ICICE AL-NOOR MASJID KHUTBAH FOR FRIDAY 11/12/2020

THE SOURCES AND IMPORTANCE OF SECURITY.

All thanks and praise are due to Allah. We seek His help and forgiveness, and we seek refuge in Allah from the evil within ourselves and the consequences of our evil deeds. Whomever Allah guides will never be led astray, and whomever Allah leads astray will never find guidance. I bear witness there is no God but Allah, alone without any partners, and I bear witness that Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is His servant and His Messenger.

Allah Almighty said, “O you who have faith, fear Allah as it is His right to be feared and do not die except as Muslims” (3:102)

And Allah Almighty said, “O people, fear your Lord, who created you from one soul and created from it its mate and dispersed from both of them many men and women. Fear Allah, through whom you ask one another and maintain family ties. Verily, Allah is ever watching over you.” (4:1)

And Allah Almighty said, “O you who have faith, fear Allah and speak upright words. He will correct your deeds and forgive your sins. Whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has won a tremendous victory.” (33:70-71)

O Muslim servants of Allah! Security is very important in our lives, wealth, families, and societies. Without security, everyone will be panic, afraid and scare. There will be no rest or peace of mind in the family, community, society, nation and the world at large. Our lives, children, wealth and dignity also are no longer safe. Also, food will become tasteless in our mouths if there is defect in security. Therefore, security is very essential and necessary and we must join hands together collectively with our security personnel to ensure that security in our various states and nation is restored and maintained.

Furthermore, as it is known that there are causes and factors leading to insecurity in a state or nation, there are also causes and factors leading to security, safety, peace and stability in a state or nation among which are the followings:

1. Avoidance of injustice the greatest of which is shirk (polytheism): Allah says: “They who believe and do not mix their belief with injustice – those will have security, and they are [rightly] guided”. ( Al-An’am:87).
2. Piety and self reformation : Allah says :”O children of Adam, if there come to you messengers from among you relating to you My verses, then whoever fears Allah and reforms – there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve” .(Al-A’raf : 35)
3. Spending in charity in the cause of Allah and his messenger: Allah says:”Those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah and then do not follow up what they have spent with reminders [of it] or [other] injury will have their reward with their Lord, and there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve”.(Al-baqoroh: 262). Allah says again:”Those who spend their wealth [in Allah’s way] by night and by day, secretly and publicly – they will have their reward with their Lord. And no fear will there be concerning them, nor will they grieve”. (Al-baqarah: 274).

4- Enjoining what is good and forbidding what is bad: The Prophet (SAW) said, “The example of the person abiding by Allah’s order and restrictions in comparison to those who violate them is like the example of those persons who drew lots for their seats in a boat. Some of them got seats in the upper part, and the others in the lower. When the latter needed water, they had to go up to bring water (and that troubled the others), so they said, ‘Let us make a hole in our share of the ship (and get water) saving those who are above us from troubling them. So, if the people in the upper part left the others do what they had suggested, all the people of the ship would be destroyed, but if they prevented them, both parties would be safe.”( Al-Bukhari).

It is therefore compulsory on us to enjoin one another on good deeds and forbid for one another bad deeds. Parents should teach the children and correct them when they go wrong. Husbands should counsel their wives and vice versa. If the homes are good, the society will be good as well. It is therefore the responsibility of all to support good deeds, encourage Virtues, and discourage vices in the society. By this, everyone will know what is right from what is wrong and will live peacefully and safely with others.

5- Avoidance of committing sins and atrocities openly and in public: this is another factor leading to Allah’s wrath and anger. Allah had destroyed a number of towns and cities completely due to the kinds of atrocities and corruptions they were committing in public. Allah says :”And when We intend to destroy a city, We command its affluent but they defiantly disobey therein; so the word comes into effect upon it, and We destroy it with [complete] destruction” .(Al-Isra: 16). Umar (R.A) said:” A city will nearly collapse as long as it’s bad citizens dominate it and the hypocrites are the ones ruling it”.

6- Prayer and supplication: Allah is the owner and source of all security and peace. Therefore we should always pray to him to grant us peace and tranquility in our country. This was what prophet Ibrahim did after he completed the building of ka’bah (the Sacred House in Makkah). He said :”My Lord, make this a secure city and provide its people with fruits – whoever of them believes in Allah and the Last Day.” (Al-Baqarah : 126).

Therefore, Allah is the source of peace, safety, security and tranquility. He gives whomever he wishes and deprives whomever he wishes. That is why the prophet in an authentic hadith said to ibn Abbas :”If you beg, beg of Him Alone; and if you need assistance, supplicate to Allah Alone for help. And remember that if all the people gather to benefit you, they will not be able to benefit you except that which Allah had foreordained (for you); and if all of them gather to do harm to you, they will not be able to afflict you with anything other than that which Allah had pre-destined against you. The pens had been lifted and the ink had dried up”.(narrated by Attirmidhi).

Therefore, we pray that Allah make Nigeria a secure nation and provide its people with fruits. O Allah! You are the source of peace, give us peace. O Allah! Guide our leaders aright, reform them and us to good, make us, our parents, couples, children and all other Muslims of the world safe and tranquil in everywhere we go or find ourselves in this country or any part of the world. Forgive our sins and shortcomings.

May Allah send his peace and blessing upon the soul of our Noble prophet Muhammad (SAW), his family, and companions.