Khutbah on 2 Jan 2009

The Iman delivered his speech. He said to us: 'Actions is continuity. Continuity of actions is steadfast. Their impact are re-actions. Unity in the Ummah, the Muslim community is a dire need.
Why on earth Muslims don't want show a united front? Disunity is curse. Unity is force.
Why Muslims do not accept each others differences and appreciate each others qualities.
Islam is a deen. Islam represents 25% of worshipping Allah and 75% of welfare of our brothers and sisters in Islam. In this 75% you find justice, happiness, health, love, peace, fairness... We're all here today in a warm and safe masjid. Our Palestinian brothers and sisters in Gaza have almost nowhere to go to worship Allah (swt). In Gaza, mosques are destroid every day. On the top of that Gazaans are starving. Who wants to starve? Noone. I've a brother who was in Palestine last week. People have to cut then boil grass to get feed. How many of you have eaten grass? Noone. Actions have to be taken.

In the last part of the khubah. The Iman said: 'Who cares abt our Palestian brothers and sisters'?
Finding ways, actions to help them is incumbent upon all Muslims. Muslims have duties to care abt each other bcse what get us close to each other is Allah's love. We share it 2gether. Thats what the Christians and Jews do. They look different and belong to many branches but they work together to achieve success.
I worked for the media before and i know how the media work. You're all conditionned by the media: adverts, Tv, radio and newspapers. You wont admit it or realise it. Materialism is a weapon used to destroy human mind. Materialistics believe in images, deities and statues. They don't value spiritual development.
If you ask for a planning permission to build a mosque they say yes. But ask them to build a school. They say no. Why? It's also bcse they know the power of a Muslim's mind. They'll stop you from the outset. They want you to get education from their books only. Thats how they condition you too'.

12/5/08:
The Prophet (pbuh) told one of the Companions that he really loved that he should never fail to say the following dua after prayer:

Allahumma 'a'inni 'ala Dhikrika, wa shukrika, wa husni 'ibaadatika.

O Allah! Help me to remember You, to thank You, and to worship You in the best of manners.


This admits our weakness as humans (easily distracted) and asks for help in doing what we were put here to do (worship Allah).

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YUSUFALI: "Lord of the heavens and of the earth, and of all that is between them; so worship Him, and be constant and patient in His worship: knowest thou of any who is worthy of the same Name as He?"

11/28/08: We should take and give honest/good advice.

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YUSUFALI: Those who listen to the Word, and follow the best (meaning) in it: those are the ones whom Allah has guided, and those are the ones endued with understanding.
PICKTHAL: Who hear advice and follow the best thereof. Such are those whom Allah guideth, and such are men of understanding.
SHAKIR: Those who listen to the word, then follow the best of it; those are they whom Allah has guided, and those it is who are the men of understanding.

The khateeb told the following story as an illustration of being humble in taking advice:

Imam Malik one day entered the Masjid after ?Asr. Towards the front of Masjid An-Nabawi he drew closer and sat down. The Messenger of Allah had commanded that anyone who enters the Masjid should not sit until he first prays 2 rak?ahs as a salutation of the Masjid.

Imam Malik was of the opinion however that the Allah?s Messsenger forbiddance of praying after ?Asr took precedence and so he would teach his students to not pray the tahiyyatul Masjid if they entered between the ?Asr and Maghrib time. At that moment that Imam Malik sat down, a young boy had seen him sit without first praying the 2 raka?s of Tahiyyatul Masjid. The young boy scorned him, ?Get up and pray 2 rak?ahs!?

Imam Malik dutifully stood up once again and began praying the 2 rak?ahs. The students sat stunned: What was going on? Had Imam Malik?s opinion changed?

After he had completed the salah, the students swarmed around and questioned his actions. Imam Malik said, ?My opinion has not changed, nor have I gone back on what I taught you earlier. I merely feared that had I not prayed the 2 rak?ahs as the young boy commanded, Allah may include me in the Ayah?

?And when it is said to them, ?Bow (in prayer)?, they do not bow.?



In terms of giving advice, he gave the following suggestions (as best I recall):

1. Give advice as if you didn't want to be the one to give it.
2. Do not give advice in retaliation for advice received.
3. Do not give advice in a way that embarrasses the other person.
4. Do not give advice one on one and then spread the fact that you gave the advice to others.
5. Do not give advice if you are not able to receive advice.

11/21/08: We should have fear and hope in Islam.

Fear because of Allah's place as the most high and the potential punishment for those who are not forgiven by Allah.

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YUSUFALI: Had We sent down this Qur'an on a mountain, verily, thou wouldst have seen it humble itself and cleave asunder for fear of Allah. Such are the similitudes which We propound to men, that they may reflect.
PICKTHAL: If We had caused this Qur'an to descend upon a mountain, thou (O Muhammad) verily hadst seen it humbled, rent asunder by the fear of Allah. Such similitudes coin We for mankind that haply they may reflect.
SHAKIR: Had We sent down this Quran on a mountain, you would certainly have seen it falling down, splitting asunder because of the fear of Allah, and We set forth these parables to men that they may reflect.

Hope because only Allah can forgive us and deliver us from our worries and/or misdeeds.

Sahih Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 15, Number 88:

Narrated Um 'Atiya:

We used to be ordered to come out on the Day of 'Id and even bring out the virgin girls from their houses and menstruating women so that they might stand behind the men and say Takbir along with them and invoke Allah along with them and hope for the blessings of that day and for purification from sins.

11/14/08: We need to be careful to not waste our time in play when we should be pursuing Allah's mercy and a place in Paradise. Those who did so in the past, the same people who rejected the Quran as mere poetry despite evidence to the contrary, will not wait but an hour to reap their rewards. The time in the grave seems short to us and will be spent in the same way that our time afterward will be spent. The righteous will have a wide grave in which there is a open door to Paradise and they will enjoy the knowledge of their destiny.

From 11/7/08:

Surat Al-Hashr was discussed and the following is a summary of the surah www.usc.edu):

The theme of the Surah as stated above, is an appraisal of the battle against the Bani an Nadir. In this, on the whole, four things have been discussed.

1. In the first four verses the world has been, admonished to take heed of the fate that had just befallen the Bani an-Nadir. A major tribe which was as strong in numbers as the Muslims, whose people boasted of far more wealth and possession who were by no means ill equipped militarily and whose forts were well fortified could not stand siege even for a few Days, and expressed their readiness to accept banishment from their centuries old, well established settlement even though not a single man from among them was slain. Allah says that this happened not because of any power possessed by the Muslims but because the Jews had tried to resist and fight Allah and His Messenger, and those who dare to resist the power of Allah, always meet with the same fate.

2. In verse 5, the rule of the law of war that has been enunciated is: the destruction caused in the enemy territory for military purposes does not come under "spreading mischief in the earth."

3. In vv 6-10 it has been stated how the lands and properties which come under the control of the Islamic State as a result of war or peace terms, are to be managed. As it was the first ever occasion that the Muslims took control of a conquered territory, the law concerning it was laid down for their guidance.

4. In vv. 11-17 the attitude that the hypocrites had adopted on the occasion of the battle against the Bani an-Nadir has been reviewed and the causes underlying it have been pointed out.

5. The whole of the last section (vv. 18-24) is an admonition for all those people who had professed to have affirmed the faith and joined the Muslim community, but were devoid of the true spirit of the faith. In it they have been told what is the real demand of the Faith, what is the real difference between piety and wickedness, what is the place and importance of the Quran which they professed to believe in, and what are the attributes of God in Whom they claimed to have believed.

Part 2 of the family theme: the man's responsibilities to the family and his wife.

The basic theme revolved around being very kind and considerate with one's wife. The Prophet (pbuh) was very patient with all of his wives and showed patience not displayed for men in the same situation. Aisha once told the Prophet (pbuh) to tell the truth when talking about a disagreement that they had and was not reprimanded by him, while a man that accused the Prophet of not doing Allah's will was quickly reminded that no one had a better chance of doing so than his Prophet.

Another hadith mentioned was the following situation that again did not anger the Prophet (pbuh):

Volume 7, Book 63, Number 192:

Narrated 'Ubaid bin 'Umar:

I heard 'Aisha saying, "The Prophet used to stay for a long while with Zanab bint Jahsh and drink honey at her house. So Hafsa and I decided that if the Prophet came to anyone of us, she should say him, "I detect the smell of Maghafir (a nasty smelling gum) in you. Have you eaten Maghafir?' " So the Prophet visited one of them and she said to him similarly. The Prophet said, "Never mind, I have taken some honey at the house of Zainab bint Jahsh, but I shall never drink of it anymore." So there was revealed: 'O Prophet ! Why do you ban (for you) that which Allah has made lawful for you . . . If you two (wives of Prophet) turn in repentance to Allah,' (66.1-4) addressing Aisha and Hafsa. 'When the Prophet disclosed a matter in confidence to some of his wives.' (66.3) namely his saying: But I have taken some honey."

From 10/24/08:
This khutbah was the first in a series of khutbahs about marriage and the home. He covered the role of the wife in marriage and promised that the smiles of the men would change when he covered their responsibilities... :)

Some of the ahadith covered:

If a man calls his wife to bed and she refuses till he slept while angry, then the Angels will curse her till the morning.

Allah does not look to the woman who does not appreciate her husband while she cannot stand his departing her. .

From an Islamic site addressing the topic (and helping me paraphrase the khutbah better) www.islamonline.net):

"The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) guided Asma? to a deed of great rewards, namely fulfilling her duties toward her husband. These duties are represented in being keen on pleasing her husband, being beautiful in his eyes, caring for him, serving him, assisting him, doing all that pleases him, and fulfilling all his demands.

Among these duties is also being keen on sexually satisfying him, meeting him with a smile and warm welcome when he comes back home from work; tidying the house for him to make him comfortable; preparing the best food for him; and neatening and glamorizing herself for him in their bedroom. In this way, the wife makes her husband attached to her and to their house and makes him disinterested in other women, thus preserving her his chastity and assisting him to be righteous and obedient to Almighty Allah.

Since this is a great deed, the wife?s reward is also great, as stated by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). The wife?s reward for fulfilling her duties towards her husband is equal to those of fighting in the cause of Allah, performing hajj, and giving in charity seeking the pleasure of Almighty Allah, the Lord of the worlds."

Even more important than adhering to the required actions of Islam is being good to other Muslims. We should not back bite each other and should spread kind greetings.

Sahih Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 23, Number 331:
Narrated Al-Bara' bin 'Azib:

Allah's Apostle ordered us to do seven things and forbade us to do other seven. He ordered us:

to follow the funeral procession. to visit the sick, to accept invitations, to help the oppressed, to fulfill the oaths, to return the greeting and to reply to the sneezer: (saying, "May Allah be merciful on you," provided the sneezer says, "All the praises are for Allah,"). He forbade us to use silver utensils and dishes and to wear golden rings, silk (clothes), Dibaj (pure silk cloth), Qissi and Istabraq (two kinds of silk cloths).

Attending Friday prayers gives you forgiveness for the previous week plus 3 more days.

Friday prayer is meant to bring all Muslims together. In small towns, the Prophet (pbuh) required that there only be one jumuah prayer so that all Muslims could be together. It was also a time where the people learned and for the next 400 years it remained that way until they split the learning component out into other places. The religious and secular are taught in different places, such that people have to split their time between the two and invariably not be as knowledgeable at one as the other. Recently in South Africa, the Muslim community started their own university where students can learn Islam and their chosen profession at the same time. The university has been such a success that non-Muslims now attend it as well. If those 1 million Muslims in South Africa can do that, we need to do the same thing in other countries.

The khutbah centered around the following hadith:

?The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ?I was shown the nations. One Prophet passed by with a group, another passed by with a small band, another with ten followers, another with five, and another on his own (with no followers). I looked and saw a huge multitude, and I said, ?O Jibreel, are these my ummah?? He said ?No, but look at the horizon.? So I looked and saw a huge multitude. He said, ?These are your ummah, and these are seventy thousand at their head who will not be brought to account or punished.? I said, ?How come?? He said, ?They do not use branding, or seek ruqya, or believe in bad omens; they put their trust in their Lord.?

There is more information in a report narrated in the Musnad of Imaam Ahmad and the Sunan of al-Tirmidhi and Ibn Maajah, where Abu Umaamah is reported to have said that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ?My Lord promised me that seventy thousand of my ummah will enter Paradise without being brought to account or being punished; with each thousand of them will be another seventy thousand, plus three handfuls of the handfuls of my Lord, may He be glorified.?

Making dua for good things is good, but don't expect to see immediate results. We must do the work, much like planting seeds, to see the results later when Allah is ready to give them to us.

9/19/08:
Allah gives you what you need, but not more. You could be given all that you need at once, but then the lessons and attributes that come with striving would be lost.

We slow down and tire towards the end of Ramadan, but we should be increasing our efforts. Try to spend at least a few hours a day at the mosque where the angels are and try to increase your belief in those things that are unseen.

Congregational prayer at the mosque offers (25 or 27 times) higher barakat and angels accompany you as you make the trip there.

Allah descends to the lowest heaven in the last third of the night and listens to our supplications. Take advantage of being up for suhoor this Ramadan and make dua'a at that time.

Abu Hurairah reports that the Messenger of Allah said: "Our Lord descends to the lowest heaven during the last third of the night, inquiring:
'Who will call on Me so that I may respond to him?
Who is asking something of Me so I may give it to him?
Who is asking for My forgiveness so I may forgive him?"

From 8/22/08:

The bounties of Allah are all around us: the sun, the air, food, etc. Prayer and fasting are also bounties from Allah and we need to treat them as such.

From 8/15/08:

Early Muslims were the best of mankind due to their behaviors and traits. The Prophet (pbuh) was well known as an honest and trustworthy man long before receiving the revelation and we need to return to valuing those things over education, wealth, or other worldly pursuits.

From 7/25/08:

Parents have obligations to their children also. In ruling between a man and his son, Omar said that the father had three duties to his son: choosing a good mother for him, choosing a good name for him, and teaching him things from the Quran. Having not done these things, the man had done wrong to his son in the same way that the son had done wrong to him.

From 7/18/08:

Being kind and respectful to one's parents is second only to not taking partners with Allah. We must not make even the slightest sounds of displeasure when dealing with them and those who acted as parents to you are also included in this.

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YUSUFALI: Say: "Come, I will rehearse what Allah hath (really) prohibited you from": Join not anything as equal with Him; be good to your parents; kill not your children on a plea of want;- We provide sustenance for you and for them;- come not nigh to shameful deeds. Whether open or secret; take not life, which Allah hath made sacred, except by way of justice and law: thus doth He command you, that ye may learn wisdom.

From 8/1/08:

"If it is to be, it is up to me." We rely on Allah for results, but we must provide the actions/deeds/works.

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YUSUFALI: Except such as believe and do righteous deeds: For they shall have a reward unfailing.
PICKTHAL: Save those who believe and do good works, and theirs is a reward unfailing.
SHAKIR: Except those who believe and do good, so they shall have a reward never to be cut off.

To enter jannah, one must believe in all of Allah's prophets. While people of the Book (Jews and Christians) can be granted jannah, they face the difficulty of not believing in the Prophet Mohamed (pbuh).

We should be good to one another out of love for Allah, instead of out of fear. We answer to Allah for any harm done to others, intentional or through negligence.