Jummah Khutbah: Finding safety at times of trials

Finding Safety at Times of Trials

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As an imam, as a traveling speaker in different cities and different communities, I receive a lot of questions from people — whether via email, social media, or even in person. SubhanAllah, not so many people probably notice that, if you don't get that frequent kind of questioning from people. But there's a new trend that's happening for the past maybe a year or so, maybe even more, that I've been noticing within the Muslim community.

A lot of these questions just have the same underlining theme for every single question — whether it's about their personal relationship with their spouse, with their children. Some people have issues at work. Some people have issues growing up in a culture like this. Some people have issues with Islam altogether, subhanAllah. They have issues when they go to school, when they go to work. So many things.

The underlining theme of all these questions, no matter what question people are asking, there's a great amount of confusion in the minds and the hearts of people. Confusion has become one of the greatest fitna that we have in our time, unfortunately. People are confused. Wallahi, they're confused. They don't know what to do next.

Maybe I'm speaking about myself, speaking about you as well. Because in a time like ours, when we see what the situation of the world is, how the Muslims are now being treated in this country, and what we see on the TV — just if you want to relax, or even just would like to do something out of the ordinary, and you go and watch something random, you find something that has to do with you as being Muslim. Whether it's an attack on your identity, attack on your culture, on your belief system, on your faith — for Muslims and non-Muslims.

Confusion is becoming the greatest fitna right now that many, many people are dealing with. But it's just one of these fitan that the Prophet ﷺ described to us that will happen as a sign of the Day of Judgment.

The Inevitability of Trials at the End of Times

In this khutbah, I would like to share with you a few things. How can we stay safe? How can we find safety in times of trials? In terms of all these fitan, how can we find safety? This is what I'm going to be talking to you about, insha'Allah wa ta'ala.

But before that, I want you to know that this is an inevitable reality. What does it mean? The end of time — as we come closer to the Day of Judgment and the end of this course of this world — as the Prophet ﷺ described, there will be a lot of fitan. The signs are all out there for us. Didn't he ﷺ say, of the signs of the Day of Judgment, that people — the shepherds and the Bedouins — they're competing in building skyscrapers? We see these signs.

Didn't he ﷺ mention one of the biggest signs of the Day of Judgment — prosperity? Fitnat as-sarrah — the great trial of prosperity. The kind of wealth, the kind of prosperity the world has arrived to, subhanAllah, is just unprecedented, never heard of before in the history of mankind — that the average human being lives probably the life of lords from maybe 100 or 200 years ago. That is unheard of before. This is from the fitna. This is the time almost close to the end of it.

When people think that they have control over this world, as Allah says:

"When the earth takes on its adornment — its beauty and all the decorations, all the fancy things in this world — and people, when they see the adornment of this world, they thought that they had taken control over it." When they realize they now know the laws of physics, the laws of chemistry, the laws of biology, and everything, now they think, "Oh, we'll figure it all out," subhanAllah. Suddenly, we know everything about this world. That is the time when the end is probably going to start coming.

Allah al-musta'an. And with that will be a lot of confusion and a lot of fitan. The Prophet ﷺ says in the hadith:

(Sahih Muslim, Book 1, Hadith 119)

"The time will come when fitan — trials and ordeals — will be like the pitch black of the night." You can't see anything. Even if you put your hand in front of you, you won't see anything. Which means it will be so confusing that the obvious becomes so hard to see.

The clutter that's in our minds, in our hearts, is confusing a lot of people in this time. Adding to this, the floods that we're getting from our cell phones and smart technology and so on is not giving people a chance to breathe — not giving people the chance to breathe out of what they're receiving. And unfortunately, what makes news is not the good stuff. Unfortunately, it's the negative things — the controversial aspects, entertainment. And usually the worse it is, the more appealing to people, unfortunately, these days.

So the flood of fitan are coming our way and it seems that people have lost control over these things. Even if you have a smartphone in your pocket, you can't just stop the fitna from coming to you. Sometimes people start pursuing it without even knowing that.

The Hadith of Ibn Mas'ud: What To Do When the Trials Come

In the hadith, Abdullah ibn Mas'ud radiyallahu 'anhu said — he asked the Prophet ﷺ — "What are you going to do when the time comes? When this time comes — it will shake people, scrutinize them, just like when you have a strainer and you start straining flour, cleaning everything." He said they will be shaken severely. And then he said, "What stays on top?" — meaning a group of people. Not even the best. Meaning after the shaking, what stays is not going to be the best — those who don't keep their words, those who are not trustworthy. And as a result they will among themselves differ and disagree. And then the Prophet ﷺ said they become like this — and with his hands ﷺ he put his fingers interlocked — meaning they're going to be in constant disagreements and fighting and struggle. And look at what happened in this world; it's pretty much what we're having here.

They were terrified. "What would you ask us to do then?" And that's what we need to learn from the Prophet ﷺ — how can we find safety in terms of trials and ordeals?

How to Find Safety: Key Principles

1. Hold Firmly to What You Already Know — the Qur'an and Sunnah

The first thing he ﷺ said: take what you already know — the proper knowledge. And you stay away from what you don't recognize, like innovations and bid'ah and whatever people bring to you as matters of faith and deen. You mind your own self and business. Meaning, keep yourself under check all the time. Don't lose control over yourself and your family. And leave the rule of the mob.

Today, what our culture calls "trends" — who created the trend anyway? The mob. Whether it's visual, virtual, or local, whatever it is. Many people follow in their life the rule of the mob and the trend that is out there. And then they say you're the odd one — because everybody is following that which is considered trending. Even if it is wrong.

So what is it the Prophet ﷺ is talking about when he says hold on to what you know? He's talking about the first source — the Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ. In the hadith, the Prophet ﷺ said:

(Al-Muwatta of Imam Malik, Book 46, Hadith 3)

"I left for you two things. You will never go astray as long as you hold on to them: the Book of Allah and my Sunnah." This is what we recognize. If people bring anything, we need to go back to the Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ. When we follow the opinions of people, whoever they are, that becomes the problem — we get divided. Unless we support that opinion with the Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ.

2. Leave What You Do Not Recognize — the Doubtful Matters

That means we leave what we recognize of the fitan, the bid'ah, the shubuhat. Anything that you don't know is from the Qur'an or Sunnah and you're doubtful about — stay away from it.

The Prophet ﷺ was asked — someone asked him: "Tell me about what is considered birr — the good — and what is al-ithm? How do I recognize between what is good and what is not?" And the Prophet ﷺ said:

(Sahih Muslim, Book 32, Hadith 6195)

"The best of all good is good manners. And as for sin — it is that which scratches in your heart. When you do something and you feel guilty about it, no matter how much you try to justify it for yourself, you still feel that you've done something wrong." You might not be sure, but you feel something is wrong with it — "I don't feel comfortable with that." Something keeps scratching you from the inside, bothering you, and you hate for people to see it. That becomes a personal filter for you. Even if you don't have a sheikh or a scholar to contact in that moment, check what's in your heart and see how you would feel about it.

Today, having good manners is not a quality people appreciate very much. It's the opposite — if you're the one who deceives, who gets away with things and breaks the rules, you're considered a smart person. Not someone who has good manners and akhlaq no matter what. So the true birr is husn al-khuluq — good manners.

3. Seek Knowledge from the Scholars

The third thing that the hadith requires from us is that we seek that knowledge from the ulama — those who know. If I would like to know what I'm supposed to be holding on to from the Qur'an and Sunnah, and stay away from that which is considered doubtful, then where do I get that knowledge from? There is no doubt — the knowledge comes from the ulama, those whom Allah blessed with knowledge.

In the hadith of Mu'awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan radiyallahu 'anhu, the Prophet ﷺ said:

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 71; Sahih Muslim, Book 12, Hadith 1037)

"Doing good is a habit — you need to continue doing that which is good until it becomes natural to you. Once it becomes natural, you know that you've established a good habit. As for evil, it is always controversial and persistent. And whoever Allah wills good for, He gives them the understanding of this deen." The good understanding of the deen of Allah.

4. Leave the Rule of the Mob

What the Prophet ﷺ is also telling us in the first hadith is to leave amr al-'awamm — to leave the rule of the mob. Today, as I said, most people follow what is considered trendy. And even if you try to bring back the true legacy of the Prophet ﷺ and the teaching of the Qur'an, people will label you as out of your time. "This is not what people need today."

It's not about that, O Jama'ah. It's about what is right and what is wrong within the context of the Qur'an and Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ. Just because people say it's okay, just because the general body wants this and that, doesn't mean it's right — unless it's supported by the Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ. Otherwise, subhanAllah, when it comes to the majority, they are not always on the right path. Even the Qur'an — Allah mentioned that to us:

"And most people, even if you try, will not be believers."

In the statement of Ali radiyallahu 'anhu, he said: "When it comes to people, there are three categories. First, ʿālim rabbānī — a scholar who is Rabbani." As Ibn Abbas radiyallahu 'anhu explained, he is the one who teaches people the basics before the major things. Today, learning the essentials is gone. Wallahi, I have seen some public speakers — people already out there teaching people — failing in observing some of the basic teachings like the etiquette of eating according to the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ, or even having basic decency. It is very embarrassing. So the ʿālim rabbānī fears Allah, teaches people what is right, and keeps them away from what is wrong.

Then he said: wa muta'allim 'alā sabīl al-najāh — the second category is a learner on the path of safety. What does it mean? "I'm learning to stay safe. I'm looking for safety on this path to Allah. All that I'm doing is trying to survive in this world." And by the way, our duty as Muslims is not to quit. Because people say, "Sheikh, it's too much, it's great fitan, Allahumma sa'anā, I should quit and just keep to myself." You can do that if you want. That's up to you. But a true believer never quits. Instead, you persevere. You strive. You struggle. You try to be the torch for people when they can't see through. You be the one who carries, insha'Allah, the banner for them so they can find safety with Allah.

And the third category, he says: wa hamajon ra'a' — the ignorant mob. He says, atbā'u kulli nā'iq — they are followers of every loud mouth. The loudest — they go after. It's not about the most knowledgeable, not about the most authentic. Just the loudest. He says, yamīlūna ma'a kulli rīḥ — they sway with every wind, or you could say every trend. The trend takes them right, they go right. It takes them left, they go left. They don't stay steadfast.

Istiqāmah — steadfastness. When a man asked the Prophet ﷺ:

(Sahih Muslim, Book 1, Hadith 62)

"O Messenger of Allah, tell me something about Islam such that I need ask no one after you." He said ﷺ: "Say, I believe, and then remain steadfast." Meaning: say you believe, and then prove it. Act upon it. Work so hard to remain standing — to walk with pride, believing that Allah is One and only, and follow the example of Rasulullah ﷺ.

Ali ibn Abi Talib continues speaking about that mob, saying: lam yastaḍī'ū bi-nūr al-'ilm — they haven't seen the light of knowledge. Wa lam yaljaʾū ilā rukn wathīq — and they're not holding tight to a strong corner, meaning a strong foundation of knowledge. Which is why when fitna happens, unfortunately, the majority of the mob just fall. They fall for it and they lose their faith and feel betrayed. Why? Because they've been following the loudest mouth, not necessarily the true teaching of the Prophet ﷺ.

5. Equip Yourself with Iman and Taqwa

That you always equip yourself with faith, strong taqwa of Allah — fear Allah and follow the Prophet's ﷺ example and Sunnah. In the Qur'an, Allah says:

"O you who believe, fear Allah and believe in His Messenger ﷺ."

Ibn Ashur rahimahullah says about the meaning of this ayah: Allah says "O you who believe" — but then He says "believe in His Messenger ﷺ." Isn't that already implied when He says O you who believe? He says the meaning is that the time will come when people say they believe but they won't follow the Prophet ﷺ. Sounds familiar in our time unfortunately. Today, many people call themselves intellectual — "We only follow the Quran, that's it. As for the Prophet ﷺ, that's another thing." Others among the believers themselves believe in Allah, no doubt, but they follow other than the Prophet ﷺ as their main guide — they always follow the opinions of people, not the example of the Prophet ﷺ.

Allah says after that — He will provide for you, He will grant you two portions of His mercy. And not just that — what we need in times of fitna is light of guidance, as the Prophet ﷺ says: in the fitna it becomes dark, so we need the light. And He will give you light by which you walk through the darkness of the fitan and the trials of this time. And He will forgive you in the process. We make mistakes. We're not going to be probably 100% true to this principle — we fall, we fall short. We're human beings after all. I believe in Allah and I believe the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ is the best to follow, but I'm a human being. I make mistakes in the process. But I need to continue trying, and Allah grants me maghfirah — as long as you continue trying, Allah is all-forgiving. Wallahu Ghafūrun Rahīm — and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

6. Put Your Trust in Allah — Tawakkul

The last point I want to mention — I will try, but what guarantees that I'm going to arrive at safety? There is absolutely no guarantee. Because you're not responsible for the result — you're responsible for doing your part. That's why you need to have tawakkul. After you're doing your part, you need to put your trust where it belongs — in Allah. You put your trust in people and they will deceive you, they will disappoint you. But you put your trust in Allah — no matter what happens, good or bad, you know it's for a reason.

Allah says:

"Whoever puts their trust in Allah, Allah will be sufficient for them." Once again — those who truly believe, they know that whatever good happens, there is a reason for it. And those who see that things are not going their way — only Allah knows how things work. That's the miracle and the mystery of the Qadar of Allah.

Insha'Allah on Wednesday after Salatul Maghrib I'm going to be talking about Al-Qadar, especially in a time when many, many people have a problem with that understanding — how can I stay faithful to my Deen, my Iman, in times when I see around me things that will just challenge everything I know about my faith? How can I have that trust in Allah and in the Qadar of Allah? That's a very important issue.

SubhanAllah — once again, when it comes to this time of trials, times of fitan, as people come closer to the signs of the Day of Judgment as they approach faster and faster, things get difficult. And few people will survive it. But those who persevere and become persistent and follow the example of the Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ, stay informed, seek knowledge, stay with the knowledgeable people, always strengthen themselves with Iman and Taqwa, and always put their trust in Allah — only then will they be able to survive. May Allah make us among them, Ya Rabbil Alamin.

The Second Khutbah: The Lesson of Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman

My dear brothers and sisters, subhanAllah — when it comes to the level of severity of these fitan and trials, it's really not constant at all times. It depends. Even Umar radiyallahu 'anhu in his time was worried about these trials. So he asked the people around him: "Who amongst you has heard the Prophet ﷺ speaking about these trials and ordeals?"

So the people said: "Are you talking about the trials and the fitna that we get because of our family — dealing with our children, our wealth, our rizq?" He said, "No, no, no, that's not the one I'm talking about. Those trials — you can find expiation for them if you pray, if you give charity, if you fast. It will help you pass it. It's easy. I'm talking about fitan — the ones that will be so scary, like the surge of the ocean. That's what I'm talking about."

So Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman told him: "I heard the Prophet ﷺ speaking about it." He said: "I asked the Prophet ﷺ about al-khayr wa al-sharr." He said: "People used to ask the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about good — I used to ask about evil because I was worried that I would do it without realizing that." And that is exactly what people need to pay attention to today.

Many people, whenever something is controversial, they take the easy way out by doing it because it's "not haram." But that's not how things go. Just because it's okay doesn't mean you should. You need to make sure that it's okay, but also that it's right. You make sure that you don't lose your principle of steadfastness. Yes, in our deen we do have rukhas — we have concessions, alhamdulillah, easy ways of doing things. There is no doubt about it. But don't justify the sin for yourself under this principle. You need to ask knowledgeable people. Let them know — is it okay for me to do that? Is it okay to do it this way or that way? This is how we survive — because we need to ask those who have knowledge so we can be saved.

Two Final Principles: Istighfar and Salah

And finally, one last thing I would like to give each and every one of you — and myself first — to hold on to as a principle. As long as we maintain this regularly, hopefully we will find safety in terms of trials.

Seeking Forgiveness Constantly — the Example of Yunus

We seek forgiveness constantly from Allah. When the Prophet Yunus was in the belly of the whale, Allah spoke about him — that one thing specifically saved him: he never stopped seeking forgiveness from Allah. Yunus — when he was upset and left his people, he thought, "khalas," and he left. Allah tested him and tried him in the belly of the whale. And he starts calling out in the darkness of the ocean:

"There is no god but You. Glory be to You. Indeed, I was among the wrongdoers." He sought refuge with Allah — the One and Only. Subhānak — I praise You. Innī kuntu minal ẓālimīn — I admit my faults, I transgressed, I made a mistake. Allah says immediately: "So We answered his call and We saved him."

And that's what we all need — we need to be saved. Even if nothing is personally hurting you physically, it's hurting you internally. You're sitting at home, worried, concerned, scared, can't even eat or sleep — even though nothing personally is catching up with you — but you have that ghamm, that concern. You need that safety from this. And that's how you do it — you seek Allah's forgiveness and praise Allah.

Holding on to As-Salah — the Night Prayer

And the other thing is as-salah. The Prophet ﷺ one night woke up so scared in the house of Umm Salamah radiyallahu 'anha. He said, "Wake them up" — wake up all his wives — to pray. And he told them ﷺ that Allah had sent down things this night, and also some of these fitan and trials. And he asked them to wake up and pray.

At night, if anyone would like to find safety in this difficult time, you need to start learning to wake up at night to pray. I know we stay up a lot at night — but not for the right reason, whether we're just socializing or killing time on the internet or anything like that. But you need to learn to wake up so you pray two rak'āt at least on a regular basis. Hopefully you will find that peace and tranquility in your heart and your mind.