Dr. Hamid Ghazali

وَأُصَلِّي وَأُسَلِّمُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ مُحَمَّدِ ابْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ صَلَوَاتُ اللهِ وَسَلَامُهُ عَلَيْهِ الْمُرْسَلُ لِلْعَالَمِينَ كَافَّةً بَشِيرًا وَنَذِيرًا وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ

Dear brothers and sisters, I pray to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to accept your prayers and my prayers and make it inshallah a credit for all of us. I pray to Allah to bring peace to the world and to the Muslim world in particular and the Muslims who are suffering in different parts of the Muslim world. May Allah bring them peace.

May Allah forgive those who passed away and may Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala cure the sick among us and help them inshallah get their strength back.

Let's Raise the Bar

What I would like to share with you in this khutbah I'd like to put it under the title Let's Raise the Bar. What do I mean by let's raise the bar? Meaning let's come to a higher standard of dealing with one another.

A standard that we set for ourselves. A standard that we set for our community. This is really what will make a difference.

And this is in short the concept of tazkiyah in Islam.

Successful indeed is the one who elevates his soul. And unsuccessful is the one who doesn't.

Ideology vs. Material Progress

It's very important for us to examine this philosophical question. What affects nations more? Is it ideology or is it money and technology? Which one? Is it the material things that really can make the standard of living very high, easy, comfortable? Use technology, communication, all these sort of things. Advanced nations versus nations who are not advanced in technology. Or is it the ideology that people have that makes a difference? Ideology or a set of beliefs, your actions, your character, your values, your principles that govern your actions.

Which one? Which one did the Prophet ﷺ offer humanity? I know that it's the ideology. I know that it's what you believe, what you practice, how you view the world, how you view knowledge, how you view the human being.

You see a fly, you kill the fly, you smash it, it's gone. Is it the same with a human being? Gets into a car accident, smashed, dies. Is it the same? Or are we different? Then here comes the philosophy. Are we here for nothing? We die like animals do, like a fly does. Or are we different? Is death the end? Or is it the beginning? These are philosophical questions. Why am I here? Is it because I pay for the mistakes of Adam? Is it a punishment? Or is it a reward? Deep philosophical questions that govern how you contribute to the community and to the society, and how you view the world.

How do you view knowledge? How do you view knowledge and compare between people who know and those who do not know? When Allah said:

They only know a surface part of this world.

Then this world has surface knowledge, deep knowledge. What governs the deep knowledge? Why would Allah emphasize a difference between surface knowledge and the deep knowledge? What makes the knowledge deep? How do you connect what you learn in the Qur'an and about the sources of knowledge that you have with the sources of knowledge that we have in this world? Does Islam add another source of knowledge? And the answer is definitely. The knowledge that comes through revelation that connects this world with the world to come.

Is the person who have this ideology different than the person who believes he or she is here in this world and will die and that's the end of it? Definitely there is a difference. And that governs how you act and how you view the world and how you see things around you. This is just glimpses of the ideology.

I teach a whole course called Islamic Philosophy to our students in 11th and 12th grade Houston Qur'an Academy. And we examine all these questions. And we look into them deeply. And they make a difference in your life.

The Prophet's Example in Difficult Times

So when we look at, examine, how you raise the bar. Means how this ideology, this philosophy govern your work, character. And how you can elevate yourself and your family to the highest level possible. Makes a big difference.

Look into the Prophet ﷺ. In the time when he was in the most difficult time in Mecca. That was the time after At-Ta'if, the journey to At-Ta'if. 10th year, his uncle dies. A few days or a few weeks after that, his wife dies. Loses all the protection in the 10th year. And Quraysh now starts to think about killing the Prophet ﷺ. Assassinating the Prophet ﷺ. So the verbal attack turns into physical attack. And towards the end of the 10th year, the Prophet ﷺ looks for other options.

He decides to go to At-Ta'if. Where people were waiting for him and throwing stones in his face. Comes back puzzled. But with a stronger determination. And says, makes a long dua. And says to Allah, if you're not mad at me, I don't care what happens to me. If you're not angry, O Allah, with me.

O Allah, if you're not angry with me, I don't care what happens to me.

And then things become easy. And then in the 11th year and the 12th year, we see Bayatul Aqabah al-Ula, Bayatul Aqabah al-Thani. You know the oath that was taken from al-Ansar who came to the Prophet ﷺ and he extended an invitation to them.

The Two Pledges of Aqabah

But something very interesting here. I want to share with you. There are two bay'ahs, two oaths or two pledges that the Prophet ﷺ took from al-Ansar. The first pledge of al-Aqabah and the second. Bayatul Aqabah al-Ula, Bayatul Aqabah al-Thani. The Prophet ﷺ was in dire need to get support someplace else. And here comes the Ansar. And they're ready to defend him as we learn from the history of Islam. And they did.

But look into what he did in the first bay'ah. Bayatul Aqabah al-Ula. Did not ask him for anything. For him personally or for the Muslims in Mecca. Or for the oppressed in Mecca. He asked them to be good people. This is the bay'ah:

When the believing women come to make the bay'ah to you... Then make the bay'ah for them.

So the Prophet ﷺ took that statement of bay'ah to use that statement. Which was not revealed yet. But the Prophet ﷺ used it to give the bay'ah to the Ansar. Bay'ah on becoming a good person. I don't want anything from you. Before you become a good person. Before you step to the highest standard of ethics. Before you're ready to defend others. It's very important.

Then when they came a year later. And made bay'ah al-Aqabah al-Thania. The second one. Then he started to put the conditions. That you protect me. That you protect your children. That you protect your family. Same way. What a way to look at things. Character is very important.

Returning the Trust

The Prophet ﷺ leaves Mecca. In the 13th year. One of the items on his agenda. Was to return the amanat to the people of Mecca. Who are those people? The people who are driving him out of Mecca. He's worried that they should take their amanat. The things that... The belongings that they left with him. There was no safe place. Like, you know, in a bank here you have a safe. You put your things in. There was nothing like that. So they used the Prophet ﷺ as amanat or trustworthy to put their belongings with him.

Didn't say those people are driving me out. Those people are doing injustice to me. Let me freeze their assets. Did not do that. And made sure that they all get their belongings. What a way. What a standard that Prophet ﷺ wants us to come up to. This is what I mean by... Let's raise the bar. See what the Prophet ﷺ emphasized. And that's what attracted the people to Islam. And that's what brought, you know, millions and millions to Islam. And when Islam started to spread by peace, people came to Islam in big numbers.

As we see in Surah Al-Nasr, when the people come in big numbers, then make tasbih and istighfar to Allah.

The Conquest of Mecca

Muslims there. Ready to open Mecca. In the 8th year. Ready to open Mecca. And they're standing outside Mecca. And Sa'd shouts, الْيَوْمَ يَوْمُ الْمَلْحَمَةِ الْيَوْمَ تُذَلُّ قُرَيْشٌ - Today is the day of the battle. Today Quraysh is humiliated. What an expression. That expresses what was in the hearts of the people at that time. So the ones who oppressed us. And now it's their turn. It's their turn to get what they gave us before. To taste. Get a taste of what they gave us. And get our rights back.

The Prophet ﷺ smiles at him and says to him, No, this is not what we say today. Rather you should say, الْيَوْمَ يَوْمُ الْمَرْحَمَةِ الْيَوْمَ تُعَزُّ قُرَيْشٌ - Today is the day of mercy. Today Quraysh is honored. What a way to put it. What a way to think about things. Opposite of what Sa'd was thinking. And what many people think. But that's raising the bar. Raising the standard.

And he enters Mecca. The people who were torturing him and the believers and forced him to get out of Mecca. The most beloved city to him. They asked him, what are you going to do to us? He says, what I wouldn't say or do anything except what my brother Yusuf said:

No blame on you. Today Allah forgives you. And says, whosoever enters Abu Sufyan's house is safe. Whosoever enters Al-Kaaba is safe. And whosoever enters his door and lock his door is safe. What a way to express things.

The Keys of the Kaaba

He goes in and asks about the keys for Al-Kaaba. And everybody looking for the keys of Al-Kaaba. And there Uthman ibn Talha was the one who got the keys. But Uthman had a story with the Prophet ﷺ about the keys of Al-Kaaba. And you all know the story, or may have heard it before.

There in Mecca, one day the Prophet ﷺ was walking and making tawaf around Al-Kaaba and asked Uthman to give him the keys of Al-Kaaba, to get in there and see the blessings of Allah. And Uthman ibn Talha tells him, The day I put this key in your hand, Quraysh will be humiliated. And Quraysh will be destroyed.

And the Prophet ﷺ smiles at him and says to him, The day you will see these keys in my hand, Quraysh will be honored. And Quraysh will be rebuilt. What a way, what a vision. And the Prophet ﷺ asked for the keys when he made the conquest of Mecca. And he said, Uthman had them. And at that time Uthman, in the 8th year before the conquest of Mecca, he became a Muslim. And comes to the Prophet ﷺ. And asks for the keys and he puts them in the hands of the Prophet ﷺ. And the Prophet ﷺ reminds him and tells him, Quraysh is honored and Quraysh will be rebuilt, reconstructed.

But he goes a step further and puts the keys back in Uthman's hands and says, you keep it. It will stay in your hands. What a level of tazkiyyah. What a standard. This all raised the bar as the Prophet ﷺ taught us. He was always a teacher. He was always a murabbi, an educator, not a blamer. Not somebody who seeks revenge. But rather a person who puts standards for everybody around him. And raise the bar to the highest level.

Comes the night and the Prophet ﷺ needs to sleep. And there are no hotels around. And they tell him, you're gonna sleep in your own house. Uqayl is the one who got your house. And Uqayl now is a Muslim. So go back and join the house that you lived in and you raised in.

And the Prophet ﷺ refused to get his house back. And expressed to them the fact that what you give for the sake of Allah, don't get it back. You give something for the sake of Allah, don't get it back. Leave it for the sake of Allah. Though he had every right to get his house back. But he wants to raise the bar for all of us. And that's what attracts the people to the ideology the Prophet ﷺ sets. And to the way he looks at things. And to the way he deals with people.

And he smiled and said, وَهَلْ أَبْقَى لَنَا عُقَيْلٌ شَيْئًا - Did Uqayl leave anything for us? He got it all. What a way to express it. What a way to look at things. Important for us to think about raising the bar. And getting the bar to the highest level possible. May Allah help us all. And may Allah help us reach that goal inshallah.

Hudayfah's Promise

And how they were learning from the Prophet ﷺ. And setting the standard and reaching the standard that the Prophet ﷺ set for them.

One time Hudayfah ibn al-Yaman was coming from Mecca to Medina before the Battle of Badr. And Hudayfah was very well known. The person who keeps the top secrets of the Prophet ﷺ. He's the one who's the right hand. He's the one who's in difficult times in the battles. He's the one who's choosing to do the most difficult tasks. Like he did in the Battle of Al-Khandaq. And when he sent him, he came back. So he's a very well-recognized person.

But the people of Mecca caught him. And he wanted to either arrest him or kill him. And he said, I don't support I'm not going to support Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. They said, we let you go under one condition. That you don't join him in the coming battle against us. And he looked at them and said, okay. His life is fiqh al-muwazanat. The fiqh of weighing consequences. Which one is better, to die or to leave. With a promise that I will not join the battle. And he makes that decision. Okay, I'm not going to join.

He goes to the Prophet ﷺ. And tells the Prophet the story. And the Prophet ﷺ did not tell him. Those are kafirs, those are enemies, such and such. Those are our enemies. You are the top leader that I need you. Did not do all of that.

And the Prophet ﷺ said to him نَفِي لَهُمْ وَنَتَوَكَّلُ عَلَى اللهِ وَنَسْتَعِينُ بِاللهِ عَلَيْهِمْ - We fulfill your word to them and we seek Allah's help against them. What a level, what a standard. For all of us to fulfill your word. Even if it goes against you. Even if it goes against the whole interest of the ummah. Or the interest of the whole ummah. Still honor your word.

People see you. Enemies of the Prophet ﷺ respected him very much. Enemies that were really wishing that they see him dead. They knew what caliber they were dealing with. They recognized that in every single one of the companions of the Prophet ﷺ. That's what brings people, ideology. Brings people, raising the bar. Brings people to Islam.

Thumamah ibn Uthal

Thumamah ibn Uthal comes in. Wants to kill the Prophet ﷺ. I'll take care of him. He's the guy who's causing you problems. I'll go and kill him. So proud and so arrogant about what he could do. But he was also a good man. He goes and he gets arrested. In his way to kill the Prophet ﷺ. And taken to the Prophet in his masjid. And there they put him in the side of the masjid. And you start to see how the Muslims dealing with one another. And how they respect one another. How they respect the blacks, the whites, the browns, everybody. It's very well respected. And how they respect the Prophet ﷺ. And how the Prophet ﷺ honors them. He sees all of that. I was astonished.

And was telling the Prophet ﷺ. If you forgive, you forgive somebody who's thankful. And if you kill, I have a tribe that will seek revenge. And went on and on, story is long. But at the end the Prophet ﷺ. Sets him free, go. Nothing in return. You go, do whatever you want to do.

The guy goes, comes back and says أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللهِ. What a way to think about things. And see things.

The Story of Khalid and Abu Ubaidah

I want to conclude with this story. You all must have heard. We see things from different angles. See stories now from the angle of raising the bar. You may use the same story for something else.

Umar decides to assign Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah as the leader of the army. And Ubaidah was a good person, very good military leader. But Khalid which was the leader at that time. It's very well known, never lost a battle. Never lost a battle. And the battle that was going on was really very difficult battle. In the middle of all of that Umar wants to teach the Muslims a lesson. Victory doesn't come through people, comes from Allah. He wanted to break that mentality. That if Khalid is not there, there's no victory. As he cut the tree. The Muslims made the bay'ah under the tree, he cut it. He's very well known for such actions.

And sends a letter to Abu Ubaidah. When you receive my letter. Then you are the leader. And Khalid is a soldier. And Abu Ubaidah did not really carry out the order. And put the letter in his pocket. Until he received another letter. And he waited again on the other letter. And didn't tell Khalid about the order. Until the battle was ended and the Muslims achieved the victory. And then he told him, this is the order I received.

And Khalid asked him and was blaming him. Why didn't you tell me earlier? What's wrong with fighting for the sake of Allah. As a leader or a soldier. It did not make any difference to me. Didn't make any difference to me. Whether I'm a leader or a soldier. And Abu Ubaidah replies to him. I didn't want to get the credit. You get the credit. What a standard. What a way to look at things. And what an honor to belong to Islam. And to the teachings of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.