EPIC Masjid, Imam Nadeem Bashir, Affect of positive Legacy.

The Legacy of the Prophets

Respected brothers and sisters, there are a lot of religions that exist around us — whether it is us as Muslims, whether it's Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and the list goes on. If you look at within the three religions that are primarily practiced throughout the entire world — whether it's Islam, Judaism, Christianity — the one thing that we will learn within all these three religions is that there are some similarities and there are more differences. There are similarities in terms of prophets, in terms of some concepts, but there are more differences.

If you look at throughout the prophets, there is a person like Muhammad Rasulullah ﷺ that we believe in, that Jews and Christians don't believe in. Then of course there's a person like Isa alayhi salam, that we as Muslims and Christians have high regards for, but not so much within the Judaic faith. And there are some prophets that we have high regards for, but they are not considered as prophets by Jewish people.

There are these differences that do exist. But if there's one person that everyone — all three religions — have an immense amount of respect for, that is Ibrahim alayhi salam. When it comes to the matter of Ibrahim alayhi salam and the subject of Ibrahim alayhi salam, every religion has so much respect for this person.

Yes, in regards to his own children, that's where the differences start. Who was supposed to be sacrificed? They believe it was Ismail alayhi salam, they believe it was Ishaq alayhi salam. The differences go on.

But nonetheless, we learn that Ibrahim alayhi salam is a person who is very much respected. And also in the Qur'an, we learn that Ibrahim alayhi salam is a very unique person in himself — a very special prophet of Allah.

Perseverance: The Mark of Ibrahim

Ibrahim alayhi salam — his life serves as many examples. There are so many things that we can learn just from the life and the biography of Ibrahim alayhi salam. For example, perseverance. He never gave up. Allah challenged him in unique ways. But not a single time did Ibrahim alayhi salam fall on his feet. He was always perseverant. He was always there, just pushing himself forward, pushing himself forward, regardless of what the challenge was.

You know, sometimes when we challenge our own kids, you know what our kids say right away? "That's too much of a challenge. I can't do that." Ibrahim alayhi salam — not a single time did he say to Allah, "You know what, I know You gave me many challenges, but this one just goes beyond. This is something beyond my capacity." Not a single time.

You know, there's one example given many times of a person who observed perseverance, and that was Abraham Lincoln — that he tried and tried and tried, and he failed and failed and failed, but he never gave up. And when I look at that, I said: the most primary example of perseverance is none other than Ibrahim alayhi salam and the Prophet ﷺ. That is who they are.

And not only that, but we also learn obedience from Ibrahim alayhi salam. We learn dedication from Ibrahim alayhi salam. But there are so many things that we can learn from him. There are two things, however, I want to focus on right now.

The Two Pillars of Ibrahim's Legacy

First: The Ka'bah

First of all — what did he leave behind? The Ka'bah that he built. Something very amazing, which is a place that we turn towards every day, five times a day when we establish our Salah. It is a place that is always populated. People frequent that place over and over again. And of course, when you talk about the Ka'bah, you have to talk about the concept of Hajj — what Hajj is all about. When we go for Hajj, we revive the legacy and the practices of Ibrahim alayhi salam.

So what was that? It was a command of Allah that he built a place where the name of Allah would be remembered till the Day of Judgment. And who helped him build that home? His own son, Ismail alayhi salam, who at that time was very young. This is something we can learn from this: when it comes to our young children, we should try to get them involved as much as we can. When they are willing to even give themselves for volunteering, we should not push them away and say, "You're too young." Even a young child like Ismail alayhi salam — Ibrahim utilized him. He took his help to build a place that would be remembered till the Day of Judgment.

Second: Concern for Future Generations

The second thing that we learn, which is considered a legacy of Ibrahim alayhi salam, is his concern for the future. As Muslims, we should be people who are not only worried about the current situation we are living in, but always focused on the future. This is who we are. This is the difference between a Muslim and a person who's not a Muslim. A Muslim is always thinking about the future. A Muslim is always concerned about what will happen in the hereafter. What will happen tomorrow? What can I do today that will live on till tomorrow? What can I do today that can serve as an example for the people living around me — that they can do what I cannot do right now, or they will do after I pass away? This is the concern of a believer. This was the concern of Ibrahim alayhi salam.

What did he say after that? He said:

"What happens to my children? What happens to my future generations?" He was concerned. Allah said:

"Remember that there are going to be people amongst your generation, amongst the generations that are going to come after you, who are going to be disobedient." But nonetheless, he was thinking about the future. Then after that, what did he do? He made a very special du'a for someone amongst the upcoming generations. And what did he say?

"O Allah, send within them a prophet from among them." What will he do? يَتْلُو عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتِكَ — He will recite the verses of the Qur'an to them. وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ — He will teach them wisdom and the Book. He will teach them the Qur'an through the demonstrations in his own personal life. And then he will also purify them. إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ — Indeed, You are the Almighty, the Wise.

So we see that Ibrahim alayhi salam is leaving behind a legacy. He has two main things: the Ka'bah — which is of course associated with Hajj — and his concern for future generations.

The Prophet ﷺ Continues the Legacy

Now let's look at the Prophet ﷺ for a quick moment. Who helped Ibrahim alayhi salam establish that place? It was Ismail alayhi salam. Who came in the lineage of Ismail alayhi salam? It was Muhammad Rasulullah ﷺ. What did Muhammad Rasulullah ﷺ do? He fulfilled the legacy of his forefather Ibrahim alayhi salam.

Remember the time when the Prophet ﷺ came — Mecca, around the Ka'bah, was surrounded by 360 idols. People were worshipping and committing shirk right in front of the place which is supposed to be the mark and resemble Tawheed. People were making kufr and shirk right around that place.

And then what happens? The Prophet ﷺ is sent as a prophet. What do we see? His dedication. His perseverance. His obedience to Allah. Every single thing that Ibrahim alayhi salam left behind as a legacy — the Prophet ﷺ is continuing that legacy. And I want you to remember this — continuing the legacy — because I'm going to come to this over and over again.

Then what happens? Again, the Prophet ﷺ continues the legacy and goes on. He has to leave Mecca, he goes to Medina, but his mission is not over yet. He comes back to Mecca. And what happens? He once again establishes the Tawheed of Allah the way Ibrahim alayhi salam established the Tawheed. He continues the legacy of Ibrahim alayhi salam. He purifies the Ka'bah. He cleans out the Ka'bah. Now there is no shirk taking place around the Ka'bah.

And what else did he do? Just like Ibrahim alayhi salam, he was worried about his upcoming generations. What did the Prophet ﷺ do? He developed leaders amongst those around him. These people who became the Khulafa-e-Rashideen — those Sahaba who became governors in different Islamic countries. When we study Islamic history overall, we learn that during the time of Ali radiallahu anhu, Islam had reached as far as places like China and Sri Lanka, and on the other side, all the way to Europe and Africa.

How did it reach all the way there? Was it like abracadabra, and it happened just like that? No. The Prophet ﷺ continued the legacy of Ibrahim alayhi salam. He developed the people around him. He built the Sahaba to become leaders. And through the hard work of the men and the women during the time of the Prophet ﷺ, Islam spread far and wide.

Who was Umar radiallahu anhu before Islam? Before the mentoring of the Prophet ﷺ? Who was Uthman before Islam? Who was Ali and all the other people without Islam? In pre-Islamic times, they were no one. But what the Prophet ﷺ did is that he continued the legacy of Ibrahim alayhi salam — he developed these people as leaders. And after the time of the Prophet ﷺ, these people went and left behind a very rich legacy.

The Sahaba Carry the Legacy Forward

The Sahaba radiallahu anhum are now continuing the legacy of Muhammad ﷺ. Wherever they went, whatever country they went to, they had an impact and effect on the people living there. In Indonesia today, we know the percentage of Muslims is enormous. Who was it because of? If you go to Indonesia, you'll find the graves of four Sahaba radiallahu anhum. Four Sahaba went and they were able to change an entire country. Four Sahaba. And this is because of who? Because of Rasulullah ﷺ.

And not only that — if you study Islamic history and when it talks about the hijrah, the Prophet ﷺ — there was a person who was pursuing the Prophet ﷺ. His name was Suraqah ibn Malik. He kept on trying to get close to the Prophet ﷺ. Why? Because there was a reward — that anyone who catches and captures Muhammad ﷺ would receive a great amount of camels. It was a prize you could not pass up. So every time he tried to get close to Muhammad ﷺ, his horse could not move.

And what did he say at the end? When he realized that this person is truly the Prophet of Allah, and he came and took his shahada, what did the Prophet ﷺ say to him? "Remember the time when the jewelry of Kisra will be in your hand." At that time, the Kisra was a superpower. And when the Muslims conquered that land, and the bracelets came in front of Suraqah ibn Malik, he remembered exactly what the Prophet ﷺ had said.

But the point I want to make here is that even though they would conquer the land, it was not like today — where people conquer and make everyone slaves. No, it was not like that. The Sahaba went, they would conquer, and there would be mercy for the people living there. They brought Islam. They brought the mu'ashara of Islam. They brought the mu'amalat of Islam. They brought the akhlaq of Islam. And they had an impact on entire countries altogether.

If you get a chance, study Islamic history in terms of Spain — Islamic Spain, how powerful it was. And the establishment of Muslims over there — you'll be amazed. But that's not the time to get into that.

The point I'm trying to make is that Ibrahim alayhi salam left behind a legacy. Then Muhammad ﷺ continued that legacy. He developed the leaders. He developed the people living around him. And then the Sahaba radiallahu anhum continued the legacy of Rasulullah ﷺ. Then the Tabi'een and the Tabi' al-Tabi'een continued the legacy of the Sahaba radiallahu anhum.

The question that we need to ask is: are we continuing the legacy left behind by Muhammad ﷺ? When it comes to our personal life, when it comes to our family life, when it comes to the people living around us — are we continuing the legacy of Muhammad ﷺ or not? That's the question each one of us, including myself, needs to ask.

May Allah give us the ability to act on what's been said and heard.

Second Khutbah: Are You Leaving Behind a Legacy?

As I mentioned, if you could summarize the entire first khutbah, it all comes down to one word: a legacy.

Mustarih or Mustarah: Which Will You Be?

The Prophet ﷺ — there's a hadith narrated by Abu Qatadah radiallahu anhu — that one time a janazah passed by him. And the Prophet ﷺ looked at the janazah and said: "This person is either mustarih or he is mustarah minhu." What exactly does that mean?

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 6512; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 950)

What the Prophet ﷺ is saying — and I'm giving an explanation of the hadith — is that there are people living on the face of this earth that if they were to leave this world, no one will remember them. In fact, people will be happy that they are gone. We have a lot of leaders today that if they were to be gone from this world — and may Allah protect all the Muslims from their oppression — if they were gone one day, and you heard the news, we wouldn't be sitting here weeping upon their death. Rather, we would be happy. That's not called leaving a legacy behind. That's called leaving a negative legacy behind probably.

But leaving a positive legacy is when you leave this world and you leave a void behind you. You leave in such a way that people remember you. You leave in such a way that you are relieved from this dunya, and this dunya is not relieved of you. Two different things.

A person can leave from this world and the dunya is like, "Alhamdulillah, this person is gone. Thank God. Now we have one less problem to worry about." Or the person leaves from this world and the people are reminiscing and they cry, because this person has been taken away.

The Prophet ﷺ, the Sahaba radiallahu anhum, the Tabi'een, the Tabi' al-Tabi'een — they were people that when they left behind, they left behind such a legacy that people cry and remember them till today. And then you have the other people that nobody even cares about. This is what the Prophet ﷺ was talking about. Either you are mustarih — that you are relieved of this dunya — or you are mustarah minhu — that the dunya is relieved of you. Do not become the mustarah minhu; rather, become the mustarih.

Three Things That Keep the Book of Deeds Open

Another hadith of the Prophet ﷺ, which we have heard many times:

(Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1631)

When a person leaves from this world, his inqata' amaluhu — his Book of Deeds is closed. There is no room for any more additions. But there are three things that will keep the Book open. One is sadaqah jariyah — a charity that will continue on. It's a legacy that you have left behind. Or ilmun yuntafa'u bihi — knowledge that you have taught and spread. Once again, another type of legacy that a person can leave behind for the future. Or walad salih yad'u lahu — a righteous child who will make du'a for him in the future.

Remember — all three of these things are concerning the future. What did Ibrahim alayhi salam think about? He always thought about the future. What did Muhammad ﷺ always think about? It was always about the future. Even these three things are talking about the future.

Wajabat: The Testimony of the People

Let me share with you one more hadith of the Prophet ﷺ. Anas ibn Malik radiallahu anhu says that they were sitting with the Prophet ﷺ, and a janazah went by. They began to praise that person — "He was such a great person" — and they were praising him. The Prophet ﷺ said:

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 1367; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 949)

Then after that, another janazah went by, and they began to remember his evil — the evil that he had committed. And the Prophet ﷺ again said: وَجَبَتْ، وَجَبَتْ، وَجَبَتْ.

Umar radiallahu anhu was standing there and said, "This is something I've never seen before. This is something I've never witnessed." The janazah goes by, we praise him, he says وَجَبَتْ — meaning Jannah has become mandatory for this person. And then when the evil person goes by and we remember the sins he committed and the evil he did, and the Prophet ﷺ says وَجَبَتْ — meaning the fire of Jahannam has become mandatory for this person.

Imam al-Nawawi rahimahullah, when he explains this hadith, says that this is not for a person where there are evil people on the face of the earth but people only look at their good. This hadith is actually regarding those people who leave behind a very rich legacy — and those who leave behind evil. What we see from this hadith is that when you leave behind a legacy, people will remember you.

The Call to Continue the Legacy Today

We need to leave a legacy in such a way that when we go from this world, when we leave our community, people remember that this person was such an amazing person — this person helped out people. There should be a void in the community, there should be a void in the family. That is when a person can truly say to himself or herself: "I have impacted the life of the people living around me. I have left behind a legacy for them, that they will inshallah continue to follow."

So this question, once again as I said at the end of the first khutbah — ask yourself: are you leaving behind a legacy? Or are you going to leave from this world in such a way that people are happy that you have left? Or when you go away from this world, will people cry and remember what you have done?

Respected brothers and sisters, this entire khutbah was about legacy. Leaving behind a legacy is so important. Continue the legacy of the Prophet ﷺ. At the same time, keeping in mind the two things: the establishment of the house of Allah, and the concern for the future. This is what Ibrahim alayhi salam did. This is what the Prophet ﷺ did. This is what the Sahaba did. Now today, in this time and age, we also have the same opportunity to do the same thing.

And why do I say that? It's because alhamdulillah, this is such a community — alhamdulillah we are taking the next step forward. For those of you who have just come into the community, you don't know this. But for those of you who have been in this community from day one, you know very well where this place was, and which phases this masjid has gone through, and now we are here today. But what we need to do is that we cannot be content with where we are. This is not who the Prophet ﷺ was. Not a single time did he say, "You know what, where we are in Medina — we're content. This is it. Done. Over." Did the Sahaba radiallahu anhum stay in Medina and say, "We're content here"? No. They went. They took the next step forward.

As for us, this community also has that same opportunity, and we can take that next step forward. Alhamdulillah, we have a project that is going on — which inshallah we will be talking about throughout the entire week — because this masjid that we want to build, that we want to bring this dream into reality, this is an opportunity for us to continue the legacy of Ibrahim alayhi salam, to continue the legacy of Muhammad ﷺ, and the Sahaba radiallahu anhum. This will be a place where we can remember Allah, and not only that, but this will be a place where we can develop our leaders for tomorrow.

I ask Allah — may Allah make us amongst those who leave behind a rich legacy. May Allah make us amongst those who are relieved from this dunya, and not from amongst those that the dunya is relieved from when we go away from this world. And may Allah protect our upcoming generations.