Making Sacrifices to Please Allah

Making Sacrifices to Please Allah

Alhamdulillah, alhamdulillahi kaffa, wassalatu wassalamu ala ashrafil mursaleen. Sayyidina wa habibina wa shafi'ina wa maulana Muhammadin wa alihi wa sahbihi ajma'in.

My most respected elders and my dear brothers. Alhamdulillah, we thank Allah. Allah has gathered us today on this Mubarak day, Yawmul Jum'ah. Allah has given special importance to this day. That is why I have read the verse of the Quran Majeed in which Allah tells us: O you who believe, when you are called for the Friday prayer, then hasten to the remembrance of Allah, and leave off all transactions.

Alhamdulillah, my most respected elders and dear brothers. It gives us great pleasure to be here with you this Jum'ah. We have come from the far distance of South Africa to meet our brothers in America for the pleasure of Allah. When we meet for the sake of Allah, Allah gets very, very happy — before our hands can even part, Allah forgives many minor sins.

The Virtue of Sending Salawat on the Prophet

Alhamdulillah, my respected elders and brothers. On a Friday we are encouraged to recite Darood and Salawat in abundance. A Mu'min, in the love of Allah, makes it his habit every day to recite Darood Sharif — Salawat on our dear Prophet ﷺ — a minimum of 100 times in the morning and 100 times in the evening at least. Even in short:

Whoever sends one Darood upon the Prophet ﷺ, Allah sends 10 Rahmats upon him, 10 sins are forgiven, and 10 of his stages are elevated — because of sending just one Darood, one Salat, upon the Prophet ﷺ. But on a Friday we are told to increasingly recite Darood Sharif, with the love and muhabbat of Rasul ﷺ and praying in our hearts: "Ya Allah, accept me to follow in the Mubarak footsteps of our dear Prophet ﷺ."

The Blessedness of Jum'ah

My respected elders and dear brothers, this Jum'ah that we have come for is not a routine — just that Friday comes and Friday goes, like how Sunday comes and Sunday goes. Friday is a very, very Mubarak occasion. There are special moments in which our Du'as are accepted. Every day, after all good A'mal, we make Du'a. After every Salat we make Du'a. After Tilawat-e-Quran we make Du'a. A person who is fasting is making Du'a. A person in the Tahajjud Salat is close to Allah, wherein Allah's Rahmat comes down to the first Heaven:

"Is there anybody seeking forgiveness? I may forgive him. Is there anybody seeking Shifa? I may give him Shifa. Is there anybody seeking Barakat in his Rizq? I may give him Barakat in his provisions. Is there anybody seeking help in his difficulties? I may remove his difficulties."

This is their application of: Ya Allah! You alone do we worship. Ya Allah! You alone do we ask for help. Likewise, we are reminded in that Mubarak Hadith of Rasul ﷺ: "When you ask, ask the help of Allah. When you seek help, seek the help of Allah."

Reliance on Allah in All Affairs

Yes, we acquire the Halal means — a person does some job, some profession — but the inner depth and Yaqeen in Allah is that it is Allah who is providing for me. Allah is taking me to the job, Allah is taking me to the office and the business. And while I am earning Halal Rizq, this is a side matter — the main purpose for which Allah has created me is for the obedience of Allah, for the Ibadat of Allah:

We have not created man and Jinn but for our Ibadat. And a true Mu'min turns in the obedience of Allah, in the love of Allah, because Allah is our Master, Allah is the King of all kings. Allah is providing for us. We have to say this again and again. Even our young children at home — also tell them:

All praises are due to Allah, who is the Rabb, the provider, for the entire universe. Allah is our Rabb, Allah is our provider for the entire universe.

My dear brothers, Allahu Akbar — we have to talk about this again and again until it comes soaking into our hearts: Allah does everything without the help of the entire creation, and the entire creation can do nothing without the help of Allah. We have seen it so often — a person is in the hospital for some time, one month or so. Doctors did all the best treatment for him, and the doctors themselves say: "We are doing the treatment, but the cure is in the Almighty's hands." The Shifa is in Allah's hands. And then quite often, after one month of treatment, the patient leaves this world. We acquire the physical means — it is allowed, it is permissible — and we make Du'a for the marees for Shifa. But when it is the order of Allah, a person leaves the world.

When they ask you about the Ruh, tell them that this is the order of Allah. The soul has come in with the order of Allah, and it will leave with the order of Allah. And the human beings — وَمَا أُوتِيتُم مِّنَ الْعِلْمِ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا — you have very little knowledge about it. It is in the knowledge of Allah: what kind of Ruh it is, how it comes, how it leaves, how Allah sends the Malaika, Malak ul-Mawt, to take the Ruh.

Preparing to Meet Allah

So when we are talking more and more about Allah, it becomes easy for us to prepare to meet Allah. We prepare to meet Allah every day — through our five times daily Salat, through our Zikrullah, through our good Akhlaq and character, through following the Sunnah of Rasulullah ﷺ, and wishing to meet Allah:

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 6507; Sahih Muslim, Book 44, Hadith 2683)

The one who loves to meet Allah, Allah also loves to meet him. Allah says concerning the Akhirat:

People see it as far away, and Allah says: "We see the Akhirat as very close by." Because Allah is saying the Akhirat is tomorrow:

O you who believe, fear Allah, and each person should see what he has prepared for tomorrow. وَلْتَنظُرْ نَفْسٌ مَّا قَدَّمَتْ لِغَدٍ — each person should see what he has prepared for tomorrow. غَدٍ is tomorrow. If you are travelling on a journey to another country — a person going for Hajj, for Umrah, travelling from America to Pakistan, going back to London — he will start preparing a few days earlier while his journey is close by. Likewise, my dear brothers, it is important that we talk more and more about the Akhirat and about Jannah — what Allah has prepared for us in Jannah.

The Wonders of Jannah

No eyes have ever seen, no ears have ever heard, and no heart has ever thought of something like that. Rasulullah ﷺ, when he went on the Mi'raj, was shown Jannah and was shown Jahannam. And the Prophet ﷺ — As-Sadiq Al-Amin, the most truthful and most trustworthy — even the enemies of Islam in the time of Rasul ﷺ said that he is As-Sadiq Al-Amin. He never spoke any lies. And he informed us of that Jannah — Allahu Akbar! One brick of gold, one brick of silver, and the plaster of musk. Whatever our hearts will desire, Allah will give it to us there:

Whatever you will call for in Jannah, Allah will grant it to you — وَلَكُمْ فِيهَا مَا تَدَّعُونَ — whatever you will call for, you will get it. But the preparation is in this world, in the obedience of Allah, following the Mubarak footsteps of our most beloved Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa ﷺ. After the love of Allah comes first, then comes the love of Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa ﷺ.

The Path of the Prophet

My respected elders and dear brothers, the second ayah of the Quran which shows our purpose for creation — Allah says:

Tell the people — قُلْ هَٰذِهِ سَبِيلِي — this is my path. Rasul ﷺ is told to tell the people: "This is my path. أَدْعُو إِلَى اللَّهِ — I call people towards Allah, with firm conviction — عَلَىٰ بَصِيرَةٍ. أَنَا وَمَنِ اتَّبَعَنِي — that is, the Holy Prophet ﷺ himself, and whoever follows Rasul ﷺ, it is his duty to call towards Allah."

The Work of Da'wah and Tabligh

Alhamdulillah, my dear brothers. We find that the Jama'ats are moving from place to place — many Jama'ats are moving in America. Alhamdulillah, today we met a Jama'at that is working in Chicago. They are from South India, from the Mangalore region. We met them today. Also, our Jama'at has come from South Africa to learn Deen, to practice Deen, and to convey to others — and to remind, remind one another:

Remind — this reminder is good for the Mu'mineen. My dear brothers, you know they always say the Jama'at comes to talk about Iman, talking about Salat, talking about Ilm and Zikr, talking about Ikram-e-Muslim — honoring the Muslims, respecting one another, helping one another — Ikhlas, sincerity in every A'mal, Da'wah ilallah, calling towards Allah. These six qualities are qualities for us to bring into our lives.

The Importance of Salat

When a person makes his Iman strong, his Salat rises in a good way. He looks after his Salat properly. That Salat says: "May Allah protect you as you have protected me." And — may Allah forbid — if that Salat is not read well, if it is read haphazardly, if Taharah is not done properly, ruku not done properly, sajdah not done properly, then that Salat goes up in an ugly form and it says: "May Allah destroy you as you have destroyed me." The Salat is saying that. So therefore, my dear friends, we have to make an effort on our A'mal and make our A'mal in the best form.

Because Allah is telling us in Surah Al-Mulk:

Allah has created Mawt and Hayat — to test you — which of you can do the most beautiful A'mal. Life and death. In the Quran, Mawt comes first. In English we say "life and death," but what is the Quran saying? خَلَقَ الْمَوْتَ وَالْحَيَاةَ — Mawt comes first. Remember Mawt first. Allah has created Mawt and Hayat to test you — which of you can do better, beautiful A'mal.

The Qualities of Good Actions

Every A'mal has the quality of strong Yaqeen, strong Iman. Every A'mal has the quality of the remembrance of Allah. Every A'mal has the Mubarak pattern of Rasul ﷺ. Every A'mal we do with the hopes of rewards from Allah. Every A'mal we do with the hope of pleasing Allah. And every A'mal we do by putting in some sacrifice — do it in the way the Prophet ﷺ taught us, and learn that way.

For example, to perform our Salat with Jama'at in the Masjid, it is multiplied 27 times more. For example, if Allah was to give us for the Salat 1 million rewards, 1 million Neki — in the Salat with Jama'at it goes to 27 million. And we will see these rewards, mountains of rewards, on the Day of Qiyamah. My dear brothers, it will be there in the bank of Akhirat. It will be there for us in the bank of Akhirat, stored for us. Whatever you send forward of good, you will find it by Allah — it is much better for you and much greater in rewards.

But make a lot of Istighfar — asking Allah for forgiveness for any shortcomings. Allah is Most Forgiving, Allah is Most Merciful. We all make full intention, we look after five times Salat, and as far as possible try to make it with Jama'at in the Masjid. If the Masjid is very far away, then it is the duty of the Muslims in that area to get together, give Adhan, and perform the Salat with Jama'at — in an office room, wherever it is possible. And if they carry on in that way, soon Allah will give them a bigger place.

The Masjid and Striving for the Deen

How lucky we are in Masjid Darus Salam — such a beautiful Masjid, red carpets to welcome us. These are the guests of Allah in the Masjid. We should try to be regular every day. After Isha, some Ta'lim takes place here. Alhamdulillah, Jaulah and Ziyaratul Muslimin takes place. Our Jama'at has come from South Africa — today we are in the Masjid. Alhamdulillah, in the evening there will be some program as well.

Alhamdulillah, my dear brothers. In this way we are coming nearer to Allah. Allah's help is with us when we have the Deen of Allah:

O you who believe, if you help Allah — help the Deen of Allah — Allah will help you. Allah will make you firm, nobody can shake you. Allah is Most Independent. Allah does not need our help. But Allah is saying: if you help Allah, help the Deen of Allah, strive for the Deen of Allah — learning Deen, practicing Deen, passing it on to others — Allah will help us. Allah will make our earnings easy also. Allah will make our Rizq easy for us, inshallah.

We hope everybody makes the intention to come out three days a month in the path of Allah — in Jama'at — and 40 days a year. In the Masjid they take part in Ta'lim. Inshallah, this will be a battery charge for us. May Allah accept our coming for the Jum'ah Salat.

There will now be time given for the Sunnah Salat for those who have not yet performed it, and thereafter the Khutbah will start.