Reality of Death (with British Sign Language) - Shaykh Abdul Hadi

Khutbah al-Ula — Opening

أَمَّا بَعْد، فَإِنَّ خَيْرَ الْحَدِيثِ كِتَابُ اللَّهِ، وَخَيْرَ الْهَدْيِ هَدْيُ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَشَرَّ الْأُمُورِ مُحْدَثَاتُهَا، وَكُلَّ مُحْدَثَةٍ بِدْعَةٌ، وَكُلَّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلَالَةٌ، وَكُلَّ ضَلَالَةٍ فِي النَّارِ.

The Reality of Death

Brothers and sisters, we believe that death is an absolute reality. It is part of our iman and belief that every person is going to die sooner or later. It does not matter who we are and what we are doing from our a'mal and action.

This life is temporary and the hereafter is the permanent life. Our final place and destiny will depend on our deeds during this life given by Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala as an amanah. As Allah says:

If anyone does even the smallest number of good deeds, they will receive their result. And anyone who does any bad deeds, they will receive their result accordingly.

Every day we are witnessing the death of family members, loved ones, and the general public. According to a recent report by Birmingham City Council, there is a daily average of 80 bodies waiting for a post-mortem CT scan. Perhaps this is one of the reasons for the delay in burial. If this is the situation in one city — Birmingham — we can only imagine the situation in the country and the rest of the world. How many people, every day, are dying. We do not know when our time will be over and in what circumstances.

As Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says in the last portion of Surah Luqman:

No one has knowledge of what will happen tomorrow, neither where he is going to die, nor in what circumstances he is going to die.

Investing for the Hereafter

It is for true believers to prepare for this tomorrow by doing righteous good deeds and making some investment — investment to get benefit after death, investment to get benefit in the qabr (grave), investment to get benefit on the Day of Judgment and resurrection.

As Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says in Surah Al-Hashr, verse 18:

And let every person look to what he sends forward for tomorrow.

According to hadith, the wise person controls himself and his desires, and does righteous good deeds that will benefit him after death. But mindless people are those who follow their desires regardless of whether they are right or wrong, and yet they have big hopes and ambitions in the mercy of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala — that Allah will forgive them.

(Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 2459; declared Hasan by al-Tirmidhi)

And if you read Surah Al-Kahf, verse 46, as Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says about remaining good deeds that will be beneficial:

Such as building a masjid, or providing water, or providing food, or leaving behind good and beneficial knowledge — these are all sadaqah jariyyah. Like many brothers and sisters who have contributed in the construction of, for example, this masjid, as well as the many other masajid in Birmingham and around the country. We may know a few names, but the large majority of them — only Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala knows their names. But as long as these remain, they are going to receive their reward even after death, because this is their investment.

And like these days, hundreds of people in Palestine who do not have clean drinking water — can you imagine they do not have clean drinking water? Those who provide for these necessities are doing a noble task. There is no doubt that hundreds of people have been killed there, including women, innocent children, and elderly people. May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala ease their suffering and help them to come out from this aggression and atrocity. But this is an ibrah — a sign and an alarming situation for us as well. We have to learn from this ourselves.

Preparing for the Month of Ramadan

We can do righteous good deeds whenever we want, but there are certain times which are granted by Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to increase the opportunities and rewards. One of them is the coming month — the month of Ramadan. This month is like a season for true believers, for tawbah (repentance), righteous good deeds, and earning extra reward. Its days and nights are full of rewards and blessings. But in order to get maximum benefit from the coming month of Ramadan, we have to prepare from now — mentally, spiritually, and physically.

As we have experienced in our life, if we have any important event, we will prepare for that well before the event. For example, if someone has a trial in a legal court, he will prepare his case with an expert advocate and will provide all necessary documentation to win the case. Our students before annual exams will prepare to achieve their goal and target. Our sportspersons before a match will train to get the best from it. These are all, my brothers, just examples for understanding how we need to prepare for Ramadan — because here, preparation depends on our desire and what we regard as important. In the month of Ramadan, without preparation, we may not get the full benefit of rewards.

So, according to the Sunnah, we need to prepare ourselves from now. As the Prophet ﷺ used to fast during the month of Sha'ban — he was asked the reason why he was fasting more in this month than any other month except Ramadan. The Prophet ﷺ replied: in order to prepare for Ramadan, and for our deeds to be presented to Allah while I am fasting.

(Sunan al-Nasa'i, Hadith 2357; declared Hasan by al-Albani)

Also, the coming month is a month for the qurra' — the experts, reciters, and huffadh of the Qur'an — who need to prepare themselves for the coming month by reviewing and studying the Qur'an. We need to change from now our daily routine by fasting, reading the Qur'an, and doing good deeds.

We do not have any knowledge, my brothers and sisters, of when our limited time will be over. Many brothers and sisters who were with us last Ramadan are no longer with us this Ramadan. May Allah forgive them. May Allah accept their good deeds and grant them a place in Jannah. Do we have any guarantee that we will remain until next Ramadan? So, whatever time we have been given, we have to utilize it and prepare ourselves by making a proper timetable for ourselves and our family members.

I ask Allah to forgive me and you and all Muslims from all sins. So ask Him to forgive you. Indeed, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.

Khutbah al-Thaniyah — Second Sermon

Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. And the end is for the righteous. And peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, the Trustworthy, and upon his family and all his companions, and upon those who follow him to the Day of Judgment.

Following the Sunnah and Avoiding Innovation

My brothers and sisters, whatever righteous good deeds we want to do, we have to make sure our ibadah and our deeds are according to the teaching of the Qur'an and the Sunnah of Rasulullah ﷺ. We have to be followers of the Prophet ﷺ regardless of the event. Do not innovate any act of ibadah by yourself. Be a follower. Innovation in the Deen and in matters relating to our ibadah is not acceptable at all.

Unfortunately, many brothers and sisters have innovated many things by themselves and they do these to get extra reward — such as in this month, the month of Sha'ban, where many things have been innovated. If we want to find out the authenticity of these things, we do not find any authentic hadith to support them. Just intention is not enough. Our practice also must be according to the Sunnah of Rasulullah ﷺ. So we must make sure that whatever we want to do is according to the Sunnah of Rasulullah ﷺ.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to love to fast during the month of Sha'ban. As Ummul Mu'mineen — Aisha — said:

I have not seen the Messenger of Allah ﷺ complete his fasting for a full month except the month of Ramadan, and I have not seen him fast more than he did in Sha'ban.

And how many of our brothers were with us but have left to the abode of the Hereafter, to the abode of decision. So we do not know when we will leave. We must save for tomorrow. As Allah said:

O you who believe, fear Allah and let every soul see what it has prepared for tomorrow. And fear Allah — Allah is aware of what you do.

And He said:

And no soul knows in which land it will die.

And He said:

Wealth and children are the adornment of this worldly life. But the enduring good deeds are better with your Lord as reward and better as hope.

So the Messenger of Allah ﷺ encourages us to prepare ourselves to receive the month of Ramadan — the month of good deeds — by paying attention to prayer, fasting, and reciting the Noble Qur'an. But be careful — we are commanded to follow the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, not to imitate or innovate. As Allah said:

O you who believe, obey Allah and obey the Messenger, and do not render your deeds void.

And the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

(Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1718)

Whoever does a deed that is not according to our matter, it will be rejected — whether in Sha'ban, or Muharram, or Rabi' al-Awwal. Before we do anything, we must make sure whether this deed is proven by the correct Sunnah or not.

And as the companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Follow and do not innovate, for you have been given enough.

May Allah give us tawfiq and the ability to understand the teaching of the Qur'an and the Sunnah of Rasulullah ﷺ and to follow the best of it.