Leicester Central Mosque
As-salaatu wa salaam `alayka yaa Sayyidee, yaa Rasoolullah, yaa Rahmatan lil-`alameen. As-salaatu wa salaam `alayka yaa Shafi'i al-Mudhni`been. Alfu, alfu salaatu wa salaam `alayka yaa awwala khalqillahi wa khatami rusulillah. Alfu, alfu salaatu wa salaam `alayka yaa Mahi. Alfu, alfu salaatu wa salaam `alayka yaa Qasim. Alfu, alfu salaatu wa salaam `alayka yaa `Aqib. Alfu, alfu salaatu wa salaam `alayka yaa Haashir. Wa sallahu `ala Sayyidina wa Nabiyyina Muhammadin wa `ala aalihi wa saahbihi ajma`een.
As-salaamu `alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuh. Alhamdulillah. Alhamdulilahi Rabbi 'l-`alameen wa salaatu wa salaam `ala ashrafi 'l-mursaleen, Sayyidina wa Nabiyyina Muhammadin wa `ala aalihi wa saahbihi ajma`een. Alhamdulilahi 'l-ladhee sharafana an nakoona muslimeen wa rahmatullahi ta`ala barakaatuh `ala Sahib ad-Deen, Sayyidina wa Nabiyyina Muhammad (s).
O my dear brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, I would like to thank the committee of this masjid, especially Mawlana Shaykh Hafiz Athar Hussain al-Azhar, Mawlana Shaykh Shahid Raza and our good brother Shaykh Maksood, and all the rest for arranging this program this evening.
I look at myself and I say, "Who am I? What am I?" And I say to myself, "I hope to be nothing." To be nothing is better than to be something. To be nothing means no responsibility. To be something has too many responsibilities. To be an imaam means you have to carry everyone who is praying behind you. It is not an easy job, so it is better to not be an imaam, because the imaam has to carry all of us one-by-one when he is leading the prayer! Don't think it is easy. That is why not everyone can be an imaam, but everyone can be a muadhdhin. Everyone can be a helper, khaadim, Allah (swt) gave imaams that position to carry on their shoulders. Those sincere, pious servants of Allah who are coming to pray, they are carrying their sins on their shoulders and they stand by themselves, "Yaa Rabbee, what do we have to do? We are also Your servants, forgive all of us."
So the imaam has the responsibility of all of these people here and on Jumu`ah day there may be thousands of people. A leader of a community has the responsibility of 10,000 to 20,000. A leader of a country has the responsibility of millions. A master, a wali, a saint has the responsibility of all his mureeds. But no one has the responsibility that Sayyiddi 'l- Bashr, Sayyidina Muhammad (s) has. Not had, has!
He is carrying us from the Day of Promises, when Allah (swt) asked us, "Am I not your Lord?" and we said, "Na`am." Alastu bi Rabbikum? Qaaloo: na`am. From that day we have been carried by our imaam, our leader, Sayyidina Muhammad (s). Not only us, but Adam (s) and who is under Adam, from the grandchildren of Adam are under Sayyidina Muhammad (s). Imagine all prophets are coming to Sayyidina Muhammad to ask for shafa`a for their nations. I will give you a small example so you can see. I was just coming from that door there to here, and many people wanted to shake hands. I like to shake hands to make relationships and to take barakah from each other. Some people did not have the chance because it is crowded, so those people felt bad because they need a chance to shake hands and say, As-salaamu `alaykum, and we say, Wa `alaykum as-salaam.
وَإِذَا حُيِّيْتُم بِتَحِيَّةٍ فَحَيُّواْ بِأَحْسَنَ مِنْهَا أَوْ رُدُّوهَا إِنَّ اللّهَ كَانَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ حَسِيبًا
Wa-itha idhuyyeetum bi-tahiyyatin fahayyoo bi-ahsana minha aw ruddooha inna Allaha kaana `ala kulli shayin haseeban.
When a (courteous) greeting is offered you, meet it with a greeting still more courteous, or (at least) of equal courtesy. God takes careful account of all things. (4:86)
So people want to give salaam and get a salaam or a better salaam. Those who did not get a chance to shake hands felt bad. What do you think about on the Day of Judgment when everyone is running to Sayyidina Muhammad (s) and trying to shake his hands? If they are not able to shake his hands will they feel bad or not? How is it possible then to shake the hand of the Prophet when there are not millions, not billions, not trillions, but Allah knows how many human beings He created? How are they going to shake hands at that time? Do you think that everyone can shake hands, or some can shake hands?
Allah said in the Holy Qur'an:
وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا رَحْمَةً لِّلْعَالَمِينَ
Wa maa arsalnaaka illa rahmatan li 'l-`alameen.
And We did not send you (Muhammad) except as a Mercy to the worlds. (21:107)
It means that no one will be left without shaking hands, not only shaking hands, but kissing under the feet of Sayyidina Muhammad (s). It is an obligation to kiss the feet of Sayyidina Muhammad (s) and to be under his feet!!! It is an honor for us!!! So how can it be that trillions and trillions of people are able to kiss the hand and feet of the Prophet (s)? Don't think it is too much for Allah (swt). He only says, kun fa yakoon, "Be! and it is." The Prophet (s) will be near you as soon as you make the intention to be near him, whether you are one or trillions, they will all be treated the same. This is from the love of Allah to Sayyidina Muhammad (s) that He will give him what He did not give to any other prophets. And what He did not give in dunya, when the people are in need, He will give to Sayyidina Muhammad (s), opening His treasures!
O Muslims! Don't underestimate the powers of the Prophet (s). Allah said, "If you have been greeted with a salaam, give a better salaam (in return)." So if we say now to the Prophet (s), as-salaatu was-salaamu `alayka, yaa Sayyidee, yaa Rasoolullah, what do you think we are getting (in return)? We are getting a better salaam, and it cannot be the same salaam, and there is no limit (on what Prophet [s] gives) as no one can define Allah's Greatness as Rabbil `Alameen (Lord of the Worlds) and no one can define the greatness of Sayyidina Muhammad (s) as the best servant of Allah. There is no way to describe the greatness that Allah gave Sayyidina Muhammad (s) and will give us salaam according to his greatness! If you say now, "Yaa Sayyidee, yaa Rasoolullah, as-salaamu `alayk," he is giving you salaam that is a ticket all the way to Paradise! What is the best salaam to be given? A ticket for Paradise. Any Paradise? No, not all paradises are the same. You will be given a ticket for those who are lovers of Sayyidina Muhammad (s), who are praising him in dunya, to be with him in akhirah! It is not any normal Paradise; it is the Paradise where Allah will be seen, as the Prophet (s) mentioned that Allah will be seen in Paradise.
وَمَن يُطِعِ اللّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ اللّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ وَالشُّهَدَاء وَالصَّالِحِينَ وَحَسُنَ أُولَـئِكَ رَفِيقًا
Waman yuti`i Allaha wa rasoola fa ulaaika ma` al-ladheena ana`ma Allahu `alayhim mina 'n-nabiyyeen wa 's-siddiqeen wa 'sh-shuhaadahi 's-saaliheen wa hasoona ulaaika rafeeqah.
All who obey God and the Messenger are in the company of those on whom is the Grace of God, of the prophets (who teach), the sincere (lovers of Truth), the witnesses (who testify), and the righteous (who do good). Ah! what a beautiful fellowship! (4:69)
O Believers! Keep repeatedly making salawaat on Sayyidina Muhammad (s) because it is your ticket to Paradise. As much as you love Prophet (s) and you want to show him your love, praise him. Allah does not need anything from you except that you praise His best servant. Allah doesn't need you! Allah created us to be with Sayyidina Muhammad (s), to be his entourage, to show the greatness of His beloved servant. Allah gave him what He did not give anyone! Praise him and Allah (swt) will praise you. And it is not praising him one time, although even if you praise him one time, it will be the heaviest `amal on the Scale, as Prophet (s) said, "He who blesses me once, Allah would bless him ten times."
Our salawaat has no value, but Allah's salawaat has value! Yet He didn't say anything about value, He said, "If you make salawaat on My beloved, I will give you ten." What do you think if Allah gives us ten salawaat for every salawaat we do on the Prophet? What is Allah's salawaat? It is a ticket to Paradise also! It is a secret that no one can define or describe! Every scholar has tried his best to describe what these salaawat are that Allah gives. Every scholar and awliya came with an answer and the minimum is a ticket to Paradise. Do you want it or you don't want it? Do you want it?! Then make salawaat! Allahumma salli `ala Muhammad!
I go to Indonesia, as Dr. Mahmood said, and at any event there are at least 15,000 or 20,000 attendees and on some occasions there are 250,000 and I like what they do. Pakistani people and Indian subcontinent people do this also, but Arabs don't do it I'm sorry to say, even though I am an Arab. They say, Naray takbir, unlike the Salafis who only say, "Takbir." From where did they bring only takbir? We never heard this. We say Allahu akbar, yes, but Indian subcontinent people say, Naray takbir, and quickly follow it with, Naray risalat! It means that Naray takbir is not enough, Naray risalat has to be added just as la ilaaha illa-Llah is not complete without Muhammadun Rasoolullah. So it is very nice! Then whatever they add after that, naray Haydari, naray Ghawthiya, naray Siddiq, naray `Umar al-Farooq, naray Sayyidina `Uthman, you are free to add more. We never heard that though, we only heard, naray Haydari. I never heard, naray Abu Bakr as-Siddiq, naray `Uthman, or naray `Umar. (Crowd yells, Naray Farooq! Naray Siddiq! Naray `Uthman! Naray Haydari!) So one time I said this to our subcontinent brothers to add the four khulafah
In Indonesia, subhaanAllah, you see them crying, 10,000 or 20,000 people crying, and every moment you hear, sallu `alay! This means, "Say salawaat on the Prophet," and then everyone says, " also.Allahumma salli `ala an-Nabi!" There are hundreds and thousands of people reciting that in unison, and the whole place is filled with energy from the barakah of the Prophet (s), because for one salawaat you get ten back! But awliyaaullah say if there are 10,000 people in the association multiplied by ten will be 100,000 salawaat for everyone! Allah (swt) is generous when it comes to His Prophet, and He is generous with everything!
وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكُمْ لَئِن شَكَرْتُمْ لأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ وَلَئِن كَفَرْتُمْ إِنَّ عَذَابِي لَشَدِيدٌ
Wa-idh taadhdhana rabbukum la-in shakartum la-azeedannakum wa la-in kafartum inna `adhaabee la-shadeed.
And remember your Lord caused to be declared (publicly), "If you are grateful, I will add more (favors) upon you, but if you show ingratitude, truly My punishment is terrible, indeed." (14:7)
O Muslims, young ones! Can you know how many hairs you have, have you counted them? I don't know, he doesn't know, Allah knows and whomever He likes to know will know. The Prophet (s) said, "Allah give me `uloom al-awwaleen wal-akhireen, the Knowledge of Before and After." So does the Prophet know how many hairs you have? Yes, of course he knows! It means you are unable to hide yourself from the presence of Sayyidina Muhammad (s). Day and night Allah gave to him. When Allah (swt) gives, don't ask! Our only duty is to carry the love of Sayyidina Muhammad (s)!
I have mentioned this hadeeth many times. There was a Bedouin who came to the Prophet (s) on a Friday. He was standing at the door and asked, "Yaa Muhammad, mataas-sa`ah? When is the Day of Judgment?" When we say "Bedouin," in Arabic it means someone who is illiterate, coming from the desert. A Bedouin is asking advice, afraid of the Day of Judgment. Are we afraid? For those who are here, yes, we are afraid. If we were not afraid we would be in the disco, jumping and dancing, no need to come here. But this group here is afraid, it is a sign of fear, and we are asking Allah (swt) to protect us.
So the Prophet (s) was on the minbar leading the Jumu`ah prayer, so he didn't leave the prayer to answer. The Bedouin asked a second and a third time, and then Sayyidina Jibreel (a) appeared and said, "Yaa Rasoolullah, Allah is sending you salaam. Answer him (the Bedouin)." He looked at him and said, "What have you prepared for that Day? It is a long travel." The Bedouin who knows nothing, like you and me, said, "Mahabbatak (your love) yaa Rasoolullah." And the Prophet (s) said, "It is enough for you." In the Holy Qur'an, Allah (swt) said that He loves His Prophet:
قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَاللّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
Qul in kuntum tuhibboona Allaha fattabi`oonee yuhbibkumu Allahu wa yaghfir lakum dhunoobakum w 'Allahu ghafoorun raheem.
Say: "If you love Allah, follow me. Allah will love you and forgive you your sins, for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (3:31)
It means follow Sayyidina Muhammad (s). If Allah loves you, what will happen? So we only need to follow in the footsteps of the Prophet. We are not perfect. No one can do what the Prophet did, no one can do what the Sahaaba (r) did, no one can do what our four imaams did, no one can do what saints or scholars are doing, but you can try. Allah (swt) trained us. He sent prophets to teach us, so our duty is to learn. So attend classes, don't say, "Oh sorry, I know how to pray and fast, it is not enough." With Allah's love and Prophet's love you are okay, but for us to say we are okay, no it is not okay because Shaytan is playing with us. Why? Because of the hadith of the Prophet (s) where he asked his companions (r), "Who is the bankrupt one?" They said, "The one who has no money.” He said, "No, the bankrupt one is he who has no `amal, good deeds to present to God on Judgment Day.” And the companions said, "Even if he is praying and fasting?” and Prophet said, "Even if he is praying and fasting, he might not have any good deeds.”
So if we pray and fast and in the end we have no `amal, it means there is something wrong with us that we have to pay attention to. Allah will call us on the Day of Judgment. Do you think Allah will judge each person one-by-one? Continuing that hadeeth, the Prophet said, "Because he backbites, because he is an oppressor." The oppressor has no `amal. There is the oppressor and the oppressed.
The oppressed will come on the Day of Judgment and Allah will say to him, "Forgive your brother."
He will say, "No yaa Rabbee, I am not forgiving him. I want my rights."
Allah will take the hasanaat of that person, give it to the oppressed and ask, "Are you satisfied?"
"No yaa Rabeee, I am not satisfied, I want more."
Allah will take from the oppressor and give to the oppressed until there is nothing left to take and still the oppressed will say, "It's not fulfilling my right, I still want more."
Look at Allah's justice! Then He will take the sayi`aat from the oppressed and give it to the oppressor until the oppressed is happy and reaches Paradise. Then that one (oppressor) will be left, he was someone who was praying, but he will feel ashamed. Allah will say, "You are also forgiven." But you don't want to stand in that bad position on the Day of Judgment.
O Muslims! Let us be careful about how we are moving in our lives. We have to know that without the shafa`a of Prophet and his greatness, nothing can happen. Look at how much Allah gave to Prophet! We pass by this ayah too much and we never think about it. Allah says in the Holy Qur'an:
لَوْ أَنزَلْنَا هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ عَلَى جَبَلٍ لَّرَأَيْتَهُ خَاشِعًا مُّتَصَدِّعًا مِّنْ خَشْيَةِ اللَّهِ وَتِلْكَ الْأَمْثَالُ نَضْرِبُهَا لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
Law anzalna hath al qurana aala jabalin laraaytahu khashi'an mutasaddi`an min khashyati Allahi watilka al-amthalu nadribuha lilnnasi la'allahumyatafakkaroon.
Had We sent down this Qur'an on a mountain, verily, youwould have seen it humble itself and cleave asunder for fear of Allah. Such are the similitudes which We propound to men, that they may reflect. (59:21)
It means there is no way if the Holy Qur'an has been revealed, as Allah said, on a mountain, the mountain would shatter. When Allah created the Earth it was trembling so He put mountains to stabilize it and it was still shaking, so He put Mount Uhud. They say in the seerah (biography of Prophet) that Mount Uhud weighs more than all mountains around the world combined. That is why it is very precious if someone visits Madinatu 'l-Munawwarah and looks at the mountain of Uhud, it is barakah. That mountain said, "Yaa Rasoolullah, I will turn myself into gold for you to use me as you like." The Prophet (s) said, "I am not in need of gold, I am in need of Allah." That is the mountain that hid the Prophet from the kuffar. That mountain is more valuable than all mountains in this world. So even if the Holy Qur'an was revealed on Mount Uhud, the mountain would shatter into dust.
O Muslims! The Holy Qur'an was revealed to the heart of Prophet (s) and it was stable, it did not shatter! When Sayyidina Musa (a) said, "Yaa Rabbee, let me see You," the mountain shattered. Prophet's heart never shattered. He received the holy revelation of Allah (swt) and his heart was strong because he is the beloved of Allah (swt) and he knows.
Bi hurmati 'l-habeeb bi hurmati 'l-Fatihah.