As-salaamu `alaykum wa rahmatullahi ta`ala wa barakaatuhu. (low response) As-salaamu `alaykum wa rahmatullahi ta`ala wa barakaatuhu!
(loud response: Wa `alaykum salaam wa rahmatullahi ta`ala wa barakaatuhu!) It’s better. Always ladies, you can hear them very well, men never. So I repeat, as-salamu `alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakutuh. “Salaam” is from “Islam,” so it is for Allah (swt). It is better always to say as-salamu `alaykum. Allah (swt) and Prophet (s) like that.
Bismillahi 'r-Rahmani 'r-Raheem. Alhamdulillahi rabbi 'l-`alameen wa 's-salaatu wa 's-salaamu `ala ashrafi 'l-mursaleen, sayyidina wa nabiyyina muhammadin wa `ala aalihi wa sahbihi ajma`een, wa ahli baytihi 't-taahireen al-mutaahhareen, alhamdulillahi-Lladhee hadaana li 'l-imaani wa 'l-islam...
O Muslims! It is Allah’s grant and favor that He created us as human beings and gave us a mind and a heart to think, to be inspired and to love. It is a great honor for me to be here and I speak the truth, I don’t hide it. I’am someone that hopes tobe forgiven from my sins, and to be at the threshold of the Prophet (s) seeking entrance and forgiveness through him. He has the shafa` to intercede for everyone.
When my shaykh, may Allah give him a long life, Mawlana Shaykh Nazim Muhammad Adil al-Haqqani (q), addresses people he always says, “I am the weakest person” and for sure he believes what he says. And I am trying to imitate and follow him by saying, I am the weakest servant of Allah (swt) and we are always asking His support. We can gain nothing without His support. If we think we are something in dunya, we are mistaken.
The title that they asked me to speak about is, “Where is the Love?” I do not know from where the professor, our Shaykh Nasir, brings these topics; he might be an encyclopedia himself, knowing what people are interested in. But do you think that we are really interested to know, “Where is the love?” The title carries alot of meanings. Where is THE love? It means, he, Nasir, is telling us, that no one knows where the love is or love does not exist with us. We are trying to find it in this big maze, to see it, work on it, so that we may achieve something in this life. So I would like you to enlighten me; where is the love? Is it something that is possible to achieve or to find? It is not easy.
In Arabic The word “love” is al-hubb, from the two letters, 'ha' and 'ba.' The 'ha' represents a secret and 'ba' represents another secret. If we combine these two secrets I think we can find love. When I arrived yesterday I was thinking about it, as I had not prepared anything. On focusing and thinking an inspiration came from my master, my Shaykh, “if you want to find it look at these two letters ‘ha’ and ‘ba’.” The 'ha' represents hayaat, life and 'ba' represents baqaa, to be always in existence.
Everyone of us likes to have a life, to have hayaat; life in dunya and life in akhira.(sound not clear). Life is not just this life, but it is before dunya, after dunya and during dunya. If we can achieve that, we can live an everlasting life as Allah (swt) promised those who believe in Him and obey Him. Since day one, when Allah (swt) created us as souls, He gave us hayat, He gave us life, He gave us a soul, which means he gave us half of love. Not only in dunya that plp think love is to love someone and to be happy, to love a wife or love a husband or love the children. That is a part of your life, that is a part of that sacred love. But love extends all the way
Love extends all the way to when we were created as souls on the Day of Promises, when we were asked by Allah (swt); “Am I not your Lord?” We answered, “yes” and since that time love began to exist with us. Because we began to know, Allah (swt) spoke to us in the Holy Qur’an (أَلَسْتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ قَالُواْ بَلَى - alastu bi-rabbikum qaaloo balaa, " 'Am I not your Lord?" and they said, 'Yes, indeed!'" 7:172) and gave us the sense of hearing to hear those beautiful Words. Allah’s Words are beautiful, lovely, ahhabu 'l-kalaam kalaamillah, kalaamu 'l-qur’an. “What Allah loves most are His words.” Kalaamullahi’l-Qadeemi. Allah’s Words are not created, He loves His words. So the love exists in Holy Qur’an. If you want to show Allah (swt) our love, we have to love the Holy Qur’an, because it has everything in it. Where is the love? It’s in Holy Qur’an:
وَإِن مِّن شَيْءٍ إِلاَّ يُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدَهِ وَلَـكِن لاَّ تَفْقَهُونَ تَسْبِيحَهُمْ
wa in min shayyin illa yusabihoo bihamidihi wa laakin la tafqahoona tasbeehahum.
Verily everything is praising Allah (swt) but you do not understand their praising. (17:44)
(That praising is) out of love. It means, that without you noticing, you are glorifying Allah (swt) in your heart. Because that love is existing there. When Allah (swt) spoke to us, when he asked, “am I not your Lord?” We responded with a “yes,” not with “no.” From that day, that love exists there. That is why Prophet (s) said in an authentic hadith:
kalimataani khafeefataani `ala al-lisaan thaqeelataani fi 'l-meezaan habeebataan li 'r-rahmaan, subhanallahi w 'alhamdullillahi w 'allahuakbar wa la ilaaha ill-Llah.
Two phrases are very heavy in the scale but are very light on the tongue, very lovely, Allah (swt) loves them.” And in another hadith he says, subhaanallah wa bi hamdihi subhanallah al-`adheem. Allah (swt) loves these words and they are from the Holy Qur’an. The best what Allah (swt) loves are His own Words. And the Holy Qur’an are the only words that Allah (swt) loves. If Allah (swt) loves something, what do you think will happen?
قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ
Qul: in kuntum tuhiboonullah fattabi`oonee yuhbibkumullah wa yaghfir lakum dhunoobakum.
Say (O Muhammad!), ‘If you really love Allah follow me (Muhammad) and Allah will love you and forgive you your sins.’“ (3:31)
If Allah (swt) loves you, what will happen? Allah (swt) will forgive. That means, “O servants whom I gave that Holy scripture, the Holy Qur’an on the Day of Promises, I gave you that love. Do you want to love, to you want to show it and express it? Follow Muhammad (s), in him you will find the way for love.”
Without Sayyidina Muhammad (s) there is no real love, there is dunya love. That is why awliyaullah gave their life to Allah (swt) and His Prophet (s). The best examples are the Sahabah of Prophet (s). They gave their lives for him without asking anything. When Prophet (s) asked the Sahabah to give donations to prepare the Muslims against the aggressors to defend themselves; he asked for everyone to bring something. Sayyidina Abu Bakr (r), Sayyidina `Umar (r), Sayyidina `Uthman (r), Sayyidina `Ali (r) and all the other Sahabah brought something. The Prophet (s) asked Sayyidina Abu Bakr (q), “What did you leave for your family?” and he said, “I brought everything for you, I didn’t leave anything except Allah (swt) and Prophet (s) to my family.” He said, “This dunya is nothing, Yaa Rasulullah, I’m leaving you and Allah (swt) for my family. And I am giving everything in their way. That is love. If Sayyidina Abu Bakr (r) did not love Prophet (s) he would not give everything for him. That is why Prophet (s) said, “There is a small piece of flesh in the heart. If it is healthy and perfect the whole body is perfect and if not the whole body is not perfect.”
Oh, Muslims and non-Muslims, anyone, if you keep the love of Allah (swt) in your heart and the love of Prophet (s) and all other prophets. That is where the love is. Allah (swt) ordered Sayyidina Zakariyya (as) when he was running from the enemy, to enter in a tree. What happened? They sawed the tree and killed him inside the tree. Why? Because of his love of Allah (swt). He was sending a message. Allah (swt) sent the Prophet (s), the Seal of Messengers, to give us the message of love. That is why when the Bedouin came and asked him, “Yaa Muhammad (s) mata as-sa`at? ,” when is the Day of Judgement? I am repeating that hadith although we said it before. But it is important for this lecture. When is the Day of Judgment? And Prophet (s) was giving jumu’ah and he didn’t answer, as the khateeb cannot answer. He asked a second time and Prophet (s) didn’t answer and he asked a third time and Prophet (s) didn’t answer. Jibreel (a) came and said “Yaa Muhammad (s), Allah (swt) sends His salaam and says to answer the Bedouin. Answer him. Tell him what he needs to hear.” He said, “O Bedouin, this is a long travel. What have you prepared for the Day of Judgment? What have you done?”
When we travel, we prepare a lot for our families and children. When we go to hajj we prepare everything we leave behind. We are leaving everything behind us or take everything with us on the trip. Do you go without a passport? Yes or no? We need to have a passport. Did we get a passport for the Day of Judgment in order to pass through? Everyone is running to the ministry, to get a passport to travel. Did we think for one day to go to Sayyidina Muhammad (s) and say “Yaa Rasulullah we need a passport to go to the Day of Judgment.” Did we think that are going to ask our identity, do you have a clearance? Today there is too much security, they will tell you “Do you have clearance?” The Day of Judgment is not like dunya clearance. They have angels, and when you look at them you run away. Because you are afraid of Allah (swt). They will not let you pass without a clearance. Did you ask for a clearance for yourself? No. How are you going to pass?
So that Bedouin didn’t know what to answer to Prophet (s), because nothing will benefit you on that day. O Muslims! Open your mouth, open your ears, open your eyes, open your heart; you need that clearance. Someone comes to customs with a badge and large number of security men and passes through and everyone gives him a salute. “Oh you have guards (?), you may pass.” Because he has a clearance. Can we pass there at that time on the Day of Judgment?
Yesterday one of our friends brother, who was doing community work all his life, Shaykh Zakariyya was doing dhikr and giving jumu`ah. He left dunya. Does he have a clearance? We witness, yes, according to our knowledge. O Muslims, ask your brothers as they know you better than anyone else. Ask them, “Do I have clearance?” Because they may be able to give you and advice, if you are not able to get an advice from within yourself. Although Allah (swt) said fa alhamahfujooraha wa taqwaha (91:8). So He inspired the self what is good and what is bad. So you know of yourself if you are good or bad. That is why I ask Your (Allah’s (swt)) forgiveness from my sins when I start, in front of these witnesses, I am the worst and I am the weakest. Don’t think that a speaker with two microphones is something. They are nothing. It might be that someone in the audience, a disgusting person in your eyes; full of dust and dirtiness, with dirty and greasy hair. If he asks Allah (swt) something, Allah (swt) will give him, because of his pure heart and his love to Allah (swt) and his Prophet (saw). O Muslims, it is not the titles in dunya which make you to gain Allah’s love. It is what Allah gives you of titles.
الْعِزَّةُ وَلِرَسُولِهِ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
Al-`izzatu li-Llah wa li-rasoolihi wa li ' l-mumineen.
But honour belongs to Allah and His Messenger, and to the Believers; (63:8)
That comes from Heavens to you, for you to have `izzah from Allah (swt). You pass regardless of security on the Day of Judgment. No one can stop you. Open. We have to thank that Bedouin for asking that question to Prophet (saw). He is just now hearing us, for sure, his spirit is free in his grave. Allah (swt) gave them that power, because they loved Allah and loved his Prophet (s). We say to him, “Thank you, you honored us with that question,” although it was on a jumu`ah and Prophet (s) was on the minbar. If he did not ask that question, we would never know the answer to that title (“Where is the love?”). He asked, “When is Judgment Day, Yaa Rasoolullah?” Coming with a pure heart, innocent. A Bedouin heart doesn’t know anything; he only knows about his sheep and goats and that is it.
Not like Bedouins today with high-rises. High-rises for what? For arrogance. Are high-rises for Bedouins, for Muslims, why a high-rise? To compete, to see whose high-rise is higher. Tomorrow we will see when they come, these people with greasy, curly-hair and dusty. They will ask from Allah (swt) and Allah (swt) will accept from them but not from the ones with high-rises. People who are asking only to be arrogant. They are competing with each other. They don’t count how much millions they have. I know them, because I was living with them. They count how many billions they have. This one says 10 billion, this one says 20 billion in their meetings (...). “We try to save as much as we can for our pockets and for our children.” So what did the Bedouin say? “Your love, Yaa Muhammad (s)”, my preparation for the Day of Judgment; because Prophet (s) asked him “What did you prepare?”, which means that the Bedouin was preparing himself. “I’m preparing, Yaa Rasoolullah, your love. I’m building up my heart, myself for your love.” That’s why love is in the heart. And what did Prophet (s) respond? ”It is enough.” This is what we need from you, we don’t need more that that. Sahabah were surprised and Sayyidina Abu Bakr (r) asked Prophet (s) after jumu`ah saying, “Yaa Rasoolullah, we heard something astonishing today.” He said, “Yaa Abu Bakr (r) I’m astonished also.”
Oh Muslims! Love Allah (swt) and His Prophet (saw), you will be saved. You have to love Prophet (s) more that you love yourself. As Prophet (s) said in authentic hadith “You have to love me more than you love your parents and you children and everyone else” Do we have that? No one answers. No one can say yes. I cannot say yes. They cannot say yes. Maybe innocent people can say “Yes I love Allah (swt).”
There is a story I’ll tell you. There is someone, I learned it from our Grandshaykh (q) from Mawlana Shaykh Nazim’s Shaykh, Sayyidina Shaykh `Abd Allah al-Fa’iz ad-Daghestani (q). Everyday a young boy comes to him and kisses his hand. And he (Shaykh) gives him some pennies. What do you say in your money here? Cents. One cents he gets and he likes it and goes. Everyday he comes, takes that, and goes. One day I was sitting there and Grandshaykh (q), may Allah (swt) bless his soul, said “Do you kiss my hand for Allah’s sake or for the sake of money? “ And the boy spontaneously said “No, for the sake of money.” He gave him more this time. Next time he came and instead of one cent he gave him ten cents. Everyday he came and he kissed the Shaykh’s hand and he asked him “Are you kissing my hand for Allah’s sake or for the sake of money? And he said ”No, I’m kissing your hand for Allah’s sake.” (...)
I am not going to repeat it another time but say it from within your heart. May Allah save us, say if someone in your family is sick and you need the cure. Salloo ` ala 'n-nabiyy. May Allah forgive us all and I want to thank all the sponsors of this event and inshaAllah more events will take place with Simply Islam. If you are generous enough help them, they need help. They didn’t ask me to say this, but help them, and may Allah help you in dunya and akhira.
As-salaamu `alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuh.