A`oodhu billahi min ash-Shaytaani 'r-rajeem.
Bismillaahi 'r-Rahmaani 'r-Raheem.
May Allah (swt) grant you from His Endless Mercy, to you, your family, your ancestors and may Allah (swt) bring your father back home in safety and in peace.
We are gathered here for Mawlid an-Nabi (s), to praise Rasoolullah (s). Mawlids are usually the stories of his birth. Rasoolullah’s (s) birth was miraculous. They celebrate the birth of this one and that one. How many times a year do you sing “Happy Birthday”? Okay, they sing “Happy Birthday” for the kids but when it comes to the birthday of Rasoolullah (s), they object.
The qasidahs that are sung in the honor or Rasoolullah (s) are also teaching the deen to the children, teaching the Deen to others. Usually the Mawlid starts with praising Allah (swt), glorifying Allah (swt), Exalting Allah (swt) and then later on moves to Rasoolullah’s (s) history before birth. It mentions the prophets. It mentions Nuh (a). It mentions Adam (a). It mentions Ibrahim (a).
Basically the Mawlid of Rasoolullah (s) has been written in a very concise and simple way to tell you the beginning to the end. When the Mawlid is recited, it is like a quick synopsis of the whole deen. That is why it was a custom to read these kinds of qasa’id or Mawlid back in the old times because it is good for the kids, it is good for the grown-ups and it is good to understand the honor of Rasoolullah (s) in the Divine Presence. That is what we are trying to do.
You will read in Arabic and there is also the translation in English. You can follow the English to see what it says. It doesn’t say anything outside of Islam, rather it strengthens. Rasoolullah (s) has said, the generous one is close to Allah (swt), close to people. The generous one is close to Allah (swt). Allah (swt) likes and loves the generous ones and he is close to people because people also like his generosity. He is close to Jannah and far away from Jahannam.
The opposite is true. The stingy one is far away from Allah (swt), far away from people, far away from Jannah, close to Jahannam. Being generous doesn’t only mean with money. One, the generous one spends from his money. Alhamdulillah, the rich ones spend. I looked but didn’t see food yet so I hope it’s coming. They spend it to feed in the honor of Rasoolullah (s), in the honor of Awliyaullah as sadaqah for their ancestors. Whatever it is, the generous one gives from his money.
The one who doesn’t have money, gives from his `ilm. Our `ulama are generous. They are giving from their `ilm. It is haram if an `alim knows `ilm but does not spread it. If somebody doesn’t have money or `ilm like Adam, you spend your time, your life. That is more important. You are spending four hours away from your family. You are spending four hours away from your TV. you are spending four hours away from your pleasures. Where? Here. What is here? Dhikrullah, praising Rasoolullah (s).
You can be generous with money, with `ilm and with time. When you come to the masjid, you are giving an hour of your time. They see it as too much. They come at the time of iqamah and leave after the first salam because when you say, “As-salamu `alaykum,” it is finished. They don’t wait for the second one. They jump and go.
When you spend from your time, you’re spending from your life. It is your life. Those who are generous with these three things: money, knowledge and time, are close to Allah (swt). How much time do you give for Allah (swt) a day? Allah (swt) is looking. How much time do you give to your family and how much time do you give for Allah (swt)? When you are with your friends, when you are out duck hunting, deer hunting--have you ever gone fishing? One time I went fishing. I was in a boat for three hours. I said, “What is this? Where are the fish?” They said, “You have to be quiet. You have to wait for the fish.” The whole day for one or two fish. For what?
Fishing, duck hunting, deer hunting or whatever it is, they spend their whole day. They give their time for their pleasures. For Allah (swt), they cannot come for a Mawlid, they cannot come for Dhikr, they cannot come for majlis of `ilm. They don’t have time for that. It’s too far. Who wants to drive 40 minutes to go to the masjid? The generous one comes. The generous one is close to Allah (swt), close to people and close to Jannah and of course close to Rasoolullah (s) as well, and far away from Jahannam.
Dunya is Jahannam. If you have not understood that yet, wake up. The minute you dive into dunya, you are diving into the difficulties of dunya, into the hardships of dunya, into the fire of dunya. This is Jahannam here. Of course Jahannam over there is even worse. You can taste the agony and pain when you are struggling with others for dunya.
Be a generous one. Don’t be a miser. Don’t be stingy with your time for Allah (swt). “I cannot visit the shaykh because he is 40 minutes away. I cannot go to the masjid because it’s 10 minutes away.” When I saw Masjid Bilal I was happy, it’s right there on the corner. You can walk. But no, 10 minutes is too much.
Allah (swt) does not like stingy ones. I read in the book of Awliyaullah that Allah (swt) told Musa (a), “How can I be so generous with My Rahmah to the one who is so stingy in My obedience?” Don’t be stingy. Rather than just giving your money or `ilm, give your time for Allah (swt). That is why Awliyaullah used to be away from people and with Allah (swt). But when the time came to be with the jama`ah, they were with the jama`ah. Most of their time was spent with their Beloved, Allah (swt) and Rasoolullah (s). That is what we are doing here. When we gather here, we are gathering for the love of Allah (swt) and for the love of our Prophet Muhammad (s).
Thank you for doing all three: money, knowledge and time. I thank everybody who has come here. Inshaa-Allah, we can have more gatherings in the future and everybody is welcome at any time to our place in Fenton for Dhikrullah.
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