Jumu`ah Khutbah at As-Siddiq Mosque
As-salaamu `alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuh.
O Muslims! O Believers! Today is a Friday and Allah (swt) made every Friday of the year to be a reunion for Muslims, in order to remember Allah (swt) and His Prophet (s), to remember Islam and its message, to remember the Holy Qur'an, and to remember that everyone has rights to say what they want, to act according to what Islam says, to behave following the footsteps of the Prophet (s) and to worship no other than Allah (swt). Those who worship none other than Allah (swt) will get Paradise. The evidence of this is in the hadith of the Prophet (s), where he said:
من قال لا اله الا الله دخل الجنة
Man qaala laa ilaaha illa-Llah dakhal al-jannah.
Who says “laa ilaaha illa-Llah” enters Paradise.
Are we saying, “Laa ilaaha illa-Llah?” Say it! To say, “La ilaaha illa-Llah Muhammadan Rasoolullah” one time in your life with belief and acceptance, affirming that there is no one to be worshipped except Allah (swt) and that Sayyidina Muhammad (s) is His Messenger, will be enough to take you to Paradise! Allah (swt) made it so easy for Ummat an-Nabee by giving them this one sentence that, if pronounced, Allah (swt) will be so happy and open His Paradise for you!
It is said in the Holy Qur'an that there are nineteen zabaaniyya, angels who look after Hellfire. They are the strongest angels and they take those who don’t say, “Laa ilaaha illa-Llah” for punishment, unless Allah (swt) forgives or sends His Mercy. That is in the hands of Allah (swt), not anyone else’s. The Prophet (s) will intercede for the ummah, but judgment of those who don't believe in Allah and His Prophet is up to Allah's Mercy: He can send them to Hellfire or save them if He likes. Can anyone say “no” to Him?
كل عمل لم يبدأ باسم الله فهو أبتر
kullu `amalim lam yabtadi Bismillahi 'r-Rahmani 'r-Raheem fa huwa abtar.
The Prophet (s) said, “Any `amal which doesn't begin with Bismillahi 'r-Rahmani 'r-Raheem is cut off, it has no continuity.”
It means, if I want to put this microphone here, I have to say, “Bismillahi 'r-Rahmani 'r-Raheem,” because it is an `amal, action, and whatever action that does not begin with “Bismillahi 'r-Rahmani 'r-Raheem” has no faa’ida, benefit in it and no light. We use this microphone for everyone to hear, so if the one setting it up didn't say, “Bismillahi 'r-Rahmani 'r-Raheem,” there is no benefit and the light will be cut.
Similarly, if you don’t begin eating by saying, “Bismillahi 'r-Rahmani 'r-Raheem” there will be no barakah in that food. Also, if you read the Holy Qur'an without reciting, “Bismillahi 'r-Rahmani 'r-Raheem” in the beginning, then the barakah is cut. Bismillahi 'r-Rahmani 'r-Raheem saves you from Hellfire.
In the first revealed verse, Allah (swt) said:
اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ
Iqraa bismi Rabbika ’Lladhee khalaq.
Read in the Name of the One Who created. (Surat al-`Alaq, 96:1)
It means, read “Bismillahi 'r-Rahmani 'r-Raheem” and Allah (swt) will show you what He created, which is why in ‘Israa and Mi`raaj He showed the Prophet (s) whatever He created.
Also, Allah (swt) said:
وَعَلَّمَ آدَمَ الأَسْمَاء كُلَّهَا
Wa `allama adama al-asmaa kullahaa.
He taught Adam all the names. (Surat al-Baqarah, 2:31)
Allah (swt) taught Sayyidina Adam (a) all the Names by the barakah of Bismillahi 'r-Rahmani 'r-Raheem. What are all the names? It means, everything that Allah (swt) created has a name, and He taught them to him with the barakah of Bismillahi 'r-Rahmani 'r-Raheem and the light of the Prophet (s) in his forehead.
Bismillahi ‘r-Rahmani ‘r-Raheem is important; we have to use it in every action and in every moment. For example, when entering the masjid, we must enter with our right foot and recite, “Bismillahi ‘r-Rahmani ‘r-Raheem.” When going out, we exit with our left foot and say, “Bismillahi ‘r-Rahmani ‘r-Raheem,” asking for protection from Hellfire and devils. When you come home at night, enter by saying, “Bismillahi ‘r-Rahmani ‘r-Raheem,” not shouting at your children or wife! Many people don’t do that. When you are leaving the house, step out with the left foot and recite, “Bismillahi ‘r-Rahmani ‘r-Raheem.” But why Bismillahi ‘r-Rahmani ‘r-Raheem?
It is said “Bismillahi ‘r-Rahmani ‘r-Raheem” consists of nineteen letters, the number of angels guarding Hellfire, and when you recite, “Bismillahi ‘r-Rahmani ‘r-Raheem,” each letter represents the name of one of these angels! So as soon as you say, “Bismillahi ‘r-Rahmani ‘r-Raheem,” these angels of punishment, who are also the biggest angels, ask, “O Allah! Relieve this servant of Yours from punishment,” and you will be released from punishment.
So for the sake of Bismillahi ‘r-Rahmani ‘r-Raheem, Allah (swt) gave influence and power to these angels to intercede for the believers on Judgment Day, but the greatest intercession is reserved for Sayyidina Muhammad (s)!
We must say, “Bismillahi ‘r-Rahmani ‘r-Raheem,” as when Sayyidina Nuh (a) was in the ship he said, bismillahi majriyhaa wa marsaahaa, “The ships that go and come in the Name of Allah!” By means of Bismillahi ‘r-Rahmani ‘r-Raheem, Sayyidina Nuh’s ship was saved. So do you think Allah (swt) will not save us when we say, “Bismillahi ‘r-Rahmani ‘r-Raheem?”
If we don't see, that is something else, but reality is reality! If a blind person watches TV, he can only hear the audio although the picture is there but he cannot see it as he is blind. Allah (swt) gave all these realities to the Prophet (s), who in turn gave them to the Sahaabah (r), as when Sayyidina `Umar (r) was able to see Sariya (r) in Damascus although he himself was all the way in Madinah. The reality of the element of seeing is there, but can you see? There are those who can see and those who cannot. If you say, “Bismillahi ‘r-Rahmani ‘r-Raheem,” then your `amal can be seen; Allah (swt) will open it slowly, slowly in your heart.
Sayyidina Sulayman (a) wrote a letter to Bilqis, Sheba Queen of Yemen, and sent it with the hoopoe that dropped it in her lap. She read the letter to her council of ministers, saying, “I received a letter. innahu min sulayman wa innahu Bismillahi ‘r-Rahmani ‘r-Raheem, it is from Sulayman and it is with ‘Bismillahi ‘r-Rahmani ‘r-Raheem.’” First she read, innahu min sulayman, “It is from Sulayman.” What is important here is that he is the intermediary for us. Then, as soon as she read “Bismillahi ‘r-Rahmani ‘r-Raheem,” the reality of that word entered her heart and she said, “We will not fight; we surrender to Sayyidina Sulayman and become Muslim.” That is the power of Bismillahi ‘r-Rahmani ‘r-Raheem!
O Muslims! Allah (swt) gave us the power of Bismillahi ‘r-Rahmani ‘r-Raheem, yet we still say we have difficulties! Read “Bismillahi ‘r-Rahmani ‘r-Raheem” and blow in the direction of any person from east to west, and Allah (swt) will change him to make him better. That is why in our awraad we make one-hundred times dhikr of “Bismillahi ‘r-Rahmani ‘r-Raheem,” and also one-hundred times, “Bismillahi ‘r-Rahmani ‘r-Raheem, dhalika taqdeeru ’l-`Azeezi ’l-`Aleem.” That means, Allah makes things happen as He likes, so don’t think, “I can do as I like!” No! In two minutes He can take your breath as your entire life is in His Hands: your wife, your children, your wealth, your health are all in His Hands. So say, “Bismillahi ‘r-Rahmani ‘r-Raheem dhalika taqdeeru ’l-`Azeezi ’l-`Aleem” and that will be enough.
Islam is simple. Besides your prayers, Allah (swt) gave to the Prophet (s) who gave to the ummah different du`as to recite to save you from all kinds of problems. Inshaa-Allah next time we will explain more about these different du`as and their importance. Today we have mentioned the importance of Bismillahi ‘r-Rahmani ‘r-Raheem where Bilqees recited the letter of Sulayman (a): innahu min sulayman wa innahu Bismillahi ‘r-Rahmani ‘r-Raheem. Also, the Qur’an began with “iqra bismi rabbik alladhee khalaqa” and the Prophet (s) said, “Any `amal that is not done with Bismillahi ‘r-Rahmani ‘r-Raheem is cut off.” So, to prevent your `amal from being cut off, recite “Bismillahi ‘r-Rahmani ‘r-Raheem.”
May Allah (swt) guide us for that and inshaa-Allah soon we will have on the Internet the audio that we promised you. Inshaa-Allah it will shed light on many issues that people are asking about.
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