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- Friday Sermons
First Sermon:
Religion is part of man’s being:
Dear brother, sometimes a certain issue causes troubles to man so he avoids it, this is human nature. However, if we imagine that being a religious man causes you trouble, can you cancel your religion? Religion for man is like air, if he doesn’t breathe it he dies. Your religion is your flesh and blood, take from those who were straight not from those who went astray.
Dear brother, the truth is that man has mind, instincts, enemies, a scientific side, a psychological side, and a material mind. When does the mind submit? Do you accept it if I said: one plus one equals five? None of you would accept it. If I said: one plus one equals two, all of you would agree. This is the meaning of religion to which people submit. The mind submits to it, the soul submits to it, and the body submits to it. Its approach is from the Creator, the Expert, the All-Knower. This is the approach. Its ideas and perspectives offer you a deep, accurate, true explanation of the universe, life, and human being. Man is a thinking creature whether he likes it or not. He needs a perspective for every issue, even the illiterate has a creed. The speech of the public comes from their perspectives. Every human on earth has a perspective for every issue. Heroism is to have a true, actual, scientific, and moderate perspective. The issue of religion is part of our lives, being, and entity. Religion in every age has its value, sometimes it gets stronger and sometimes it weakens. Sometimes its opponents get stronger and other times they get weaker, so you must have a right stance which imposed by your religion. Your religion, your religion. It is your flesh and blood. Take from the straight and don’t take from those who went astray. In Islam, there are references always:
( And if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger.)
We have the Quran from Allah, and the authentic Sunna from the Messenger. If we refer every issue to the Words of Allah and the words of His Messenger, or the authentic words of His Messenger, with right understanding according to the science of Usul, we would be right inshallah.
Religion is a detailed approach for every movement of man:
Honorable brother, scholars said that the Arabic word “deen” is taken from the acts of Allah. It is derived from the verb “Dana- yudeenu”. There is also the verb “dana lahu” and “dana bihi”. The words “Dana, yadeenu” has an accurate meaning which is to submit to, to comply with, and to practice it. “Dana lahu” means headed towards, and “dana bihi” means that you took religion as an approach for you. You should be religious by applying the three “dana, dana bihi, and danalahu”.
Dear brother, the fact is that this religion which is great, vast, and with all its various sciences, directions, and comprehension, is a detailed approach. The first problem for Muslims is that they have an illusion the religion is prayer, fasting, pilgrimage, and alms giving only, while religion is a detailed approach for every movement, in privacy and public, in health and sickness, in wealth and poverty, in strength and weakness, before and after marriage. It is an approach that moves with man wherever he moves. Thus, seeking knowledge is an obligatory duty for every Muslim. Some people may not comprehend the meaning of obligatory duty. Drinking water is an obligatory duty, what does that mean? If you didn’t drink water, you would die out of thirst. You have no choice to drink or not. You can choose to drink from a glass… You can choose the way of drinking, the vessel, but you must drink water. When you believe that religion is like water and food for you, you must look for its true sources and right approach, and the right way by which the Messenger came and which his companions followed.
The precise meanings of religion:
One of the meanings of religion is that it is a relation between two sides. That is, religion is a relation between you and Allah. You have relations with your wife, children, brother, sisters, customers, neighbors, relatives. Religion is a relation with Allah, it is a relation between the Creator of the Universe and you, the obedient slave. Allah accepts that we have a relation with Him, which is an honor for us. He accepts that we talk to Him in prayer, to be close to Him, to do something for His sake, to love Him, He accepts to love us. Religion is your relation with Allah. However, religion has become interests, trade, conflicts, parties, sectors, wars, blood shedding. This is another thing that has nothing to do with religion, why? When religion is used for this world, you see what is happening now, when it becomes a trade, an instrument, we see this because religion is misunderstood and misused.
So it is a relation between two sides; the Creator of heavens and earth, and you. Your role in this relation is submission and obedience, and the role of the Creator is to order you in all your life matters.
You must follow religion because it is the instructions of the All-Knower:
Dear brother, I have always said that I want to correct the idea that religion is only prayer, fasting, zakat (alms giving)…I swear to Allah that religion consists of about 500 thousands items, in your affairs, money, spending, marriage, having children , raising children up, your relation with the believers and unbelievers around you, your relation with your relatives. You can’t count the items related to religion. It is a detailed course for life. When you possess an expensive, delicate machine, you unconsciously take care of the manual, because it is from the manufacturer whose instructions must be followed, because he has the best knowledge about it. Allah says:
( And none can inform you (O Muhammad) like Him Who is the All-Knower (of each and everything).)
All people are keen to the love, safety, and perfection of their being:
Before you love Allah, because you love yourself, you should be religious whether religion is considered a charge or an honor. The changes in the stance of the society towards religion should not affect your effort to stick to this religion. Your religion, your religion is your flesh and blood.
I swear to Allah, all problems on earth since Adam till the Doomsday have been caused by not committing to Allah’s orders, and not committing to Allah’s orders is because of ignorance which is the worst enemy of man. What is the crisis of the dwellers of Hellfire?
( Had we but listened or used our intelligence, we would not have been among the dwellers of the blazing Fire!)
The reason is that every person on earth is so careful to the love, safety, perfection, continuity of his being? Who would love to be sick, poor, imprisoned, to have problems? You wish to have a wife, children, a house, a car. All of us wish long life with perfect health, don’t we? All your goals of the safety, perfection and continuity of being could be achieved by your obedience to Allah.
( And whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger he has indeed achieved a great achievement (i.e. he will be saved from the Hell-fire and made to enter Paradise).)
He who obeys Allah and His messenger achieves the target of his creation:
Success for people is to buy a land, and after a period its prices increases greatly, or to have a high position, but Allah says:
( And whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger he has indeed achieved a great achievement (i.e. he will be saved from the Hell-fire and made to enter Paradise).)
If you obey Allah and His messenger you achieve the purpose of your creation. Allah created you for a Paradise which is wider than heavens and earth. The word “afalaha” (successful) is mentioned in the Quran four times:
( Successful indeed are the believers.)
In Arabic the word (falah) is different from (najah). You could succeed in trade and earn great profits, buy a great house, an expensive car, and have the best possessions. Some people succeed in having children, they have brilliant children. Other people succeed in choosing a wife. There are various kinds of success but these kinds of success are only in this life. I heard about a man who was greatly careful for his health, he never flew in a plane because he feared to crash, then he died:
Every creature shall die only the Almighty stays
No matter how long the night is dawn shall certainly come
No matter how long man lives he must die and be engraved
Every man no matter how long he stays safe shall be carried to his grave
So if you carry a dead to his tomb know that one day you will be carried
***
Heroism is to live the future:
Honorable brother, can any of us deny death? Can anyone say: I won’t die? None can say this, i.e there is death. Death is to move from a three room flat, for example, a wife, children, society, picnics, to the grave. I swear that the greatest sermon is to walk with a funeral, the dead is carried to the tomb, the tomb is closed, the page is turned over and that’s it. What is there in the tomb? What is there after death? One in a million thinks of what is after death. People live their moment, they do as sh3er do, they enjoy committing sins, most of people don’t think that Allah will ask them about everything. So I tell you: all your heroism is to live the future, the most important thing in the future is leaving this world. What have you prepared for leaving this world? When the angel of death comes to a man, he should be prepared for it. Our Master Ali says: “Prepare for death”, prepare straightness, prepare a good deed. You must think of the future, leaving this world is the most important event in the future.
The following Ayah is related to religion:
Dear brother, one of the Ayahs related to religion is:
( And they were commanded not, but that they should worship Allah, and worship none but Him Alone (abstaining from ascribing partners to Him).)
The Creator of the universes orders you to worship Him Alone. Worship is obedience. There are ritual acts of worship such as prayer, fast, pilgrimage to Mekka, and zakat (alms giving), and there are dealing worships such as honesty, and keeping the trust. The first problem now is that some people have the illusion that worship is only rituals. They perform the prayers, fast, go for pilgrimage, pay zakat, and that’s it. They don’t earn and spend their money legally. If you don’t understand religion as a full, comprehensive, and detailed course for life, you don’t understand religion correctly.
Definition of religion:
Dear brother, the true definition of religion is that it is a set of obligations the creature has towards the Creator; the obligation of man towards Allah, the obligation of man towards the nation, his obligation towards his family, towards himself. Thus you must attend lectures or at least sermons in order to know who you are. You are the first creature:
( And I (Allah) created not the jinns and humans except they should worship Me (Alone).)
What is worship? It is obedience to Allah. It is a voluntary obedience mixed with a heart love, based on a definite knowledge, leading to an everlasting happiness.
So Allah says:
( He (Allah) has ordained for you the same religion (Islam) which He ordained for Nuh (Noah), and that which We have inspired in you (O Muhammad), and that which We ordained for Ibrahim (Abraham), Musa (Mosesý) and 'Iesa (Jesus) saying you should establish religion (i.e. to do what it orders you to do practically), and make no divisions in it (religion) (i.e. various sects in religion). Intolerable for the Mushrikun , is that to which you (O Muhammad) call them. Allah chooses for Himself whom He wills, and guides unto Himself who turns to Him in repentance and in obedience.)
I hope that religion is not a habit of yours, we perform Friday prayers in a certain mosque, but what do we do on the other week days? Do you adhere to the rules of this religion? Is your home Islamic? Is your job Islamic? Is there anything illegal in your job? Is there an illegal dealing in your job? Is there a loan with usury? Do you lend people and raise the price of goods? Do you move according to a certain course or according to those around you? This is a great mistake.
The messages of all prophets call to monotheism:
Can you summarize all divine messages in one Ayah:
( And We did not send any Messenger before you (O Muhammad) but We inspired him (saying): La ilaha illa Ana [none has the right to be worshipped but I (Allah)], so worship Me (Alone and none else).")
The message of all prophets is monotheism; there is no god but Allah, no giver but Allah, no healer but Allah, when you see that all your issues are related to Allah, you leave the creatures and seek the Creator.
Religion is submission to Allah:
Allah says:
( Truly, the religion with Allah is Islam.)
This Ayah has many meanings, but the most accurate one is that the truth of religion is submission to Allah. Are you subject to habits and traditions? The traditions necessitates that the one who wants to get married should sit with his wife surrounded with an audience of under-dressed women, or else he would be in trouble. Are you subject to the course of Allah or to traditions? Do you follow your principles or your interests? Do you follow the course of heaven or the laws of earth? Religion is submission. The second Ayah is:
( And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him.)
It means islam in general.
Dear brother, sometimes man needs details, and sometimes he needs general truth. Some people live indulged in details, but general truths are away from them. This is a great problem. You need the general truths of this religion every now and then. What is the truth of religion?
I ask Allah to help us understand religion correctly, and to help us understand what is going on in the light of the instructions of religion.
Second sermon:
All praise be to Allah, Lord of creations, and I testify that there is no god but Allah, the Wali (helper and protector) or the righteous people, and that our master Muhammad is His servant and messenger, the owner of the greatest morals (peace be upon him and his family and companions).
Meditation in the heavens and earth goes back to two truths:
Dear brother, there is an accurate Ayah. Allah says:
( It is Allah Who has created seven heavens and of the earth the like thereof (i.e. seven). His Command descends between them (heavens and earth), that you may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah surrounds (comprehends) all things in (His) Knowledge.)
It means that Allah wants that your journey of meditation in the creation of heavens and earth, leads you to get two truths; first, that Allah has power over all things, and second: that He comprehends all things in (His) knowledge. If you are driving a car, and the police officer is standing, is it possible that you pass the red light? I think it is impossible, unless it is 3:00 a.m and there are no policemen, or that you are stronger than the legislator. You don’t pass the red light if the police officer is there because you know definitely that the legislator knows what you do through the officer, and that his power can reach you, so you don’t disobey him. This is with a simple employee, with an officer. Do you know that a man’s life can end in a second, they say: a heart failure, a clot in the brain. We are in the Hold of Allah, and to Him we return, we have no power with Allah, so how do you disobey Him?
It is impossible the good doer is dealt like the bad doer:
Dear brother, by thinking, meditation, and going back to the sound nature, you can’t disobey Allah because you are in His hold and to Him you shall return, but if you obey Allah you are in paradise; the paradise of this world and the paradise of the Hereafter:
( But for him who [the true believer of Islamic Monotheism who performs all the duties ordained by Allah and His Messenger Muhammad , and keeps away (abstain) from all kinds of sin and evil deeds prohibited in Islam and] fears the standing before his Lord, there will be two Gardens (i.e. in Paradise).)
( Or do those who earn evil deeds think that We shall hold them equal with those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah Islamic Monotheism) and do righteous good deeds, in their present life and after their death? Worst is the judgement that they make.)
It means that it is totally impossible that the good doers are dealt like the bad doers:
( Is then he who is a believer like him who is Fasiq (disbeliever and disobedient to Allah)? Not equal are they.)
( Shall We then treat the (submitting) Muslims like the Mujrimun (criminals, polytheists and disbelievers, etc.)? What is the matter with you? How judge you?)
( Is he whom We have promised an excellent promise (Paradise), which he will find true, like him whom We have made to enjoy the luxuries of the life of (this) world, then on the Day of Resurrection, he will be among those brought up (to be punished in the Hell-fire)?)
There are manifest facts that must be clear to you every day. Is it possible that the one who earns money illegally be dealt like the one who earns money legally? Could the one who adheres to the Divine law be like the one who lives as he wants? Are the good doer and bad doer equal to you? Are the believer and the unbeliever equal? This is impossible.
Difference between the one who sticks to Allah’s order and the one who is astray:
( Is he whom We have promised an excellent promise (Paradise), which he will find true, like him whom We have made to enjoy the luxuries of the life of (this) world, then on the Day of Resurrection, he will be among those brought up (to be punished in the Hell-fire)?)
( Shall We then treat the (submitting) Muslims like the Mujrimun (criminals, polytheists and disbelievers, etc.)? What is the matter with you? How judge you?)
( Is then he who is a believer like him who is Fasiq (disbeliever and disobedient to Allah)? Not equal are they.)
The believer has a special dealing. Allah promises to protect you, to give you safety, success, help, and happiness in all matters of your life. There is a great difference between the one who adheres to Allah’s orders and the one who is loose.
