The Beauty of Eid - Maulana Salman

In the name of Allah, the most gracious, the most merciful. All praise is due to Allah, and peace be upon His chosen servants. All praise is due to Allah.

All praise is due to Allah. What a beautiful and sunny day outside it is. A day filled with joy and happiness.

It is truly a great bounty and favor of Allah upon us. Such a beautiful and joyous day, this day of Eid. The joy of this day begins even before the advent of it.

When family members pre-planned taking off from work, go shopping for Eid, cleaning the house, preparing delicious food. Everyone wakes up so enthusiastically before Fajr, around Fajr, taking their time, nice showers, puts on one of their best clothes, puts on one of their best colognes, Itr. Heads to the Masjidul Musalla with so much excitement to pray and meet the community.

And then one hears the lecture of the Imam stands in a row worshipping Allah among many other Musallis, standing in a row among multitude of other rows. And thereafter greeting and hugging those who are our relatives, those who are not our relatives, those who are friends, those who are not our friends, those who we have good feelings for, and even those who we have ill feelings for. And thereafter heading to and meeting family members, and meeting those family members who we are excited to meet, those who we meet with a lot of eagerness.

And then we may have some family members that we don't look forward so much to meeting, for whatever reason, we're looking forward to meeting all of them. And even you may have some family members, each amongst us may have some family members who we see often, and then we have some family members who may come from far away. But Alhamdulillah on this day of Eid, everyone gets together.

It's such a beautiful and happy day. And enjoying our, and when we're sitting at the table, enjoying our time with the relatives and the family, catching up with all that we've missed since the last time we've met each other, you know, over delicious meal, Alhamdulillah. It's such a beautiful and pleasant day.

And, you know, Nabi ﷺ, he mentioned in a hadith, now once we have kept in mind, we feel that joy, that happiness in this world, we just, you know, just imagine how happy and the joy of the hereafter would be. You know, Nabi ﷺ, he mentioned in a hadith, narrated in Muslim, that:

(Sahih Muslim)

He said, Wallahi, the comparison of this world and the hereafter, is similar to the finger which one of you puts in the ocean and takes out. So compare that drop on the finger, and compare the ocean.

This world is the finger, not even the finger, sorry, the drop on the finger, and the hereafter, that's the whole ocean. Imagine how many fingertips it would take to finish that entire ocean. There's no comparison between the dunya and this world and the hereafter.

And this is going to be some academic point here, that that narration is assimilation, assimilation of this world and the hereafter. But if we ponder over the words, those who have some acquaintance with the hadith, they'll notice that the reason of assimilation is hidden. So for example, in this world, every now and then, when we say to each other, Oh, he is similar to so-and-so.

Let's say for example, this person, he plays like so-and-so basketball player. You're assimilating him to the basketball player in what? Basketball. Or you say, Oh, that's very big, it's like that masjid there.

Or it's like that other place there. Oh, there's a reason for assimilation. Oh, he's like a lion.

What do you mean? In braveness, in being very brave. So likewise, if you look in that hadith, Nabi ﷺ, he compared this world to the hereafter, but he didn't see from what aspect. He just said that this world and the hereafter, comparison between the two is that drop on the finger and the ocean.

So the scholars mentioned that the reason for this is that that thing for which assimilation was done is general. It means that the sadness of this world is like a drop in comparison to the sadness of the hereafter. And even the joy that one feels in this world is just like a drop of the ocean in comparison to the joy of the hereafter.

And you can just apply your mind, anything. Each and every single one of us has things that we like. Whether it's food, whether it's our spouses, whether it's amusement, whatever type of enjoyment we have, whatever we look forward to doing throughout a day, in Jannah, it will be the ocean much more.

Whether it's biryani, Philly cheesesteak, smoothies, pizza, lasagna, nahari, shirkhorma, all these different things, whatever a person loves to eat, the nahari, etc. of Jannah will be much better. But there's one clause.

The clause is that we need to earn it. There's one ayat of the Qur'an:

And in another verse Allah ﷻ says:

How do we get Jannah? That's explained in these verses. That the one who fears standing before Allah ﷻ, and he stops himself from haram desires, then only will his abode be Paradise.

So just like how in this world we're having such a good time, enjoying, meeting families. Don't we want that in the hereafter? Definitely we want that in the hereafter. But again we have to earn it.

And obviously, now basically what's implied in this ayah, on lawful desires? For some it may be major sins. We, each and every single individual, knows about themselves better. It could be major sins.

For others, maybe they're not doing the haram stuff. It could even be minor sins. But we have to ensure that each and every single sin, which is in reality the disobedience of Allah, is out of our lives.

I'm not saying that it's easy. It's definitely not easy. It's not easy to leave each and every sin.

But we need to have that determination. We have to ask Allah ﷻ to grant us tawfiq, to help us in achieving that. To try to make sure that our life is in obedience to Allah ﷻ. You know there's one verse in the Quran, Allah ﷻ addresses the people, and He says:

Do you think you're just gonna enter Jannah, and Allah, till now yet, Allah is not gonna test you, and not gonna see those who work hard amongst you, who strive amongst you, and those who are patient? Definitely, you know, in overcoming our unlawful desires is sometimes very hard.

We have to make different types of efforts. Let's say for example, a person has a bad habit of watching something bad in his phone. He has to try to control that desire, try to move away to a better environment, more public environment, go to the living room or something like that.

You know, there's different methods, and there's different sins, how to prevent ourselves, we know better. If we know that our associating, we're intermingling with other people, which are other sexes, which is causing unlawful desires within us, then we have to try to ensure to stay away from that, keeping our gaze closed. Likewise, whatever sin there is, whatever sin there may be, there are different methods of trying to block it off.

But the point is that we have to keep this ayat in mind, that jannat is not cheap. Jannat is not cheap. Unfortunately, jannat is not cheap.

The Prophet ﷺ said:

(Source not specified in transcript)

That the jannat of Allah is not cheap. It's expensive. It's exorbitant.

But at the same time, it's not impossible. And this striving that we have to do, this hard working that we have to do, it's not like it's everlasting. It's for a short time.

For a short time in this short-lived world. You know, just literally think back. Just think back one week from now.

Put yourselves in the shoes of those people who are living in Texas. You know, Hurricane Harvey. You know, each one of us here may have unlawful desires to do those very things which they plan to do.

Maybe some of us, you know, may Allah save us, had intention to go to haram places over the weekend, right? It's a long weekend. Or we had desires to do haram actions, to listen to haram things. You know, ask yourself that those people who are living in Texas, you know, Allah Akbar, they probably had those same desires, same intentions like nearly a week ago.

And now look at the situation. Just, I mean, I'm pretty sure everyone here is aware, everyone has seen pictures of how, you know, how much water is like overcome, like the whole city. And how difficult it is for people that are living there now.

But the point is that what? That Allah has given us an opportunity, has given us a chance. And, you know, we have these bad intentions, bad niyats, just think about them. Like they also had these same bad plans and now it's all just, you know, now they're thinking about whether they can, whether they have food for the next meal or not.

And how they can get out of this impediment, these calamities and hardships. So the point is that we don't know when we will die and we don't know how we will die. Allah can make many, many, many, many ways to take us away.

Now obviously death is a bit like a, you know, a topic that not really spoken about on Eid, but it's important. No matter how much we speak about it, it's never enough. And, you know, this is common for all age groups.

Whether it's a person who is elderly, a person who is an adult, a person who is a young man, a person who is a young woman, a person who is a, a person who is a teenager, or a youngster. Anyway, so the point is that we, you know, each and every single one of us, we need to try and ask Allah to the best of our ability to try and give up each and every single sin, whether that's major or minor. And like I've said, it's not something easy, it's not something easy to overcome.

But that's what Allah wants to see from us. Those who are here present in the morning khutbah, you know, mashallah, Mutsi sahab, he spoke very well about how we need to sacrifice. And for us living in these times, it's more about just sacrificing our desires.

We don't have to go through the sacrifices that the people of the past used to go through. You know, when they would say we were Muslim, they would be stoned and pelted. They would be persecuted very severely.

Alhamdulillah, we don't do it, we don't go through any of that. Allah has a different test for us. He has a different test for us.

We're living here so comfortably, our test is number one to make shukr for the different bounties that Allah has placed for us, and try to stay away from sins, not to misuse it. And the highest level of appreciating the bounties that Allah gave to us is by using it properly. Like for example, if I gave you a towel, a really good expensive towel, and you told me thank you very much, jazakallah khairah, but then you started wiping your shoes in front of me, then how would I feel about it? Like, he said thank you very much, but he's not really appreciating it through his action.

Likewise, the bounties that Allah gave us, the hands, the eyes, the nose, the feet, we have to use it in a way that the giver is felt that wow, he's really appreciating it. And how is that? By using it in the obedience of Allah. So nevertheless, keeping in mind that ayat:

It's an ayat we need to keep in our minds every day, every moment of our lives. That do you think you'll enter Jannah, and Allah has not yet tested you, and Allah has not seen you making effort, and being patient over what you're going through? And we should not think we can't do it. Each and every single one of us can do it. That's just shaitan deceiving us, telling us that we can't do it.

And what is that hardship that we make to try to leave that sin? It's not like it comes without benefit. You know there's one sahih narration in Musnad Ahmad that Nabi ﷺ said:

(Musnad Ahmad)

That if we leave something for the sake of Allah, Allah will replace it with something which is better. Whatever it may be, whatever sin that we have a bad habit of doing, if we are sincere in our attempt to leave it, and we bear this hadith in mind, Allah will replace it with something which is better.

Maybe we'll get that same enjoyment from something else. Allah is the one that created everything, and He created the enjoyment in those things. If a person gets enjoyment from some haram action, I don't want to be specific, but let's say for example, he watches really bad movies, for example, which has a lot of immodesty, a lot of music, etc.

And a person is earnest and sincere in trying to leave it out for the sake of Allah, Allah will find another activity for him in which he will find delight and pleasure. And likewise, you can think any other sin that we are doing, Allah can make ways. You know, just like how today, it was so beautiful walking to the masjid, and there were so many rows and sufoof for fajr salah, on a weekday, subhanallah, on a weekday.

Likewise, it's not impossible for something like that to happen every day. This shows that we can do it. There are many things, you know, we just tell ourselves we can't do it, but we can do it.

And we should never let shaitan get to us. And you know, it was very beautiful walking in the masjid, seeing the chandeliers on, and all the other lightings on, and it was just such a beautiful environment, you know, Allah akbar. But honestly, it's not the chandeliers, it's not the carpet, it's not the lighting which makes the masjid beautiful.

It's you all people. It's all you people. You're the beauty of the masjid.

You're the zenith of the masjid. It's not the lighting. It's not the chandeliers.

So, inshallah, maybe each and every single one of us, we can try our best to try and improve our lives, try to be there regularly for salah. Obviously, the essentials of deen. You know, one more point I just wanted to elaborate on.

That each salah, it's not fard. Each salah is not fard. Don't get me wrong, it's a very important prayer.

It's a wajib. According to other sunnah, but it's a wajib, and it's a very important prayer. But, keep in mind one thing, a million each salahs, a million each salah, is not more important than one fard salah, one fajr salah.

A million of each salah, is not more important than even one fajr salah, from a jurisprudential aspect. Because, a fajr salah is fard. Each salah is not fard.

It's a very important point to keep in mind, that inshallah, a person may be always punctual in his each salah, but, like, the more important thing for him to do, he's not punctual with. So, nevertheless, when we live our life in the obedience of Allah, right, and we start enduring hardships, and when I mean hardships, I mean that, that difficulty in trying to stay away from sin, and trying to do good actions, then Allah will create this, something called sweetness of iman. Now, when a person, Nabi ﷺ said in a hadith, that there are three things in which a person, if he possesses, he will find the sweetness of iman.

The first of it being, that the love of Allah, and the love of his messenger, overpowering any other love. And that entails that we make our lives accordingly, that we do something about our love, not just that we say that we love Allah, say that we love the prophet, and not, you know, still do those things, which if they were, if Nabi ﷺ was alive, he would disapprove of, and he would not be happy with. The second is that, we have love for our person, solely for the sake of Allah.

How you do that? Have pious company, you know, your pious friends, pious circle of friends that you hang out with. Try to spend more time with scholars, be in the environment of the masjid. And the third thing is that, you dislike kufr.

If you dislike kufr, I mean, this is very, this is a bit rare, you know, for us, for it to happen, that a person, he wants to become a kafir after becoming Muslim. But inshallah, that's not there among many of us. But the first two is very important, that the love of Allah, and the love of Nabi ﷺ, overpowers any and every other love.

And the second one, is keeping ourselves in a good group. Nabi ﷺ said, when a person has these things, then he will find the sweetness of iman. Then, not only, then every second of his life will be Eid.

Every minute of his life will be Eid. Every hour of his life will be Eid. Every week of his life will be Eid.

Every month of his life will be Eid. It's like a just different feeling, living your life in the obedience of Allah. Completely, not just 50-50.

If you don't believe me, try it out, and see how it feels. Inshallah, it's an amazing feeling. Inshallah, I have intention to try to get there someday too.

But nevertheless, that's mainly what I'd like to speak about. Finally, I just wanted to mention one thing, before wrapping up, is that, regarding the Takbirat of Eid. So, as many may know, that after every Fard Salah, it's wajib, at least once, to say the Takbirat loudly.

And we should try our best to raise our voice. There's a narration of Bukhari, that Ibn Umar radiallahu anhu, he would say the Takbir in his tent, and then those around him would hear it from his tent, and read the Takbirat. And then those around that tent, from the people from the market, etc., they would hear the Takbir, and everyone would say Takbir very loudly.

And it would be to such a degree, that the whole city would echo with Takbir. Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, La ilaha illallah, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, La ilaha illallah, Alhamdulillah. So, inshallah, after the Jummah Salah as well, we should try our best that we say Takbir as loud, not like super screaming very loudly, but, you know, when we're in Fajr Salah, like when the Imam was doing Takbir, the people, like it was a very low sound.

For the man said it should be loud, very loud. It should feel different. The environment should be, you know, echoing with the name of Allah, with the Takbir of Allah.

The people on North Avenue should feel like a spiritual vibe emerging from Darussalam. That's how it should feel. But, inshallah, that's mainly what I wanted to say.

Please pray your Salat.