Khutbah

Cosmology in the Holy Quran

Dr. Zakir Kapadia

AS-SALAAMU ALAIKUMWA REHMATUL LAAHI WA BARAKAATUH,

Wait for adhaan

Standard Introduction:

 

AUZO BIL LAAHI MIN ASH SHAYTAANIR RAJEEM,

BISMIL LAAHIR RAHMAANIR RAHIM

 

AL HAMDU LILLAAHI RABBIL ‘ALAMEEN. WAS SALAATU WAS SALAAMU ‘ALAA ASHRAFIL MURSALEEN. SAYIDINAA WA NABI YENAA WA MOULANAA MUHAMMADIN WA’ALA AALEHEE WA AS HAABEHEE WASALLIM.

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

AL-HAMDU LILLA HIL LAZI HADAANA LIHAAZA WAMA KUNNA LANAHTADIYA LAW’LA ANN HADAANA ALLAH. (You must expand this Arabic portion of Khutbah, depending on the month/season, e.g. Hajj, Ramadaan, etc.)

 

Meaning:

Praise is due to Allah,

 

Praise is due to Allah who guided us to the righteous path, and indeed we wouldn’t have attained this state of guidance without Him Allah,

 

AMMA BA’AD.

 

English Part of the Khutbah:

IKHWATI FIL ISLAM, ASH-HAAB AL ILM, WA RUWAAD AL ILM, Brothers in Islam, Learned Colleagues and Scholars,

 

AS-SALAAMU ALAIKUM,  WA REHMATUL LAAHI WA BARAKAATUH,

Continuing from last week, lets see how the Cosmology was clearly defined in the   Holy Quran.

At the time when the Holy Quran was revealed, the human understanding of the nature of the cosmos and the movement or the stillness of the galactic planetary systems bodies was extremely primitive and obscure.

Over a course of periods, some of the theories relating to the creation of the universe have been verified as facts, whereas some others are still being explored. Obviously, the duniya still haven’t caught up with the innumerable scientific facts mentioned in the Holy Quran.

In our last few Khutbahs, we spoke of the concept of the expanding universe that was discovered by Edwin Hubble in the 1920s. Yet some fourteen centuries before this, it was clearly mentioned in the Quran. We also suggested that at the time of Yawm Al Qiyamah, the possibility of an all-consuming gigantic black hole which may pull back the entire universal mass into its singularity.

Now we turn to another aspect of the description of the cosmos which relates to the motion of the heavenly bodies. All the scholars of that time were unanimous in their belief that the earth is stationary while other heavenly bodies like the sun and the moon are constantly revolving around it. If the Quran had described the earth as stationary and the heavenly bodies as revolving around it, then although the people of that time might have been satisfied with this description, the people of the later ages like you and I would have treated that statement as a proof of the ignorance of the Quran's author. Such a statement, they would emphasize, could not have been made by an All-Knowing, Supreme Being.

Rather than literally comparing the motion of the earth to that of other heavenly bodies, the Quran makes the following statement:

“The mountains that you see, you think they are stationary while they are constantly floating like the floating of clouds. Such is the work of Allah Who made everything firm and strong.”

If the mountains are declared to be in constant motion, then the only logical inference to be drawn from this would be that the earth is also rotating along with them. But thanks to the masterly language of the Holy Quran this observation went unnoticed. If they had read with care the end of the same verse they would have been left with no room for any misunderstanding. It ends with a lasting tribute to the creative faculty of ASWT, Who has created all things with such firmness that they cannot be dislodged. Anything which cannot be dislodged can never be catapulted out of the earth, to fly alone, leaving the earth behind.

The Holy Quran also pronounces that all heavenly bodies are in a constant state of motion; none of them is stationary:

“everything is gliding along smoothly in its orbit.”

This all-embracing statement covers the entire universe, our solar system being no exception. In addition to this, there are many other verses which mention the elliptical movement of all the heavenly bodies. But they also speak of their movement towards their destined time of death. Following are some of the verses which cover both subjects:

“Allah is He Who raised up the heavens without any pillars that you can see. Then He settled Himself on the Throne. And He pressed the sun and the moon into service. All pursue their course until an appointed time. He regulates it all. He clearly explains the Signs, that you may have a firm belief in the meeting with your Lord.”

 

“Hast thou not seen that Allah makes the night pass into the day, and makes the day pass into the night, and He has pressed the sun and the moon into service; all pursuing their course till an appointed term, and Allah is well aware of what you do?”

We turn to another amazing revelation of the Quran regarding a specific motion of the sun which is mentioned nowhere else. This verse 36:39, pronounces,

And the sun is constantly moving in the direction of its ultimate abode of rest. This is the decree of the Almighty, the All-Knowing.

It clearly speaks of a point in space to be the sun's final resting place. Despite the fact that it is only the sun which is mentioned, the verses which immediately follow bind the entire universe to the movement of the sun in the same specific direction:

And the sun is constantly moving in the direction of its ultimate abode of rest. This is the decree of the Almighty, the All-Knowing.

And for the moon We have regulated stages until it looks like a thin branch of an old palm tree.

Nor does it behove for the sun to overtake the moon nor for the night to overtake the day

If it were only the sun which was moving in a fixed direction, the verse which follows this statement would not have proclaimed that the sun and the moon strictly maintain their mutual distance; they will never be able to gain or move away from each other, an unchangeable destiny till their appointed time. This clearly shows that in whatever direction the sun is moving, the moon is also moving.

But it is not only the question of the sun and the moon. All the heavenly bodies are described in the Quran as soundlessly floating. Again there are numerous verses in the Quran which describe the heavenly bodies bound together with invisible links. Hence if one of them moves in a direction other than its orbital and elliptical motion, all the other heavenly bodies must also move along to maintain their mutual balance.

And He it is Who created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon; everything gliding along in orbit.

This is a unique style of the Quran also employed for indicating the movement of the earth upon its axis. The people of the time of both these revelations could not clearly grasp the underlying idea. If the mountains are moving the earth must also move along, but this is not what the people of that age inferred. Nor could they grasp the idea that if the sun is moving in the direction of a specific space, the entire universe must also be moving along with it to the same destination. This vision of the entire universe drifting away in space is an idea which perhaps has not as yet been conceived by contemporary scientists. Yet it can be implied from an in-depth study of the Quran that the entire cosmos is moving towards some point in space. If that implication is true then one is left with no choice but to visualize all 180 billion or more galaxies, of which our planetary system is but a tiny dot, to be moving along with the sun in a set direction.

Conclusion of the First Part of the Khutbah:

 

NAD’OO ALLAHA AN YAGHFIRA LANA ZUNUBANA

Meaning:          We make Duas to ASWT,  so that he will accept all our Ibadat & forgive our sins.

 

WA AAKHERO DAA’ WAANA ANIL HAMDO LIL LAAHEY RABBIL AALAMEEN

Sit down & make a du’a yourself.

Second Khutbah:

Globally Standardized Conclusion:

AL HAMDU LILLAAHI NAHMADUHU WANAS TA’EENAHU, WANASTAGH-FIRUHU, WANATOOBU ILAYHI, WANA’OOTHU BILLAAHI MIN SHUROORI AN-FUSINAA, WAMIN SAYYI AATI AA’MAALINAA.

 

MAY- YAHDILLAAHU FA HUWAL MUHTAD, WA MAY- YUDLILL FALAN TAJIDAA LAHU WALIYAN MURSHIDA. WA ASH-HADU AN LAA ILAAHA IL LAL-LAÁH, 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 Prophet Muhammad (SAW), is His servant, and His messenger.

YA AY-YUHAL-LATHEENA ‘AAMANUT TAQUL-LAAHA, HAQQA TUQAATIHEE WALA TAMU TUN-NA, IL-LA WA ANTUM MUSLIMOON.”

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

YA AY-YUHAL-LATHEENA ‘AAMANUT TAQUL-LAAHA, WA QOOLOO QAWLAN SADEEDAA. YUSLIH-LAKUM A’MAALAKUM WA YAGHFIR LAKUM THUNOOBAKUM, WAMAY YU-TIL-LAAHA WARASOOLAH, FAQAD FAAZA FAWZAN ATHEEMAA.”

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

INNALLAAHA WA MALAAIKATAHU YUSALLÚNA ALAN NABI. YAA AY YOHAL LATHEENA AAMANU SALLÚ ALAYHI WASALLI MÚ TAS LEEMA.

ALLAHUMMA SALLI ALAA MUHAMMAD, WA AALA AALI MUHAMMAD, KAMAA SALLAYTAA ALA IBRAHIMA, WA AALA AALI IBRAHIM. ALLAHUMMA BAARIK ALA MUHAMMAD, WA AALA AALI MUHAMMAD, KAMA BAARAKTAA ALA IBRAHIM, WA AALA ALI IBRAHIM, INNAKA HAMEEDUN MAJEED.”

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

The Du’a – before the Khutbah Ends:

Again, for the sake of global standardization using the global "Islamic Language", one uses a standard and brief du’a:

 

ALLAHUMMAGH FIR LIL’ MUSLIMEENA WAL MUSLIMAAT…. Stop for the congregation to say AAMEEN

 

WAL MOAMINEENA WAL MOUMINAAT…STOP FOR AAMEEN

AL-AHYAA’EE MINHUM WAL AMWAAT…STOP FOR AAMEEN

INNAKAA SAMEE’UN MUJIBUD DA’WAAT… STOP FOR AAMEEN

 

Meaning:

 

Ya Allah, forgive all our Muslim men and women,

Forgive the believing men and women,

Those who are alive and those who died,

You are indeed the One who listens and accepts all supplications.

 

RABBANA LAA TUZIGH QULOOBANAA, BA’DA ITH HADAY TANAA WAHAB LANAA MILLA DUNKA RAHMA. INNAKAA ANTAL WAH-HAAB.

O Allah, do not let our hearts deviate from the Truth now that we have been guided , but grant us Mercy from Your very Presence, for You are the Grantor of bounties without measure.

 

RABBI JA'ALNI MUQEEMUS SALAATI, WAMIN DUR-RIY-YATI, RABBANAA WATA QABBAL DU'AAH.

My Lord, help me to perfect my salaat, and of my descendants, Our Lord, accept this dua.

RABBIGH FIRLEE WALI WAALI DAYYA, WALIL MU'MINEENA YAWMA YAQOOMUL HISAAB.

My Lord, forgive me, and my parents, and all Believers until the Day of Reckoning.

 

SUB' HAANAKA RABBEKA RABBIL 'IZZATI 'AMMAA YUSIFOON, WA SALAAMUN 'ALAL MURSALEEN, WAL HAMDU LIL-LAAHI RABBIL AALAMEEN."

Glory to Allah, Lord of Majesty and Honour, and Peace on the Prophets, and Praise to Allah, Lord of all creation!

 

Other Duas you could make:

Ya Allah, accept our Ibadat and forgive us.

Ya Rabb, have mercy on us. Help us obey you and praise you.

Ya Allah, we stand before you having observed all the tenets of Islam, so lead us to prosperity  and growth, to triumph and solidarity, to unity and wealth beyond our imagination.

 

Ya Allah, we beg for your MAGFIRATAK, and ask you for success, health and wealth for all the brothers who are present here and now in this blessed room.

 

Ya Rabb, increase our love that binds us together now, and in the future to come.

 

With regards to their dear beloved ones who have passed away, Ya Rabb, may you grant them a place in Jannatul Firdaus. May you forgive all their  KHATAYAA, KABEERA WA SAGHEERAH. May you fill their Qabr with your holy noor. Ya Rabb, may you also save us from  ADHAAB AL QABR. Ya Allah, grant their rooh, eternal peace, AR RAAHA AL ABDIYYAA on the YAWM AL HISAAB.

 

Ya Allah, accept all our duas, fulfil all our righteous wishes, fulfil our dreams,.

Ya Allah, may your rehma and safety encompass all our families, wherever they may be.

 

Ya Allah, grant these brothers who are present, here and now, SABR that is YUHIB HUM AS SABR.

Ya Allah,  make the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) intercede or YASHFAAH on our behalf on YAWM A QIYAAMAH.

 

Globally Standardized Conclusion:

IBAA DAL LAAH:

IN NAL LAAHA  YA’A MURU BIL ADLI WAL IHSAN

WA EE TA’EE ZIL QURBAA WA YANHAA ANIL FAHSHAA’EE WAL MUNKAREE WAL BAGH’YI

YA EE ZUKUM LA AL LAKUM TAZAK KAROON.

FAZ KU ROONI AZ KUR KUM WAS KU RU LI WA LA TAK FURUN.

Then you conclude by saying to the mu’azzin:

WA AA  QIMUS  SALAAH

Then you come down to lead the prayers.

 

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