2014-08-22 Friday Prayer - Sheikh Abdul Haseeb Noor

Opening Praise and Introduction

All praise is due to Allah, who knows what we reveal and knows what we conceal — and even knows what the animals feel. We praise Him, we ask Him, and upon Him we have reliance. Him only for true guidance. And we send prayers, peace and blessings upon the best of human beings and prophets, Muhammad ibn Abdillah, upon whom be praise until the very end of our days. And we ask Allah for mercy, assistance, and to never lead us astray. And we plead with Him to save us on Judgment Day.

All praise is due to Allah who has gathered us as Muslims. All praise is due to Allah who has made us believers. All praise is due to Allah who has given us family when there are those who have no family. All praise is due to Allah who has given us rain in this beautiful state, when there are other states who have no rain and other countries who have nothing. We ask Allah to allow us to be of those who are thankful constantly for these blessings and the blessing of purpose.

The Prophet's Search for Purpose

Purpose — something the Prophet ﷺ, as a human being, before he was known as Muhammad Rasulullah ﷺ, he sought. The Prophet ﷺ, as a human being, went to seek that divine connection, that belonging, that purpose. When he climbed up a mountain known later as Jabal An-Nur — the Mountain of Light — to seek the Divine. He went up this mountain which is right outside the outskirts of Mecca.

Alhamdulillah, an opportunity that I've had more than once to climb, and it's not easy — it's very difficult. Alhamdulillah, there are steps now; it takes about an hour with the steps. And as you go up this mountain, all you're thinking is: how did this human, how did this man, how did this Prophet yearn for Allah? Yearn for connecting with Allah. How did he climb with that in his heart? And as you get to the top, and you see Mecca in front of you, and the surrounding environment in front of you, and you get the same picture as the most beloved human being to you had when he went up there, searching for Allah, searching for purpose, reconnecting with the Divine.

And as the Prophet ﷺ climbed that mountain and he reflected over society — over the darkness that had fallen, over Quraysh, over his people, over his family, the racism, the nationalism, the lack of purpose, the preference of one over another due to wealth, status, and other factors — that darkness, that fallen society, he felt as if there was a void. There was a void. He was searching, he was seeking. And when he was asked about it later, "Ya Rasulullah ﷺ, what did you seek?" He said, "Wallah, I only sought Allah." And they said, "How did you pray?" He said, "I only prayed how Allah wanted me to. I only worshipped how Allah wanted me to."

The Night of the First Revelation

And that fateful night — which is known later as the Night of Power, because of the power of the message, the power of the purpose, the power of change that was revealed on that night of power that we as Muslims celebrate, and the masjid is packed on that night of Ramadan — a man who was really the angel Jibreel ﷺ, Gabriel, came in front of him in the form of a man, and he was frightened. He didn't know who that was, and he didn't know what he came with, just like you or I would have feared. And he told him: Read!

And those fateful words which we recite and have memorized when we were young, that would forever change the course of humanity. That purpose — when the Prophet ﷺ was given that purpose, that connection with the Divine, it filled him with fear. He left, he sought that comfort in his loved ones, not knowing what was going on. He did not know this was the Qur'an, he did not know this was from Allah yet. He knew this was from the Creator, he knew that this was a message, he knew that it was filling his void, reconnecting him to the Divine — but he did not know beyond that.

The Pause in Revelation and the Anguish of the Prophet ﷺ

And for a short time period, this human being, this beloved, this messenger ﷺ, had no revelation sent to him. And you know what happened? He started to feel a sense of anguish. He started to feel a sense of sadness and emptiness. It is narrated in Sahih al-Bukhari by Jabir ibn Abdullah and other companions, that the Prophet ﷺ would actually go to the edge of the mountain, wanting to throw himself off — because he felt that anguish at that level.

And Jibreel ﷺ would come to him and say: "Ya Rasool Allah, O Muhammad, you are the Messenger of God, and I am the angel Gabriel." And then he would back off. And then he would tell his wife Khadija ﷺ that he feels as if he is forsaken, that the revelation had stopped coming and he didn't know why.

Do you know why, brothers and sisters? Because Allah wanted to train His messenger and the rest of humanity that the sole need of a human being goes beyond nourishment, goes beyond the physical, goes beyond the material — it goes to the spiritual, the psychological, the emotional. Allah wanted to teach this beautiful messenger: your need, your true need, is for Allah.

Surah Ad-Duha: Allah's Comfort to the Prophet ﷺ

And Allah revealed two chapters of the Qur'an — among my favorite chapters of the Meccan period. Allah says:

Allah revealed this powerful message to the Prophet ﷺ as a comfort. He said: I swear by the dawn, and the night when it is still — your Lord has never left you, nor will He forsake you. What a powerful message. For any human being that feels they have no one, that feels they are at the last straw in life: your Lord will never forsake you.

This chapter, this ayah alone, brothers and sisters, is the strongest message from Allah to you and I. Allah will never leave you and I. How powerful is that? How moving is that? Your ally, your supporter, is none but the One who created all. And He said to you and I: I will never forsake you.

And not only that — the scholars say the next verse is the greatest verse of hope in the entire Qur'an. Why? The Prophet ﷺ was told:

And soon your Lord will give you, and you will be pleased. And the scholars of Tafsir said: you know what will make the Prophet ﷺ pleased? What was the Prophet's ﷺ sole purpose, goal, and wish? To see everyone here in Jannah. The scholars say that this pleasure the Prophet ﷺ has been promised is that every believer will enter Jannah. This is what will make the Prophet ﷺ be pleased.

The Void in Modern Life: The Crisis of Purpose

This connection, this purpose, this spiritual, emotional, and psychological nourishment — it is what we've seen lacking in the past few weeks. Something that people who we thought had everything, individuals whom since growing up we thought were the most entertaining, the most capturing of people — they could capture people's hearts, they were very well known in society. And what happens to them? They commit suicide. The absolute form of anguish and depression. Complete disconnection.

And that is why another famous person, after this event of suicide of famous individuals occurred, said: "I wish people could become wealthy and get whatever they want, so they realize that that's not what life is about."

This message of purpose, this message of reconnecting with Allah, is something we're missing in our communities. It's something that we're direly missing, even though it's something basic — even though it's something maybe we're doing every single day by praying. But where is that connection to Allah? Where is that feeling of yearning? Where is that feeling that if you were to be disconnected, you would go into depression and anguish the way the Prophet ﷺ felt?

Disconnection, brothers and sisters, is what Islam came to cure. Islam did not come to make us all look the same. Islam did not come to make us all dress the same. Islam did not come to make us all eat the same or act the same. Islam came to connect us with the Creator and to give us purpose in life, brothers and sisters.

In the second khutbah, insha'Allah, we'll discuss ways of how to do that.

Second Khutbah: Overcoming Depression and Reconnecting with Allah

The Prophet ﷺ went through anguish. Yes. The Prophet ﷺ went through a level of sadness and what could be considered elements of depression. Some of you may be surprised: "Depression in Islam? A Muslim never becomes depressed." Brothers and sisters, there was an entire year of the Prophet's ﷺ life which was called the Year of Sorrow.

Why? Because the Prophet ﷺ lost his closest person to him — his wife Khadija ﷺ. And right after that, he lost his father figure. He had no father figure his entire life but his uncles and grandfather before him. And the individual who he remembered raising him — the father of Ali ﷺ, Abu Talib — also passed away. And that entire year was called the Year of Sorrow.

If a believer thinks that he will never go through depression, this is not true. If a believer thinks that he will never go through anguish and sadness, this is not true.

Lessons from Surah Maryam and Surah Yusuf

Allah revealed to the Prophet ﷺ chapters of the Qur'an counseling His messenger right after this event — the chapters of Surah Maryam and Surah Yusuf. In these particular chapters, Allah outlines how we as Muslims can overcome our anguish, our sadness, and the loss we may face in this world — whether of family, wealth, or those we are close to.

First and foremost, the Prophet ﷺ was directed through the example of another prophet, another mentor: Sabrun Jameel — beautiful patience. The patience that Yaqub ﷺ felt in Surah Yusuf. He said:

Perhaps my son will be returned to me after he was lost. How much reliance did he have on Allah!

Faith Is the Foundation of Patience

None can have true, sustained patience without faith. Without faith, without knowing who Allah is, you cannot have the kind of patience that leads to perseverance. Impossible.

How many of us know and have an active relationship with the Creator? How many of us have studied some of His names? Like Al-Raqib — the Ever-Watchful. There is nothing nearer than Him, meaning you don't have to search for anyone after you search for Allah. Or His name Al-Mubin — the Most Apparent. You don't have to run far to see Him. You don't have to search deeply to know who He is.

And we know His names are Al-Rahman and Al-Rahim. Al-Rahman means the Most Merciful — every single creation is touched by His mercy. And Al-Rahim is the One who has a specific, particular mercy for you as a believer — the Most Merciful and the Especially Merciful. If you know who Allah is, how can you ever maintain a state of anguish or depression? Impossible.

Reconnecting with Allah Through Du'a

The last step is reconnecting with Allah in a practical manifestation — in calling out to Him. How many of us, really — ask yourself — how many of us take that time to truly call out to Allah?

"O Allah, You are the One who is the Most Rich and I am the poor. You are the One who hears me and sees me and knows my state. You are the One who knows my weakness. You are the One who knows what my sins are. You are the One who knows that even when I repent from a sin, I may go back to that sin."

How many of us have that kind of conversation with Allah? How many of us raise our hands after every Salah, say whatever comes to our mouths, rub our faces, and then move on out the door? How many of us have been doing this for 20, 30, 40 years? When are we going to reconnect with Allah? When are we going to feel, like the Prophet ﷺ, that even if you don't climb a mountain, that yearning in your heart will still remain?

If we recognize as a community that this is the main reason — how all of the solutions we can ever think of will be given to us — then that is the solution in and of itself.

Our Responsibility Towards Our Families

If we go home and we impart that message to our children, and impart that message to our wives and husbands and family, then you cannot expect me, and you cannot expect the Imam, and you cannot expect the religious leaders, to go after the loved ones we have in our own households who don't come to the masjid. It is your responsibility and it is my responsibility.

There is not a single soul I know here — and I promise you — that doesn't have a single family member who is not connected with Allah at the very least. Many of our family members do not pray. Many of our cousins are far from Allah. Uncles — even maybe parents. Those of us who have family members who are not Muslim. When is our role in reconnecting people to Allah?

When we realize this, Allah will rain upon us mercy, rain upon us guidance, rain upon us purpose.

Du'a — Closing Supplication

O Allah, make us those who guide others. O Allah, make us of those who guide people to Islam with the light of Islam and the peaceful message of the Prophet ﷺ. Make us of those who stand for justice, even if it is against ourselves. Make us of those upon whom You send mercy. Make us of those who lift the veils of excuses over our hearts to implement Your Sunnah, to implement the Kitab and the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ.

O Allah, grant us the companionship of the Prophet ﷺ in the highest levels of paradise. O Allah, make us of those who stand upright for Your religion. Make us of those who receive Your message. Make us of those who connect with You.

O Allah, we ask You with the bottom of our iman, with the Islam that we have, that You forgive us. We ask Allah to relieve the plight of those upon whom injustice has fallen — in Palestine, in Ferguson, in Syria, in Iraq, and in all cities in the world where there is injustice. We ask Allah to relieve the plight of those who have been oppressed. Make us of those who stand against oppression. And we ask Allah to make us of those who follow what we have heard and implement it in our actions.

And may Allah's peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and all his companions, an abundant salutation.