Pangani Mosque
Pre-Jumu`ah Suhbah and Jumu`ah Khutbah
As-salamu `alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. It is my honor to be here today in this mosque. May Allah (swt) honor you as you honored me, but honor you in Heavens, inshaa-Allah and save us from the punishment of Hellfire. We are human beings but we are not perfect; we are weak and we are helpless. And that's why we have to always remember that shafaa` an-Nabi (s) is the main issue that will save us from Hellfire. He said, “My shafa`a is for the sinners of my ummah.” We are all sinners, but Allah (swt) is Merciful. He said, "My Mercy has encompassed everything and I will write it and I will give it to those believers."
What is the definition of a believer? The definition of a Muslim is very simple; when you accept that principle, you are a Muslim. Whatever else, it doesn't make you outside of Islam, but you are a Muslim when you say, Laa ilaaha illa-Llah Muhammadun Rasoolullah. So a definition of a Muslim is to say, La ilaaha illa-Llah Muhammadun Rasoolulla. Now, prayers, fasting, Hajj, Zakat perfect your Islam. They are obligatory but they cannot put you outside of anyone saying you are a Muslim. As long as you admit, really, La ilaaha illa-Llah Muhammadun Rasoolullah, you are a Muslim. But if you are not doing the other obligations, you are in danger of being punished; you will not be forever in Hellfire, but according to Allah's Judgement, you will be punished. Therefore, we are seeking Allah's (swt) Mercy. And this month is the month of Prophet (s), Sha`baan, where he said in his hadeeth, "Rajabun shahrullah wa Sha`baanu shahree wa Ramadan shahr Ummattee, "Rajab is the month of Allah, Sha`baan is my month, and Ramadan is the month of the Ummah."
So the awliya kiraam used to prepare themselves for Rajab because of Israa and Mi`raaj, and in Sha`baan they do more and more worship, because of Laylat al-Bara`ah, and Ramadan is the "Month of the Community." Because you observed these three holy months, Allah (swt) will give you, "What an eye cannot see, what an ear cannot hear, and what you cannot imagine of barakah of Prophet (s).”
O Muslims! This clock in front of me is always moving. Our life is less by one second, by one minute, by one month, by one year. It cannot move back, but it always moves forward. This means our lives are less and less, and we are approaching our end. Allah (swt) said, "You, yaa Muhammad, are going to leave this dunya and they are going to leave this dunya. They are not going to stay more or less when ajar comes, but I granted you to choose. For them there is no choosing; never one hour more or one hour less. But for you, yaa Muhammad, I sent Jibril (s) to ask would you like to stay or I keep you living? Allah gave you to choose."
Prophet (s) said, "No, I prefer to go to my Lord, to the Nearest One. I prefer to be with Him."
We cannot choose, so let us run with the time and do more and more worship. Sayyidi 'Umar (r) said, "If I don’t do more it is better for me to be underground." Ahlu 'l-`ibaadah, are those who not only pray, but who work in Allah's Way. If you are (a merchant) selling and not making fitna, it is `ibaadah. Everything has the potential to be `ibaadah; opening a water well for clean drinking water, visiting a sick person... it is according to your niyyah (intention).
I am not here to teach you. No, I am nothing; I deserve to be by the door. I am not saying I know anything, but I am trying to make sure my ego does not kill me. The biggest problem is ego. Everyone feels he is better. No we are not; we are lowest. Sayyidina Muhammad (s) said, "I am the lowest." He was always with Sahaabah (r), taking care of them. A thousand years ago, a wali, Sayid Abu Yazid, said, "I respect the one younger than me and the one older that me; the younger because he has less sins than me, and the older because he has more `amal than me." This means he does not like to be given credit.
Allah (swt) says in Holy Qur'an:
فَلَا تُزَكُّوا أَنفُسَكُمْ
falaa tuzakoo anfusakum
"Do not try to exalt yourselves." (53:32)
O Muslim brothers! We have to lower ourselves. It is not going to make you without respect. Allah’s Way, imaan, is something that makes you see yourself as nothing. See how much Allah (swt) tested these big prophets! Although he is the highest among all Creation, look at the mercy of Prophet (s) to his ummah! Because of his du`a we do not suffer as much as he did daily from his tribe and relatives. And he never became angry, because, as he said, "Yaa, Abu Bakr! Anger makes you drunk and you lose your sensibility. Don’t get angry, don’t fight."
Be angry with yourself, no problem. Say to your ego, "You have given me trouble. No food for 24 hours." One time when Prophet (s) mentioned to his Sahaabah a particular person is going to Paradise, Sayyidina `Umar (r) wanted to know why. He asked that one,"What are you doing extra of `ibaadah?" It is a long story but I will shorten it.
He said. "I say, 'Yaa Rabbee, whoever made me angry, forgive him. I have nothing in my heart against him.' And in the morning, if I have money I consider it as nothing that I have wealth or buildings. If night time comes and I lose it, no problem. Why do I have to be sad about it?"
So these two characteristics made him to go to Paradise. Can we forgive others, as if nothing happened? This is a problem, especially with family inheritance. Brothers don’t talk to each other and sisters and relatives, because they are not satisfied with their inheritance. We fight for dunya. Can we stop that? If you can, whoever forgives and makes peace, Allah (swt) will reward him. So what is necessary for us? To forgive. Allah is al-Ghafaar, "Absolute Forgiver." If He sees us forgiving, He will forgive us!
Prophet (s) asked the Sahaabah a simple question, man huwa al-muflis? "Who is the poor one?"
They said, "The one who has little wealth."
He (s) said, "No, the one who has no `amal." Do we have `amal? Some people may say, "Yes, we are praying."
And the Sahaabah (r) asked, "Even if he fasts and prays, he has no `amal?" This was surprising, something they could not understand. It means when you backbite and make fitna, conspiracy, and if you speak bad about each other, you are eating the flesh of your brothers and sisters.
Two people came to Prophet (s) and said, "We both have very bad stomach aches."
He (s) said, "Did you eat raw meat?"
They said, "We have not seen meat in a long time."
"Do you like to eat the raw flesh of your brother? Allah will be disgusted! You ate raw meat. Put your fingers (down your throats) and vomit."
When they did that, they vomited raw meat.
O Muslims! Backbiting will destroy you! We must be very careful, any time that we backbite Allah’s (swt) punishment may come. They may say, "Why is this one entertaining and he is happy?" Because it might be that Allah is happy with him. In a hadeeth it is said, "A thankful rich man is better than a poor man, because a rich man is spending it (helping others)." He is doing something good, spending on mosques, etc., so he is better than the one sitting in the mosque reciting on his beads. We must thank Allah (swt) and Allah (swt) will forgive us.
JUMU`AH KHUTBAH
(translated from Arabic)
There is a piece of flesh that if it is sound the whole body is sound. Lo! It is the heart.
Love him (Muhammad); you will be safe here and Hereafter.
Say, "Thanks, O Our Lord, for guiding us and giving us all this."
Our guidance means to Islam and not being unbelievers; we seek refuge from that. We seek refuge in Him in every moment and invoke blessings on his noble Prophet (s)! Truly Allah and His angels bless the Prophet (s)!
O Believers! Bless him and greet him abundantly. He (s) said:
Actions are only according to intentions. Whoever intends emigration to Allah and His Prophet, that is his emigration.Whoever emigrates to dunya or marriage, then that is all he gets.
Let your emigration be to love of Allah and His Prophet in dunya, then that is what you shall get in the Hereafter! I finish and I ask forgiveness. Glory to Allah, and thanks and blessings on the Holy Prophet! Allah Most High has said and ordered us; we MUST obey! Allah and His angels bless the Prophet (s)!
O Believers! Invoke blessings and greetings on him. O Allah! Bless him, the pride and glory of Creation, and the hope of the two worlds, human and jinn, Muhammad!
O Believers! Bless him.