KHUTBAH FOR FRIDAY 29/3/2019

All praise is due to Allah (The Almighty). I testify that there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah (The Benevolent) and I testify that our Master, our Prophet (Muhammad S.A.W) is a Servant and Messenger of Allah. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, his households and his righteous companions.

“O you who believe! Keep your duty to Allah and fear Him, and speak (always) the truth. He will direct you to do good deeds and will forgive you your sins. And whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) has indeed achieved a great achievement (i.e. he will be saved from the Hell-fire and will be admitted to Paradise)”.

O you Muslims! Among the essential rules and principles in Islam; enjoining spiritual perfection in its diverse forms, in different ways and in all our activities.

Allah (The Most Exalted) says: “Verily, Allah enjoins Al-‘Adl (i.e. justice and worshipping none but Allah Alone – Islamic Monotheism) and Al-Ihsan [i.e. to be patient in performing your duties to Allah, for Allah’s sake and in accordance with the Sunnah (legal ways) of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم in a perfect manner], and giving (help) to kith and kin (i.e. all that Allah has ordered you to give them e.g., wealth, visiting, looking after them, or any other kind of help)”.

The good-doers are those who will be successfully loved by Allah (The Most Exalted). Allah says: “And do good. Truly, Allah loves Al-Muhsinun (the good-doers)”.

The doers of good are those that will be adequately happy for being with Allah under His care and mercy. Allah (The Most Exalted) says: “Truly, Allah is with those who fear Him (keep their duty unto Him), and those who are Muhsinun (good-doers)”.

In one word: The good-doers will be blessed and they will also be in Allah’s pleasure in this worldly life and likewise in the hereafter.

Allah says: “Verily, the Muttaqun (the pious) will be in the midst of Gardens and springs (in the Paradise).Taking joy in the things which their Lord has given them. Verily, they were before this Muhsinun (good-doers)”.

O Muslim Brethren! Ihsan has a special concept which covers sincerity (the best and the highest level of Ibaadah) i.e. to purify your intention from impurities and that can never be achieved without total sincerity to Allah (The Most Exalted) and doing what is right, based on the tradition of Prophet Muhammad S.A.W. in both belief and action.

The beloved Prophet S.A.W defined Ihsan in the authentic Hadith known as Hadith Jibreel thus: “Ihsan is to worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you do not see Him, then Allah sees you.”

O you Muslims! Ihsan also has a general concept which means: Giving out charity to someone and being sincere in perfecting all your religious and worldly actions.

Ihsan also means; having good relationship with people in all aspects of life except in that which is prohibited.

O Brothers and Sisters in Islam! Verily Ihsan in the Holy Qur’an and the Hadith diversifies the essence of relationship between a man and his brother in its circle encompasses; the soul, the citizenry, the family and the kinsmen, then community and human rights in general.

In the Hadith related by Bukhari and Muslim: “A prostitute saw a dog moving around a well on a hot day and hanging out its tongue because of thirst. She drew water for it with her shoe and she was pardoned (for this act of hers).”

The Beloved Prophet was also reported to have said: “Verily Allah has prescribed Ihsan (kindness, perfection) in everything. So when you kill, you must make the killing in the best manner; and when you slaughter, make your slaughtering in the best manner”.

However, Ihsan (kindness) in its wide scope includes forgiving the violators of the Islamic creed, and overlooking their misdeeds; Allah (The Most Exalted) says: “And you will not cease to discover deceit in them, except a few of them. But forgive them and overlook (their misdeeds). Verily, Allah loves Al-Muhsinun (good-doers).

O you Muslims! Ihsan (kindness) in Islam encompasses the daily living activities and what is in it, be it plants, animals or inanimate living being.

“And do not do mischief on the earth, after it has been set in order, and invoke Him with fear and hope. Surely, Allah’s Mercy is (ever) near unto the good-doers”.

Imam Al-Munziri narrated; that the Messenger of Allah S.A.W said: “Whoever kills a small bird for no reason, it will beseech Allah on the Day of Resurrection saying: O Lord, so and so killed me for no reason. And he did not kill me for any beneficial purpose”.

O you Muslims! Among the obligatory kindness; having good relationship with the Muslims, most especially the parents, the children, between the two couples and the kinsmen.

Allah (The Most Exalted) says: “And speak well to people [i.e. enjoin righteousness and forbid evil]”.

Ali (May Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said to me: “Shouldn’t I tell you the best character in this world and the hereafter? To keep relationship with somebody who cut off from you and to give who deprives you” And that is the actual meaning of Ihsan.

Among the things that make you O Muslim to be more kind to people: sacrificing some of your rights from other people for the sake of Allah.

The Most Exalted says in the Glorious Qur’an: “Those who repress anger, and who pardon men; verily, Allah loves Al-Muhsinun (the good-doers)”.

Among the major things that make somebody to be more perfect: doing good to people in different ways.

The one who teaches kindness, perfection and mercy to humanity says in the Hadith related by Bukhari and Muslim:

“Every act of kindness or good deed is charity”.

O you Muslims! Ihsan (kindness/perfection) has a beautiful meaning; Ihsan is needed in all meeting places and places of discussion. This becomes manifest during disputes and disagreement.

Allah (The Most Exalted) says: “And say to my servants (i.e. the true believers of Islamic Monotheism) that they should (only) say those words that are the best. (Because) Shaitan (Devil) verily, sows a state of conflict and disagreement among them”.  He also says: “The good deed and the evil deed cannot be equal. Repel (the evil) with one which is better (i.e. Allah orders the faithful believers to be patient at the time of anger, and to excuse those who treat them badly)”.

Righteousness is sought after in discourses between the Muslim and the people of the scripture, in order to have a fruitful discussion and expected objectives.
“And argue not with the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), unless it be in (a way) that is better (with good words and in good manner, inviting them to Islamic Monotheism with His Verses”.

O Muslim Brethren! Traders are more in need of following the path of righteousness and leniency (in times of dealing with people), so they should not engage in exploitation particularly as it is rampant nowadays. Neither should they engage in all kinds of hoarding nor in any act that will result to high inflation.

What is mandatory upon them is to remember that Allah (The Most high) is well acquainted of their intentions and their speech and actions. Therefore, they should remember that believers are brothers of one another and that a believer likes for his brother what he likes for himself; so it is obligatory upon the traders to be good to people in order to gain a meaningful profit that they will be blessed therewith, and they will be thankful for it in this world and in the hereafter. Allah says in Suratul-Qasas: “………. and do good as Allah has been good to you”.

Verily, among the reasons for the happenings in some of the Muslim countries is the spread of poverty because of exploitation from traders  at the expenses of the needy, as a result of that everyone is at lose of security and stability.

We ask Allah (The Most Exalted) to grant all the Muslims security and stability.

O you the Noble ones! Among the mandatory righteousness is that every shepherd, be it a president, judge or governor or otherwise should lead the citizenry based on the principles of justice and righteousness. So he should be merciful and lenient to them, act like a father to the young ones, to the elderly ones as a child and to the others as brother. Allah, while talking to His Prophet says:
“And be kind and humble to the believers who follow you”

Uthman (May Allah be pleased with him) in some of his messages that is necessary for every leader to highly consider, he said: We accompanied the Prophet S.A.W in his journey and while at home. He used to visit our sick ones, follow the funeral, participate in the holy war with us and he gives us both small and big charities” (Ahmad).

In addition to this, he gives preference to us over himself.

It is part of perfection what was said by Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) while giving similitude on justice and fairness to the subjects:

“If Allah should keep me alive I will let the widows of Iraq need no men to support them after me”.

Truly, he used to visit old women, relief them of their burdens and provide water for them without knowing him.

It’s among the perfection that the leader should be compassionate towards his followers, caring for their well-being and protecting them against any difficulty. On the authority of A’isha (may Allah be pleased with her who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) supplicating in my house-  as if the Prophet S.A.W had the knowledge of Allah about what is happening in this our present generation-  he said: “O Allah! Treat harshly those who rule over my Ummah with harshness, and treat gently those who rule over my Ummah with gentleness.”

What is the position of our politicians and human rights in this great advice of the Noble Prophet S.A.W?!

It is also among kindness to see the leader, minister and other low ranks (of leadership) striving and advising their followers. Ma’qil bin Yasar (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “Any slave whom Allah makes him in charge of subjects and he dies while he is not sincere to them, Allah will make Jannah unlawful for him”. And in another narration: “He, who does not look after his subjects with goodwill and sincerity, will be deprived of the fragrance of Jannah”.

Or do you think O you leader that the type of deceitful life of leadership you are living today will be forgotten by Allah?! Rather, you will be reckoned accordingly. So, prepare well for an appropriate answer.

Verily, the required kindness from the leader is to be free from oppression towards the followers and to be also free from being cruel to them. ‘Aidh bin ‘Amr (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:

I visited ‘Ubaidullah bin Ziyad and said to him: “Dear son, I heard Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying, ‘The worst of rulers are those who treat their subjects harshly. Beware, lest you should be one of them”.

A similitude said by the Prophet -S.A.W- on a bad and cruel leader, the one that always oppresses his subjects and is neither lenient nor merciful towards them. What about if his oppression has become unbearable and even his action has extended to destruction of lives and properties or tampering with their dignities?! Woe and woe be upon him who has been promised with a severe punishment by the Noble Prophet S.A.W.

It’s among the kindness for a leader to lovely fulfill the needs of his followers and to ascertain the benefits of the Muslims. On the authority of Abu-Maryam Al-Azdy said to Mu’awiya (when he was the governor):

I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying: If Allah puts anyone in the position of authority over the affairs of the Muslims, and he secludes himself (from them), not fulfilling their needs and wants, Allah will keep Himself away from him, not fulfilling his need and want. He (Mu’awiyah) responded (despite his position and prestige) and appointed a man to fulfill the needs of the people.

So be dutiful to Allah (O you Muslim) and be steadfast in Allah’s commandments. Allah (The Most Exalted) says in Suratu Ibrahim: “Consider not that Allah is unaware of that which the Zalimun (polytheists, wrong-doers) do”.

We ask Allah to make us among the people of kindness in everything.