Friends of Alláh

by Arshad Gamiet/Royal Holloway College/Univ. of London /UK. 26Jan2001.

“As-salámu 'alaikum wa rahmatul láhi wa barakátuh!”            [Wait for adhán]

“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!”

 My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islám,

 In many of our prayers and supplications, we say these well-known words,

  “Alaa, innaa awliyaa Alláh, laa khawfun ‘alayhim, walaa hum yahzanoon!”

“Behold, on the Friends of Alláh, there is no fear, nor will they grieve!” 

These words appear in Súra Yunus [ch10] in verse62.

Today’s khutbah is about the Friends of Alláh. Who are these friends of Alláh? Why are they considered to be a special category of Believers? Is it possible for ordinary Muslims like us, to become Friends of Alláh? And what must we do, to earn this high and rare distinction?

First of all, let us look in The Holy Qur'án, to see where reference is made to the Friends of Alláh. In Súra Al An’am, 06:127, those who accept divine guidance, and who have succeeded in earning the good pleasure of Alláh, are given this assurance:

“Lahum daarus salaami ‘ainda rabbihim, wahuwa waleeyuhum bimaa kaanoo ya’maloon”

 “For them will be a Home of Peace in the presence of their Lord, He will be their friend, because they practised Righteousness.”

In Súra An-Nisá. Ch4:v125, we read:

“Wa man ahsanu deenan mim-man aslama waj-hadu, lillaahi wahuwa muhsinun wat-taba-u millata Ibraheema haneefaa; Wat-takhathallaahu Ibraaheemaa khaleelaa.”

“Who can be better in religion than the one who submits his whole self to Alláh, does good, and follows the way of Ebrahim the True in Faith? For Alláh did take Ebrahim for a Friend."

So, my Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islam, we find that Prophet Ebrahim, on whom be peace, earned the title, Sadeequllaah, Friend of Alláh, because he chose to submit his whole personality to Alláh, he put aside all his personal desires, all his selfish concerns, and his only aim in life was to seek the good pleasure of his Lord. We all know the story of Ebrahim’s sacrifice. His ‘ibaadat was not just empty words. He did not simply pronounce his prayers and leave it at that. He knew that true faith required him to translate Belief into Words and Actions, all of the same substance. He also knew that a true Believer acted on those famous words in Súra Al Baqara: “sami’naa wa ata’naa,” “we hear, and we obey.”  There was no place for hesitation, for doubt or disobedience towards his Lord. When Alláh had asked him to travel to the empty valley of Bakka to build a house of worship, he did so without question. When Alláh required him to leave his wife Hajar and infant son Ismael between the barren hills of Al Safa and Al Marwah, he did so implicitly. Finally, when Alláh asked him to sacrifice that which was dearest to him, he was ready to prove it in action. He did not ask unnecessary questions, like Bani Israeel did, when Alláh asked them to sacrifice a heifer. His beloved son, Isma-eel, was equally willing to please Alláh, and they both submitted to Alláh totally, and willingly. Every year at ‘Eidul Adha, we are reminded of Nabi Ebrahim’s willingness to please his Lord. Alláh has honoured Ebrahim, alayhis salaam, until the end of time, as a monumental example of obedience, devotion and sacrifice. No wonder the Holy Qur'án mentions him before anyone else as a Friend of Alláh!

All of the Prophets, and many of our noble ancestors took this example of Ebrahim Alayhis salaam, and modelled their own lives on his. There are many well known heroes of Islám who can be regarded as Friends of Alláh, like the Pious Khaleefs Abu Bakr, Omar, Uthman and Ali [R.A.], Khaled bin Walid, Tariq bin Ziyad, Salahuddin Ayyubi. Not all of them were military commanders, and not all of them were so famous. On every continent and in every land where Islám has a presence, you will find the fruits of devoted friends of Alláh, men and women who brought Islám to some of the remotest corners of the world.

Sheikh Yusuf of Macassar, Indonesia, was one such awliyaa. He led the Javanese fighters who tried to resist Dutch occupation of their homeland during the 17^th Century. Sheikh Yusuf started one of history’s first guerrilla warfare campaigns, striking at Dutch positions at night, and melting away into the jungles and forests to regroup and prepare the next attack. But disease and superior weaponry of the Europeans took its toll after 2 years of war. When they finally captured him, the Dutch exiled him to Cape Town, which was then only a small settlement, a long way from Indonesia.  His people were devastated at the loss of their leader. But Alláh had other plans. The sound of La ilaha illallaah had not yet been heard in Southern Africa. Indonesia’s loss became South Africa’s gain, a wonderful and potent seed of Islám in a foreign land. In those days, spreading Islám was a crime that carried the death penalty. Despite being held under house arrest, with no contact allowed with other exiles and slaves, Sheikh Yusuf and his followers secretly held halaqas and taught Zikr – remembrance of Alláh, in the forests and mountains during the dead of night. This involved great personal risk to themselves. Some of them were banished to Robben Island, the prison later made famous by Nelson Mandela, and they wrote several copies of the Holy Qur'án entirely from memory. 300 years ago, these noble friends of Alláh planted the seeds of 'Imán that sprouted today’s thriving Muslim community in South Africa. Such awliyaa can be found in the history of the spread of Islám throughout the African continent, in Asia and other lands. We have time to mention only one or two examples.

“Alaa, innaa awliyaa Alláh, laa khawfun ‘alayhim, walaa hum yahzanoon!”

“Behold, on the Friends of Alláh, there is no fear, nor will they grieve!”

Freedom from fear and grief … is that not what every human being aspires for? The lifelong race for wealth, for material possessions, the elusive search for happiness…. Is this not another way of saying, we want to dispel fear and unhappiness? We want to be secure and happy. Here, in this short and powerful verse, the Holy Qur'án is giving us the magic formula for security and happiness, guaranteed for life…no, it’s guaranteed for this life and for the afterlife! Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islam, Let us cultivate an attitude, that allows us to submit our whole selves to Alláh, implicitly and without hesitation. Let us all try really hard, to seek the good pleasure of Alláh during every waking moment, throughout our lives. Perhaps, in doing this, we might find our status elevated, and we might just earn the supreme honour of becoming Friends of Alláh.

“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.”

 Second Khutbah:

Sub’ hanallahi wal hamdu lillah, wala hawla wala quwwata illah billah yu althi yual theem 

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islám,  

Kwaja Moinuddin Chisti was not only a very learned and pious man, but he also had enormous wealth. His ships would sail the oceans seeking trade and commerce with distant lands. One day, while he was teaching his pupils, a messenger interrupted his lesson, and brought news that one of his ships, laden with very precious cargo, was destroyed in a terrible storm. It was reported that all the men on board, and all their goods went to the bottom of the sea. On hearing this, the learned man said quietly, “Alhamdu lilláh”. Then he carried on with his lessons, as if nothing had happened. A little while later, the same messenger returned, and again apologised for the interruption. The messenger announced that his earlier report was not accurate, because the ship actually survived the storm, and was now lying safe in the harbour. As before, Kwaja Moinuddin Chisti just repeated, quietly, “Alhamdu lilláh,” then he continued the lesson, as if nothing unusual had happened. This puzzled some of his pupils. When the classes were finished, one of them came forward, and asked: why is it that when their teacher heard the most devastating news, he would only say, “Alhamdu lilláh” . And later when he discovered that the news was wrong, where most people would have been overjoyed, ecstatic with relief, he would only say, in the same calm tone: “Alhamdu lilláh.”  The wise man replied, “I am only refining my heart. All hardships are a test from Alláh, just as all good things are also a test from Alláh. I have entrusted all my affairs to Alláh, and I know that nothing will happen to me, without His permission. What Alláh wills, is sufficient for me.”

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islam, what an excellent example of 'Imán and Taqwa'! What a marvellous, dignified and noble character! From this story, we learn that we should never tear ourselves apart from grief or distress, and we should never go overboard with happiness or excitement. Whatever we encounter in life, happiness or hardship, we must accept as a test from Alláh, and we must endure them with equal grace and forbearance. When we do this, we can become like the friends of Alláh, of whom The Holy Qur'án says,

 “Alaa, innaa awliyaa Alláh, laa khawfun ‘alayhim, walaa hum yahzanoon!”

“Behold, on the Friends of Alláh, there is no fear, nor will they grieve!” 

None of us can become Prophets of Alláh, but we can, if we try hard enough, become like the friends of Alláh. Friends always seek each other’s companionship, they avoid displeasing or hurting each other. Those of us who ever seek to please Alláh, who strenuously avoid the things that displease Him, have a chance to become friends of Alláh. To enter into this very special category of believers, we must constantly remember Alláh, not only in our prayers, but more especially in our business dealings, in our leisure time, and in our vast range of personal relationships. Zikr, the Loving Remembrance of Alláh, must not merely be a special action reserved for a special time. Zikr must become a way of life. We should be in a constant state of remembrance, Loving remembrance, of our Lord and Maker, in every thought, every word, every action. 

In S.13:28 Al-Ra’d: we are reminded the qualities of those friends of Alláh who turn to Alláh in repentance:

“Al-latheena aamanu, watat-ma-innu quloobuhum, be thikrullah. Alaa bithikrillaahi tat-ma-innul quloob.”

 “Those who believe, and whose hearts find satisfaction in the Remembrance of Alláh; for without doubt, in the Remembrance of Alláh do hearts find satisfaction.”

Such was the character of every one of the Awliyaa, the Friends of Alláh. Just go and read about their lives. You will discover a common thread, woven through their experiences. Each one was faced with hardship and danger that needed extraordinary qualities to overcome. And each one put his trust in Alláh, disregarding personal interests and temptations. Each one had subdued his nafs, his ego, in service of his Lord. These friends of Alláh, were not part-time Muslims, they were not merely Ramadhan Muslims or Eid Muslims. Islám has no place for half-measures. The Friends of Alláh were full-time Muslims, true believers who submitted their whole selves to Alláh, throughout their lives.

Let us all turn to our Lord and Sustainer, and seek the Help and Mercy of Alláh, in these times of trial and turbulence. May Alláh, glorified and exalted is He, strengthen our hearts and bring us closer to Him. May Alláh help us, not only to survive the storms of life, with freedom from fear and grief; May we also flourish and prosper with every challenge. May Alláh increase our wisdom and faith, and join us all in the company of His Beloved Friends.

Ameen!                     Aqeemus salaah!

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