Prayers of the Prophets: Our Greatest Teachers
Khutbah: Prayers of the Prophets: Our Greatest Teachers
Arshad Gamiet. Royal Holloway University of London 2nd December 2016
A-úthu billáhi minash shaytánir rajeem. Bismilláhir rahmánir raheem
Al hamdu lillahi nahmaduhu wanasta’eenahu, wanastagh-firuhu, wanatoobu ilayhi, wana’oothu Billaahi min shuroori an-fusinaa, wamin sayyi aati a’maalinaa. May- Yahdillahu fa huwal muhtad, wa may- yudlill falan tajidaa lahu waliyan murshida. Wa ash-hadu an Laa ilaaha ill-Alláh, wahdahoo laa shareeka lah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhoo warasooluh”
All Praise is due to Alláh, We praise Him and we seek help from Him. We ask forgiveness from Him. We repent to Him; and we seek refuge in Him from our own evils and our own bad deeds. Anyone who is guided by Alláh, he is indeed guided; and anyone who has been left astray, will find no one to guide him. I bear witness that there is no god but Alláh, the Only One without any partner; `and I bear witness that Muhammad, peace and blessings on him, is His servant, and His messenger.
Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem! Ya Ay-yuhal-latheena ‘aamanut taqul-laaha, haqqa tuqaatihee wala tamu tun-na, il-la wa antum Muslimoon.”
O You who believe, – Be aware of Allah, with correct awareness, an awe-inspired awareness, and die not except as Muslims.
Ya Ay-yuhal-latheena ‘aamanut taqul-laaha, wa qooloo qawlan sadeedaa. Yuslih-lakum a’maalakum wa yaghfir lakum thunoobakum, wamay yu-til-laaha warasoolah, faqad faaza fawzan atheemaa.”
O You who believe, – Be aware of Allah, and speak a straightforward word. He will forgive your sins and repair your deeds. And whoever takes Allah and His Prophet as a guide, has already achieved a mighty victory.
In the opening verse of Sura An-Nisaa’, Allah says:
“O mankind! Show reverence towards your Guardian-Lord Who created you from a single person, created, of like nature, his mate and from the two of them scattered (like seeds) countless men and women;― Be conscious of Allah, through Whom you demand your mutual (rights) and (show reverence towards) the wombs (that bore you): for surely, Allah ever watches over you.”
My Dear Sisters and Brothers,
In my last khutbah, we reminded ourselves about that powerful prayer, that amazing du’ah,
“Hasbun Allah, wa niyamal wakeel, niya’mal mawla wa niyamal naseer.”
“Sufficient is Allah for us, He is the best Guardian and the best Helper.”
These were the words of Abraham, Nabi Ebrahim. This is what he said when his people threw him into the fire. These were also the words of Prophet Muhammad, sws, and his Companions, the Sahabah, when they were warned that a huge army was gathering behind a mountain, ready to attack them and drive them and Islam into oblivion.
Let’s remember this wonderful duah, so that we, too, can benefit from it whenever we find ourselves in a really dangerous situation:
“Hasbun Allah, wa niyamal wakeel, niya’mal mawla wa niyamal naseer.”
“Sufficient is Allah for us, He is the best Guardian and the best Helper.”
In today’s khutbah I want to continue with this theme. Let’s remind ourselves of the many prayers, and supplications, du’ahs that we’ve learnt since childhood. We may never have reflected on the origins of these prayers. Perhaps we take them for granted. Our parents and our teachers told us to memorise them. That’s it! But how many of us know the beautiful and inspiring back-story of these popular duahs?
Each and every one of the prayers in the Holy Quran has an interesting story of its own. Most of them begin with “Rabbana” “O My Lord!” The word Rabbana appears 72 times in 64 verses in the Quran. There are 40 of the best known, best remembered du’ahs beginning with “Rabbana.”
Allah reminds us in the Holy Quran that
“Every nation has been sent a Messenger,” (Quran Sura Nahl – The Bee 16.36).
No nation has been overlooked… and Muhmmad sws is a guide to all the nations
“Wa likulli qaumin haad…” Sura Ra’d (13.7). Allah sent us the greatest of teachers, these are the Anbiyyaah, the Prophets.
Let us take a few examples.
We’’ve heard the story of Nabi Yunus, Jonah, a.s. He became so impatient with his people that he left them, but Allah guided them and reprimanded him for his impatience. When he was swallowed up by a large fish, he repented to Allah, and made prayer, which we all repeat today. It is the Universal Prayer of Distress, recited for centuries, begging Allah’s help:
“La ilaha illa anta, soob’haanaka innee kuntu minath-dthaali meen!”
“There is no God but You, Glory to You, I have become one of the wrongdoers.”
Most of us know this prayer and we’ve recited it many times. But how many of us know who first recited it, and under what conditions?
“Whenever we travel, by land, sea or air, let us remember the prayer of Nabi Nuh [Noah] a.s. as he set sail in the Ark during the Great Flood.
”Rabbi anzilnee munzilan mubarakan, wa anta khairun munzileen.”
Sura Al Mu’minoon (23:21)
“O My Lord, let me land at a blessed landing place, for You are the best of those Who provide safe landings.”
Nabi Ebrahim, Abraham, taught us so many beautiful prayers. When he and his son, Isma’il laid the foundations of the Kaaba in Makka, he prayed:
“Rabbana taqabbal minna innaka antas samee’ul aleem.”
“Our Lord, accept this service from us, for You are the All-Seeing, All-Hearing.”
Nabi Ebrahim taught us many prayers, and here are two more well known ones:
“Rabbi ja’alni muqueemus salaati wa min dthur-riyyati Rabbana wata qabbal duah”
“My Lord, help me and my descendants to perfect our prayers, and please accept this prayer!”
“Rabbanagh firlee wali waali dayya, walil mu’mineena yawma yaquoomul hisaab”
“My Lord, please forgive me and my parents, and all Believers, until the Day of Judgement!”
Abraham, Nabi Ebrahim, a.s. is the great-grandfather of Islamic Monotheism, Tawhiid, belief in One God. The Jewish, Christian and Muslim faiths all have the same ancestor in Abraham.
Dear Sisters and Brothers, these are just a few of the du’ahs that Allah has taught us to recite every day. These prayers were graphically illustrated in the lives of the Prophets, the Anbiyaah, the Great Teachers of mankind. I remind myself and you, to learn, to internalise and reflect these wonderful teachings in our day to day dealings with each other.
“Alhamdu lillahi Rabbil ‘Aalameen. Was-salaatu was-salaamu alaa Khairil mursaleen. Muhammadin-nabeey-yil Ummiy-youe, wa-‘alaa aalihee, wasah-bihee, aj-ma’een. Ammaa ba’ad:
“Innalláha wa malaaikata yusallúna alan nabi. Yá ay yuhal latheena ámanu sallú alayhi wasalli mú tas leema. Allahumma salli alá Muhammad, wa ala áli Muhammad, kama salayta ala Ibrahim, wa ala ali Ibrahim. Allahumma barik ala Muhammad, kama barakta ala Ibrahim, wa ala ali ibrahim. Fil ála meen, innaka hameedun majeed.”
(Second Khutbah):
“Soob’ hanallahi wal hamdu lillah, wala hawla wala quwwata illah billah yu althi yual theem”
Glory to Allah! Praise to Allah! There is no power and no strength except from Allah!
My dear sisters and brothers,
To continue our theme of the Prayers of the Prophets: these amazing human beings left us a rich legacy. Their legacy wasn’t material wealth: gold, diamonds or great palaces and empires. Their legacy was much more important. They left us an easy to follow road map that guides us through life, avoiding all the detours, all the cul-de-sacs, , and delivers us safely to Allah’s Garden: Al-jannah firdaws. This road map is their life example. They relied totally on Allah and on no-one else. Their motto was: “Hasbun Allah wa niyamal wakeel.” Allah was sufficient for them. Allah should therefore be sufficient for us also, in times of ease and in times of distress. Whether it was Nabi Nuh (Noah) seeking a safe landing place from the stormy seas, or Nabi Ebrahim (Abraham) being flung into a raging fire, or Nabi Yunus (Jonah), alone inside the dark belly of a whale; or Nabi Ayyub (Job) who lost everything: health, wealth, family and friends, and yet patiently persevered. “Innal laaha ma’as sabireen.” Allah is with those who patiently persevere. Allah’s great Prophets show us how to deal with calamities without giving up hope, without giving in to despair.
Finally, I’d like to remind myself and you all, about Allah’s first and last Prophets: Nabi Adam alayhis salaam, and Nabi Muhammad sws. Al awal wal aakhir: The first and the last Great Teachers of humankind. They taught us many, many great lessons. We have enough time left for these only 2 examples.
Nabi Adam a.s. taught us a wonderful short prayer. When he and his wife followed Shaytaan, they committed the first Sin in the history of humankind. They were cast out of heaven and literally, sent down to earth. Filled with regret, Nabi Adam stood on a small hill called Jabal Rahma, the Mount of Mercy on Arafat, near Makka. Here he made a passionate plea to Allah:
“Rabbana dthalamna an fusana wa-il-lam tagh fir lana watar hamna lana koonan-na minal khasireen!”
“O My Lord, we have truly wronged our own souls, and if you do not forgive us and if You do not have mercy on us, we will surely be among the lost ones.”
Every year during the Hajj season, pilgrims must gather on Arafat on the day of Wuquf. It’s the climax of the Hajj and Hajj is not complete until we gather there, to remember this prayer. We remember the first sin of disobedience to Allah, and we also remember that in the end, Allah is Al-Ghafoorur Raheem. Allah is the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful of those who show mercy.
No matter how gloomy things may be out there, Allah wants us always to be filled with hope and trust in His Mercy.
Finally we come to the Seal of the Prophets, khaatam an nabiyyeen, Muhammad sws.
He was neither too worldly nor too other-worldly. He lived the most impeccably balanced life. He showed us how to be in this world but not of this world. He was the man of the Mi’raj, going where no angel dared to go. But he also loved women, and children, and perfume. He loved the solitude of mountains and caves, but he also spent time with his people. He was the most complete human being, in the words of the Quran, “Al insan al kaamil.” He taught us so many important lessons and we will insha-Allah visit these in future khutbahs.
We end this khutbah with one of Nabi Muhammad sws favourite du’ahs.
“Rabbana atina fid dunya hasanatan, wa fil akhirati hasanatan, wa qina athaaban naar!”
“O My Lord, please grant us the best of this life, and the best of the life to come, and save us from the torment of the Fire.” (Quran Sura Al Baqara 2:201)
My dear sisters and brothers, I pray that Allah will guide you and me, and all our loved ones and all our descendants. O Allah, help us to follow in the giant footsteps of Your Prophets, the greatest teachers of mankind. Help us to complete our Islam, to build on our Iman, and to shine with Ihsan. Ameen!
InnaAllaha, Yamuru bil adel, wal ihsaan, wa eetaa-i zil qurba; wa yanha anil fuhshaa-i, wal munkari walbaghi; ya-idzukhum lallakum tathak-karoon. (Sura 16:90), Fadth kuroonee adth kurkum, wash kuroolee walaa tak furoon [2:152]. wala thikrul-Laahi akbar, Wal-Laahu ya’lamu maa tasna’oon.” [29:45].
“Surely Allah commands justice, good deeds and generosity to others and to relatives; and He forbids all shameful deeds, and injustice and rebellion: He instructs you, so that you may be reminded.” “And remember Me: I will remember you. Be grateful to Me, and do not reject faith.” “and without doubt, Remembrance of Allah is the Greatest Thing in life, and Allah knows the deeds that you do.”
Ameen. Aqeemus salaah