayers, and who spend out of what Allah has provided for them. They believe in the Revelation sent to you [O Muhammad] and to those before your time, and they have absolute certainty about the life to come. Such people are on true guidance from their Lord, and they are the ones who will be successful.”

My respected Brothers and Sisters,

These 5 verses introduce the Holy Quran at the beginning of Sura Al Baqara. They also encapsulate everything the Quran stands for, and everything we need to know for a successful life.

Those people who have no faith will argue differently about what a “successful life” means: lots of money in the bank, a luxury car, a palatial home, a comfortable and sometimes hedonistic lifestyle. But to those who have cultivated true faith, Iman, those who worship none but Allah, the Lord of the Majestic Throne, the Creator and Nourisher and Sustainer of all that exists, to such believers, a successful life is simply to travel the Siraat-al-Mustaqeem, the straight path that leads to al-Jannah, Paradise, the Garden of Allah.

We are living in a time where faith in God becomes ever more challenging. Faith communities in general and Muslims in particular, are under increasing pressure. Secular attitudes are hardening and some secularists are becoming as abusive and extreme as some of the militants within the faith communities. Take the hysterical attacks by people like Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens, for example. Or, consider the way new laws are passed that prevent Catholic adoption agencies from freely choosing where to place their children in care. We Muslims must be prepared to stand side by side with other faith communities when they are under attack by secular groups. The Holy Quran makes a clear distinction between Iman and Kufr, Belief and Unbelief. It also clearly distinguishes the Jews and Christians as ‘People of the Book’, and assures us that the sincere, God-fearing Jews and Christians who do good works will be rewarded. They have nothing to fear.

In Sura Al Baqara [2:62] we read: “Those who believe in the Quran, and those who follow the Jewish Scriptures, and the Christians and the Sabians, – any who believe in Allah and the last day, and work righteousness, shall have their reward with their Lord: on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.” [la ghowfun alay-him wala hum yahzanoon.]

No religion has the monopoly of good people. Jews, Christians and Muslims, have their ‘awkward squad’ those who make life miserable for others, and who use their sacred books to justify their evil deeds.

Some Jews claim that God promised them the Holy Land, so they may as well take it by force, regardless of the suffering they inflict on the Palestinians. Not all Jews are like this. Many do not support these actions and they can be seen at the anti-war demonstrations. Amongst the Christians, some Evangelicals and right-wing Neo-conservatives use the Bible to support the invasion of Iraq and the seizure of oil resources in the Middle East. But the majority of Christians around the world oppose them. Some Muslim extremists try to use Holy Quran to justify bombing innocent people on trains and planes. But the majority of Muslims, supported by the correct understanding of Quran and Sunnah, reject their interpretation of the militants and are sickened by their actions.

Brothers and sisters, we must build bridges with our cousins in the family of Abraham, those Jews and Christians who stand up for justice, who do good works and who want to establish a peaceful and harmonious society. It is our duty to do our bit as well. Allah has conferred on us a great honour and a great responsibility, when he addressed us as the khaira ummatin, the ‘best of nations’:

“Kuntum khaira ummatin ukhrijat lin-naasi, ta’muroona bil ma’roofi, wa tan hawna ‘anil munkari, watu’ minoona bil-laah.”

“You are the best of nations evolved for mankind, you enjoin what is right and you forbid what is wrong, and you believe in Allah.”

Let us then join hands with believers in other communities who also enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong. This is our duty. Simply reciting the Kalima Shahada is not enough. Belief and Action must go hand-in-hand. When we do our good works for the sake of Allah, our intentions must be pure and our hearts must be pure. We must not be driven by a desire to impress people. That’s wrong. That would be indulging our vanity. We must desire only to seek Allah’s good pleasure, nothing else.

Allah reminds us in the Holy Quran that no one shall enter Paradise except those with a pure and sound heart.

“Ill-la man atal-Laaha biqalbi saleema”

“And only he will prosper who comes to Allah with a sound heart.” Sura al-Shu’araa’ The Poets [26:89]

May Allah help us all to cleanse our hearts constantly, from all forms of pollution, and may all our good works bring us closer to Him. Ameen.

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

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

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

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

Ammaa ba’ad:

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

Part Two:

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

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

My respected brothers and sisters,

We must never become depressed or desperate when Islam is under attack, whether it is from militant secular people or malicious ones from other faith communities. And we should never return insult or injury with more of the same. The Holy Quran advises us to “invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and beautiful speech…” [Sura An Nahl 16:125]

“Od’ ‘U ilaa sabeeli Rabbika bil hikmati, wal mow ‘idatil hasanah..”

When rudeness is met with courtesy it defuses tension and sometimes wins over hearts and minds. The seerah literature is rich with examples. Remember how Prophet Muhammad sws went to visit his neighbour who used to throw rubbish at the Prophet’s front door. He went there because one day he found that there was no rubbish as usual, because the neighbour was ill. What was the Prophet’s reaction? Did he treat this neighbour harshly? Did he remind him of his bad behaviour? Did he take revenge? No, The noble Prophet of Islam was gentle and kind. He had no bruised ego to massage. Because of his dignified and generous manner, his neighbour stopped dumping rubbish accepted Islam.

Brothers and sisters, when we understand Islam properly, we cultivate a superior moral fibre that gives us dignity and serenity in the most difficult times. This will ensure that we never feel intimidated by threats. We should fear Allah alone, and no-one else. We should always remember the ways of our illustrious predecessors, the Sahaaba, the Companions of our Noble Prophet Muhammad sws. Remember how they responded at the battle of Uhud, when they were warned: “Beware, a great army is waiting in ambush for you, beyond that mountain!” Instead of being paralyzed by fear, this only strengthened their faith and hardened their resolve to stand firm:

Hasbun-Allah, wa neya’mal wakeel, neya’mal mawlaa waneya’mal naseer!

“Allah is sufficient for us, He is the best Protector and the best Helper”

So let us face the future with renewed confidence, energised by the certain knowledge that Allah will never allow His religion to be humiliated or destroyed.

This guarantee is offered in Sura 61:v8

“Their intention is to extinguish Allah’s Light by blowing on it with their mouths: But Allah will complete the revelation of His Light, even though the unbelievers may detest it.”

Let us end this khutbah with some supplications, duahs, taught to us by the anbiyyaa, the Prophets of Allah:

“O my Lord, do not let our hearts deviate, now that we have been guided to the truth, but send us Mercy from Your very Presence, for You are the Grantor or Bounties without measure.”

Rabbana la tuzigh quloobanaa, ba’da ith hadaytanaa, wa hablanaa min ladunka Rahma. Innaka antal Wah-haab.

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…

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!

As-salaamu ‘alaykum. May the peace of God be with you all.

My wife Mariam and I, with our eldest daughter Ayesha, have just returned from Hajj. This pilgrimage to the holy places of Islam is a journey that every Muslim must make at least once in a lifetime. It is one of the five pillars of our faith.

Hajj is the last of the five pillars, and it brings together all the essential aspects of faith. It is a vast subject, but in the few minutes I have, I want to touch on a few key aspects. Hajj is an epic journey on 3 levels: Geography, History and Self-discovery.

First there is the geographic level: It is a journey from your home to Makka and Madina, to those desert lands where the story of Islam began, and towards which we turn our faces in prayer.

Secondly, Hajj is a journey through History. We visit the place where Prophet Abraham built the first mosque, and where God asked him to sacrifice what he loved most dearly. This is where both Abraham and his beloved son Ismail obeyed God’s command without flinching and without resistance. Because of their implicit obedience to a Divine Command, God substituted a lamb for human sacrifice, and Ishmael’s life was spared. When we celebrate Eid al Adha, the Festival of the Sacrifice, we remember Abraham’s willingness obey God, even to sacrifice his most beloved son. We remember that as God’s servants, we too must obey Him without question and without hesitation. We must be prepared to give up whatever else, besides God, is so near and dear to us.

Hajj takes us on an historical journey beyond Abraham, way back to the beginning of the human story, to the time of Adam and Eve. The highlight of the Hajj is therefore the gathering of more than 3 million pilgrims on the plain of Arafat. At the foot of Jabal Rahma, the Mount of Mercy, pilgrims pray and supplicate, asking forgiveness for their sins, and rededicate themselves to a life of obedience to God, Allah [Allah is the Arabic name for The One transcendental God of Abraham, Moses and Jesus].

Here is where Adam and Eve were forgiven for their original sin. The first act of human disobedience was forgiven here on the Mount of Mercy. It is therefore fitting that every year, from the beginning to the end of human history, pilgrims should make this journey to seek forgiveness for their own sins, in the same place where the first sin was forgiven. It is therefore also a supreme expression of hope, that despite all our human frailties and transgressions, there is always time for sincere repentance and for the mending of errant ways.

Hajj is not only a journey through geography and history. It is perhaps most importantly, an inward journey to our own centre, to the human heart. Not the physical heart that pumps blood through our veins. I mean the spiritual heart, the locus of our personality. What emotions, what desires, ambitions and obsessions lurk in the innermost recesses of the spiritual heart? By travelling to the Kaaba, the centre of Islam, the focal point of the Qibla, (the directional axis for all our prayers), we have also made a journey inwards, to our own Kaaba and Qibla of the human heart. Are those ambitions, desires and innermost longings really worthy of a true servant of God? Are we focussed on the right priorities, beyond selfishness and pettiness? What is our real place in this great drama of life around us? What is our place in the whole cosmic scheme of things? Where have we come from, and where are we going to? Inna lillaahi wa inna ilayir raaji oon, says the Holy Quran. “From Allah have we come and to Him is our return.” Hajj is also a reminder of death. Every pilgrim is wrapped in 2 sheets of plain while cloth, with no sewing, no stitches. These are the same sheets of cloth that will cover us when we are buried. In a way, we are on pilgrimage wearing a burial shroud. This is the only time we will wrap ourselves in our own shrouds. When we die, someone else will do the wrapping for us. It is a humbling and sobering experience. When you look around you, you see more than 3 million people, all dressed exactly the same, in 2 sheets of plain white cloth. You cannot tell the difference between a state president and a taxi driver, a millionaire and the cleaner who tidied your hotel room yesterday. You can only see yourself and your fellow pilgrims exactly as God sees all of us: stripped of all our pretensions, stripped of all our designer clothes and our outward signs of wealth, nationality, culture and social status. On Hajj we see one another as we really are: individual human souls, distinguishable only by the purity of their hearts and the content of their character. In the final analysis, this is all that matters.

I was deeply touched by a young man who stood up and asked a question to a group of pilgrims: “When we return to God, what can we give Him that he doesn’t already have?” We were all bemused. God has everything. What can we poor, wretched and miserable human beings possibly give Him, that we have and that he doesn’t have? The answer came: “A pure and unblemished heart.” Purify and refine your heart, and when you return your shining heart to Allah, He will look at it and see within it, His own reflection. The young man told us he was quoting the poet Jalaluddin Rumi.

Hajj is a chance for us to take stock of ourselves, to examine our hearts, our emotions, our ambitions, our desires. What is the driving force in our lives? Is there something higher and nobler than having a new car, designer clothes, a fine house, respect of our peers, paying off the mortgage, a villa on the Costa del Sol? Hajj reminds us that our earthly life is short, and it should be spent on good works, serving all God’s children, purely out of love for Him and gratitude to Him. If only we would sit down and reflect on our good fortune. We have so much to thank Him for. Count your blessings, name them one by one. We complain that we don’t have nice shoes, till we see someone living happily without any feet. We can be so ungrateful! God is infinitely generous and He deserves our love and gratitude. He created everyone and everything, and we are His trustees. We are answerable to Him. When we treat people of other faiths with respect, we do so as a courtesy to Him, and when we are disrespectful or abusive to others, we offend God.

Hajj has some important lessons for us in these difficult times. We can learn a great deal from studying the life and times of Prophet Muhammad sws. He performed one Hajj only, and delivered a memorable sermon in which he declared that all believers are brothers of one another, and that there was no superiority of one race or one people over another. The only distinction between people is in their good deeds. The highest and noblest of us are those who serve others selflessly out of love and gratitude to God. Muslims must always ask themselves: How much have I added to the sum total of human happiness? How much have I removed from the burdens of human misery and despair? My life must count for something, each day; my life must count for something!

Today we can hardly open a newspaper or turn on the radio or TV without hearing more bad news about Islam and the Muslims. We find conflicting and contradictory messages. Islam is Peace. Islam is Violent. Muslims are (sometimes) OK. Muslims are terrorists. Some people even attack Prophet Muhammad sws in the most hateful and offensive language. Our response should be modelled on his own example. Did he throw childish temper tantrums, burn flags, destroy embassies or call for the death of those who criticised him? No, he did none of these. He was always dignity and humility personified. He knew that his conduct would be meticulously studied and emulated for all time to come. When he was abused, insulted and physically injured, he remained calm, dignified and completely self assured. He spoke to his detractors with kindness and wisdom, never in anger, never ill-tempered. He knew that he was safe in God’s hands. He knew that relief, and God’s mercy always follows temporary hardship. Our apparent misfortunes are merely a test and trial from Allah. Those who spread hateful lies about Islam and Prophet Muhammad should consider what Jesus said.

When Prophet Jesus, [peace and blessings on him], delivered his Sermon on the Mount, he said: “By their fruits shall ye know them. Do men gather grapes from thorns?” He was describing the difference between true prophets and false prophets. False prophets do not produce wholesome fruit. Prophet Muhammad sws did not come to start a new religion. He came to reconfirm the original faith of monotheism, Tawheed, Divine Unity, the true faith of Abraham and Moses and Jesus, (may God bless all of them). We’ve had the Old Testament and the New Testament. Prophet Muhammad sws brought us the Last Testament, the Quran, the final divine revelation. Nothing new, just a clear re-affirmation of Divine Unity: Pure, uncompromising monotheism. Muhammad was the ‘seal of the Prophets’ and there will be no new Revelations after the Holy Quran. Islam is indeed, ‘the last bus home.’

Look to the Empire of Faith that Prophet Muhammad established, and what fruits do you see? You know, Faith does not enter the heart of anyone, without improving it and beautifying it. This is true of individuals and it’s also true of communities and nations. Wherever Islam went in the world, it raised that society to a higher level of civilisation. Don’t take my word for it. Look over the past 1,400 years to the history of Arabia, Africa, Spain, India, Persia, Turkey, Central Asia and Indonesia. Ask yourself, what were these lands like before Islam and after Islam? In every case, you will see that there was a dramatic improvement.

Arabia itself was a wretched place before Islam. Wild Bedouin tribes worshipped idols, waged endless blood feuds, oppressed their women and buried their daughters alive. The Roman and Persian empires regarded them as so contemptible that they weren’t even worthy of conquest. Islam transformed those desert Arabs into the leaders of a world civilisation. They carried this faith from Spain to India. Muslim Spain enjoyed a golden age of over 700 years from the 8th to the 15th Century. India under the Mughals gave us splendid architecture and the incomparable Taj Mahal. Turkey shone brilliantly under the Ottomans. Under Muslim rule, nations prospered. Science, art, poetry, music, philosophy, mathematics and technology flourished. Diverse communities lived together in peace and mutual respect. Religious and cultural diversity was celebrated long before anything comparable came to Europe. In Spain, it was known as convivencia, living together in harmony, and we’re talking here from 711 C.E. till 1492! Nations had nothing to fear from a Muslim presence. Indeed, During the Tang Dynasty, the Chinese Emperor Yung Wei was so impressed with the honesty and integrity of Muslim traders on the Silk Route, that he decreed that a great mosque should be built in central Canton. Known as the ‘Memorial Mosque,’ it still stands today, after 1,400 years! Brothers and sisters, you can see that our illustrious ancestors were inspirational role models that shone as beacons of light in the darkness!

When the historians come to write about the history of Muslims in Britain, what will they say about our contribution to British society? How would we have improved the British way of life? Would we have contributed more than doner kebabs, chicken tikka and papadums? Look around our neighbourhoods and you will see that there are many problems that we can help to alleviate. Crime is rising. Family life is falling apart. Divorce is at record levels. Teenage pregnancies, abortions, binge drinking, drug abuse and antisocial behaviour is spiralling out of control. It’s not just headlines in newspapers. These are real problems affecting real people. These are our neighbourhoods. They affect us and should concern us also. Are we Muslims part of the problem or part of the solution? Can we offer a better, alternative way of living? Can we show by our living example, an inspirational role model? Our Prophet Muhammad sws is described in the Quran as uswatul hasanah, ‘the exellent role model.’ By aspiring to his beautiful pattern of conduct, can we not bring something of his grace and nobility into our own lives?

We live in one of the wealthiest nations on the planet, but around us we see people struggling to piece together fragmented and dysfunctional lives. Islam teaches us that holiness is about wholeness, about being complete. Can we Muslims not show, by our living example, a more complete way of life that is balanced and harmonious? I believe that our biggest challenge, our greatest struggle, our real jihad will be to transform the fear and hatred of Islam into something of an inspiration, a way of living that others will find beautiful and worthy of respect. As well-rounded individuals and well-balanced families and as a well-integrated community, we can and must become models of serenity and calm in these difficult times. It’s do-able. Our Prophet Muhammad sws and his illustrious Companions, and 1400 years of good examples, can show us the way. Are we ready for the challenge?

Despite all the machinations of those who seek to harm us, Allah has a way of completing his plans. I believe there is a law of unintended consequences. Those who seek to harm Islam today, may well find their children and grandchildren embracing it tomorrow. The pagan Arabs tried to kill Muhammad and destroy his message of Monotheism. But their efforts were fruitless. They and their children, in time, accepted the same religion they hated. The same happened to the descendants of Genghis Khan, who became the Mughal emperors of India. In the Holy Quran God says that He will not allow the unbelievers to blow out His light. If people try to destroy what is good and beautiful, they usually end up destroying themselves, or loving what they hated before. So let’s not lose heart. You and I have only to remain truthful and steadfast. History is in good hands. The planets will stay in their orbits and the universe is safe in God’s loving care. We shouldn’t give up hope and we shouldn’t give in to despair and desperation. These hard times are merely a test from Allah, a test of our character and endurance. This is how He tested all of His prophets and messengers. None of them had an easy life, and their faith and forbearance is a beacon light for us, an inspiration and guidance for all time.

So as we celebrate Eid al Adha, and we remember the supreme sacrifice of Prophet Abraham, let us remember that the way to God’s good pleasure is paved with trials and tribulations. We must travel hopefully, with a buoyant and positive spirit, eagerly anticipating our first glimpse of His smiling Face. We know that at the end of every difficulty there comes relief. If we are to be worthy followers of Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad, (may God’s peace and blessings be on all of them), we must bring something of that grace and nobility, that patience, perseverance, love and devotion that they taught us, into our own lives.

Thank you for listening to me so patiently. I’ve offered you some food for thought. Now it’s time to enjoy some food of a more familiar kind. Our meal is being served. May God bless you all. May His Peace remain with you, always. As salaamu alaikum.

* Eid lunch talk on Sunday 7th January 2007 at Wetton’s Annexe, Royal Holloway University of London, UK.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My respected Brothers and Sisters,

Over the last weeks and months, we Muslims have again been the subject of intense media interest, mostly of the unwelcome kind. You can hardly pick up a newspaper or switch on the radio or TV, without finding your religion in the bad news department, again. So, what’s new? We’ve been here many times before. This will not be the first time, and certainly not the last time that Muslims are wrongly presented as a ‘problem’ and Islam is the target of vicious and sophisticated propaganda. Right from the earliest days Prophet Muhammad sws had to endure hatred and abuse from those who saw Islam as a threat. During his time, it was the wealthy Quraish who welcomed pagan pilgrims to worship idols around the Kaaba. How did he deal with their lies and provocations? How did he deal with abuse and insult? Did he stamp his feet, burn flags and call for the death of his enemies? No, he did not. He was, after all, uswatul hasana, the most excellent role-model. He knew that his behaviour would set the pattern for devout Muslims not only during his own lifetime, but for all time to come. In the face of extreme danger, he relied on his Lord. He carried on his good work of preaching, teaching and living the good example. He was never desperate, he never exceeded the wudood, the limits set by Allah. He endured all hardship with extraordinary dignity and forbearance. He relied completely on the Mercy of Allah. In time, his patience was rewarded when Allah gave him victory over those mighty forces that were thrust against him. Remember, no injustice endures forever. No hardship comes without relief. Here is a lesson for us all.

“Fa inna ma al usri yusra. Innama al usri yusra.” Says the Holy Quran [s.94v5]

“With every suffering, there comes relief. Truly, with every suffering there comes relief.”

This, my dear brothers and sisters, is a promise from Allah Himself.

After the Danish cartoons affair, we’ve had so many controversies involving Muslims. We’ve had Cabinet Ministers taking issue on the niqaab and even the Pope has made comments about our beloved Prophet Muhammad sws that do not help a wise and informed debate. As head of the Catholic Church, he is entitled to his views, even if they are biased. Of course, we strongly disagree with what he says, but we should still treat him with respect. We should not throw childish temper tantrums. This is not the Islamic way to behave. This is not the way of Prophet Muhammad sws. We should not break the law of the land and call for the death of anyone who offends our beliefs. Sometimes these provocations are intended precisely to show that we Muslims are immature, unable to take criticism and prone to violence. Don’t help anyone who wants to prove that you are oversensitive, immature and violent. Knee-jerk reactions only play into their hands. Don’t misbehave in the way they want you to misbehave.

At the same time I must state very clearly that we Muslims should never, ever become defensive and adopt a ‘victim’ culture. We should not become victims and think and act like victims. We have nothing to hide. Our beliefs are clear and we have no hidden agenda. We have nothing to be ashamed of and certainly nothing to fear. This is simply a period of trial and tribulation for us. Allah is testing us to see what we’re made of. We shouldn’t be surprised, depressed or distressed. Those who read the Holy Quran will find this confirmed in Sura Al Baqara 2:214:

“Do you suppose that you would enter the Garden without first having suffered like those before you? They were afflicted by misfortune and hardship, and they were so shaken that even [their] Messenger and the believers with him cried: ‘When will God’s help arrive? Truly, God’s help is ever near.”

When our noble and illustrious Prophet and his companions were under attack at the battle of Uhud, they were warned: a huge army is waiting to destroy you! But instead of fear and panic, this only increased their faith: Their reply was,

Hasbunal-Laah, wa neya’mal wakeel. Neya’mal Mawlaa wa neya’mal naseer!

Allah is enough for us as our Protector and our Helper!

That’s what we have to say, now that we and our faith are under attack from all sides. Allah is enough for us, and He is our best Guardian. Furthermore, we must never be depressed or distressed. We must be stay calm, confident and be happy, like our Prophet was, even during the most difficult times. We must radiate a sense of inner peace and contentment, sakina that comes from the certain knowledge that Allah is always with us. He is firmly in control of everything. He carries the whole of His creation in the palm of His Hand.

Soob’ haanal lathee biyadihee malakootu kulli shay in wa ilayhi tur Ja’oon!

“Blessed is Allah, in Whose Hand lies the control of everything, and to Him we shall all return.” This is the last verse of Sura Yasin. [sura 36]

We Muslims must realise that all our troubles will pass, and they are not a punishment. It’s only a test from Allah, a test of patience and endurance We must learn to trust Allah. When we entrust our affairs to Him and take Him to be an intimate friend, He will take us into His inner circle of intimate friends. And in His inner circle He promises to remove every trace of fear and anxiety…… In many places throughout the Holy Quran, he re-assures us in these words:

Alaa inna awliyaa Allah! La khowfun alayhim wa laa hoom yah zanoon!

Behold, on the Friends of Allah, there is no fear, and no grief. [Sura 10:62 and many other places]

No fear and no grief. No anxiety. True Muslims are not a desperate people. When our hearts are filled with Allah awareness [taqwa], overflowing with kindness and generosity to our neighbours, we simply cannot become dangerous and desperate people no matter how great the provocation. Remember, even when others may plot and plan, Allah is still the best of planners. He urges us to think, to ponder and reflect. Why are we under attack? Why is Islam being presented as a threat? And how can we Muslims defuse the situation? How can we turn this problem into an opportunity, a blessing in disguise?

There are many reasons why some people fear and hate Islam. This khutbah is too short to go into the details.

Clearly, some people are deeply concerned that Islam is spreading so fast. In 1900 Muslims accounted for 12% of world population. Now, a century later it has more than doubled to 25% and continues to rise. The secular historians are confused. Every other empire has come and gone: The Pharaohs, the Greeks, the Romans. Even the last Muslim empire, the Ottoman, was dismantled in 1922. According to secular logic, we should all be atheists by now! Mosques should have become museums, the places where Muslims used to pray, but everywhere mosques and prayer rooms like this one are overflowing. And its not just about numbers. More importantly, it’s about quality. More and more educated and pr