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The Immense Honor Allah (swt) Grants from One Sajda

Mawlana Shaykh Hisham Kabbani

2 September 2011 Burton, Michigan

Jumu`ah Khutbah at As-Siddiq Mosque

O Muslims! O Believers! Alhamdulillah, Allah (swt) has overwhelmed us with His honor and His generosity! Someone might ask, what kind of generosity has Allah (swt) given us? He gave us health and wealth and He gave us... all that doesn't weigh to Allah more than the wing of a mosquito:

لو أن الدنيا تزن عند الله جناح بعوضة ، ما سقى منها كافرا شربة ماء

law anna ad-dunya tazina `inda-Allah janaah ba`ooda...

Verily, the world does not weigh in Allah’s Eyes the wing of a mosquito...

Allah (swt) created this dunya but if you compare it to the universe or Heavens it disappears, becoming less that even one dot or the head of a pin, with no value! It has no value because one day it will be extinguished. So then what did Allah (swt) honor us with? It is something He loves: a message, He and made us part of that message as He made us Muslims!

إِنَّ الدِّينَ عِندَ اللّهِ الإِسْلاَمُ

Inna ad-deena `indallahi al-islam.

The religion before Allah is Islam. (al Imran, 3:19)

People are proud of their religion, of their Islam, but who gave it to us? Allah (swt) gave it to His servant, Sayyidina Muhammad (s), as He said:

سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي أَسْرَى بِعَبْدِهِ

SubhaanAllah alladhee asraa bi `abdihi,

Glory to the One who carried His servant. (al-Israa, 17:01)

Servanthood is precious. Don't assume you have it, as so many people don’t. You are all the same; you all come from a father and mother, as do they, but they didn't get a chance to be Muslim and we did! That is our fakhr, a source of pride, which means we should give thanks and make more sajda to Allah (swt)!

What is our duty? When Allah created Sayyidina Adam (a), the first duty of angels was to fulfill Allah’s order to make sajda to him. Sajda is so important: one sajda it is worth more than the whole dunya! Who made the first sajda among angels to Sayyidina Adam (a)? We have to be very careful here as that was sajda of tahiyyat, respect, and greeting, not sajda of worship. The first angel who made that sajda was Sayyidina Israfeel (a) and it is mentioned by al-Qurtubi. All angels, like human beings, have seven names, one for each level of Paradise as you ascend through them. Whoever said, “Laa ilaaha illa-Llah” will enter Paradise with the shafa`a of the Prophet (s), then in every level of Paradise you have a different name. Sayyidina Israfeel’s name in one level of Paradise is, “Abdur-Rahman, servant of the Most Compassionate.” Allah (swt) named him that and honored him because of that sajda to Sayyidina Adam (a)!

With what else did He honor Sayyidina Israfeel (a)? He is the one who will blow the heavenly trumpet, al-bookh, which is not a trumpet like the musicians play, but it is an indescribable heavenly instrument. When he blows that trumpet, everyone on Earth will die. When Allah (swt) will descend on the Throne and judge each person, the first one to blow the trumpet will be Sayyidina Israfeel (a). Because of being the first to make sajda, Allah (swt) further honored him by having the Qur’an written between his eyes, on his forehead, and angels make sajda there!

That is a reward and honor for one sajda of respect and honor to a created one. What do you think of the sajda made to One who is not a created one? What do you think Allah (swt) will give you? Allahu Akbar!

O Muslims! Reflect! Allah (swt) gave a lot to Muslims, however we are weak and we cannot do a lot. Allah (swt) said to Sayyidina Muhammad (s):

إِنَّا أَعْطَيْنَاكَ الْكَوْثَرَ

Inna aa`taynaaka ’l-kawthar.

(O Muhammad) We have given you a lot! ( al-Kawthar 108:1)

This refers to `Ilm al-Awwaleen wa ‘l-Akhireen, Knowledge of Before and After, and “We have given you the River Kawthar.“

Whoever is given that knowledge, the fountains of knowledge will explode in his heart. He will be like a lighthouse shining, like the Sahaabah (r)!

The Prophet (s) said:

اصحابي كالنجوم بأيهم اقتديتم اهتديتم

As-haabee ka ‘n-nujoom bi ayyihim aqtadaytum ahtadaytum.

My Companions are like stars; whichever one you follow, you will be guided.

(`Abd ibn Humayd, ad-Daraqutnee, ibn `Adiyy, ibn `Abd al-Barr, with unsound chains but the meaning is sound)

They are described as stars because of the sajda they always performed in fard and voluntary prayers. That is the sajda of respect as offered by Sayyidina Israafeel (a) and Allah (swt) granted him the Holy Qur'an written between his eyes! What then do you think then if you make the sajda of worship to Allah (swt); will He will only give you Holy Qur'an between your two eyes? No! He will give you:

عن ‏ ‏أبي هريرة ‏‏أن النبي ‏ ‏صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ ‏قال قال الله عز وجل ‏ ‏أعددت ‏ ‏لعبادي الصالحين ما لا عين رأت ولا أذن سمعت ولا خطر على قلب بشر ...

Qaala Allah `azza wa jall aa`dadta li-`ibaadee as-saaliheena maa laa `aynun raa'at wa laa uzhunun sami`at wa maa khatar `alaa qalbi bashar dhakhiran...

Allah said, “I have prepared for My righteous servants what no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and what never came to the heart of a human being...

Today you came here for a wedding; you brought gifts to celebrate and enjoy the gathering. When you come to do voluntary worship, what gifts do you think Allah (swt) will give you when you make sajda to Him? We are so happy when someone marries. What about Allah, when He gives us His grants for showing our respect and love to Him by sajda?

A man from Bukhara went for Hajj; back then they travelled by camel, horse and so on in a caravan. He prepared to do Hajj and people asked him, “Do you intend to do Hajj?” He said “Yes,” but he didn't join them. He said, “I am intending to go to Hajj by foot, walking barefoot through Iraq, Sham, Jordan, all the way to Hijaz.” At that time it took one year to reach and after Hajj they stayed for one year and returned on foot. But he was not just walking: he stopped after every step, made a fresh wudu and prayed two raka`ats. That journey took three years and he didn't seek any provision as Allah (swt) provided him with water and food and many karamat came from him on that journey.

Today when they want to go for Hajj they buy the most comfortable packages, but still Allah (swt) is happy with them that they are making sajda to Him! So don't bow and don't make sajda to anyone but Allah (swt). Whoever makes sajda to Him, heavenly knowledge and faith will be written in his heart, not only written, but it will be shining and reflected to anyone he sees. Allah (swt) is Generous, He will not stop giving to those who love Him and who remember Him!

When that one makes sajda, Shaytan says, yaa waylaa, “O! Now I am the most miserable one!” Amara abn adaam bi-sujood fa sajadoo fa ataahum al-jannah, “The sons of Sayyidina Adam (a) were ordered to make sajda; they did it and they are going to Paradise, (but) I was ordered to make sajda and refused, so I was cursed!”

Do you think there is a way that Iblees can repent? Yes, there is! When he refused to make sajda before Sayyidina Adam (a), all his previous actions and good deeds were cancelled. He saw himself as proud that he had been worshipping for two thousand years before Sayyidina Adam’s (a) creation! When he saw that Sayyidina Adam (a) was created for Maqaam al-Mahmoud, due to his arrogance, he thought that maqaam should have been his instead.

Therefore, we must not be arrogant! We are Muslim and we must stand for what we are. I applaud Muslim ladies who are wearing the hijab, showing what they are. There is hijab for men also, as the Prophet (s) always covered his head and was never bareheaded, so it is a sunnah. Unfortunately, if you go to Pakistan, India, Bukhara, Sri Lanka, you find in the mosque there is a box with prayer caps for men when they pray, and when they leave they toss it back in the box. Nowadays we have forgotten that and say there is no need for a prayer cap. When you go to work it is okay not to where it, but when you go to the mosque at least have a cap in your pocket and put it on. But Allah (swt) is Merciful! He gives without counting, He is al-Kareem.

Imam an-Nawawi (r), who wrote the famous books Riyad as-Saliheen and Sharh Sahih Muslim, said that Iblees didn't make sajda when he was ordered and on Judgment Day he will be raised in order to increase his sins, because he is disobedient to Allah (swt) and, therefore, Allah and His angels are cursing him up to Judgment Day.

O Muslims! Allah (swt) ordered us to make sajda in every prayer to get benefit of the sajda; therefore, perform your five prayers as on Judgment Day we don't want Allah (swt) to turn His Face from us!

وَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرًّا يَرَهُ

Faman ya`mal mithqaala dharratin sharran yarraah.

Allah will judge; who does an atom's weight of evil will see it. (az Zalzalah 99:08)

But after He judges, He will order the Prophet (s) to make shafa`ah. Do you think that Allah will allow anyone to enter Hellfire? With the shafa`ah of the Prophet (s), everyone will go to Paradise! May we enter Paradise without account, because if we are taken to account, can anyone can say, “I am perfect.” Only the Prophet (s) was perfect!

(Du`a)

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