Part one

[Opening Dua’a]

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islam,

It has been suggested that one should visit the past in order to know the present. So let us cast our minds back to Friday 17th of Ramadhan of the 2nd year after Hijra. The place is Badr, named after a well established by someone called Badr, some 150 km outside Al Madinah towards Mecca. A small army of about 300 men, ill equipped, only 70 of whom were mounted; the rest of them had trekked that distance on foot. This was the camp of Tawheed and Justice facing an army of between 900-1000 men armed to the teeth – the camp of shirk and falsehood.

Before the Divine Command to leave Mecca and emigrate to Al-Madinah was received by the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, Muslims had endured many years of persecution on the hands of the mushriks of Quraish, which ranged from verbal and physical abuse to torture and murder not forgetting the most infamous and most cruel weapon of all, the embargo which Quraish imposed on the Muslim community. During all these years of hardship and suffering, the Muslims remained steadfast exercising patience and taqwa. With them, suffering like the rest of them, having forgone a very comfortable style of life and position of honour and leadership, (which the mushriks of Quraish had offered him) for the sake of Allah was this leader Mohammed, peace and blessings be upon him. The position of the servant of Allah and Messenger was of far greater value to him than being king. Instead he remained with the oppressed and those perceived to be weak exercising a unique style of leadership – an inspired and inspiring leadership. Although he was like the shepherd providing direction, maintaining the flock and meeting individual need, neither did he, nor do we even today, refer to those who were with him as followers. They are always referred to as companions. He, peace and blessings be upon him, was the first companion; for everyone of his companions was a leader in his own right and he was a leader of leaders. That is how he wanted them to be. They obeyed him willingly – not out of fear because he was a leader by example. He would not ask them to do anything that he would not willingly do himself.

Allah, theExalted, saw in His Most Infinite Wisdom, that the only fitting worldly reward for such men was a spectacular victory, and a spectacular victory it was. The mushriks of Quraish suffered a humiliating defeat losing 70 of their highly regarded men dead and a similar number captured with scores of wounded. They withdrew to Mecca licking their wounds and leaving behind their belongings that were shared amongst the Muslims as spoils of war. The Muslims lost 14 martyrs.

“When your Lord inspired the angels (saying): I am with you. So make those who belive stand firm. I will throw fear into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Then smite the necks and smite of then each finger.” 8:12

This was the immediate response from Allah, Most Exalted is He, to the supplication of the Muslims as stated in ayah 9 of the same Surah recited at the beginning, the meaning of which reads: “When you sought help of your Lord and He answered you (saying): I will help you with a thousand of angels, rank on rank”.

And just as Allah answered the prayers of these men at Badr, He, the Almighty, promised all Muslims to answer their prayers. But let us remind ourselves of the ayah and note the condition attached to this promise:

“And when my servants question you concerning Me, (then) I am surely near. I answer the prayer of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them hear My call and let them turn unto Me in order that they may be led aright.”

Part two

[Opening Dua’a]

Today is not that much different from the days preceding Badr. Although Muslims are many in numbers nowadays, they are still suffering from oppression, injustice, poverty, diseases, illiteracy and ignorance etc. What the Ummah in general needs is another Badr at three different levels.

The first and perhaps the most important level is the individual – ourselves. When Muslims turn away from their Deen, Allah will turn away from them until they return to Him in repentance. We must realise that unless and until we sincerely repent and return to the true Deen of Allah, we have no hope of overcoming the other obstacles.

The second level is the internal problems of each individual country. These are usually associated with the government of the country. Most, if not all Muslim countries have rulers rather than leaders at the head of the state. Such rulers shall not become leaders in the mould of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and his khulafa’a, may Allah be pleased with them all, until they see themselves as performing a function not holding a position or rank. They should rely on their authority of knowledge, wisdom and charisma to gain respect of their fellow countrymen. One western thinker stated that:

“Leadership in its most sublime touches the human spirit and includes the power to transcend ourselves for the common good to the extent of laying down our lives. Such an experience breeds in men a sense akin to humility in a leader, it deepens respect, trust and love. Such a leader would look upon leadership as a privilege in itself not a passport to privileges…”

It is perhaps ironic that western political observers should recognise such leadership in existence in a country that has possibly never experienced true democracy for decades.I am referring to Iraq and the English writer is talking about tribal leaders in the Euphrates region.

“…the Beduin tribe is the purest form of democracy to be found in the world…”

Another wrote…

“… the Bedu sheikh has no paid retainers on whom he can rely to carry out his orders. He is merely the first among equals in a society where every man is intensely independent and quick to resent every hint of autocracy. His authority depends in consequence on the force of his personality and his skill in handling men.”

Unfortunately at national level rulers find it better to be feared than loved. But as long as the seeds of true leadership remain alive, there is hope for true muslim leaders to emerge from amongst ourselves, by the Grace of Allah.

Once these two levels are set firmly in the right direction, the Ummah can turn to dealing with the third level – the external threats. The Ummah can then expend all its energies and resources to become economically powerful and militarily strong. All this is, by the Grace of the Most Gracious, achievable but the following must be borne in mind:

” Allah changes not the condition of a folk until they, first, change that which is in their hearts,”

“Verily in the messenger of Allah you have a good example (to follow).”

“Victory comes only with the help of Allah”.

[Closing Dua’a]

Ameen! Aqeemus salaah!

I also thank and praise Alláh, for this opportunity to welcome our new brothers and sisters who are starting their first academic year at this university. We pray to Him, to guide and assist all Muslim students to not only succeed, but to excel in their chosen field of study.

Starting afresh in a new environment without immediate relations or long-standing friends could have its problems. On behalf of the Students’ Islamic Society and the local Muslim community, I would like to assure all students that we shall be pleased to help and render any assistance to make your stay here a happy and beneficial experience. Achieving success is our objective as much as it is yours, for we would be very happy to see you take your rightful place in serving this Ummah that needs you.

There will be times when you wish you were with your families such as in the month of Ramadhán, and the ‘Eids. We know that we cannot replace your families, nor do we wish to, but I would like to assure you that these occasions will be memorable to say the least, and we pray to Alláh, that the forthcoming Ramadhán will be better than all previous ones.

I do not expect that the students need reminding, but maybe the rest of us do, that:

“Seeking knowledge is a duty of all Muslims, male and female.”

“Knowledge” may be thought to refer to refer to religious knowledge only but scholars extend this to include all useful worldly knowledge. This view is supported by many Áyát in the Holy Qur’án and the traditions of Nabi Muhammad sws.

Let us go back to the very beginning to appreciate the special statua of knowledge in Islam. In Sura Al Baqara we read:

“And He taught Adam all the names…”

According to the eminent scholars, there is unanimity that this includes the names of all the creations of Alláh, including the stars, the earth, the planets, and the angels themselves. No one can deny that this is religious not knowledge also, although to know about them can concentrate the mind on the greatness of Alláh swt.

If we can move quickly to more recent times, we read that the first divine command to Prophet Muhammad, [may Alláh grant him Peace and Blessings] :

“Read! In the name of your Lord, Who creates!”

followed by a second command:

“Read! And your Lord is most bountiful, He who taught the use of the pen, taught man that which he knew not!”

The source of all knowledge is Alláh, Glorified and Exalted is He, and no creation has any knowledge except that which Alláh has taught him. The evidence for this statement is ample, and needs no further elaboration. Let us also remember the practice of Rasúlulláhi Salall láhu ‘alayhi wasallam in this regard. The ransom of a prisoner of war, was to teach a number of Muslims to read and write. Literate Muslims form a sound foundation for the Muslim State. And knowledge in general precedes action.

In Sura Muhammad the reference is to knowledge of Alláh, Jalláh Jalálahu:

“Know, therefore, that there is no god but Alláh, and ask forgiveness for your faults and for the men and women who believe…”

The áyát and hadíth about knowledge are too many to list, but the following verse from Sura Yásín puts the matter in its proper perspective:

“It is He Who made the sun to be a shining glory and the moon to be a light (of beauty) and measured out stages for her: that ye might know the number of years and the count (of time). Nowise did Allah create this but in truth and righteousness. (Thus) doth He explain his Signs in detail for those who understand.

Verily in the alternation of the Night and the Day and in all that Allah hath created in the heavens and the earth are Signs for those who fear Him.”

SECOND KHUTBAH

Bismilláhir Rahmánir Rahím!

In Sura Al Anfal we read:

“Against them make ready your strength to the utmost of your power including steeds of war to strike terror into (the hearts of) the enemies of Allah and your enemies ….”

To be strong we must start first of all attain strength in Ímán, for without faith in Alláh and His messenger, we cannot achieve strength in other fields. Our Ímán and only through our Ímán can we be just. The purpose of building our strength including military strength, is to uphold justice, not to be unjust or aggressive, but to be feared because we are strong and just.

The second requirement is to be knowledgeable, – well educated for military strength can be abused by ignorant people. Similarly, only people who understand the workings of the economy can achieve economic strength. We must be knowledgeable about the life of Rasúlulláhi Salall láhu ‘alayhi wasallam , to understand how he conducted the affairs of the Muslim State both internally and externally. We must be medically advanced to bring up healthier generations with sound minds. Most important is to be independent of non-Muslim domination at all levels, whether it be in food, clothing, or military or computer hardware and software.

This combination of strength and knowledge would make us feared but not despised….because we are strong and just. The enemies would think more than once before committing injustice or aggression against us.

What else does The Holy Qur’án teach us with respect to the acquisition of knowledge? …. Humility and respect for the teacher. One must never allow himself to think that he has achieved the ultimate … no one knows more than I do …. I know best …

We read in Sura Al Qáf v66:

Moses said to him: “May I follow thee on the footing that thou teach me something of the (Higher) Truth which thou hast been taught?”

What humility! … what politeness! …. Prophet Músa seeks permission from a man, who is not even a messenger or a prophet, to follow him in order to learn, to acquire knowledge. And what understanding does he give when questioned:

“You will find me, if Alláh wills, truly patient; nor will I disobey you in anything.”

Nor did the teacher feel flattered or haughty. According to some narrations he said to Nabi Músa alayhis salám:

“Do you see that bird drinking from the sea?”

“Yes” was the answer.

“Compared to the knowledge of Alláh, Glorified and Exalted is He, your knowledge and mine combined, is like what the bird drinks from the sea.”

[Dua’ in Arabic]

Ameen! Aqeemus salaah!

Al hamdu lillahi rabbil ‘alameen. Was salaatu was salaamu ‘alaa ashrafil mursaleen. Sayidinaa wa nabi’na wamoulanaa Muhammadin wa’ala aalihee wa sahbihee wasallim.

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islam,

Today, I would like to comment about two television programmes that I watched recently. I don’t expect many of you to have watched these programmes and I shall therefore give a brief outline of each. The first was an Arabic programme about the role of tribalism in contemporary society. The second was about UFO’s. The two topics are, in a peculiar way, related, as we shall see.

For the first programme, there was a studio panel of three, a writer-journalist and two doctors with audience participation by telephone. The panel more or less agreed on a broad definition of tribalism as being loyalty or allegiance to the tribe. They also agreed that the party-political systems that developed in our countries are based on the concept of the tribe. Two of the panel agreed that it was a healthy thing for society to be represented by its elected members in parliaments or assemblies also based on this concept as, according to them, in a true democracy members should reflect the composition of society as it exists.

One panellist stated that, if we are to have true democracy, we should have proper political parties not based on the tribal concept. One of the other two suggested a second chamber of professionals e.g. lawyers, doctors, teachers etc…

Disappointingly, the role of Islam in the evolution of society in general and the political institutions in particular was only mentioned once when one of the panellists stated that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, once in Madeenah replaced loyalty to the tribe with loyalty to a different grouping, an abstract grouping of The Emigrants and The Ansaar. I must hasten to add that I neither liked the way the discussion was steered towards political parties and democracy only nor some of the points made such as the ones about elected parliaments or the role Islam. In fact the comment about Islam replacing loyalty to one group, the tribe, with loyalty to a larger grouping of The Emigrants or The Ansaar is totally wrong.

The most fundamental principle in Islam about mankind was stated in one simple sentence:

“You are all the progeny of Adam, and Adam was created from dust.”

The Holy Qur’án states this fact in many Surahs that deal with the creation of mankind. In Surat Al-Roum, for example, we read:

“Among His Signs is this: that He created you from dust, and then behold, you are men scattered far and wide.”

The very first Ayah of Surat Al-Nisa’a informs us about the basic family unit and the extended family of mankind at large.

“O mankind, fear your Guardian Lord Who created you from a single person, created out of it his mate and from them twain scattered like seeds countless men and women.”

Families and extended families are bonded together by mutual love, respect and inter-dependence. As families grew in numbers, tribes were formed who congregated together in one area or moved around together providing mutual protection for their interests.

In pre-Islamic societies, the tribe came first regardless and it was always right regardless of whether it was just or unjust. The only allegiance that men shared was to the tribe. That allegiance was crude and knew no bounds or regulation. Men were zealots, bigots.

When Islam dawned, decadent values of those societies were rejected and replaced with refined Islamic ideals and codes of conduct. When the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessing be upon him, sought the allegiance of the men and women who entered Islam, he did not seek their allegiance to himself. Allegiance is to be to the Deen of Islam…that is more enduring. Indeed when he, peace be upon him, entered Al-Medeenah he joined the Emigrants and the Ansaar in brotherhood, the enduring brotherhood of Islam…a noble and selfless brotherhood indeed.

Witness Surat Al-Fat’h:

“When those who disbelieve had set-up in their hearts zealotry, the zealotry of the Age of Ignorance, then Allah sent down His peace of reassurance upon His messenger and upon the believers and imposed on them the word of (Taqwa) self-restraint.”

And today, like yesterday, mankind shall only be blessed with the peace of reassurance from Allah, The Most High, if they embrace the word of Taqwa through true Islam.

Let us revert to the Ayah recited at the opening of this khutbah.

“O mankind, We have created you male and female and have made you nations and tribes that you may know one another. The noblest of you in the sight of Allah is the best in conduct (he who has most Taqwa). Allah is the Knower, Aware.

The question that naturally comes to mind is this:

“If in the sight of Allah, the noblest of us is he with the highest degree of Taqwa, should we not entrust our representation and our governance to such men regardless of their tribal origin? Is it not time we reverted back to our true Deen, and rejected, once again, the values that this Deen came to replace over 1400 years ago?”

(Dua’a)

Second Khutbah:

Bismillah-ir-Rahman, ir-Raheem.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islam,

The second programme was on one of the local channels. The presenter was investigating the UFO phenomenon and his starting point in the USA was interviews with people who claimed sighting such objects. Some claimed abductions by extra terrestrial beings. Others, especially in farming communities could not explain damage to their cattle except by blaming it on alien beings from other planets. Most people described the crafts as being silent except for the sound of air when an aircraft is hovering in the skies with bright lights shining…then the craft disappears…

The presenter then met and interviewed some journalists who had written on the subject. Some of these journalists who had carried out extensive research were stating, and not for the first time, that various aircraft being could explain such sightings developed for the US military aerospace programmes. Meetings with Congressmen or Senators yielded some information but the final confirmation came from two sources; some family members of those who were involved in such research and from a very high ranking official at the Pentagon.

An area the size of Switzerland is designated for such research. It has no name and appears on no map and no roads lead to or from it. Anyone crossing some invisible boundaries is arrested; therefore the journalist could not even get anywhere near it with the camera crews etc.

The widow of a scientist who was working at that Research facility along with widows of other scientists and staff are fighting a legal battle with the US government to know the cause of death of their spouses. National security means they cannot be given such information.

The Pentagon official confirmed that they classify their research projects into three categories. A white project is one that is now fully operational – they admit its existence and can talk about it. A grey project is one that is nearing completion – they admit but cannot talk about it. A black project is one in its early stages, which is neither admitted nor talked about.

When asked whether UFO’s can be explained by being something in the third category of projects, the official smilingly declined to answer.

My opinion, for what it is worth, is that all talk about extra-terrestrial beings and crafts is part of the campaign of mis-information to divert attention from the real thing. One may be speculating if one concludes that deeper secrets lie behind such research that their own people cannot be told the cause of death of staff working in such facilities? That is a problem for them. As far as we are concerned, we need to be aware what they are preparing for. Islam is a Deen of peace and tolerance, but at the same time we must be well prepared to deter aggression from whatever source. Others should not fear from true Islam and muslims because our Deen prohibits us from committing aggression.

Something far worse was publicly announced a few months ago in such a way that might have, perhaps, escaped the attention of some of us. The new role of NATO is to extend beyond the geographical area of the alliance and is not to be limited to military action. Its new role is to spread the “ideals and principles” of the West far beyond…Muslim regions were mentioned by name… If this translates into another cultural invasion, then we should be aware and do our best to preserve our Islamic identity and values.

We muslims need to move forward to catch up with the rest of the world that is surging ahead at an incredible speed. We need to tackle the real issues that affect the muslim people in their daily lives such as education, health and welfare. Let us not keep talking about matters Islam satisfactorily resolved more than 1400 years ago. Let us concentrate on finding the solutions to our real problems through the Holy Qura’an and the sunnah of our prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.

(Dua’a)

Ameen! Aqeemus salaah!

Al hamdu lillahi rabbil ‘alameen. Was salaatu was salaamu ‘alaa ashrafil mursaleen. Sayidinaa wa nabi’na wamoulanaa Muhammadin wa’ala aalihee wa sahbihee wasallim.

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islam,

Today, I would like to comment about two television programmes that I watched recently. I don’t expect many of you to have watched these programmes and I shall therefore give a brief outline of each. The first was an Arabic programme about the role of tribalism in contemporary society. The second was about UFO’s. The two topics are, in a peculiar way, related, as we shall see.

For the first programme, there was a studio panel of three, a writer-journalist and two doctors with audience participation by telephone. The panel more or less agreed on a broad definition of tribalism as being loyalty or allegiance to the tribe. They also agreed that the party-political systems that developed in our countries are based on the concept of the tribe. Two of the panel agreed that it was a healthy thing for society to be represented by its elected members in parliaments or assemblies also based on this concept as, according to them, in a true democracy members should reflect the composition of society as it exists.

One panellist stated that, if we are to have true democracy, we should have proper political parties not based on the tribal concept. One of the other two suggested a second chamber of professionals e.g. lawyers, doctors, teachers etc…

Disappointingly, the role of Islam in the evolution of society in general and the political institutions in particular was only mentioned once when one of the panellists stated that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, once in Madeenah replaced loyalty to the tribe with loyalty to a different grouping, an abstract grouping of The Emigrants and The Ansaar. I must hasten to add that I neither liked the way the discussion was steered towards political parties and democracy only nor some of the points made such as the ones about elected parliaments or the role Islam. In fact the comment about Islam replacing loyalty to one group, the tribe, with loyalty to a larger grouping of The Emigrants or The Ansaar is totally wrong.

The most fundamental principle in Islam about mankind was stated in one simple sentence:

“You are all the progeny of Adam, and Adam was created from dust.”

The Holy Qur’án states this fact in many Surahs that deal with the creation of mankind. In Surat Al-Roum, for example, we read:

“Among His Signs is this: that He created you from dust, and then behold, you are men scattered far and wide.”

The very first Ayah of Surat Al-Nisa’a informs us about the basic family unit and the extended family of mankind at large.

“O mankind, fear your Guardian Lord Who created you from a single person, created out of it his mate and from them twain scattered like seeds countless men and women.”

Families and extended families are bonded together by mutual love, respect and inter-dependence. As families grew in numbers, tribes were formed who congregated together in one area or moved around together providing mutual protection for their interests.

In pre-Islamic societies, the tribe came first regardless and it was always right regardless of whether it was just or unjust. The only allegiance that men shared was to the tribe. That allegiance was crude and knew no bounds or regulation. Men were zealots, bigots.

When Islam dawned, decadent values of those societies were rejected and replaced with refined Islamic ideals and codes of conduct. When the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessing be upon him, sought the allegiance of the men and women who entered Islam, he did not seek their allegiance to himself. Allegiance is to be to the Deen of Islam…that is more enduring. Indeed when he, peace be upon him, entered Al-Medeenah he joined the Emigrants and the Ansaar in brotherhood, the enduring brotherhood of Islam…a noble and selfless brotherhood indeed.

Witness Surat Al-Fat’h:

“When those who disbelieve had set-up in their hearts zealotry, the zealotry of the Age of Ignorance, then Allah sent down His peace of reassurance upon His messenger and upon the believers and imposed on them the word of (Taqwa) self-restraint.”

And today, like yesterday, mankind shall only be blessed with the peace of reassurance from Allah, The Most High, if they embrace the word of Taqwa through true Islam.

Let us revert to the Ayah recited at the opening of this khutbah.

“O mankind, We have created you male and female and have made you nations and tribes that you may know one another. The noblest of you in the sight of Allah is the best in conduct (he who has most Taqwa). Allah is the Knower, Aware.

The question that naturally comes to mind is this:

“If in the sight of Allah, the noblest of us is he with the highest degree of Taqwa, should we not entrust our representation and our governance to such men regardless of their tribal origin? Is it not time we reverted back to our true Deen, and rejected, once again, the values that this Deen came to replace over 1400 years ago?”

(Dua’a)

Second Khutbah:

Bismillah-ir-Rahman, ir-Raheem.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islam,

The second programme was on one of the local channels. The presenter was investigating the UFO phenomenon and his starting point in the USA was interviews with people who claimed sighting such objects. Some claimed abductions by extra terrestrial beings. Others, especially in farming communities could not explain damage to their cattle except by blaming it on alien beings from other planets. Most people described the crafts as being silent except for the sound of air when an aircraft is hovering in the skies with bright lights shining…then the craft disappears…

The presenter then met and interviewed some journalists who had written on the subject. Some of these journalists who had carried out extensive research were stating, and not for the first time, that various aircraft being could explain such sightings developed for the US military aerospace programmes. Meetings with Congressmen or Senators yielded some information but the final confirmation came from two sources; some family members of those who were involved in such research and from a very high ranking official at the Pentagon.

An area the size of Switzerland is designated for such research. It has no name and appears on no map and no roads lead to or from it. Anyone crossing some invisible boundaries is arrested; therefore the journalist could not even get anywhere near it with the camera crews etc.

The widow of a scientist who was working at that Research facility along with widows of other scientists and staff are fighting a legal battle with the US government to know the cause of death of their spouses. National security means they cannot be given such information.

The Pentagon official confirmed that they classify their research projects into three categories. A white project is one that is now fully operational – they admit its existence and can talk about it. A grey project is one that is nearing completion – they admit but cannot talk about it. A black project is one in its early stages, which is neither admitted nor talked about.

When asked whether UFO’s can be explained by being something in the third category of projects, the official smilingly declined to answer.

My opinion, for what it is worth, is that all talk about extra-terrestrial beings and crafts is part of the campaign of mis-information to divert attention from the real thing. One may be speculating if one concludes that deeper secrets lie behind such research that their own people cannot be told the cause of death of staff working in such facilities? That is a problem for them. As far as we are concerned, we need to be aware what they are preparing for. Islam is a Deen of peace and tolerance, but at the same time we must be well prepared to deter aggression from whatever source. Others should not fear from true Islam and muslims because our Deen prohibits us from committing aggression.

Something far worse was publicly announced a few months ago in such a way that might have, perhaps, escaped the attention of some of us. The new role of NATO is to extend beyond the geographical area of the alliance and is not to be limited to military action. Its new role is to spread the “ideals and principles” of the West far beyond…Muslim regions were mentioned by name… If this translates into another cultural invasion, then we should be aware and do our best to preserve our Islamic identity and values.

We muslims need to move forward to catch up with the rest of the world that is surging ahead at an incredible speed. We need to tackle the real issues that affect the muslim people in their daily lives such as education, health and welfare. Let us not keep talking about matters Islam satisfactorily resolved more than 1400 years ago. Let us concentrate on finding the solutions to our real problems through the Holy Qura’an and the sunnah of our prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.

(Dua’a)

Ameen! Aqeemus salaah!

Al hamdu lillahi rabbil ‘alameen. Was salaatu was salaamu ‘alaa ashrafil mursaleen. Sayidinaa wa nabi’na wamoulanaa Muhammadin wa’ala aalihee wa sahbihee wasallim.

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islam,

In every raka’a of every prayer we recite:

‘Show us the Straight Path. The path of those whom You have favoured.

Not the path of those who earn your anger nor of those who go astray’

And a fundamental principle in Islam is that all Muslims say in words and deeds ‘We hear and we obey’ the Commands of Allah and His Messenger because we believe in the wisdom, justice and goodness of such Commands. And because our obedience is based on faith and knowledge we do not question the validity of such Commands. And we therefore beseech Allah to guide us to the Straight Path, the Deen that He has chosen for mankind and to protect us from following the paths of those who earned the Wrath of Allah or those who have gone astray.

Today, let us learn what the Holy Qur’an teaches us about the first category of those two peoples and pray to Allah that we never forget His teachings. These Ayat are not just telling us stories or narrating historical facts, they contain valuable lessons for us to learn and contemplate and to benefit from and apply. We disregard these lessons at our peril and we have to be prepared to suffer the consequences.

‘And (remember) when We did deliver you from Pharaoh’s folk who were afflicting you with dreadful torment, slaying your sons and sparing your women. That was a tremendous trial from your Lord. And when We brought you through the sea and rescued you and drowned the folk of Pharaoh in your sight’

What happened? They came unto a people worshipping idols. Did they remember the favours of Allah? Were they grateful? Did they call those misguided people to the worship of the Lord Who had just saved them? Listen to this:

‘ And We brought the children of Israel across the sea, and they came unto a people who were given up to idols which they had. They said’ O Moses! Make for us a god even as they have gods…..’

Allah sends a prophet of His, a Messenger, His mission was to save the children of Israel. Now that he had just accomplished his mission, this is what they ask of him.

‘He said: Lo! You are a folk who know not. Lo! As for these, this way will be destroyed and all that they are doing is in vain. He said: Shall I seek for you a god other than Allah whom He has favoured you above all creatures?’

Had the favours and mercies been from any other than Allah they would have been stopped forthwith.. But let us continue…

They entered Sinai, a desert land, no trees, no shade and the temperatures soar during the day.

‘O Moses it is hot out here!’

‘And We caused the white cloud to over shadow you’

The food that they had carried with them was fast running out.

‘O Moses we are hungry!’

‘And sent down on you the manna and the quails’

Now that they are comfortable and eaten…..’O Moses we are thirsty!’

‘And when Moses asked for water for his people, We said: Smite with your staff the rock and there gushed out therefrom twelve springs (so that) each tribe knew their drinking place. Eat and drink of that which Allah has provided and do not act corruptly, making mischief in the earth’

Were they happy? Were they satisfied? Shade, food, water and above all safety? Oh no!

“O Moses we are fed up eating the same food day in day out! We want different varieties.”

‘And when you said: O Moses! We are weary of one kind of food: so call upon your Lord for us that He bring forth for us that which the earth grows of its herbs and its cucumbers and its corn and its lentils and its onions. He said: would you exchange that which is superior for that which is inferior? Go down to settled country, thus you shall get that which you demand’

I trust you have noticed the wording they used and which will recur again and again….

‘So call upon your Lord’

Glorified is Allah, our Lord. Is He not their Lord as well!

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,

Let us revert back to the verses that deal with the calf to see what happened.

‘And when We did appoint for Moses forty nights (of solitude) and then you chose the calf, when he had gone from you and were wrongdoers. Then, even after that We pardoned you in order that you might give thanks. And revealed to Moses the Book and the Criterion that you may be guided.’

Soon after having saved the Children of Israel, Moses was to go for forty nights of solitude to pray and thank Allah for His great favours bestowed on them. No sooner had he turned his back than they fashioned a calf from their jewellery and took him as a god to worship! Surat Al A’araaf gives greater details:

‘And the folk of Moses, after he had left them, chose a calf (for worship) made out of their ornaments of saffron hue which gave a lowing sound. Saw they not that it spoke not unto them nor guided them to any way? They chose it and became wrongdoers’

Moses was furious and could neither understand nor believe what his people had done.

‘And when Moses said to his people: O my people you have wronged yourselves by your choosing the calf for worship, so turn in repentance to your Creator and kill the guilty yourselves. That will be best for you with your Creator and He will relent towards you. Lo! He is the Relenting, the Merciful’

According to the tafseer, those who did not worship the calf fought those who did as commanded by Moses who was acting upon the Command of Allah. There was complete and utter darkness and a great deal of confusion. When the darkness lifted, there were some seventy thousand killed. And that is when Allah forgave both parties. Both Moses and the Israelites were grateful for this forgiveness.

In Surat Al A’araaf , Allah speaks of this repentance and warns all those who invent in the Deen of Allah till the Day of Resurrection as stated in the ayah and the tafseer that they will incur the wrath of Allah.

‘Lo! Those who chose the calf for worship, terror from their Lord and humiliation will come upon them in this world. Thus do We requite those who invent a lie. But those who do ill deeds and afterwards repent and believe, Lo! for them, afterward, Allah is Forgiving, Merciful’

The second part of this lesson will, by the Grace of Allah, come in the near future.

Ameen! Aqeemus salaah!

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islam,

(Dua’a)

The popular belief is that if a young person grows up used to doing something, he or she shall grow old doing the same thing and if he or she grows old doing that same thing, he or she will die doing it.

This belief is generally true because there is an age at which young people learn things and accept new ideas; after that a person becomes less likely to accept change and is settled in his or her behaviour. There is, however, an exception to this general rule – and that is if iman establishes itself in the heart of a person. Everything changes and age does not pose an obstacle or difficulty. Examples of course abound but we shall study two examples of a man and a woman whose entire outlook on life in general changed because of their iman. We shall look on some other examples and the effect of Islam and iman on them.

But first the man. He Omar ibn Al Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) who in his days of pre-Islam (Jahilliyeh – religious ignorance) had such an unpredictable mind that he worshipped a god (an idol) made of sweets. One day he felt hungry and ate his idol. It is also related that following the customs of his time, he buried a young daughter of his, alive. His daughter was removing the dust from his beard whilst he was digging her grave…his fatherhood was not even aroused by this! But when Islam appeared and he began to hear verses of the Holy Qur’án being recited a gradual change was put into motion. He related that he was ‘charmed’ by the words of the Holy Qur’án and one day as he was trying to convince himself that these words cannot be more than words of a poet, he overheard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, reciting the verses of Surat Al Haqqah which I recited earlier, saying:

“So, I do call to witness what you see and what you see not that this is verily the word of an honoured messenger. It is not the word of a poet. Little it is you believe.”

Then, he thought to himself: “It must be the word of a soothsayer.”

But the recitation continued:

“Nor is it the word of a soothsayer. Little admonition it is you receive.This is a Message sent down from the Lord of the Worlds.”

Islam and true iman transformed this man. His mind is now free…so much so that he chopped off the tree under which the treaty of (Ai-Hudaybiyeh) was signed lest people, after a while, treated it as something sacred.

And he stands facing the Black Stone in (Al-Kaabah) saying:

“Oh Stone. I kiss you knowing that you neither benefit or cause harm. Had not I seen the Messenger of Allah kiss you, I would never have kissed you.”

Of his mercy, kindness and fear of Allah stories abound; his kindness and generosity to Muslims and non-Muslims, to man and beast is best shown by this saying after he became Khleefah:

“If a mule trips in the land of the Euphrates, Allah would hold me responsible and ask me why I did not make proper pathways.”

Glorified be Allah Who changes the hearts and conditions of men.

And the woman is a well-known poetess named (Al-Khansa’a) who during the period of (Jahilliyeh) lost a half-brother of hers in tribal feuds and she wrote a whole volume of poems mourning her brother (Sakhr). She was so shocked and saddened by his death that she could not imagine life after him and even contemplated suicide as she stated in one of her poems:

“Sunrise reminds me of (Sakhr) and I remember him every sunset”.

“And if it were not for the great number of mourners around me for their brothers, I would have killed myself.”

Needless to say, she survived her brother’s death, married and had four male children. She became a Muslim along with her tribe, and that is when she became a changed person. Her iman made her accompany her four young men (her four sons)on Jihad. On the eve of a decisive battle, she sat with her sons advising them and urging them to discharge their Islamic duty and stand firm against the enemy. Amongst what she said was:

“Oh my sons, you became Muslim by your own free will and emigrated by choice. You know what great rewards Allah has reserved for the Muslims who fight against the unbelievers. The House of Eternal Life is better than the House of the Temporary Life (meaning of this world). Allah, most high, says:

“Oh you who believe, persevere in patience and constancy: vie in such perseverance, strengthen each other and fear Allah that you may prosper.”

“Tomorrow, go to your enemies with discerning and seek assistance and victory from Allah. When the battle is joined, go towards the heart of the enemy and fight off their leaders: you shall attain Eternal Bliss.”

They fought like true believers and whenever any of them was not in the front line with his brothers, he was reminded of what their elderly mother had said. Eventually, all four men were martyred, one after the other.

When the news of their martyrdom reached their mother, she did not mourn the way she mourned her brother. In true tradition of the Believers she said:

“Praise be to Allah who has honoured me with their deaths. I trust that Allah will join me with them in His Mercy.”

(Dua’a)

Second Khutbah:

Bismillah-ir-Rahman, ir-Raheem.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islam,

(Dua’a)

What strength did iman place in the arms of the youthful and diminutive Ali Ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, that enabled him to challenge the best swordsmen of Quraish who thought no man (let alone a youth) could match their strength or fighting abilities. But, (as Allah says) “It was not you who slew them, it was Allah.”

And should anyone think that this is true of people of old; let us dispel this illusion and relate stories about Believers who lived more recently. Furthermore, history shall reveal stories about other men and women of our present age whose strength and courage startles the enemies.

Most of us know the Libyan hero, Omar Al-Mukhtar, who, armed with a sword or at best, a rifle fought the war machine of the Italian army. Both he and the Believers with him cost the Italian army great losses and many casualties. He kept saying to the occupiers: ” If your canon breaks my sword, your falsehood shall never break my truth.”

When he was finally captured and sentenced to death, he accepted his fate with dignity and honour. Before execution, he was told: “Ask for a pardon, and we shall set you free.” He refused, saying: “If you set me free, I shall fight you again!!”

And just over fifty years ago, there lived a gentle scholar named Abul Kalam A’aZad who stood in the dock of a British court, accused of incitement against British rule. In his defence, he delivered what can only be described as a historic document of thirty-six pages in which he said:

“Yes, I did say the present government is unjust. What was I supposed to say? How is it that I am required not to call things by their true names? I am a Muslim, and as a Muslim, I am obliged to stand against tyranny and to tell the people about it.”

Then he went on to say:

“Tawheed is the basis of Islam, and it’s opposite is shirk, which Muslims detest. And tawheed teaches Muslims that they should only fear Allah and humble themselves to him alone…whoever fears any other, apart from Allah, is mushrik…and shirk and tawheed are never destined to meet.

From beginning to end, Islam is a call for courage and sacrifice. Death for the sake of the truth is not to be feared.

Allah (SWT) says:

“And they fear none but Allah, and sufficient is Allah to call men to account.”

Allah (SWT) also says:

“Is not Allah sufficient for his servant? But they try to frighten you with other gods besides Him. For such as Allah leaves to stray, there can be no guide”

Let the British government know that the Muslim whose Lord has commanded him to welcome death and not keep silent about the truth, is not frightened by the Indian Criminal Law No 124 and that law shall not stop him from being a Muslim and discharging his obligations.

Then he turned to the judge and said:

” As for you, judge, what else can I say to you except what the Believers before me who faced similar conditions said:

“So decree whatever you desire to decree, for you can only decree in matters relating to the life of this world.”(Holy Qura’an)

(Dua’a)

Ameen! Aqeemus salaah!

Bismillahi Ar-Rahmaani Ar-Raheem

[Arabic introduction]

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islam,

From the tafseer of Surat Qaaf the arguments of the unbelievers and the doubters were examined and each argument advanced had been repudiated proving that the Day of Resurrection is an indisputable fact. Such people were invited to consider the creation of the heavens and the earth and all that is on earth that Allah has provided for mankind. But Allah categorically states that only those who turn to Him will understand His Signs.

To continue:

And We send down from the sky rain charged with blessing, and We produce therewith gardens and grain for harvest ~ And tall stately palm trees with shoots of fruit stalks, piled one over another ~ and sustenance for Allah’s servants, and We give life therewith to land that is dead, thus will be the Resurrection’

Allah likens the rising of mankind from the dead to the coming to life of seeds after Allah blesses it with water. The scholar Mohammed bin Ahmed Al-Ansaari Al-Qurtoby, May Allah have Mercy on him, in his voluminous work briefly known as Al-Tathkiraa (The Reminder), narrated a long hadeeth from Abu Hurayrah, May Allah be Pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:

‘Then will Allah send down upon you water from under the Throne known as the Water of Life. The heavens will rain on you for forty years until water rises above you some twelve arms lengths.’

’Then Allah, the Exalted, will command the bodies to grow like tender plants and like vegetables’

Then Allah, the Almighty, commands:

“Let every soul (spirit) return to its own body.” The souls shall pass through the earth to the bodies and then enter through the nose’

‘Then will the earth open up and expose you’

‘Before them was denied (the Heareafter) by the people of Noah, the companions of the Rass, the Thamud, The A’ad, Pharoah, the brethren of Lut, The companions of the Wood and the people of Tubba’a ; each one (of them) rejected the messengers, and My warning was duly fulfilled in them’

The scholar Ibn Al-Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah, May Allah have Mercy on him, said that these ayat serve a dual purpose – that the earlier Prophets, peace be on our Prophet and upon them, were sent with a similar message but their peoples did not believe them and consequently suffered the fates that they did and that Mohammed (pbuh) is indeed a Prophet and a Messenger of Allah as this Holy Book, the Qura’an narrates some stories about the earlier nations as the scriptures of did Jews and Christians did. He certainly did not learn them from teachers or books. This book is truly the Word of Allah revealed to His Final Messenger – no sane person can deny that.

[Arabic dua to close]

Second Khutbah:

Bismillahi Ar-Rahmaani Ar-Raheem

[Arabic introduction]

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islam,

‘ Were We then weary with the first creation that they should be in confused doubt about a new creation’

Some scholars understood the word (Afa ayyinah?) to mean (Afa Ajiznah?) – and thus the ayah would mean “Were We then unable to create the first creation or disabled after the first creation?”

Glorified be Allah.

Others, as in the translation I read earlier took the word to mean tired-out or wearied. Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawzziyah, May Allah have Mercy on him, wrote that the word has a much broader meaning – the Arabic word he chose (Al-hayrah) or (Adem Al-Ihtia’a) – the nearest English translation:

‘Were We then non-plussed’ or ‘Were We then at a loss?’

Glorified be Allah Who neither sleeps nor experiences death.

‘It was We Who created man, and We know what suggestions his soul makes to him, for We are nearer to him than his jugular vein.’

The nearness of Allah to man is through His Angels and His Power. This is confirmed by the ayah that follows:

‘Behold, two (guardian angels) appointed to learn (his doings), learn (and note them). One sitting on the right and one on the left’

“Not a word does he utter but there is a vigilant Guardian”.

These two brief ayat inform us that both words and deeds are recorded and, as we shall see later, these records will be presented to every person on the Day of Resurrection.

Let man contemplate on his own creation – from what he is created and the abilities, capabilities, powers and faculties that he is endowed with. Serious contemplation of ones creation will undoubtedly lead him to believe in the Creator and all that His Messengers have related.

[Arabic dua to close]

Ameen! Aqeemus salaah!

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islam,

To continue with the tafseer of Surat Qaaf, I would like to state that it would be highly rewarding for us to contemplate on the meaning of the ayaat and surahs that we recite or listen to being recited. That is the command of Allah (swt) and what His Messenger (pbuh) enjoined. Unfortunately, we do not often do, but this is neither new nor unique for our generation.

Sometimes whilst reciting certain ayaat or listening to a recitation the ayaat acquire a specific, perhaps new, significance. They may acquire a greater proportion than we had hitherto realised. Therefore, it is extremely important for us to understand the context of the ayah and the circumstances of the revelation. Furthermore, we should always bear in mind that the Holy Qura’an is a whole book and that each ayah supplements and compliments the others. The divisions of Surahs should not be looked upon as providing compartments separating Surahs from each other. The ayaat recited earlier come from Surat Al-Naml (The Ant) and may be translated as follows:

‘And he (referring to Sulaiman, peace be upon him) sought among the birds and said: how is it that I see not the hoopoe, or is he among the absent? I verily will punish him with hard punishment or I verily will slay him, or he verily shall bring me a plain excuse. But he was not long in coming and he said: I have found out (a thing) that you apprehend not, and I come unto you from Sheba with sure tidings. Lo! I found a woman ruling over them and she had been given abundance of all things, and hers is a mighty throne. I found her and her people worshipping the sun instead of Allah; and Satan makes their works fair-seeming unto them and debars them from the way of the Truth, so that they go not aright.’

Allah Who enabled the birds to talk and Who blessed Sulaiman with the ability to understand their speech. (Glorified be Allah) these are the words and this is the logic of a bird. This bird ended his speech saying:

‘ Allah, there is no God save Him, the Lord of the Tremendous Throne’

Yet man quite rightly prides himself to be the most intelligent of Allah’s creations. But Allah (swt) informs us that the unbelievers and the doubters, because of their lack of faith, are utterly confused.

‘ But they deny the truth when it comes to them, so they are in a confused state’

They are incapable of telling right from wrong, good from evil and follow their whims and desires. They can only think of human power and capability and cannot conceptualise a divine Being – the

All-Mighty, the Creator and Sustainer of all forms of life. Therefore Allah (swt) states in Surat Qaaf:

‘Do they not look at the sky above them? How We have made it and adorned it and there are no flaws in it? ‘And the earth, We have spread it out and set thereon mountains standing firm, and produced therein every kind of beautiful growth in pairs?’

But such people, because of their disbelief, cannot even contemplate on these wonderful creations of Allah (swt). Therefore He states in the ayah that follows:

‘ Firm insight and a reminder to every servant turning to Allah’.

[Arabic du’a to close]

Second Khutbah

[Arabic introduction]

We shall continue with the tafseer of Surat Qaaf in future khutbahs, but for now let us remind ourselves of one of the most beautiful and graphic examples that the Holy Qura’an provides about the Resurrection. In one short verse (ayah 259 of Surat Al-Baqara- The Heifer) Allah (swt) shows one man through a personal experience how He does resurrect the dead and provides for mankind the proof that no sane person can deny.

‘ Or take the similitude of one who passed by a hamlet all in ruins to its roots’

‘ He said : ‘Oh! How shall Allah bring it ever to life after this its death?’

‘But Allah caused him to die for a hundred years then raised him up again’

‘He said how long did you tarry thus?’

‘He said perhaps a day or part of a day’

‘He said: Nay, you have tarried thus a hundred years’

‘But look at your food and your drink, they show no signs of age and look at your donkey and that We may make you a sign unto the people.’

‘Look further at the bones, how We bring them together and clothe them with flesh’

‘’When this was shown clearly to him he said: I know that Allah has power over all things’

[Arabic Dua to close]

Ameen! Aqeemus salaah!

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islam,

The opening ayat of Surat Qaaf represent an impossible challenge to the unbelievers and the doubters. To be able to evaluate its huge impact, let us imagine that we are hearing these ayat for the first time. It must have felt like a ton of bricks over the heads of the unbelievers. The whole Surah is quite an eye opener with precise information as to what happens in the hereafter and point-by-point rebuttal of the various arguments presented by the doubters and unbelievers.

Despite man’s limited knowledge the believers have no doubts about anything that Allah or His Messenger (pbuh) tell them because Allah, by His Grace, has enlightened their minds and hearts with the Truth. But those who live in utter darkness cannot believe or comprehend that man’s return will certainly be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds. How could this worldly body of ours be resurrected they argued, having decomposed and become indistinguishable from the very earth to which the body was committed? Their minds led them to conveniently believe that Allah will create new souls and new bodies, something which they cannot deny as they can witness it in their daily lives and that these new souls and bodies will be either in eternal bliss or hell fire. Little did they think, well what is the point or wonder why these new bodies should suffer for sins committed by others or enjoy Paradise as a reward for the good deeds of others!

He said ‘ Who will revive these bones when they have rotted away? Say: He will revive them Who created them in the first instance for He is Knower of every creation!’

This is from Surat Yaseen.

In Surat Qaaf:

‘We know that which the earth takes of them’

The doubters and unbelievers then wondered how will Allah be able to tell one person from another? The most confounding answer comes from Surat Maryam:

‘There is none in the heavens and the earth but comes unto the Beneficent as a slave. Verily He knows them and numbers them with right numbering. And each one of them will come unto Him on the Day of Resurrection, alone.’

From amongst the billions and billions of people you will be distinguished as being you the son of a named person.

Even if a person’s leg, arm or finger is amputated in one country and he dies in another thousands of miles away, the leg, arm or finger will be joined to that body to account for its deeds and be recompensed accordingly. In Surat Al-Qiyamah (The Resurrection) one reads:

‘ Yea verily, yea, We are able to restore his very fingers’

And

‘But His Command, when He intends a thing is only that He says unto it ‘Be! And it is’

And this is the beauty of the Deen of Allah. It lifts man from the abyss of the darkness to the summit and Noor of enlightenment to believe in the unknown and the unseen and the unimaginable with a simple statement of eternal Truth: La ilaha illa Allah.

[Arabic Dua’a]

Second Khutbah

[Arabic introduction]

The doubters and unbelievers did not see the wisdom of ending all forms of life, especially the human race and then resurrecting them! In fact such people would have equally not seen the point had Allah decided that life will end full stop! They thought that life would go on and on generation after generation. They are limited by what they can see and experience. Anything beyond that is impossible as if they are thinking of human power and ability. Little do they think of the Creator and Sustainer of the heavens and the earth and all that is on them and between them.

Therefore Allah states:

“’And We created not the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, in play”

There is a purpose. This is not for fun. Then He confirms the fact of the Resurrection:

‘Deemed you then that We had created you for naught and that you would not be returned unto Us? Now Allah be exalted, the True King’

Then He confirms that there will be a reckoning:

‘ Or do those who commit ill deeds suppose that We shall make as those who believe and do good works, the same in life and death? Bad is their judgement.”

And

‘ And Allah has created the heavens and the earth with truth and that every soul may be repaid what it had earned. And they will not be wronged’

We shall, insha-Allah, continue our journey with Surat Qaaf in the near future.

[Arabic dua'a to close]

Ameen! Aqeemus salaah!

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islam,

Bismillahi Ar-Rahmaani Ar-Raheem

“As to those who are rebellious and wicked, their abode will be the Fire; every time they wish to get away therefrom, they will be forced thereinto, and it will be said to them:

‘Taste (you) the chastisement of the Fire, the which you were wont to reject as false.”

[Arabic introduction]

To continue with the tafseer of Surat Al-Waqia’a and the introduction that was started a few weeks ago, we find that the second reason that scholars put forward for the torment of the grave is hypocrisy. The evidence advanced for this is ayah 101 of Surat Al-Tawbah

“And among those around you of the wandering Arabs there are hypocrites, and among the townspeople of Al-Madinah, there are some who persist in hypocrisy whom you (O Muhammad) know not, We know them and We shall punish them twice, then they will be relegated to a painful doom”.

Qatadah and Al-Rabie bin Anas stated: ‘One is punishment in this life and the other is the torment of the grave’

The third reason is not thoroughly cleansing oneself after passing water. The hadeeth that deals with this, also deals with the fourth reason, that of (Al-Nemeemah)- to be a messenger of news that causes ill-feeling and inflames hatred between people.

The hadeeth was related by Ibn Abbass, may Allah be pleased with (both of) them.The scholar, Al-Khitaabee, said that ‘it means that they were being tormented for something which was neither hard nor impossible for them to do had they wished to do so, ie.cleansing themselves or stopping spreading (Nemeemah). These are indeed serious matters in the Deen and the sin of not doing the first and not refraining from doing the second is not a minor matter’.

What happens to a person in his / her grave is only a prelude to what is to follow on the Day of Resurrection. On that Day, the first thing a person will have to account for is Al-Salat (prayers), and cleanliness is a prerequisite of salat, however in the grave one is punished if the requirements of salat are not performed properly. This is as far as the duties owed to Allah, the Most Exalted, but the first thing that will be judged regarding inter-personal matters is the blood of one person being unlawfully spilt by another – murder. Quite often what leads to murder is the ill-feelings created when one person or a group act as messengers of bad, though it may be truthful or untruthful news between two people or groups of people.

The fifth and sixth reasons are (Al-Gheebah) back-biting and hurting the feelings of others by subjecting them to all kinds of oral abuse such as lying, mockery and slander. Immoral poetry and songs fall within this category.

The seventh and eighth reasons are to discard the Holy Qur’an after learning it and not to sleep when it is time for a prescribed prayer. In the Hadeeth narrated by Sumrah bin Jundob, the two Angels that accompanied the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, on his journey (in a vision) said in explaining about two men who were being severely punished:

” The man whose head was being split by a stone is he whom Allah has taught the Holy Qur’an but he did not recite it at night and did not act upon it in his daily affairs and misses prescribed prayers sleeping when its time is due. His punishment will continue till the Day of Resurrection’.

The ninth reason is lying. From the same Hadeeth, the two Angels explain to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him:

“As for the man whom you saw whose mouth is being torn, he is a liar. He tells a lie and it is spread far and wide. The punishment that you witnessed will continue till the Day of Resurrection.’

The tenth reason is the acceptance of usury. Again the two Angels explained:

“The man that you came across swimming in the river and being fed a stone (every time he approaches the river bank) is he who accepted usury”.

There are ten other reasons for the torment of the grave all of which are evidenced from the Holy Qur’an or the Sunnah or both. I shall now enumerate them:

1. Fornication
2. Not to fast in the Holy month of Ramadaan without a reason or breaking fast before sunset.
3. Turning away from the remembrance of Allah.
4. To take from the spoils of war before its proper division.
5. Haughtiness.
6. A mother who does not breast-feed her children without a valid health reason.
7. Theft.
8. A dead person is punished for the sayings of his relatives and friends in mourning.
9. Imprisoning an animal or tormenting it.
10. The khateeb who causes (Fitneh) or whose deeds do not match his preaching.

[Arabic dua to close]

Second Khutbah

Bismillahi Ar-Rahmaani Ar-Raheem

[Arabic introduction]

“And those on the left-hand, what of those on the left-hand * In scorching wind and

scalding water * And a shadow of thick smoke * Neither cool nor refreshing.’

This scene is also described in Surat Al-Mursalaat:

‘Woe unto the repudiators on that Day * It will be said unto them: Depart unto that doom which you used to deny * Depart unto the shadow falling threefold * Which is no relief nor shelter from the flame * It throws up sparks like castles or it might be camels of bright yellow hue * Woe unto the repudiators on that Day”.

‘Heretofore they were effete with luxury * And they used to persist in the awful sin *

And they used to say: ‘when we are dead and have become dust and bones, shall we then be raised again’ * And also our forefathers * Say unto them O Muhammad those of old and those of later time will all be brought together on a day appointed.’

That Day, the Day of Resurrection is also described in Surat Hud:

‘….That is a Day unto which mankind will be gathered and that is a day that will be witnessed * And We defer as a term already reckoned * On the Day when it comes, no soul will speak except by His permission, some among them will be wretched, others glad * As for those who will be wretched (on that Day), they will be in the fire sighing and writhing will be their portion therein.’

“Then you, the erring, the deniers * You verily will eat of a tree called Zaqqoom * And

will fill your bellies therewith * And thereon you will drink of boiling water * Drinking even as the thirsty camel drinks * This will be their welcome of the Day of Judgement”.

[Arabic dua to close]

Ameen! Aqeemus salaah!

[Arabic Du'ah]

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islam,

“Successful indeed are the Believers. Those who humble themselves in their prayers. Who shun vain conversation. Who are payers of Zakat. Who guard their modesty. Save with those joined to them in the marriage bond, or the slaves whom their right hands possess, for (in their case) they are free from blame. But those whose desires exceed those limits are transgressors. Those who faithfully observe their trusts and their covenants. And who (strictly) heed their prayers. These will be the heirs. Who will inherit Paradise; they will dwell therein (for ever).”

In the hadeeth of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, the Deen is (Mua’amalah) and (Mua’amalah) literally means transaction but the word in the hadeeth is used in its widest possible sense to mean one’s conduct and behaviour towards others whether in business or in general – first and foremost with Allah, the Most Exalted. He, peace be upon him, also said: ‘(Aldeen Alnaseeha) and ‘(Nasseha) literally means advice but again the word is used to mean something wider to encompass sincerity in everything one does, whether related to acts of worship or personal relationships.

Of the ayat recited at the opening of this khutbah from Surat Al-Muminoon (The Believers), only two ayat refer to one’s obligation to Allah, Most Gracious, and the rest are devoted to one’s duties and obligations to one’s fellow human beings.

Let us look at another example – ayah no.36 of Surat Al-Nisa’a known as the ayah of ten duties (rights):

‘And serve Allah. Ascribe no thing as partner unto Him. (Show) kindness unto parents, and unto near kindered and orphans and the needy and unto the neighbour who is of kin (unto you) and the neighbour who is not of kin, and the fellow traveller and the wayfarer and the slaves whom your right hands possess. Lo! Allah loves not such as are proud and boastful’

Again the ayah refers to one duty that men owe to Allah, The Exalted, and the nine other duties are ones that men owe to their fellow human beings.

There is a very good reason for this. Good deeds, good conduct and good behaviour are but a reflection of one’s Iman. This is confirmed in the hadeeth:

‘Iman is sub-divided into some seventy (or sixty) sub-divisions, the most excellent of which is to testify that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and the least excellent is to remove harm from pathways’. Apart from the first one (not to associate partners with Allah) all relate to one’s obligations and duties towards fellow human beings.

Anyone who does not discharge his duties and obligations towards Allah, Most Gracious cannot fully discharge his duties and obligations towards fellow human beings. For this reason we can see that even acts of devotion and worship have a social aspect.

Salat: “forbids indecent deeds and evil”

Fasting: “that you may attain taqwa”. And a person who attains taqwa would know the rights of Allah and his duties towards His creations.

And in the hadeeth fasting is nullified: “If one does not leave off false witness and acting upon it, Allah is no need for his giving up food and drink”.

Zakat: “Take alms from their wealth wherewith you may purify them and make them grow’.

And the social advantages of Zakat are well known to all.

Hajj: “That they may witness things that are of benefit to them”.

And in the hadeeth, the social obligations are made a condition of Hajj that leads to total forgiveness. Al-Hajj Al-Mabroor “Whoever performs Hajj and does not commit an indecent act or an evil deed returns (sinless) like the day he was born’
On the other hand if you want to know what distinguishes the kafir who does not believe in Allah and His true Deen from the true believer, then recite Surat Al-Ma’aoun:

” Have you observed him who belies the Deen * That is he who repels the orphan * And urges not the feeding of the needy “.

And in Surat Al-Haqqah, Allah, The Exalted, informs us why the person who is given his record of account on the Day of Judgment in his left hand is being punished in Hell Fire, may Allah save us from it:

” Lo! he used not to believe in Allah the Almighty * And urged not the feeding of the wretched”.

Second Khutbah:

” Before you (O Mohammed) We sent (Messengers) to many nations, and We afflicted the nations with suffering and adversity, that they call (Allah) in humility * When the suffering reached them from us, why then did they not call Allah in humility? On the contrary their hearts became hardened, and Satan made their (sinful) acts seem alluring to them * But when they forgot the warning they had received, We opened to them the gates of all (good) things, until, in the midst of their enjoyment of our gifts on a sudden, We called them to account, when lo! They were plunged in despair.”

[Arabic introduction]

Allah Most gracious states in the Holy Qur’an:

‘O My slaves! for you there is no fear this day nor is it you who grieve * You who believed our revelations and were Muslims * Enter the Garden, you and your wives, to be made glad’

But who is a Muslim? The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

“The Muslim is he from whose tongue and hand (might) mankind are saved”.

And Allah, the Most High says:

“Lo! those who have Taqwa will be in a place secure * Amid gardens and water springs’

The Prohet of Allah, peace be upon him, said:

“Observe Taqwa (of Allah) and be good to His creation (mankind)”

Every Muslim is responsible, each according to his/her ability and capability. Muslim communities are also collectively responsible for applying the Laws of Allah, for the defence of Muslims wherever they may be and for guiding and encouraging each other to do good for the welfare of all Muslims.

We in this community need to remind ourselves of our duties and obligations towards each other and towards Muslims and Islam in general. For this reason I would like to remind myself, first and foremost, and all who hear this today of this Hadeeth:

The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him said:

“Allah, the Exalted, will on the Day of Resurrection say ‘O son of Adam, I was ill but you did not visit me (to enquire after my health). He replies ‘My Lord how do I visit You and You are Lord of the Worlds?’ Allah, Tabaraka wa Ta’ala says: ‘Did you not know that (such and such) my servant was ill but you did not visit him? Did you not know that had you visited him, you would have found Me there?’

‘O Son of Adam: I asked you for food but you did not feed Me. He asks: ‘ My Lord, how do I feed You and You are Lord of the Worlds?’ Allah, Most High, says: ‘ Did you not know that (such and such) My servant asked for food but you did not feed him? Did you not know that had you fed him, you would have found that with Me (the reward)’

‘O Son of Adam, I asked you for water but you did not give Me water.’ He asks:

‘My Lord, how do I give You water and You are Lord of the Worlds?’

Allah, Subhana, says: ‘My servant (such and such) asked you for water but you did not give him water. Did you not know that had you given him water, you would have found (the reward for that) with Me?”

[Arabic dua’a to close]

Ameen! Aqeemus salaah!

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islam,

In The Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

“He is Allah, than whom there is no other God, the Knower of the invisible and the visible. He is the Beneficent, the Merciful * He is Allah, than whom there is no God, the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One, Peace, the Keeper of Faith, the Guardian, the Majestic, the Compeller, the Superb. Glorified be Allah from all that they ascribe as partner (unto Him) * He is Allah, the Creator, the Shaper out if naught, the Fashioner. His are the most beautiful names. All that is in the heavens and the earth glorifies Him, and He is the Mighty, the Wise.” 59:22-24

All praise is due to Allah alone. We praise Him, thank Him, seek His forgiveness and repent unto Him. We seek refuge in Allah from the evil of our souls and our sinful deeds. Whomever Allah guides none can misguide and whomever Allah misguides, then he has lost life on this earth and in the Hereafter. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone without partners and bear witness that Mohammed is His Servant and Messenger; may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, his noble family, his honourable companions and all that follow his guidance.

Amma ba’ad:

Allah, The Exalted, states in the Holy Qura’an (the meaning of which reads);

“ And remind, for reminding benefits the believers.” 51:55

Every so often we need to remind ourselves of the fundamentals of our Deen so that we do not lose sight or waver, taint our beliefs or simply become relaxed in its application. Today let us remind ourselves of the meaning and significance of Al-Shahadah:

“La ilaha illa Allah”

“There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone”

We negate the attribute of godliness to all and affirm it to Allah alone: there is no god but The One God- Allah, Most High. This is the simple but extremely important concept of Tawheed. It is so important that one third of the Holy Qura’an is devoted to it. Moreover, it is the very essence of all messages from the time of Adam, peace be upon him, to our beloved Prophet and Messenger of Allah Mohammed, peace and blessings be upon him.

“Not a messenger did We send before you (O Mohammed) without this inspiration by Us to him: that there no god but I; therefore worship and serve Me.” 21:25

The following ayah from Surat Al-Imran says it all (the meaning of which reads):

“There is no god but He: that is the witness of Allah, His Angels and those endued with knowledge, standing firm in justice. There is no god but He, the Exalted in Power, the Wise.” 3:18

If Allah, the Most High, His Angels and those with knowledge witness to this, those who do not are either ignorant or transgressors. Allah might forgive the former group depending on whether they did seek the knowledge and He knows best but the latter group may not be forgiven for we read in Surat Al-Nisa’a (the meaning of which reads):

“Allah forgives not (the sin of) joining other gods with Him but He forgives whom He pleases lesser sins than this. He who joins other gods with Allah has strayed far, far away (from the right path)” 4:16

And in Surat Al-Maaidah, we read (the meaning of which may be translated as follows):

“Whoever joins other gods with Allah, Allah will forbid him Paradise and Hell Fire will be his abode. There will, for the wrongdoers, be no help”. 5:72

The Word of Allah is the Truth, the whole Truth, the Pure Truth which falsehood does come into from near or far, from left or right. Yet, Allah, the Exalted in Power, the Wise, invites us to witness the proof, to see for ourselves, learn a lesson remember it well.

“ For We assuredly sent amongst every people a messenger (with the command): ‘Serve Allah and eschew evil’. Of the people were some whom Allah guided, and some on whom error became (inevitably) established. So travel in the lands and see what was the end of those who denied the Truth.” 16:36

[End of first khutbah]

In The Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

“By those who set the ranks in battle order * And those who drive away (the wicked) with reproof * And those who read (the Word) for a reminder * Lo! Your Lord is surely One * Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, and Lord of the sun’s risings * 37:1-5

And all praise is due to Allah alone. Peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah, his noble family, his honourable companions and all that follow his Guidance. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that Mohammed is His servant and Messenger.

Amma ba’ad:

When Mousa, peace and blessings be upon the Prophet Mohammed and upon him, asked Allah, The Exalted to teach him a prayer to recite when remembering Allah, thanking Him or calling upon Him, Allah, Most High, said to him: “O Moses, say la ilaha illa Allah”.

Mousa said: “ O Lord, all your servants say these words.”

Allah, subhanah explained: “ If the seven heavens and all they hold and the seven earths as well were weighed against this ‘Word’ (meaning la ilaha illa Allah) the latter would outweigh the former,”

But let us see what else Allah and His Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, say about the excellence of this Word.

“Allah will establish in strength those who believe with the Word that stands firm in this world and in the Hereafter.” 14:27

We ask Allah, subhanah, to make stand firm by the blessings of this Word in this life, at the hour of death and on the Day of the Resurrection, Ameen.

Let us also remind ourselves of the supplication of Yunus, also known as Thal-Noon (man of the whale), peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammed and upon him:

“ He cried through the depths of darkness: ‘ There is no god but You. Glory be to You. I was indeed of the wrongdoers * So, We answered his prayer and delivered him from distress. And thus do We deliver the believers.” 21:87-88

Allah, The Exalted, promises to deliver the believers from distress if they call upon Him with similar words.

“La ilaha illa Anta, Subhanak, inna kunna mina al-dhalimeen. There is no god but You, Glory be to You, We are indeed of the wrongdoers”

We ask Allah, Most High, to deliver and the Muslim Ummah from the distress that has befallen us, indeed You have Power over all things.

And as would be expected, there are numerous ahadeeth of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, about the excellence of “ la ilaha illa Allah”.

“ Whenever a servant recites with heartfelt conviction that there is no god but Allah, the doors of the heavens are opened for him, so much so that he reaches The Throne provided he has not committed major sins.”

“ On the Day of Judgment, the people who have affirmed with heartfelt conviction that there is no one worthy of worship save Allah, will receive the benefit of my intercession.”

“ Allah, The Almighty declares: ‘ O son of Adam, if you keep calling upon Me and have hope of My forgiveness, I shall forgive every sin you have committed. O son of Adam, if you come to Me with your sins that are about the size of the earth and meet Me in the state that you never did associate partners with Me, I shall come to you with equal forgiveness.”

And in the famous and long hadeeth about al-isra’a:

“ And I saw a man of my Ummah come to the gates of Al-Jennah, and they closed as he approaches. His witness of la ilaha illa Allah comes to him, opens the gates and lets him in.”

[Closing Dua’a]

Ameen! Aqeemus salaah!

Al hamdu lillahi rabbil ‘alameen. Was salaatu was salaamu ‘alaa ashrafil mursaleen. Sayidinaa wa nabi’na wamoulanaa Muhammadin wa’ala aalihee wa sahbihee wasallim.

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islam,

‘Verily, O man, you are working (toiling) toward your Lord

a work which you will meet in His presence’

It is one of the numerous mercies of Allah that we, human beings, can and do forget; we forget unpleasant or painful situations or events just as we forget happy ones. The memory of the painful or sad events do not have the same degree of feeling of sadness as when the event occurred. We say time is a great healer – this is a blessing from Allah.

But as true believing Muslims, there are many things in this life that we cannot or should not forget or lose sight of. The ayah recited earlier is a reminder to all mankind that when Allah wills it we shall stand in His Majestic presence to account for all our deeds – the good, the not so good, the bad and the evil. The question that every person needs to ask himself/herself is ‘how will I fare on that Day?’

Whenever a calamity befalls a section of the Ummah, you may witness a flurry of activity on the part of the rest of the Ummah, to support their stricken brethren. As time goes by, the feeling of the sharing in the misfortune of others who live the pain and misery on a daily basis diminishes. You may recall that some months ago during the Holy month of Ramadaan, we were talking about the suffering of our Muslim brethren in Chechnya. At that time and maybe for a short while afterwards we made an effort to provide some relief…….After that we have probably even forgotten to make dua’a for them….but suffering is a daily fact of life for them. The same applies to our Muslim brethren in China, the Philippines, Kashmir and Palestine. Geographical distance and the passage of time may make the pain and suffering less for us but does not diminish it for them. Not only do they have to suffer their conditions but also to endure the feeling of being forsaken by the rest of the Ummah – and this hurts even more than the physical suffering!

Some relief organisations are being more innovative nowadays not restricting their activities to the provision of basics such as shelter, food, medicine and clothing but follow the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad (pbuh), in providing the tools and equipment for the people to provide for themselves. Allah has bestowed on the Sons of Adam a great blessing – the human mind, intelligence, to see how we use it. Let us remind ourselves of this example not only to illustrate the use of human intelligence for the good of the Ummah but also to show how goodness overcomes greed. A Jew had monopoly of a water well in Al-Madinah and used to charge Muslims dearly for the water he supplied so much so that they complained to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). When the Muslims gathered, he said: ‘Whoever buys the well for the Muslims, Allah will grant him Paradise’ Othmaan ibn Affaan said: ‘I shall’. But, the Jew refused to sell preferring to exploit the Muslims and earn more money selling its water for as long as he had ownership of the well… On the other hand some lump sum would also be welcome, thought the Jew. So he came up with what he thought, an ingenious proposal ‘I shall sell you half the well’ he suggested.

But Othman was blessed with greater intelligence and presence of mind. He accepted the proposal on the understanding that one day the Jew would have ownership and obtain all the proceeds from the sale of the water and the next day Othman would have ownership and benefit from the water. On the day Othman had ownership he offered all Muslims to take all the water they needed for that day and the following day free of charge. Soon afterwards, the Jew came to Othman and offered his share of the well.

‘Nay, we hurl the Truth against Falsehood and it knocks

its head off and behold, falsehood perishes’.

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,

With all this in mind, it is, perhaps, fitting that we remind ourselves of Surat Qaaf – for according to the Imam Ibn Qayyim Al Jawziyeh, may Allah have mercy on him, it contains a great deal of the roots of faith – its most fundamental tenets such as the creation and resurrection, tawheed, prophethood, belief in the Angels and the description of the winners and losers on the Day of Judgement. It also contains proof of the Perfection of the Most Perfect in every respect and a mention of the minor and major days of Judgement and of the world of this life and the world of the hereafter. It also mentions the creation of man, his death and a description of the state of man at the hour of death and on the Day of Resurrection. It also describes how Allah has complete knowledge of all His servants’ conditions, even the whisperings of the soul and how the Angels note down every word he speaks. All this will be presented to each and every one of us on the Day of Judgement when every person is driven by an angel (a driver) and accompanied by another angel – a witness. All these details will be considered in a future Khutbahs, by the Grace of Allah, when Surat Qaaf will be the topic. For now let us consider this:

As believing Muslims who are certain that they will stand in the Majestic presence of Allah, the Most Exalted, to account for their deeds, what will be our answer to some simple but extremely serious questions:

• How did you spend your time on earth?
• How did you spend your wealth?
• How did you earn your wealth?
• How did you use your knowledge and intelligence?
• What did you do for your Muslim brothers in Kashmir or Palestine(for example)?
• What did you do for you’re the Holy City of Al-Quds?
• Did you remember the hungry when you over-indulged in food?
• Did you remember the sick when you were healthy?
• Did you not know that your return is to Us?

Ameen! Aqeemus salaah!

In the Name of Allah, Most Beneficent, Most Merciful

All praise is due Allah, Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings be upon the most noble of prophets and messengers, Muhammad, his household and all his companions. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is His servant and messenger.

The meaning of Ayah no 103 of Surat Al-Nisáa reads:

“When you have performed the act of worship, remember Allah, standing, sitting and reclining. And when you are in safety, observe proper worship. Worship (prayer) at fixed hours has been enjoined on the believers.”

Ayah no 102 of the same Surah deals with prayer when Muslims are in battle conditions – not necessarily actually fighting at the time because a Muslim can pray even when riding. This was followed by Ayah 103 stating that prayers at fixed hours (times) has been enjoined on the believers.

From these two Ayat, we can see the great importance of performing salat at the appropriate times.

In this connection, let us look at the meaning of two Ayat of Surat Al-Máoun that read:

Ch107 v4-5:

“Ah, woe unto worshipers. Who are heedless of their prayers.”

According to the Tafseer of Ibn Katheer (may Allah have mercy on his soul):

Ata’a bin Dinar said: “Alhamdulillah Who said [Arabic text] – (heedless of) and did not say [Arabic text] – (not mindful in)” as the former means they are heedless of their prayers and the latter means they are unaware or not mindful in their prayers because they might have other things on their minds during the performance of their prayers. If one makes a mistake because of forgetfulness or momentarily losing concentration, then Sujood al Sah’w (prostration of forgetfulness) after completing the prayer has been established by the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him) to remedy that. The former applies in cases of deliberately delaying prayers till the latest available time for it or not performing it properly in accordance with the Sunnah or not praying with humility and awe. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said describing such a person performing salaat al-asr late and referring to these two ayat:

“That is the prayer of a hypocrite who sits and watches the sun. When it is about to set he would stand and hurriedly pray four rakáas little remembering Allah in them.”

Such prayer is pure pretence especially if we know that very late Asr is a ( time of Karaha ) – when prayer is disliked.

In Sura An-Nisá’ v142 we read:

” The Hypocrites seek to deceive Allah, but it is Allah Who deceives them, and when they stand up to prayer they stand without earnestness, to be seen of men but little do they hold Allah in remembrance.”

Let us look at some examples of people who knew the importance of salaat and practised the Sunnah properly.

It has been related about Ali ibn abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) that whenever the time for one of the daily prayers approached he would look like a man in shock and his face would change colour (probably become very pale).

Once they asked him: “What has overcome you O Ameer of the Faithful?”

He answered: “This is the time to discharge a trust that Allah, The Almighty, offered unto the heavens and the earth and the mountains but they shrank from bearing it and were afraid of it. We (meaning mankind) did.”

This is a reference to Ayah 72 of Surat Al Ahza’ab (The Clans):

“We offered the trust unto the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they shrank from bearing it and were afraid of it. And man assumed it, he has proved a tyrant and a fool.”

Such were the words and behaviour of someone whom Allah, Glorified be He, promised Al-Jannah ( Paradise )

Another: The family of Ali ibn Al-Hussain (may Allah be pleased with him) noticed that whenever he started to perform his wudu (ablution) his face would become very pale. So they asked: “What happens to you every time you perform ablution?”

He said: “Do not know in whose presence I am about to stand?”

Haatem Al-Assam was asked about his prayers. He said: “When the time for prayer approaches, I would perform ablution properly, then come to the place where I shall perform my prayers and sit down. I would compose myself, my thoughts and concentrate my mind. I would (and this is figurative speech) place the Káaba between my eyebrows, the Siraat (the Path referred to on the Day of Judgement) under my feet, paradise on my right, hell fire on my left, the angel of death behind me and think of my Salaat as being my last one before death. I would then rise to pray in awe, fear and hope.” He went on to describe his humility whilst performing the various actions of prayers and ended up saying: “After that I do not know whether or not it has been accepted.”

Second Khutbah:

In The Name of Allah, Most Beneficent, Most Merciful

All praise is due to Allah and peace and blessings be upon the last prophet and messenger. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that Mohammed is His servant and messenger.

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

“The first thing that a person will be questioned about on the Day of Judgement is his Salaat. If it was good, all his deeds will be good. If it was bad (meaning either not performed at all or not performed properly) all his deeds will be bad.”

How about Siyaam (fasting) now that Ramadhan is fast approaching?

In Sura Al-Baqara, v183, we read:

“O you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you that you may attain taqwaa (piety) “

But nowadays, some people do not fast or if they fast, do not pray or if they fast and pray during Ramadhan, do not fast at other times such as during Sha’baan or Shawwaal or pray during the rest of the year. Al-Sawm and Al-Salaat are obligatory acts of worship that must be performed and performed properly at the appropriate times. Voluntary (additional) Sawm and Salaat are also enjoined and will, by the Grace of Allah, be rewarded.

Should the obligatory Salaat has not been performed properly or fully, then on the Day of Judgement, any voluntary Salaat will be taken into consideration by Allah, praised be He, to render one’s Salaat complete and perfect.

As for Al-Sawm, there is a hadeeth reported by Al-Tirmithi and others and although it has been classified as (a weak hadeeth), one should take note of it.

“Whoever does not observe fasting on a day of Ramadhan without an acceptable excuse, no other fasting shall compensate for that day even if one fasted for a whole year.”

The great importance of both salaat and sawm and the excellence of Al-Juma’a is stressed in the following hadeeth:

“The five daily prayers, and from one Juma’a to the next and from one Ramadhan to the next – all will expiate (one’s) sins that may be committed in between as long as major sins (kaba’aer) are not committed.”

(Dua’a)

Ameen! Aqeemus salaah!

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islam,

Just over 2 months ago we celebrated Eid Al Fitr. Celebrating these 2 annual Eids is a sunnah established by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) shortly after laying the foundations of the Islamic State in Al-Medinah to replace the 2 days that the people of (Yethrib- the pre-Islamic name of Al-Medinah) celebrated in the pre – Islamic era. The idea of celebrating certain days was condoned but it was linked to Islamic values and traditions.

At least 2 highly significant occasions come to mind this Eid. The 1st and most recent is described in ayah no 3 of Surat Al-Ma’ida the meaning of which reads:

“This day are those who disbelieve in despair of (ever harming) your Deen; so fear them not (but) fear Me. This day have I perfected your Deen for you and completed My favour unto you, and have chosen for you Islam as your true Deen.”

The message of Islam revealed unto the prophet of Allah and His Messenger (peace and salutations be upon him) came to perfect the earliest messages of Islam revealed unto the earlier prophets and messengers. (peace be upon them all)

From that moment on the Deen was complete and whole and does not allow for any additions or deletions. Prior to that date (the 10th year after Hijra) revelations were sent down unto the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) which gradually perfected the Deen. Scholars agree that any attempted additions or deletions amount to kufr [apostasy] in the Deen of Islam as revealed. What scholars have done over the 1400 years of Islamic history is to explain what ordinary people fail to comprehend without altering the fundamental Message which Allah (The Most Exalted) undertook to preserve until the Day of Resurrection.

“We have (without doubt) sent down the Message and We shall assuredly guard it (from corruption). “

This is the Deen that Alláh (Subhanah) has chosen for mankind and will not accept any other. Therefore, we need to beware of (Bida’a – Innovation) and beware of (Shirk- Attributing partners to Allah).

The 2nd occasion and furthest away in history is what Alláh (Most High) revealed in the ayat 100 – 107 of Surat Al-Saafaat the meaning of which read:

“Oh my Lord, grant me a son. So We gave him tidings of a gentle son. Then when the son reached the age of serious work with him, he said: ‘Oh my son, I have seen in a dream that I offer you in sacrifice. Now see what is your view?’ The son said: ‘Oh my father, do as you are commanded. You will find me, if Alláh so wills, one of the steadfast. So when they had both submitted to Alláh, and he had laid him prostrate on his forehead, We called out to him ‘Oh Ibrahim’ ‘You have already fulfilled the dream’, thus indeed do we reward those who do good. Lo! That verily was a clear trial.”

These ayat do not only teach us a lesson in true submission to the will of Alláh (Subhanah) and trust in His Judgement and infinite wisdom, but also a lesson in human relations. The father, having properly bought up his son, knew his son perfectly well and the son knew his father just as well – he knew that his prophet father would not wish to harm him. And so that neither father nor son would see the anguish of the other at that most difficult of moments, the son was laid prostrate on his forehead in readiness to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Second Khutbah:

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islam,

We, the Muslim Ummah, are the proud and honoured heirs of this Divine Message. As such, it places on us certain responsibilities and obligations.

First and foremost, we must believe that:

“This day are those who disbelieve in despair of (ever harming) your Deen.”

They might succeed in harming you physically or materially but they shall never be able to harm your Deen – and that is not for lack of trying but Islam shall always, by the Grace of Allah frustrate their efforts.

We must also always act in accordance with the command of Alláh (The Most Exalted) in the same ayah:

“So fear them not but fear Me.”

If your Deen is safe, and by the Grace of Alláh, it is, you have nothing and no one to fear, no matter how physically or materially powerful. Place your trust in Alláh as did our father (Ibrahim) and his son (Ismail). These values and traditions have been handed down from one generation to the next. Throughout the history of the Muslim Ummah, there have been millions of (Ibrahim’s) bringing their sons up to be (Ismail’s) to face the evil powers of (kufr) and (shirk). Examples abound – their most effective weapon: the very same words used by (Ibrahim) and (Ismail) to give thanks:

“La ilaha illa Allah, Allahu Akbar”

Islam is not just acts of worship and devotion. It requires us amongst other things, to: -

• Do more than believe; practice.
• Do more than belong; participate.
• Do more than dream; work.
• Do more than care; help.
• Do more than be fair; be kind.
• Do more than forgive; forget.

But the real challenge is:-

• Do more than think different; make a difference.

Ameen! Aqeemus salaah!

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islam,

In The Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar. La ilaha illa Allah wa Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar wa lillahi elhamd.

All praise is due to Allah alone. We praise Him, thank Him, seek His forgiveness and repent unto Him. We seek refuge in Allah from the evil of our souls and our sinful deeds. Whomever Allah guides none can misguide and whomever Allah misguides, then he has lost life on this earth and in the Hereafter. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone without partners and bear witness that Mohammed is His Servant and Messenger; on this blessed Eid day may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, his noble family, his honourable companions and all that follow his guidance.

Amma ba’ad:

Celebrating our Eids is to uphold a Sunnah established some 1400 years ago when the foundations of the first Islamic State, the first and unique Islamic civilization were laid down. On this occasion we thank and praise Allah, Most High, for all His Mercies and Blessings over the Holy month of Ramadhan.

And on this occasion we need to take stock both individually and as an Ummah. We need to recognise our shortcomings and the shortfalls in our efforts, for Allah, The Exalted says (the meaning of which reads):

“And say: do righteous deeds, soon will Allah observe your deeds, His Messenger and the Believers.” 9:105

At the level of the Ummah, we need to draw a distinction between the ordinary Muslim Ummah and the rulers. This is a very sad and serious situation but a true fact nonetheless. The gulf between the two is ever widening. However we must acknowledge their achievements. They have become more expert at political maneuvering and manipulation. When the general public demands something, the rulers respond by, sometimes, adopting these demands and issuing public statements that echo public demands in the hope that people will believe them. The statements remain hollow and without any substance. For example, what has been done about a decision adopted at the Doha Conference of Islamic States to establish an Islamic satellite channel? Indeed, what has become of the decision adopted at an earlier Islamic summit to establish an Islamic News Agency? Simple, non-controversial matters are not implemented; matters of greater importance that have been conviently forgotten are far too many to mention.

Compare the brilliant success of the non-governmental organizations at the recent Durban Conference on Racism with the abject failure of 55 Muslim governments simply because they did not spend enough time preparing for it.

Perhaps this is just one manifestation of the new world order. Perhaps we are too naïve to comprehend the bigger issues involved. Perhaps, but can anyone explain to us the following irony? In the midst of all the publicity surrounding the war in Afghanistan and the events in the Middle East, there was a few days ago a small item of news informing the world that the UN and its Secretary General have been awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace. We congratulate both on this occasion and the Nobel Prize Committee on its wise decision. But did not the UN and its present Secretary General preside over the genocide in Rwanda? The atrocities in the Balkans? The on-going daily massacres in the Holy Lands? Is not there a war in Afghanistan? If this is peace, then we ask Allah to spare us the wars.

If the picture seems gloomy, we should neither give up nor despair for just as surely as the light of Dawn drives away the darkness of the night, Truth shall prevail over falsehood. Let us remind ourselves of the supplication of Allah’s prophet Mousa, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah and upon him, when he was sent to the Pharaoh, as stated in the Holy Qura’an (20:25-28), the meaning of which reads:

“ (Moses) said: O my Lord expand me my breast” meaning make it more receptive to knowledge and wisdom.

“ And ease my task for me“.
“ And remove the impediment from my speech ”.

“So they may understand what I say “.

And that is all we need do. Convey the Message of Truth, the Message of Islam to mankind and Allah, The Exalted, will guide whom He wills to the Straight Path. Success of our mission is assured by none other than Allah, Most High. By the Grace of Allah, Most Gracious, we are winning the battle over the hearts and minds of the peoples of the World. The Truth can no longer be falsified, ignored or hidden.

“ The Right Path is, henceforth, distinct from error.” 2:256

And in his darkest hour, when Moses and his followers were sandwiched between the armies of the Pharaoh and the Red Sea and his followers were getting desperate he said to them:

“ My Lord is with me, He will guide me.” 26:62

And just like present day detractors of Islam and the Islamic Civilisation, the Pharaoh looked down on Moses and thought him too insignificant and unworthy of his attention. But where I come from we have a saying:

“ For every Pharaoh there is a Moses.”

(Closing Dua’a)

Ameen! Aqeemus salaah!

Bismillahi Ar-Rahmaani Ar-Raheem

[Arabic introduction]

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islam,

In a previous khutbah, I explained why Allah, the Most High ended surat Al-Fatiha with the supplication not to follow the path of those who earned His wrath (anger) nor of those who have gone astray. We saw how those who earned his anger were punished and why. Today we shall, by the Grace of Allah, continue.

‘And when Moses said unto his people: Lo! Allah commands you that you sacrifice a cow, they said: Do you make fun of us? He answered: Allah forbids that I should be among the ignorant (fool)’

To put it bluntly, what they said to Moses, upon our prophet and upon him be peace, in today’s terminology: ‘You must be joking. What do you take us for?’ What language to use with a prophet and messenger of Allah but the Holy Qur’aan puts it as politely as possible. But let us see why Allah commanded them to sacrifice a cow. The tafseer relates a long story but briefly: a man who was very poor had a very rich uncle who had no family to inherit him. The former was not only materially poor but also morally bankrupt. He therefore killed his uncle so that he may get the inheritance. He then carried the body and placed it near someone’s house and accused them of murdering his uncle. There were arguments and counter accusations and tempers were high until someone suggested that they ask Moses to judge in the dispute. And that is when he told them: ‘ Allah commands you to sacrifice a cow’

The command was simple and straightforward: sacrifice a cow. Did they obey the command? Certainly not. After accusing Moses of making fun of them, they started asking questions; needless questions and the more questions they asked the more difficult Allah, Most High, made it for them as we shall see.

‘They said: Ask your Lord to make it plain to us what heifer it is. He said: ‘He says the heifer should be neither too old nor too young but of middle age.

Now do as you are commanded.’

Notice again they refer to Allah as ‘your Lord’ as if He, Glorified be He, is only the Lord of Moses and not theirs as well. Anyway, they persisted.

‘They said: ask your Lord to make plain to us her colour’. ‘He said: He says a fawn coloured heifer, pure and rich in tone that pleases the beholder’.

‘They said: ask your Lord to make plain to us what she is: to us all heifers are alike.

We wish indeed for guidance if Allah wills’

Now as they were not seeking information to clarify an issue because the issue itself was simple, Allah confused their minds, now they are seeking guidance.

‘He said: ‘He says: a heifer not trained to till the soil or water the fields; sound and without a blemish’. They said: ‘now you have brought the truth’.

They did not want to obey a command to sacrifice a cow; any cow. Where are they going to find a heifer that will meet all these specifications? According to the tafseer, they searched far and wide before finding the required heifer. Its owner refused to sell it insisting on a very high price. So they brought him before Moses (pbuh) who ordered them to pay him the price he wanted – its weight in gold or its skin filled with gold.

It is only through stories like these that we Muslims realise the great importance of the Command of Allah, Subhanu, Who out of His boundless mercy and compassion taught all Muslims from Ibraheem (pbuh) to Mohammed (pbuh) and their followers to always say ‘We hear and we obey’

It is also out of the mercy of His Most Beloved Messenger (pbuh) for the Ummah that he kept reminding them not to ask useless and needless questions about matters that Allah, Blessed be His Name, did not wish to burden the Ummah with details thereof.

[Arabic dua to close]

Second Khutbah:

Bismillahi Ar-Rahmaani Ar-Raheem

[Arabic introduction]

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islam,

‘Then they offered her in sacrifice and scarcely they did’ ‘Remember you slew man and fell into a dispute among yourselves as to the crime. But Allah was to bring forth what you did hide’

‘So We said: ‘Strike the body of the dead man with a piece of the sacrificed heifer. Thus Allah brings the dead to life and shows you His signs. Perchance you may understand.’

And that was the purpose of the Command. When they struck the body of the dead person with a piece of heifer, by the Grace of Allah, he was brought back to life for a short while. He was asked: who killed you? He said, my nephew. And he died again. Justice was done and the nephew was punished in accordance with the Law. And praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds.

But we, the Muslim Ummah, whose land was usurped, whose some of its most holy places have been defiled, whose old men, women and children were savagely murdered, who offered thousands of martyrs and whose young men and women in their thousands are still imprisoned in We are still waiting for justice. We neither seek nor want for the justice of man but pray for Divine justice from the Most Just, the Wise. A small step in that direction has been achieved by the Grace of Allah….but we pray to Allah, Subhanu, to aid the Ummah and return all our land to the Muslims. Ammen.

[Arabic dua to close]

Ameen! Aqeemus salaah!

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islam,

“Do they not look at the sky above them, how We have made it and adorned it and there are no flaws in it? And the earth, We have spread it out and set thereon mountains standing firm, and produced therein every kind of beautiful growth in pairs.

For an insight and reminder to every servant turning to Allah. And We sent down from the sky rain charged with blessing, and We produce therewith gardens and grain for harvest. And tall (and stately) palm trees, with shoots of fruit stalks, piled one over another; as sustenance for (Allah’s) servants. And We give new life therewith to land that is dead: thus will be the resurrection.”

Arabic introduction

“Bethink of him who had an argument with Ibraheem about his Lord, because Allah had given him the kingdom; how when Ibraheem said ‘My Lord is He Who gives life and causes death’, he answered: ‘I give life and cause death.’ Ibraheem said: ‘Allah causes the sun to rise in the East, so do you cause it to come up from the West’.

Thus was the disbeliever confounded (abashed).’

A confirmation and a reminder to the believers and a challenge, a huge and impossible challenge to the unbelievers and those who associate partners with Alláh. And that is how the closing chapters of Surat Al-Waqia’a can be described. In the same vein, Ali bin Abi Taalib, may Allah be pleased with him, was asked: ‘ Have you seen your Lord (Allah)? His short but concise answer confounded his questioner:‘ How could I worship what I do not see?’ He went on to explain that what the eyes fail to see is seen by the intellect, the heart of man.

Although the existence of Allah requires no proof simply because the existence of everything else is proved in reference to Him, The Most High, to make matters easy for the human intellect to comprehend, man is asked to contemplate his own creation and all that is in the Universe. Indeed the Ayaat recited at the opening of this khutbah from Surat Qaaf is just one example.

Coming back to Surat Al Waqia’a we recite:

“We created you; will you then admit the truth? Have you seen that which you emit? Do you create it or are We the Creator? We mete out death among you and We are not to be outrun. That We may transfigure you and make you what you know not.

And verily you know the first creation, why, then, do you not reflect?”

Allah, The Exalted, is reminding mankind that He (Subhaaneh) created them from nothing. Is not He who created in the first instance able to re-create? Why cannot you believe in the Resurrection? He Who created you is indeed able to re-create you in any shape or form. Reflect on your hearing, eye-sight or your hearts and remind yourselves of the Creator.

“He it is Who produces creation, then reproduces it and it is easier for Him”.

“And he had coined for Us a similitude, and had forgotten the fact of his creation saying: ‘Who will revive these bones when they have rotted away?’ Say:’He will revive them who created them first for He is Knower of every creation’.

“Have you seen that which you cultivate? Is it you who foster it, or are We the Fosterer? If We willed, We verily could make it chaff, then would you cease not to exclaim: Lo! We are laden with debt! No, but we are deprived’.

Indeed man may saw the seeds, whether that seed grows into a plant and bears fruit is not in the hands of man. Only Allah, Tabaraka wa Ta’ala, decides which seed will develop into a plant and which shall not germinate.

Before closing let us remind ourselves of the two men mentioned in Surat Al-Kahf and see what happened to the one who committed kufr having prided himself of his wealth and offspring:

“And his fruit was beset (with destruction). Then began he to wring his hands for all that he had spent upon it, when (now) it was all ruined on its trellises and to say: ‘Would that I had ascribed no partner to my Lord’. ”

Arabic dua to close

Second Khutbah:

Bismillahi Ar-Rahmaani Ar-Raheem

Arabic introduction

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islam,

“Or (take) the similitude of one who passed by a hamlet, all in ruins to its roots. He said: ‘Oh! How shall Allah bring it (ever) to life, after (this) its death?’ But Allah caused him to die for a hundred years, then raised him up (again). He said: ‘how long did you tarry (thus)?’ He said: ‘(perhaps) a day or part of day.’ He said: ’Nay, you have tarried thus a hundred years: but look at your food and your drink, they show no sign of age: and look at your donkey: and that We may make you a Sign unto the people. Look further at the bones, how We bring them together and clothe them with flesh.’ When this was shown clearly to him, he said: ’I know that Allah has power over all things.”

“Have you observed the water which you drink? Is it you who shed it from the

rain clouds, or are We the Shedder? If We willed, We verily could make it bitter.

Why, then, give you no thanks?”

It has been related from Abi Ja’afer that whenever the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, drank water, he used to say: ‘Praise be to Allah who by His Grace provided us with palatable, sweet water to drink and did not make it saltish, bitter because of our sins’.

“Have you observed the fire which you kindle (strike-out)? Was it you who made the tree thereof to grow or were We the Grower? We, even We, appointed it a memorial and a comfort for the dwellers in the wilderness. Therefore, O Muhammad, praise the name of your Lord, the Magnificent’

It is indeed a reminder of the greater Fire of Hell, for the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “This fire that you kindle, O people, is one seventieth of Hell Fire” Then he added “It has been struck in the sea twice to make it beneficial to the Sons of Adam” meaning its heat has been reduced……

Arabic dua to close

Ameen! Aqeemus salaah!