Jummah Khutbah - Last 10 Nights with the Quran

Jummah Khutbah — Last 10 Nights with the Quran

Alhamdulillah, we praise Allah, we seek His aid and we seek His forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from the evil of ourselves and the evil of our bad deeds. Whomsoever Allah guides, none can misguide. And whomsoever Allah allows to be led astray, none can guide. And I bear witness that there is no one worthy of worship except Allah, the Exalted, and that Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, his family members and his companions, is His last messenger and slave.

O you who believe, fear Allah and die not except in a state of submission to Him alone, as Muslims.

O humanity, fear your Lord who created you from a single soul, and from that created its mate, and from that scatters many men and women. O humanity, fear your Lord and do not cut off relations with your kin. Indeed, Allah is Ar-Raqib — He is the ultimate monitor over you.

O humanity, fear your Lord and speak the truth. In return, He will rectify for you your affairs, your deeds, and He will forgive you of the sins you have committed. And whoever obeys Allah and His messenger has indeed achieved the greatest achievement.

As to what follows — indeed the best speech is the Qur'an. And the best one to actualize the Qur'an, to act out the Qur'an, is the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. And of the worst affairs in our doctrinal system of Islam are the newly invented ones. For every newly invented affair is an innovation. And for every innovation is a form of going astray from the Sirat al-Mustaqim. And every form of going astray leads to the Fire. And we seek refuge in Allah from that.

The Story of Ali Banat — A Reminder of Our Limited Days

One day when the sun rose, I was sitting at home on my laptop and I saw a message come up. It was a message that was reminding me of certain events that take place on that platform — and we all know of it — called Facebook. I'm hardly on it. I try to maintain my time on it. But something told me to click on this message. And when I clicked on it, there was the story of an update of a brother that many of us may or may not know. And the authenticity of it, insha'Allah, is authentic because I saw another interview of him, and his situation looked much worse. And that is the story of the brother Ali Banat.

Ali Banat, if I'm not mistaken — and many of you may know of this brother — he was an individual that was in Australia and he found out that he had cancer. He was being interviewed, and this was a while ago. When he found out that he had cancer, he gave all of his money and his belongings to a country in Africa. He wanted to basically do charity and give back, because what he realized is that his days were numbered.

He realized that everything he had — subhanAllah — he had sandals that were worth hundreds of dollars, Louis Vuitton clothing, Louis Vuitton shoes. He was living the life. He had everything. But he realized at the end of the day, all of this is tangible things. And these tangible things do not remind me of my Creator, the One that has given me the faculties in order to obtain these things.

So when he was being interviewed years ago, he was mentioning this to people and he was pleading to people, reminding them that their days are limited, reminding them that this dunya — even the word dunya in and of itself comes from dana, meaning that which is low. So we do not cherish that which is low. We only use that which is low to make us high with Allah. We use the elements within this tangible life to remind us about Allah, and we start with ourselves.

Even when Allah says:

"And in your own selves — do you not see? Do you not ponder over yourself?" When you look at these forms of creation — this manifestation of the names Al-Khaliq, Al-Bari', Al-Musawwir: the Creator, the Fashioner, the One that brings things into existence — when we look at the manifestation of it, we should stop and say: how did this come about? Who created it?

So Ali, this individual, may Allah bless him — the news came that he was on his deathbed, and then the news came that Allah took him. But when you see the interview previous to that, you saw his situation was a little more severe. His face was a little swollen, but he was still reminding people about Allah. He was still reminding people that the days are limited. Take advantage of your days in this dunya. Do not think for the blink of an eye that this life is longer than the blink of an eye.

As Allah says in the Qur'an, in the chapter of Al-Najm — the Star:

Meaning that our situation is not except for the time span of the blinking of an eye — meaning that this lifespan is short, brothers and sisters. Take advantage of it.

So with that knowledge that we already have in our subconscious mind — and sometimes, many a time, the Jumu'ah, the khutbah, the sermons, remind us to bring that which is in our subconscious mind to our conscious mind. To make us be individuals of the dhākirīn, the shākirīn. So when we remember, we remember the blessings of Allah, and we therefore thank Allah in remembering that. And that only happens when the blessings are in our conscious mind — not on the back burner. Things that we know but we don't bring to our presence and don't try to implement.

The Virtue of the Last 10 Days of Ramadan

So with that knowledge, brothers and sisters, we know that our days are limited. Allah has allowed us — as the companions used to say, "O Allah, allow us to reach the month of Ramadan" — we should consider it a blessing that we reached the month of Ramadan. And now we have reached the middle, or a little after the middle, of the month of Ramadan. In a couple of days, the last 10 days will be here.

And if any of you don't know the virtue of the last 10 days — the Prophet ﷺ used to confine himself in a place for the purpose of detaching himself from the tangible. He would detach himself from the world. The first 10 days of the month of Ramadan he used to do this, the second 10 days he was told he used to do it, the third 10 days he was told it was the last 10 days of Ramadan — because he was searching for Laylatul Qadr. He was searching for that night that has so many virtues in it, as we know in the chapter of Al-Qadr. But we understand from this hadith of the Prophet ﷺ that the last 10 days are so virtuous because it is the days of Laylatul Qadr — the night that Laylatul Qadr will be within these 10 days.

Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, narrated that the Prophet ﷺ:

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 2024; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1174)

Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, the wife of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ — if anyone is going to tell us the manners of the Prophet ﷺ inside and outside of his home, the khuluq of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, his etiquette, his manners, how he dealt with Allah and how he allowed Allah to deal with him — it is her. And she says it here.

She said: when the 10 days would enter, أَحْيَا اللَّيْلَ — he livened his night. His night was alive, meaning he was in prayer at nighttime. May Allah accept it from all of you that after Maghrib till Isha and after Isha, you are standing in prayer with the congregation. This is a virtuous act. But we know the best time of the nighttime is the last third of the night, right before Fajr.

Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, said that he would liven his night — he'd bring his night to life. He wouldn't go to sleep. And if he slept, it was only a little.

And the second thing she said was that he woke his family up. His family members — he would wake them up to pray, to remember Allah. So brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, older brothers and older sisters — this is the time to wake your family up, to show gratitude towards Allah. If it's not praying, if it's a little time before Fajr and you want to make suhoor, at least get up and remind them: "Let's be thankful to Allah for five minutes. Let's show some gratitude to Allah. Let's think about the actions of Allah upon us in this life."

When we know that tawheed — the oneness of Allah, worshiping Allah alone — is acknowledging that He is the Lord, Creator, and Sustainer of everything. If that is the case, everything we have been given is from rahmah. Everything that has been taken away is from rahmah. When we realize these tangible things that we can see, touch, and feel — and that which we cannot — we understand in our conscious mind that it is from Allah. With that knowledge, wake up ten minutes at least before the adhan of Fajr, or ten minutes at least before suhoor, to sit in deprivation, desperation, iftiqar to your Creator, Allah. At least put your hands up and ask Allah to forgive you of any sins you may have committed. At least put your hands up and ask Allah to help those that are in dire need, to help the weak, to help those that need help. Take the time out of your sleep to get up and do that. The Prophet ﷺ did.

The third thing was وَجَدَّ وَشَدَّ مِئْزَرَهُ — he became serious and he tied his garment. Some scholars mention this shows the importance of him being serious and not indulging in anything that was not a necessity. He would not indulge in anything that would divert him or distract him from pure worship of Allah and praying to Allah.

When seeing this, brothers and sisters — as Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, narrated, and it is muttafaqun 'alayhi — إِذَا دَخَلَ الْعَشْرُ: when the ten days entered, dad is different. Mom is different. Why is dad different when the ten days enter? When it's the 20th of Ramadan, I don't know what goes on with dad. I don't know what goes on with my grandfather — he's locked in the room for some reason. Is he okay? This is what we want to hear our family members say — that when the second or third day comes around, you're getting woken up as a young boy or young girl, as a teenager, because they had mercy on you during the first 20 days and didn't wake you up at 3 a.m. But when 3 a.m. comes around, they are waking you up to at least get up and show gratitude to your Creator — because this only comes around once a year.

And as we mentioned, the Prophet ﷺ would do this, looking for Laylatul Qadr. The Prophet ﷺ said in another hadith that one should search and look for Laylatul Qadr in these last ten days. And we know the scholars have mentioned — is it the odd nights? But we know definitely within these last ten, one should look for it. Not that they stand outside and talk with their friends after Tarawih and look for Laylatul Qadr. It means that you should be involved in the actions of khayr, the actions of good, the actions of righteousness.

Acts of Goodness in the Last 10 Days

As they mentioned, the Prophet ﷺ was the most generous in Ramadan. By yourself, with your children — go and feed those that are poor. By yourself, with your children, with your family — make du'a in an audible fashion so that they can hear what you are saying. If it's in Arabic and they don't know Arabic, translate it. Let them hear what you're saying and what it means. And if they don't understand it, sit down with them and explain to them what it means when you make these du'as, these supplications. Sit with the ones that may not have knowledge and educate them — because that is empowering them on how to get closer to their Maker. It is empowering their hearts for them to individually, voluntarily, come close to their Creator.

So brothers and sisters, these 10 days that are coming up — we should look at it as when we're at our jobs and we see holidays come up and people are very spiritual. When it comes to these last 10 days in the month of Ramadan, we should understand that these 10 days, there is nothing like it. These 10 nights in actuality — there is nothing like it.

أَقُولُ قَوْلِي هَذَا وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ لِي وَلَكُمْ وَلِسَائِرِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

Second Khutbah — Laylatul Qadr and the Quran

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ عَلَى إِحْسَانِهِ وَالشُّكْرُ لَهُ عَلَى تَوْفِيقِهِ وَامْتِنَانِهِ

So brothers and sisters, many of us have already known what I've just told you. We've known the importance of Laylatul Qadr and we know that it is within the last 10 days, that it can be in the odd nights, and that there is so much virtue — as Allah says:

That Laylatul Qadr, the Night of Qadr, is better than 1000 months.

And a small lateefah, a small little benefit — when it talks about the month of Ramadan and fasting six days of Shawwal: the Prophet ﷺ said:

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 41; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1151)

That one good deed is at the scale of 10 good deeds. If we look at the month of Ramadan — how many days is it? It's 30 days. Which means if it's 10 by 30, it would be 300. You follow it:

(Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1164)

You follow it with 6 days — الْحَسَنَةُ بِعَشْرِ أَمْثَالِهَا — that's 60, making 360 days in the lunar calendar, brothers. كَأَنَّهُ صَامَ الدَّهْرَ — it is as though he fasted a lifetime. And some scholars say a lifetime meaning the whole year. So how many days in a year? 360 days or a little more than that. So this may be some hidden treasure within the hadith of the Prophet ﷺ.

I'tikaf — Spiritual Seclusion

But in any case, the advice — as many forms of advice in this month of Ramadan — within these last 10 days of Ramadan: the Prophet ﷺ, as I mentioned, and as Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, essentially said, would make i'tikaf. He would be stationary in a place of worship and not leave except for a need. If he had to go and relieve himself, or if he needed food and was not able to obtain it in the place, then he would leave. And from the rulings of i'tikaf is that it should be offered in a place where Salatul Jumu'ah is established and where there is Jumu'ah — so that one does not have to leave and go offer Jumu'ah somewhere else.

So i'tikaf is something that is very, very important if the Muslim wants to detach themselves. If they want to take the opportunity and the means that Allah has brought — such as Salah, Zakat — all of these are means to the goal. And the goal is Taqwa. The goal is not Salah. The goal is not Hajj. All of these are means to obtain Taqwa.

When Allah talks about slaughtering the animal — the meat nor the blood is going to reach Allah. But it is the Taqwa — the fact that you did it. Why am I slaughtering an animal to get close to God? What does that mean? If I don't fully understand it, but I know the Creator of myself — the One that created me and the animal — ordered me to do it, I am doing it. That is Taqwa.

When Allah talks about the conclusion of Ramadan, when He talks about the legislation of Ramadan:

Fasting has been prescribed upon you as it was for the nations before you — perhaps you may obtain Taqwa. So the goal is Taqwa — the awareness of your Creator and acting to the best of your ability on that awareness, which keeps you away and serves as a wiqayah, a shield, from the bad deeds.

With that being the case, brothers and sisters, these last 10 days of Ramadan are a stronger means to obtain Taqwa via i'tikaf. And if you are not able to make i'tikaf, even sitting between Maghrib and Isha, Asr and Isha — for that period of time, insha'Allah, you may receive that reward for being stationary with the intention of not moving, not leaving the place of worship, the masjid, to worship Allah.

Also with i'tikaf, brothers and sisters — do not socialize. If you are here between Asr and Isha, you come home on a Wednesday evening and you tell your wife or your family: "I'm going to go to the masjid. I just want to do some pondering, make some du'a, and think for a while. I want to think about the actions of Allah in my life and in others, and then ask Him — based on those actions, His virtue. If I've committed a sin, ask Him to forgive me. If I've been given something, ask Him to make me firm on that. When I see something in the news, ask Him to help those that are distressed and are in a poor state. I don't want any distractions."

But when you come to the masjid, there may be some distractions. My advice to you, brothers and sisters: stay away from your friends when it comes to i'tikaf. Stay away from your friends when it comes to after Isha, qiyam al-layl — you are here. Do not indulge in any conversation of the dunya. Because this time is limited. Life in 10 days, within one year of this life, is much more limited. So make sure that you take advantage of your time. Be spiritual opportunists.

Coming Close to the Quran in the Last 10 Days

But the main thing I want to concentrate with you all — the form of advice — is to come close to the book of Allah. To read the Qur'an. Get close to the book of Allah in these last 10 days. You know your time. If you have an issue with time management, sit down with your family or someone that you know is good at time management and seek some advice. But take some time out, brothers and sisters, to read the Qur'an.

If it's difficult for you — as it's said — don't wait to be motivated to do. Do in order to be motivated. Do it in order to feel like it. Don't feel like it in order to do it. "Well, I don't feel like it — that's why I haven't done it yet. I haven't been motivated — that's why I haven't done it yet." But Allah has still given you that element within your fitrah and the responsibility of doing actions of khayr. So take it upon yourself. Ask Allah as the Prophet ﷺ continuously did:

"O the One that turns the hearts, make my heart firm upon Your religion." (Jami' al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 3522)

And no doubt about it, the source — the manual, for lack of better words — of implementation of our love of Allah, of showing us and telling us about ourselves, past and present and future, is in the Qur'an and no other book. If we want to simplify it — as many people when they convert to Islam or come back to their religion say: if God is telling you how to live your life, don't you want to know how? If He's telling you about the future, don't you want to know about that?

Yes, we as human beings, we are insan. And insan comes from يَنسَى — we forget, we are negligent. But what Islam has given you is to take the means in order to reach that goal. And reading the Qur'an is one of the strongest means.

The Salaf — the pious predecessors — the companions, they would never leave the Qur'an in general. But in the month of Ramadan, they would leave off conversation. As many of us have heard, Imam Az-Zuhri and Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on them, were known for teaching in the masjid. But when the month of Ramadan came, they put the books of hadith aside. They put conversation with people aside. And they wanted to have conversation with Allah. They wanted to indulge more with Allah. And these are 'ulama, rabbaniyyun.

And we see what the Prophet ﷺ, when the Qur'an was given to him and he was reading it and reciting it — and how the companions were around him and how they would listen to the Qur'an.

Look at ourselves, brothers and sisters. Are we picking up the Qur'an? Have we picked up the Qur'an in Ramadan outside of Tarawih? Be honest with yourself. And even if you've picked it up — were you thinking about other things?

Allah mentions in the Qur'an:

The Qur'an has been sent down for you to ponder over it. لِيَدَّبَّرُوا — and yatadabbaru comes from that which is the end of something, or the last part of something. So when you're reading a verse in the Qur'an, what is the end result? What does Allah want from me from this message?

If it is difficult for you to pick up the Qur'an because it has been foreign to you, or whenever you read it you get bored — we are human, we are natural. This is okay. But when you read the Qur'an and it continuously happens that you are bored and you don't want to — this may be a problem. You have to ask yourself this question.

Start with the stories — the story of Yusuf, peace be upon him. Why does Yusuf call Allah Al-Latif at the end of his story? When he breaks down everything that happened to him that one may perceive as bad and evil — why does he call Him that? When we look at Ibrahim, peace be upon him, and his son, and how he built the Ka'bah — and how, while doing an action of khayr, he was making du'a. These times, brothers and sisters — sit with those that you love. Go to the index of the Qur'an and look up the prophets' names. Go to the stories of the prophets and read these stories.

Brothers and sisters, these 10 days — I cannot stress it enough. Take advantage of these 10 nights. Do actions of good to the best of your ability as the Prophet ﷺ advised his companions to do.

The Three Ahadith to Memorize

And I will end with this hadith of the Prophet ﷺ that we can easily memorize. It is three ahadith, but we can easily memorize them. The Prophet ﷺ said:

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 38; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 760; Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 2008)

Whoever fasts in the month of Ramadan with Iman — with belief and anticipation — his previous sins will be forgiven. Whoever stands in the month of Ramadan with belief, Iman, and anticipation of reward — his previous sins will be forgiven. Whoever stands in the Night of Qadr, the Night of Power, with Iman, with belief and anticipation — his previous sins will be forgiven.

And when we talk about Iman — that is belief in Allah. And the more you have this belief, you will have this aman, this safety with Allah. Therefore having this salam in your life. And anticipation — ihtisab — means that when we fast, we do not say, "Why are we fasting? This is so much. This is too much. The fasting is distracting you from your life." غَيْرُ مُسْتَطِيلٍ أَيَّامَهُ — that the days are too long. "This is the longest part of the year. It's hot outside and we're fasting — ya Allah, why?"

The one that has ihtisab does not have this type of conversation within themselves. And if they do — as human beings — we say: أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ ذَلِكَ. "O Allah, forgive me for my sins. SubhanAllah, forgive me." We are human beings. And this happens. And that is Jihad al-Nafs. And that is exactly what can extinguish the fire of evil within your soul in these last 10 days — to prepare you to serve as a catalyst. Not a season. A catalyst for you to be a better — not just Muslim — but a better human being for the remainder of the years to come.

Du'a — Closing Supplication

فَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ يَذْكُرْكُمْ — Remember Allah and He will remember you. وَاشْكُرُوهُ عَلَىٰ نِعَمِهِ يَزِدْكُمْ — And be grateful to Him for His blessings and He will increase you. وَلَذِكْرُ اللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ — And the remembrance of Allah is the greatest thing. وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَصْنَعُونَ — And Allah knows what you do. وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ — And establish the prayer.