Jumah Khutbah: Don't Lose Hope in the Mercy of Allah - Sheikh Abdul-Hadi Al-Omri

Don't Lose Hope in the Mercy of Allah

Brothers and sisters, we are all here enjoying the countless bounties of Allah. Sometimes an accident or incident can happen from which a person can be disappointed and may be left hopeless by the situation. It is not appropriate for a true Muslim, a true believer, to be hopeless regardless of the situation.

He should be hopeful, because Allah says in Surah az-Zumar, verse 53:

"Say: O My servants who have transgressed against themselves, do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful."

We have to be positive. Take a look around us. There are many signs which give us courage and hope. The situation will not be the same every time and it will not remain in one position. Every day, after the darkness of night, there will be the brightness of day. After the fall of leaves in autumn, there will be the blossom of trees in spring. After the coldness of winter, there will be the heat of summer. Similarly, after sadness, there will be happiness.

This gives us courage — that after one situation, there will be another situation. But whatever the situation, it will always be by the command of Allah, who is the supreme controller. If we have a strong belief about qada wa qadar — destiny — then we will see everything in a positive manner.

Belief in Qadar Brings Peace

There are many verses in the Quran which reflect this — that you may not like something but Allah will bring good out of it. And sometimes, perhaps you may like something but that is not good for you, because you don't know what is truly good for you and what is bad. Many supplications which we read day and night carry this meaning — that a mu'min, a believer, should be hopeful and thankful to Allah, such as the du'a before and after eating, when we sleep and when we wake, and even when we enter and leave the toilet. We thank Allah saying الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ — Alhamdulillah, Alhamdulillah, Alhamdulillah.

What is the meaning of this? It explains to us that as believers, we should always be positive. We have to maintain this life to please Allah, from which we can get benefit here and in the Hereafter. As Allah says in the last portion of Surah al-Kahf:

"So whoever hopes for the meeting with his Lord — let him do righteous good deeds and not associate anyone in the worship of his Lord."

Examples from the Prophets

Sometimes the situation may not be in your favor, but because of your strong belief in qadar — destiny — and your belief in Allah and His power, you will feel tranquility, peace, and prosperity. Look at the examples of the Prophets, peace be upon them all.

Ibrahim, peace be upon him — the authorities of the time tried to burn him alive because of his call to tawhid, but he came out from the furnace of flame safely.

Musa, peace be upon him — when he was born, the aggression of Pharaoh was at its peak, killing innocent people and making them slaves. But Allah changed the situation. Musa became a successful victor and Pharaoh sank with all his power.

Yusuf, peace be upon him — when his brothers threw him into the well, it seemed as though this was the end of his story. But the well became a ladder for his climb to success.

Allah mentioned in the last portion of Surah at-Tahrim a few women, one of whom was the wife of Pharaoh. She set a marvellous example of strong belief and iman. Who could have imagined it — that in the house of Pharaoh, who was the leader of the disbelievers of that time, despite being arrogant and aggressive, Islam had entered his own house? Although the situation was not in favor of the believer at that time, Allah made his own house a center of iman.

Islam Continues to Grow Today

This is not only a matter of the past — it is still going on today. There is no surprise if Islam entered into the houses of those who want to demolish Islam. According to research carried out by the University of Swansea, the number of new Muslims who converted to Islam was more than 100,000 — Alhamdulillah — in Britain alone. And out of them, two thirds — 66% — are women.

Although there is mass negative propaganda by the media against Islam and Muslims, those who converted to this deen did not do so because of any threat or any material benefit. They only did it because of its truth, because of their own free choice and satisfaction. They exercised their right to freedom of choice and expression.

But unfortunately, some Muslims — those who were born into Muslim families — have become very lenient with their Islam, very apologetic about their belief, very compromising with their Shari'ah. This should not be the position of a Muslim.

We should not judge our faith by looking at the direction of the winds. Faith should always be firmly placed in Allah. It is not about what one person will be happy or angry about, or what he will say or she will say. No — we should look at what Allah is pleased with and what Allah is displeased with.

Look also at the example of nations of this world. What was the condition of Japan after the bombing — and how much progress did they make afterward? Those who bombed them, Japan surpassed them in terms of progress. What was the condition of Germany after the war — but in a short period of time, where did Germany reach? These are examples from the world around us. If nations built on worldly principles can rise again, then how can the Muslim, who believes that everything is from Allah, be hopeless?

The Door of Repentance Is Always Open

Another important point: sometimes in a person's life, mistakes and forgetfulness keep happening — we all do this, deliberately or without understanding. A person should not become hopeless because of his mistakes, nor should he engage himself further in a life full of sins simply because he did something wrong once. A wise Muslim, if he reads the Quran and Hadith with wisdom, will find that he or she should not be hopeless because of mistakes or shortcomings, because Allah is ready to forgive them all. He is the Most Forgiving.

As Allah says in Surah Ali 'Imran, verse 135:

"And those who, when they have committed an immorality or wronged themselves, remember Allah and ask forgiveness for their sins — and who forgives sins except Allah? — and they do not persist in what they have done while they know."

And Allah says in Surah az-Zumar, verse 53:

"Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful." This is the offer from Allah.

And the Prophet, peace be upon him, said that Allah will accept the repentance of His servant until his last moment, even on his deathbed — as long as he has not yet reached the point of death-struggle (sakarat) when the angels of death are already visible. The repentance made before that point, Allah will accept it.

Also, the Prophet, peace be upon him, said — and this is a glad tiding — that the one who keeps seeking forgiveness abundantly, Allah will grant him relief from every hardship and sorrow, and will provide for him from sources he could never even imagine.

(Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith 3819)

But this requires sincerity, effort, and a strong commitment that one will not return to the same sin again. Those who make tawbah fulfilling its necessary requirements — Allah accepts their tawbah.

Sins Transformed into Good Deeds

And not only does Allah forgive — there is even greater news. As Allah says in Surah al-Furqan, verse 70:

"Except for those who repent, believe, and do righteous deeds — for them Allah will replace their evil deeds with good ones. And Allah is ever Forgiving and Merciful."

So those who repent with a true heart and live a good life afterward — their past sins will not only be forgiven, but Allah will change those very sins into good deeds because of their tawbah and istighfar. This is a reason for immense hope.

Good Deeds Erase Evil Deeds

We all need tawbah and istighfar. We all need to correct our deeds, strengthen our iman, and not be hopeless from the mercy and bounty of Allah. Our good deeds will wash out our shortcomings. As Allah says in Surah Hud, verse 114:

"Verily, the good deeds remove the evil deeds. That is a reminder for those who remember."

A wise person is one who realizes his mistake and is ready to leave it. The biggest sin is shirk, and even if a polytheist repents and leaves shirk, there is forgiveness for him, there is salvation for him. Repentance is for everyone, and we all need repentance. If a person thinks he makes no mistakes and is not a sinner, then he is deceiving himself. We all make mistakes. It does not take long for the situation to change — so do not judge your faith by looking at which direction the winds are blowing. Faith should always be strong and firm in Allah.

May Allah give us the tawfiq and ability to understand and follow what is best. May Allah enable us to repent before our time runs out.

Second Part of the Khutbah

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. Peace and blessings be upon His noble Messenger, and upon his family and companions, and all those who follow him until the Day of Judgment.

O brothers and sisters, belief in Allah's decree — qada wa qadar — is an essential matter of faith. This belief saves the believer from different worries and pains. The believer who truly holds to this belief does not despair in the face of opposition or oppression, whether from individuals or governments.

As Allah says:

"Do not despair of the mercy of Allah."

And what should we do? As Allah says:

"Whoever hopes to meet his Lord — let him do righteous deeds and not associate anyone in the worship of his Lord."

O brothers, pay attention to this glad tiding: good deeds remove bad deeds. And Allah mentioned in Surah at-Tahrim some women — including the wife of Pharaoh. Who would have thought that faith would enter Pharaoh's house? He was an enemy of Allah and an enemy of Musa. But look — Islam entered his very own house.

And look at the Prophets — what did the criminals try to do to Ibrahim? Did they succeed? And what did Pharaoh do against Musa? Musa had no army, no power — but how did Allah change the situation? Musa led his people through the sea safely, and that very same sea became a graveyard for Pharaoh and his army.

And look at Yusuf — thrown into the well, it seemed his story was over. But that well became a stepping stone to the pinnacle of his progress. This is from Allah's decree. The whole life of our Prophet, peace be upon him, is an example — especially in the Meccan period — the difficulties he faced, and then how Allah changed the situation entirely.

And this is not only a matter of the past. Even today, people are coming to Islam in large numbers — not at gunpoint, not through force, not for material gain. They are coming by understanding Islam, despite all the propaganda. This process has not stopped. In fact, it is only continuing. This is a glad tiding for all of us. It speaks to the validity of Islam itself as a religion.

Those nations that are united by their principles succeed. Those who are hopeless do not succeed. The Muslim believes that everything is from Allah — so how can he be hopeless? And if he is still without hope, then something is wrong.

There are people who saw that the direction of the winds appeared to be against Islam — so they left the religion, they abandoned their faith. There are people who are selling their faith for worldly gain, for some material benefit. They should understand that it does not take long for the situation to change.

Similarly, the second important point: in a person's life, mistakes and forgetfulness keep happening. A person should not be hopeless because of these mistakes — he should be hopeful. The door of repentance is open for everyone. The person who realizes his mistake and decides not to make the same mistake again — Allah is Forgiving for him, He is Merciful for him.

As long as our repentance is a sincere, serious repentance — the quality of repentance should be: "O Allah, I have made this mistake which I should not have done, and I regret it." And if he decides not to do it again, and if he separates his life from that sin — then Allah is Forgiving for him, He is Merciful for him.

And not only this — the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, gave a glad tiding: the one who keeps seeking istighfar abundantly — for him, Allah will grant relief from every hardship and trouble, happiness in place of sorrow, and Allah will provide for him from where he cannot even imagine. And Allah has no shortage in His treasures.

But we do not know when the light of our life will be extinguished. No one knows what news is coming. That is why — while you are healthy, while you have the chance — repent, make istighfar, promise to leave sins, and correct your actions. Repentance is accepted as long as a person has not yet reached the state of sakarat — that is, when a person sees the angels of death. At that point, repentance is no longer accepted. But before that point, Allah will accept it.

How many sins should we repent from? Is there a limit? No — Allah said there is no limit. Even the biggest sin — shirk — if a polytheist repents and leaves shirk, there is forgiveness for him, there is salvation for him. Allah forgives all sins.

If a person thinks, "I don't make mistakes, I am not a sinner" — then he is deceiving himself. We all make mistakes. A wise person is one who realizes the mistake and is ready to leave it.

And there is immense hope for us all in Surah al-Furqan — if a person repents with a true heart and lives a good life, Allah will not only forgive his past sins — He will change those sins into good deeds because of his tawbah and istighfar.

So we should take advantage of this. Even if we make a mistake, it is not a reason for despair. The situation may not be in the favor of the believers right now — but there is no need to be disappointed, because He is the Lord of the worlds, He has absolute power, and He can change any situation.

May Allah enable me and you to act upon this. May Allah enable us to repent before our time runs out.

Du'a (Closing Supplication)

O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad and his family as You sent blessings upon Ibrahim and his family. O Allah, bless Muhammad and his family as You blessed Ibrahim and his family.

O Allah, protect all the believers and Muslims. O Allah, give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and save us from the punishment of Hell. O Allah, do not cause our hearts to deviate after You have guided us, and grant us mercy from Yourself. O Allah, protect Islam and Muslims in every place. O Allah, help Muslims in every place. O Allah, we ask You for guidance, piety, and forgiveness. O Allah, protect us from every calamity of this world and the torment of the Hereafter.

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. Peace and blessings be upon the Messengers.