(If above player does not work, click "Confused Realities: Transforming Chaos into Focus" for audio recording of the khutbah) - [opens in a separate window]
March 16, 2012 | Rabi Ath-Thani 23, 1433 - Masjid Quba
May 18, 2012 | Jumada Ath-Thaani 26, 1433 - Masjid Quba
Surah Luqman (30:31)
ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْحَقُّ وَأَنَّ مَا يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِ الْبَاطِلُ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْكَبِيرُ
Thus it is, because God alone is the Ultimate Truth,so that all that men invoke instead of Him is sheer falsehood; and because God alone is exalted, truly great!
Part I
Alhamdulillah. Alhamdulillah. Alhamdulillah. We truly need to be grateful that Allah has blessed us with another blessed day. This is a day on which we can achieve so many blessings. Sometimes we forget just how merciful Allah is to us. He has given us a day, each week, in which we can get spiritual refinement, economic prosperity, emotional upliftment and social development. Subhanallah wa bihamdihi. It is narrated that there is a certain time during this day that Allah has promised to answer a du’a that is offered to Him (swt). There time of the day is not specified, so we have to look at the entire day of Friday as a blessed day. It is narrated in a hadith, that the Prophet (saws) said that “The best of your days is Friday. On that day Adam (A.S.) was created; on that day he died; on that day the Trumpet will be blown.”
Brothers and sisters, today I want to speak about reality. More specifically, I want to speak about confused or misinformed realities. I want to speak about temporary things that we treat as though they are permanent and absolute realities. Things that bind us to this dunya in such a way that it distracts us from focusing on truly creating a better existence for ourselves here, by keeping the hereafter in focus. Last week, Imam Anas spoke about making sure we keep the ultimate goal in mind. This is very important for us if we hope to achieve success. A few weeks ago, I gave the khutbah at UPenn - or maybe here, and I spoke about how sometimes we fail to ask the right question. Sometimes we tend to ask the question, does he or she really deserve my forgiveness? Does he/she really deserve my patience? Do I really need to put up with this from him/her? (Mind you, I am setting aside domestic abuse and violence in this part here, because that should be addressed differently). This is an OK question to ask, but it does not help us focus on the ultimate goal. A better question to ask might be, Is this thing worth my access to jannah? What if by me forgiving him/her, that is the thing that helps me enter jannah? Is not fogiving him/her worth that much? Brothers and sisters, you know in school they use to say that there is no such thing as a dumb question? That is right. Also, you have heard that the best way to the “right” answer is by starting off with the “right” question. Are we asking ourselves the right questions? Are we looking at what is going on, and making the mistake of seeing it as an absolute reality, instead of realizing that the only reality is with Allah, and everything else is but a fleeting illusion? Are we confusing absolute realities with temporary, fleeting ones that are subjective and based on our own biases and prejudices?
Today, I want to continue that theme about keeping the ultimate goal in mind. I want to take a slightly different approach to the khutbah today. I want to look at how we define our “reality” and how this might actually cripple us and prevent us from rising on the Day of Judgement as nafsul mut’mainnah (a fulfilled, tranquil soul). I want to discuss how our understanding and even USE of the word “reality” can confuse us and put us in a state of learned helplessness and hopelessness.
Meaning of Haqq
- Truth
- Reality
- Absolute Reality
- Necessary
- Compulsory
- Imperative
- To ascertain
- To make sure
- To put into action
- To carry out
- Authentic
- Real
- Justice
- Equity
All of these are meanings or derivatives of the word “haqq”. In the Tafsir of the above verse, it is stated that:
- Al-Jalalayn: That, which is mentioned, is [so] because God, He is the Truth, the established [truth], and whatever they call on (read yad‘ūna; or tad‘ūna, ‘you call on’) whatever they worship, besides Him is, evanescent, falsehood, and because God is the High [Exalted], above His creation by virtue of [His] subjugation [of them], the Great, the Mighty.
- Ibn-Kathir: He shows you His Signs so that you may know from them that He is the Truth, i.e., He truly exists and is truly divine, and that all else besides Him is falsehood. He has no need of anything else, but everything else is dependent on Him, because everything in heaven and on earth is created by Him and is enslaved by Him; none of them could move even an atom’s weight except with His permission.
In this khutbah, when I speak about reality or truth, I am not speaking about a possible truth, which we can call sidq (truth that is based on the soundness of a statement). I am speaking of the absolute truth which cannot be contested because Allah has decreed the truth as it exists.
My reality: I am praying 5 times, fasting, hajj, charity, etc. I do not commit zina, drink or gamble. I try not to backbite or slander. I am good.
THE Reality: Allah advises us in Al-Baqarah: 168
وَلاَ تَتَّبِعُواْ خُطُوَاتِ الشَّيْطَانِ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ
Do not follow footsteps of shaytan, he is a clear and avowed enemy
In one of the narrations of the last sermon, the Prophet (saws) said:
“Beware of Satan, for the safety of your religion. He has lost all hope that he will ever be able to lead you astray in big things, so beware of following him in small things.”
This is a major part of our reality that we often fail to realize. There is no doubt about what Allah has said, in that Shaytan is an avowed enemy. In a previous khutbah, I discussed how he calls us to lying, fear, hypocrisy and all these other ills. We can look at the statement of the Prophet (saws) and extrapolate something more from this. Alhamdulillah, many of us are able to avoid the major sins, and if we are not, may Allah helps us to change our condition. Ameen. Are we, however, being deluded away by the minor sins. A little lie here and there; being mean and harsh here and there; using the excuse that this is my personality, take it or leave it! Using that as an excuse to be impolite and harsh. Remember, a believer is someone around whom - AND AWAY FROM WHOM - others feel safe. If people (good people) do not feel safe in your presence or away from your presence, are you really living the reality of a believer because you acknowledge the articles of faith and uphold the pillars? Is this enough for us to sustain our Islam? The reality is that we are call to MORE than that in the Qur’an. This is the reality. So, what reality are we really adopting?
My reality: That Imam and his community are a bunch of gangsters; they are really harsh and come at people too much. That Imam and his community are a bunch of punks, they want to do “interfaith” and work with the kuffar. They need to get down or lay down if they do not want to unite with us (for whatever reason)
THE Reality: Al-Hujurat (49:12)
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اجْتَنِبُوا كَثِيرًا مِّنَ الظَّنِّ إِنَّ بَعْضَ الظَّنِّ إِثْمٌ وَلَا تَجَسَّسُوا وَلَا يَغْتَب بَّعْضُكُم بَعْضًا أَيُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَن يَأْكُلَ لَحْمَ أَخِيهِ مَيْتًا فَكَرِهْتُمُوهُ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَوَّابٌ رَّحِيمٌ
O you who have attained to faith! Avoid most guesswork [about one another] for, behold, some of [such] guesswork is [in itself] a sin; and do not spy upon one another, and neither allow yourselves to speak ill of one another behind your backs. Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? Nay, you would loathe it! And be conscious of God. Verily, God is an acceptor of repentance, a dispenser of grace!
The Prophet advised us that a Muslim is someone whose honor is SAFE from harm by another Muslim. This is one of the rights a Muslim has over another Muslim.
Anas bin Malik said: “The Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) was not one who would abuse (others) or say obscene words, or curse (others)…” (Bukhaari)
And Abdullah bin ‘Amr said: “The Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) never used bad language neither a ‘Faahish nor a Mutafaahish. He used to say ‘The best amongst you are those who have the best manners and character.’ (Bukhaari)
And he (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) said: “The believer is not a slanderer, one who curses a great deal, one who indulges in obscenity or who in engages in foul talk.” (Tirmidhi– saheeh by al-Albaani)
“Truly a man utters words to which he attaches no importance, and by them he falls into the Fire of Jahannam, and truly a man utters words to which he attaches no importance, and by them Allah raises him into the Garden.” (Bukhaari)
By substituting our reality for Allah’s reality and the Messenger’s reality, we are choosing the temporary pleasures over the permanent ones. Yes, we get the satisfaction of expressing our anger and disapproval, but at what cost? At the cost of that person taking our deeds from us on the Day of Judgment. Let’s push this a step further. Let’s say you say something negative about someone else. And the other person, wrong for listening to it, but now they too have shared a negative impression of this person. What if they then share that? Yes, they have to answer for it, but what do YOU have to answer for? You are the leader of the community. People look up to you. You have to watch your tongue and actions even more than others. Let us not forget that the narration: As in the hadith of Jarir ibn Abdullah, who reported the Prophet (SAWS) as saying; “Whoever sets a good precedent in Islam will have the reward for that and the reward of those who do it after him, without that detracting from their reward in the slightest. And whoever sets a bad precedent in Islam will bear the burden of sin for that, and the burden of those who do it after him, without that detracting from their burden in the slightest.
In the hadith of Abu Hurraira, he said: the Messenger of Allah (SAWS) said: “Whoever calls others to guidance will have a reward like that of those who follow it, without that detracting from their reward in the slightest. And whoever calls others to misguidance will have a burden of sin like that of those who follow it, without it detracting from their burden in the slightest.”
Until the leadership of this city starts respecting each other, we will continue to inherit the dregs and remains of carcasses. I am calling on leaders first. Give your brothers their rights. Stop speaking ill about them simply because they chose a different - but permissible - course of action. If it is wrong, then advise them. If they are misleading people, then use hikmah to correct it. However, if it is a valid stance then respect it. This is our Islam. To individuals, give your brothers and sisters their rights. Speaking your mind, when it is not for correction of a wrong or to prevent a wrong, but just for the sake of gossip is your perceived sense of right and reality, but it is NOT the reality that we are called toward.
My Reality: What? You can’t say that to me. I ain’t no punk. I have to teach this brother/sister a lesson. (It happens in person AND on Facebook, Twitter, etc). We have to save face.
THE Reality: Ash-Shura (42:43)
وَلَمَن صَبَرَ وَغَفَرَ إِنَّ ذَلِكَ لَمِنْ عَزْمِ الْأُمُورِ
But withal, if one is patient in adversity and forgives - this, behold, is indeed something to set one’s heart upon!
42:40 But [remember that an attempt at] requiting evil may, too, become an evil: hence, whoever pardons [his foe] and makes peace, his reward rests with God - for, verily, He does not love evildoers.
Hadith:PERSON WHO WAS VERBALLY ABUSING ABU BAKR (R.A):
Once, a person was verbally abusing Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) while the Prophet (peace be upon him) was curiously watching with a smile. After taking much abuse quietly, Abu Bakr responded to a few of his comments. At this, the Prophet exhibited his disapproval, got up and left. Abu Bakr caught up with the Prophet (pbuh) and wondered: “O Messenger of Allah, he was abusing me and you remained sitting. When I responded to him, you disapproved and got up.” The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) responded: “There was an angel with you responding to him. When you responded to him, Satan took angel’s place.’ He (pbuh) then said… “O Abu Bakr, there are three solid truths:
1) If a person is wronged and he forbears it (without seeking revenge) just for the sake of Allah Almighty, Allah will honour him and give him the upper hand with His help;
2) if a person opens a door of giving gifts for cementing relationships with relatives, Allah will give him abundance; and,
3) if a person opens a door of seeking charity for himself to increase his wealth, Allah will further reduce his wealth.’
(Reported from Abu Huraira in Mishkaah and Musnad Ahmad.)
This is the reality that WE are called toward. What are we choosing when we choose to go the route of eye-for-eye or like-for-like as we love to do and say here in Philly? Our focus on the acquisition of knowledge by some groups have resulted in us losing our spirituality and our focus. The pursuit of the akhirah is not an academic pursuit; it is a pursuit of the heart. If our heart does not inform our aql and vice-versa, then we are a lost people. Our reality will continue to be what it is. We are like foam on the ocean; a strong wind turns us inside out and upside down and moves us away from our position.
My Reality: She is taking me to court. She is not treating me right. She is not doing XYZ. I am not going to give her any money. She has to take care of that on her own.
THE Reality:
Hadith: ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar, “… and your child has rights over you.” Muslim, 1159.
The Prophet “Take care! Each of you is a shepherd and each of you shall be asked concerning his flock; a leader is a shepherd of his people, and he shall be asked concerning his flock; and a man is a shepherd of the people of his house, and he shall be asked concerning his flock; and a woman is a shepherd of the house of her husband and over their children, and she shall be asked concerning them.” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]
Brothers who are in polygyny or have children with multiple women:
It is narrated by Abu Bakr, RAA, who said that Allah’s Apostle, PBUH, was approached by one of his companions, al-N’uman bin Basheer, who said: “O Prophet of Allah! I have granted a servant to one of my children (asking him to testify to that gift).” But Allah’s PBUH asked him:”Did you grant the same to each and every child of yours?” When Allah’s Apostle, PBUH was informed negatively about that, he said: “Fear Allah, the Almighty, and be fair and just to all your children. Seek the testimony of another person, other than me. I will not testify to an act of injustice.” This Hadith is reported by both Bukhari and Muslim. Thus, Allah’s Apostle, PBUH called such an act of preference of one child over the others an act of “injustice.” Injustice is prohibited and forbidden in Islam.
Paraphrase hadith: On the day of Judgement a man will be on his way to Jannah and voices will call out
My Reality: I am broke. If I give any more, I will become poor. Someone else will handle the repairs in the masjid.
THE Reality: Surah At-Taubah (9:18)
إِنَّمَا يَعْمُرُ مَسَاجِدَ اللّهِ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ وَأَقَامَ الصَّلاَةَ وَآتَى الزَّكَاةَ وَلَمْ يَخْشَ إِلاَّ اللّهَ فَعَسَى أُوْلَـئِكَ أَن يَكُونُواْ مِنَ الْمُهْتَدِينَ
Only he should visit or tend God’s houses of worship who believes in God and the Last Day, and is constant in prayer, and spends in charity, and stands in awe of none but God: for [only such as] these may hope to be among the right-guided! [28]
Charity is the path to Allah’s mercy, forgiveness and bounty. I know you hear this ALL the time. I do. I know it is like a broken record. But maybe we repeat it because ALLAH Himself repeats it so often in the Quran. Brothers and sisters, charity is not just something we do to make us feel better or to help others, it is for the direct benefit of our own souls. Allah Himself links charity to Iman and Taqwa in the Qur’an.
لَن تَنَالُواْ الْبِرَّ حَتَّى تُنفِقُواْ مِمَّا تُحِبُّونَ وَمَا تُنفِقُواْ مِن شَيْءٍ فَإِنَّ اللّهَ بِهِ عَلِيمٌ
Ali-Imran (3:92) [But as for you, O believers,] never shall you attain to true piety unless you spend on others out of what you cherish yourselves; and whatever you spend - verily, God has full knowledge thereof.
Birr: Reverant, dutiful, kind, devoted.. Chairtable, beneficient, do good.
Think of when you wish someone a “hajj mabrur”. You are praying that their hajj is accepted (because of its devotion and completeness) by Allah.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir: Imam Ahmad reported that Anas bin Malik said, “Abu Talhah had more property than any other among the Ansar in Al-Madinah, and the most beloved of his property to him was Bayruha’s garden, which was in front of the (Messenger’s) Masjid. Sometimes, Allah’s Messenger used to go to the garden and drink its fresh water.” Anas added, “When these verses were revealed, (By no means shall you attain Al-Birr unless You spend of that which you love,) Abu Talhah said, `O Allah’s Messenger! Allah says, (By no means shall you attain Al-Birr, unless you spend of that which you love;) No doubt, Bayruha’ garden is the most beloved of all my property to me. So I want to give it in charity in Allah’s cause, and I expect its reward and compensation from Allah. O Allah’s Messenger! Spend it where Allah makes you think is feasible. ’ On that, Allah’s Messenger said, (Well-done! It is profitable property, it is profitable property. I have heard what you have said, and I think it would be proper if you gave it to your kith and kin.)Abu Talhah said, `I will do so, O Allah’s Messenger.’ Then Abu Talhah distributed that garden among his relatives and cousins.” This Hadith was recorded in the Two Sahihs.
Al-Baqarah (2:177) True piety does not consist in turning your faces towards the east or the west - but truly pious is he who believes in God, and the Last Day; and the angels, and revelation, and the prophets; and spends his substance - however much he himself may cherish - it - upon his near of kin, and the orphans, and the needy, and the wayfarer, and the beggars, and for the freeing of human beings from bondage; and is constant in prayer, and renders the purifying dues; and [truly pious are] they who keep their promises whenever they promise, and are patient in misfortune and hardship and in time of peril: it is they that have proved themselves true, and it is they, they who are conscious of God.
This verse places the “form” of our worship, subservient to or secondary to the arkanul iman - Articles of faith and other things that make up the essence of the religion. Now, this is not a simple matter. This is the Qibla that this verse is referring to.
(Ibn Kathir)As for the explanation of this Ayah, Allah first commanded the believers to face Bayt Al-Maqdis, and then to face the Ka`bah during the prayer. This change was difficult for some of the People of the Book, and even for some Muslims. Then Allah sent revelation which clarified the wisdom behind this command, that is, obedience to Allah, adhering to His commands, facing wherever He commands facing, and implementing whatever He legislates, that is the objective. This is Birr, Taqwa and complete faith. Facing the east or the west does not necessitate righteousness or obedience, unless it is legislated by Allah.
My Reality: That brother is not right. He did something, said something I did not like. I am going to get out of this contract.
THE Reality: “The signs of the hypocrite are three: when he speaks he lies, when he promises he breaks his promise and when he is entrusted he betrays the trust.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
Let us look at this carefully. You found out something. You did not check with the brother to verify, which is what you are instructed to do in the Qur’an. However, you decide to try something to get out of the contract, lie to him, etc. This is not the reality Allah is calling us to. This is a different reality. So saying, “the reality is that I cannot trust this brother.” Then, what you should do is be honorable about it. Go to the brother and say, “Akhi, this is what happened. I do not feel safe being in business with you. Will you be willing to let me out the contract?” If he says no, and you have no reason to break the contract, then this could be your test from Allah. Which highway are you going to choose? The one that is steep or are you going to take the easy path that leads to shaytan?
My Reality: Stuff like this is ALWAYS happening to me. I do not know why this happens. I cannot change, this is me OR This is Philly. This is how things are. That will not change.
Let’s contextualize this. I am speaking here of you always finding yourself in fitnah. Or things not working out for you positively or anything else that you deem negative.
THE Reality: There are at least two realities that Allah mentions in the Qur’an. We could look at the verse in which Allah says that He does not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves. Or, we can look at where Allah reminds us that once we say we believe, then we will be tested.
My Reality: Yeah, I should apologize, but let them stew a little longer. I will apologize tomorrow.
THE Reality: Az-Zumar (39:30)
إِنَّكَ مَيِّتٌ وَإِنَّهُم مَّيِّتُونَ
Yet, verily, thou art bound to die, [O Muhammad,] and, verily, they, too, are bound to die
Al-Anbiya (21:35)
كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَائِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ وَنَبْلُوكُم بِالشَّرِّ وَالْخَيْرِ فِتْنَةً وَإِلَيْنَا تُرْجَعُونَ
Every human being is bound to taste death; and We test you [all] through the bad and the good [things of life] by way of trial: and unto Us you all must return. [45]
Brothers and sisters, I will be brief with this point. If YOU know when you are going to die - the place, time and hour - then you can feel safe delaying correcting any wrongs. If you do not, and certainly you do not, then do not delay correcting your wrongs. It is either you correct them now, on they get corrected on the Day of Judgement when you have to pay people back out of your collection of good deeds.
Remember, we receive more good than we deserve and we are not given the amount of punishment that we deserve. Let us ask Allah to soften our hearts, increase us in gratitude and forgive us our sins.
May Allah (swt) grant us forgiveness, guidance and mercy…
PART II
Brothers and sisters, we should not dislike the trials that befall you or the calamities that happen to you, for they may be something that we hate but it leads to our salvation, and there may be something that we love, but it leads to our doom. Brothers and sisters, we have a lot of work to do. We cannot give precedence to our realities (which are temporary) over the realities that Allah has prescribed for us which are permanent. We cannot continue to handicap ourselves by saying simply this “this is the reality” or “this is how it is” and simply move on from there. It has to be deeper than that.
Action Plan:
- Du’a - Make SINCERE du’a that Allah softens your heart to Him and to others so that you can be more grateful: My Lord! Stir me up that I may be grateful for the favour wherewith Thou hast favoured me and my parents, and that I may do good deeds which will please Thee. And be gracious unto me in mine offspring. Behold! I turn unto Thee repentant, and behold, I am of the Muslims. (Al-Ahqaf - 46:15)
اللهم اِنِّي أسألك … قلبًا شاكِرًا
“O Allah! I ask Thee… for a grateful heart.”
Prophet told Mu’adh to say at the end of every salah, “O Allah, help me to remember You and give thanks to You and worship you well” (Ahmad, At-Tirmidhi)
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