واشھد ان سیدنا وحبیبنا وعظیمنا محمداً عبد اللہِ و رسُولہ۔ اللہ صل° وسلم وبارک علی سیدنا محمد وعلیٰ الِہ و اصحابہ وارزقنا جمیعا متابعتہ بلاقوالِ وافعال والاحوال

۔وَاذکرلکم بقول اللہ تبارک و تعالیٰ بعد، أعوذ باللہ من الشیطانِ الرجیم، بِسمِ اللہ الرحمٰن الرحیم۔ ﴿وأُزْلِفَتِ الجَنَّةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ غَيْرَ بَعِيدٍ﴾ ﴿هَذا ما تُوعَدُونَ لِكُلِّ أوّابٍ حَفِيظٍ﴾ ﴿مَن خَشِيَ الرَّحْمَنَ بِالغَيْبِ وجاءَ بِقَلْبٍ مُنِيبٍ﴾ ﴿ادْخُلُوها بِسَلامٍ ذَلِكَ يَوْمُ الخُلُودِ﴾ ﴿لَهم ما يَشاءُونَ فِيها ولَدَيْنا مَزِيدٌ﴾

All praises are due to Allah , we praise Him and ask Him for aid, we seek His Guidance, we ask Him for Forgiveness, and we seek refuge in Him from the evil of ourselves and from the sinfulness of our actions.

Whoever Allah guides no one can lead astray and whoever he misguides none will find to guide him

We testify that there is no god except Allah , Alone without any partners. He gives life and death. He has power over all things, and we testify that Mohammed (SA) is His servant and messenger, the best of His creation, and His most beloved.

He delivered the message, fulfilled his trust, advising his people, and he strove in the path of the faith until his death.  May Allah’s Blessings and peace be upon him, his family, his companions, and those who have treaded his path of excellence and followed his guidance until the Day of Judgment.  May Allah make all us amongst those who follow.

Brothers and sisters, respected elders – As-salaamu ʿalaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuh.

We have just entered into a new year – for many of us it is the beginning of a new chapter, a new school year, and a time where we take stock of what has passed and prepare for what is to come.

And so today, I wish to reflect on a figure whose story is not only honoured in our deen, but is also one of the most extraordinary stories of faith and courage in all of human history.

This is an individual described by the Prophet ﷺ as having “perfected her faith.” An individual who holds a truly extraordinary position in the sight of Allah ﷻ.

I speak of none other than Sayyidah Maryam (ʿalayhas-salaam) – the blessed mother of Prophet ʿĪsa (ʿalayhis-salaam).

Allah introduces her in the Qur’an in the most remarkable of ways:

وَإِذْ قَالَتِ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ يَـٰمَرْيَمُ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ٱصْطَفَىٰكِ وَطَهَّرَكِ وَٱصْطَفَىٰكِ عَلَىٰ نِسَآءِ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ

“When the angels said: O Maryam, indeed Allah has chosen you, purified you, and chosen you above all the women of the worlds.” (Āl ʿImrān 3:42)

Amongst all women in history, only one woman has a chapter of the Qur’an named after her. Only one woman is mentioned by name again and again – 34 times – as a lesson for all mankind.

And her story begins even before her birth, when her mother Ḥannah prayed and prayed for a righteous child to devote to Allah. That child was Maryam. And from this we learn, brothers and sisters, the power of the duʿā of parents. If we want a righteous next generation – children who are pious, productive, and strong – we must pray for it constantly.

Maryam ʿalayhas-salaam was born into a society of corruption and decline. The people around her, from Bani Israel, mocked scripture, rejected prophets, and disregarded faith. She grew up in an environment drowning in disbellief and immorality.

Does this sound familiar? Today too, we live in a time where many people think they have no need of faith. They say: “We have science, wealth, technology – what need have we of God?” And yet, behind the glitter is emptiness, loneliness, and misery.

Compare this with those whose hearts are filled with īmān – people who may face hardship, poverty, even death, yet they have serenity, strength, and dignity in their eyes. That is the power of faith.

In that environment, Allah ﷻ describes Maryam in a few powerful words:

وَٱلَّتِىٓ أَحْصَنَتْ فَرْجَهَا فَنَفَخْنَا فِيهَا مِن رُّوحِنَا وَجَعَلْنَـٰهَا وَٱبْنَهَآ ءَايَةًۭ لِّلْعَـٰلَمِينَ

“And the one who guarded her purity, so We breathed into her from Our spirit, and We made her and her son a sign for all peoples.” (al-Anbiyāʾ 21:91)

Notice – Allah does not say “a sign for believing women.” He says: “a sign for all peoples.” Maryam is a universal example – for men and women, for every generation, in every age.

She was a pure light in a sea of darkness.

And then came her greatest test.

Maryam (PBUH ) at this moment in time is her Mihrab – she is in a place of seclusion in which she could dedicate her life to the worship of Allah SWT And in that moment she recieves the company of Sayidina Jibreel – in which he informs her that she would be given a child – and that this child would be like no other – a child born without a father – a miracle. To put this into context we need to realise that Sayidah Maryam at this time was just a young unmarried lady. Whats going through in her Mind. Overwhlmed at the thought of what people would suggest. What would people think of her – she would have been been ridiculed and mocked, and hurt. But despite this she has an unending trusting in Allah SWT . Once Jesus is born, Maryam is ordered that if she is approached by her people she must remain silent and that the only thing that she should do is to point to the child. And what does she do – Maryam puts her tawakkul in Allah and does as she is asked. she has been given we need to realise that she is in the face of probable death – that she is not only asked to explain something that is beyond the bounds of normal reality, she on top of that is asked to remain silent and point to a new born child. She does not even have permission to come to her own defence and speak for herself. But her trust in Allah was so deep so powerful, that when she pointed to the child – Isa PBUH in his cradle speaks in defence of his mother. And in the most beautiful of ways – He says قَالَ إِنِّى عَبْدُ ٱللَّهِ ءَاتَىٰنِىَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَجَعَلَنِى نَبِيًّۭا ٣٠ وَجَعَلَنِى مُبَارَكًا أَيْنَ مَا كُنتُ وَأَوْصَـٰنِى بِٱلصَّلَوٰةِ وَٱلزَّكَوٰةِ مَا دُمْتُ حَيًّۭا ٣١ وَبَرًّۢا بِوَٰلِدَتِى وَلَمْ يَجْعَلْنِى جَبَّارًۭا شَقِيًّۭا ٣٢ “Verily, I am a slave of Allah , he has blessed me, given me scripture and made me a Prophet. and made me dutiful to my mother. so be kind to her.”

My brothers and sisters, the lesson is clear. Do not shy away from your faith. Do not hide your prayer at work or school. Do not compromise your values out of fear of what people will say. The only opinion that matters is Allah’s. If He is with you, it does not matter who is against you.

We too live in difficult times – socially, politically, economically. The world feels dark. But like Sayyidah Maryam, we must be brave. True success does not come to the timid. Every one of us carries a lamp with the flame of faith – and it is that light that can guide others out of darkness. our Christian neighbours are wandering in the dark – and it our job to bring them out of that state.

That we respond to whatever thuggery and hatred that comes towards us with the humility our Mother Mary. And we call to the true message of Jesus may peace and belssings be upon him and most most blessed mother.

our duty is to call to the true message of Jesus PBUH and Mary Peace be Upon Her. It is our responsibility to share that flame of faith with the old white lady down your street – or Charlie next door – to bring people along on this journey of faith. To tell them that they dont have to leave Home to accept Islam. You dont have to be Arab to become Muslim. You dont have to start wearing a thawb to accept truth. That Islam isnt about dressing up like a saudi –

And the way that we do that is not just by speaking about Islam but actually living it. True strength and true tawakkul is in brandishing your faith to your community and the world around you. True strength is when like Sayidah Maryam you are not afraid of what could happen to you, because you know that God stands by you. TO stand with the truth wherver you are This is the meaning of Tawakkul. Trusting in God when and where it seems that you are defenceless and alone

Whilst the praise and remembrance of Maryam Peace and blessings be upon her has lessened on the tongues and hearts of the Christians, her story is survived by us. Her story and legacy is continued by us. And should be a continued source of inspiration for us. so that we may quench our thirst for guidance and truth in the fountain of her story. We ask Allah to further honour Sayidah Maryam in this world and the next, our mother in faith and modesty. We ask you Ya Allah for us to be inspired by the tawakkul of Maryam PBUH

We ask Him for a faith that does not waver, even if the world may doubt We ask Him for modesty that dignifies us, even if the world turns shameless We ask Him to fill our hearts with genuine love for Him and the righteous through time We ask him to develop our weakness through their example, and our conviction in light of theirs We ask Him to protect us from swerving from the straight path due to ignorance or arrogance and grant us His grace to compensate for our weak attempts at righteousness.

Wa sallilahuma ala sayidina Muhammad Wa ala alihi wa shabhi ajmaeen

الحمد للہ والصلاة والسلام علی رسول اللہ وعلیٰ آلہِ وصحبہ اجمعین۔ قال اللہ تعالیٰ فی القرآن المَجِید اِنَّ اللّٰهَ وَ مَلٰٓىٕكَتَهٗ یُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِیِّؕ-یٰۤاَیُّهَا الَّذِینَ اٰمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَیهِ وَ سَلِّمُوا تَسْلِیمًا اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَى آلِ إِبرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏اللَّهُمَّ بَارِك عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ في العلمین إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ واَرضِ اللھم عَن سادتِ الخُلفَاء وَ سَادتِنا وَمَوالِینا الکِرام أبِی بَکرٍ و عُمَرَ وَ عُثمانَ وَ عَلِيّ رضوان اللہ علیھم اجمعین۔

وَاُذَکِّرُکُم بِقَولِ اللہِ تَعالیٰ وَ أتوجہُ بِقُلوبِکُم، اِسْئلُوا رَبَّکُم حَوائِجَکُم اِنَّہ سَمِیع قَرِیب مُجِیب اللھم اغفر للمؤمنین والمؤمنات وَالمسلمین وَالمسلمات الاَحْیاءِ منھم وَالاموات انَّکَ یا مَولَانا سَمِیع قَرِیب مُجِیبُ لِلدّعوَات۔

اللهُم كُن لأهل فلسطين عونًا ونصيرًا، وبدّل خوفهم أمنًا. اللهم احرس أهل فلسطين بعينك التي لا تنام. اللهم اجعل لأهل فلسطين النصرة والعزة والغلبة والقوة والهيبة. اللهم انصر أهل فلسطين وثبت أقدامهم. اللهم انصر اخواننا في فلسطين. اللهم حرر المسجد الأقصى، واجبر كسرهم، واشف مرضاهم، وتقبل شهدائهم برحمتك. اللهم إني أستودعك بيت المقدس وأهل القدس وكل فلسطين.

اللہم مغفِرتُکَ أوسعُ مِن ذُنوبِنا وَرحمتُکَ اَرجیٰ عِندَنا مِن اعمَالِنا، نَسئَلُک مُوجِباتِ رَحمَتِک وَعَزَائِم مَغفِرتِکَ وَالغَنِیمَة مِن کُلّ برٍّ وَالسَّلامَة مِن کُلِّ اثم وَالفَوزَ بِالجَنَّةِ وَالنَّجاتَ مِنَ النَّار۔ لَا تَدَع لَنا ذَبناً اِلَّا غَفَرتَہُ وَلَا ھَمّاً اِلَّا فَرَّجْتَہُ وَلَا دَیناً اِلَّا قَضَیتَہُ وَلَا مَرِیضاً اِلَّا شَفَیتَہُ وعَافَیتَہُ وَلَا مُبتَلًا اِلَّا رَحِمْتَہُ۔

اللھم الھمنا الرَشَد وجَنِّبْنَا الزُلل، اللھم بارک لنا فی اعمالنا و اعمارنا وبارک لنا في ما رزقتنا واجعلنا من عبادک الشاکرین۔ اِشْفِ مَرضَانَا وَمرضی المسلمین برحمتک یا ارحم الراحمین نسئلک اِیمَاناً کامِلاً وَیَقِیناً صَادِقاً وَقَلباً خَاشِعاً وَلِسَاناً ذَاکِراً وَعَملاً مُتقَبَّلاً یَا اَرحَمَ الرَّاحِمِین۔

وصل اللہ علی نبییا محمد وعلی آلہ و اصحابہ اجمعین عباد اللہ! اِتَقُوا اللہ! إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِٱلْعَدْلِ وَٱلْإِحْسَٰنِ وَإِيتَآئِ ذِى ٱلْقُربَىٰ وَيَنْهَىٰ عَنِ ٱلْفَحْشَآءِ وَٱلْمُنكَرِ وَٱلْبَغْىِ يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ اُذکُرُ اللہَ یَذکُرْکُم وَاشکُرُوہُ یَزِدْکُم وَلَذِکرُ اللہ تَعالیٰ اَعلیٰ وَ أولیٰ وَأعَزُّ وَأجَلُّ واَتَمُّ وَأکبر واللہُ یَعلمُ مَا تَصْنَعُونَ۔ أقمِ الصّلوٰة