2014-12-05 - Friday Prayer - Imam Shakeel Vawda

The Power of Small, Consistent Good Deeds

Is it difficult for any of you to recite one third of the Qur'an in one night? Like reading one third of the Qur'an in one night? The Sahabah (R.A.) answered:

"How can we read one third of the Qur'an in one night?" It is very hard. So the Prophet (S.A.W.) said:

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 5015)

That قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ is equivalent to one third of the Qur'an.

Another place — the last hadith of Sahih al-Bukhari — where the Prophet (S.A.W.) mentions:

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 6682)

The two kalimas which are very heavy on the scale, which are very light on the tongue, and which are loved by Allah are سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ، سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ الْعَظِيمِ — which are indeed small actions, but they are very rewarding in the eyes of Allah.

Consistency in Good Deeds

When we start with these, and when we do these on a regular basis — which is the fourth point — by taking small steps and baby steps in doing good actions, consistency and doing it at all times. It may be something very small, it may be something very big that we may do, but doing it consistently. Hazrat Aisha (R.A.) reports that Allah's Messenger (S.A.W.) said:

And Aisha (R.A.) herself — when she used to do something, she would always do that consistently.

That the best actions in the eyes of Allah are those which are done consistently. If we are doing something, we start and we make this resolution of doing good deeds — starting something — then we should do that consistently. It may be very little. Maybe $10 we may give in charity. Before we used to give once in a while. Now we made this intention: I am going to give every week, and I am only giving $10. But doing that consistently goes a long way, and it is rewarding.

At the same time, staying steadfast is most pleasing, as Aisha (R.A.) says — that when she used to do something, she would always do that consistently. So keeping that in mind, that doing our actions consistently will have an effect, and will give us the ability to do more actions, and at the same time it will change our routine. We will be changing ourselves, changing towards the good.

Changing Towards Good — The Fifth Point

The fifth point is: make sure that when we change, we are changing towards the good. We are not changing towards the bad, or we are not changing towards something that we think is good, but in the eyes of Allah it is something wrong — it is bid'ah, for example. It is something that we are not doing according to the command of Allah, according to the Sunnah of the Prophet (S.A.W.). We have to bear that in mind as well.

Having a Support Group

At the same time, have a support group for our change. For example, mashAllah, this community and this masjid — we have many people who are living close to the masjid, we may have some people who are living a little far off and need to drive. Within our subdivision we have other Muslims. Carpooling for every salah, for example. Or even if we are living nearby and we have neighbors who are Muslims, we remind them for salah, we encourage them for salah. There are so many other activities that are taking place in the masjid. We include them and we involve them in those activities. We are participating in these activities. This is a support group to help us in doing good.

And this is very important — that we help each other, and we are caring about each other.

For example, when we find one of our brothers missing from the salah — this is also the act of Rasulullah (S.A.W.) and the Sahabah (R.A.) — when one of the sahabi didn't show, what did they do? They didn't say, "Oh, why did he not show? What kind of person, what kind of sahabi is he that he missed?" No. They went to him. They asked him, "What happened?" His mother said: the whole night he was reading, he was in qiyam, he was performing tahajjud. Before the Fajr salah, he fell asleep. He missed his jama'ah — he didn't miss his Fajr prayer. So the Prophet (S.A.W.) said that he would have wished that he slept the whole night but performed Fajr prayer with the jama'ah.

Taking Advice Graciously — The Example of Umar (R.A.)

The other thing is encouraging each other. When we advise others, or when we encourage others, we shouldn't think: "Who are you to tell me?" Nowadays we think, "Oh, who are you to tell me? You have become a Sufi? You have become a very pious person? I know who you are." No. That's not the way to take advice.

That reminds me of Umar (R.A.) — where somebody came to him and started cursing him, saying so many bad things. "What kind of person are you? What kind of leader in the religion are you?" And Umar (R.A.) — who was known to have a strong temper — was so angry and was about to, you know, assault someone. A little young boy was standing next to him. And what did he say? He simply recited the ayah of the Qur'an:

He said: those who control their anger and forgive people. He only said that — a young boy. Now Umar (R.A.), Ameer-ul-Mu'mineen, could have said, "Who are you to tell me? You are just a child." He would have had the right to say that. But no. That Umar, who had become scorching hot and so angry, became cold like ice. He controlled his anger and took the advice of the little kid. SubhanAllah.

This is the support, and this is the encouragement, and this is the advice that we need to take from each other. And by doing so, we become better people.

Conclusion — Making True Resolutions

Let me conclude by reminding ourselves: first of all, it is the end of the year, and at the beginning of every year it is the trend, it is the fashion, and it is what we do in society — that we make resolutions. Let us think: how many years have passed? Have we made a resolution to rectify our inner self? Have we made a resolution to correct our actions? Have we made a resolution to become a good Muslim, to become a better Muslim?

And for that, let us remember that change doesn't come until we change ourselves. And by changing ourselves, we need to take baby steps towards doing good actions, towards pleasing Allah. It doesn't matter how little that good deed may be, or how big that good deed may be — let us start somewhere.

And when we do start, let us be consistent — as the saying of Aisha (R.A.) is, that the most beloved actions to Allah are those which are done consistently. And when Aisha (R.A.) would do something, she would always do that consistently.

And at the same time, let us help each other and have a support group in which we are encouraging each other in doing good deeds, helping each other, taking each other's advice, and becoming a great community.

May Allah give us the understanding and give us the ability. Ameen.

Du'a (Supplication)

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. Verily, Allah commands justice and good, and giving to those who are near, and forbids immorality and evil and unrighteousness. He admonishes you that perhaps you will remember.

Allah says: "So remember Me, and I will remember you. And be grateful to Me, and do not disbelieve."