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The First Khutba:
Man is the first (living) creature
Dear brother, we should accept as absolute certainty that Man is the first living creature :
"Truly, We did offer al-amanah (the trust or moral responsibility or honesty and all the duties which Allah has ordained) to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they declined to undertake it and were afraid of it. But man undertook it."
When man fulfills the trust he has taken on, he is better than the best angel. Actually, angels have mind and do not have desires; animals have lusts and do not have mind; while man has both of them, so when his mind controls his desires, he situates himself above the angels, and when his desires overwhelm his mind, he becomes worse than animals:
"Those who have faith and do righteous deeds, they are the best of creatures."
"Verily, those who disbelieve from among the People of the Scripture and al-mushrikun (those who associate partners with Allah) will abide in the Fire of Hell. They are the worst of creatures."
So, while the believers' position is superior to that of the angels, the disbelievers become inferior to animals.
"They are only like cattle; nay, they are even farther astray from the Path."
Whoever follows Allah's Way will be raised to a high position
Dear brother, when is Man exalted and raised to a higher position in the sight of Allah? It happens when he follows the Way of Allah. The proof of that is found in the following ayah:
"And whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger he has indeed achieved a great victory."
What is mentioned in the Noble Qur'an about this? I will plainly tell you something: the sign of your faith is that when you reauthor any ayah such as this one, and there are more than two hundred and eighty ayaat similar to it:
"O you who believe!"
So, the sign of your faith is that you feel through each cell in your body and through every drop in your blood that you're referred to in this ayah. So, it is a token of your faith:
"O you who believe!"
Because Allah the Almighty addresses the kafirun by means of the foundations of the din of Islam:
"O mankind! Worship your Lord (Allah), Who created you"
To worship Allah is a basic principle. On the other hand, when Allah addresses the believers who believe in Allah being the Creator, Discipliner, and Leader, and believe in His Beautiful Names and Attributes, so when Allah addresses them, he does it by means of the elements of the shari'ah:
"O you who believe! Obey Allah..."
Every order in the Noble Quran implies obligation
Where do we find the order of Allah the Almighty? It is in the Noble Qur'an. Actually, every order In the Noble Qur'an implies obligation, and the cause being that it is Allah's command. In fact, there exist culture people who never follow Allah's order except if the reason for the order is revealed to them, while real belief in Allah is superior to this, i.e. the reason behind any order in the Noble Qur'an is that it is from Allah the Almighty. Just for clarification, if you go to a cardiologist who holds the highest certification in the world, and who has several-decade long clinical experience, and he gives you strict instruction not to climb stairs, you will not consider for one second the possibility of arguing with him about his order. Despite the fact that he is a human being like you, you obey him because he is highly qualified. How will it be then if it is the order of the Creator of the Universe, the Self-Subsisting?
The obligation of obeying Allah and His Messenger
Therefore, Allah the Almighty says:
"O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger."
Which means: Obey Allah through the Noble Qur'an which includes His orders and prohibitions. Actually, the order implies that you must act according to it, while the prohibition implies that you must refrain from doing it. So when you do that, you have obeyed Allah through His Qur'an:
"O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger."
The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, is infallible: he never makes mistakes in his statements, his actions, and his permission. And on account of his infallibility, Allah commands us to obey him. Actually, it would be irrational for the Noble Commander to make us obey His Messenger if he were not infallible.
In conclusion, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, is infallible according to the consensus of the scholars as regards his words, his actions, and his permission:
"O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenge."
Those charged with authority are the scholars and rulers
The problem arises in the third part of this ayah:
"and those of you charged with authority."
Who are those "charged with authority"? Firstly: the preposition ("of") carries the meaning of parting, which means: they must be a part of you (they must be Muslims like you). Secondly, Imam Shafi'i said that those who are in authority are the Islamic scholars and the rulers: The scholar gives the order to the ruler, who in turn implements this order. So the ruler should receive the command from the scholar and carry it out among his people on account of his executive power:
"O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger, and those of you who are in authority."
Now, if our opinions regarding an issue differ, what is the solution? Allah the Almighty says:
"If you differ in anything among yourselves…"
What is the source of this disagreement? It is neither the Owner of Orders (Allah the Almighty) nor the Owner of Sunnah (the Noble Prophet). Allah the Almighty says:
"If you differ in anything among yourselves…"
Which means: If you differ about anything that comes to you from those who are in authority, the scholars and the rulers.
Every problem has a solution in the Qur'an and the Sunnah
Then Allah the Almighty says:
"… refer it to Allah and His Messenger""
Is it reasonable, or in other words: Do you believe that Allah would have ordered you to go back to these two great references if they did not have a solution to any problem on earth? Of course not. So through this ayah you become absolutely aware that every problem on earth has a perfect solution in the Noble Qur'an and in the Sunnah of the Prophet until the Day of Resurrection. However, if you do not find that solution, it does not mean that this solution does not exist. Actually, we never think like this: Every problem, whether demographic, economic, or social, has a solution in the Noble Qur'an and in the Sunnah of the Prophet, and this ayah is a real proof that it should be like this. Again, would it be reasonable for Allah to have ordered you to rely on imperfect references? It is impossible. Allah the Almighty says:
"(And) if you differ in anything among yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger."
Which means: Refer it to the Noble Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Prophet. Actually, in the Noble Qur'an there is clarification of the Islamic basic principles, while in the Sunnah of the Prophet there is clarification of its details. So, refer it to the Noble Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet (the authentic ahadith or what is proved to be truly narrated from the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace):
"(And) if you differ in anything among yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger."
Provided that people believe in the Last Day.
Allah values human beings according to their deeds
By Allah, if we really believe in Allah and the Last Day, our standards (of good and bad) will be turned upside down, i.e. by the standards of this world you may think that taking from sh3er is a sign of intelligence, while by the standards of the Hereafter it is intelligence to give to sh3er (rather than take from them). Verily, if we do not turn our mundane scale of values a hundred and eighty degrees, adjusting it to the values of the Hereafter, that means we have incorrect faith in the Noble Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Prophet. Actually, you were created in order to perform righteous deeds. In other words, Allah estimates your value according to your good deeds. Now, man feels deep inside, or in what is called now the sub conscience, that intelligence, success, and excellence lie in taking from sh3er, not giving them, while the real believer's intelligence, success, and excellence lie in giving to sh3er. In conclusion, after you have really believed in Allah and the last Day, you must reverse your worldly standards.
The principle of loyalty and fidelity
Verily, Allah the Almighty says
"And by the Mercy of Allah, you dealt with them gently."
Which means: "O Muhammad, by the Mercy that is so firmly established in your heart due to being close to Us, you were gentle with them." Actually, this ayah contains the principle that I called before "the principle of loyalty and fidelity". When do you win people's loyalty? This happens when you, first, have a good relation with Allah (when you worship Him a lot), then He will grant your heart mercy which will make you gentle with sh3er. So there is mercy, and there is cruelty. This gentleness attracts people to you. Verily, all people are in need of this ayah (to be gentle with sh3er): the father (with his children), the teacher (with his students), the employer (with his employees), and whoever holds a position of leadership from Adam until the Day of Resurrection:
"And by the Mercy of Allah, you dealt with them gently."
There is mercy in the heart, and there is fear of Allah the Almighty. How can you kill your fellow creature? He has children, a wife, a mother, and other relatives. And (the news of ) his killing may cause paralysis to his father or his mother as well (due to the terrible shock), something that has happened many times. So he is your fellow creature:
"And by the Mercy of Allah, you dealt with them gently."
If you were not gentle, and if you were away from Allah, then your heart would be filled with cruelty; then you would be cruel and harsh-hearted, and this would make everybody hate you. As l mentioned before, all people are in need of this ayah –the father, the teacher, the office manager, the company director, the plant manager, and the military officer…
"Were you severe or harsh-hearted, they would have broken away from about you; so pass over (their faults) and consult them in affairs (of moment).
Muslim community depend on consultation
Dear brother, who is ordered to consult his companions he has around him? He is the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, the infallible man, and the one to whom Revelation was being sent down. Allah the Almighty says:
"… and consult them in affairs (of moment)."
Again, what is the most noticeable characteristics of a Muslim community? It is that their affairs are managed through consultation. So, dear brother:
"And by the Mercy of Allah, you dealt with them gently. Were you severe or harsh-hearted, they would have broken away from about you; so pass over (their faults) and consult them in affairs (of moment). Then when you have taken a decision, put your trust in Allah, certainly, Allah loves those who put their trust (in Him).
There is this extraordinary hadith:
"Seek help from Allah and do not give way to incapacity."
There is no one but Allah Who has power over everything:
"Seek help from Allah and do not give way to incapacity."
Islam opposes class division and racial discrimination
Dear brother, this ayah provides us with great reassurance:
"So their Lord has accepted of them, and answered them: "Never will I allow to be lost the work of any of you…"
No matter how small your work is, it will not be lost, even if it is avoiding treading on an ant while you are walking out in the open air. Does such a thing bother you? So, none of your deeds will be lost, from the smallest deeds like this one to guiding people to Islam:
"So their Lord has accepted of them, and answered them: "Never will I allow to be lost the work of any of you…"
There is no class distinction in Islam:
"Verily, the most honourable of you with Allah is that (believer) who has at-taqwah."
The greatest thing in Islam is that there is no class division –Muslims are equal like the teeth of a comb. Sayyidina Abu Bakr as-Siddiq, who was descended from the noblest tribes or Quraish, bought Bilal, who was a slave according to the social scale of the pre-Islamic society, from his master, and freed him. Despite that, sayyidina as-Siddiq put his hand under Bilal's arm and said: "Really, he is my brother (in faith)." So when the Companions of the Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, mentioned sayyidina as-Siddiq they said: "He is our master, and he freed our master (Bilal)." Thus, in Islam there is no discrimination, class division, or nationalism. Instead, there is only one scale of values:
"Verily, the most honourable of you with Allah is that (believer) who has at-taqwah."
Just righteousness and fear of Allah.
People are evaluated only according to their deeds
The community that distinguishes its members according to their deeds or an objective scale of values will be raised up to the highest position. On the other hand, any community that distinguishes its members according to their class will be reduced to the lowest position. So how are individuals evaluated? According to their actions or their class? If we want our society to advance, we must be evaluated only according to our deeds:
"So their Lord accepted of them, and answered them: "Never will I allow to be lost the work of any of you, be he male or female. You are (members) one of another; so those who emigrated and were driven out from their homes, and suffered harm in My Cause, and who fought, and were killed (in My Cause), verily, I will remit from them their evil deeds and admit them into Gardens under which rivers flow (in Paradise); a reward from Allah, and with Allah is the best of rewards."
Sometimes Man is deceived by a wealthy man, owner of many millions, or by a powerful man who can do anything just at the stroke of a pen. Allah the Almighty says:
"Let not the free disposal (and affluence) of the kafirun throughout the land deceive you. A brief enjoyment; then, their ultimate abode is Hell; and worst indeed is that place for rest. But for those who fear their Lord, are Gardens under which rivers flow; therein are they to dwell (for ever), an entertainment from Allah; and that which is with Allah is the best for al-abrar (those who are obedient to Allah and follow strictly His Orders)."
But when a believer becomes strong, he will use his power to other people's benefit. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:
"A strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than a weak believer."
Faith is a great condition:
"A strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than a weak believer."
Every believer is addressed by : "O you who believe!"
"O you who believe! Eat not up your property among yourselves unjustly."
Every believer is referred to in this ayah. Actually, this ayah can be illustrated by numerous cases taken from our daily life, for example, the fraud, the ill-gotten gains, deceiving the buyer that the goods are imported while in fact they are local, or deluding him that the raw material is of a certain quality while it is of a fairly lower one. So he who deceives sh3er, who lies and who cheats is taking people's wealth unlawfully. By Allah, there are thousands ways of taking other's wealth unjustly:
"… but let there be tariff and trade by mutual good-will."
The merchant buys goods at a certain price and sells them at an increased price, which is a lawful profit:
""… but let there be tariff and trade by mutual good-will t; nor kill yourselves (nor kill one another);"
This is a quote, when a person kills another person, whom does he kill? He kills his fellow creature. Actually, a Muslim remains fine unless sheds blood, and all parties are addressed by these words. Again: all this discourse is directed to all parties.
Power does not bring about rights, but rights bring about power
Dear brother:
"…nor kill yourselves (nor kill one another); for verily Allah has been to you Most Merciful."
"Allah wishes to lighten (the burden) for you; and man was created weak."
"Because of that We ordained for the Children of Israel that if anyone killed a person not in retaliation of murder, or (and) to spread mischief in the land - it would be as if he killed all mankind, and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind."
For the sake of clarification –if a scholar raises one of his children with great care, and this child of his excels in life, Allah enables him to perform many good deeds, and then after three generations, this son will become a community, and the proof of that is this ayah:
"Verily, Ibrahim was an ummah."
Sometimes one reformer may change the course of history, for example: In fact Salah al-Deen al-Ayubi by confronting twenty seven European countries, changed the course of history. After Syria had been occupied for ninety years, he achieved its liberation and entered Jerusalem. So when a man worships Allah, he will be granted amazing capacities. Actually, despite the fact that early Muslims were few, it took them a quarter of a century to conquer the world. So, dear brother, the real truth is that power does not bring about rights, while rights bring about power, and this is the most critical thing in this discourse. Moreover, when power is exercised without wisdom, it destroys its owner.
The solution of any crisis is to end oppression
Brother, the results of injustice, as I mentioned in my last Friday's khutba, cannot be controlled, and we cannot assess the reactions they bring about, because the reactions of the oppressed and the tyrannized are like the shrapnels of a bomb that disperse haphazardly in every direction, and affect at random. So we cannot control the range of the reaction of the oppressed nor its direction. It goes beyond the limits of the lawful and the reasonable. Thus, the first and the real treatment for any crisis that hits a community is to defuse the injustice that fuels the emotion of hatred and detestation, and blinds the insight and the vision at the time of managing the consequences - the consequences of things - and the capacity to consider its legitimacy or results. Verily, when people wait too long for their rights to be established, they will usually act during the waiting period in a manner that is difficult to predict. Therefore Allah the Almighty says:
"The believers are but a single brotherhood. So make reconciliation between your two (contending) brother."
Allah utilizes any calamity for the sake of absolute good
Dear brother: Once, I attended an important Islamic conference in a faraway country, in America. And at the closing ceremony the guests, as usual, sat at a long table and each one of them was supposed to make the one-minute final speech. The man sitting to my right was from Iraq and spoke about the disasters that had hit Iraq. He said: "The amount of suffering that had been inflicted on Iraq is more than that inflicted on Muslims in a century." He wept, then he said: "However, by Allah, their faith has become deeper than what it would be in three hundred years' time." This ended his speech. Then it was my turn, and I said: "Hence, the Plan of Allah was greater than that of the Americans, and He utilized it for good, and this is what Allah does."
Again: anything people dislike will be utilized by Allah to the ultimate good, and the following ayah is the proof for that:
"And We wished to do a favour to those who were weak (and oppressed) in the land, and to make them rulers and to make them the inheritors. And to establish them in the land."
Which means: Forever and ever, this ayah will fill the Muslim's hearts with satisfaction at what may happen in any Islamic country.
The disaster is for the benefit of Muslims
Brother, consider the example of a large giant ship heading east, (the east symbolizes good while the west symbolizes evil). On board the ship there is a man pushing to the west (to a disaster), while the entire ship is moving east. This is how we should understand crises and calamities that afflict Muslims.
Again, crisis is painful, but in general, it is for the believers' benefit, and the real Muslim understands misfortunes in this way. Allah the Almighty says:
"And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to as-sabirin (the patient ones)."
Verily, there are so many ayaat (about the reality of calamities):
"And verily, We will make them taste of the lighter chastisement before the greater chastisement in order that they may (repent and) return."
So, you should understand the reality of disasters, and that definitely they are, eventually, for the benefit of the believers. Actually, a medicine always tastes bitter (but it is for the benefit of the sick). Calamities are like this. They are painful; however, in the end they are for the benefit of the believers, and a real believer believes in this truth. Therefore, Allah the Almighty says:
"Say: O Allah! Lord of Power, You give power to whom You please, and You strip off power from whom You please: You endue with honour whom You please, and You bring low whom You please; in Your Hand is all good. Verily, over all things You have Power.
He did not say: (in Your Hand is the good and the evil), because giving authority, taking it, honoring and humiliating is the good. So, in His Hand is the good at all times, He is Able to do all things.
Every affliction is actually a gift from Allah the Almighty
Dear brother, this Noble Hadith is glad tidings to those who were killed:
"Whoever is killed due to injustice is a martyr."
In fact, this hadith comforts the relatives of martyrs of all parties. Brother, there is a rule: Every distress is followed by coming nearer to Allah the Almighty (it motivates you to worship Allah and to be close to Him) and every difficulty is actually a gift from Allah. Allah the Almighty says:
"Do you not see that Allah has subjected to you all things in the heavens and the earth, and has made His bounties flow to you in exceeding measure, (both) seen and unseen? Yet there are among men those who dispute about Allah, without knowledge and without guidance, and without a Book to enlighten them! "
Some commentators have said: One of the "unseen bounties" is calamities.
I say these words, and ask Allah the Almighty's forgiveness for me and you; so ask Him His forgiveness and He will forgive you, and you will gain a lot by doing that.
The second khutba
Praise be to Allah, and I bear witness that there is no God but Allah, the Protector of the righteous; and I bear witness that Prophet Muhammad, whose character is exalted, is His servant and His Messenger. O Allah, grant Your peace and blessing upon sayyidina Muhammad and his family, and Companions altogether.
Facts related to the dialogue
Dear brother, nowadays, in the difficult circumstances our beloved country is in, there exist many calls for a dialogue, in order to get out of this crisis and restore security and stability to our beloved homeland. Actually, I must present to you some facts which are closely related to a dialogue:
A dialogue is a real necessity for all of us, from the father with his children to the ruler with the citizens. It is an exquisite, civilized, and, to use a contemporary term, a democratic way of dealing with sh3er. And whoever rejects dialogue rejects the other; and whoever rejects the other, rejects himself, hides away his faults, and makes himself go too deep into oppression, because man is a social creature by nature. So, when he nullifies the dialogue with his opponents, he nullifies his proper humanity. Moreover, we cannot reap the fruits of a dialogue except if we ensure that it takes place in a healthy environment and proper conditions; otherwise, its aim will not be achieved. Some of such conditions are: The two parties must employ the same scale of values, which is the logic of reason and pure instinct, and the logic of public interest, instead of individual one. If one of the parties resorts to force, then it cannot be called a dialogue at all but is rather issuing instructions from the strong party to the weak one.
In a dialogue no party is sacred, nor anything else, for that matter. Instead, everything is subjected to development, modification, and cancellation, except the two Revelations: the Noble Qur'an and the authentic Sunnah of the Prophet, because the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was infallible, he never made mistakes in his words, his actions, and his consent. Therefore, Allah commands us to follow the orders and the prohibitions of the Prophet. Allah the Almighty says:
"So take what the Messenger gives you, and refrain from what he prohibits you, and fear Allah, for Allah is strict in Punishment."
So, any topic undertaken in a dialogue is subject to search, study, discussion, acceptance, and rejection, except the Noble Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Prophet. And nothing is sacred in the laws and the constitutions of the earth. For example: Who said that if one of the five Great States rejects a resolution, it is automatically nullified. Who has given that state this sort of right? They have given it to themselves. So the doctrine of the veto is a false one, and implies racism, because when there is a law or a resolution that solves a humanitarian problem, one of these great countries can use the right of veto to reject it. For example: There are numerous cases of injustice that took place while the whole world was supporting the aggressor, and one great state used the veto to its benefit by preventing making a decision.
Brother, the environment in which a dialogue is carried out is an important element, so before we embark on it, we must create the appropriate atmosphere to ensure its success. Actually, we are in dire need of a dialogue, and of creating the appropriate conditions for it, which is known by all of you and is mentioned a lot in the news. And when these conditions are created, then we ask Allah that the solution to this crisis be through dialogue.
Invocation:
We beseech you Allah to show us the way of rightness among those whom You showed, and give us good health among whom You healed, and be our patron like those whom You became their patron, and bliss what You bestowed us, and save us from the traumas that you destined for You rule in rightness and You are never judged, and he whom You patron shall never be in humiliation and whom You make as enemy shall never be lofted, blessed and dignified are You, and we thank You for what you destined, we ask Your forgiveness and we repent to You, Allah please lead us to the good deeds for no one leads to them but You, please lead us to the good manners for no one leads to them but You, please Allah make us do well in the religion which is our dignity, and make our lives good for it is our living, and make us safe on the day of judgment for it is our final destination, please make the life our supply for all good things and make the death a rest from every evil, our master the Lord of all worlds, please make me with what You have made lawful needless of what You have made unlawful and make me with Your benevolence independent of all sh3er, and make my obedience to You turn me away from my disobedience,., please by Your generosity and mercy make the word of rightness and religion high and lead Islam to victory, and make the Muslims dignified in every place on earth..show us Your strength against Your enemies. Allah..the most generous
