What does Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم Mean to You? - Shaykh Yousaf Jahangir

Khutbah Opening

إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ لِلَّهِ تَعَالَى 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 إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ

Amma ba'd: For indeed the best of speech is the speech of Allah, and the best of guidance is the guidance of our Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم, and the worst of all matters are the newly invented ones, and every newly invented matter is an innovation, and every innovation is misguidance, and every misguidance is in the Fire. Then, amma ba'd.

Sending Peace and Blessings Upon the Prophet on Jumu'ah

One of the many special acts of worship that we perform on the day of Jumu'ah is an increase in sending peace and blessings upon the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. Why do we do this? Of course we love the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم more than anything else in this dunya. But on the day of Friday we increase in remembering him. We increase in sending peace and blessings upon him صلى الله عليه وسلم.

There are a number of reasons why we do this. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn al-Qayyim rahimahullah goes on to mention a few of them. One reason he gives is that Friday is the most virtuous day of the week. So it is only befitting that we spend this virtuous time in remembering the most virtuous of Allah's creation, the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم.

Another reason he gives is that Friday has the best prayers in it in the entire week — the salah of Jumu'ah and the salah of Fajr on the day of Friday. They are the best prayers of the entire week as the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has told us. So it is only befitting that the way we perform our best salah for Allah, and the way we got to Allah and learnt about Allah was the Sunnah of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. So it is only befitting that we increase in remembering the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم on this day and following the best guidance and the best role model that Allah could have sent us.

Another reason is that we know Friday has the hour in which du'a is accepted. And one of the ways that our du'a is accepted is by sending peace and blessings upon the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. This is why we increase in sending peace and blessings upon him صلى الله عليه وسلم.

Allah orders us in the Quran to send peace and blessings upon him. He says: Surely Allah sends peace and blessings upon his Prophet, and surely the angels consistently are sending peace and blessings upon their Prophet. So all you who believe, frequent and increase in your sending of peace and blessings upon him.

The Virtues of Sending Salah and Salam Upon the Prophet

There are many rewards and many virtues in sending Salah and Salam upon the Prophet. From them is that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم teaches us:

(Sahih Muslim, Book 4, Hadith 1408 — on the authority of Abu Hurayrah)

Whoever sends peace and blessings upon me one time, Allah will honor that man and that woman by sending ten blessings upon him. And Allah, from his immense reward and immense mercy, will erase ten sins from that person. And Allah will raise that person in rank tenfold in his sight. Who is there, my brothers and sisters, that is not in need of Allah's mercy, that is not in need of Allah's forgiveness, that is not in need to be raised in rank in front of Allah?

What Does Sending Salah Mean for Allah, the Angels, and Us?

When Allah sends peace and blessings upon the Prophet, it is different to when the angels do. And when the angels do it, it is different to how we as human beings do it.

So when Allah is sending peace and blessings upon the Prophet, what does this mean? This means that Allah is praising the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم in the highest parts of Jannah with the most noble of angels. It means that Allah is blessing him and sending his Rahmah and his mercy upon him. It means that Allah has prepared for him the best reward in the next life.

When the angels send peace and blessings upon the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, they are making du'a for the Prophet for him to attain Allah's immense mercy and Rahmah. They are asking Allah to bless him with all goodness in this life and the next.

When we — when me and you — send peace and blessings upon the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, we are asking Allah to praise him in the highest parts of Jannah in the presence of the most noble of angels. We are asking Allah to bless him and put great blessings in his next life. We are grateful to Allah that he has guided us to the Sunnah of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. It helps us remember and acknowledge our source of guidance and the best role model that Allah sent to us.

Two Common Themes in the Quranic Praise of the Prophet

When you look at the many ayat in the Quran — and there are many — that praise the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, that extol his character, that Allah uses to express the great virtue and status Muhammad Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم has in our lives, we find that there are two very common themes.

The first is that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has reached perfection for a human being. He is free of deficiencies and the sins and the many dark sins that our souls contain. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم is free from them. For a human being, he has reached perfection.

The second theme that we find is that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has been purified and cleansed by Allah.

Perfection and Purity in His Remembrance and Legacy

Allah says, and for you, O Muhammad, we have extolled and raised your remembrance:

Perfection and Purity in His Character

Allah tells us that he has perfected and purified the character of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, where he says:

And you, O Muhammad, you are of sublime character. SubhanAllah — this is how Allah is praising his Prophet.

Perfection and Purity in His Heart and Soul

Have we not expanded your chest for you? And given you this uplifting and this courage to be able to be the final Prophet and Messenger? Have we not given you this strength and this fortitude to fulfill this amazing task? Have we not removed from you your burden and your hardship?

Perfection and Purity in His Speech

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم does not speak from his whims and his desires. Rather, every word that we find, every letter that he spoke, every expression, every tacit approval — it is revelation from Allah.

Perfection and Purity in His Intellect and Sight

That your companion, your Prophet that I have sent to you, he has never erred, nor is he misguided.

Allah praises even the sight of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم — the sight of the Prophet has not swerved, nor has it transgressed its limits.

Perfection and Purity in the Source of His Teachings

Allah tells us about the perfection and purity of the source of the teachings of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم — that he has been taught by one who is extremely powerful.

The Love and Mercy the Prophet Has for Every One of Us

Surely a messenger has come to you from among yourselves. It is grievous upon him and for him to see you suffer. He is concerned over every single one of you. To the believers he is merciful and he is kind.

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم loved every single person from his Ummah — and there is guidance therein for every single one of us, regardless of what situation we are going through in our personal lives. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم loved every single person from his Ummah even before we came into existence. This is why Allah refers to his guidance as an illuminating beacon of light, where he says:

O Messenger, surely we have sent you as a witness, and as a warner, and one that is going to give good news. And I have sent you as a caller to Allah and as a beacon of light in these dark and testing times.

And this is all summarized in the verse where Allah says:

And I have not sent you, O Muhammad, except as a mercy and a blessing to the whole of mankind.

Before I take a pause, I want every single one of us to think deeply about a question, and that question is: what does Muhammad Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم mean to you — in your personal life, in your Iman, in your character, in your behavior, in your vision, in your goals in life, in your speech, how you carry yourself? What does Muhammad Rasulullah mean to you?

I say this and ask forgiveness for me and you and for the rest of the Muslims, so ask forgiveness. He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.

Second Part of the Khutbah

In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate. All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. Peace and blessings be upon the most honored of the prophets and messengers, our Prophet Muhammad, upon whom be peace and complete submission.

The Prophet Is Your Standard

My brothers and my sisters, if you take away nothing from this khutbah except for this next line, let that be so. Remember: whatever you are going through, whatever your situation is in life, the standard that Allah has set for you is the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم — not to reach the status that he is going to reach, but as your source of guidance.

Your young brothers and your young sisters, off on your holidays — your role model and your aspiration is the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. Do not ever fall into peer pressure or let these satanic rappers be your influence, or these football players, or these movie stars, or these influencers that we find today. Learn about the life of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم — there is your standard.

Something does not become okay just because somebody next to you has done it, or this is something that you find on social media, or this is something which is your family practice. Something becomes okay to do when it is in line with the Sunnah of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم — when it draws you closer to Allah and it takes you further away from the fire of Hell. That is when something is okay to do.

Spend this time, this last month of the holidays, to learn about the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. When Allah criticizes the Mushrikeen of Mecca, he says: is it that they do not know their Prophet and their Messenger? This is why they reject him. Meaning, Allah is telling the Mushrikeen of Mecca that these new tribes that are accepting Islam at the Prophet's hands — they have met him for a few moments and they have accepted his message because they know it is the truth. You have spent your entire lives with him and you still reject him.

For us to truly get through the difficult and testing times that we are facing as an Ummah, we have to return back to the Quran and back to the Sunnah and the guidance that Allah has given to us. And we start with learning the Prophet's life — learning about his character, that character which Allah praises in the Quran:

That you, O Muhammad, are of sublime character. You learn about the mercy and the compassion that he had. You learn about the source, the guidance and the wisdom that the Prophet teaches us. This here is our standard in living. This here is how we judge our actions.

Assessing Ourselves

Is this something that the Prophet would advise me to do in this situation? Is Allah pleased with my behaviour in this particular situation? When I assess my character and my behaviour and who I am as a person, and my friends and my company and the influences that I follow on social media, and the series that I watch — does this coincide with that blessed guidance of Muhammad Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم? Or does this completely oppose his guidance and his Sunnah?

We have to ask ourselves: where is our standing with Allah?

A Man Is With Whom He Loves

Because the man is going to be with the person that he loves. When the companion came to the Prophet and said: "I want to be with you in the highest parts of Jannah, but I know I will never reach that status," the Prophet advised him and said:

A man is going to be with whom he loves. And that applies in this dunya also. Look at your company and your companions and your friends. As it was once said: show me your friends and I will show you your future. This is how you can assess yourself.

Ask yourself: who are my friends? Who are my companions? What am I entering into my soul from that which I look at, that which I say, that which I do, that which I hear?

None of Us Are Promised Tomorrow

And none of us is promised tomorrow. And if this is the last Jumu'ah that I pray, or this is the last salah that I pray — where is my standing with Allah?

Just yesterday, the day before yesterday, we did a burial for one of our uncles — may Allah have mercy upon him. I looked at the graves next to him here in Sutton Coldfield. The person next to him had passed away — she was 24 years old. The person next to her was 35. The person next to her was 40 something. May Allah have mercy upon all the Muslims. But none of us are promised to live until 70, 80, 90 years old.

The reason why Allah has placed this dunya here and given us everything that he has is to make his worship easy for us. Do not be that person that gets lost in this dunya and forgets the worship of Allah. But rather be that person that uses this dunya and the blessings that Allah has given him to attain Allah's mercy and forgiveness.

And surely Allah knows best. May Allah have mercy upon his family. May Allah have mercy upon you.