20161111 -1st Khutba - Imam Mokhtar Maghroui

Opening Praise and Testimony

All praise is due to Allah. We praise Him, we seek His forgiveness, we seek His guidance. And we seek refuge in Allah from the evils of our souls and from the evils of our deeds.

Whomsoever Allah guides, none can misguide him. And whosoever He misguides, none can guide him. And I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, alone, with no partner.

And I bear witness that our master is Muhammad, his servant and his messenger. As for the rest, the most truthful speech is the Book of Allah. And the best guidance is the guidance of our master Muhammad, peace be upon him and his family.

And the worst of all things are newly invented matters, and every invented matter is an innovation, and every innovation is a misguidance, and every misguidance is in the Fire.

Taqwa — Mindfulness of Allah in All Circumstances

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

O you who have attained faith, be reverent of Allah, be conscious of Allah, be mindful of Allah Azza wa Jalla. And do that in a way that is worthy of who He is, of His beauty, of His majesty, of His favours and bounties. In a way worthy of that, subhanahu wa ta'ala.

Be mindful of Allah Azza wa Jalla in prosperity or in adversity. Remember Allah Azza wa Jalla. Connect your hearts, your minds, your souls — and consequently your words and your actions, and consequently your actions and your reactions — connect them always to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.

Be conscious of Allah Azza wa Jalla in privacy and in public. At home alone with the family, or at work with the co-workers, or in the streets, or in the markets, or abroad. Under all circumstances, be mindful of Allah Azza wa Jalla, as He is worthy of being mindful of — haqqatu taqwatihi Azza wa Jalla.

And with that, ultimately, we do not want to die, to leave this world, except in such a state — except in a state of loving surrender.

And make sure, no matter what your occupation or preoccupation, concerns, hopes, opportunities, challenges — no matter what they are — make sure that ultimately we work so that when we leave, and we will leave this dunya, we will leave this dunya in a state of Islam. In a state of loving surrender. Loving surrender of my thoughts, of my plans, of my hopes, of my aspirations, of my dislikes — not only my likes — all in loving surrender to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.

The Nature of This World: Ups and Downs

And we are to be that type of Muslim under all circumstances. Not only when things go the way we seem to like them. There will be things like that and there have always been things like that. Not only when things go the way I want them, I desire them, I like them — that can happen and it has happened and it happens, but we often forget and do not count those. And as well as when things happen to us which we do not like in the way we perceive things and realities. And that happens also, and it has happened, and it will happen.

Since the day Allah created life and created the human being on this earth, it has never ceased to go through ups and downs. Good things and not so good things. At all levels — in our very personal individual lives between you and yourself, and in our family lives, and in our communal life, and in our world life at the social level, the political level — all sorts of concerns that our human-ness has never ceased to experience.

These are the days, Allah says — we alternate them amongst people. As Sayyiduna Ali, may Allah be pleased with him and please him, said:

(Attributed to Sayyiduna Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him)

Time is always two things — something for you, or something not for you. If it is for you, don't be deluded, don't be overly proud and arrogant and too reliant on your condition. Do not acquiesce to that condition, for there will be another one against you. And when it is against you, do not despair, do not give up, do not behave in ways that are inconsistent with the purpose for which you were created.

When it is for you, take the time to be thankful, take the time to be grateful to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. Take the time to be in dhikr, in du'a, in sadaqah, in zakah, in sawm, in forgiveness, in pardoning, in benevolence, in magnanimity. Take the time to do that — instead of taking the time, when things are the way I want them, to be entertained and to enjoy them at the expense of the values for which I live, the values for which I was created.

And when it is against me in my perception — whether at the home level, the work level, the street level, social level, the political level, whatever level — when it is not the way I like, then it is a time and an opportunity for me to be patient and forbearing and to uphold my values when things are adverse.

I am not a Muslim only when things go the way I want. When things don't go the way I want, when I am challenged, I must not dilute my values, I must not compromise my constants. There are variables, but there are constants. When it goes against me, I must not get too angry or too high-tempered and restless and despairing. That is not the character of one who professes from his or her heart to be a Muslim.

And it is an opportunity for those who are not Muslim to observe us — in prosperity and in adversity. What is this Islam and these Muslims in prosperity? Let's see how they behave. Some of us, even in prosperity, we fade, because we see only ourselves. We enjoy what we have, and we have power, and we disregard the notion that that too is a trial. And they observe — not only that — but when we are challenged, when we are hurt, when we are injured, when we are wounded, how do we react? Do we react like a ferocious beast, a wild beast? Or do we react like composed, believing, faithful, morally-grounded beings?

You are, whether you are aware of it or not, an example to others — Muslims and others alike. The way we behave towards one another is an example to others. And the way we behave in adversity and in prosperity is an example to others. Besides the fact that all of it is recorded.

The Trial of Faith — Tested Before Us and After Us

Allah says — I remind myself and you — do human beings believe that they are going to be left to say and to claim "We have faith in God, we have faith in Allah" without being tested? Without, in other words, requiring evidence for that claim?

This is Allah's law in nature. And even those who don't believe in Allah — and we seek refuge in Allah from that — know that this is a natural law, they would call it, of going up and down, up and down, up and down. It never ceases.

So Allah says: those before them were also tested. However, for you to know, and for Allah to see it actualized in reality — for He has always known in eternity, now subhanahu wa ta'ala He knows it in practice, it has been actualized:

From that shall be extracted those who are truthful, and those who only make claims. To say أنا أؤمن بالله — "I have faith in God" — and Allah is certain — that implies all the values, I underline all the values, that I uphold and claim in my relationship to the Divine must be expressed in this challenge. If they are not, it is only a claim.

After this He mentions subhanahu wa ta'ala: the one who truly desires and hopes to encounter Allah Azza wa Jal — that appointed time shall come. In other words, if I am one whose hope is to encounter Allah, to connect with Allah, know that it will come. Meaning: live your life in action and in reaction like someone who is truly only interested in the encounter of the Divine. And therefore when it is for me, I should not forget Him. I should not abuse what I have — of resources, of wealth, of health, of power, of security, of peace — I must not abuse that and forget Him in using it. This is not only at the political or military levels; it starts at home, it starts with the individual, it starts at work.

And therefore the one who desires the encounter of Allah — that encounter will come. And know that Allah is Sami', all-Hearing. In other words, He hears what you claim and what you say. And He is 'Alim, all-Knowing. He knows what you are doing and not doing, to fulfil that commitment or not to fulfil it.

Tested by Both Good and Bad

Says Allah Azza wa Jal, my beloved brothers and sisters:

This is life. Allah says: nabluukum — We do test you by the good things and the bad things, بِالشَّرِّ وَالْخَيْرِ. And He begins here in this ayah by mentioning the bad things, so that you do not forget them as well. And maybe that means overall humanity is always subject to things that human beings will not be comfortable with. We do test you by that which you construe as bad things, as well as those that are good things. In other words, challenges and opportunities — challenges and opportunities — فِتْنَةً — as a trial.

The ultimate intent behind which is for you to know Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. Because we don't know Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala only through the good things. Those who think they know Him only through the good things — and many of us even through that we don't know Him well enough — we are subject to bad things as well. And that is part of the manifestation of Allah's creative acts in existence, as He expresses His attributes subhanahu wa ta'ala.

Allah's Attributes of Beauty and Majesty

Allah is غَفُورٌ — all-Forgiving. حَلِيمٌ — forbearing. كَرِيمٌ — generous. مُعْطِي — the Giver. مُغْنِي — the Enricher. رَؤُوفٌ — full of kindness. حَنَّانٌ مَنَّانٌ — the Loving, the Bestower of favours. These are the good things — when these names manifest in creation, we have the good things.

But He is also عَدْلٌ — Just. And He is قَهَّارٌ — Irresistible, overwhelming. And He is عَزِيزٌ — Untouchable, Unchallengeable. And subhanahu wa ta'ala, فَعَّالٌ لِمَا يُرِيدُ — He does what He wills. And these attributes are also expressed and manifested in creation.

So when something happens to us that we do not like — besides the apparent significance of that at the level of sociological realities — beyond that, at the level of the haqa'iq, at the level of spiritual realities, that is simply Allah's attributes of grandeur and majesty being expressed.

And as long as I or you strive — sincerely, I underline my words — strive sincerely to obey Allah Azza wa Jalla: internally, inside of me, in my mind, in my feelings, in my emotions, in my heart — and constantly check that and evaluate that, constantly — that is my full-time job. And my external, consequent activities born out of what I am inside. As long as I strive that that be in obedience to Allah Azza wa Jalla, then when things happen, whether I perceive them as good or bad — you know what they are ultimately? Good. They are ultimately good for me, no doubt about it.

We are tested by that which we do not like so that the diseases inside of us are melted and removed. We are tried by hardships and difficulties so that — especially those who claim to believe and have faith — that faith is made true. So that the arrogance inside, the ghurur inside, the delusion inside, the conceitedness inside, the hate inside, the greed inside, the miserliness inside, the predatory instincts inside — so that all of those are removed through hardship. Like when you heat up the mineral gold and subject it to intense heat until it melts, and only then can you easily remove the impurities and end up with pure gold. The fire, metaphorically here, is hardships in our lives.

And there are good things as well, walhamdulillah. Over all of this, sometimes, my beloved believing men and women, we may perceive something to be hurtful, or inconvenient, or bad — when in the knowledge of Allah it is better for us. Because most of us human beings are so selfish-minded and narrow-minded and narrow-hearted, whereas in the grand scheme of things, that which we might construe as negative would be parted. And with that, a mu'min is always optimistic, always:

Says Allah Azza wa Jal: you know that sometimes you do not like something, but Allah knows it is good for you. And sometimes you want and love and desire and like something, but Allah knows it is detrimental for you, it is hurtful for you. And Allah knows, and you do not know.

Change Requires Striving — and Tawakkul

So when we do our best to strive to obey Allah, when things happen — alhamdulillah — we take it positively, we take it positively.

Also, change does not come simply by passivity or by hopeful and wishful thinking. I say this: positive change does not come simply by wishful thinking and passive attitudes. That is number one. It takes work, it takes doing, it takes striving, as long as we strive to obey Allah Azza wa Jalla.

But I have to add that striving is not only the resources I use, the material approach I use, the rational approach I use in accordance to my rationale. Not only that. Sometimes with that I develop a sense of forgetfulness of Allah Azza wa Jalla. I remember me, I remember my action, I remember my activism, and I rely on all of that. And that is one of the worst mistakes we commit and have been committing.

That is not enough du'a. That is not enough sincere prayer. Most of our du'a is at the tip of the tongue, and it lacks rootedness in the heart and in the soul. What is rooted in the heart and in the mind and in the soul are your resources — which are necessary — but you take them as necessary and sufficient. We do not look at resources as necessary only, but never sufficient. And the heart must be connected to Allah Azza wa Jalla. The heart must be connected to Allah Azza wa Jalla — not to your action, not to your means.

And that is why when things happen, many of us implode inside — because we were using those means and they didn't work. We voted — I hope you all did, did you? — and if for you it didn't work, then some people implode inside. Why? Because their reliance was on the means, on doing things, not on Allah Azza wa Jalla. And when that is lacking, when things don't go the way we planned them or hoped them to be, then we get hurt — very hurt — and lose hope and despair.

But if there were tawakkul in the qalb on Allah, and the means are moral, ethical, legal, and shari'a-legitimate — but my entire energy inside is "Ya Mawlai" — just like when I take an aspirin or an Advil: some take that aspirin with بِسْمِ اللَّهِ اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ الشَّافِي, and there are those who take it with "aspirin will do it." And if aspirin doesn't do it, one falls into frustration and anxiety and despair. And that is the proof that one did not rely on Allah Azza wa Jalla.

Connect your hearts and your minds and your souls to Allah Azza wa Jalla. Watch the moods inside of you and make sure they are always — to the best of your ability — in resonance with what Allah loves. Don't indulge your emotions and your feelings when they are hurtful to others, when they are hurtful to your relationship with Allah Azza wa Jalla — even if they suit you. Don't indulge them. That is being mindful of Allah Azza wa Jalla.

And if you do that, nothing will happen that will hurt you, and Allah will provide ways — unanticipated — to take care of you. As long as you know that Allah does take care of us, in ways we do not necessarily approve of. Allah takes care of us sometimes in ways we do not necessarily approve of. And the one who surrenders his or her heart to Allah knows that in this he has to surrender to Allah Azza wa Jalla.

The Garden Is in Your Heart

The world is the world — everywhere it is Allah's subhanahu wa ta'ala. Everywhere it is His. And as long as I am connected to Him, no matter where I am and when I am and under what condition — my garden is in my heart. My roses, my lilies are in my heart. Wherever I go, I carry them with me. What else can happen to me?

I was striving to come here, and many of you saw that at the entrance of our masjid there are some people demonstrating. But this time they are demonstrating and saying to you — fellow non-Muslims, neighbors, fellow Americans — young women, few of them: "Don't worry, you're not alone, we are with you." Did you plan that? Did you plan that? No, you didn't. The statistics is that the opposite happens.

Look what happens. Maybe Allah knows that in this masjid there is khair, that in this masjid there are people who strive sincerely to connect their hearts and their souls to Allah Azza wa Jalla. Anyone of you could be that person. Sometimes if there is only one person that way, Allah brings sukoon. Yes — if there is one person who is so sincere to Allah Azza wa Jalla, for that person Allah brings sukoon to all. May our hearts be like that, and may Allah find those people.

Closing Du'a

May Allah forgive me and you. May Allah gather our hearts to Him and make us secure — not to our efforts, not to ourselves, not to our intelligence, not to our resources. Entrust us to no creature of Yours; entrust us only to You, Ya Allah. And help us be of those who strongly and sincerely and incessantly cling to Your beauty and Your majesty under all circumstances, Ya Allah.

And may Allah Azza wa Jal show His benevolent gifts and gratitude to these neighbors and these non-Muslims who have come here to show you support under these times. And they are also, many of them, perceiving these as challenging times. So you are not the only ones. But remember — what you think is bad could be very good for you.

Stand up for your prayer. May Allah have mercy on you.