EPIC Masjid, Ridhwan Saleh, Supplication(Dua) is the essence of worship.

Khutbah: Supplication (Du'a) is the Essence of Worship

EPIC Masjid — Speaker: Ridhwan Saleh

Opening

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

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

O you people, fear your Lord, Who created you from one soul, and created from it its mate, and spread from them many men and women. And fear Allah, through Whom you ask of one another, and the wombs. Indeed, Allah is ever Watchful over you.

O you who have believed, fear Allah, and say words of appropriate justice. He will correct your deeds for you and forgive you your sins. And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has certainly attained a great success.

As for what follows — the most authentic hadith is the Book of Allah, and the best guidance is that of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him.

(Sahih Muslim, Book 7, Hadith 2812; also Sunan an-Nasa'i, Hadith 1578)

The Story of Hajar and Ibrahim

On an early morning in the desert, the mother of the house wakes up. And she was amazed that the husband is collecting his belongings and leaving on a long journey. He's the man of the house. Where will he leave us in this barren desert? There is no water, there is no crops, there is no food. And subhanAllah, whom is he going to leave us with? And on top of it, there is only but a baby in the cradle.

And so she seeks him out and she says, where are you going? But there was no answer. And then she would ask again, where are you going? And he wouldn't turn to answer. And finally she says:

Did Allah order you to leave us in this barren land where there is no food, there is no water, there is no protection?

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 3364)

He said, yes. Amazing situation. A mother with a newborn baby, in an area where there is no protection whatsoever except the mountains behind her. In a valley that is absolutely barren.

And when she heard that — did Allah order you to leave us in this place and walk away? — and when he said yes, what an amazing answer:

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 3364)

For sure Allah would not forsake us.

Brothers and sisters, when we hear that there might be layoffs in our companies — what's the first thing that comes to our minds after fear? The fear that floods our hearts almost to the point that we might even faint. When we hear that there are financial disasters that are looming on the horizon, how do we act? How much insurance will we be willing to pay for just to ensure us that nothing will harm us?

But brothers and sisters, in a situation like this — when a mother was left in a barren land, Hajar عليها السلام, with a newborn baby, Ismail عليه السلام, and the father of the house, Ibrahim عليه السلام, the father of monotheism, leaving them alone — she says: I believe that Allah would not forsake us. What an amazing iman system.

Rizq Is in the Hands of Allah Alone

And this, brothers and sisters, is a lesson for all of us. Wallahi, no one has the rizq in their hands but Allah. And wallahi, no one controls our provision but Allah. And irrespective of how smart we may be, how clever we may be, and how much we have mustered protection to protect us — it is all in the hands of Allah.

And so, with this issue of rizq that continuously bothers our minds — what do we do, brothers and sisters? When we continuously hear that financial disasters might visit us soon.

First of all, the first element of belief is that we should absolutely believe in Allah that He is the Provider. And we should believe that whatever comes to us sweet and we get to enjoy — it is from Allah. And whatever visits us and causes a sourness and bad taste in our tongues — it is from Allah. There is not a single living being on the face of the earth except that Allah has written its rizq for it. In fact, 50,000 years before Allah enacted the blueprints of this world, Allah had already written our rizq for us.

You are an engineer — you were destined to be an engineer. Regardless of how your parents pushed you to be a doctor, you became an engineer. You were destined to be a taxi driver. But regardless of how your parents pushed you to be someone else, Allah has written your rizq to be in that world. And if you are a business owner, or a physician, or someone who teaches in colleges the young minds of America — it is all by the plans of Allah.

(Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith 2144; also reported in Mustadrak al-Hakim)

Not a single living being will ever die until and unless they get their full rizq in this dunya before they die. Just think about it. There is not a single living being that will die before they have received all the rizq that Allah has written for them.

So if you were destined to be a millionaire, then Allah has already written it for you. I'm amazed at how some people would go out and steal to become richer, or use crooked ways to become richer — not knowing that Allah already has our rizq for us. And wallahi, if we truly seek it, Allah will give it to us.

The second thing — the distribution of provisions: we must believe wholeheartedly that whatever rizq Allah has written for us is that specific rizq. Why? حِكْمَةٌ مِنْ حِكَمِ اللَّهِ — it is only by the wisdom of Allah. So when I compare myself as a taxi driver to someone else who is a physician or a successful businessman or businesswoman, I shouldn't be jealous. Nor should I even think about it. Wallahi, I tried to be a successful businessman but it never worked. I went to college and somehow I was just never successful. But this is the very rizq that Allah has written for you — حِكْمَةٌ مِنْ حِكَمِ اللَّهِ — this is the wisdom of Allah.

And for those who think they have made it — "Brother, I don't know what you're talking about, I'm a doctor," or "I'm a lecturer at Harvard University," or "I happen to be someone who, if I just stick out my cell phone, I have the ability to call the most influential person in the business world" — we say: this too came to you from Allah. For all that you knew, you could have had epilepsy. Or maybe you could have had a speech impediment. Or maybe you could have been someone who is crippled and no longer able to earn your living.

And therefore, Allah gives a specific rizq to a specific person because Allah knows that that individual is suited for it. And it has nothing to do with your strength. It has nothing to do with your ability to think or reason. And it has nothing to do with our achievements in this world.

And therefore, brothers and sisters: لَا يُطْلَبُ الرِّزْقُ إِلَّا مِنَ اللَّهِ — one should never ever seek rizq except from Allah.

Only seek the rizq from Allah. Let me repeat — for those who think they have the connections. Lately there is a saying in corporate America: it's who you know, not what you know. And subhanAllah, who you know is nothing but a human being like you and I, who just happened to be fortunate enough to let you in. So this notion about "who you know is not what you know" — it should not carry any weight in our thinking as believers.

One should never seek rizq except from Allah — and Allah alone. Do we not continuously repeat:

He is able to do anything and everything. It's not who you know — it's truly Whom you know: Allah.

Du'a: The Gift We Continuously Ignore

And so brothers and sisters — what do we do then? Wallahi, there is a gift that Allah has given us, and that we continuously ignore: du'a — invoking Allah.

(Sunan Abu Dawud, Hadith 1479; Sunan at-Tirmidhi, Hadith 3247; and in another narration: الدُّعَاءُ مُخُّ الْعِبَادَةِ — Sunan at-Tirmidhi, Hadith 3371)

To make du'a — to raise our hands to Allah and to say:

And call Him by His exemplary 99 names and His attributes.

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم says: to make du'a — it is truly the ibadah. It is the essence of worship. And in another narration: الدُّعَاءُ مُخُّ الْعِبَادَةِ — it is the very core of our worship towards Allah.

And so someone would say, "Alhamdulillah, I've made it — I don't really need to make du'a to Allah. Allah has been so good to me, I can buy whatever I want at will, I can charter a plane right now and fly wherever I want, and with one signature I can buy any business I want. I have made it." And we say: first of all, say alhamdulillah. And then make du'a that Allah protects your health. Wallahi, no matter how much money you have, when you become sick, there is no cure but from Allah.

We say: ask Allah to protect you every time you get into your car, regardless of how excellent your driving record may be, or because of your money you have hired the best drivers to chauffeur you wherever you want to go. An accident is bound to happen — we don't know what's in al-ghayb. Therefore we make du'a: Ya Allah, protect our journey.

If you have children, we make du'a that Allah protects them, and that Allah enables them to grow old and healthy. And no one will ever know — regardless of how much money they have — they may have a baby that cannot see, or cannot hear, or could not speak, or whatever problem that baby may have. And so we are always in du'a to Allah to bless us, to strengthen us, to give us maghfirah, to enable us to succeed, to enable us to reach our journey. And we should always make du'a regardless of what happens.

And so brothers and sisters, du'a is the most important element for a believer. And if there is any lesson that we should really gain out of going to hajj, or the lesson of Hajar عليها السلام and Ibrahim عليه السلام, it is to make du'a.

The Prophet's Du'a at the Battle of Badr

When the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم taught us the essence of du'a — more so than any book that has ever been written — and in two positions, the seerah tells us that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was seeking the protection of Allah on the day of Badr.

(Sahih Muslim, Book 32, Hadith 4588)

Abu Bakr al-Siddiq says: I saw the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم raising his hands to the heavens making du'a: "O Allah, if You destroy this small band of believers, You will not be worshipped on earth after them."

To the point that Abu Bakr al-Siddiq ran to the Messenger of Allah and said:

In other words: Ya Rasulallah, take care of yourself — don't over-exert yourself in du'a. And the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was making du'a to the point that his burda — the cover or the garment that he would wear — it fell, and Abu Bakr al-Siddiq put it back on his back. This is the Messenger of Allah making du'a specifically at a time of need, at a time of hardship.

Allah says to us:

Who will come to your aid at a time of need but Allah, if we truly invoke Him and ask Him to help us?

The Prophet's Du'a on the Day of Arafat

And in another situation — even after the success of Islam — the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم received a revelation on the day of Arafat:

That the Deen has been completed, and the favours of Allah have been accomplished and given to us. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم once again raises his hands. And Aisha رضي الله تعالى عنها narrates:

He had his hands up asking Allah for all the favours — for himself, for his family, and for the Ummah — until almost the sunset on the horizon.

And so brothers and sisters, du'a is an amazing power for all of us. And we should seek these opportunities. And then — only then — Allah will give us what we need.

أَقُولُ قَوْلِي هَذَا وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ

Second Part of the Khutbah

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ وَكَفَى، وَالصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ أَجْمَعِينَ

I am a firm believer, and I proclaim today my kufr and disbelief in anyone that sits or stands in the so-called financial studios of America wearing their very pricey suits and continuously lying to the world that there is a financial tsunami coming our way, or that maybe there is bankruptcy looming about, or that there are financial disasters about to knock on our business doors. I proclaim kufr and disbelief in them, because Allah tells us — and for anyone who cannot believe that Allah says:

It is a belief system. For anyone who does not really think that the rizq is in the hands of Allah, Allah re-authenticates this ayah by continuing and saying: by the Lord of the heavens and the earth, your rizq is in My hands — as clearly as you hear me speak. This is not a figment of your imagination — you see me gesture, you see my lips move, and you hear my voice. It is as true as this: your rizq is in the hands of Allah.

The Means of Securing Our Rizq

And so how can we bring this down to us? What are the means of attracting rizq? We said: believe in Allah, and in the qadar — its sweetness and its bitterness — all from Allah. But here are the means:

1. Istighfar and Tawbah

The first means — istighfar and tawbah. If we make istighfar, then Allah gives us what we want. Allah says:

Make istighfar, say أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ. When that happens, Allah accepts our tawbah. Rahmah comes from Allah. And the money that we seek — and the children that we cannot bear — Allah provides them. And if I feel that I am living a life of hardship, Allah makes it wide and vast, luxury and bliss.

2. Tawakkul — True Reliance on Allah

And the second thing is tawakkul — let us rely on Allah totally. I give you the following example: if Bill Gates knocked on one of our doors and said, "I heard you have a business opportunity — go for it!" — mind you, this is the richest man on the face of the earth — you wouldn't even think twice. Because now you rely on Bill Gates to take care of it. Even if it falls, you'd say, "SubhanAllah! Bill Gates knocked on my door and said go for it, I got your back."

But we hear Allah telling us:

If we truly rely on Allah, Allah is enough for us — period. And the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم says in the hadith of Umar ibn al-Khattab:

(Sunan at-Tirmidhi, Hadith 2344; Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith 4164)

What an amazing hadith at a time when we are not sure of our rizq from Allah! The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم says: if we truly rely on Allah — the true reliance — we will be like birds that fly away in the morning not knowing where they will pick up their seeds and worms. But not only that — they come back not only filled in their stomach, but they bring enough in their throat to feed their young. Tawakkul on Allah — not relying on someone else, but relying on Allah: the true reliance.

3. Performing Hajj and Umrah Consistently

And the third way of securing our rizq — الْمُتَابَعَةُ بَيْنَ الْحَجِّ وَالْعُمْرَةِ. We know some of our brothers who went to hajj, and some of our sisters — may Allah accept from all of them. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

(Sunan at-Tirmidhi, Hadith 810; Sunan an-Nasa'i, Hadith 2631)

Allahu Akbar! Any time we go to umrah, or any time we go to hajj, Allah pushes away poverty from us. And Allah cleanses us like fire cleanses iron.

Make Du'a — The Story of the Young Man and the Job

And so brothers and sisters, du'a is the most important thing. And then — becoming closer to Allah — our du'a will be accepted. And Allah knows — these days, wallahi, we need our du'a to be accepted against the tyrants who are ruining and killing many of our Muslim brothers and sisters.

A young man — just like it would be nowadays — was seeking a job. And subhanAllah, just like all of us, he had his resume everywhere. And this is in a Muslim conservative country where there is something called the wasta — it's who you know, not what you know. He comes to one of the scholars and says, "Ya Shaykh, I'm looking for a job. It's been three months, I could not find a single person that would call me back."

So he says, "I know someone that could help you." He says, "Ya Shaykh, you don't understand. I went to Prince so-and-so, I went to the director so-and-so, I had a friend who knew someone who knows someone who knows the highest authority — I still couldn't get a job." And then the imam or the shaykh says, "I know someone." He says, "Who?" He says, "Allah." He says, "Who?" He says, "That's the one. You see the way you answered? That's the one. Know Allah very well."

He says, "Ya Shaykh, what should I do?" And of course he told him to make istighfar. But he says the best time for du'a is at the time of tahajjud.

And subhanAllah, six months later or so, this young man comes in front of the imam and says, "Do you remember me?" And he says, "I see a lot of people — who are you?" He says, "I'm the man who came to you some time ago and I told you my story. And wallahi, Ya Shaykh, I took your advice. For about a week or so I continuously woke up an hour or so before Salatul Fajr, and I made du'a in my tahajjud to Allah.

"And one morning, after praying Salatul Fajr, I went out, and subhanAllah, I knocked on the door of one of the companies. And an elderly man came to greet me with a big smile on his face, and apologized that the assistant was not there today. But he said, 'Is there anything I can do for you?' So I gave him my resume. He offered me a coffee, and while I was drinking my coffee, the same man came back and ushered me into his office. And he said: 'Wallahi, for the past three months we have been looking for someone who fits the exact criteria of your resume. And if you want the job, the job is yours.'"

And so brothers and sisters, this is how we deal with Allah. The result is in His hands — not in the hands of anyone else, but Allah. And He will not only give it to us, but He will also protect it for us.

Wa alaykum as-salam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.