Jumu'ah Khutbah - Shaykh Abdul Hadi

Opening Khutbah

إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ لِلَّهِ نَحْمَدُهُ وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ وَنَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ شُرُورِ أَنْفُسِنَا وَمِنْ سَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللَّهُ فَلَا مُضِلَّ لَهُ وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلَا هَادِيَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ

Amma ba'd: Indeed the best speech is the Book of Allah, and the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad ﷺ, and the worst of matters are newly-invented things, and every newly-invented thing is a bid'ah, and every bid'ah is going astray, and every going astray is in the Fire.

Consistency in Righteous Deeds After Ramadan

Brothers and sisters, alhamdulillah, Allah gave us many opportunities and chances to gain extra reward, to achieve the pleasure of Allah and improve our quality of taqwa. Although whenever we do righteous good deeds we will get appropriate reward for that action, the time and place will have a special impact. For example, if we plant a seed in the correct season and in the correct method, we will get a good result that corresponds to the action.

As in the previous month — which was Ramadan, the month of ibadah — many Muslim brothers and sisters were engaged in doing righteous good deeds such as praying non-obligatory nawafil, dhikr of Allah, giving charity, and recitation of the Quran al-Majid during the month of Ramadan. But should we stop these good actions after Ramadan? Should we consider ourselves free from restrictions and live as we like? No, not at all.

Because we are believers in the month of Ramadan as well as in the month of Shawwal and Dhul Qa'dah. And we are Muslims in the masjid as well as wherever we go — at home, in family life, in business. Wherever we are, we have to be followers, and regularity in ibadah, in taqwa, in righteous good deeds is essential.

Like Allah says in Surah Al-Imran, Chapter 3, Verse 102:

"O you who believe, fear Allah as should be feared, and do not die except as a Muslim."

And in Chapter 15, Verse 99, Surah Al-Hijr, Allah says:

"You have to worship your Lord until the certainty of death." And no one has any knowledge of when he is going to die, in what type of circumstances he is going to die, and how he is going to die. The message and meaning of this ayah is that we have to spend our whole life in the appropriate manner according to the teaching of the Quran and the Sunnah of Rasulullah ﷺ, because we can die at any time. So if I want to die as a Muslim, as a true believer, then I have to remain on the straight path. Regularity is essential in ibadah.

As in Surah Taha, Chapter 20, Verse 82, Allah is saying:

"I am the Forgiver for those who repent and believe and do righteousness and continue in guidance." Continuation is essential in ibadah.

The Sweetness of Iman

An example of a true believer, according to a hadith, is that the real taste and sweetness of iman will be attained by the person who has three qualities. First and foremost, we have to love Allah and His Messenger more than anything — more than anything. As the Prophet ﷺ says:

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 16; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 43)

"Three qualities, whoever possesses them will find the sweetness of iman: that Allah and His Messenger are more beloved to him than anything else."

The first and most important condition is that we love Allah and His Messenger ﷺ more than anything. If we have this love, then we can enjoy the taste and sweetness of our ibadah, and we will be happy and enjoy whenever we do righteous good deeds because of iman. Otherwise, we will lose the taste and sweetness of iman if we don't love Allah and His Messenger ﷺ as should be. And if our taqwa is not as it should be, or if we lose it, then we will consider ibadah perhaps as a burden or just formalities.

A rough example: if a healthy person eats something he will enjoy his food, but a person who is ill — if he eats the same food, he will not have the same taste or enjoyment. Similarly, a person with strong iman, piety, and taqwa will enjoy his ibadah — in his prayer, in his recitation of Quran, and when he is giving charity and sadaqah to the poor and needy. He will enjoy it, feel comfortable, and receive tranquility from Allah. But someone without this quality of taqwa may feel it as a burden or mere formality.

Preparing for Hajj

After the month of Ramadan, these days are the time of preparation for Hajj — for those brothers and sisters who are going to perform Hajj this year, or who are thinking and planning to perform it. For them, a few points are to be considered.

The main purpose of fasting and praying is taqwa, and similarly in Hajj as well. Allah says: you have to take provisions with you during the journey of Hajj, and the best provision is taqwa. So the first and most important thing for those who are planning to perform Hajj or Umrah is that they have to start preparation now — mentally and physically — to get maximum benefit from this journey.

Because if we want to improve taqwa, we need from now to check ourselves: is there anything wrong going on in our practical life? Are we earning something which is not halal — haram income, for example? We have to consider this from now on, before traveling for Hajj, to get maximum reward from Hajj.

The Obligation of Hajj

What is Hajj? Hajj is fard — obligatory upon every believing male and female, once in his or her lifetime, for those who have the ability. As Allah says in Chapter 3, Verse 97:

"He who has ability — Hajj will be considered fard upon him." And the Prophet ﷺ was asked about the definition and explanation of istita'ah (ability), so Rasulullah ﷺ explained: those who can arrange for their provision and transportation — Hajj will be considered fard upon them.

So according to the definition and explanation of Rasulullah ﷺ, the large majority of those who are living here in this country — in the UK — Hajj will be considered fard upon them, illa masha'Allah.

The Reward of Hajj

The Prophet ﷺ mentioned Hajj as a pillar of Islam — one relating to our iman and four things relating to our practical life: the pillars of Islam after tawhid are salat, sawm, zakat, and Hajj.

And Rasulullah ﷺ says in another hadith: if any person wants to perform Hajj, he should not delay — without delay he should try to do this as quickly as he can.

But because of our priorities, it may seem very hard for some brothers to travel for Hajj. They say there are financial problems and financial difficulties. But this is a result of our own choices, our own priorities. For example, we say we want to go to Hajj later on, but this year we want to purchase a house, buy a new car, replace the furniture. Or some say: "After the expansion of my business, then I will go to Hajj." In other words, he has istita'ah, but his priorities change.

Because of our priorities, it seems hard. Otherwise, we would say: first I will perform Hajj, then I will buy a new car if there is a need, or a house, or I will change my furniture later on. But don't delay Hajj, because this year maybe you are fit physically and financially — but do you have any guarantee that the situation will remain like this until next year or two years later? The thing which is fard you are trying to delay, and the thing which is not fard upon you, you are trying to do now — which is not appropriate.

And the benefit and reward of Hajj — as Nabi al-Karim ﷺ says:

"He who performs Hajj Mabrur — Jannah will be guaranteed for him." And this guarantee is from Allah, who is the Creator, my brothers and sisters. Because the Prophet ﷺ cannot say anything from his own desires — until the wahy, the revelation, comes from Allah.

And in another hadith, the Prophet ﷺ says: if any person performs Hajj by avoiding all types of sins, he will come back free from sins like a newborn baby — innocent. Similarly, the Haji will return from Hajj free from all types of sins.

Learning the Rituals of Hajj

But to get this benefit, there is another instruction given by the Prophet ﷺ for those who are planning to travel for Hajj — they have to consider this point especially. Nabi al-Karim ﷺ says:

(Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1297)

"Take your rituals of Hajj from me." What is the meaning of this hadith? Hajj is ibadah, and ibadah we cannot do according to our own desires, according to our own understanding, according to our culture — no, not at all. Ibadah should be according to the Sunnah of Rasulullah ﷺ. Therefore, there is a strong message for those brothers who are traveling for Hajj: they have to learn the rituals of Hajj and Umrah according to the Sunnah of Rasulullah ﷺ.

But unfortunately, it has been noted that many brothers and sisters — although their intention is very good — they are going without preparation. Their intention is good, but their preparation is very poor. They don't prepare, they don't learn how to perform Umrah, how to perform Hajj. Even some brothers and sisters are traveling without having any basic knowledge relating to Hajj or Umrah.

So before traveling, we also need to consider preparation. Some brothers may be asking: how many suits are you going to take, which hotel are you going to stay in, what type of food are they going to provide you? This is our preparation mostly. But perhaps very little conversation is had about: how are you going to perform your Hajj? How are you going to perform your Umrah? Have you started learning something about Hajj or Umrah? They are not talking about this.

Tawhid: The Central Message of Hajj and Eid al-Adha

For those brothers who are performing Hajj, as well as for all brothers regarding the qurbani (sacrifice, al-udhiyya) that was announced before the khutbah — the important point is tawhid, the oneness of Allah. When a Haji arrives at the miqat — the appropriate place to wear the ihram — and performs his niyyah for Umrah or Hajj, he raises the talbiya. This is not just a formality, our slogan, my brothers and sisters — it is a testimony of faith, a declaration of his belief in the tawhid of Allah.

And those who are not traveling for Hajj but join with them by saying the takbirat:

This reminds us of the great Prophet Ibrahim ﷺ and his family, their marvelous actions and huge sacrifices. And what was the message of Ibrahim ﷺ? His whole message was around submission to Allah. As Allah says in Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse 131:

Ibrahim ﷺ said: "I have submitted myself to the Lord of all the worlds." His whole life was around this sentence.

And if you read the last portion of Surah Al-An'am, especially Verse 162, Allah says:

"Indeed, my prayer, my sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of all the worlds."

Even the authorities of the time tried to burn Ibrahim ﷺ alive, and then he left his hometown and migrated to the valley of Mecca, surrounded by mountains. All these challenges he accepted in order to protect his iman.

This should be our lesson as well — about tawhid of Allah. Like one day, a companion — a sahabi — in the presence of the Prophet ﷺ, said: ما شاء اللهُ وشئتَ — "Whatever Allah and you want, O Muhammad ﷺ." Then our Prophet ﷺ strongly rejected this, saying: "You are trying to equate me with Allah! You have to say: whatever Allah wants." The Prophet ﷺ did not accept this at all.

Lessons from the Life of Ibrahim

So my brothers, in brief: we have to remain as muttaqeen, and we have to enjoy our iman. We have to make ourselves free from all types of sins, and we have to uphold the tawhid — the oneness of Allah. Do not associate with Allah anyone in any sense, in any way.

In the life of Ibrahim ﷺ, there are many lessons for us all:

First, our iman should be strong and firm in the tawhid of Allah, regardless of the situation. We have to be true believers. And this was the advice of Ibrahim ﷺ to his children and his offspring — he said to remain on the path of tawhid without associating partners with Allah. So we have to follow this same example, regardless of the circumstances, wherever we are, whatever situation we are in. We have to be believers and we have to be followers of Rasulullah ﷺ without making excuses.

And as true believers, we have to fear Allah as should be feared. As Allah says in Surah Al-Mu'minun, Verse 60:

"Whatever Allah gave them, they give to others, while their hearts are fearful because they know they are returning to their Lord." Do not be proud of your amal. You have to make du'a: "O Allah, accept my prayer, my ibadah, my sadaqah." We have to ask Allah because we don't know how Allah will accept this — according to the intention, sincerity, and ikhlas, Allah will accept this.

Conclusion

Also, taqwa should be our asset and wealth wherever we go — not only in the masjid, but after the masjid as well. We have to remain as muttaqeen in family life, in business, wherever we go, whatever we do. We have to be muttaqeen.

May Allah give us tawfeeq and ability for understanding the teaching of the Quran and the Sunnah of Rasulullah ﷺ, and for following the best example in the life of Ibrahim ﷺ.