Sh. Haatim - 23rd Rabi Al Aakhir 1416
Brothers and Sisters! Allah Almighty says in S. As Saff:(61:10-13)
"O You who believe! Shall I guide you to a commerce that will save you from a painful Torment. That you believe in Allah and His Messenger Muhammad, Sallallaahu 'Alayhi Wasallam, and that you strive hard and fight in the Cause of Allah with your wealth and your lives, that will be better for yow, if you but know! If you do so He will forgive you your sins, and admit you into Gardens under which rivers flow, and pleasant dwellings in Gardens of Eternity, that is indeed the Great Success. And also He will give you another blessing which you love, - help from Allah against your enemies and a near victory. And give glad tidings O Muhammad, Sallallaahu 'Alayhi Wasallam, to the believers."
In the afore-mentioned Aayah Allah Almighty sends the call to all believers in every time and place, by advertising the profitable investment for whosoever wants to contribute and gain the ultimate benefit. Allah explains the conditions to be fulfilled by the participants, its capital and its profit so that people may enter and be assured of his share and reward. He, who has opened the door for participation in this investment, is Allah the All-Knowing, Who does not waste the deeds of the doer, but instead duplicates it tremendously, the reward tenfold to seven hundredfold. In S Al Baqarah Allah says:(2:261)
"And Allah is All-Sufficient for His creature's needs, All-Knower."
Brothers and Sisters! Have no fear that you will lose your share with Allah's investment, but rest assured that Allah will multiply your reward. The conditions for participating in this investment are:
1) The participant must be of the People of Emaan, as advertised by, "O you who believe....", in the afore-mentioned verse. As for the People of Disbelief or Hypocrisy, they are not allowed to participate(are not liable for the reward), because their acts are rotten and corrupt, and their capital is fraudulent.
2) The capital of investment for the participating believer is, of two forms as implied in the verse as follows: "That you believe in Allah and His Messenger Muhammad, Sallallaahu 'Alayhi Wasallam, and that you strive hard and fight in the Cause of Allah with your wealth and your lives." Firstly - belief in Allah and His Prophet, is the absolute assurance in the heart and the declaration by words, and performing deeds of righteousness, which are obligatory or recommended and abstaining from all kinds of sins and evil deeds which He has forbidden. Secondly - strive hard and fight in the Cause of Allah and His Prophet, Sallallaahu 'Alayhi Wasallam, with your tongue and hands, and sacrificing your wealth and lives so that Allah religion manifests, His words arise, defeat and repress the disbelievers.
We have heard how to participate in capital of investment, so what is its profit? As for its profit, Allah has revealed in His Words: "That (He) will save you from a painful Torment."
This means that He will save and rescue you from a severe and painful punishment that no one will be saved from except he who takes precautions and fulfils the conditions for salvation. Other forms of profit in this investment are to obtain forgiveness from offences, expiation of sins, admittance to Gardens underneath which rivers flow and pleasant dwellings of the Eternal Gardens of Paradise that you will never leave. This is stated in the verse as: "He will forgive you your sins, and admit you into Gardens under which rivers flow, and pleasant dwellings in Gardens of Eternity, that is indeed the Great Success."
These are the profits of the investments in the Hereafter, which are continuous and everlasting. There are additional, immediate profits in the life of this world namely; Allah will help and grant you victory against your enemies in conquering their lands by making use of its fruits, and becoming rulers with honour. This is reflected in the verse as: "And also He will give you another blessing which you love, - help from Allah against your enemies and a near victory." This blessings in this world is connected with the Grace of the Hereafter for the believer who answers this divine invitation and contribute in this investment.
Brothers and Sisters! Today people rush when they hear about and advertisement in property, land or other investments, so they take the risk in spending their money with greed to obtain profit, without realising the result of this investment, nor do they certify the honesty and trust. After all, the advertiser is human and liable to make mistakes by having insufficient experienced. However, people still take risks blindly, because greed overpowers their desires, with the result that they invest their money blindly for the sake of a return that might never materialise, and if it did, they would not know the consequences and the effect of the return. Why then, do many people not respond to the divine advertisement of the greatest investment, surplus profit with the best outcome, knowing that the advertiser in this investment is the All Knowing, the Omniscient and the Most Merciful upon His slaves. He, Who increases and multiplies rewards ten to seven hundredfold, forgives sins and shields our shortcomings and never oppresses a soul. Allah Almighty says in S. Al Anbiyaa:(21:47)
"And if there be the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it. And Sufficient are We as Reckoners."
In S. An Nisaa' Allah also say:(4:40)
"Surely Allah wrongs not even of the weight of an atom or a small ant, but if there is any good done, He doubles it, and gives from Him a great reward."
Brothers and Sisters! The reason why we retrieve from this investment that Allah has publicised and explained in the Glorious Qur'an is our weak Emaan and our preferring the life of this world over our religion.
A man with his human nature likes investments which are of two types: A soon and a quickly passing investment, or a later and a permanent investment. Each of these has its clients, the People of Emaan, who are few in number, prefer the last-named investment, while others prefer the first-mentioned investment. Allah Almighty says in S. Al A'laa:(87:16-17)
"Nay, you prefer the life of this world. Although the Hereafter is better and more lasting."
However, if he who prefers the permanent investment in the Hereafter, Allah will grant him reward in this world and in the Hereafter. On the other hand, he who prefers the investment for this world only, Allah grants him what he has decreed for him in this world, but he loses the investment of the Hereafter. Allah Almighty says in S. Ash Shoora:(42:20)
"Whosoever desires with his deeds, the reward of the Hereafter, We give him increase in his reward, and whosoever desires the reward of this world with his deeds, We give him thereof what is written for him, and he has no portion in the Hereafter."
Brothers and Sister! Investing with Allah Almighty is very simple, its doors are always open for whoever is interested and it is publicised whenever the Qur'an is read. Allah enlarges the provisions with His hand at night, so He can forgive the offender who committed a sin during the daytime. Allah also enlarges the provisions with His hand during the day, so He can forgive the offender who committed a sin during the night. Allah Almighty descends each night to the earth's sky when there remains the final third of the night, and He says: "Who is saying a prayer to Me that I may answer it? Who is asking something of Me that I may give him? Who is asking forgiveness of me that I may forgive him?"
Allah Almighty says in S. Al Baqarah:(2:186)
"And when My slaves ask you O Muhammad, Sallallaahu 'Alayhi Wasallam, concerning Me, then answer them, I am indeed near to them by My knowledge. I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me without any mediator or intercessor. So let them obey Me and believe in Me, so that they may be led aright."
Second Khutbah
After knowing the investments of the believer and his rewards we may now ask what is the investment of the hypocrite? The investments of the hypocrite, are rotten and corrupt, their capital is fraudulent and its owner is Shaytaan. He who invests with Shaytaan will always be a loser and with the people of Hell-fire. The conditions of joining this corrupt investment is that the person must be from the people of disbelief and hypocrisy. In S. Al Baqarah Allah say:(2:6-18)
"Verily, those who disbelieve, it is the same to them whether you warn them or not, they will not believe. Allah has set a seal on their hearts, and on their hearing, and on their eyes there is a covering. Theirs will be a great Torment. These are the ones who have purchased error for guidance, so their investment was profitless. And they were not guided. Their likeness is as the likeness of one kindled a fire; then, when it lit all around him, Allah took away their light and left them in darkness. So they could not see. They are deaf, dumb and blind, so they return not to the right path.