“As-salámu ‘alaikum wa rahmatul láhi wa barakátuh!”

“A-úthu billáhi minash shaytánir rajeem. Bismilláhir rahmánir raheem.
The “Problem” of Suffering

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 Dear Brothers and Sisters, our recent khutbahs have dealt with many aspects of the Hajj, and no doubt our Eid khutbah on Monday will re-confirm the legacy of love and sacrifice that Prophet Abraham a.s. taught us.

Today I’d like to deal with a topic that we all encounter, whenever we discuss natural disasters and personal grief with our friends and neighbours outside the Muslim community. It’s the “problem,” as they see it, of Suffering. Some people argue, that if God is Love, if Allah is All Merciful, then why do people suffer? There are so many earthquakes, floods, volcanoes; there’s so much warfare, hunger and disease: Why do innocent men, women and children have to endure unspeakable hardship? Why do the real sinners seem to get away with their crimes? Sometimes we hear people say, “How can I believe in a Merciful and Loving God when He allows so much suffering?” These people take the existence of suffering as proof that God doesn’t exist, or if He does exist, then He doesn’t deserve to be worshipped, because He appears to be so unjust [wa a-oothu bil-Laah!] How do we deal with such arguments?

First of all, we must be clear that every human being, without exception, will at some time or other have to endure hardship, pain, and death.

“Kullun nafsin thaa ikatul mawt,” says the Holy Quran; “Every soul will taste Death.” The same Quran also poses the rhetorical question, in Sura Al Baqara [2:214]:

أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُواْ الْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِكُم مَّثَلُ الَّذِينَ خَلَوْاْ مِن قَبْلِكُم مَّسَّتْهُمُ الْبَأْسَاء وَالضَّرَّاء وَزُلْزِلُواْ حَتَّى يَقُولَ الرَّسُولُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ مَعَهُ مَتَى نَصْرُ اللّهِ أَلا إِنَّ نَصْرَ اللّهِ قَرِيبٌ

“Or do you think that you will enter Heaven without being tested like those who were tested before you? They endured suffering and adversity, and were so shaken in spirit that even the Prophet and those of faith who were with him cried: ‘When will the help of Allah come?’ Ah! Truly, Allah’s help is always near!”

“Ala! Inna nasral-Laahi qareeb!” [2:214]

Allah’s help is always near! It’s much nearer than we think! Allah wants us to really feel and experience our desperate need for Him. He wants us to persevere, patiently. He wants us to repose our complete trust in His mercy, so that we can set ourselves apart from those who disbelieve, those who stand against faith. How blessed we are, we who believe in the Lord of all the worlds, and who have absolute certainty, yaqeen, of our Day of meeting with Him! How miserable and lonely, how futile and pointless the life of those without faith, who live from day to day, without any hope and without longing for what lies beyond death!

Bismillaahir Rahmaanir Raheem! Tabaark al-lathee biyadihil mulk wahuwa alaa kulli shay-in qadeer! Al-lathee khalaqal mawta wal hayaata liyab’luwakum ay-yukum ahsanu ‘amalaa. Wahuwal ‘Azeezul Ghaf-fuur!

“In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate! Blessed is He in Whose Hand is the Dominion; and He over all things has Power! He Who created Death and Life so that He may try which of you is best in deed, and He is the Exalted in Might, the Oft-forgiving!” [67:1-3]

Brothers and sisters, here is the key to what some people see as the “problem” of suffering. We know that suffering is a test for us, a test of our patience. We know that peace and prosperity is also a test, a test of our gratitude to Allah. Those who see suffering as a “problem” are really saying that they believe they have a right to a life of uninterrupted happiness, with no discomfort, no pain and no grief. But that’s not what this earthly life is all about! That’s what Allah promises us in akhira, not in dunya! We’re not there yet! We still have to earn the right to enter Allah’s garden!

Another point: When believers suffer hardship, they say, “Inna lil-laahi wa inna ilayhir-raaji-oon!” “From Allah do we come, and to Him is our return.” Believing Christians say, “The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. Praise the Lord!” You can see how Believers in different faiths speak the same spiritual language. They accept the Divine Decree. Allah does what He Wills, and His will is always, unfailingly good, however harsh it may appear to us on the surface. Our human perception is limited, like ants crawling over a carpet, we complain about the rough surface, the knots and the texture that make our journey difficult. But we cannot see the beauty of the carpet from above. We cannot see the beauty of Allah’s master plan, until we step outside our small, selfish worlds. Believers suffer, but they know their suffering is an expiation of their sins, and their patience and contentment brings them closer to Allah.

But the non-believer suffers at a much deeper level. Charles [Hassan] le Guy Eaton writes in his book, Islam and the Destiny of Man, [pp207]: “First there’s the pain and suffering itself. Then there’s the belief that it shouldn’t have happened at all. They suffer because something is wrong, then they suffer again because, now everything is wrong. At the end of this particular road is the abyss of despair, a grave sin for the Believing Muslim as it is for the Believing Catholic. A wound which might otherwise be cleaned and healed now becomes suppurated and poisons the bloodstream.”

It’s only when we try to generalize our suffering into a philosophical level, that we have a problem. When non-believers suffer, their lack of faith leads them to endless despair, and sometimes, even to suicide.

Let us thank Allah for illuminating our hearts with the light of His guidance. Even if our faith, our iman is as small as a mustard seed; If we truly believe in Allah and we learn to rely on Him completely, then we are much richer and more blessed than the wealthiest non-Believer, whose wealth and happiness stand on shaky foundations. Alhamdu lil-laah, Praise to Allah!

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.”

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.”

Brothers and Sisters,

The mystical poet, Jalaluddin Rumi says that “Suffering is a gift. In it is a hidden mercy.” Suffering teaches us patience, sabr, and it also teaches us Ridhaa, which is total reliance on Allah, and serene acceptance of whatever He has decreed. It teaches us to persevere, to work hard to seek Allah’s good pleasure, his Ridwaan. It teaches us humility, it teaches compassion for those less fortunate than ourselves. Our beloved Prophet Muhammad sws said, “How fortunate is the Believer, he endures hardship, and it is good for him [it teaches patience]; then he enjoys relief from hardship, and it is good for him [it gives a chance to be grateful to Allah]. Indeed, the true Friends of Allah are always overflowing with gratitude, in good times and in hard times…

There is really no ‘problem’ of suffering. The problem is our human ignorance. If we don’t know Allah, we won’t know His Plan. We won’t be able to accept His Decree. We won’t know our place in the vast cosmic scheme of things. We won’t know who we really are, why we’re here, where we’ve come from and where we’re going to, after our death. Prophet Muhammad, sws, often reminded us about the vital importance of self-knowledge. One saying that has been attributed to him, affirms that:

“He who knows himself, knows his Lord.”

Brothers and Sisters let us be truly grateful to Allah, that we have this wonderful gift of Iman, this gift of Faith, to illuminate our way through life’s challenges.

In many places the Holy Quran reminds us,

“Ala, inna awliya Allah, la khawfun alayhim wala hum yah-zanoon!”

“Behold, on the Friends of Allah, there is no fear, and no grief.” [10:62]

No fear and no grief, and yet, if you study the Friends of Allah, you’ll find that their lives were filled with incredible hardship, pain and endurance. The Friends of Allah taught us Ridha’, that wonderful and serene acceptance of Allah’s will. If we can be islands of calm in the oceans of turbulence; if we can show others a kind and helpful manner, in the midst of life’s problems, we will truly hold high that noble legacy of the Prophets and the Awliya, the Friends of Allah.

This is what our world needs today. Our friends and neighbours out there, are in dire need of spiritual guidance. They need a gentle helping hand to show them how to cope with natural and manmade calamities, how to keep their own pain and personal grief in perspective. Brothers and Sisters, let us set a good example, let us inspire our communities with our serenity, our dignity and our strength that come out of true faith in Allah, and total reliance on His Mercy, His Rahma.

To conclude our khutbah:

إِنَّ اللّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالإِحْسَانِ وَإِيتَاء ذِي الْقُرْبَى وَيَنْهَى عَنِ الْفَحْشَاء وَالْمُنكَرِ وَالْبَغْيِ يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ

InnaAllaha, Yamuru bil adel, wal ihsaan, wa eetaa-i zil qurba; wa yanha anil fuhshaa-i, wal munkari walbaghi; ya-idzukhum lallakum tathak-karoon. (Sura 16:90),

“Surely Allah commands justice, good deeds and generosity to others and to relatives; and He forbids all shameful deeds, and injustice and rebellion: He instructs you, so that you may be reminded.” [16:90]


فَاذْكُرُونِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ وَاشْكُرُواْ لِي وَلاَ تَكْفُرُونِ

Fadth kuroonee adth kurkum, wash kuroolee walaa tak furoon [2:152].

“and remember Me: I will remember you. Be grateful to Me, and do not reject faith.”


وَلَذِكْرُ اللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَصْنَعُونَ

wala thikrul-Laahi akbar, Wal-Laahu ya’lamu maa tasna’oon.” [29:45].

“and without doubt, Remembrance of Allah is the Greatest Thing in life, and Allah knows the deeds that you do.”

Ameen. Aqeemus salaah!

http://khutbahbank.org.uk/2008/12/the-problem-of-suffering-inspirational-khutbah/

Assalamu’alaikum Warohmatullohi Wabarakatuhu...
Bismillaahirrohmaanirrohiim .....

The Greatest Love of Your Life.
“As-salámu ‘alaikum wa rahmatul láhi wa barakátuh!” [Wait for adhán]

“A-úthu billáhi minash shaytánir rajeem. Bismilláhir rahmánir raheem.

I turn away from Shaytaan, the Cursed One. And , I begin, In the Name of Alláh, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

Al hamdu lillahi nahmaduhu wanasta’eenahu, wanastagh-firuhu, wanatoobu ilayhi, wana’oothu Billaahi min shuroori an-fusinaa, wamin sayyi aati a’maalinaa.

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.

May- Yahdillahu fa huwal muhtad, wa may- yudlill falan tajidaa lahu waliyan murshida.

Anyone who is guided by Alláh, he is indeed guided; and anyone who has been left astray, will find no one to guide him.

Wa ash-hadu an Laa ilaaha ill-Alláh, wahdahoo laa shareeka lah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhoo warasooluh”

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.

My respected Brothers and Sisters in Islam,

Where is the greatest love of your life? Where do you lavish most of your affection and attention? Is it your wife, your husband, your child, your parents, your beautiful home, your nice car, your job, your hobby or sport? Is your most beloved person or activity, the most deserving of your love? And, very important, is your love reciprocated, or are you in an emotional 0ne-way-street? These questions hold the key to our success in this world and the life hereafter.

Our khutbah today, is about love reciprocated; love that’s given, and love that’s returned. I have no doubt in my mind that every one of us here has felt the power and influence of love, in its many different forms, throughout our lifetime. We first experienced love at the very moment of birth. Seeing their newborn baby, our parents must have felt so much joy and gratitude to Alláh. With our mother’s warm embrace and that very first drink of our mother’s milk, we must have looked up at her face, feeling her love and security as she gazed down, exuding love and satisfaction. From the first few minutes of life, we were enjoying our parents’ love; at the same time we were showing them our love in return.

As we grew up, we continued to love and be loved by our parents, but then, our relationships expanded horizontally and vertically. We now enjoy the love of brothers and sisters, uncles and aunts, friends and wider relations. In time, we become parents and later, grandparents, and so the story of love moves on in ever widening circles, and repeating itself infinitely.

The most important point about love is that it needs to be rewarded, returned, and reciprocated. This is the essence of love, that it is given and received, in equal measure. When love is given but not reciprocated, then it is as if a big light has gone out in our lives. Love always needs to be returned, to find completeness and fulfilment within itself. This is not a one-way street. No one enjoys loving, and not being loved. Can you imagine for a moment what it must be like to love someone, and not to be loved in return? Unreciprocated love, Love without love returned, leaves a sense of despair, depression, unworthiness, hollowness and emptiness. Love needs love, and love deserves love to enrich and complete itself. To love and to be loved puts meaning and value into our lives.

Now think for a moment, as we sit here, that we are also enjoying a love of a different, deeper and yet subtler kind: the Divine love of the Creator for His creation. None of us can doubt that Alláh, loves us. Whether we are tall or short, fat or thin, black or white, Muslim, Jew, Hindu or Christian, our Creator’s love and provision reaches us all, and we owe Him a debt of gratitude. His sustenance reaches even those who deny His existence, even those who disbelieve in Him.

In Súra Yunus, [10] v 93 we read:

“There is not a moving creature on earth, but its sustenance depends on Alláh, He knows the time and place of its definite abode, and its temporary deposit: All is in a clear record.”

We depend so completely on Alláh, and we owe him everything. He deserves our thanks, our obedience and worship. How do we show our gratitude to Alláh? How do we show gratitude to anyone who has authority over us? At the very least, we show respect and obedience. The best way to show gratitude to our Alláh, is to worship him, to obey him and to avoid displeasing Him. This is how we can reciprocate the divine love, to the One Who gave us life, and Who sustains us for every moment of our lives.

If we can accept that love must always be rewarded, should we not then return the greatest of all loves, the unselfish love of Allah?

Just think about it. How does it feel when you’ve shown love, kindness and generosity to someone, and your reward is rudeness, ingratitude or indifference! Do you know the feeling? When someone repays your kindness with cruelty. Doesn’t it make you feel angry? Why then, should Alláh not be angry towards those who repay His love with disobedience, ingratitude and disbelief?

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islam, I would like to remind myself and you, about the secret of true love and true happiness. It is not simply to indulge the object of our love, leaving Alláh aside, or to place our love for Alláh right at the end of the queue. The way to real happiness is to place our love for Alláh at the centre of our lives. Our love for Alláh must be greater than any other love. It must come before our love for anyone or anything else. In fact, we only have the capacity to love and care for someone, because Alláh gave us that capacity in the first place! Alláh alone is the creator and author and facilitator of all love. Therefore, it follows that the first and most deserving love, should be our love for Alláh. When we love Alláh first, we give meaning, and purpose and balance and harmony to every other aspect of our life.

In Súra Al Baqara, v 165, we read:

“Yet there are men who take [for worship] others besides Alláh, as equals with Alláh. They love them as they should love Alláh. But those of Faith are overflowing in their love of Alláh. If only the unrighteous could see the Penalty: that to Alláh belongs all power, and Alláh will strongly enforce the Penalty.”

Look what happens when we fail to put our love for our Creator at the top of our agenda: Our loving nature loses its sense of proportion. It loses direction. Excessive love for oneself then becomes vanity, conceit and egotism. Excessive love for one’s community or race becomes bigotry and racism, and excessive love for one’s nation becomes arrogant Nationalism, or Fascism. Zionism, like Nazism and Apartheid before it, is a distorted Nationalism pretending to be a respectable political idea.

It is only the Love of Alláh that brings proportion and harmony to life, and illuminates all our other loves and relationships. If we can all remember this and live by it, we will go a long way towards making our lives happier and more meaningful.

“Alhamdu lillahi Rabbil ‘Aalameen. Was-salaatu was-salaamu alaa Khairil mursaleen. Muhammadin-nabeey-yil Ummiy-yee, wa-‘alaa aalihee, wasah-bihee, aj-ma’een.

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.

Ammaa ba’ad:

Innalláha wa malaaikata yusallúna alan nabi. Yá ay yuhal latheena ámanu sallú alayhi wasalli mú tas leema.

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.

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.”

O Alláh! Send your greetings upon Muhammad and his family, just as you sent your greetings on Ibraheem, and his family. O Alláh, send you blessings on Muhammad and his family, just as you blessed Ibraheem and his family. In both worlds, you are praiseworthy and exalted.

Second Khutbah:

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

Dear Brothers and Sisters

How do we begin to place our love for Alláh at the centre of our lives, at the top of our priority love-list? The short answer is Zikr, the constant Remembrance of Alláh. Zikr is not just an optional thing we do after completing Salaah. Zikr is an integral part of Islamic worship. Remembering Allah must become a way of life.

It is only through constant remembrance of Alláh that human hearts will find true happiness and satisfaction, in good times and in times of distress. There is a beautiful verse no. 28 in Súra Al-Ra’d that confirms this:

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem!
“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.”

We should train ourselves to be Alláh-conscious during every waking moment. Some Sufis recite the Asma-ul-husna, the Beautiful Names of Alláh, with every breath and every heartbeat. We can at least think consciously of pleasing Alláh, and avoiding His displeasure, every time we make a decision or start an action. We must constantly ask ourselves, why am I doing this? Is this decision, this action going to bring me closer to Alláh? Or, is this decision, this action going to arouse Alláh’s anger? If we do this exercise regularly, consistently, this attitude will transform our lives at the most basic level. Seeking to please Alláh, instead of seeking to satisfy our own lusts, will transform us from mere humans beings, wandering aimlessly, to the true Believers that we Muslims ought to be.

We must expect the going to be difficult at first, because this is a major turning point in our lives. But if we persist in our efforts, and we are patient, we will, in time, ish-Alláh reap the rewards of returning Alláh’s love with our love and obedience.

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islam, let us ask Alláh to make us all worthy and deserving of His love. Let us make the effort, and seek Alláh’s help, in completing the circle of love given and love returned. Let us show the Creator of love, that we have worked hard to bring our free will, and our heart’s desires back into alignment with Him, the way He created our true nature before we were exposed to temptation. Let us teach our children that the way to live successfully is to recognise Alláh’s loving hand in everything we see around us, and to return that love with every good thought, every good word and every good action in our lives.

O Alláh, help us to purify ourselves in body, mind, heart and spirit. Help us to seek and find your good pleasure, and O Alláh, remember us in the company of your beloved friends.

Ameen! Aqeemus salaah!

An English khutba by Arshad Gamiet at Royal Holloway College, University of London on 21st June 2002

http://khutbahbank.org.uk/2002/06/the-greatest-love-of-your-life-inspirational-khutbah/

Assalamu’alaikum Warohmatullohi Wabarakatuhu...
Bismillaahirrohmaanirrohiim .....


Are We Truly Believers?
In the Name of Allâh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful


“So do not weaken and do not grieve, for you will indeed be superior if you are truly believers.”

[Al-Quran 3:139]

This verse was revealed to the Messenger (SAS) by Allah The Almighty from above the Seven Heavens, soon after the Muslims suffered a defeat in the Battle of Uhud and returned to Al-Madinah dejected and downtrodden. It was revealed as an encouragement to the believers after a victory that was in their grasp, was snatched away from them and turned into a defeat.

And why should the Companions (RA) not have felt devastated at this defeat? Seventy of the best human beings on Earth at the time were killed and countless others were injured. Even the Messenger (SAS) himself was seriously wounded until blood flowed from his face and he said in great anguish whilst wiping the blood from his noble cheeks: “Allah’s Wrath is Great upon the people who besmeared His Messenger’s face with blood.”

However, this defeat was only a temporary setback so that the believers could reflect upon the reasons for the defeat, described in successive verses of Surah Ale-Imran. The mistakes and sins of a few believers had deprived the whole army of victory.

When Umar bin Al-Khattab (RA) despatched the army of Saad bin Abi Waqqas (RA) to the Battle of Al-Qadisiyyah, he advised him: “Fear your sins more than you fear the enemy as your sins are more dangerous to you than your enemy. We Muslims are only victorious over our enemy because their sins outnumber ours, not for any other reason. If our sins were equal to those of our enemy, then they would defeat us due to their superior numbers and resources.”

And so Saad (RA) proceeded to fight the Persians and, sticking to the advice of his leader, he imprisoned the alcoholic Abu Mahjan Ath-Thaqafi lest his presence in the army delays the victory. Until, Abu Mahjan lamented in his shackles and composed verses of poetry that touched the wife of Saad (RA) to temporarily release him so that he could participate in the battle with his brothers.

Abu Mahjan thus went out riding the horse of Saad (RA) (as Saad (RA) was bedridden with fever) and performed unmatched feats of valour before returning to his cell in the evening and wearing his shackles back by himself. This continued for three days until, when Saad (RA) found out about the heroics of Abu Mahjan, he untied his shackles with the words: “By Allah! I will never imprison you again for drinking alcohol!” Upon this, Abu Mahjan replied, “By Allah! I will never again touch alcohol after this day!” The army was victorious and Saad (RA) appointed the ascetic Companion Salman Al-Farsi (RA) as the new ruler of Persia, who lived on a meagre salary of one dirham per day.

Victory and defeat, gains and losses, and successes and setbacks are not decided by money, resources, numbers or skills. Rather, they are decided by the balance of obedience and disobedience of Allah The Exalted. The more we obey Allah, both individually and collectively, the more we hasten His Victory. The more we disobey Allah, the more we delay the arrival of His Victory.

One Muslim’s sins can delay the victory for everyone. It is very easy to blame Bush and Blair, the ‘West’, the ‘kuffar’ or simply ‘them’ for all our woes and worries. But it is not so easy to look in the mirror and point the finger at ourselves.

Look at us and our pathetic state. We have abandoned Salah or we delay it or rush through it. We are too stingy to give Zakah, let alone optional charity. We prefer to go on holiday than to go for the obligatory Hajj. We drink alcohol, we use and supply drugs (Muslims are amongst the biggest suppliers of drugs in the world today), we cohabit outside wedlock, we steal, we cheat.

We eat haram, earn haram and sell haram. We beat our wives and force our daughters into marriages then use Islam to justify it. We are quick to spend on fashion and luxuries but slow to spend on orphans and the needy. We fail to utter a single word, let alone raise a finger, when we see our fellow Muslims imprisoned , tortured, house-arrested, extradited or slain for fear of being ‘linked’ to them. We waste our lives watching television and playing computer games then complain that we don’t have enough time to become better Muslims.

We are too addicted to music to find time to listen to or memorise the Quran. We are too busy in fun and games to fulfil our responsibilities as vicegerents on Allah’s Earth. And after all this (and more), we have the audacity to wonder why Allah’s Victory has not yet arrived. With our paltry state, we should more likely expect Allah’s Wrath and Punishment rather than His Victory.

Every sin we commit delays the arrival of Allah’s Victory. Every Salah we delay extends the incarceration of a captive at Guantanamo Bay. Every drug we take allows another Quran to be flushed down the toilet. Every hour we waste watching TV allows another Muslim to be kidnapped and extradited into the hands of savage beasts. Every time we gaze at something forbidden, we place an obstacle in the path of Allah’s Victory.

A sin is not a ‘private matter between me and Allah’ but one sin can make the difference between victory and defeat. Every sin we commit is one more reason why Allah should not grant us relief, safety and victory.

Allah has made us a Promise in the aforementioned verse: “So do not weaken and do not grieve, for you will indeed be superior if you are truly believers.” He promises us relief, assistance, superiority and victory on the condition that we are true believers. If we suffer defeats today then it does not mean that Allah’s Promise is false. Instead, the question we must ask ourselves is: are we truly believers?

By British Political Prisoner Babar Ahmad MX5383
http://www.kalamullah.com/current-affairs12.html

Assalamu’alaikum Warohmatullohi Wabarakatuhu..
Bismillaahirrohmaanirrohiim .....

Care in Building the Characteristics of the Believers Shaykh Ahmad Fareed hafidhullaah

From the morals and manners of the Salaf was that they would constantly search their souls to breed in them the characteristics of the believers, and to discard the characteristics of the hypocrites. One is the opposite of the other.

A summary of the believers characteristics is mentioned in His great Book saying, "Those who turn (to Allaah) in repentance; that serve Him, and praise Him; that wander in devotion to the cause of Allaah; that bow down and prostrate themselves (in prayer); that enjoin good and forbid evil; and observe the limits set by Allaah - so proclaim the glad tidings to the believers." [9:112]

Also, "The believers will be successful. Those who humble themselves in their prayers; who avoid vain talk; who are active in deeds of charity, who abstain from sexual relations except with those joined to them in marriage or (the captives) whom their right hands possess, for (in their case) they are free from blame. But those whose desires exceed those limits are transgressors. Those who faithfully observe their trusts and their covenants; who (strictly) guard their prayers: these will be the heirs who will inherit Paradise, to dwell therein." [23:1-11]

In the hadeeth, "None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself." [al-Bukhaari and others...Al-Hafidh [Ibn Hajar] said in "Fathul-Bari": The fact that negating complete Imaan and negating the name of a thing meaning negating completeness and perfection is derived from the Arabic language as is said, "Such and such is inhuman".]


[The Prophet SAW said:] "By Allaah! He does not believe. By Allaah! He does not believe. By Allaah! He does not believe." He was asked, "Who, O Messenger of Allah?" He, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, said: "Whoever does not safeguard his neighbour from his harms." [al-Bukhaari and Muslim. Muslim's version reads: He will not enter Paradise if he does not spare his neighbour from his harms.]

Yahya ibn Muadh (rahimahullah) gathered the characteristics of the believers in one of his essays as follows,

"It is to be full of modesty, and to be harmless too. To be full of goodness and not to be corrupt. For the tongue to be truthful, for the words to be little and to be plentiful in good action. To have little slip-ups and not to be excessive. To be good to one's relatives, building closeness between them. To be dignified and grateful. To be full of contentment if Allaah restricted some provision. To be forbearing and friendly to his brothers. To be compassionate and chaste.

Not to curse, swear, insult, backbite, nor to gossip. Not to be hasty, envious, hateful, arrogant nor vain. Not to lean towards worldliness, nor to extend long hopes and wishes. Not to sleep too much nor to be absent-minded, nor to show-off nor be hypocritical. Not to be selfish, but to be soft and cheerful, not servile.

Loving for the sake of Allaah, being pleased for His sake and being angry only for His sake. His provision is taqwaa (reverential fear of Allaah). His worries are what will happen to him in the Afterlife. His friends remind him. His beloved is His Protector and Master. His struggle is for the Afterlife."

Fudayl ibn `Iyad (rahimahullah) said, "A believer plants a palm tree and fears that thorns will grow. The hypocrites plant thorns expecting ripe dates to grow!"

O brother! Realise these facts and search yourself carefully before your death. Weep over your soul if you find in it the morals of the hypocrites. Increase in seeking His forgiveness. All praise be to Allaah Lord of the worlds.

http://www.sunnahonline.com/ilm/purification/0016.htm

Assalamu’alaikum Warohmatullohi Wabarakatuhu...
Bismillaahirrohmaanirrohiim .....

The Acceptable Action. by : Shaykh Husayn al-Awaa'ishahFrom 'Kitaab ul-Ikhlaas'

Before you take a single step - My brother and sister Muslim - it is vital for you to be acquainted with the path in which your deliverance lies. Do not make yourself exhausted by performing many actions.

Perhaps the one who does many actions, does not gain anything but tiredness from them in this world and punishment in the hereafter [This is illustrated in his sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam saying: "Perhaps a fasting person obtains nothing from his fasting but hunger and one who stands during the night in prayer nothing but tiredness."


Reported by Ibn Maajah from Abu Hurairah and Shaikh Al-Albaanee declared it to be authentic in his Saheeh ul-Jaami', no. 3482.]. Allaah the Exalted said:

And We shall turn to whatever actions they did and make them into scattered dust (Soorah Furqaan 25:23)

He also said: It is he who created life and death to see which of you is best in action (Soorah Mulk 67:2)

Therefore, know before everything else the necessary conditions for actions before they are accepted. It is vital that two great and important matters are fulfilled for every action. If they are not the action will not be accepted.

The First: That the one who performed the action desired nothing but the Face of Allaah Azzawajall by it.

The Second: That the action is in agreement with what Allaah the Exalted has legislated in His Book or His Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam has explained in his sunnah.

Fudayl ibn Ayyaad, a taabi'ee, said regarding the verse {...that He may test you, which of you is best in deeds...} [11:7], "The most sincere and the most correct" so those who were around him said "And what is the most sincere and the most correct?" He replied "Action, if it is correct but not sincere will not be accepted and action, if it is sincere but not correct will not be accepted until it is both sincere and correct. Sincere means that nothing but the Face of Allaah is sought and correct means that it is in conformity with the Sunnah."

And some of the Salaf used to say: There is no action, even if it is insignificant , except that it will have two questions put to it: Why did you do it? and: How did you do it?

The first question is about the reason for the action and its motive. If the motive was for an objective from among the objectives of the world such as seeking praise or status or any other worldly aim, it is an evil action and will be thrown back at its performer. If the motive for the action was to fulfil the right of Allaah of pure enslavement to Him and seeking a means of nearness to Him then it is a good action and will be accepted inshaa'allaah.

The second question is about the following and imitation of the Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam. Was the action from amongst the legislated actions or was it from your innovation and invention? If it was from the guidance of the Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam then it is a good action and if it was in opposition to the practise of the Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam then it is an evil action and will not be accepted from its performer as is proven in the hadeeth of Aa'ishah (ra) who said: The Messenger of Allaah sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: "Whoever introduces into this affair of ours something that does not belong to it will have it rejected." (Muslim)

And she also reports that the Messenger of Allaah sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: "Whoever does an action which we have not commanded will have it rejected." (Muslim)

When one of the above two conditions is not fulfilled the action is neither righteous nor acceptable. The saying of the Blessed and Exalted provides evidence for this:

And whoever places his hope in the meeting with His Lord let him work righteous deeds and in the worship of His Lord, associate none as a partner (Soorah Kahf 18:110)

Allaah, the Sublime has commanded in this verse that the action should be righteous meaning, agreement with the Sharee'ah. Then He commanded that the person should make it sincerely for Allaah, desiring by it nothing besides Him.

Al-Haafidh Ibn Katheer (rh) said: These are the two pillars of the accepted action. It is necessary that the action is sincerely for Allaah and also correct, upon the Sharee'ah of the Messenger of Allaah sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam. The likes of this has also been reported from al-Qaadi Ayyaad - may Allaah have mercy upon Him - and others.

Allaah the Exalted also said:
And who is better in religion than the one who submits his face to Allaah and is a doer of good? (Soorah Nisaa 4:125)

The meaning of submitting ones face for Allaah is: Making one's intention and action for Allaah, and the meaning of doing good is: Imitating and following the Messenger's sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam Sunnah.

http://www.sunnahonline.com/ilm/purification/0001.htm