2015-01-16 - Friday Prayer - Sheikh Asil Khan

Opening Khutbah — Praise and Testimony

الحمد لله الذي أنزل على عبده الكتاب ولم يجعل له عوجًا، قيّمًا لينذر بأسًا شديدًا من لدنه ويبشّر المؤمنين الذين يعملون الصالحات أن لهم أجرًا حسنًا ماكثين فيه أبدًا، وينذر الذين قالوا اتّخذ الله ولدًا. ونشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده وحده لا شريك له، ونشهد أن سيّدنا وصلاتنا ومولانا محمدًا عبده ورسوله، حبيبه وخليله.

أما بعد، فأعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم:

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 15; Sahih Muslim, Book 1, Hadith 70)

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 13; Sahih Muslim, Book 1, Hadith 72)

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 10; Sahih Muslim, Book 1, Hadith 64)

The Need for Constant Reminder of the Seerah

My respected elders, brothers and sisters in Islam — the month of Rabī' al-Awwal is ending. You may have heard many khutbahs on the topic of the Seerah of Rasul sallallahu alaihi wasallam. This is a topic that we need constant reminder. It is not only to talk about the Seerah of Rasul sallallahu alaihi wasallam once in a while, or once in a year, or once in a month. We need constant reminder. We have to learn about the Seerah of Rasul sallallahu alaihi wasallam and implement it in our life, and connect ourselves with Allah and His Messenger — to express our love with our tongue, and to express love of Rasul sallallahu alaihi wasallam with our actions.

This is our obligation. If we do not express our love, or if we do not have love for Rasul sallallahu alaihi wasallam, our iman will remain defective. There is a famous hadith of Rasul sallallahu alaihi wasallam:

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 15; Sahih Muslim, Book 1, Hadith 70)

No one will be a complete believer unless or until I become more dear to him than his parents, his children, and everyone. So if we do not show love to Rasul sallallahu alaihi wasallam, our iman will not be complete. And if we do not conduct our actions according to Rasul sallallahu alaihi wasallam's Sunnah, our iman will remain defective. So we have to express love for Rasul sallallahu alaihi wasallam with our tongue and with our actions. We have to follow Rasul sallallahu alaihi wasallam's Sunnah in our life.

So this is a reminder — first of all for me, and for all of us, and for the entire Muslim Ummah.

The Occasion of Surah Al-Ahzab 33:21 — The Battle of Ahzab

For our information, history is well preserved. You know when Rasul sallallahu alaihi wasallam graced this earth — how human beings were treating one another. The ayah that I have recited, from Surah Al-Ahzab, was revealed on a specific occasion: the Battle of Ahzab. At that time the enemies were powerful, well-equipped, and large in number. The Ahzab — many tribes — came together to attack the Muslims in Madinah, to massacre them.

So Rasul sallallahu alaihi wasallam and the Sahaba ikram held consultation, and many suggestions were made about how to defend, because the enemies were well-equipped and large in number. Finally, Hazrat Salman al-Farisi's suggestion and proposal were accepted — to dig a trench.

They had limited resources, limited manpower, and a huge challenge. So when they started digging the trench, the Sahaba ikram were working — and being their leader, Rasul sallallahu alaihi wasallam was not sitting aside. He was working with them. In fact, he was working more than them. At that time, when the enemies were very powerful, Rasul sallallahu alaihi wasallam was not frightened — he was brave. They were away from their homes and had a shortage of food. The Sahaba came and when Rasul sallallahu alaihi wasallam showed his stomach, there was one stone tied to it because of hunger — and when he showed his stomach, there were two stones. SubhanAllah.

Then the ayah was revealed:

Indeed, in the life of Rasul sallallahu alaihi wasallam you have the best example to follow — for the one who hopes in Allah and the Last Day, and remembers Allah much. This ayah was revealed on a specific occasion, but the message is universal. The message is for you and me.

The Challenges Faced by the Prophet at the Dawn of Islam

When Rasul sallallahu alaihi wasallam announced his Prophethood, he faced many challenges. History is well documented and well preserved. He faced religious challenges, social challenges, marital challenges — all kinds of challenges.

Religious Challenges: The Call to Tawhid

In the Arabian Peninsula, the concept of the unity of Allah was not there. Idols, statues, the sun, the moon, the stars — everything was worshipped. That was a challenge. Rasul sallallahu alaihi wasallam brought the notion of the unity of Allah — that Allah is One, Allah is Ahad. Say: Allah is Ahad. He is unique. No man can be like Him. He is our Creator, Sustainer, and Cherisher.

Social Challenges: Establishing Brotherhood

In the Arabian Peninsula, the tribes were scattered. They had no unity. Over negligible matters they would start fighting and destroy generation after generation. The civil war between Aws and Khazraj lasted for 100 years. So Rasul sallallahu alaihi wasallam brought them together. He established brotherhood — Salman al-Farisi from Persia, Suhaib ar-Rumi from Rome, Bilal from Abyssinia, and the rest of the Sahaba — they became brothers, one international family.

Moral Challenges: Purifying Character

All kinds of racist and indecent activities were practised — gambling, shameless activities. Rasul sallallahu alaihi wasallam purified them, sanctified them, and taught them moral conduct. And especially regarding women — they were disgraced everywhere, to the point that people buried their daughters alive. Rasul sallallahu alaihi wasallam restored and well preserved their rights.

These were the challenges, and this is how Rasul sallallahu alaihi wasallam tackled them:

Indeed, in the life of Rasul sallallahu alaihi wasallam you have the best example to follow.

The First and Most Important Teaching: Akhlaq

Although there are many topics to be discussed — we cannot cover them all within a few minutes or even a few hours — the life of Rasul sallallahu alaihi wasallam must be implemented for each and every single step that we take, in all aspects of our life. But specifically I would like to share one aspect that we must implement and improve: Akhlaq — moral conduct. That was the change, that was the revolution, brought to the world by Rasul sallallahu alaihi wasallam.

And Allah says:

"And indeed, you [O Prophet] are upon a great and noble character." And Rasul sallallahu alaihi wasallam said: I have been sent to establish akhlaq, to establish noble moral conduct.

My brothers and sisters, that is what we are lacking today. I am not talking about individuals but collectively — we need more reminders, we have to improve our moral conduct.

When Did the Pillars of Worship Become Obligatory?

Alhamdulillah, we talk about and learn about our obligations. We have to practice Salah, pay Zakah, fast in the month of Ramadan, and perform Hajj. These are our obligations. When we have the means, we have no choice — we have to do them. But just for our information — when did each of these become obligatory?

It is well preserved and well documented: Salah became obligatory after 10 years of the announcement of Nubuwwah. Zakah became obligatory after the Migration (Hijrah). Sawm (fasting) became obligatory in the second year of Hijri. And Hajj became obligatory after 9 years of Hijri — and Rasul sallallahu alaihi wasallam performed his first Hajj, and that was also his last Hajj.

So my question is: Salah, Sawm, Zakah, and Hajj became obligatory after so many years — so what were the teachings of Rasul sallallahu alaihi wasallam in the beginning? What was his teaching in those first 10, 13, even 20 years?

Tawhid, Akhirah, and ethics — moral conduct — Akhlaq. That is what we are missing today. That was the revolution that Rasul sallallahu alaihi wasallam brought to the world.

When Rasul sallallahu alaihi wasallam received the first revelation, it was a huge responsibility. He came to Sayyidah Khadijah al-Kubra trembling and said: "Cover me, cover me." And what did Sayyidah Khadijah al-Kubra say? She said: "O Messenger of Allah, you have the best manners. You are kind. You are loving. You take care of orphans. You take care of widows. You are the most honest. You are the most truthful. You are As-Sadiq, you are Al-Amin. Allah will take care of you."

Those were his qualities. Those were his teachings. And that is what we are missing today.

The Universal Message: Peace, Love, Brotherhood, Equality and Justice

What was the universal message of Rasul sallallahu alaihi wasallam? It was: peace, love, brotherhood, sisterhood, equality, and justice.

Now, one by one — do we have peace? Maybe individually, maybe a small number of us can say yes. But collectively, do we have peace? No, we do not. Every day you will hear the breaking news that many people were killed, many children were killed. People are fighting. The Muslim Ummah is fighting. They are killing each other over negligible matters. Where is the peace?

When we talk about love — we say we have love, but in fact we are not practising love. We practise hatred, we practise jealousy. We do not love each other. And that was the message of Rasul sallallahu alaihi wasallam. Where are these ethics? Where is this moral conduct?

When we talk about brotherhood — we have segregations. This person belongs to this circle; this circle is not for me. We have segregations and discriminations. So where is brotherhood? Where is equality? Where is justice? My brothers and sisters, this is a question we have to ask ourselves.

The True Muslim: Safe Hands and a Safe Tongue

The first thing — peace. What does Islam mean? Islam means peace. When we greet each other, what do we say? السلام عليكم — peace be upon you. Islam means peace. Islam means submission.

And the real Muslim, the true Muslim, is the one from whose hand and tongue other Muslims are safe. That is the criterion that Rasul sallallahu alaihi wasallam established:

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 10; Sahih Muslim, Book 1, Hadith 64)

Now check yourself — from my hands, from my tongue, are the Muslims safe or not? Each and every single one of us has to check.

Loving for Your Brother What You Love for Yourself

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 13; Sahih Muslim, Book 1, Hadith 72)

None of you will be a complete believer unless he likes for his brother what he likes for himself. If I like everything best for me — do I have a desire, do I have feelings for others? It is a very difficult, very difficult challenge. That is the moral conduct that we have to build.

The Story of the Lady Who Threw Garbage on the Prophet

You know this story — we tell it to our children. When Rasul sallallahu alaihi wasallam would go to the masjid, he would pass by a house where a lady would collect garbage and throw it on him. And Rasul sallallahu alaihi wasallam would smile at her and just walk. He would not say anything. And she did this for many days.

One day Rasul sallallahu alaihi wasallam did not find her. And he went to check on her. He found that she was not feeling well — she was sick. And when she saw him, she was frightened. She thought: "Now is his time. It's his turn. He's going to retaliate. He's going to take revenge."

But Rasul sallallahu alaihi wasallam said: "I am not here to retaliate. I am here to take care of you. To serve you." SubhanAllah. You are here to serve me? Instead of retaliation, instead of taking revenge?

Islam is spread by our moral conduct — not by force. With our akhlaq. We are here for a reason. If we do not share these moral conducts — first of all within ourselves, and then even to other nations — and still we think, we expect, we have a hope that we are going to be exalted? Question mark.

Mercy for the Young and Respect for the Elders

My brothers and sisters, for each and every single step that we take, we need the Seerah of Rasul sallallahu alaihi wasallam in our life. You know the hadith of Rasul sallallahu alaihi wasallam?

(Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 1919; Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith 4943)

The one who does not show mercy to the young ones, and the young ones do not respect their elders — they are not from us.

How much respect do we have for our elders? This is for all my young brothers and sisters. How much do we respect our elders? And at the same time, how much do we show mercy to our young ones? Children are kids — we cannot justify mistreating them in any way.

Rasul sallallahu alaihi wasallam loved children so much. Whenever he would come in from outside and the children would come to him, they would walk behind him. And he would make them sit on his camel, or his horse — whatever transportation he had. He used to love them so much. We must revive that love for our children. They are Allah's gift. We have to take care of them, we have to show mercy to our young ones. But at the same time, our young ones must respect their elders. Where is that respect today?

A Call to Build Our Character

My brothers and sisters, we need improvement in our moral conduct. At the same time, our Ibadat — of course we have obligations, we have no choice, we have to fulfil them. But along with our obligations, we have to build our character, our moral conduct. That was the universal message of Rasul sallallahu alaihi wasallam from the very beginning — and today we are missing it. So we have to build it. And inshallah, this community — not only this community, but this nation, this Muslim Ummah — will once again be exalted. May Allah give us tawfiq to understand.

I say this, and I ask Allah to forgive me and you, and to forgive all the believers. Indeed, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.

Second Part of the Khutbah

We bear witness that our Master and Messenger is our Master Muhammad — He is His Messenger, His Beloved and His Close Friend. After this, I seek refuge with Allah from the accursed Satan.

Indeed, Allah and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet. O you who have believed, send blessings upon him and give him peace.

O Allah, send blessings upon our Master Muhammad and upon the family of our Master Muhammad, in the number of those who send blessings. And send blessings upon all the prophets and messengers, and upon all those who are near to You, and upon the righteous servants of Allah. Indeed You are Most Merciful.

The Smile of the Prophet

My dear brothers and sisters, another moral conduct is very important for all of us. One of the Sahaba said: I have never seen anyone more smiling than Rasul sallallahu alaihi wasallam.

My brothers and sisters, this smile — we are missing it. We live in this society and we have noticed: wherever we go, whether artificial or real, they will first give a smile and then say "May I help you?" What happened to our smile? We have to bring that smile back onto our faces.

Du'a

Closing Reminder

Indeed, Allah commands justice, the doing of good, and giving to kinsfolk, and He forbids all shameful deeds, evil and oppression. He admonishes you that you may take heed.

Remember Allah — He will remember you. And the remembrance of Allah is the greatest. And Allah knows what you do.

Establish the prayer. Allahu Akbar.