Sh. Yaser Birjas

The Legacy of Ibrahim: A Path of Submission and Da'wah

My dear brothers and sisters, as we come closer and closer to the season of Hajj, and as we remember with the Hajj, we remember also Prophet Ibrahim alayhi salam. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala chose Ibrahim alayhi salam to be his khalil, his beloved. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala chose Ibrahim for a special mission that we today, we live the legacy of — which is the Hajj that we go to every year.

Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala chose Ibrahim for us to be mentioned and remembered in every single salah:

We always send salawat upon Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and Prophet Ibrahim and his household in every single salah.

My dear brothers and sisters, there is a reason for that. There is a wisdom and a hikmah behind that. And Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala even made it very clear to us in the Quran that it is mandatory upon the believers — those who believe in Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala and believe in Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam — that they should also follow the example of Ibrahim alayhi salam.

When Allah azza wa jal said to us in the Quran:

Anyone who turns away from the path, from the way of Ibrahim — سَفِهَ نَفْسَهُ — they are deceiving themselves, they are fooling themselves. And Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is going to show us and show the whole world on the Day of Judgment, in the hereafter, that he was among the most righteous. They will see his place.

And what was exactly his mission?

When Allah told him, "Submit yourself to your Lord," he said, "I submit." No question asked. And that is what millat Ibrahim was — the way of Ibrahim alayhi salam. It is absolute submission to the rule of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.

Absolute Submission: The Core of Ibrahim's Mission

My dear brothers and sisters, if you look at the meaning of this, every time in the Quran when Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala talks about Ibrahim, He highlights that particular quality about Ibrahim alayhi salam — his absolute submission to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. Absolute ubudiyyah and servitude to Allah azza wa jal. Because He is teaching us to always refocus and always focus on your purpose. No matter where you go in this life, no matter how far you go — whether in your education, your family life, your personal life, whatever that is — there is always a mission.

You have been sent here for a mission. And that is the mission of Ibrahim alayhi salam — to deliver that message, to submit to the rule of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. And we have all been called to follow the example of Ibrahim alayhi salam. Because afterwards Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says about him:

Ibrahim, his son Yaqub, and his offspring — they have all been given the exact same mission. All of them. That you submit yourself to the rule of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. "O my sons, Allah has chosen this path for you, this deen, the deen of submission. To be Muslim — a true Muslim to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. This is your way, this is your deen. Do not ever die, do not ever let that moment come, unless you are in full submission to His rule subhanahu wa ta'ala."

Brothers and sisters, Ibrahim alayhi salam lived that principle. He sacrificed almost his life for it, alayhi salatu wa salam. That was the mission of Ibrahim, that was his da'wah.

I want to share with you a few points from the life of Ibrahim alayhi salam that highlight for us the legacy of Ibrahim in the path of da'wah to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.

Most of us, alhamdulillah rabbil alameen, enjoy being Muslims. Alhamdulillah, we are so proud to say la ilaha illallah muhammadur rasulullah. Especially nowadays, when the internet opens the doors of every single culture, every single ideology, every single worship and ritual and practice. You look at what people do, what people worship, and you keep saying, "Alhamdulillah, Allah made me Muslim." When you see things on the internet, what people do, what deities they choose to worship, and you say, "Alhamdulillah, Allah made me Muslim."

But — what exactly, how do you show your gratitude to Allah azza wa jal? You are Muslim. What are you doing about this? Are you sharing it with the world? Are you going out there to tell the people about this mission? Instead of laughing at what people do, we need to feel sorry for them. And go out there and do our best to let them know the beauty of submission to the will of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, the beauty of this deen. That is the mission of Ibrahim alayhi salam.

Lessons from Ibrahim's Da'wah

And how did he do that? I am going to share with you a few things. Especially as we know today, in the circumstances that we live in — with what is happening to our brothers and sisters in Gaza, may Allah make it easy for them, ya rabbal alameen. What is happening today in Jenin as well, which is not even in Gaza. The oppression that they are going through, and the killing that is happening, the destruction of their property and their life, subhanAllah.

First: Al-Hikmah wal-Maw'idhat al-Hasanah — Wisdom and Kindness

Ibrahim alayhi salam had a methodology. At the beginning, he starts with al-hikmah wal-maw'idhat al-hasanah — you give your da'wah with wisdom and kindness. And that is what he did when he talked to his father, who was one of the elites of that society back then in Iraq. His father was a powerful man. You cannot just go there and argue with him and fight with him. So he had to approach him with kindness. He had to approach him with hikmah.

So he went to his father, as Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala describes for us. In Surah Maryam, when Allah says, "Remember the story of Ibrahim":

He was truthful. He was a prophet. He came to his father and said, يَا أَبَتِ — "my dear father." Yaa abati is an endearment statement in the Arabic language. Instead of the formal word for "father," it is like saying "dad." That is a term of endearment. So he came to his father trying to establish that beautiful emotional connection.

He said, "Dad, I have received knowledge that you have not received yet. And that knowledge is very important. That knowledge is telling me that whatever you are worshipping is nothing. You are wasting your life, your energy, your time on these false deities. My father, I will bring you to the straight path to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala." And he kept talking to him — يَا أَبَتِ لَا تَعْبُدِ الشَّيْطَانَ — "My dear father, please do not worship the Shaytan. Do not follow these false ideologies and false claims about God."

He was adamant in guiding his father to that which is right, but he was doing so through al-hikmah wal-maw'idhat al-hasanah first. What was the response of his father?

"What? Are you going to forsake my gods? You have chosen some other god besides mine? I swear, if you are not going to follow mine, I am going to go after you. I am going to stone you." He was threatened. Many of us have been threatened just because we are voicing our position, bringing our voice out there for justice — even in the most legal way — and still being told to keep our mouths shut. You cannot criticize this or that.

And here is Ibrahim alayhi salam standing against his father, this very powerful man who was supposed to be his support, saying: "I do not even know you. Even if you are my son, I will come after you. Worship my god or otherwise stay away from me."

And Ibrahim alayhi salam, after trying and trying and trying, what did he say?

"Dad, peace." He said, "I am not going to engage in this argument. But I would love to have peace with you. I will seek forgiveness for you from my Lord." Even though later on Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala told Ibrahim alayhi salam: no more — you cannot seek forgiveness for him. He has chosen his way. But Ibrahim, alayhi salam, never lost hope in his father, in his people.

And wallahi, my dear brothers and sisters, there are so many good people out there who simply do not know the truth. They have never heard the knowledge that you have, like Ibrahim alayhi salam had. His father did not. They do not know anything about it. But you can open their eyes to the truth and help them with hikmah and maw'idhat al-hasanah.

Second: Dialogue, Proof, and Public Argument

Brothers and sisters, Ibrahim alayhi salam used almost everything in his power to convince his people. He chose dialogue. He chose argument. He brought them proofs. He asked them to bring proofs. He did everything in his power.

At some point, Ibrahim alayhi salam determined that the argument alone was not working anymore. So he took an action — he went to their temple and destroyed all those false deities except for the largest one, and he placed the axe on its shoulder.

When the people came back and were shocked to see their gods in such a miserable state — can you imagine gods in a miserable state? — they argued among themselves: "Who did this to our gods?" They said, "We heard about a young man, his name is Ibrahim. He was talking about our gods." So all of them, in a state of rage and arrogance, said: "Bring him! Bring him in front of everybody. Let us question him." And that is exactly what Ibrahim alayhi salam wanted. He wanted the people to hear.

We have been given a tool today called the internet, where no one can simply hide the truth anymore. No matter how much they try, subhanAllah. No matter how much they try to push their narrative, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is more powerful. La ghaliba illallah. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala's way will prevail.

Ibrahim alayhi salam wanted the people to hear him speak directly. Back then they did not have the internet. So the only way to do that was to speak in front of everybody. He risked his life for it. It is just like nowadays many of these young people on stage during their graduations — risking much — they still want the world to see and hear the truth. Because that is one way of being brave and standing for justice.

So they brought Ibrahim alayhi salam forward:

"You did this to all the gods?" He had been waiting for this question. He said, "Me? No, I did not do that. Him — he did that. The big one." He pointed to the largest idol. They said, "Come on, you know they cannot do these things." He said, "Really?" And he gave the argument — all of this in front of the public.

The elders among themselves started coming back to their senses — فَرَجَعُوا إِلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ — knowing it was embarrassing to say otherwise in front of the people, especially the young ones who were saying, "Yeah, that's true. How could this idol have done these things?" So they came back to their senses and said to themselves, "You are the wrongdoers. He is saying the truth."

But then, subhanAllah — their status, their money, their prestige, their power, everything was at stake. They were so scared to lose it all. So what did they do? ثُمَّ نُكِسُوا عَلَىٰ رُءُوسِهِمْ — they turned back again to their old ways. "No, no, no. You know they do not talk." However, they said, "We will show you what we can do to you."

Ibrahim brought the logic and the argument to the people. He brought the proof and the evidence. It was all clear to everybody. However, my dear brothers and sisters, even if you bring all the proofs out there, that does not mean people are going to say you are absolutely right. Our job is not necessarily to convince everyone. We cannot force that. Our job is just to bring the proof out there for the people. And Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is the one who guides the hearts — not us.

Third: Remaining Steadfast Regardless of the Consequences

Ibrahim alayhi salam did his best and remained steadfast regardless of the consequences. Some of our young brothers and sisters in our communities were arrested just because they were standing for justice. They were taken to prison. They were processed. For what? Just to exercise their right to speak the truth and be out there in public. They threw all accusations against them just as they did to Ibrahim alayhi salam. But he remained steadfast. He stood his ground.

The people said, "We are going to make an example of you." They put his situation on public display for all to see. And they made a huge fire to punish him, to show their power. And they threw Ibrahim alayhi salam into the fire.

As he was launched via the catapult — and the hadith is sahih — the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said that as Ibrahim was flying through the air toward the fire, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala sent Jibreel to him. And Jibreel said, "O Ibrahim, do you need any help?" Ibrahim alayhi salam replied, "From you? No thank you. I need nothing, because I have Allah. And Allah is enough for me."

(Referenced in Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 4563)

And instantly Allah changed the laws of the fire. He said to the fire:

"Be cool and be safe in regard to Ibrahim." And it did. It did.

And then — even when that ended — that is the point I want to bring to our attention. Many of us now, alhamdulillah, are hopeful as we see people waking up, the new generation awakening to what is happening in the world, in the Middle East, in Palestine and Gaza, and to the injustice. But that does not mean it is going to last for long.

Because even the people of Ibrahim — when they saw Ibrahim coming out of the fire, what more proof did they need? But they still said, "We are not going to believe in you. Do whatever you want." Because some people prefer the dunya over the akhirah. They prefer the handsome amounts they receive from lobbyists and others over the truth. Over saving themselves in this world and the hereafter as well. So you will find people who will still insist on being unjust. Why? Because there is so much for them to lose in the matters of this dunya. And Ibrahim alayhi salam did not care about that. He was caring about the akhirah.

The Takeaway: Follow the Legacy of Ibrahim

My dear brothers and sisters, there is so much we could learn from the legacy of Ibrahim alayhi salam. But I just want you to remember this. As we see how the world is moving right now — there is a revival and awakening among the younger generation, people starting to wake up to the truth, some political entities changing their positions regarding the situation — that does not mean victory is coming soon or safety is coming soon. Allah knows what is going to happen. But Allah's ways are different.

Your job is to continue to follow the legacy of Ibrahim alayhi salam. You need to be focused on the purpose of this life: submission to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. Invite people to the truth. Show them the proofs and the evidences. Make du'a for them. And remain steadfast no matter what the consequences, because this life is temporary. And the next one, inshallah, is eternity — an eternal life of bliss in Jannah. May Allah make us among the people of Jannah, ya rabbal alameen.

Aqoolu qawli hadha wa astaghfirullah al-adheem wa lakum, wa li sa'iril muslimeen, wa astaghfiruhu innahu huwa al-ghafoorun al-raheem.

Second Khutbah: The Path Is Not Easy — But Hold Firm

Alhamdulillah rabbil alameen, wa sallallahu wa sallama wa baraka 'ala nabiyyina Muhammadin wa 'ala alihi wa sahbihi wa sallam wa tasliman kathiran, amma ba'd.

My dear brothers and sisters, Ibrahim alayhi salam remained steadfast because his path was clear — to call to the one and only Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. That was the secret of his power and his strength. To believe in the oneness of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala and the tawheed of Allah azza wa jal. He risked everything for that — including his own hometown. He had to leave, migrate, leave his own family and people, and live a completely different life in a new place. All this for the sake of Allah azza wa jal.

What does that mean? The path to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is not always going to be easy. It is full of obstacles and challenges, because Allah is going to test us to see who is going to be truthful and who is not.

When the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam first received the first revelation —

— when he received that, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and his wife Khadijah radiallahu anha took him to Waraqah ibn Nawfal, and he told Waraqah what he had seen. What was the very first thing that Waraqah told the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam? He said: "I wish I were young enough to be there with you and support you when your own people drive you out of your hometown."

To which the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was shocked. He said:

"Are they really going to drive me out of my hometown?" And Waraqah said:

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 3)

"No one ever brought to the people a way, a lifestyle, a deen, a message like yours, except that they gained the people's hostility." So if you think people are going to open their arms for you when you call them to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, think twice. It might be very challenging.

But the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam also tells us that those who have been the most severe and most adamant in staying upon their old ways — if they become Muslims, they become strong in Islam. So have hope for them, inshallah, make a lot of du'a for them, and remain steadfast on the path of Ibrahim alayhi salam.

Ibadallah,