Grand Mawlid Conference 2016 | Peace for Humanity
O brothers and sisters, daughters and sons. This is not a normal event, this is not an event of lecturing or teaching, this is an event of honoring and happiness, an event that can continue until the Day of Judgement. May Allah (swt) be pleased with the guests, the speakers, the donors and the owner of this place. We are happy, why are we happy? It is because we are mentioning the name of Sayyidina Muhammad (s), and by only mentioning his name he is present! If we say that Prophet (s) is present in this room, yes, it’s alright. He can observe us and he can see us at any moment, like when you are calling someone’s name and he answers you, so what about when you call the Prophet (s) name, is he not answering you? He is answering you, Allah (swt) gave him power to do that!
At the beginning, one of the speakers recited the ayah:
قَدْ جَاءكُم مِّنَ اللّهِ نُورٌ وَكِتَابٌ مُّبِينٌ
Indeed, there has come to you from Allah a Light (Prophet Muhammad) and a plain Book (this Qur'an). (Surat al-Maa’idah, 5:15)
He read it and immediately it struck me, ‘noorun’ is Sayyidina Muhammad (s), but in the ayah, Allah brought the noor before the kitaab, He mentions Prophet (s) before He mentions Qur’an. When the noor is there, there is someone to receive the Qur’an: it means he (s) received the Qur’an on the day when there was no day, in the time when there was no time. We don’t know when that happened, there is no way to calculate when Allah (swt) brought up Sayyidina Muhammad (s) in front of Him and dressed him with the Holy Qur’an. No one can understand the meaning of that ayah except Sayyidina Muhammad (s). What is that noor? When Sayyidina Jaabir asked Prophet (s), “When did Allah (swt) create you?” he said, “Allah created me when there was no Creation, Allah (swt) honored me when there was no honoring.”
Allah has honored Sayyidina Muhammad (s) with an honor for his Ummah, also. What Allah gave to Sayyidina Muhammad (s), He gave to the Ummah. When Allah (swt) 0 said in the Holy Qur’an:
وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ إِذ ظَّلَمُواْ أَنفُسَهُمْ جَآؤُوكَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُواْ اللّهَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمُ الرَّسُولُ لَوَجَدُواْ اللّهَ تَوَّابًا رَّحِيمًا
If they had only, when they were unjust (oppressor) to themselves, come to you and asked Allah's forgiveness, and the Messenger had asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah indeed Oft-Returning, Most Merciful. (Surat an-Nisaa, 4:64)
We didn’t say that, Allah (swt) said that. Allah directed us towards the Right Way. He said, “When you have a problem, go to Muhammad (s) and let him act on your behalf.” When we call on Prophet (s) from anywhere, Allah ordered Sayyidina Muhammad (s) to receive our call because when we do something wrong, immediately we know we have done something wrong, so we become oppressors, then Allah wants to save us and says, “Go to Muhammad (s), let him deal with it!” When you are in a court, the judge tells you, “Get a lawyer because you don’t know how to represent yourself.” Who is the perfect lawyer that can defend all the Ummah at the same time, in the same moment? Sayyidina Muhammad (s) can defend the whole Ummah in one sajda! Now in all the qasa’id, in all the lectures, we are showing our love to Allah and to His Prophet (s). Allah (swt) said in the Holy Qur’an:
قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَاللّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
Say (O Muhammad), "If you (really) love Allah, then follow me! Allah will love you and forgive your sins, and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Surat Aali-'Imraan, 3:31)
It means “this is the way,” there is no other way, we have to follow Prophet (s)! If the Prophet goes from Mecca to Madinah, we have to go from Mecca to Madinah. That’s why it is said by many Sufi scholars that when Prophet migrated from Mecca to Madinah the whole Ummah migrated with him. In the cave Ghaari Thawr where Prophet (s) hid from the unbelievers is not a normal cave that people only go to visit and come down, the whole Ummah was present there with him because Allah (swt) said in the Holy Qur’an, in kuntum tuhiboona 'Llaaha fattabi`oo Muhammad.
Our souls were free because at that time there were no sins on us, but when we came to life we sinned. All his Ummah migrated with him in the cave from Mecca to Madinah! In Madinah we heard the qasida “Tala` al-Badru `alayna min thaniyyati ‘l-Wada`,” so we migrated with Sayyidina Muhammad (s) to Madinah, and we are written as immigrants. If he migrated and accepted us, and Allah (swt) said in Holy Qur’an that if we love Allah we have to follow Muhammad, so if Sayyidina Muhammad (s) went to the Divine Presence to Qaaba Qawsayni aw Adnaa we are also with him in his Ascension! That’s why Ummat an-Nabi (s) ascended with their prophet, when Allah invited Prophet Sayyidina Muhammad (s) in His Presence.
O beautiful Ummah of Sayyidina Muhammad (s)! They mention a story about Sayyidina Musa (a) and Sayyidina Khidr (a), when the whale came alive. Allah wanted Sayyidina Musa (a) to know about Sayyidina Muhammad (s), that’s why He sent him to him to clarify a matter. What does the ayah say? When they felt hungry he asked his servant to bring the food for him and said:
قَالَ لِفَتَاهُ آتِنَا غَدَاءَنَا لَقَدْ لَقِينَا مِن سَفَرِنَا هَـٰذَا نَصَبًا
He [Musa] said to his servant, “Fetch our lunch as our trip has been tiring.” (Surat al-Kahf, 18:62)
Sayyidina Musa (a) asked Sayyidina Yusha (a) to give the food. Sayyidina Yusha (a) said, “Yaa Musa (a), the whale is gone.” Sayyidna Musa (a) said, “This is what I want, someone will meet me here.” The whale went and Sayyidina Khidr (a) was present there, then Sayyidina Musa asked him, “I want to follow you, to be with you.”
قَالَ إِنَّكَ لَن تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِيَ صَبْرًا
(The other) said, "Verily, you will not be able to have patience with me.” (Surat al-Kahf, 18:67)
Sayyidina Khidr (a) said, “You cannot be with me, it’s too difficult for you.” Sayyidina Musa (a), who is one of the Five Great Prophets[1] asked Sayyidina Khidr (a), who is less in prophecy, to help him follow the Reality, to find the truth. When Sayyidina Khidr (a) met Sayyidina Musa (a), Allah (swt) said that Sayyidina Khidr (a) said, “You can not follow me,” and Musa (a) said, “I will follow you, I will try.” They went and Sayyidina Khidr (a) made a hole in the boat to show him that the Reality of everything is through Prophet (s), as Allah (swt) said in the Holy Qur’an:
فَوَجَدَا عَبْدًا مِّنْ عِبَادِنَا آتَيْنَاهُ رَحْمَةً مِنْ عِندِنَا وَعَلَّمْنَاهُ مِن لَّدُنَّا عِلْمًا
So they found one of Our Servants on whom We had bestowed Mercy from Ourselves and whom We had taught knowledge from Our Own Presence. (Surat al-Kahf, 18:65)
Allah (swt) said in the Holy Qur’an, “We have given him knowledge, rahmah,” and that is Prophet (s): it means Sayyidina Musa (a) was not able to reach Reality without going to the door of Sayyidina Muhammad, alayhi afdalu 's-salaatu wa sallam. All of us are looking for a door and there is only one: the love of Sayyidina Muhammad (s)! Either we take it or we are losers.
This is his night and tomorrow night is Milad an-Nabi (s). In that night, Allah (swt) decorated the whole Heavens and invited Sayyidina Muhammad (s) to say, “Ummati, Ummati!” When he was born he was worried about his Ummah, when he was a young boy he was asking for his Ummah, in his death he was asking for his Ummah, on the Day of Judgement he will ask for his Ummah. What concerns Prophet (s) is his Ummah!
Through Sayyidina Muhammad (s), Allah gave us some ways in which He will forgive us, which is why He said, wa law annahum idh zhalamoo anfusahum jaa’ooka yaa Muhammad, “When they are oppressor to themselves, they come to you, O Muhammad (s).” It means if we come to Prophet (s), he must be there waiting for us! When we sin, immediately it comes to our heart that we have to say “astaghfirullah,” then Prophet (s) hears us and he is present, receiving our istighfaar and making istighfaar on our behalf to Allah (swt). Then Allah will forgive us. Wa law annahum idh zhalamoo anfusahum jaa’ooka fa ‘staghfaroollaaha wa ‘staghfara lahumu ‘r-rasoolu la-wajadoo ’Llaaha tawwaaba ‘r-raheema. “When they are oppressors to themselves they come to you, yaa Muhammad (s),” it means the whole Ummah! It’s not only for the Sahaabah (r) that disobeyed Prophet (s), but it is for the whole Ummah! It is a glad tiding for all of us, especially in this night, tomorrow night and in this month. To celebrate Prophet’s (s) birthday is a means to approach Heavens and the Divine Presence of Allah (swt) more and more.
Allah is Great, Sayyidina Muhammad (s) is great, he can carry his Ummah on his shoulders, but what do we have to do? Follow his Sunnah, the Holy Qur’an and Islam. Prophet (s) mentioned some Ahadith about the Last Days which we see are happening today. I will mention one of them that many people don’t know. Prophet (s) said:
يوشك أن يأتي على الناس زمان لا يبقى من الإسلام إلا اسمه
There will come a time upon a people when nothing remains from Islam except its name. (Bayhaqi)
Nowadays, they don’t understand anything from Islam except that the name of Islam makes them feel angry; today there is nothing left from Islam except its name. No one cares about it. Anything incident that brings the name of Islam anywhere, they immediately think of it as something bad, so what is left from Islam? Its name. What is left from the Holy Qur’an? Its calligraphy. Today very few people read the Qur’an and the rest are making calligraphy of its verses, framing it and hanging it on walls. No one really understands the meaning of those aayaat. Are we seeing this happening now, or not? If we are seeing this, why do we keep sinning? We have to repent and ask Allah (swt) to guide us through Prophet (s). All these events, all these courses that many shaykhs are trying their best to offer in order to keep Islam alive in the hearts of Muslims, we have to help them in every way to keep the name of Islam clean and clear.
We can stay until morning, it’s already 11:15 p.m. This is a joyful event, it’s not an event for lecturing, it’s an event to celebrate happiness and love of Prophet (s). Some people brought their children to pray on them and bless them, they are happy with their children. What do you think about Allah (swt) Who is happy with His Prophet (s) who, in turn, is happy to be a prophet and a servant to Allah (swt)? May Allah forgive our sins for the sake of Sayyidina Muhammad alayhi afdalu 's-salaatu wa sallam and keep us together.
Prophet (s) said to the Sahaabah (r) in a Hadith, which is important for all of us to be happy about, because this is the Night of Happiness!
قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: إذا مررتم برياض الجنة فارتعوا. قالوا وما رياض الجنة؟ قال "حلق الذكر"
Ibn `Umar reported that the Prophet (s) said, "When you pass by the Gardens of Paradise, avail yourselves of them." The Companions asked, "What are the Gardens of Paradise, O Messenger of Allah?" He replied, "The circles of dhikr.” (Tirmidhi)
The Sahaabah (r) said, “What are these Gardens of Heaven? There is only one Garden of Heaven which is in Madinatu 'l-Munawwara, the Rawdah Shareef.” He (s) said, “No, there will be too many Gardens of Heavens on Earth,” which are the circles of dhikrullah. Today all of us here were doing dhikrullah. Inshaa-Allah this place will be blessed for these three or four hours that we have gathered here as a Garden of Paradise. We are in a circle of dhikrullah: Allah blessed us with a blessing that you can not get when you are alone by yourself.
Wa min Allahi 't-tawfeeq, bi hurmati 'l-habeeb, bi hurmati 'l-Fatihah.
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[1] Oolu ‘l-Azam, the Five Great Prophets (Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Muhammad).