Mawlana Shaykh Hisham Kabbani
16 July 2013 Fenton Zawiya, Michigan
Suhbah after Fajr
Allahumma salli `alaa Sayyidina Muhammad (s) hattaa yardaa Sayyidina Muhammad (s).
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`alaa fee haadha 'l-masjid.
A`oodhu billahi min ash-Shaytaani 'r-rajeem. Bismillahi 'r-Rahmaani 'r-Raheem. Ash-hadu an laa ilaaha illa-Llah wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan `abduhu wa habeebuhu wa rasooluh, sallAllahu ta`ala `alayhi wa `alaa aalihi wa sahbihi ajma`een.
What usually happens is that we have to first say, “As-salaamu `alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh.”
Viewers, listeners, audience and everyone: what is Shaytan upset with? Why is he upset from us? Why are the devils, the army of Iblees, upset with human beings? They are upset because Allah (swt) said in the Holy Qur’an:
وَلَقَدْ كَرَّمْنَا بَنِي آدَمَ
Wa laqad karramnaa Bani Adam.
We have honored the Children of Adam. (Surat al-'Israa, 17:70)
Allah is saying, “We have honored human beings and We have given them superiority over everyone.” So Shaytan gets jealous as he doesn’t like that. When he gets jealous he comes to fight us, especially when `abdallah, the servant of Allah (swt), stands up for worshipness. When Ummat an-Nabi (s), Ummat al-Haqq, Ummat at-Tareeq al-Mustaqeem, al-Ummat alladhee sharafahullaahu `azza wa jalla, the ummah that Allah honored, stands up to pray and worship, he gets upset because he knows that the servant of Allah is between Allah’s Hands!
When the servant is praying, he has to understand that Allah is looking at him. Shaytan tries to always deviate us from focussing on the Divine Presence, on Allah (swt) and Prophet (s), on the Holy Qur’an and hadith and on the creation of Heavens and Earth. Allah said in the Holy Qur’an:
إِنَّ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَاخْتِلاَفِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ لآيَاتٍ لِّأُوْلِي الألْبَابِ الَّذِينَ يَذْكُرُونَ اللّهَ قِيَامًا وَقُعُودًا وَعَلَىَ جُنُوبِهِمْ وَيَتَفَكَّرُونَ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقْتَ هَذا بَاطِلاً سُبْحَانَكَ فَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ
Inna fee khalqi ’s-samawaati wa ’l-ard wa ’khtiflaafi ’l-layli wa ’n-nahaar la-ayaatin li-ooli ’l-albaab. Alladheena yadhkuroonallaha qiyaaman wa qu`oodan wa `ala junoobihim wa yatafakkaroona fee khalqi ’s-samawaati wa ’l-ard rabbanaa maa khalaqta hadhaa baatilan subhaanaka faqinaa `adhaab an-naar.
Behold! In the creation of Heavens and Earth, and in the alternation of night and day, there are indeed signs for men of understanding, those who remember Allah (always, and in prayers) standing, sitting and lying down on their sides, and contemplating the creation of the Heavens and the Earth, (saying), "Our Lord! You have not created (all) this without purpose! Glory to You! Give us salvation from the torment of the Fire.” (Surat Aali `Imraan, 3:191-192)
Shaytan doesn’t like those who remember Allah (swt), but Allah is saying, “Those who remember Me, wa yatafakkaroon, and begin to think about the creation of Heavens and Earth, yatafakkaroona fee khalqi ’s-samawaati wa ’l-ard.” Allahu Akbar, how small we are! When you look inside of this solar system, not outside, the entire Earth might be as small as the head of a pin! When it is in the galaxy it doesn’t even appear, you cannot see it. It is in the closest galaxy to us, which carries billions and billions of stars. Scientists say that there are 80 billion stars in this galaxy, and there are thousands and thousands of galaxies that Allah has created. So we are in a tiny place that has lots of significance, yet it is very, very small in existence. In that smallness Allah (swt) is showing His Greatness that, “I can make the small big and honor them, even though they are very small.”
That is why when the Prophet (s) was in the Divine Presence and saw what he saw in Maqaam Qaaba Qawsayni aw Adnaa, he was feeling shy to say in front of the Divine Presence, “Yaa Rabbee! I am here,” and he (s) said:
قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُكُمْ
Qul innamaa anaa basharun mithlukum.
Say, “I am but a man like yourselves.” (Surat al-Kahf, 18:110)
Prophet (s) knows the `Uloom al-Awwaleen wa ’l-Akhireen, he knows what we do not. He has the understanding of Heavenly Knowledge which Allah grants to whom He likes, as in the case of Sayyidina Khidr (a) and Sayyidina Musa (a). Allah granted to one of His servants, Sayyidina Khidr (a), `Ilm al-Ladunni, Heavenly Knowledge which He did not give to Sayyidina Musa (a), even though he was one of the Oolu ‘l-Azam, the Five Great Prophets, but Allah gave them both what He gave.
That Heavenly Knowledge is what everyone is seeking, so that is why our hearts must always be focussed on Allah (swt), meaning on His Creation:
Those who remember Allah standing, sitting and laying down, and reflect on the creation of Heavens and Earth.
Alhamdulillah, the focus of all the talks that we give in this Ramadan is to show that Allah doesn’t like anyone to be associated with Him or in partnership with Him. He is The Greatest, if we can say, there is no limit to His Greatness! We will never understand Allah’s Greatness except through His Oneness, by looking at His Creation. So if you look at the Creation, you can see the Oneness of Allah (swt) in everything. Can you make a star? If you bring all the scientists and all the prophets, can they create a star? [No.] So that means we are nothing. We cannot understand the Greatness of Allah (swt) and also the Greatness that He brought His Prophet (s) through the atmosphere without any harm to him, passing through the entire universe to reach the Station of Qaaba Qawsayni aw Adnaa in moments! Can anyone do that? So Allah wants us to look at His Creation and understand that He is The One Who can do that.
Your heart must focus on Allah through His Creation. He doesn’t like you to focus on anyone except Him so, if in your worship, especially during your salaat, you don’t focus on where you make sajda and put your forehead on the ground declaring your `uboodiyya, servanthood to Allah, but instead you look right or left, your prayer will curse you and say, “You didn’t give Allah His Right in the prayer.” So many people don’t know that during prayer they must keep their focus on the place of sajda, as that is the Maqaam al-`Uboodiyya. What is the difference between bowing and putting your head on the floor in sajda? Bowing shows respect, not more than that, while the sajda shows servanthood, (demonstrating), “Yaa Rabbee, I am Your servant! I am putting my forehead on the ground and I dare to raise it until You forgive me my sins!”
So Allah (swt) does not like your heart to move right or left by moving your eyes right or left as some people do. Be careful, because Shaytan will come during your prayers in order to distract you from where you must focus your heart and your eyes, as anyone who focuses his eyes will be respected and honored. Anyone who gets distracted during prayer by looking back and forth during prayers must bring his eyes back to the location of the sajda, thinking on the creation of Heavens and Earth, as Allah said in the Holy Qur’an, Wa yatafakkaroona fee khalqi ’s-samawaati wa ’l-ard, “They reflect on the creation of the Heavens and Earth.” Then say, “O Allah! I am making sajda for You.”
It is related in Imam Ahmad’s Musnad and by at-Tirmidhi from a hadith of al-Haarith al-Ash`ari (r), that the Prophet (s) said:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ أَمَرَ يَحْيَى بْنَ زَكَرِيَّا بِخَمْسِ كَلِمَاتٍ أَنْ يَعْمَلَ بِهَا وَيَأْمُرَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ أَنْ يَعْمَلُوا بِهَا وَإِنَّهُ كَادَ أَنْ يُبْطِئَ بِهَا فَقَالَ عِيسَى إِنَّ اللَّهَ أَمَرَكَ بِخَمْسِ كَلِمَاتٍ لِتَعْمَلَ بِهَا وَتَأْمُرَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ أَنْ يَعْمَلُوا بِهَا فَإِمَّا أَنْ تَأْمُرَهُمْ وَإِمَّا أَنَا آمُرُهُمْ . فَقَالَ يَحْيَى أَخْشَى إِنْ سَبَقْتَنِي بِهَا أَنْ يُخْسَفَ بِي أَوْ أُعَذَّبَ فَجَمَعَ النَّاسَ فِي بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ فَامْتَلأَ الْمَسْجِدُ وَقَعَدُوا عَلَى الشُّرَفِ فَقَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ أَمَرَنِي بِخَمْسِ كَلِمَاتٍ أَنْ أَعْمَلَ بِهِنَّ وَآمُرَكُمْ أَنْ تَعْمَلُوا بِهِنَّ أَوَّلُهُنَّ أَنْ تَعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَلاَ تُشْرِكُوا بِهِ شَيْئًا وَإِنَّ مَثَلَ مَنْ أَشْرَكَ بِاللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ رَجُلٍ اشْتَرَى عَبْدًا مِنْ خَالِصِ مَالِهِ بِذَهَبٍ أَوْ وَرِقٍ فَقَالَ هَذِهِ دَارِي وَهَذَا عَمَلِي فَاعْمَلْ وَأَدِّ إِلَىَّ فَكَانَ يَعْمَلُ وَيُؤَدِّي إِلَى غَيْرِ سَيِّدِهِ فَأَيُّكُمْ يَرْضَى أَنْ يَكُونَ عَبْدُهُ كَذَلِكَ وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ أَمَرَكُمْ بِالصَّلاَةِ فَإِذَا صَلَّيْتُمْ فَلاَ تَلْتَفِتُوا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ يَنْصِبُ وَجْهَهُ لِوَجْهِ عَبْدِهِ فِي صَلاَتِهِ مَا لَمْ يَلْتَفِتْ وَآمُرُكُمْ بِالصِّيَامِ فَإِنَّ مَثَلَ ذَلِكَ كَمَثَلِ رَجُلٍ فِي عِصَابَةٍ مَعَهُ صُرَّةٌ فِيهَا مِسْكٌ فَكُلُّهُمْ يَعْجَبُ أَوْ يُعْجِبُهُ رِيحُهَا وَإِنَّ رِيحَ الصَّائِمِ أَطْيَبُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ مِنْ رِيحِ الْمِسْكِ وَآمُرُكُمْ بِالصَّدَقَةِ فَإِنَّ مَثَلَ ذَلِكَ كَمَثَلِ رَجُلٍ أَسَرَهُ الْعَدُوُّ فَأَوْثَقُوا يَدَهُ إِلَى عُنُقِهِ وَقَدَّمُوهُ لِيَضْرِبُوا عُنُقَهُ فَقَالَ أَنَا أَفْدِيهِ مِنْكُمْ بِالْقَلِيلِ وَالْكَثِيرِ . فَفَدَى نَفْسَهُ مِنْهُمْ وَآمُرُكُمْ أَنْ تَذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ فَإِنَّ مَثَلَ ذَلِكَ كَمَثَلِ رَجُلٍ خَرَجَ الْعَدُوُّ فِي أَثَرِهِ سِرَاعًا حَتَّى إِذَا أَتَى عَلَى حِصْنٍ حَصِينٍ فَأَحْرَزَ نَفْسَهُ مِنْهُمْ كَذَلِكَ الْعَبْدُ لاَ يُحْرِزُ نَفْسَهُ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ إِلاَّ بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ "
Inna ’Llaaha amara yahyaa ibni zakariyyaa bi-khamsi kalimaatin an ya`mala bihaa wa ya’mura banee israa’eela an ya`maloo bihaa wa innahu kaade an yubtiya bihaa fa qaala `isaa inna’Llaaha amaraka bi-khamsi kalimaatin li-ta`mala bihaa wa ta’mura banee israa’eela an ya`maloo bihaa fa immaa an ta’murahum wa immaa anaa aamuruhum fa qaala yahyaa akhshaa in sabaqtanee bihaa an yukhsafa bee aw u`adhdhiba fajama` an-naasa fee bayti ‘l-maqdis famtala ‘l-masjidu wa qa`adoo `ala ‘sh-shurafi fa qaala inna ’Llaaha amaranee bi-khamsi kalimaatin an `amala bi-hinna wa aamurakum an ta`maloo bi-hinna awwalahunna an ta`buda ’Llaaha wa laa tushrikoo bihi shay’an wa inna mathala man ashraka bi ’Llaahi kamathali rajulin ashtaraa `abdan min khaalisi maalihi wa dhahabin aw wariqin fa qaala haadhihi daaree wa haadhaa amalee fa`mal wa addi ilayya fa kaana ya`maloo wa yu’addee ilaa ghayri sayyidihi fa ayyukum yardaa an yakoona `abduhu kadhaalika wa anna ’Llaaha amarakum bi ’s-salaati fa idhaa sallaytum fa laa taltafitoo fa inna ’Llaaha yansibu wajhahu li-wajhi `abdihi fee salaatihi maa lam yaltafit fa aamurukum bi’s-siyaami fa inna mathala dhaalika kamathali rajulin fee `isaabatin ma`ahu surratun feehaa miskun fa kulluhum ya`jabu aw yu`jibuhu reehuhaa wa inna reeha ‘s-saaim atyabu `inda ’Llaahi min reehi ‘l-misk wa aamurukum bi ’s-sadaqati fa inna mathala dhaalika kamathali rajulin asarahu ‘l-`adoowwu fa awthaqoo badahu ilaa `unuqihi wa qaddamoohu li-yadriboo `unuqahu fa qaala anaa afdeehi minkum bi ’l-qaleelin wa ’l-katheer fafadaa nafsahu minhum wa aamurukum an tadhkuru ’Llaah fa inna mathala dhaalika kamathali rajulin kharaja ‘l-`aduwwu fee atharihi siraa`an hattaa idhaa ataa `alaa hisnin haseen fa-ahraza nafsahu min ash-shaytaani illaa bi-dhikrillah.
Indeed Allah (swt) commanded Yahya ibn Zakariyya (a) (John the Baptist) with five commandments to abide by and to command the Children of Israel to abide by them, but he was slow in doing so. So `Isa (a) said, “Indeed Allah commanded you with five commandments to abide by and to command the Children of Israel to abide by. Either you command them or I shall command them.” So Yahya (a) said, “I fear that if you precede me in this, then the Earth may swallow me or I shall be punished.” So he gathered the people in Jerusalem and they filled (the masjid) and sat upon its balconies. So he said, “Indeed Allah has commanded me with five commandments to abide by and to command you to abide by. The first of them is that you worship Allah and not associate anything with him. The parable of the one who associates others with Allah is that of a man who buys a servant with his own gold or silver, then he says to him, ‘This is my home and this is my business, so take care of it and give me the profits.’ So he takes care of it and gives the profits to someone other than his master. Which of you would live to have a servant like that? And Allah commands you to perform salaah, and when you perform salaah then do not turn away, for Allah is facing the face of His worshipers as long as he does not turn away. And He commands you with fasting, for indeed the parable of fasting is that of a man in a group with a sachet containing musk. All of them enjoy its fragrance. Indeed the breath of the fasting person is more pleasant to Allah than the scent of musk. And He commands you to give charity. The parable of that is a man captured by his enemies, tying his hands to his neck, and they come to him to beat his neck. Then he said, ‘I can ransom myself from you with a little or a lot,’ so he ransoms himself from them. And He commands you to remember Allah, for indeed the parable of that is a man whose enemy quickly tracks him until he reaches an impermeable fortress in which he protects himself from them. This is how the worshiper is: he does not protect himself from Shaytan except by the remembrance of Allah.” (Tirmidhi, Ahmad)
This hadith will tell us what is necessary and what has been asked of nations before us. Allah (swt) ordered Sayyidina Yahya (a), the son of Sayyidina Zakariyya (a), five words. He ordered him to order the people of Bani Isra'eel, which is for them and for us as Prophet (s) is mentioning it. So it is also for us that we have to be careful in accepting these five different principles that Allah ordered Sayyidina Yahya (a), son of Sayyidina Zakariyya (a) to implement.
Sayyidina Yahya (a) was a little bit late in implementing the order of Allah (swt), so Sayyidina `Isa (a) said to him, “If you are going to be late and not quickly implement and order the people, I am going to do that,” although Allah ordered Sayyidina Yahya (a) to do it, but Yahya (a) was delaying it perhaps because at that time he saw that people were reluctant to worship and he was frightened, so he delayed. Sayyidina `Isa (a) stepped in to do it and said, “Allah ordered five orders for you and for Bani Isra'eel, fa immaa an taamurahum wa immaa anaa aamuruhum, “Either you order them or I will.”
So that is an order, atee`oollah, and anyone who does not fulfill an order is in a real problem. So we have to fulfill what Allah (swt) ordered us. Allah said:
وَمَا آتَاكُمُ الرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانتَهُوا وَاتَّقُواْ اللّهَ إِنَّ اللّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ
Wa maa aataakumu ’r-rasoolu fakhudhoohu wa maa nahaakum `anhu fantahoo, w’attaqoollaha inna-Llaaha shadeedu ’l-`iqaab.
Leave what Prophet (s) forbade and take what he ordered. And fear Allah, for Allah is strict in Punishment. (Surat al-Hashr, 59:7)
Meaning, “Take without doubt and hesitation what the Prophet (s) gives, immediately fulfill it, and leave what he forbids you.” That is an order, so what do we have to do? Sami`naa wa ata`naa, “We listen and obey.” Sayyidina Yahya (s) said, “Yaa Sayyidina `Isa (a), I am worried and afraid that if you declare it to people before me, that means I delayed Allah’s Order, then Allah might open the Earth and pull me inside, yakhsifa bee al-ard!”
Does that happen? Yes. Allah (swt) said in the Holy Qur’an:
إِنَّ قَارُونَ كَانَ مِن قَوْمِ مُوسَى فَبَغَى عَلَيْهِمْ وَآتَيْنَاهُ مِنَ الْكُنُوزِ مَا إِنَّ مَفَاتِحَهُ لَتَنُوءُ بِالْعُصْبَةِ أُولِي الْقُوَّةِ إِذْ قَالَ لَهُ قَوْمُهُ لَا تَفْرَحْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْفَرِحِينَ
Inna qaaroona kaana min qawmi moosaa fabagha `alayhim wa aataynaahu mina ‘l-kunoozi maa inna mafaatihahu latanoo’u bi ’l-`usbati oolee al-quwwati idh qaala lahu qawmuhu laa tafrah inna’Llaaha laa yuhibbu ‘l-fariheen.
Qaroon was doubtless of the people of Moses, but he acted insolently towards them. Such were the treasures We had bestowed on him that their very keys would have been a burden to a body of strong men, behold, his people said to him, "Exult not, for Allah loveth not those who exult (in riches).
(Surat al-Qasas, 28:76)
Allah gave Qaroon richness and he became arrogant. Anyone who becomes arrogant, Allah (swt) will order the Earth to swallow him. People were saying, “Qaroon has money and we have nothing.” Allah showed them that wealth does not give you any benefit and the Earth swallowed him up. This happened recently in Florida when the Earth opened and swallowed a person. That is a sign for us, that if you are standing anywhere and if Allah wants it can happen at any moment. It is to show us that it is true that the Earth may open at any time and take one person, as people say, “How can the Earth open and take only one person?” Yes, Allah can make the Earth to open and take only one person, there doesn’t need to be an earthquake that takes everyone. The Earth can take one person by himself from among many.
So Sayyidina Yahya (a) said, “No my brother `Isa (a), I do not want the Earth to swallow me.” He called all the people to Masjid al-Aqsa, which was the focus in Jerusalem and it was full, and he said, Inna ’Llaaha tabaaraka wa ta`ala amarana bi khamsi kalimaatin, “Allah has ordered me five orders and I am asking you to do them as He ordered me to do:
1. “You must not make shirk, associate anyone with Allah.” And that is what Shaytan doesn’t like from us. Allah has no child or spouse and does not need one, as He is Unique. How can you claim that a man with his mother became gods? When they were asking, that, Allah gave an example, “Does a god go to the restroom?” Haasha. He is not in need for it. Allah (swt) said eloquently in the Holy Qur’an:
كَانَا يَأْكُلاَنِ الطَّعَامَ
Kaana yaakuloona ’t-ta`am.
They had both to eat their (daily) food. (Surat al-Ma’ida, 5:75)
When you eat food what do you have to do? Go to the restroom! So the first of the five words was to not make shirk and we will explain that later in detail, in the ahadeeth describing shirk and the verses from Holy Qur’an that are related to it in the coming sessions. Awwalahunna an ta`bud-Allaaha wa laa tushrikoo bihi shay’an. He gave the example of that as the person who got a helper to help him and he paid him with gold or waraq, paper. He said, “This is my home. You will do my work as you are entitled to do.”
When someone hires you, what must they do? They must do whatever they are ordered. So the one making shirk is like the one who is hired to help and does the work, but he does not give the benefit (credit) of the work to the Lord or employer and instead, gives it to someone else. So that means when you associate someone with Allah (swt), it is as if you are giving the benefit of what you are doing to someone other than Allah. So what will happen if you hire someone to do work and agree to pay him, but he gives the benefit to someone else? You will fire him! Similarly, Allah will fire us when we put someone in His position. That is why Allah does not like shirk and it is not allowed in Islam. You cannot make sajda to a shaykh; you may respect him as much as you like, but you cannot make sajda to anyone other than Allah (swt).
Sayyidina Muhammad (s) always yanhaa, forbade sajda to anyone other than Allah. If Allah ordered it that is something else, as when people say, “How did Allah order the angels to make sajda to Sayyidina Adam (a)?” That is something else, because it was an order to them and it was not a sajda of worship, but a sajda of respect. They were making sajda of ihtiraam, respect, and not sajda of `uboodiya to Sayyidina Adam (a), due to the Light of the Prophet (s) in his forehead. Allah was showing the angels, “This is My Prophet (s).” He asked them to make sajda in the meaning of respecting Allah’s Beloved One, where He said:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا
Inna-Llaaha wa malaa'ikatahu yusalloona `ala 'n-nabiyy, yaa ayyuha ’Lladheena aamanoo salloo `alayhi wa sallimoo tasleema.
Verily, Allah and His angels send praise on the Prophet. O Believers! Pray upon him and greet him with a worthy salutation. (Surat al-'Ahzaab, 33:56)
Can you have a guide? Yes you can, as people want to learn. You need a teacher, because you cannot learn without a teacher. You need to have someone who knows more than you. Why did Sayyidina Musa (a) go to Sayyidina Khidr (a)? Although Sayyidina Musa (a) is higher and there is no comparison, but Sayyidina Khidr (a) had some knowledge that Musa (a) wanted to know about. So yes, you can have a guide and it does not mean that you are committing shirk. Also, you can go to the Prophet (s) and ask for forgiveness in his presence, as the Sahaabah (r) have done that. It is in the Holy Qur’an:
وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ إِذ ظَّلَمُواْ أَنفُسَهُمْ جَآؤُوكَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُواْ اللّهَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمُ الرَّسُولُ لَوَجَدُواْ اللّهَ تَوَّابًا رَّحِيمًا
Wa law annahum idh zhalamoo anfusahum ja’ooka f ’astaghfaroollaaha w ’astaghfara lahumu ‘r-rasoolu la-wajadoo ’Llaaha tawwaaba ‘r-raheema.
If they had only, when they were unjust to themselves, come to you and asked Allah's forgiveness, and the Messenger had asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah indeed Oft-returning, Most Merciful. (Surat an-Nisa, 4:64)
“If only when they oppressed themselves they had come to the Prophet (s) and asked Allah’s Forgiveness and the Prophet (s) asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah Forgiving and Merciful.”
Prophet (s) said:
أنا حيٌ طري في قبري
I am alive and supple in my grave.
ما من أحد يسلم عليَّ إلا رد الله عليَّ روحي حتى أسلم عليه
Maa min ahadin yusallim `alayya illaa radd-allaha `alayya roohee hattaa usallim `alayh.
No one prays on me, except that Allah will send back my soul to me to return his greeting.
(Abu Dawud)
So Prophet (s) can reach us and we can reach him. Although we cannot see, but when we say, “Yaa Sayyidee, yaa Rasoolullah,” he intercedes for us. When we come to Prophet (s) asking for forgiveness, he asks Allah on our behalf. Do you think Allah will not respond? That is not shirk! You are asking Allah (swt) and Prophet (s) is helping you. It is like someone who is elderly and cannot walk without a cane, so we help them walk. We are handicapped, like someone with a broken leg who needs a wheelchair or crutches, we need help and that is not shirk.
So Allah does not like shirk. Do not associate a partner to Allah (swt) or take someone as the Creator other than Allah. The Creator is One and Sayyidina Muhammad (s) is the Best of Creation. Allah created the Prophet (s) from Noor, from His Light, from the attribute of Allah (swt) an-Noor.
So we have to listen to what Prophet (s) is saying to us, in many ahadeeth about shirk and how to avoid it and how not to fall into the trap of Shaytan. Shaytan wants you to make shirk in order to make Allah hate you, so you must be careful.
2. The second order that was given by Allah (swt) is to make salaat. And what kind of salaat? He said, “Fa idhaa sallaytum fa laa taltafitoo, “When you pray don’t look left and right, focus.” Like yesterday a deaf person came, he cannot hear and cannot talk. So when you are in your salaat, make yourself deaf, don’t hear what is going on around and don’t talk. Can we do that? We hope to, but we are struggling. Make yourself just like someone who is deaf and cannot hear. Try to learn how not to listen to what is going on around you, because it distracts your salaat. So that is why you should not pray after jama`ah, run away and go to your house and pray, because your focus will be better there. Pray in jama`ah and if not, pray at home. Try to focus on your prayer in your room, not hearing anything from the left or the right, or else your prayer will be running away from you and it will be thrown in your face and say, “I am not accepting your prayer!” We will explain that tomorrow.
Wa min Allahi 't-tawfeeq bi hurmati 'l-Fatihah.
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