Arshad Gamiet/Royal Holloway University of London /UK. 7th October 2005.
“As-salámu 'alaikum wa rahmatul láhi wa barakátuh!”
“A-úthu billáhi minash shaytánir rajeem. Bismilláhir rahmánir raheem.
Al hamdu lillahi nahmaduhu wanasta’eenahu, wanastagh-firuhu, wanatoobu ilayhi, wana’oothu Billaahi min shuroori an-fusinaa, wamin sayyi aati a’maalinaa. May- Yahdillahu fa huwal muhtad, wa may- yudlill falan tajidaa lahu waliyan murshida. Wa ash-hadu an Laa ilaaha ill-Alláh, wahdahoo laa shareeka lah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhoo warasooluh”
All Praise is due to Alláh, We praise Him and we seek help from Him. We ask forgiveness from Him. We repent to Him; and we seek refuge in Him from our own evils and our own bad deeds. Anyone who is guided by Alláh, he is indeed guided; and anyone who has been left astray, will find no one to guide him. I bear witness that there is no god but Alláh, the Only One without any partner; and I bear witness that Muhammad, sws, is His servant, and His messenger.
Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem! Ya Ay-yuhal-latheena ‘aamanut taqul-laaha, haqqa tuqaatihee wala tamu tun-na, il-la wa antum Muslimoon.”
O You who believe, - Fear Allah, as He should be feared, and die not except as Muslims.
Ya Ay-yuhal-latheena ‘aamanut taqul-laaha, wa qooloo qawlan sadeedaa. Yuslih-lakum a’maalakum wa yaghfir lakum thunoobakum, wamay yu-til-laaha warasoolah, faqad faaza fawzan atheemaa.”
O You who believe, - Be aware of Allah, and speak a straightforward word. He will forgive your sins and repair your deeds. And whoever takes Allah and His prophet as a guide, has already achieved a mighty victory…
My respected Brothers and Sisters,
Our Holy
Prophet Muhammad sws, laid great emphasis on the quest for knowledge, and he
urged Muslims to ‘seek knowledge, from the cradle to the grave, and to seek
knowledge, even unto China’.
There
are some new faces here today. I would therefore like to welcome all the new
students, and the non-students who have come to our Jum’ah for the first time.
You will find in the coming days and weeks, as we enjoy the blessings of
Ramadan, that we have a very special community at Royal Holloway University of
London. Our community is a wide cross-section of the Muslim world, it’s an
Ummah in miniature. All our families have a close and caring relationship
towards each other, and towards our students.
Br Amr Shokry, who gave us many excellent khutbahs in the past, described our community as the ‘Ansar’ or ‘helpers’ and the students as the ‘Muhajireen’ or ‘those who migrated.’ Just like those Ansar of Madina who helped the Muhajireen of Makka during that momentous journey the Hegira of Prophet Muhammad sws. Br Amr was offering us a very kind and generous compliment.
In
a way, every student is also making a kind of Hegira,
a migration by travelling far from their homes and loved ones, in search of
knowledge. And at a much deeper level, those who go forth in search of knowledge
are making the Hegira or migration
from ignorance towards Knowledge, Understanding and Wisdom.
This is a noble ambition that very strongly encouraged in Islám. It was the
quest for knowledge, activated by The Holy Qur'án and the Prophetic Sunnah,
that transformed those desert nomads, our noble and illustrious ancestors, into
the leaders of a great civilization when most of Europe was gripped in
superstition and darkness.
Dear
Brothers and Sisters, as you commence this great adventure of learning at
University, you must always be critically aware of any cultural bias in your
study material. The Euro-centric view is often found in subjects like History.
In its crudest form, it portrays the entire history of mankind is simply an
enlarged history of Europe and its Greek and Roman origins. Other civilisations
are only considered in the way they impinged on the history of West. For
example, you may read that Christopher Columbus ‘discovered’ America. But
really, the truth is that he was looking for India and he lost his way. The
native Americans discovered him, told him where he was, then gave him some
potatoes and tobacco before he returned home!
Be
aware of any subliminal messages and hidden agendas in your study material.
Sometimes unproven theories are presented as hard truths. If you are studying
the natural sciences, be mindful of the pervasive influence of Darwinism. There
is today, a lively debate between Creationists and Darwinists. You know,
scientific theories and assumptions are there to be questioned and challenged.
Don’t take anything at face value. Do engage with your tutors and fellow
students in a healthy intellectual discourse.
The
Islamic view is not anti-scientific. Islam encourages science and puts its work
into perspective. For example, the accepted modern scientific view of Creation
is that the whole universe, matter, energy, space and time began with a ‘big
bang’ some 14 billion years ago. The theory is that everything began purely by
a chance, and it flatly denies the possibility of a Creator having brought
things to life as a deliberate plan.
If
indeed everything began with a ‘big bang’ then we Muslims know that the bang
occurred precisely between the Arabic letters, Kaaf
and Nuun: “Kun!”
“Be!” “fayakuun!” and it “IS!”
Alláh the Glorified and Exalted, tells us in The Holy Qur'án, in the
last 3 verses of Sura Yasin:
Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem!
“Awalaysal
lathee khalaqas sama wati wal arda biqaa dirin ‘alaa ay-yakh luka mith lahum.
Balaa, wahuwal khal-laaqul aleem!
Inna
maa amruhoo ithaa araada shay-an Ay-yaqoola lahum, Kun! Fayakuun!
Fasoob’
haanal lathee biyadihee malakootu kulli shay-in wa ilayhi tur-ja’oon.”
“Is
not He Who created the heavens and the earth, able to
create the like thereof?
Yes, indeed! For He is the
Creator Supreme, of infinite skill and knowledge!
Truly, when He intends a
thing, His Command is: “BE” and it IS!
So
Glory to Him in Whose hands is the dominion of all things, and to Him will you
all be brought back.”
Here in
these beautiful and eloquent verses from the heart of the Holy Qur'án, we
discover the simple truth about the beginning and the end of everything. I
promise you, if you take all the scientific theories and lay them side by side
with the Quranic view of Creation. You will not find a simpler, more logical and
rational explanation. The idea that all the marvellous complexity of the
universe, all began by chance, by a random collision of matter, is very
difficult to accept. All the complex laws of phyics, of motion and gravity, of
chemistry and genetics, they are so finely balanced. Living cells have such an
intricate design, that they simply cannot have come into existence by chance.
After many years of study, research and reflection, the famous British
astronomer and mathematician, Fred Hoyle, came to this conclusion. He said that
if you can believe that everything began by chance, without a Creator,
then it’s like saying that a tornado can rip its way through a junk-yard, and
then assemble a complete Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet, as it moves away. If you can
believe that, then you can believe anything!
[Pause]
Dear
Brothers and Sisters, I do hope you will enjoy your learning adventure.
Remember, as Muslims and Believers, you will have a great advantage over others.
You have a spiritual dimension, which informs your search for knowledge, and
gives it a context and meaning. Whether you are studying Petroleum Geology or
Mathematics, Computer encryption or Medieval History, Astronomy or Management,
you are really exploring Alláh’s wonderful world, in order to make a positive
contribution to humankind. Remember always, that with every step you take on
this exciting journey, with every new idea that swims into your mental horizon,
you should say, Sub-haanalah, Alhamdu lillah,
Allahu Akbar! Glory
to Alláh, Praise Alláh, Alláh is the Greatest! All beneficial knowledge
comes from Alláh, because we live in a purposive universe. Alláh has
created everything for a purpose. Remember that every time you learn something
new and useful, Alláh has lifted a veil, and uncovered another sign or Ayaat
for you, from his wonderful unwritten Qur'án, which is the world of Nature.
Verse
190 of Sura Al-‘Imraan makes this
very clear:
“Bismillahir
Rahmaanir Raheem!
Inna
fee khalqis samaa waati wal ardi, Wakhtila fil layli wan-hah-haari, la-aayaatil
li-oolil albaab. Al-latheena yath-kuroonal-laaha qiyaamaw waqu-oodaw wa ‘alaa
junoobi him wayata fak-karoona fee khalqis samaa waati wal ard,
Rabbanaa
maa khalaqta haa-thaa baatilan, Soob’haanaka, faqinaa athaaban naar.”
“Behold!
In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night
and day, there are indeed signs, for men of understanding. Men who celebrate the
praises of Alláh, standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and
contemplate the wonders of creation in the heavens and the earth, with the
thought: Our Lord! Not for nothing have you created all this! Glory to You! Save
us from the penalty of the fire!
. “Alhamdu lillahi Rabbil ‘Aalameen. Was-salaatu was-salaamu alaa Khairil mursaleen. Muhammadin-nabeey-yil Ummiy-yee, wa-‘alaa aalihee, wasah-bihee, aj-ma’een.
Ammaa ba’ad:
Innalláha wa malaaikata yusallúna alan nabi. Yá ay yuhal latheena ámanu sallú alayhi wasalli mú tas leema. Allahumma salli alá Muhammad, wa ala áli Muhammad, kama salayta ala Ibrahim, wa ala ali Ibrahim. Allahumma barik ala Muhammad, wa alaa áli Muhammad, kama barakta ala Ibrahim, wa ala ali ibrahim. Fil ála meen, innaka hameedun majeed.”
All praise is due to Alláh, the Lord of all the Worlds; may the greetings and peace be upon the best messenger, Muhammad, the unlettered prophet; and upon his family and upon all of his companions. Amma ba’ad, And, after this,
Behold, Alláh and his angels shower blessings on the Prophet. O you who believe! Ask for blessings on him, and salute him with a worthy greeting.
O Alláh! Send your greetings upon Muhammad and his family, just as you sent your greetings on Abraham, and his family. O Alláh, send your blessings on Muhammad and his family, just as you blessed Abraham and his family. In both worlds, you are praiseworthy and exalted."
Part Two:
Sub' hanallahi wal hamdu lillah, wala hawla wala quwwata illah billah yu althi yual theem.
"All glory is for Allah, and all praise is for Allah; There is no power and no strength except with Allah."
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
There
are 2 kinds of university. Royal Holloway belongs to the first kind, where you
study and your hard work is rewarded by a Degree or a Doctorate. This kind of
university is something you can choose to enter or not.
The
other kind of university is the University of life. This is where we all acquire
our informal, or non-formal education, which can be as important as any
formal degree or doctorate. We all have to pass through this one, we have
no choice in the matter, and the main section is the Faculty Hard Knocks, which
you can also call the Department of Distress and Endurance. All of the most
distinguished human beings, the Prophets, the Sages, the Friends of Alláh and
great leaders of history have graduated from this department.
How
well we do depends on our preparation. Are we equipped, physically, emotionally
and spiritually, for the University of Life?
Studying
Islam through the Quran and Sunnah, reading widely and even listening to this
khutbah is part of our course material. The University of Life course is a long
one, it’s literally life-long learning
These
2 kinds of university are not mutually exclusive. In fact, they compliment and
reinforce each other.... Your formal university should be an extension of your
university of life, and vice versa. When our beloved Prophet Muhammad sws urged
his followers to seek knowledge he was not just talking of formal education, as
we know it today. In Islám, there
is no artificial barrier between formal and informal learning, just as there is
no artificial barrier between secular and sacred learning. All useful knowledge
is from Allah. If you pursue knowledge that leads to a better understanding of
God’s wonderful creation, and you use that knowledge for the benefit of
humankind, you are given a very high status. Listen to what the Holy Prophet
Muhammad sws had to say about those who seek knowledge:
Mu'ath
bin Jabal narrated that the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said:
“Acquire
knowledge, for surely it leads to fear of Alláh [Taqwa]. Seeking it is an act
of worship ('ibadah); studying it is praising Allah; seeking it is jihad;
teaching it to whomever doesn't known it is an act of charity (sadaqah); and
giving it to its people draws one closer to them. Knowledge points to the
permissible (Halaal) and the forbidden (haraam); and it is a shining light
pointing the way to paradise. It comforts the lonely, it befriends the
estranged, and it talks to you in seclusion. It is a guide through prosperity
and adversity; it is a weapon against enemies; and it is the best of friends.
With knowledge, Alláh raises people to high stations, making them leaders in
goodness, whose steps are traced. Their example is emulated, their opinion
followed. The angels like to sit with the people of knowledge, surrounding their
wings; and everything dry or wet, -fish of the sea and animals on land, - will
ask Allah to forgive them. [I really like this part, so I’ll repeat it] The
angels like to sit with the people of knowledge, surrounding their wings; and
everything dry or wet, -fish of the sea and animals on land, - will
ask Allah to forgive them!
Knowledge
gives life to the heart in the midst of ignorance, and illuminates vision in the
darkness. With knowledge, God's servants become the elite and reach the highest
degrees in this life and in the hereafter. Contemplation with knowledge [tafakkur]
is equivalent to fasting (sawm); spending time to study it is equivalent to
standing at night in prayer (qiyam); duties to relatives are fulfilled by it;
and through it the halaal and haraam are known. Knowledge precedes action ('amal)
and action always follows it. The fortunate ones attain it and the miserable
ones are deprived of it.”
These beautiful words concerning
Knowledge, came from the unlettered Prophet Muhammad sws. What a beautiful and
inspiring speech! My dear brothers and sisters., I sincerely hope that you will
pursue your lifelong
quest for knowledge, in the true Islamic spirit of seeking to please Alláh,
glorifying His name, and serving all His creatures with love and compassion.
Make it your main goal, to seek and find Alláh’s good pleasure, and consider
your work, your career, and even your leisure time as simply the practical way
in which you have chosen to do this. Whatever you do, make sure that the
material things and creature comforts do not become your main concern. If by Alláh’s
grace, you will earn a high salary, you enjoy a comfortable home and drive a
nice car, make sure you keep them all at arm's length. Do not hold them close to
your heart. Let these material
things always remain the by-products of serving Alláh. It should never become
your main agenda.
Let
us try to be like those wonderful human beings, our noble ancestors, who pursued
knowledge with energy and passion, but never lost sight of their Faith.
These
remarkable individuals like:
Ibn
Khaldun who laid out the foundations of modern Sociology and Historiography.
| |
Ibn
Sina, whose Qanun Fit-tibb or Canon of Medicine was a standard medical
textbook for six hundred years. | |
Al
Khawarizmi, whose work in mathematics gave us Algorithms that underpin the
work of computers and space travel. | |
Ibn
Hazm, who was a brilliant jurist, mathematician, logician, linguist and
scholar, a true Renaissance Man, three centuries before the Renaissance, the
rebirth of learning in Europe! |
The list goes on and on. I cannot imagine any of these great and noble scholars saying, “well, that’s good enough. I'll just stop here now and do something else. This is hard work, it's more than by job’s worth!” These men worked tirelessly until they achieved excellent results. Quality and excellence was a passion. That's what it takes to produce work of lasting value.
Brothers and
Sisters, let's learn form our illustrious predecessors. Let's not be ashamed to do well.
We should be passionate in doing the very best we can. We must try to exceed our
own humble expectations....Reach
for the sky and aim for the stars!
Let
us pray to Alláh, to spiritualise our quest for knowledge, so that every path
we take brings us closer to him.
“Rabbana
atina fid dunya hasanatan wafil akhirati hasanatan waqeena athaaban naar.”
“O
My Lord, give us the best of this world, and the best of the next world, and
save us from the torment of the fire!”
O
Alláh! Let us become like those beloved and noble ancestors, whom Your angels
surrounded with their wings, and let all creatures wet or dry, on land and sea,
pray forgiveness for us, in our quest to find Your sacred knowledge.
Your feedback will help us to improve our khutbahs. Please let us have your comments and suggestions., by writing to : mail@khutbahbank.org.uk Jazakallah Khairan!
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