Suhbah Before Maghrib at CSCA (1)
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`ala fee haadha 'l-masjid.
أَطِيعُواْ اللّهَ وَأَطِيعُواْ الرَّسُولَ وَأُوْلِي الأَمْرِ مِنكُمْ
Ati`oollaha wa ati`oo 'r-Rasoola wa ooli 'l-amri minkum.
Obey Allah, obey the Prophet, and obey those in authority among you. (4:59)
As-salaamu `alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.
Prophet (s) gave to his ummah something that will save them in dunya and Akhirah. It is a very small sentence consisting of only a few words from Holy Qur’an, and if you recite them daily, Allah (swt) will give you Paradise!
Islam is not a harsh religion. Allah (swt) grants you blessings for every action, no matter how small. A man asked the Prophet (s), “Yaa Rasoolullah! It is too difficult for me to perform all the obligations of Shari`ah. I cannot keep up with them so please give me something I can do according to my understanding.” What about us? In the time of Prophet (s), the Sahaabah (r) worked for him. During the day they devoted their time to whatever he ordered, whether it was teaching, some work to be completed or defending the religion. Then one asked, “Give me something easy,” because in Prophet’s (s) time it was strict and very difficult to live as a Muslim.
Now, especially in our time, it is very difficult to live as a Muslim and to fulfill all the conditions of Islam. It doesn't mean that you don't fulfill them, but this shows how difficult it is, which is why Prophet (s) said:
قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : « يأتي على الناس زمان القابض على دينه كالقابض
على الجمررواه الترمذي .
Qaala rasoolullah yaatee `ala an-naasi zamaan al-qaabidu `ala deenihi ka’l-qaabidu `alaa al-jamr.
The Prophet (s) said, “The one holding his religion firmly in his hand is like someone holding a burning coal.”
Today, if you are not normal, as Prophet (s) said, “You are not like them,” then you are like someone holding fire in your hands, which is not easy. Today we are all facing what that Sahaabee (r) said. We have to thank Allah (swt) every moment that He revealed that hadeeth to Prophet (s), as we are a nation guilty of too many sins, so Allah (swt) is taking care of it!
عن عبد الله بن بسر رضي الله عنه أن رجلا قال: يا رسول الله إن شرائع الإسلام قد كثرت علي فأخبرني بشيء أتشبث به؟ قال لا يزال لسانك رطبا من ذكر الله" الترمذي.
`AbdAllah bin Basr (r) narrated, “One person came to the Prophet (s) and said, yaa Rasoolullah inna shara`ia al-islaam qad kathurat `alayya, O Rasoolullah! The rules of Islam became heavy on me." Prophet (s) said, “Ija`l lisaanak ratban min dhikrillah, make your tongue wet with dhikrullah." (Tirmidhi)
If we do as Prophet (s) said, it will keep us happy. “Keep your tongue wet with dhikrullah.” It means not through the heart (silent dhikr), because you can do dhikr by heart, but you cannot say “Laa ilaaha illa-Llah Muhammadun Rasoolullah” without moving your tongue. This means that Prophet (s) wants Kalimat at-Tawheed to reach as many people as possible. When you make dhikr through your heart it is for yourself, whereas jahri dhikr, dhikr recited aloud, is for the whole ummah, as the light of your faith will enter hearts of people who are not doing dhikrullah.
So that is the answer to those who criticize jahri dhikr. Here, Prophet (s) is telling us to make dhikr out loud, so people will hear you and understand the value of “Laa ilaaha illa-Llah Muhammadun Rasoolullah,” and they might even ask you what is means.
I was amazed with a shaykh whom I met in Jakarta in 1991. He carried a handbag filled with business cards and stood at the train station, where people come and go, and gave someone a business card and said, “Read it.” They read it because to them he was abnormal. What was printed on that card? “Ash-hadu an laa ilaaha illa-Llah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan `abduhu wa habeebuhu wa rasooluh,” and, “Laa ilaaha illa-Llah Muhammadun Rasoolullah.” They read it and that was enough!
We will continue next time inshaa-Allah. May Allah (swt) forgive us and bless us.
Wa min Allahi 't-tawfeeq, bi hurmati 'l-habeeb, bi hurmati 'l-Fatihah.
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