Jumu`ah Khutbah at ASIM Mosque
Alhamdulillah al-ladhee sharafana bi shahri Ramadan..wa ja`alana min ummati ‘l-mustafa al-`adnan.
O Believers! The month of Ramadan is leaving us and we are asking Allah (swt) to send His mercy on us for the sake of the Prophet (s) and for the sake of Ramadan, which is the month mentioned in Holy Qur'an and in the hadith of the Prophet (s) and the month in which the Holy Qur'an was revealed to the Prophet (s).
شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِيَ أُنزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ
shahru ramadan al-ladhee unzila feehi al-qur’an.
Ramadan is the month in which the Qur’an descended. (al-Baqara, 2:185)
He didn’t say it is the month in which some of the Holy Qur'an was revealed and that means the entire Holy Qur'an was revealed to the Prophet (s) in Ramadan. Sayyidina Jibreel (a) brought different ayats for different events and over twenty-three years the Prophet (s) taught ayat after ayat of the Qur'an; however, in reality it was revealed at one time on the Prophet (s).
شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِيَ أُنزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ هُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِّنَ الْهُدَى وَالْفُرْقَانِ فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ وَمَن كَانَ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَى سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ يُرِيدُ اللّهُ بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَ وَلاَ يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْرَ وَلِتُكْمِلُواْ الْعِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُواْ اللّهَ عَلَى مَا هَدَاكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
Shahru ramadana al-ladhee unzila feehi ’l-qur’anu hudan li ’n-naasi wa bayyinaatin mina ‘l-hudaa wa ‘l-furqaani faman shahida minkumu ’sh-shahra fal-yasumhu wa man kaana mareedan aw `alaa safarin fa`iddatun min ayyaamin ukhara yureedu Allaahu bikumu ’l-yusra wa laa yureedu bikumu ’l`usra wa li-tukmiloo ’l`iddata wa li-tukabbiroo ‘Llaaha `alaa maa hadakum wa la`allakum tashkuroon.
Ramadan is the (month) in which the Qur'an was sent down as a guide to Mankind, also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (between right and wrong). So every one of you who is present (at his home) during that month should spend it in fasting, but if any one is ill or on a journey, the prescribed period (should be made up) by days later. Allah intends every facility for you; He does not want to put you to difficulties. (He wants you) to complete the prescribed period, and to glorify Him in that He has guided you, that you will be grateful. (Surat al-Baqara, 2:185)
Holy Qur’an is the way for every Muslim and Muslimah, and the constitution of Islam that cannot be changed, altered or edited. Allah's Words cannot be reformed; they are not human beings’ words; if they like it they like it and if they don’t like it, there are too many walls to knock their heads on.
Ramadan is the month which Allah (swt) honored. Every month asked Allah (swt) to give it something special and Allah gave Ramadan as the month in which Holy Qur'an was revealed, the book that is guidance for all humanity, not just Muslims. If we follow Holy Qur'an, as it has been revealed to the Prophet (s), you will find yourself in the Divine Presence with no veils.
إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ
inna anzalnaahu fee laylat al-qadr.
We have sent down Holy Qur'an on the Night of Power. (Surat al-Qadr, 97:1)
That night which is better than a thousand months. whoever remains in a state of worship that night, Allah (swt) will reward as if he fasted a thousand months!
وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ
wa maa adraaka maa laylatu ’l-qadr.
What do you know about the Night of Power? (97:2)
Allah (swt) gave one meaning but spiritually there are a lot of interpretations.
لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِّنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ
laylatyou ’l-qadri khayrun min alfi shahr.
The Night of Power is better than a thousand months. (97:3)
That is equivalent to nearly ninety years. It is better than 1000 months, by how much is it better? By 2000, by 3000, by 4000, no one knows how much, it might be infinite months of Ramadan better. But the lowest level that Allah (swt) mentioned is that it is better than 1000 months, because:
تَنَزَّلُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَالرُّوحُ فِيهَا بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِم مِّن كُلِّ أَمْرٍ
tanazalu ’l-malaa’ikatu wa ’r-roohu feehaa bi-idhn rabbihim min kulli amr.
On that night the angels and the Ruh come down by their Lord’s permission on every errand. (97:4)
Come down on whom? On those who are doing dhikrullah, remembering Allah and reciting salawaat on the Prophet (s)! Allah (swt) specified two things descending that holy night: malaa’ikata, angels, and war-ruh, a special angel Allah (swt) created that is more heavy than all angels because the secret of Creation is there. tanazalul-malaa’ikatu war-roohu, “Every soul will be supported by that angel (with angelic power that no one can describe).”
faman shahida minkumu ash-shahra falyasum, “Who sees that month and knows about its beginning, let him fast.” (2:185) When we fast from the first day of Ramadan, we are preparing ourselves for Laylat al-Qadr. The first ten days are rahmat, mercy, without which you cannot enter the month of fasting. It means in the first ten days, Allah bestows on you from Rahmatan lil-`Alameen, which is Sayyidina Muhammad (s), as Allah (swt) dresses him with mercy. Without knocking on the door of the Prophet (s) you cannot enter the mercy Ramadan carries!
When they met, Sayyidina Musa (a) was looking for Sayyidina Khidr and found him:
فَوَجَدَا عَبْدًا مِّنْ عِبَادِنَا آتَيْنَاهُ رَحْمَةً مِنْ عِندِنَا وَعَلَّمْنَاهُ مِن لَّدُنَّا عِلْمًا
fa-wajadaa `abdan min `ibaadinaa a`taynaahu rahmatan min `indina wa `allamnaahu min ladunna` `ilmaa.
So they found one of Our servants on whom We had bestowed mercy from Ourselves to whom We had taught knowledge from Our Own Presence. (Surat al-Kahf, 18:65)
It means, “We gave one of our servants rahmah from the Prophet's secrets to do things no one can understand; we opened to him Our mercy.”
وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا رَحْمَةً لِّلْعَالَمِينَ
wa maa arsalnaaka illa rahmatan lil-`alameen.
(O Muhammad!) We have sent you not except as a Mercy for all the Worlds. (al-Anbiya, 21:107)
It means, “We sent you, O Muhammad, to ins and jinn, with no limit on time, not just for 632 CE or to Jesus Christ, from Sayyidina Adam (a) up to Judgment Day.”
When Sayyidina Khidr (a) knocked on the door of the Prophet (s), he was able to study, learn and then see hidden knowledge.
wa `alamnahu min ladunna `ilman.
We have taught him from heavenly knowledge.
So anyone who knocks at the door of the Prophet (s) will be granted to receive those trusts of mercy from the Prophet when he is ready, and if not he will receive them in the grave, which will become rawdatan min rawadaat al-jannah, a piece of Paradise. When one feels mercy towards someone else, he will forgive that person like a parent forgives their child. Allah (swt) put that mercy in the heart of parents, so what then do you think of the rahmah in hearts of Prophet (s) and the awliyaullah?
So then comes forgiveness of sins in second ten days. That is the meaning of Ramadan: yarmud adh-dhunoob, it waives sins. Therefore, when you have been under mercy and forgiven, what is left? You will be taken out of Hellfire! So that person is now like a freed prisoner, as dunya is a prison for Muslims and for all human beings. When we emerge from Ramadan we are freed from Hellfire, itqun min an-naar.
O Mu’mins, O Muslims! Allah didn't order us to fast Ramadan for nothing! Allah likes His servant to worship Him and He also likes His servant to be happy. Allah does not like lazy people or those who don’t obey. But some people don’t want the treasures of fasting. Many Muslims are not fasting, then the responsibility comes on the parents. The Prophet (s) ordered the father and mother to teach children to pray and fast from childhood. You are responsible! To whom are you leaving these treasures? Everyone says, “I want to leave my treasures to someone when I leave this world.” mataa` ad-dunya qaleel, “The value of this dunya is very small;” it is nothing but a stinking carcass. Allah (swt) wants to give you tayyibaat, but people think, “No, we need the carcass that is waiting for us.”
You are losing your children to drugs, alcohol and dirty things, and you say, “This is civilization.” You and your civilization go to Hell, which is a cleansing process. Why do you want to wait for Hell to clean Muslims or humanity when Allah (swt) gave you Ramadan to clean you and the daily five prayers to clean you? Fulfill that duty and you will get your rewards on a golden plate! Come and eat your reqards, don’t run to Shaytan and eat.
So the last ten days of fasting Ramadan are days of happiness. You are free for Eternal Life! It takes you away from the punishment of the Hellfire. What you missed from Ramadan, as many children missed because their parents or the culture they lived in spoiled them, Allah's doors are open wide for everyone, so come back! If you missed years if fasting Ramadan, don’t say, “I am fasting Ramadan now and it is enough” If you have a valid excuse not to fast, for every missed day you must feed sixty people with good food. And if anyone breaks fast intentionally but without a valid excuse, they must fast sixty consecutive days for every day they missed! If you cannot do that, then feed people and Allah (swt) will be happy with you.
So with all this, Allah (swt) is giving you the blessings of Laylat al-Qadr, “the Night of Power,” the reward at the end of Ramadan. Laylat al-Qadr is mentioned in Surat al-Qadr three times: each mention is comprised of twenty-seven letters; each letter represents one day and carries knowledge, secrets and mercy. It is said that every letter of the Holy Qur'an contains 12,000 oceans of knowledge and one narration says 24,000 oceans!
Laylat al-Qadr is mentioned in twenty-seven letters and then where are the twenty-nine days? The Holy Qur'an is eloquent and doesn’t need to mention it, but “hiya” is mentioned here with two letters, which makes twenty-nine letters:
سَلَامٌ هِيَ حَتَّى مَطْلَعِ الْفَجْرِ
salaamun hiya hatta matla`il-fajr.
Peace! This until the rise of morn! (97:5)
Every letter and verse of Holy Qur’an has its secrets. We leave this for you (to contemplate) and we ask forgiveness from Allah (swt), astaghfirullah.
(Du`a)