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The Greatest Favor Allah Bestowed on Us

The Fiqh of Islam, Vol 1

Ramadan Series 2013

Mawlana Shaykh Hisham Kabbani

10 July 2013 Fenton Zawiya, Michigan

Suhbah after Fajr

A`oodhu billahi min ash-Shaytaani 'r-rajeem. Bismillahi 'r-Rahmaani 'r-Raheem.

Nawaytu 'l-arba`een, nawaytu 'l-`itikaaf, nawaytu 'l-khalwah, nawaytu 'l-`uzlah,

nawaytu 'r-riyaadah, nawaytu 's-sulook, lillahi ta`alaa fee haadha 'l-masjid.

As Allah (swt) says in Holy Qur'an, what is the biggest ni`mat that Allah gave to us? People are wondering and thinking, what is that favor? Some people believe that there is a favor and for some people it doesn’t even come to their mind that Allah has favored them; they think that they have wealth because of their effort, but this wealth is going and ending by leaving it and dying. So what kind of wealth are you speaking about?

There is one wealth that Allah gave to humanity, which there is no wealth above it that can be described, al-ni`mata ’l-`azheem, the Greatest Favor that Allah gave and it is through the du`a of Sayyidina Ibraaheem (a) when he looked in the future and saw what is going to happen, he asked Allah (swt) for the big favor that He will give humanity. And in Surat al-Baqarah, verse 129, Allah (swt) said:

رَبَّنَا وَابْعَثْ فِيهِمْ رَسُولاً مِّنْهُمْ يَتْلُو عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتِكَ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَيُزَكِّيهِمْ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ العَزِيزُ الحَكِيمُ

Rabbanaa w ’ab`ath feehim rasoolan minhum yatloo `alayhim aayaatika wa yu`allimuhumu ‘l-kitaaba wa’l-hikmata wa yuzakkeehim innaka anta ‘l-`azeezu ‘l-hakeem.

Our Lord! And send among them a messenger from themselves who will recite to them Your verses and teach them the Book and wisdom and purify them. Indeed, You are the Exalted in Might, the Wise. (Surat al-Baqarah, 2:129)

That is the greatest ni`mat that Allah (swt) has sent to us through the barakah of the du`a of Sayyidina Ibraaheem (a), where he asked, “O Allah, send to them a messenger from among themselves, who will show them Your Signs, ayaatika, and he will recite it for them and yu`allimahum al-Kitaab, he will teach them about the Book.” So Sayyidina Ibraaheem (a) knows about the Holy Qur'an, wa yu`allimahum al-Kitaab, “Teach them the Book and teach them the Holy Precious Words of Yours that are not makhlooq, not created, Your Ancient Words, Kalaamullah al-Qadeem. So send them a

messenger from themselves to show them Your Signs.” Which Signs? He will tell them about Your Signs. What are Allah’s Signs? If we want to take it in dunya, Allah (swt) said:

لَخَلْقُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ أَكْبَرُ مِنْ خَلْقِ النَّاسِ

La-khalqu ‘s-samaawaati wa ‘l-ardi akbaru min khalqi ‘n-naas.

The creation of Heavens and Earth is indeed greater than the creation of Mankind.

(Surat Ghaafir, 40:57)

“The creation of Heavens and Earth is more difficult than creation of human beings.” We say human beings are the most complicated creature and Allah says, “Yes true, but the creation of Heaven and Earth is more great among Allah’s Signs.” That means when we look to the stars, our eyes or our vision when we look to the stars goes back unable; you look down because you are unable to see them because you are unable to see what is there. All technology doesn’t know what is there.

ثُمَّ ارْجِعِ الْبَصَرَ كَرَّتَيْنِ يَنقَلِبْ إِلَيْكَ الْبَصَرُ خَاسِأً وَهُوَ حَسِيرٌ

yanqalib ilayk al-basaru khaashiya wa huwa haseer,

thy sight will return unto thee weakened and made dim. (Surat al-Mulk, 67:4)

It means “you look then your sight will come down, unable to understand anything of these galaxies, stars and universes.” Allah sent Prophet (s) to recite Your Verses and Your Signs:

سَنُرِيهِمْ آيَاتِنَا فِي الْآفَاقِ وَفِي أَنفُسِهِمْ حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَهُمْ أَنَّهُ الْحَقُّ

Sanureehim aayaatina fi ’l-lafaaqi wa fee anfusihim hattaa yatabayyana lahum annahu’l-haqq

Soon will We show them our Signs in the (furthest) regions (of the earth), and in their own souls, until it becomes manifest to them that this is the Truth. (Surah Fussilat, 41:53)

“We are going to show them our Signs on the horizon,” and today there are too many scientific signs that people find in the Holy Qur’an. “Horizon” means in the future, as before they could not understand it.

سَنُرِيهِمْ آيَاتِنَا فِي الْآفَاقِ وَفِي أَنفُسِهِمْ

Sanureehim aayaatinaa fi 'l-aafaaq wa fee anfusihim.

We are going to show them Our Signs in the horizons and in themselves. (Surat al-Fussilat, 41:53)

And today there are too many signs they are finding in science that they did not understand it before, but today they understand. Today you say an airplane carrying 300 passengers you believe it, but if you said that 300 years ago, something like a bird carrying 300 passengers, would you have believed? No, you wouldn’t believe it. So the Prophet (s) gave only the knowledge of Shari`ah and left the sciences for the future. So Sayyidina Ibraaheem (a) is asking, “O Allah, send them a messenger from within themselves!” Look how much Sayyidina Ibraaheem (a) loved Ummat an-Nabi (s), the nation of mu'mins, believers, to send from within themselves a messenger to teach them signs and sciences, yatloo `alayhim ayaatika wa yu`allimahum al-kitaab. He put “teach them the sciences” on one side and “teach them the Book” on the other side. That means the sciences and Signs, ayaatillah are in the Book! When He says, wa yu`allimahum al-kitaab, it means “teach everyone the Holy Qur'an.” Did you understand yu`allimahum, “in the future” he will teach them the Holy Qur'an.

That means in reality, in the interpretational meaning of the verse, that the Prophet (s) is taking the responsibility of teaching every single person one by one the knowledge of the Book. He didn’t say “to teach the Book,” but rather “will teach the Book,” emphasizing that the Prophet (s) will teach the Holy Qur'an. So he took on his shoulders to teach the whole ummah the Holy Qur'an, so that is why Allah (swt) said:

وإعلموا أن فيكم رسول الله

W`alamoo anna feekum rasoolullaah.

And know Allah's Messenger is in you. (Surat al-Hujuraat, 49:7)

You must know that the Prophet (s) is among you. That is why when he is with you and in you, he is teaching everyone the Holy Qur'an and we don’t know. The body doesn’t know, but the heart knows. So on Judgment Day, we will be coming and he was teaching us the Holy Qur'an and we come knowing the Holy Qur'an, even though you didn’t learn when young. And if you don’t learn Wisdom you cannot understand the Book, as in, “Teach them Your Book and Wisdom.” Wa ‘l-Hikmat, then He teaches Wisdom, by the du`a of Sayyidina Ibraaheem (a), yatloo `alayhim aayaatika wa yu`allimuhumu ‘l-kitaaba wa’l-hikmata, he teaches them Allah’s Signs, then the Book and the Wisdom.

Sayyidina `Ali (r) said, “All Islam is built on one point; if you don’t understand that point you cannot benefit in anything.” The Sahaabah (r) said, “Yaa Ali, what is that point?” He said, “The head of everything, every `amal you do, every intention you have, has to be based on one point, not two.”

They said, “What is it?”

He said, “That is Wisdom.”

راس الحكمة مخاة الله

Raas al-Hikmata makhaafatullah.

The head of Wisdom is fear of Allah.

Fear that He will punish you if you disobey and also fear of being far from Him, that you will be far from the Divine Presence even though your love for Him might be more and more. So after he teaches the Signs that are in the universe and after he teaches them the Book then the Wisdom, then he purifies them, so anyone who wants to be purified must look into this verse very carefully to be on the track, Sirat al-Mustaqeem. This verse shows us different tracks, different instruments, different machines, different understandings that are there to learn from Prophet (s) and be purified:

* the Signs that Allah wants us to know

* the Book

* the Wisdom

* to be purified

These are the four principles that Sayyidina Ibraaheem (a) asked Allah to give to Ummat an-Nabi (s) and to humanity. And Allah (swt) said:

كَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا فِيكُمْ رَسُولاً مِّنكُمْ يَتْلُو عَلَيْكُمْ آيَاتِنَا وَيُزَكِّيكُمْ وَيُعَلِّمُكُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَيُعَلِّمُكُم مَّا لَمْ تَكُونُواْ تَعْلَمُونَ

Kama arsalnaa feekum rasoolan minkum yatloo `alaykum aayatinaa wa yuzakkeekum wa yu`allimukumu ’l-kitaaba wa ’l-hikmata wa yu`allimukum maa lam takoonoo ta`alamoon.

Just as We have sent among you a messenger from yourselves reciting to you Our verses, and purifying you and teaching you the Book and wisdom, and teaching you that which you did not know. (Surat al-Baqarah, 2:151)

Allah is confirming another time, “We have sent from within you, from among you, from you, a messenger to teach you.” First the du`a of Sayyidina Ibraaheem (a) came into reality in verse 151, in the time of the Prophet (s) as, “I sent a messenger,” Allah is saying, “from within you telling you about His Signs and he purifies you and teaches you the Book,” which Sayyidina Ibraaheem (a) asked and Allah answered! Allah (swt) answers everyone:

ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ

Idoo`nee astajib lakum.

Call on Me, I will answer you. (Surat Ghaafir, 40:60)

“Ask and I respond!” So He responded to the du`a of Sayyidina Ibraaheem (a) to send from themselves a messenger to teach them Allah’s Signs and recite His Book and teach them His Book and the Wisdom and to teach them what they don’t know. Allah mentioned 1400 years ago that He will teach them what they don’t know, so technology and sciences are coming from the secret of that ayah, “He will teach you what you never knew about,” and that is why they are discovering one after one different discoveries. From that one verse it is enough for awliyaullah to pull the sciences from this verse, depending on each one’s power. So after this, after teaching you Holy Qur'an and Wisdom and teaching you what you never knew, what then you have to do? To say “Thank You,” an nashkurallah. What Did Allah (swt) say after this verse?

فَاذْكُرُونِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ وَاشْكُرُواْ لِي وَلاَ تَكْفُرُونِ

Fadhkuroonee adhkurkum, w ’ashkuroo lee wa laa takfuroon.

Remember Me, I will remember you. Give thanks to Me and do not be ungrateful towards Me.

(Surat al-Baqarah, 2:152)

“Remember Me and I remember you and love you, and thank Me, then you go to Paradise. Only remember Me, I don’t want more than that: love Me, I love you; pray for Me and you go to Paradise.” After all that He gave us only, “Remember Me! I don’t want more than that.” So one Bedouin came to the Prophet (s) and said, “Islam's Shari`ah is too much for me. Give me something that is easy for me.” And the Prophet (s) said, ij`al lisaanak ratban bi-dhikrullah, “Keep your tongue moist with dhikrullah.” As Allah said, “Keep remembering Me on your tongue,” as in the verse, fadhkuroonee adhkurkum, washkuroo lee wa laa takfuroon, “Keep My Name on your tongue, keep asking Me, mentioning Me; I will give you what you want, but don’t run away from Me.” But what are we doing? We are running away from Allah (swt). In another verse:

لَقَدْ مَنَّ اللّهُ عَلَى الْمُؤمِنِينَ إِذْ بَعَثَ فِيهِمْ رَسُولاً مِّنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ يَتْلُو عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتِهِ وَيُزَكِّيهِمْ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَإِن كَانُواْ مِن قَبْلُ لَفِي ضَلالٍ مُّبِينٍ

Laqad manna’Llaahu `ala al-mumineen idh ba`tha feehim rasoolan min anfusihim yatloo `alayhim aayaatihi wa yuzakkeehim wa yu`allimuhumu ‘l-kitaaba wa ‘l-hikmata wa in kaanoo min qablu lafee dalaalin mubeen.

Certainly did Allah confer (great) favor upon the believers when He sent among them a messenger from themselves, reciting to them His verses and purifying them and teaching them the Book and wisdom, although they had been before in manifest error. (Surat Aali-`Imraan, 3:164)

Another time reminding us, first with Sayyidina Ibraaheem’s du`a and then, “Allah favored mu’mins, He sent a messenger from among themselves,” then He sent a messenger from among themselves, showing them His Signs and teaching them the Book, purifying them and teaching them the Hikmah, Wisdom and teaching them the Hikmah even though they were ignorant before. He mentioned it another time in order to keep in our head to thank Allah every day at least 100 times (by saying) “shukran lillah!”

What did the Prophet (s) say?

إن في أصلاب أصلاب أصلاب رجال من أصحابي رجالا ونساء من أمتي يدخلون الجنة بغير حساب

Inna fee aslaabi aslaabi aslaabi rijaalan min ashaabee rijaalan wa nisaa’un min ummatee yadkhuloona al-jannata bi ghayri hisaab. (at-Tabarani)

Verily in the loins of the loins of the loins of men from my Companions are men and women of my Nation who will enter Paradise with no account.

Aslaabi means ‘from within me’. “There are people going to come and from them more people are going to come and then also more people are going to come, and in them more people are going to come until the Day of Judgment, men and women from my Sahaabah, from me and from them, men and women and they are going to enter Paradise with no account.” What did he mean? He meant anyone who entered Islam man kaana ila yawm al-qiyamah, are going to enter Paradise with no account, men and women, as long as they are Muslim. So let us say, ash-hadu an laa ilaaha illa-Llah wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan rasoolullah!

So what are the most important things that we have to do? Fadhkuroonee adhkurukum washkuru lee wa laa takfuroon, most important is, “Remember Me and then thank Me,” (by saying) “Shukran, yaa Allah!” “Mention Me and thank Me.” The meaning of “shukran, yaa Allah,” yes, we say “Thank You for Your favors,” but what are the favors we have to take and what are the things we have to stop doing in order for Allah to be happy with us? An-nahiyy `ani ‘sh-shirk, to leave shirk, to tell ourselves and our ego not to associate itself with Allah, not to let our ego associate anyone with Allah. We all say “Laa ilaaha illa-Llah” but we still associate our ego with Allah as when we do something good we say, “Oh, I did something good!” but whatever good you did is from Allah (swt).

The Prophet (s) said:

أخوف ما أخاف على أمتي الشرك الخفي

Akhwafu maa akhaafu `alaa ummattee ash-shirk al-khafee.

What I fear most for my ummah is hidden shirk.

“The thing I fear most for my Nation is the hidden shirk.” (We say), “I did this. I made this book. I did this artwork.” No, Allah inspired you to do that! So eliminate this from yourself. Today we teach our children pride and arrogance, saying, “Oh my son, be proud of yourself!” What to be proud of? Even awliyaullah who spent all their life in helping people and training them and building what they call today ‘community centers’, they were doing that hundreds of years ago, building ribaat and zawiya and feeding the poor. They were doing that and much better than what they are doing today, teaching what? Ping pong and chess and basketball. Is that what a community center is for or it is to polish our behavior? We have to eliminate the thinking that, “I did this, I did that.” No, you didn’t do anything! Awliyaullah do all things for humanity and the Prophet (s) did everything for humanity and used to say:

اللَّهُمَّ لَا تَكِلْنِي إِلَى نَفْسِي طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ وَلَا أَقَلَّ مِنْ ذَلِكَ

Allahumma laa takilnee ila nafsee tarfat `aynin wa laa aqala min dhalika.

O Allah! Don't leave me to my ego for the blink of an eye or less.

This the Messenger of Allah (s) and still we say, “We did this and we did that.” And the second (most important thing we have to do) is al-amru bi ’l-ihsaan, to call for goodness. What is ihsaan? To call for goodness, good manners, justice, a word of truth and to help those who need help, whatever help is needed and to prohibit wasting of favors. What is wasting of favors? Allah favored you with wealth and you go and spend on something wrong instead of giving it to needy people. He gave you knowledge so go and teach it, He gave you Wisdom, go and teach it. Be nice in your talk, speak nicely, diplomatically, make people to be happy. Don’t eat the money of orphans, help the orphans, build them shelters and give them money, make them happy.

I am sorry to say that now most of eastern countries are following the western countries, the father and mother making their children orphans while they are still alive, by what? By divorce. You need to think. A wife divorces the husband and the husband divorces the wife, they cannot stay together and after ten years they need a change. Now eastern culture is following western culture. What happens to their children? They become orphans, even though their parents are alive, the children don't know what to do. Even when the child becomes 18 years old, there is still deficiency in the mind, a circuit breaker that when two wires short the breaker shuts down immediately. When the children see the parents divorced, then their circuits shut down and they cannot understand any more. People come and they are proud, they come on TV saying, “I don't like my husband and I go with someone else!” They don't care. Where is the respect of 15, 16 years ago and the children everywhere become orphans? You have to be very careful not to make our children orphans while their parents are still alive, to lose their parents because they want to fight.

May Allah forgive us and may Allah bless us in the month of Ramadan. Bi hurmati 'l-habeeb, bi hurmati 'l-Fatihah.

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