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The Power of Tears

Mawlana Shaykh Hisham Kabbani

12 September 2016

Eid al-Adha Khutbah | Feltham, London UK

Centre for Spiritual & Cultural Advancement (CSCA)

As-salaamu `alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh. Alhamdulillahi Rabbi 'l-`Alameen, wa ’s-salaatu wa ’s-salaamu `alaa ashrafi 'l-mursaleena Sayyidina wa Nabiyyina Muhammadin wa `alaa aalihi wa sahbihi ajma`een.

Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar! Laa ilaaha illa-Llah.

Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar wa lillahi 'l-hamd! [Du`a.]

Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar! [Du`a.] Alhamdulillah `alaa kulli haal.

Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar! Laa ilaaha illa-Llah.

Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar! Muhammadun Rasoolullah. [Du`a.]

Wa nash-hadu an laa ilaha illa-Llahu wahdahu laa shareeka lahu wa laa matheela lahu fee `uloowwi shaanihi wa `azheemi sultaanih wa nash-hadu anna sayyidinaa wa mawlaana muhammadan `abduhu wa habeebuhu wa rasooluhu arsalahu min wa arjah al-`arabi meezananan afsahaha bayaanan fa awdaha ‘t-tareeqata wa nasaha ‘l-khaleeqata salAllahu `alayhi wa `ala aalihi wa sahbihi wa azwaajihi wa awlaadihi wa dhuriyyatihi wa khulafaa’ihi 'l-mahdiyyina min ba`dih, wa wuzaraa’ihi al-`aamileena fee `ahdih, khusoosan minhum `alaa 'l-a’immata khulafaa’i rasoolillaahi `alaa 't-tahqeeq, umaraa’i 'l-mu’mineen, hadaraati abee bakrin wa `umara wa `uthmaana wa `aliyy, dhawi 'l-qadri 'l-jalee, wa `alaa baqiyyati 's-sahaabata wa 't-taabi`een, ridwaanu ’Llahi ta`ala `alayhim ajma`een. Ayyuha ‘l-mu’minoon al-haadiroon ittaqoo ’Llaha wa atee`ooh innallaha ma` alladheena ‘ttaqaw wa ‘Lladheena hum muhsinoon.

Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar! Laa ilaaha illa-Llah.

Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar! Muhammadun Rasoolullah.

O Muslims, Believers, Muslims around the world! Congratulations for `Eid al-Adha, the holy day, the Holy `Eid in Islam and the sacrifice. `Eid al-Adha is the `Eid of sacrificing for Allah and for His Prophet (s) and for the Ummah, inshaa-Allah.

Every `Eid, the speaker likes to speak about its greatness. When `Eid al-Adha or `Eid al-Fitr comes, everyone is happy, the children are happy and, alhamdulillah, these are the holy days for Muslims, there are no other holy days. The main holy day that we observe in Islam is the birth of Islam, which is the birth of Prophet (s). That is the biggest `Eid, although the importance of `Eid al-Adha is great. Sayyidina Ibrahim (a) was sacrificing his son that day by the order of Allah (swt) through a vision he saw in which Allah said, “Slaughter your son for Me.” It was a big test, but he was successful. Actually, he wanted to slaughter his son, but he didn’t respond immediately; he paused out of love for his son, who would have been slaughtered in front of his eyes. He was a little bit reluctant; he thought, “It might not be a true vision or a true dream.” He was not supposed to be reluctant, he was supposed to immediately fulfill the order as he is a prophet and he knows better than us.

Allah (swt) sent him the same vision or the same dream another time; we say ‘dream,’ but in reality it’s a vision. Again Sayyidina Ibrahim (a) thought, “Maybe it’s not true,” and he kept quiet. A third time he saw that and then there were no more excuses. In the early morning he said to his wife, “I’m taking Isma`eel (a) with me to play and to give him a picnic.” Many of us take our children for picnics to enjoy. He did not take his son to a picnic, but to slaughter him on a rock, and he tried to cover his son’s eyes in order that he wouldn’t see what he was about to do. They were playing and Isma`eel (a) said, “Oh my father! Why are you reluctant about what Allah ordered you?” Look how open the son’s eyes were! Who was speaking through Sayyidina Isma`eel (a)? It was his noble ancestors and his descendent, Sayyidina Muhammad (s); the Light of Prophet (s) that is within Isma`eel (a) spoke, because Prophet (s) never said ‘no’ regarding any order of Allah (swt).

Sayyidina Ibrahim was reluctant, Sayyidina Nuh was reluctant, Sayyidina Adam was reluctant, Sayyidina Musa was reluctant, Sayyidina `Isa (`alayhimu ‘s-salam) was reluctant. Only Sayyidina Muhammad (s) always followed the order immediately!

People enjoy this day because Allah (swt) took away all their sins through that sacrifice. The meaning of ‘sacrifice’ is to sacrifice your desires, not to follow your desires, but rather to follow Allah’s orders. Allah (swt) gave us something that can shut down Hellfire and take you to Paradise, because on the deathbed everyone will realize when he goes from this dunya that there was Hellfire within himself or herself. Every one of us has a Hellfire punishment.

وَإِن مِّنكُمْ إِلَّا وَارِدُهَا كَانَ عَلَى رَبِّكَ حَتْمًا مَّقْضِيًّا

Wa im minkum illa waariduha, kaanaa `alaa rabbika hatman maqdiyya

And every one of you will come within sight of it: this is, with your Lord, a decree that must be fulfilled. (Surat Maryam, 19:71)

Every one of you is going to come to Hellfire, to punishment.”

That’s why Sayyidina Muhammad (s) said to Sayyida `Ayesha (r):

من حوسب عذب

(Yaa `Ayesha!) Who will be judged will be punished for sure. (Bukhari)

Man hoosib `udhdhib, “Anyone asked or judged will be punished, so ask Allah not to judge you.” That Hellfire within us is naar al-hasra, the Fire of Sorrow. We don’t want to stand with sorrow on that day or to be regretful. What do we need to do to take us to Paradise? I will quote a Hadith:

عَنْ أَبِي رَيْحَانَةَ صَاحِبِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، قَالَ : سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، يَقُولُ : " لا تَرَى النَّارَ عَيْنٌ بَكَتْ مِنْ خَشْيَةِ اللَّهِ ، وَلا عَيْنٌ سَهِرَتْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ "

An eye that cried out of fear of Allah will never see Hellfire. (Ahmad, Nisa’i, al-Hakim)

“I heard Prophet (s) say something important: ‘If ever a tear comes from your eyes from fear of Allah, that eye will never see Hellfire.” That tear is sufficient! Even one tear in your life when you are reciting/listening to Qur’an or Hadith, and you weep from its intensity, emotion and love, if one tear comes on your cheek it will be enough to take away that Hellfire within us and before we leave dunya, Allah will give us Paradise!

Imam Busayri (r) said, “If I didn’t have love, I would have never shed tears on my cheek.” In commentary they say the marks from tears flowing on his cheeks were like wounds. One tear is enough to send him to Paradise. What are we doing? We are not caring, we only eat and drink. But we do care somewhat, we came here. In every masjid, Muslims are coming for `Eid and some of them have tears in their eyes, some of them don’t. Angels will shed tears on their behalf, Allah will not leave them alone. By showing Allah and His Prophet your respect and love, Allah will not leave you, He will send you to Paradise. Wa laa `aynun sahirat fee sabeelillah, “And no eye which always stayed awake in the way of Allah (swt).” Not only through fighting, but also struggling to learn the principles of Islam, about your religion, learning your deen.

This second Hadith, we have to put it in our minds that Prophet (s) said:

مَا وَقَعَتْ قَطْرَةٌ أَحَبُّ إِلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ ، مِنْ قَطْرَةِ دَمٍ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ، أَوْ قَطْرَةِ دُمُوعٍ فِي سَوَادِ اللَّيْلِ ، لا يَرَاهَا إِلا اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ

There is no drop more beloved to Allah than a drop of blood in the Way of Allah or a drop of tears in middle of the night that no one but Allah sees. (Tirmidhi, Tabarani)

What does Allah like from His servants? It is to struggle in His way, to make jihad against himself, against his ego, against his desire, against his nafs, against his Shaytan. These four enemies that we are facing. Allah wants us to always be awake from the attack of these four enemies. They are worse than the enemies of tanks and machine guns. The enemies that we have to take away from our lives are the four enemies of nafs, dunya, hawa, and Shaytan. We have to be very careful of them.

Anyone who is always looking to avoid falling in the traps of naf, dunya, hawa and Shaytan, one tear from his eyes is what Allah loves the most.

Wa qatrati dumoo` fee jawfi ‘l-layli min khashyatillah, Allah loves most the tear that comes in the middle of the night when someone is awake and remembers Allah (swt) and His Prophet and begins to cry. Even one tear is enough for that person to be taken to Paradise.

Are we observing this or not? We are not. Some are. Some are not but let us struggle and try our best. That `Eid is an `Eid of tears in love of Allah (swt). The biggest `Eid for a wali is to cry tears from his eyes in the love of Allah (swt). That is the greatest ni’mah that people can observe in their lives.

عَنْ أَبِي الْجَلْدِ ، قَالَ : " قَرَأْتُ فِي مَسْأَلَةِ دَاوُدَ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، قَالَ : إِلَهِي , مَا جَزَاءُ مَنْ بَكَى مِنْ خَشْيَتِكَ حَتَّى تَسِيلَ دُمُوعُهُ عَلَى وَجْنَتَيْهِ ؟ قَالَ : جَزَاؤُهُ أَنْ أُحَرِّمَ وَجْهَهَ عَلَى لَفْحِ النَّارِ ، وَأَنْ أُؤَمِّنَهُ يَوْمَ الْفَزَعِ "

Abu Juld reported he read that Sayyidina Dawood (a) said: O God, what is the recompense of the one who cried out of fear of You until his tears flowed off his cheeks? He (swt) said, ‘His recompense his that I will forbid his face from the burning of Hellfire and will keep him safe of the Day of Panic. (Ibn Abi ad-Dunya)

Sayyidina Dawood (a) asked Allah (swt), “O Allah! What is the reward for the one who fears You and cries out of fear of You? He is afraid of You and Your punishment. What is his reward?”

“The one who love Me and remembers Me his reward is I will prevent Hellfire to come to him.”

So only say, “Yaa Rabbee! We are showing You our love by saying, ‘Ash-hadu an laa ilaaha illa-Llah wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadu ‘r-Rasoolullah.’ That’s what Allah wants from us: Kalimat at-Tawheed, Kalimat ash-Shahadah, to accept Him at the Creator and Sayyidina Muhammad (s) as His Messenger.

Sayyidina Hassan (a), the grandson of Prophet (s), said:

بلغنا أن الباكي من خشية الله لا يقطر من دموعه قطرة على الأرض حتى تعتق رقبته من النار

We have been informed regarding the one who cries out of fear of Allah that no drop of his tears will reach the ground but that he will be freed from Hellfire.

He said and he is sadiq, a trustworthy one, and what he says is correct. He said, “We received in a vision, balaghna, it came to use that someone who cries fearing Allah (swt) before that tear leaves his cheek and falls on the ground, Allah will free him from Hellfire.” What kind of `Eid do we like then? This will be `Eid for us.

Yaa Rabbee! From this place and from every masjid around the world and from Mecca and Madinatu 'l-Munawwara we are weak servants. For the sake of Prophet (s) let Your angels to shed tears on our behalf because we are tough, rude ones. May Allah forgive us and may Allah bless us. Allahumma salli `alaa Sayyidina Muhammad wa `alaa ali Sayyidina Muhammad.

It is said by Sayyidina Hassan (r) another time, some people are telling him, “Yaa grandson of Prophet (s)! There is a group of people between us when they hear the Holy Qur’an recited, they begin to cry.” You see how much our hearts are tough? We are not crying.

There was a wali. He doesn’t give suhbah but he has something. He claps and says, “Now you cry,” and everyone sitting there begins to cry. He says, “Yaa Rabbee! They are crying for You.” He claps and they stop. He says, “Now laugh,” and they begin to laugh.” This is jazbah. This is how he attracts people. Allah gave everyone something. You can attract them with a beautiful voice: qaseeda, Holy Qur’an, or Hadith.

That one attracted them through his personality. It’s like a spotlight. He would say, “Laugh,” and they would laugh. He would say “cry” and they would cry. When he first says “cry,” everyone cries. After they stop, he says, “Now you laugh,” and everyone is laughing like now everyone is laughing. He says, “Yaa Rabbee! When they were crying they were asking Your forgiveness. Now they are crying because You are granting them Paradise” and then he goes. He has that power. He is very well known in Baghdad, in Iraq.

عن أَبُو خُرَيْمٍ ، قَالَ : قِيلَ لِلْحَسَنِ : إِنَّ هَهُنَا قَوْمًا إِذَا اسْتَمَعُوا الْقُرْآنَ بَكَوْا حَتَّى تَعْلُوَ أَصْوَاتُهُمْ ! فَقَالُ الْحَسَنُ : " لَمْ يَزَلِ النَّاسُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ يَبْكُونَ عِنْدَ الذِّكْرِ وَقِرَاءَةِ الْقُرْآنِ " .

They said to al-Hassan (r), “That group of people who hear the Holy Qur’an recited, they cry.” He said:There will be people who continue to be that way who cry upon dhikr and the recitation of Qur’an.

“As long as this dunya is living, there are a group of people who will cry when they hear Qur’an recited.” Try to push your tears out and if you are not able to push your tears, take a little bit of saliva on your finger and put it on your eye. Maybe the angels will like that and everyone will say, “Yaa Rabbee! These are artificial ones but we can we do? You can turn them into real ones.” Allah can change anything.

إِنَّمَا أَمْرُهُ إِذَا أَرَادَ شَيْئًا أَنْ يَقُولَ لَهُ كُنْ فَيَكُونُ

Verily, when He intends a thing His Command is, "Be!" and it is (comes into being)! (Surah Yaseen, 36:82)

Why don’t we have faith in that? Let our faith be strong that Allah will forgive us.

ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ

Call on Me, I will answer you. (Surah Ghafir, 40:60)

We ask Your forgiveness yaa Rabbee on this holy day, on this `Eid ul-Adha 1437. May Allah forgive us inshaa-Allah.

Ibn Umar (r) reported that he heard the Prophet (s) say in a khutbah:

لا تَنْسَوُا الْعَظِيمَتَيْنِ " قُلْنَا : وَمَا الْعَظِيمَتَانِ ؟ قَالَ : " الْجَنَّةُ وَالنَّارُ

“Do not forget the two great things.” We asked, “What are the two great things?” He said, “Paradise and Hellfire.” (Bukhari)

“I heard Prophet (s) saying to people, advising them, ‘Don’t forget the two great things that will happen.’” The Sahaabah (r) asked, ‘Yaa Rasoolullah! What are the two great things you are mentioning?’ He said, ‘Paradise and Hellfire.’” May Allah (swt) take us to Paradise and save us from Hellfire and to be normal people in our thinking, loving Allah and His Prophet (s) and trying to cry at least some tears, inshaa-Allah.

Wa ‘s-salaamu `alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh. Aqoolu qawlee hadha wa astagfirullahi’l-`azheem lee wa lakum wa li saa’iri ’l-mustaghfireen fa yafawzan mustaghfireen astaghfirullah.

[Du`a.]

[Khutbah end.]

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