2015 09 11 Friday Prayer Sheikh Mokhtar Maghroui

Opening — Khutbah Introduction

In the name of Allah, the most gracious, the most merciful. Praise be to Allah. We praise Him, we ask His help, we ask His forgiveness, we ask His guidance.

And we seek refuge in Allah from the evil of our souls and from the evil of our actions. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and there is no partner for him. And I bear witness that Muhammad is his servant and his messenger.

As for the rest, O people, the Book of Allah is the most truthful of words. And the best guidance is the guidance of Allah. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and there is no partner for him.

And the worst of all things are their inventions. And every invention is an innovation. And every innovation is a misguidance. And every misguidance is in the Fire.

O you who have attained faith, be reverent and conscious of Allah in a way that is worthy of who He is, of His glory and majesty, of His names and attributes, of His grace and favours and bounties. And make sure we do not die except in a state of loving surrender — of our spirits and souls, of our hearts and minds, of our words and deeds — all in voluntary loving surrender to Allah.

Prayer for the Victims of the Crane Collapse in Makkah

Firstly, my dear brothers and sisters, after this hopeful introduction, let us all for a moment pray for those who have passed away earlier today in the land of Saudi Arabia. Those who were there for Hajj — unfortunately again, another accident of a crane collapsing — and over 50 people have died.

May Allah grant them the reward for which they were there — Hajj al-Mabroor. Ya Arham al-Rahimeen, ya Rabb al-'Alamin.

And may Allah protect us and save us — save us from our mistakes, from our shortcomings, from our wrongdoings, from our negligence, from our incompetence sometimes, from our carelessness for human life sometimes. May Allah help us rectify the conditions of our hearts and the conditions of our minds. And may we not forget the purpose for which we are here, despite the challenges — the positive challenges or the negative challenges. May we not forget that.

The Sacred Months and the Virtue of Time

My dear brothers and sisters, this month is the month of the end of Dhul Qa'dah. We are going to start in a few days — perhaps Tuesday — the month of Dhul Hijjah.

We are already in a special month. This month is one of the four holy months — مِنَ الْأَشْهُرِ الْحُرُمِ. And Dhul Hijjah is another one of the holy months, al-Ashwur al-Hurum. And therefore, just by that, we must remember — and I know most of us forgot — that this month is a month of haram, a holy month. And the next one is also a holy month.

And we are supposed to behave in special ways during special times and in special environments and spaces — both of which are favors from Allah upon us. He gave us favors in certain times, and He is the Creator of time, and He assigns special rewards and special virtues and special benefits during certain times which He assigned as the Creator of time — as He assigns special rewards and special benefits in some special spaces that He assigned as the Creator of space.

We must not forget that. And those of us who remember these things and strive to remember these things — it is essentially intended to remind us that every moment is special, that every space, every square inch of space is special. When we become more aware and more conscious and more reverent of Allah by paying attention to some assigned special times and some assigned special spaces, Allah loves for us to feel that specialness for all times, for all spaces — to be always aware of Him, in all space and in all time and all conditions.

So He, out of His divine benevolence and generosity and magnanimity, assigns those special times and spaces for us to pay attention to and to benefit from, bi'idhnillahi ta'ala.

The Ten Days of Dhul Hijjah

On Tuesday, Dhul Hijjah begins. And what is special also about Dhul Hijjah — it is a holy month. Very, very, very special. Right after Ramadan — remember, as we said, we're supposed to focus, and by the grace of Allah, He helps us not to unfocus. He helps us gradually to continue in the spirit of Ramadan. Comes the six days of Shawwal, comes Dhul Qa'dah — a holy month — comes Dhul Hijjah.

And then Dhul Hijjah, as many of you know, and as we must remind ourselves — there are ten days of Dhul Hijjah that are ultimately, extremely, reverently special. So special that Rasulullah ﷺ said — and I am going to quote two ahadith only for the sake of brevity:

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 969)

There are no days of the days of the year — as days together — during which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than during those ten days. From the first of Dhul Hijjah until the tenth of Dhul Hijjah. And then even after that, there is something also special — Ayyam al-Tashreeq: the eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth of Dhul Hijjah.

These days are an opportunity. Righteous deeds during them — Salah, Nafilah prayers, Sawm, Sadaqah, Hajj of course, Umrah, Tawaf, a good word, a good deed, a beautiful feeling expressed towards another fellow Muslim, or in general a fellow creature — all of those are highly, highly, highly beloved. Beloved, first of all, to Allah — Ahabb — and then secondly, rewarded. Because he also said ﷺ:

(Sunan al-Darimi, Hadith 1774)

There is no deed purer and greater in reward with Allah than a good deed done during these ten days. From the first until the tenth — so special.

(Musnad Ahmad, Hadith 5446)

So said he ﷺ — and therefore, during these days, be very frequent in the dhikr of Allah. Be very frequent. A lot of dhikr of Allah. And therefore a lot of لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ, a lot of اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ, a lot of الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ.

Hopefully, as we try to internalize the meaning in those adhkar of Allah. To internalize and to feel the meaning of la ilaha illallah, the meaning of Allahu Akbar, the meaning of alhamdulillah. And if we do so, no matter what condition we are in at that moment — of despair (and we should not) or of hope (and we should) — all of that will be, insha'Allah ta'ala, in the way that Allah loves. And that which is hurtful does not hurt us, and that which is hopeful does not make us brag and leave the bounds of humility, and humbleness, and fairness, and benevolence.

How the Companions Observed These Days

My dear brothers and sisters, fa'akthiru fi hadhihi al-ayyam — we are going to prepare ourselves, starting perhaps Tuesday, to prepare ourselves for this altitude. The Sahaba, our salaf, our predecessors, used to take that very seriously. Despite the fact that they were very near the period of prophethood, and therefore very strong in their faith, and in their inner peace, and in their internal strength, yet they strove hard to stay always aware, and conscious, and reverent of Allah.

It is said that of the companions — such as Sayyiduna Umar, Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Umar, Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah, and many others — during those days, they would go out in their homes, at work, wherever they were, and in addition to that, they would go into the open, into the aswaq — the markets of those days — and loudly celebrate the dhikr of Allah:

And people would follow suit, and all — even in the markets when they heard them — would be in dhikr of Allah. The dhikr that reminds of Allah, dhikr that is intended to transform the conditions of the heart and the conditions of the minds, and to make us more spiritually civilized human beings. More spiritually civilized human beings. More morally civilized human beings. And Allah wants to give us opportunities for more of that.

Sayyiduna Sa'id ibn Jubayr — a great tabi'i, a great tabi'i and scholar and faqih — when the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah approached, and during those days, it is said that he used to profusely and intensely strive in his ibadah of Allah — through salah, and sawm, and dhikr, and du'a, and kindness, and watching the conditions of the minds and of the hearts, and watching what we allow inside of us and harbor inside of us.

My dear brothers and sisters — all kinds of ibadah, and especially the ibadah of the heart. This forsaken, forsaken ibadah. This forsaken sunnah of Rasulullah ﷺ.

The fasting of one day during these first ten days of Dhul Hijjah is like fasting one entire year. And performing qiyam in one of those nights is like performing qiyam in Laylatul Qadr. Gifts from the Giver and the Creator, subhanAllah. Gifts from the Creator of time.

The treasures of the world seen and the world unseen are all in His control and at His disposal. And He gives to those who want to receive, my dear brothers and sisters.

The Day of Arafat and Yawm al-Nahr

These ten days are very important. It suffices that during these ten days, Yawm 'Arafah is one of them. The Day of Arafat — the ninth day of Dhul Hijjah — is one of them. The greatest of all days of the year, as a single day. The day of Jumu'ah is the greatest day of all the week. But as a day of the year, the Day of Arafat is the greatest and noblest of all the days of Allah, as Rasulullah ﷺ told us.

During these ten days, there is also the day of Al-Hajj Al-Akbar, Yawm Al-Hajj Al-Akbar — the tenth of Dhul Hijjah, the day of Nahr, the day of Eid, my dear brothers and sisters.

During these ten days only — where all the acts of ibadah can be performed. That is why they are very special. Only during these ten days can you perform, within those ten days, all five pillars of Islam: Al-Shahadah, As-Salah, As-Sadaqah, As-Sawm, and Al-Hajj. If you are there. This is one, perhaps, of the subtle reasons why those ten days are the most special days in the year, as days together.

Rise Above the Lower Self

My dear brothers and sisters, be very frequent in your ibadah — of Salah, of Sawm, of Dhikr, of Du'a, of fasting, of kindness, of patience, of forgiveness, of civility, of morality, of spirituality, of being elevated morally — and not remaining base and low. Rise, my dear brothers and sisters, rise — especially during these occasions.

Let us all strive to rise above the base and low drives inside of us — in our personal relationship with Allah, and in our relationships with one another, and with the other creatures of Allah. Rise above the pettiness, rise above the shayTani suggestions, rise above the low, base, nafsani requirements. Rise. We do not know when we will be made to rise and never to return again.

I say this saying, and I ask forgiveness of Allah for you and me. So ask forgiveness of Him, and ask forgiveness — those who ask forgiveness. Please seek the forgiveness of Allah. What an excellent abode awaits those who sincerely seek forgiveness from Allah.

Second Part of the Khutbah — Our Deeds Are Shown to the Deceased

Alhamdulillahi wa kafa. Wa sallallahu 'ala 'ibadihi alladhina stafa.

My dear brothers and sisters, yes — these will be opportunities for us to connect to Allah, to change, to improve, to rise, to be spiritually and morally — not only intellectually and culturally — civilized. These are opportunities given to us by Allah.

And as you know, my dear brothers and sisters, our worst enemy is our own selves. Our worst enemy is our own selves, our own nufus, our own drives — and therefore the commission of dhunub, the indulgence in dhunub and in sayyi'at, in sins and in vile actions and words and feelings. These are the worst of our enemies. Because we are in this dunya to harvest goodness and virtue — and all of that is antithetical to harvesting goodness and virtue, and therefore nearness to Allah.

Of that which Rasulullah ﷺ mentioned, and it was the consciousness of our predecessors, of our salaf, that something else helps us check ourselves. Did you know that those who pass away before us — and how often we stand here and we pray for those who have passed away before us, of our relatives, let alone of our distant acquaintances — something very special in the realm of the beyond happens?

(Musnad Ahmad, Hadith 12065; also related by al-Hakim in al-Mustadrak)

Says Rasulullah ﷺ: Mind Allah, beware of Allah, be conscious of Allah — concerning your brethren in the graves. How is that, O Messenger of Allah? For what you do here on earth, as living Muslims, as living human beings — what you do, they will be exposed to it.

Your father who passed before you, your brother who passed before you, your beloved one who passed before you — they are informed of what you do here on earth. Good or bad. The texts are many on this issue.

Some of the Sahaba — and I quote only one, though many others similarly — like Sayyiduna Abu al-Darda', used to say, after he repeats the meaning of this text and reminds himself and others:

Ya Allah, I seek refuge in You from committing any deed that would humiliate me with Abdullah ibn Rawaha — his half-brother, the great companion, the shaheed — who is already there with You. Ya Allah, I seek refuge in You from committing any deeds that would humiliate me with Abdullah ibn Rawaha who is already there with You.

Yes, O servants of Allah — women and men — your parents, your grandparents, your great-grandparents, your brothers, your sisters, your mothers: what you do in this dunya, and they have passed away already — they know. As the text says: fa-masroorun wa musa'oon. Some are happy by what they know of all you are doing — in al-Barzakh — and some are musa'oon, they are hurt, by what you do in this dunya.

And do remember — as we have said many times before — that Rasulullah ﷺ, ultimately, is exposed to the deeds of all his Ummah, not only his relatives, but of all his Ummah — what we do on this earth. He, by the will of Allah and by the divine qudra of Allah, he knows all of that.

Closing Du'as

Closing Reminder

Indeed, Allah commands justice and excellence, and giving to relatives, and He forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you, that perhaps you will be reminded.

Wadhkuru Allaha yadhkurkum. Qumu ila salatikum. Remember Allah and He will remember you. Arise now to your prayer.

Salah — Recitations During the Prayer

Announcement — Masjid Fundraiser from Richmond, Virginia

Allah says: Contribute and help one another in righteousness and God-consciousness. And do not help one another in sin and rebelliousness.

Respected elders, brothers and sisters — we are a group of brothers who have come from Richmond, Virginia, seeking your help for a very noble cause. We are currently building a masjid there. We do not have a masjid, but we have two musallas that serve 400 families. We have daily salah, Jumu'ah, Ramadan activities, and also a Hafiz ul-Quran program there.