Lessons of Submission from the Life of Ibrahim عليه السلام

Khutbah Opening

إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ لِلَّهِ نَحْمَدُهُ وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ وَنَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ تَعَالَى مِنْ شُرُورِ أَنْفُسِنَا وَمِنْ سَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى فَلَا مُضِلَّ لَهُ وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلَا هَادِيَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ

فَأُوصِيكُمْ وَنَفْسِي بِتَقْوَى اللَّهِ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى

أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَإِنَّ خَيْرَ الْحَدِيثِ كِتَابُ اللَّهِ وَخَيْرَ الْهَدْيِ هَدْيُ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَشَرَّ الْأُمُورِ مُحْدَثَاتُهَا وَكُلَّ مُحْدَثَةٍ بِدْعَةٌ وَكُلَّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلَالَةٌ وَكُلَّ ضَلَالَةٍ فِي النَّارِ

Ibrahim عليه السلام: The Embodiment of Submission

Dear brothers and sisters, as we traverse through the first 10 days of Dhul Hijjah and take part in the season of worship that Allah has blessed us with, it befits us to reflect over the history and the legacy of some of the main characters that really define what Hajj has been. And so we look at Ibrahim عليه السلام. We see amongst the many things that Ibrahim عليه السلام teaches us, amongst the many key lessons that we can take, perhaps the most important one is his unwavering, unquestioning submission to Allah. And Allah highlights this very beautifully in Surah Al-Baqarah.

At the beginning of this passage, when He starts speaking about Ibrahim عليه السلام and one of the major accomplishments that Allah blessed him to be part of, Allah says:

Allah says: when Allah tested Ibrahim عليه السلام بِكَلِمَاتٍ — with commands, with actions, with situations, with circumstances — tested Ibrahim عليه السلام, فَأَتَمَّهُنَّ — he completed them to the best of his ability. He showed the utmost level of servitude a person can show to Allah.

And throughout this passage Allah speaks about Ibrahim's عليه السلام history and connection with the land of Makkah, the construction of the Ka'bah with his son Ismail عليه السلام. And at the very end of this story of construction and reconstruction of the Ka'bah, Allah mentions very clearly:

Whoever chooses to go away from the path of Ibrahim عليه السلام, knowing the path he was on and the path he was taking, then this person has not done anything but cheated himself — treated himself with oppression and dhulm. Allah says: we have chosen Ibrahim عليه السلام in this world, chosen him to undertake these great tasks for Allah and be a model for everyone that exists. And he is in the akhirah from amongst those people who are close and beloved to Allah.

But that doesn't end there. At that point Allah mentions what is the secret behind Ibrahim's عليه السلام life and journey with Allah. Allah says:

Allah told Ibrahim عليه السلام to submit — Ibrahim عليه السلام immediately, no negotiations. He didn't say: "O Allah, what is in it for me? What am I getting out of this?" There was no moment of Ibrahim عليه السلام asking Allah why, and what, and what is in it for me. What will I get if you test me this many times? What will I get if I obey you and if I prioritize you over anything and everyone else? Not a single moment. As soon as Allah told him to submit, he said: "I have submitted myself to the Master of everything that exists."

And that is the key highlight and lesson of Ibrahim's عليه السلام legacy that we find. And it's not just Ibrahim عليه السلام the man himself. In fact, when we look at the entirety of his family, we look at his family from the side of Hajar عليها السلام.

The Submission of Hajar عليها السلام

When it comes to Hajj, Allah commands Ibrahim عليه السلام to leave behind his wife Hajar and their son Ismail as a baby in a place that was desolate — a barren piece of land where there is no food, there is no drink, there is no company. And on the apparent of it, it is a death warrant. Anyone who lives there or tries to live there is only asking for the termination of their own life.

And in the narration, Ibrahim عليه السلام leaves Hajar عليها السلام behind and he walks away, because he knows why he is doing this. He has reached the peak and pinnacle of submission to Allah. Hajar عليها السلام, as any person would at that point, asks Ibrahim عليه السلام: "Why is it that you are leaving us behind?" And Ibrahim عليه السلام does not respond to it initially. And then something clicks in the mind of Hajar عليها السلام. Something makes sense. She is from the family of Ibrahim عليه السلام — his wife — and she knows exactly what is going on. She says to Ibrahim عليه السلام: "Did Allah command you to do this? Is Allah the why behind all of this?" And Ibrahim عليه السلام says: yes.

At that point, Hajar عليها السلام, when it makes sense, she says: "In that case, Allah will never abandon us. He will never waste us. He will never waste our efforts." And so, basically, she is ready to submit to Allah at that point. And this carries on not only with Hajar عليها السلام and her contribution to what we know Hajj is, but now to their son Ismail عليه السلام.

The Submission of Ismail عليه السلام

Ismail عليه السلام was the son Allah granted Ibrahim عليه السلام after years of waiting and waiting and crying and asking — after years of asking Allah to grant him a child. Allah granted Ibrahim عليه السلام Ismail at an old age. But Allah had different plans. He wanted to take Ibrahim عليه السلام and the entirety of his family to a level up and closer to Him. And at that point Allah revealed upon Ibrahim عليه السلام that he needs to sacrifice his son.

And as we all know the story, it was not the act of physically sacrificing that was important — but it was the act of the heart. Whether or not the servant is ready to give up what they love the most, what they've been asking for the most. Imagine this, brothers and sisters: there is something that you have wanted for the entirety of your life, for years and years and decades. You've asked Allah, you've pleaded to Him in your tahajjud, and you've shed many tears. And then Allah grants you that blessing. But then Allah has a master plan — that blessing doesn't come by itself; it comes with a test associated with it. Allah would not want to take that blessing away from you, but He wants to see: do you still remember Him after getting this coveted blessing?

At this point, Allah tells Ibrahim عليه السلام: "It is time for you to sacrifice this very son of yours, who you asked Me for years and years and years." And then Ibrahim عليه السلام goes to his son Ismail عليه السلام and tells him:

Ibrahim عليه السلام said: "I saw in my dream that I am sacrificing you — tell me what you think." And of course it is not a question of advice, but Ismail عليه السلام responds by saying: "O my father, do as you have been commanded. You will find me, if Allah wills, from the patient people." No question asked. What kind of child is this? What kind of young man is this who doesn't ask any question when it comes to the priorities that Allah has placed in front of him? A child, a person who has been raised in a household of Tawheed and raised in a household of submission to Allah alone.

Actionable Lessons: How to Build Submission in Our Lives

When we look at this, brothers and sisters, these stories are inspirational — but sometimes we ask this question: how can I, as a regular person, reach a point where I am able — willingly, not because I feel a pressure, but willingly and lovingly — give up everything, or give up whatever I have, for the sake of Allah? Which is the core of submission.

In the second khutbah, we will discuss some actionable ways we can learn from the lives of these three individuals in coming closer to Allah through submission.

First: Know Who Allah Is

The first thing we learn, brothers and sisters, as an actionable point in our lives that we can take from Ibrahim's عليه السلام life — beyond mere inspiration, which is just a starting point — is: to submit to Allah, which is challenging enough. How can we make it part and parcel of our life? How can we remove the barriers and obstacles between us and submission to Allah, which is the core of what a Muslim is?

When we look at Ibrahim عليه السلام and the ayah we have already quoted — when Allah tells Ibrahim عليه السلام to submit, he says: "I have submitted to the One who owns, who plans, who takes care of everything that exists." He didn't merely say "I submit to Allah" — which would be correct anyway — but the lesson here is: taking one step closer to submission to Allah requires us to know who Allah is. He knew Allah was Rabbul 'Alameen. He knew Allah was the owner, the creator, and the caretaker of everything. He knew who Allah was, and that allowed him more readily to submit to Him.

Without knowing who Allah is, brothers and sisters, sometimes submission can feel like a ritual — like a robotic habit we have to perform. And perhaps that is where we start, and it is totally okay. But how can we push ourselves, nudge ourselves one notch up? Learning from the life of Ibrahim عليه السلام and his family: they knew who Allah was, and that is what made it that much easier for them to give up what they wanted, to give up their own personal conveniences for the sake of Allah.

With submission and knowing who Allah is, it is not about submitting because of only the threat of punishment — although that is one way to submit — but the submission that brings us closer to Him in the long term is submission done out of love of Allah. And therefore, whoever learns about the names and attributes of Allah and knows who Allah truly is, there is absolutely no doubt that that person will fall in love with Allah. And when that person falls in love with Allah, submitting to Allah becomes easier — one barrier of submission falls apart.

Second: Trust Allah Fully

Number two — and this follows from the first point — is: when we want to submit to Allah, one of the major barriers that come between us and willingly submitting to Allah, especially with things that are closer to our heart, a lifestyle that we're living, a particular set of habits that we have. We know that these habits are not conducive to Allah's pleasure. We know these things come between us and Allah. We know this. But how can I move on? How can I get rid of these things? It's so hard when I define myself with those habits and I blame myself and put myself in that hole and say: "I am this person, I am this person with these habits. How can I come up and give up these things for Allah? How will that happen?"

One of the major roadblocks, brothers and sisters, of that is that a person may not — subconsciously, of course — fully trust Allah as to what He has told us to do and what He has asked us to stay away from. Meaning: when Allah commands us to do certain things, and He asks us to stay away from certain actions, or He allows things to happen in our lives — things that may not look pleasing to us, things that look very difficult to us — but we have to go through them. One barrier between us and submission to Allah in those times is not knowing full well and not trusting that whatever Allah has asked me to do, or asked me to stay away from, or has put me in, is going to be better for me — if and only if I submit to Allah. It's a trust issue.

And that is what the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم addresses when he says, being astonished and amazed, reflecting over how a believer reacts to his or her life and difficulties and ease:

(Sahih Muslim, Book 55, Hadith 2999)

How strange and amazing — how wonderful — is a believer's situation. Everything that happens to a believer ends up being a means of goodness for that person. Not just ease, but goodness, fulfillment, coming closer to Allah. And that is not except for a believer — only for the one who trusts Allah and knows that Allah wants and expects good from us when we are in that situation.

Allah also says in Surah Al-Baqarah:

Fighting has been mandated upon you even though you don't like to do so — it goes against human nature to fight. But perhaps you may dislike something and Allah has put khayr in it, goodness in it. Perhaps the thing you're going through, brothers and sisters, at this time in your life — a challenge between you and Allah, a barrier between you and Allah, a thing that you want to give up for His sake but you're not able to, you're fighting yourself, you're trying your best — Allah says: perhaps this feeling you have, this tension, this struggle, this dissonance that you have, is good for you to go through. It is good for you to leave it for Allah.

وَعَسَىٰ أَن تُحِبُّوا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ شَرٌّ لَّكُمْ — perhaps you like something, perhaps you are attached to something, perhaps your emotions are taken over by someone or something, but that attachment, that devotion to that person or that thing is not good for you. وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ — and Allah knows, but you do not know. You don't know full well what is best for you as a servant to Allah.

Third: Ask Allah to Make You Submissive

The last but not least, brothers and sisters — when we talk about knowing Allah and trusting in Him when He asks us to do things — there is a third component of gaining that one step closer to submission to Allah. And again, we learn this from the great prophets Ibrahim and Ismail عليهما السلام: and that is asking Allah to make us people whose hearts are softened, whose nafs is able to accept Allah more, make us a fertile soil and land that accepts Allah's commandments.

And so when we see Ibrahim and Ismail عليهما السلام constructing the Ka'bah, one of the du'as they make in the series of du'as is:

"O our Master, make us Muslims to You — make us submissive to You — remove those barriers between us and You so we can worship You the way You want and You deserve, and give us children and progeny and offspring that are of a similar nature." Asking Allah that we become submissive to Him is one of the most neglected elements of coming close to Him.

Closing Du'a

We ask Allah to allow us in these blessed days to come closer to Him and come closer to Him the way He loves. We ask Allah to forgive our shortcomings. We ask Allah to allow us to benefit from the remainder of these days. We ask Allah to forgive our sins and shortcomings. We ask Allah to protect our brothers and sisters who are suffering in Palestine, in Sudan, in Yemen, and in other parts of the world.