Jerusalem & The Muslim Ummah - Shaykh Zakaullah Saleem

Opening — Quranic Recitation

O people, fear your Lord, who created you from one soul, and created from it its wife, and spread among them many men and women. And fear Allah, about whom you ask, and the wombs. Indeed, Allah is ever watching over you.

O you who have believed, fear Allah and say the righteous word. He will amend for you your deeds, and forgive you your sins. And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger, he has won a great victory.

As for the rest, the truest words are the words of Allah. And the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. And the worst of things are its innovations. And every innovation is an invention. And every invention is a misguidance. And every misguidance is a fire.

Jerusalem and the Muslim Ummah

The Muslims around the world are upset, and including the British Muslims. We all condemn in clear and strongest words. And we clearly say this decision is an oppressive move, not only against the people of Palestine. Rather, it is a clear oppression against the whole Muslim Ummah.

My dear brothers and sisters in Islam, this move — or this type of decision — they are the ones that our beloved Nabi, peace and blessings be upon him, has predicted over 1400 years ago. And there are many, many ahadith of Rasulullah, peace and blessings be upon him. That is why we as Muslims, we see this issue and this matter as a religious matter, rather than a political matter.

As many of the politicians around the globe, including the Muslim rulers, they have seen this matter as just a political matter. And unfortunately, the vast majority of the Muslim Ummah, they see this issue and this matter just as a political matter. But in reality, this is something that is connected to our religion — the religion of Islam that Allah has bestowed on us.

If you see this matter as just a political matter, then your reaction will be none other than protesting, writing some articles in the papers, and for those who have the ability to attend the TV talk shows and express their upsetness and their feelings, and they condemn even on the social media. Anyone who has access to Facebook and WhatsApp, they also condemn. And more than this, as unfortunately many Muslims see, just changing the profile picture of their Facebook and WhatsApp to the picture of Al-Aqsa, it is sufficient for them. And this all happens if you see this issue as just a political issue.

But if you consider this a religious matter, then there are many other things that we as an Ummah need to do.

The Prophecies of the Prophet Regarding Al-Quds

First and foremost, my dear brothers and sisters in Islam, we need to remember and we need to bear in mind that this type of oppression and this type of decision — this is not the end of the humiliation of this Ummah. Rather, this should be seen as a beginning of the humiliation, because your Nabi, peace and blessings be upon him, has predicted this.

It is a hadith reported by Imam Abu Dawood on the authority of Sayyiduna Mu'adh ibn Jabal, may Allah be pleased with him, who says that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

(Sunan Abu Dawood, Hadith 4294)

The flourishing state of Al-Quds is the sign of the destruction of Yathrib, which is Al-Madinah. And the destruction of Madinah is the outbreak of a great war against Islam and the Muslims.

And the hadith is long. After mentioning this hadith, Mu'adh ibn Jabal, may Allah be pleased with him, showed his certainty and his yaqeen in the statement of his Nabi, peace and blessings be upon him, by showing his expressions. And the narrator of this hadith — the one who has narrated this from Mu'adh ibn Jabal — with the name of Malik ibn Khamir, he says: I was sitting beside Mu'adh ibn Jabal when he mentioned this hadith of Rasulullah, peace and blessings be upon him. He struck my thigh and he said, "By Allah, this statement of your Nabi, peace and blessings be upon him, is as true and perfect as you are sitting right now here."

This is a statement of Rasulullah, peace and blessings be upon him, and this is the prediction. And this is not only one hadith — there are many ahadith of Rasulullah, peace and blessings be upon him, in which he has predicted many great problems and calamities and catastrophes of this Ummah. And this is just only one of them, or we can say this is the beginning of them.

The Nations Gathering Against the Muslims

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said in another hadith reported by Imam Abu Dawood on the authority of Sayyiduna Thawban, may Allah be pleased with him:

(Sunan Abu Dawood, Hadith 4297)

Very soon a time will come when all the nations will summon and call one another to attack you, O Muslims, as the hungry people invite others to their dish — and they all come to their food running and pushing each other to have some bite from that food.

And then the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, when he said this, one of his companions asked: "Is this because of our small number, O Messenger of Allah?" He said, "No, rather you will be great in number. But your value will not be more than a scum and rubbish of the flood." And then he said, "Allah will take away the fear of you from the hearts of your enemies." And Allah will cast in your hearts wahan.

They said, "O Messenger of Allah, what does wahan mean?" He said, "The love for this dunya and disliking death."

When you will become in this state, all the nations will gather together to attack you. And this is, my dear brothers and sisters in Islam, a bitter reality that unfortunately many of us are not willing to accept. We are not willing to accept this reality that every single one of us is blameworthy of what is happening around the globe against the Muslim Ummah. What is taking place in Syria? What is taking place in Burma? What is taking place in Iraq and in Palestine? Every single one of us is blameworthy. And this is based on the hadith of Rasulullah, peace and blessings be upon him.

Our Neglect of Religion — The Root Cause

Because we have left the religion of Allah. When you declare yourself as a Muslim, it means that you have submitted everything to your Lord and your Creator. But when you stay only Muslim by name and you do not submit yourself to Allah, then this is what happens to the Ummah.

Is it not true that the majority of the Muslim Ummah is away from the religion, from the book of Allah, about which the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: Indeed, Allah raises nations just because of this very book, the Quran. And because of this very book, the Quran, Allah also humiliates many nations.

Just think, my dear brothers and sisters in Islam — individually, you as an individual, you as a part of the Ummah of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him — how strong is your link and your connection with the book of Allah? How many verses of the Quran do you recite on a daily basis? How many ayat of the Quran do you understand? How many verses of the Quran have you kept in your heart? How many ayat and how many surah of the Quran have you learnt?

You have spent your 30, 40, 50, 60 years of life in this dunya. But your connection with the book of Allah is so weak — and then you mourn that the non-Muslims and your enemies have attacked you.

Violations of Tawhid

Allah gave you the blessing and the favour of His Tawhid. Is it not true that many of the Muslims call upon other than Allah? When they need help, they call upon other than Allah. They go to the shrines and they make sujood before the shrine and before the deceased. They make sujood on the graves and they sacrifice in the name of other than Allah. They make sujood and they make ruku before other than Allah. They make dua to other than Allah. They sacrifice for other than Allah. They have violated the laws, the rules, and the Tawhid of Allah. And then they expect Allah to send His mercy and blessing on this Ummah.

Neglect of the Prayer

Allah has granted you the blessing of the prayer — that you stand five times a day before your Lord to testify that you are a true Muslim, you are a mu'min. But you are not willing to do this. Rather you see the prayer as a burden on your shoulders. And you make excuses that it is very difficult, it is hard. You have a job, you have family, you have this and that. Because of this you don't have enough time to pray five times a day. It is very difficult. It is a burden on you.

Whereas your Nabi, peace and blessings be upon him, has said:

(Sahih Muslim, Hadith 82)

The only barrier between you and disbelief is the prayer. You don't wake up for Salatul Fajr and you see Salatul Fajr as the most heavy prayer on you. If this is the truth, and if this is the state, and if this is the condition of the Ummah, how is the mercy of Allah going to come down?

A Lesson from Al-Aqsa

A few years ago, we had a guest from Al-Aqsa who was one of the teachers in Al-Aqsa. He prayed Salatul Fajr with us in this masjid — rather, he led. And then after Salatul Fajr, he gave a short reminder on the importance of Salatul Fajr. And he mentioned and he said, "Because I am from Al-Aqsa and I am one of the teachers in Masjid Al-Aqsa. And sometimes we see in the morning before Salatul Fajr, we see the Jews standing on the gates and the doors of Masjid Al-Aqsa counting the number of the attendees of the masjid at Salatul Fajr. And when you ask them why do you do this, they say: because we believe when the Muslim Ummah is awake for Salatul Fajr, we will be defeated."

This is a reality, my dear brothers and sisters in Islam. It is easy to put a post on Facebook criticizing Donald Trump or the rulers of the Muslim Ummah. It is easy. It is very easy. But to wake up for Salatul Fajr — it is, wallahi, difficult if you do not have true Iman in your heart.

Halal and Haram

Allah gave you clear laws and legislations of halal and haram. But as a Muslim, you think that it is not possible for you to survive just on halal. Living in society in this country, you believe that involvement in haram is necessary and compulsory for you. And if this is the case, how can you expect Allah to send His mercy upon you? Because you declare yourself as Muslim. You are supposed to submit yourself — your will, your desires, everything — to your Lord and Creator, but you are not willing to do so.

Remember, Allah said in the Quran:

Indeed Allah is not going to change the condition of any nation until they change their own state. And when Allah has intended a punishment for any nation, then there is no turning back. And then for them there is no protector besides Allah.

May Allah give us tawfiq and ability to understand our religion. And may Allah give us tawfiq and ability to turn back to the book of Allah and the sunnah of our Nabi, peace and blessings be upon him. And we seek refuge in Allah from the evil of our souls and from the evil of our deeds.

I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, He is alone and has no partner. And I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and His messenger.

The Second Khutbah — Allah's Promise to the Believers

My dear respected brothers and sisters in Islam, when a layman — an ordinary Muslim — sees the problems and the catastrophes and the calamities faced by the Muslim Ummah around the globe, they ask the question: why is this the state of the Ummah? Why this humiliation? Is it not true that Allah has promised in the Quran that He is going to help the believers? Is it not true that Allah has promised His help for His believers, for the Ummah of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him?

We say, my dear brothers in Islam: it is true. And wallahi, it is true. Allah has promised in the Quran for the help of His believing servants. But pay attention to the words of the Quran.

I would like to mention some of the ayat from the book of Allah, and then I leave with you to ponder and reflect on these ayat. And then along with pondering and reflecting on these ayat, judge yourself. And then make the judgment on the Ummah of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him.

Allah says in the Quran:

Indeed, it is an obligation upon us to help the believers. This is an obligation that Allah has taken upon Himself. No one can oblige Allah. Allah has taken this obligation upon Himself. And He says, helping the believers is an obligation upon us. It is true. But pay attention to the words — Allah did not say Muslim. There is a difference between Muslim and mu'min. We need to be mu'min. We are Muslim — yes, alhamdulillah. And we must strive and we must struggle and we must make efforts to become a true believer, for which Allah has promised the help and assistance.

Allah says:

O you who believe, if you help Allah, Allah will definitely help you. Ask yourself how much of help you have presented and offered for the religion of Allah. If you see the religion of Allah as a burden upon you, if you see the prayer as a burden upon you, if you see the legislation — the rulings of halal and haram — as a burden upon you, and you think that following the religion of Islam is a burden and it is difficult for you, then it means you are not helping the religion of Allah. Allah has made this as a condition: if you help Allah, meaning if you help the religion of Allah, then Allah will definitely help you.

Ask yourself how much help and assistance you have offered to the religion of Allah. Allah definitely helps those who help Him. He is our Lord. He is our Creator. He is not in need of my or your help and assistance. Rather, He wants you and me to help His religion, to spread His religion of Islam and to practise His religion of Islam.

Indeed, Allah is all-powerful and Allah is all-mighty.

Corruption in the Land and Turning Back to Allah

Allah has promised us that He will help us if we turn back to Him. Allah says in Surah Ar-Rum:

The corruption in the land and in the sea has appeared. And this whole corruption has appeared because of the sins of mankind. And Allah wants you to turn back to Him, so that Allah makes you taste some of the punishment of your bad deeds and sins in this dunya, so that the Ummah and the Muslims, they turn back to their Lord.

Allah says in Surah As-Sajdah:

So if you are not willing to turn back to your religion, if you are not willing to turn back to the religion of Allah, to the Tawhid of Allah, to the sunnah of your Nabi, peace and blessings be upon him, then be sure the condition of the Ummah is not going to change. As I said, it is easy to talk, but it is not as easy to show it in a practical way.

May Allah give us tawfiq and ability to turn back to our religion, to understand our aqeedah, to abide by the rulings and the legislations of Allah, to understand the Tawhid of Allah. May Allah give us tawfiq. May Allah enable us to be regular in our five daily prayers. And may Allah allow every single one of us to wake up for Salatul Fajr and attend the masjid. And may Allah give us tawfiq and ability to abide by the rulings of halal and haram, and to differentiate between halal and haram. Use and eat and earn what is halal and stay away from what is haram. Then you will be a true servant of Allah. And then Allah's help and Allah's mercy will be for you.

Closing Du'a

وصلى اللهم وبارك على نبينا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه أجمعين.