Thursday, April 28, 2005

a little motivation...

this is the introduction to the book 'Milestones' by Syed Qutb. subhanAllah, i find this paragraph to be very moving. whenever i think that working for islam is tough and am faced with tests and tribulations, the last few lines of this paragraph revitalize my energy....EVERYTIME!

"Islam stands for change. It seeks to change the individual and the society. This change covers every aspect of human life, from personal morality to business, economics, and politics. It is only natural that Islam should be fought by those who oppose change. This is the way it has been throughout history. It happened to Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad, peace be upon them all. It will happen to anyone who wants to stand up and proclaim the true message of Islam to the world today. Syed Qutb, the author of this book, tried to bring together some of the fine points of Islam and Islamic work in the present volume. It seems that true Islamic principles are too much for the corrupt regimes of the self-proclaimed leaders of so-called Islamic countries in the present and the past. Syed Qutb was persecuted, and eventually hanged. The ultimate price of working to please God Almighty and to propagate his ways in this world is often one’s own life. The author tried to do it; he paid for it with his life. If you and I try to do it, there is every likelihood we will be called upon to do the same. But for those who truly believe in God, what other choice is there?"

khutbah: U-Turn Ahead

U-Turn Ahead


Among those who lived in the past was a man who had killed 99 persons. Desiring to repent, he enquired for a wise man and was directed to a monk. He went to him and asked whether having killed 99 persons there was any possibility of repentance for him. The monk said, 'No!' So he killed the monk and completed his hundred.

Then he enquired again and was directed to a scholar. To him he put the like question whether having killed 100 persons there was any possibility of repentance for him. The scholar replied, “Yes! No one can stand between you and repentance. Go to such a land where there is a company that worships Allah Most High. Worship Allah Most High along with them and do not return to your own country; for surely it is a wicked land.” So the man packed his bags and set off. But half-way through his journey, death overtook him.

Then arose a dispute regarding him between the angel of mercy and the angel of punishment. The angel of mercy maintained that he was coming to Allah repentant. The angel of punishment argued that he had never done good in his life. Then came to them an angel in human form and they made him arbiter. He suggested that they should measure the distance between the two countries and to whichever he was nearest they should reckon him as belonging. So they measured and found that he was nearer the country to which he was journeying than to that which he had left, only by a span of a hand. He was taken by the angel of mercy.

Another narration of this story states that the man was not initially in the territory of the new city, but with His mercy and grace, Allah swt ordered the earth to move from beneath the man, placing him in the territory of the new city.

This, brothers and sisters, is from the mercy of Allah ‘azza wa jall. Many of us have not murdered even a single person, yet we despair in the mercy of Allah. Allah swt loves to forgive. In fact, the Prophet pbuh said that if you people did not sin, then Allah would wipe you out and replace you with people who would sin, and then ask for forgiveness, and Allah would forgive them. [Sahih Muslim]

Allah swt says in Suratul Baqarah:
"SURELY ALLAH LOVES THOSE WHO TURN UNTO HIM IN REPENTANCE AND LOVES THOSE WHO PURIFY THEMSELVES."

The Prophet pbuh once explained Allah’s happiness in accepting the repentance of His slave. A man left for a journey with all of his provisions on his camel. Feeling tired, the man stopped to take a nap under the cool shade of a tree. Some time later, he awoke only to find that his camel was missing. After searching all over, the tired man returned to the tree in utter disappointment and fell asleep. This time he woke up and found that the camel had returned. Wanting to thank Allah, the over-joyed man (not thinking about what he was saying) yelled, “oh Allah, I am Your lord and You are my slave.” The Prophet pbuh said that Allah is happier with His slave when he returns to Him than this man, who lost his mind upon recovering his camel, was.

Brothers and sisters, will we make Allah happy today?

Part II

Pharaoh lived a life of disobedience. But when he was drowning in the sea, he said that he believed in the Lord of the Children of Israel (Allah) and that he is amongst the Muslims. As he was dying, he proclaimed his belief in Allah, but did this avail him anything?

No!

Allah swt said in response: “Now?! And you had disobeyed before and were of the corrupters?”

The prophet pbuh said that the repentance from every person is accepted, except from the one who is on his deathbed. If the greatest kaafir to ever step foot on this earth remembers Allah while death is staring him in the eyes, then it is fair to say that we (Muslims) might also remember Allah on our deathbed. But that, brothers and sisters, is a bit too late!

Many times we put off our repentance, until a time when repentance no longer matters. May Allah have mercy on us.

Other times people are caught in the state of sinning, not realizing that death is approaching. A brother told me a story recently, which was published in a newspaper.

A few people were drinking and dancing in a night-club balcony, which fell to the ground, killing everyone instantly. The article went on to list some of the names of the people killed, and one of the names was Muhammad.

Brothers and sisters, Muhammad didn’t have a second chance, but you do!

Allah swt says: "SAY: O MY SLAVES WHO HAVE TRANSGRESSED AGAINST THEMSELVES! DESPAIR NOT FOR THE MERCY OF ALLAAH, VERILY ALLAAH FORGIVES ALL SINS. TRULY HE IS OFT FORGIVING, MOST MERCIFUL." [Az-Zumar (39):53]

When Pharaoh was drowning, angel Jibreel was stuffing mud in the mouth of Pharaoh, lest Allah, Most-Gracious Most-Merciful, accepts the words of regret and repentance coming from his mouth.

He died a kaafir.

Brothers and sisters, we should not underestimate the vastness of Allah’s mercy. We must have hope in Allah and beg Him for forgiveness.

I will share with you three conditions one must meet to have his repentance accepted, and inshaAllah we can implement them in our lives, in order that we may be forgiven.

  1. STOP the sin
  2. Feel REGRET for committing the sin, and
  3. PROMISE never to do it again

This must be done with a sincere heart, and pure intentions.

In conclusion:
It is stated in a hadith that the one who repents is like a sinless person. The Prophet (pbuh) is recorded to have said: Verily, Allaah extends His hand out at night in order to accept the repentance of the sinner by day. And He extends His hand out during the day in order to accept the repentance of the sinner by night, (and He will continue to do this until the Day of Judgment.)

Brothers and sisters, I pray that when the sun sets on us today, all of the Muslims listening to this khutbah are purified and sinless.

written by: Umer Akbar, May 2004

khutbah: The Sale is Almost Over

The Sale is Almost Over

It's almost Christmas season. Soon, you'll be receiving magazines from Macy's, Sears, Radio Shack and other similar stores advertising their products. The advertising will intensify for the season. The staff will increase, at least momentarily. The stores will be at their cleanest, and will look better than they've looked all year round. Why?

Because they are going to reap the benefits of the season. These stores see an opportunity to make a whole lot of money in a small amount of time.

Similarly brothers and sisters, Allah the Mighty and Exalted has blessed us with a season. This is the season where we can earn a whole lot of reward in a small amount of time. There is good news and bad news.

The good news is that the month of Ramadan, the season of a great business opportunity (with Allah (swt) ), is upon us. And the bad news is that this month is almost over.

Just last night in taraweeh, the imam was reciting the last few surahs of the Holy Quran. As I stood there listening, my eyes began to tear almost as if a family member had passed away. Each little surah reminded me of the sand slipping through my fingers. Driving home, I thought about the topic for my khutbah: Self-evaluation: Did we make the most of Ramadan?


Brothers and sisters, soon you will see these stores begin preparations for their big season. These preparations will determine their success. Some will suffer losses and others will thrive, depending on their preparations. Similarly, the results for our month of great virtue are dependent upon the preparations we made as Ramadan was approaching. Now that we are more than half way through, what does our grade report look like?

I'm sure we've memorized the often-recited verses from Surah al-Baqara in which Allah (swt) mentions the sole purpose of fasting. He says "Oh you who believe, fasting has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed to those before you, so that you may attain taqwa..." God-consciousness, piety, righteousness are amongst some of the definitions that we've heard for taqwa. If this was the reason why Allah (swt) ordered us to fast, then it is imperative that we look to see if we have achieved this goal.

The Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, said, "Taqwa is here" and he pointed to his chest. Notice, brothers and sisters, that the Messesnger of Allah (pbuh) did not point to the stomach, which cried for food all day long. He didn't point to the tongue which was deprived the wetness of any kind of liquid. He didn't point to the legs, which stood all night in prayer before the Creator of the worlds. He didn't point to the hands, which were raised in front of his Lord, begging for His mercy. He didn't point to the eyes, which read the Quran or the lips that recited it so beautifully. But he pointed to the chest. This is where taqwa is brothers and sisters.

The service of all these other body parts is solely for purifying the soul and cleansing the heart. As the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said : "For everything there is a purification and the purification of the body is to fast; and fasting is half of endurance." So the question today, brothers and sisters, is "has this month of fasting purified our bodies?"

Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: "Let it not be that the day that you fast and the day that you break fast (meaning, not fast) be equal." Meaning, one's behavior, attitude and outlook are the same whether one fasts or not, i.e. fasting has no effect upon that person. He also said in another Hadith: "It may be that a fasting person attains nothing but hunger and thirst from his fasting" due to vain speech and actions, and faulty intentions.

We should think about how we spent our fasts over the past few weeks. Were we rude to the students in our classes and to the people on the road while driving home from school? Did we say any bad words to our friends or neighbors? Did we lie or cheat in any of our affairs? Did we draw nearer to Allah (swt), or were we too busy talking on the phone or chatting online with our friends? Was the quran our companion, or was it the TV?

A great mujaddid of Islam, `Umar ibn `Abdul `Azeez, rahimahullaah, shed some light on taqwaa and explained in his own words how it can be achieved. He said, "None can reach the station of taqwaa until he possesses neither action nor words that can be exposed to his embarrassment either in this world or the Hereafter." He was once asked, "When does the worshipper reach the peak of tawqa?" He replied, "If he put all his thoughts and desires in his heart on a plate and then wandered around in the market, he should not feel ashamed of anything there."

We have committed many grave sins, brothers and sisters, and we should have hope in Allah's mercy and pray for our forgiveness. After all, we are reminded with the story of Musa (as) when he and his people were suffering from an intense drought, they turned to Allah (swt) for help, making dua to His Majesty. Allah (swt) responded that there was one sinner amongst them and this sinner must leave the group. When Musa (as) announced this to his people, the man knew who he was, and now had a choice to make. Either he can face humiliation by leaving or he can watch the whole group suffer, by remaining with them. In this time of desperation, the man turned to Allah (swt), in secret, and repented. As the rain of mercy sprinkled down, Musa (as) asked Allah (swt) why He sent rain when none of the men had left the group. Allah (swt) told him that the man had repented to Him and his repentance was accepted. Hearing this, Musa (as) asked Allah to reveal the identity of this man. Allah the Most-Wise responded by saying "O Musa, I hid his sins for forty years, do you think that after his repentance I shall expose him?"

This sinner is in all of us, brothers and sisters. We must turn to Allah (swt) in repentance in this month of mercy, forgiveness, and freedom from hellfire.

Part II

The month of Ramadan is a blessing from Allah (swt). We are grateful that He blessed the ummah of Muhammad (pbuh) with such an event. This month is so virtuous that just one night in this month equals 1000 months. Allah (swt) blessed us with so many incentives to fast for this month.
Amongst His rewards is that
-He'll forgive the person who fasted the whole month of all his past sins.
-You will be forgiven if you offered qiyam during the month of Ramadan.
-You are promised the reward of a thousand months for obersving the night of laylatul qadr.
-We are told that the shaytan will be chained up for a whole month, and the gates of paradise will be open.
-We've been told that Allah will free from punishment a number of worshippers every night of Ramadan.
-Allah (swt) answers the dua of a fasting person when he breaks his fast.
-Allah (swt) multiplies the rewards of fasting beyond limits of imagination.

These are all rewards that Lord of the worlds has offered us. But how many of these did we earn during this month of ramdan? Did we really fast the whole month wholeheartedly and sincerely? Were our days of fasting different from the days we didn't fast? How long were we up at night praying qiyam? How hard did we try to search out laylatul qadr? Did we take advantage of the fact that shaytan was chained up for this whole month? Did we try to break our bad habits without his whispers? Did we take the time to make dua at iftar for ourselves, our families, and the ummah of Muhammad (pbuh)? Did we take advantage of the fact that our rewards will be multiplied many times over? If we are all college students here, then we have at least fasted for the past 5 to 7 Ramadans. So the question now is "are you 5 to 7 times better now than you were before?" If the answer is 'no' then you must step back and evaluate yourself. Have you made the most of Ramadan?

Tell me brothers and sisters, is it us that need Allah's mercy or the Prophet (pbuh) to enter paradise? No doubt you would all say that it is we. Then perhaps we can learn from the narrations of the companions who used to count for the Prophet (pbuh) in each congregation his saying one hundred times: "My Lord, forgive me and accept my repentance, for You are At-Tawwab (the One who accept repentance), Al-Ghafoor (The Oft Forgiving)." If the Prophet (pbuh) said this dua 100 times, then how many times must we say it to be forgiven for our sins?

The Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, is also reported to have said: "No one will be rescued (on the Day of Judgment) by his deeds." They (his companions) asked "even you Messenger of Allah?" He said, "even me, unless Allah would grant me His mercy and Grace." If the Messenger of Allah needs mercy to be saved on the day of judgment, then do you think that we will enter paradise according to our deeds?

Did we use this month to seek forgiveness and beg for His mercy? Or are we better than the companions of the prophet (pbuh) who said "I will not feel quite safe even if I see that one of my feet is already in Jannah - not until both of them are in there." Brothers and sisters, did they not fast the month of Ramadan, did they not stand in prayer all night, did they not try their hardest to search-out laylatul qadr? Then what is it that makes them more pious and worthy of paradise? It is taqw-Allah.

Have we achieved our goal for this Ramadan?

In conclusion:
unfortunately Ramadan comes only once a year, therefore, we should host it in the best possible way. However, contrary to what many of us think, Ramadan is not a month of tables full of dishes and useless parties and gatherings but rather it is the month of recital of the Qur'an, the remembrance of Allah, the prayer at night, the Suhour, the du`a at the Iftar, the charity ...amongst other things. It is only by doing these actions will one attain taqwa of Allah in this world, and Jannatul Firdows in the next.

Suhaib radhiya Allahu `anh relates that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: When the inmates of the Paradise will have entered Paradise, Allah, the Master of Honor and Glory, will ask them: "Do you want anything more that I should give you?" They will submit: "(O Allah)! Have you not made our faces shining? Have you not admitted us to the Paradise and saved us from the Hell? (What else is left to be desired?)" Thereupon, the veil will be withdrawn, and the inmates of the Paradise will not have known anything dearer to them than looking at their Lord. [Muslim].

May Allah make us amongst those inmates of paradise. Ameen.

written by: Umer Akbar
Last khutbah of Ramadan 1424/December 2003

Wednesday, April 27, 2005

Syed Qutb on Juz 'Amma

They (surahs of Juz 'Amma) are, indeed, like a persistent and strong knocking on a door, or loud shouts seeking to awaken some people who are fast asleep, or some drunken men who have lost consciousness, or are in a night club, completely absorbed with their dancing or entertainment.

The knocks and the shouts come one after the other: Wake up! Look around you! Think! Reflect! There is a God! There is planning, trial, liability, reckoning, reward, severe punishment and lasting bliss. The same warning is repeated time after time. A strong hand shakes them violently. They seem to open their eyes, look around for a second and return to unconsciousness. The strong hand shakes them again, the shouts and knocks are repeated even more loudly. They may wake up once or twice to say obstinately, "No!" They may stone the person warning them or insult him and then resume their position of inattention. He shakes them anew.

This is how I feel when I read this part of the Qur'an. It puts strong emphasis on a small number of highly important facts and strikes certain notes which touch men's hearts. It concentrates on certain scenes in the universe and in the world of the human soul, as well as certain events which take place on the Day of Decision. I note how they are repeated in different ways, which suggests that the repetition is intended.