Scoring Goals,Setting Goals
Arshad
Gamiet/Royal Holloway University of London//July 1998
A-úthu billáhi minash shaytánir rajeem.
Bismilláhir rahmánir raheem.
Al hamdu lillahi rabbil 'alameen. Was salaatu was salaamu 'alaa ashrafil mursaleen.
Sayidinaa wa nabi'na wamoulanaa Muhammadin wa'ala aalihee wa sahbihee wasallim.
My dear Brothers and Sisters,
Those of us who've been watching the world cup soccer will know that the game is all about
scoring goals. Our khutbah today is about goals of a different kind, the goals we all
strive for, throughout our lives.
In our gathering here today we have brothers and sisters of all ages, speaking many
languages and coming from different parts of the world. Yet I am sure each one of us is
likely to have some burning ambition, some clear objective or ideal that drives us forward
through each day. It may be a forthcoming examination, a post-graduate degree, starting up
a new business or a professional practice. Consciously or otherwise, we all have short,
medium or long-term goals, which we hope to achieve before our life is over. The
difference from soccer is that in real life, no one knows when the final whistle will
blow. A Believer starts each day as if it is his last day, and every prayer as if it is
his last prayer.
To attain our goals, there is nearly always an economic dimension. No matter how noble or
altruistic our aims, it usually implies some degree of financial independence for
ourselves, in order to get what we want. This is simply in the nature of things. We may
not seek wealth or prosperity for its own sake, but, in order to be more effective in
society, we usually need to have some degree of economic stability.
The danger has always been that the means becomes the end in itself. How many young people
have not set out in life, with high ideals of making the world a better place for all,
only to be distracted along the way? How many of us have not paused and reflected on our
lives, looking at the fruits of our hard work, and enjoyed a sense of pride in our
achievements? That pride often drives more effort that begets more success that begets
more pride, and so on.
In Sura Al Imran, verse 14, Allah remind us:
"Fair in the eyes of men is the love of things they covet: Women and sons;
heaped-up hoards of gold and silver; horses branded (for blood and excellence); and
(wealth of) cattle and well-tilled land. Such are the possessions of this world's life;
but in nearness to Allah is the best of the goals (to return to)."
Allah wants us to enjoy the fruits of our hard work, but not so much as to distract us
from worshipping him. Other religions teach that in order to grow spiritually, you must
deny yourself the pleasures of this world. Islam is unique among all religions in that it
teaches life fulfilment, not life denial, and that the worlds of the flesh and the spirit
should live in harmony, not conflict. In our daily prayers, we say:
Rabbanaa aatina fid dunya hasanatan wafil aakhirati hasanatan wa qinaa athaa ban naar.
O my Lord, please grant me the best of this world, and the best of the hereafter, and
save me from the torment of the fire.
Those of us who were not born in Britain, have travelled here from abroad. In a sense, we
have made hejira, or migration, from where we were, to where we are now. One hadith,
narrated by Sayyidina Omar ibn al Khattab, says:
"Actions are but by intention and every man shall have but that which he intended.
Thus he whose migration was for Allah and His messenger, his migration was for Allah and
His messenger; and he whose migration was to achieve some worldly benefit or to take some
woman in marriage, his migration was for that for which he intended."
Whatever the reason for our presence here in Britain, let us rededicate ourselves to the
service of Allah. Whether we are here to study, to work, to run a business, to seek
political asylum, or to enjoy a better life in general, let us make sure that our daily
concerns always bring us nearer to Allah. Let us in our spiritual life, make the hejira,
the migration, from what pleases us to what pleases Allah. It means, in essence, that we
must replace our vanity and self-indulgence with the determination to fulfil our Divine
mission, which is, to be Allah's ambassadors on earth. Let us not be among those we are so
blinded by their success or so devastated by their failure, that they lose sight of the
Straight Path, the siraat al mustaqeem.
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 Part]
Sub' hanallahi wal hamdu lillah, wala hawla wala quwwata illah billah yu althi yual
theem
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
In Sura Al Qasas, and elsewhere, the Holy Qur'an reminds us:
"…it is indeed Allah who enlarges the provision or restricts it, to any of
His servants as He pleases, …."
Perhaps we make the mistake of treating our material success or failure as reward or
punishment, and nothing else, from Allah. Perhaps it is also something else: a trial, a
test of our Imán, our Faith. Perhaps we need to prove our unwavering devotion to Allah,
regardless of our varying fortunes or misfortunes from time to time. Let us learn to
accept any success as an opportunity to do more good work for the sake of Allah, and any
failures as an opportunity to learn more patience and perseverance for the sake of
Allah…..
Sura Al-Asr reminds us:
Wal 'asr, innal insána lafee khusr. Ilal latheena 'aamanu wa 'amilus saalihaati
watawaa soabil haq, watawaa soabis sabr.
"By the token of Time through the ages, verily man is in a state of loss, except
those who have faith and do righteous deeds, and join together in the mutual teaching of
Truth and Patience and Constancy."
[short du 'ah]
Let us end this khutbah with a prayer from the last verse of sura Al Baqara, verse 286:
Rabbaná tu-ákhith ná inna seená o-akh-ta' ná; rabbanaa wa laa tahmil alaynaa,
isran kamaa hamaltahoo 'alal latheena min qabalinaa, Rabbanaa tuhammil naa maa laa taa
qatalanaa bih(I) wa' fu'annaa, wagfir lanaa war-hamnaa, anta maulanaa fansurnaa alal
qaumil kaafireen.
O Allah, condemn us not if we forget or fall into error; our Lord! Lay not on us a
burden like that which you laid on those before us; Our Lord! lay not on us a burden
greater than we have strength to bear. Blot out our sins and grant us forgiveness. Have
mercy on us. You are our Protector; help us against those who stand against faith."
aqimus salaah!