الحمد لله رب العالمين نحمده ونستعينه ، ونعوذ بالله من شرور أنفسنا ومن سيئات أعمالنا ، إنه من يهده الله فلا مضل له ، ومن يضلل فلا هادي له. وأشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له ، وأشهد أن محمداً عبده ورسوله .
أنَّ أحسنَ الحديث كتاب الله، وخير الهدي هدي محمّد ، وشرّ الأمور محدثاتها، وكلّ بدعة ضلالة، وعليكم بجماعة المسلمين، فإنّ يدَ الله على الجماعة، ومن شذّ شذّ في النار.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ اتَّقُواْ اللّهَ وَكُونُواْ مَعَ الصَّادِقِينَ وَمَن يَتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ يُكَفّرْ عَنْهُ سَيّئَـٰتِهِ وَيُعْظِمْ لَهُ أَجْرًا
أمّا بعد: فأوصيكُم ونفسي بتقوَى الله، قَال الله تعالى: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلاَّ وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ [آل عمران:102].
Alhamdulillah the Lord of the Universe. Praise and thanks always be to Him the Creator of all things. Alhamdulillah that He has gathered us in this blessed place of worship to be of His obedient servants and of those who are observant of His rules. He has ruled for His servants to be close to one another and to come together and congregate with one another. And He has allowed this act of congregation for His sake to be a means of cleansing for His servants and a means of elevating their status with Him. I bear witness that there is no other Deity but Allah, the One God and the One Creator, there is no other deity except Him the Sovereign, the Holy, the One with whom all salvation rests. And I bear witness that Mohamed is His servant, messenger and Prophet, the best of Creation, the best of those who performed Salat, Hajj and fasting; and unto whom He (swt) has revealed the Truth and the divine verses. O Allah bestow perpetual Salat and Salam on your Prophet. صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وأصحابه وسلم تسليما
- And may He also gather us in the Hereafter in His garden of Bliss and Paradise, in the companionship of the best of His Creation.
O Muslims, have Taqwa and fear Allah as He deserves to be feared. Allah says in [ الطلاق:5]
وَمَن يَتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ يُكَفّرْ عَنْهُ سَيّئَـٰتِهِ وَيُعْظِمْ لَهُ أَجْرًا
-O Servants of Allah, have fear of Allah swt, for having fear of Allah is a protection against aberrance and deviation from His straight path; it is the salvation from His wrath; and it is the path to true success and happiness on the day of Judgment. Maintain your obedience to Him and seek only His pleasure.
Allah swt says in Surat [Tawba:119] يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ اتَّقُواْ اللّهَ وَكُونُواْ مَعَ الصَّادِقِينَ
In the meaning of: “O you who believe! Be careful of your duty to Allah, and be with the truthful.”
-O Muslims fear Allah as He ought to be feared; fear the One who created the Heavens and the Earth, and remember that you will come to stand in front of Him to account for all your deeds on a Day of fierce reckoning. Allah says in Surat Ghafir [غافر 40:52]
، يَوْمَ لا يَنفَعُ الظَّالِمِينَ مَعْذِرَتُهُمْ وَلَهُمْ اللَّعْنَةُ وَلَهُمْ سُوءُ الدَّارِ
In the meaning of: ” The Day when no profit will it be to Wrong-doers to present their excuses, but they will (only) have the Curse and the Home of Misery. ” So prepare for such a Day of giving accounts. Send forth the best of provisions for that day, and do not let this Duniya lure you away with its deceptive beauty and fleeting promises. And most of all do not allow self-conceit and vanity stray you away from the righteous path of Allah.
-The happiness of mankind in this Dunya is conditional upon the observance of the rules of Allah, conditional upon the obedience to Him swt and to His Prophet pbuh, and conditional upon the adoption of righteous actions that would bring us closer to Him swt. The fruits of such blessed and righteous actions will be, on the Day of Judgment, Jannah (Paradise), joy and contentment, and in this Dunya happiness and safety from afflictions and tribulations that might otherwise befall a person.
-And the worst affliction that can befall any person during their life in this Dunya is neglecting to observe and follow the divine guidance of Allah swt, and instead, obeying their own desires and refusing the path of righteousness. Our Prophet pbuh relates to us in a story, thru his prophetic compassion towards humanity and his Umma, when plagued by tribulations and afflictions, when the hope for help and rescue from others has all but vanished, that the only way to safety for humankind is thru Him swt whose gates of hope and help are never closed; the ever Present, the ever Mighty, and the ever answerer of Du’a of the despondent and the needy.
-Thru this story our Prophet pbuh shows to us the impact of good deeds and the blessed harvest of goodness. It is indeed only from such righteous actions that the closeness to Allah can be realized, and it is only from such good deeds that one can tread the path of true happiness and the path of true safety.
-Bukhari and Muslim report to us in their Sahih a long hadith on the account of Abdullah Ibn Umar (عبد الله بن عمر) that our Prophet pbuh had said:
((بينما ثلاثة نفر يتمشون أخذهم المطر، فآووا إلى غار في جبل، فانحطت على فم غارهم صخرة من الجبل، فانطبقت عليهم، فقال بعضهم لبعض: انظروا أعمالاً عملتموها صالحة لله، فادعوا الله تعالى بها، لعل الله يفرجها عنكم، فقال أحدهم: اللهم إنه كان لي والدان شيخان كبيران وامرأتي ولي صبية صغار أرعى عليهم، فإذا رحت عليهم حلبت فبدأت بوالدي، فسقيتهما قبل بني، وإنه نأى بي ذات يوم الشجر، فلم آت حتى أمسيت، فوجدتهما قد ناما، فحلبت كما كنت أحلب، فجئت بالحلاب، فقمت عند رؤوسهما، أكره أن أوقظهما من نومهما، وأكره أن أسقي الصبية قبلهما، والصبية يتضاغون – أي يصيحون – عند قدمي، فلم يزل ذلك دأبي ودأبهم حتى طلع الفجر، فإن كنت فعلت ذلك ابتغاء وجهك، فافرج لنا فرجة نرى منها السماء، ففرج الله منها فرجة فرأوا منها السماء))
In the meaning of: “While three people were walking outside, the rain began to fall and they sought refuge in a cave on the side of a mountain. While inside the cave, a large and heavy rock fell off the side of the mountain and sealed off the entrance to their cave. They said to one another: let us look at our good deeds that we carried for the sake of Allah, and let us mention them to Allah and make Du’a to Him that He remove this rock and free us from this cave. One of them said: O Allah, I used to have two elderly parents, a wife and young children, and I was attentive to their needs. I would leave them to go and bring milk for them. And I would always give the milk to my parents first before my young children. And one day I had been delayed while away from my family until nightfall and my parents had fallen asleep. I brought back milk for all of them as I used to do and waited at their headrest for my parents to wake up. I disliked waking them up from their sleep and I disliked feeding my young children before them; and my young children were crying out of hunger next to me. And we remained like that until Fajr. O Allah, if I had done that seeking only your acceptance, then free us from this cave and let us see the clear sky outside. The rock at the entrance of the cave then moved slightly and allowed them to see the sky outside”.
-This first person had begged Allah and mentioned his kindness and compassion toward his own parents as an act of worshipping Allah swt. And that is because kindness and compassion towards our parents is one of the greatest acts and ways to come closer to our Creator; for Allah swt has equated between the acts of worshipping Him and the recognition of His oneness to be of the same level as the acts of kindness and compassion toward one’s parents; an indication of the greatness and preference of such acts in the eyes of Allah swt.
-This first person was a shepherd. And shepherds rely on their livestock for food and milk; and it was his habit at the end of the day to bring back milk from his livestock to give to his family. And he used to always give that milk to his parents first before even his young children and wife.
-It was compassion and kindness towards his parents that drove this shepherd’s actions. How many of us today, with all the amenities that surround us, truly give preferential treatment to our parents out of kindness and compassion for them? Our reality today is in most cases very different from what this simple shepherd had done to his parents: our children and spouse come first before our kindness and compassion to our parents. It is indeed a neglect of our duties toward our parents and a neglect of their divine rights over us. May Allah bring us back toward His righteous path.
-It was part of this shepherd’s destiny that one day his quest for grazing grounds for his livestock took him farther away than usual and delayed his return back to his family until late after nightfall. He milked his livestock as he usually does and brought back the milk to feed his family only to find his parents asleep. Out of respect and kindness to them, he disliked waking them up from their sleep and preferred to wait until they woke up by themselves. And he disliked feeding his own young children and wife before feeding his parents first. And so he and his crying young children and his wife stayed awake thru the night until Fajr waiting for his parents to wake up from their sleep. He then gave them the milk and then fed his children and wife.
-And no one except Allah knows the exhaustion, the fatigue and the emotional stress that this shepherd had gone thru that day first while taking care of his flock of livestock taking them to a far away grazing place, then abstaining from food until his parents had awaken, and then the emotional burden watching his own young children cry for food while waiting for his parents to wake up from their sleep. And how many parents today would stand still in quiet patience while holding out food from their young children who are crying at their feet! It is such a deed of kindness and compassion toward his parents that earned this person an answer from Allah and moved ever so little the rock from the entrance of the cave.
-This is a reminder to all of the Ummah and an encouragement to us all to be diligently kind toward our parents; a reminder of the rewards and fruits of such kindness toward our parents; a reminder of the true source of happiness in both this Dunya and in the Hereafter. O Allah make us successful in caring for our parents during their lives in this Dunya and after you take them away from this Dunya. Ameen.
-The Hadith of our Prophet pbuh continues with the story by saying:
((وقال الآخر: اللهم إنه كان لي ابنة عم أحببتها كأشد ما يُحب الرجال النساء، وطلبت إليها نفسها، فأبت حتى أتيتها بمائة دينار، فتعبت حتى جمعت مائة دينار، فجئتها بها، فلما وقعتُ بين رجليها قالت: يا عبد الله، اتق الله، ولا تفتح الخاتم إلا بحقه، فقمت عنها، فإن كنت تعلم أني فعلت ذلك ابتغاء وجهك، فافرج لنا منها فرجة ففرج لهم))
In the meaning of: “And the other person said in their Du’a to Allah: O Allah, I had a cousin with whom I had fallen in love (in the most extreme of ways that men would love women). And I had asked her to give herself to me but she refused unless I brought her 100 Dinars. I then labored to gather that 100 Dinars to give to her. And when I was atop of her she said: O Servant of Allah, have fear of Allah and do not open the seal except in accordance with its rightful moral due. So I abstained from carrying my act. O Allah, if I had abstained from carrying that act hoping only for your acceptance then ease our way out. And the rock at the entrance of the cave moved a little more”.
-The Du’a of this second person brings out a witness to his sincere fear and Taqwa of Allah during moments of power and capability. The kind of fear and Taqwa that bestowed upon him the ability to push away acts of indecency and mischief, and bestowed upon him the ability to control his most extreme desires. He had loved and desired his cousin the most extreme of desires. But her faith in her Deen had prevented her from giving into such a mischief and had prevented her from giving into his prior pleas of desire; until she was faced with a need she could not fill, forcing her to then give into his advances. But still, even after he had fulfilled her financial conditions and was about to commit the forbidden act, she awakens to her fear of Allah and to her duties toward her Deen, and she reminds him of his own and same duties and of his need to have Taqwa of Allah. She had never committed such mischievous acts before and did not want to commit them then. Only then did he realize the nature of his hideous act, and out of fear of Allah retracted his advances to her and left her the monies to fulfill her need.
-It was the true Iman that had moved this person away from committing such mischief even though he was able to go thru and commit it had he so desired. It was the fear of Allah, the real Taqwa, that had pulled away this person from such acts and directed him towards repentance and seeking the acceptance of Allah. It is indeed only the true and deep Iman that truly protects against falling into such mischievous acts.
-It is regrettable that today some people would actually voluntarily and willfully strive towards committing such acts. Not only that, they would also boast about having committed such acts to their acquaintances and friends. As if it were an act to boast about or to uncover to others. It is indeed the worst of actions and a path straying the farthest away from the righteous path of Allah swt. Such a person has instead fallen into the worst of deeds that leads to nothing except to the Hellfire. And the only thing that is left for such a sinner is to hasten and hurry in repentance to Allah; for Allah will accept all sincere and true repentance from anyone that is still living in this Dunya.
-Indeed, true repentance erases all previous sins; true repentance is the path towards the acceptance of Allah; true repentance is the path to the Jannah (Paradise) of Allah. Allah swt says in Surat Talaq:2:
: وَمَن يَتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ مَخْرَجاً [الطلاق:2].
In the meaning of: “And whoever fears Allah, He will make easement for him”.
بارك الله لي ولكم في القرآن العظيم، ونفعني وإياكم بما فيه من الآيات والذكر الحكيم اللهم اجعلنا ممن يستمع القول فيتبع أحسنه، واسلك بنا طريق عبادك الصالحين، أقول ما تسمعون، وأستغفر الله العظيم لي ولكم ولسائر المؤمنين من كل ذنب، فاستغفروه، إنه هو الغفور الرحيم
-And the Hadith continues by saying:
وقال الآخر: اللهم إني كنت استأجرت أجيراً بفرق أرز، فلما قضي عمله قال: أعطني حقي، فعرضت عليه فرقه فرغب عنه – أي تركه – فلم أزل أزرعه حتى جمعت منه بقراً ورعاءها، فجاءني فقال: اتق الله، ولا تظلمني حقي، قلت: اذهب إلى تلك البقر ورعائها فخذها، فقال: اتق الله ولا تستهزئ بي، فقلت: إني لا أستهزئ بك، خذ ذلك البقر ورعاءها، فأخذه فذهب به، فإن كنت تعلم أني فعلت ذلك ابتغاء وجهك، فافرج لنا ما بقي، ففرج الله ما بقي وخرجوا يمشون
In the meaning of: “And the other said: O Allah I had hired someone to help me and I promised them a portion of rice as payment. When they finished and asked me for payment they belittled what I offered them for payment and they left without taking it. I then used and sown that rice time and again and produced from its profit several cows. The helper had then come back again to ask for his former payment saying: give me my dues and do not oppress me. I said to him go and take those cows, they are yours. He answered do not make fun of me. All I want is my payment. I convinced him that it was his payment and he took them. O Allah if I had done that only out of seeking your pleasure then ease for us what is left to let us out. And Allah eased for them their way out of the cave by moving the rock from the entrance. ”.
-This third person had begged Allah with a Du’a mentioning his trustworthiness and his diligence to giving people their rightful dues. Not only that, he had made the dues of his helper grow many times over and beyond the expectations of that helper, and gave it back to him as his right due without reducing of it not the slightest. Contrasting such trustworthiness with today’s accepted social conduct makes us realize how we may be short changing ourselves, and how our deeds need revising to adhere to the righteous ways and to the accepted path toward Allah. Instead, today some people may consider short changing the wages of their helpers as a commendable act to even boast about and maintain as a good practice! Little do they know the dire punishment awaiting them for such conduct and for such deeds. And little do they know how much they have lost with Allah and how much they have gained in sins and disfavor with Allah.
فاتقوا الله عباد الله، واحرصوا على الأعمال الصالحة التي تقربكم من الله، واحذروا المعاصي، وإياكم والوقوع في الموبقات، فإن أجسامكم على النار لا تقوى
by Sheik Abdelmonem Almukasaree (english translation Smail Fenni) – Masjid Yusuf
