Abdul Rahman Chao

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته. السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته.

الحمد لله, we praise Him, seek His help, and ask His forgiveness.

We seek refuge in Allah from the evil of our souls and from the evil of our deeds. Whomsoever Allah guides, none can misguide him, and whosoever He leads astray, none can guide him. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.

O you who have believed, fear Allah as He should be feared, and do not die except as Muslims.

O mankind, fear your Lord, Who created you from one soul, and He created her husband from her, and He spread among them many men and women. And fear Allah in Whom you ask for help and mercy. Verily, Allah watches over you.

O you who have believed, fear Allah and say a firm word that will amend for you your deeds and forgive you your sins. Whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has won a great triumph.

Indeed, all praise and thanks are due to Allah. We praise Allah, we seek His assistance, and we seek His forgiveness. And we seek refuge in Allah from the evil that is within our souls, and the evil that results from our deeds.

Whomsoever Allah guides, none shall misguide them, and whomsoever Allah allows to be led astray, none shall guide them back to the right path. I bear witness that there is no god worthy of worship except Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His final prophet, servant, and messenger.

Verily the best speech is the speech of Allah, and the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad, and the worst affairs are those which are of religious innovations, for all of that is misguidance, all misguidance leads to hell.

The Story of Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl

After the Quraysh broke the treaty of Hudaybiyyah, which was originally supposed to last for 10 years, it lasted for about a year, and they had basically supplied weapons to Banu Bakr, who were allied with the Quraysh, they supplied weapons to Banu Bakr, and Banu Bakr went on a killing rampage of the Bani Khuza'a, who were allied with the Muslims, and they were Muslims themselves. So the Prophet geared up for what we know in the seerah as Fath Makkah, the conquest of Makkah.

Now putting aside the details of the preparation and what went into it, the Prophet made it clear to his companions, that this conquest would be as swift as possible, and he would avoid bloodshed in all ways possible, except for four men and two women. Why? The Prophet was ready to forgive all the people who hurt him, who violated the laws of Allah, who had oppressed Muslims, who had tortured Muslims, who had exiled the Prophet, who had humiliated him, who tried to assassinate the Prophet. And the Prophet, he was ready to forgive all.

But there were four men and two women that the Prophet said, due to their war crimes, due to their extensive history of torturing and murdering Muslims in the Meccan period, the Prophet gave an exception, that those four may be apprehended and dispatched and executed. In fact, the Prophet was so serious about these four men and two women, that he said in the hadith, he said, even if you find them clinging on to the curtain of the Kaaba, you may do so. One of these four individuals was a well-known person by the name of Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl, the son of Abu Jahl.

Now Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl, like his father, they in the beginning, or at least for Ikrimah, they hated Islam, they fought Islam. And Abu Jahl, as you know, he left this world in a state of utter disbelief and disgrace and humiliation. But Ikrimah was one of those four people marked.

Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl, he was still trying to rally troops to fight back against Muhammad taking over Mecca. And when he realized that there was no other way but to escape, he rode his horse and he went westward towards the Red Sea, towards the coast of the Arabian Peninsula, fleeing for his life, knowing deep down in his heart the crimes that he had committed. He was a marked target, and deservedly so at that time.

The Storm at Sea

When he got to the coastline, he embarked on a ship, a boat, and he tried to cross over, and unexpectedly there was a large storm that formed over them, and there were huge waves, and it was extremely difficult. And so the captain of the boat said to the passengers on the boat, including Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl, he said to them, أخلصوا, be sincere, be sincere to Allah. فإن آلهتكم لا تنفعكم في موضع هذا.

Because your gods will not help you in this position, in this situation, your gods will not avail you. So Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl, he thought about it, he says, what do you mean by be sincere? And see, the pagan Arabs before Islam, they knew well that Allah was the Lord of the universe. So whenever they got themselves into difficulty, whenever they were stuck in a horrible situation, like stuck on a boat somewhere, and there's a huge storm, they would cast aside all their false gods and deities and idols, and then they would say, they would be pure in their du'a to Allah.

So when they rode the ship, how did Allah describe them? And they would encounter some waves, they would make du'a to Allah, pure du'a and tawheed to Allah. And after Allah saves them, what did they do? إذا هم يشركون They would do shirk. At this moment Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl knew he was in a very tough spot.

Ikrimah's Realization and Promise

So he made a du'a to Allah. And he had a moment of humility. And he said, if it is sincerity that will save me on the open seas, and nothing else except sincerity to Allah is going to save me on the open seas, then surely sincerity to Allah in tawheed and in worship and in du'a is what will save me on land.

He said, O Allah, I promise that if you deliver me safely back onto earth, I will go to Muhammad, and I will place my hands in the hands of the Prophet, symbolizing his Islam as well as pledging of allegiance and support and belief in the Prophet. He said, I will go to Muhammad, place my hands in the hands of the Prophet, and I will surely find him to be forgiving and generous. And sure enough Allah saved them.

And Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl, he went back to Mecca, and he went to the Prophet, and he declared his Islam to the Prophet. And the Prophet didn't say, Ha ha, criminal, we were looking for you, you have delivered thyself to my hands, now you shall suffer the fate. No, the Prophet, immediately he welcomed him.

He said, you are safe. He welcomed him into Islam.

The Power of Sincere Du'a

Brothers and sisters, this story of Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl, we might think we are talking about this story to talk about how generous the Prophet was in forgiving those enemies who harmed him and harmed the community of the Muslims.

Yes, that is one lesson to be derived. But more importantly, it is the power of du'a of Ikrimah. That he knew that if he was to be saved, that if his du'a was to be answered, that he had to have pure intentions to devote his Ibadah, his ritual worship to Allah.

Brothers and sisters, Allah tells us in the Qur'an over and over again about his promise that he will answer our du'as.

Your Lord says, make du'a to me and I will answer you.

And so if they ask you, if the servants ask you, O Muhammad, about me, i.e. Allah, tell them that I am indeed near. أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ I answer the du'a of the one who seeks so that they may be guided.

Understanding Allah's Response to Du'a

Brothers and sisters, we sometimes go through difficulties in life, and difficulties are a part of, it's guaranteed a part of our life. And we ask Allah to help us during those times and yet, our du'as are not answered apparently to us on the spot.

And sometimes we wonder, why is it that Allah doesn't answer the du'a? But for some other people, Allah answers them immediately. In fact, Allah sometimes answers the du'a of the non-believers. How is that so?

And I'm here to tell you, that your worship of Allah, your fasting, your worship, your devotion, all of those things, do not give you the right to say that you deserve something from Allah. It's not a transactional relationship. Even if Allah didn't answer your du'a, you still have to fast, you still have to pray, you have to do all of those things. But when you make du'a, and you expect that Allah is going to give it to you on the spot, and when He doesn't give it to you, you start having doubt in Allah, that is incorrect.

Brothers and sisters, Allah answers all of your du'as, if only you truly believe that He will answer them. There is nothing that you can ask that will decrease Allah in His kingdom, and in His majesty, and in everything that He owns.

Three Ways Allah Answers Du'a

In fact, the Prophet tells us in an authentic narration, that whenever you make du'a to Allah, three things occur, and Allah does not betray His promise.

Three things occur. Either Allah gives it to you, you ask for something, Allah gives it to you. Or perhaps, you are asking for it, but something else was supposed to come that was worse, and Allah removed that other scenario, that worse scenario from you, because of the du'a that you had.

Example. A parent makes du'a that Allah gives his child or her child shifa, cure for some disease. It's some sort of long-term chronic illness. Allah, this person is making du'a, Oh Allah, cure my child, Oh Allah, restore his health. It's not getting answered. So this person thinks, I make du'a and Allah doesn't answer.

So Allah could have, because this person made du'a, it could have been written that Allah was going to allow that child to pass from this world. But because of that du'a, Allah saved them.

And the third scenario, brothers and sisters, is that Allah will give you what is better on the day of judgment.

أقول قولي هذا وأستغفر الله.

الحمد لله وصلاة والسلام على رسول الله وعلى آله وصحبه أجمعين وبعد.

The Story of Imam Ahmed and the Baker

Brothers and sisters, being persistent in your du'a is one of the ways that we mentioned in this khutba, that you should continuously ask Allah, even if you don't see the results immediately. Allah will give them to you.

But I want to end off with one story, that shows you how another way you can get your du'a answered, simply through adhkar, by remembering Allah, by saying لا إله إلا الله, by saying سبحان الله. And of course, this topic of how you get your du'a answered, it would be, if we were to continue, it would be going on for three hours.

But I want to share with you the story of Imam Ahmed. Imam Ahmed was a great scholar, one of the leaders of the four schools of the madhahib. Imam Ahmed, as you know, was old in this story that we're gonna mention.

Imam Ahmed, as you know today, we know what the mashayikh look like, you can look them up on internet. During the time of the past, people didn't know what the scholars look like. So Imam Ahmed was traveling one time somewhere, and he went to a masjid, by this time he was old in his age, he got to the masjid, and he decided that he was going to rest.

He prayed isha, and then he decided to sleep. The guard of the masjid came, and said, get up, get out. It's not for you to sleep here, get out of here. Imam Ahmed didn't say, do you know who I am, I'm Imam Ahmed. No, he said, I'm an old person, I'm traveling, leave me alone, I just want to rest here. The man said, get out.

So he kicked Imam Ahmed out of the masjid, not knowing this is Imam Ahmed. So Imam Ahmed sat outside by the door of the masjid, on the street. Guard comes, locks the door, get out from here, you don't belong here, you need to move.

So Imam Ahmed is like, I'm outside, leave me alone. So this guard forcibly grabs Imam Ahmed, and drags him with his feet, drags this old man, and he grabs him, and pulls him all the way, and dumps him in the middle of the street.

Across the street there was a baker. Sees this situation, this old man, being dragged across the street, and he said, oh old man, come to my shop, come to my bakery, you can stay here for the night. So Imam Ahmed thanked him, put his stuff down, got ready, and he was just observing this baker.

And he said, he noticed that this man was doing a lot of adhkar, saying, سبحان الله، لا إله إلا الله، أستغفر الله، لا حول ولا قوة إلا بالله, while he was kneading the dough, and baking it.

And Imam Ahmed said, how long have you been doing this? He said, doing what? He said, this dhikr that you have been doing. He said, I've been doing this for decades, for a very long time. He said, and how do you find it? He said, I'm used to it.

He said, what benefits do you get from it? What have you seen from your adhkar? So this baker said, Allah has answered every single du'a that I've asked Allah to give me. Imam Ahmed was shocked. He said, every du'a that you asked Allah has given you? Every du'a?

This baker said, yes, except one. He said, what is this one request Allah has not answered you yet? He said, I have heard many good things about Imam Ahmed, and I have never met Imam Ahmed in my life.

So Imam Ahmed says, here I am, Imam Ahmed, this old man, because of your du'a, I've been dragged out from the masjid into your shop, so that you can see me now.

Because of his adhkar, because of his tasbeeh, because of his remembrance of Allah, Allah answered his du'a.