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First sermon:
The first and foremost purpose of the acts of worship is to comply with Allah’s Commands and to fulfil His Rights. However, it is well known that there are lots of good effects and great benefits of the acts of worship on human life both individually and collectively.
For example, the Hajj (Pilgrimage) is the most comprehensive form of worship; it involves series of rituals and rites which entail hidden wisdom, i.e. the wisdom of these rituals is not fully and definitely understood . However, Hajj has the strongest impact on the life of Muslims, at both the individual and collective levels.
To this effect, Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He, says:
" And proclaim to mankind the Hajj (pilgrimage). They will come to you on foot and on every lean camel, they will come from every deep and distant (wide) mountain highway (to perform Hajj).* That they may witness things that are of benefit to them (i.e. reward of Hajj in the Hereafter, and also some worldly gain from trade, etc.)… "
The above Noble Ayah which mentioned the aim of this blessed journey people make to Makkah from all parts of the world opens the door wide open to pondering over the aforementioned benefits that people witness in Hajj.
Hajj has the most obvious impact on Muslims' life
Dear brothers, Hajj (Pilgrimage) to Allah’s Sacred House in Makkah recharges one's spiritual energy;
it fills his heart with piety, fear of Allah the All-Mighty, determination to obey Him, and regret for disobeying Him. Furthermore, it fuels the feeling of love for Allah, Most Gracious, His Messenger, and those who supported him and followed the Guidance revealed to him, revives the feelings of brotherhood between Muslims from all parts of the world, and fills one's heart with enthusiasm and zeal for his own religion as well as for Islamic sacred places. Dear brothers, the Sacred Land of Makkah arouses deep emotions in one's heart, makes him realize the value of unity,, has considerable influence on his mind and behavior, and leaves a deep impact on him. That is why after performing Hajj (pilgrimage), the Muslim's heart becomes more pure, , he adheres more strictly to the Straight Path, , he becomes more determined to perform righteous deeds and , and he becomes stronger in resisting lusts and temptation. The more sincere and devoted Hajj (pilgrimage) is, the more obvious its spiritual impact on the Muslim’s future life is. This is because the increase in one's spiritual and emotional energy after performing Hajj causes dramatic change in his personality and renders him a completely new person who is well-prepared to live a life of purity, holiness and peace. To this effect, the Prophet, may Allah's Peace and Blessings be upon him, said:
“Whosoever performs Pilgrimage without uttering or doing evil (things) returns as pure from sins and misdeeds as (he was ) on the day he was born.”
Dear brothers, performing Hajj (Pilgrimage) demonstrates that Allah the Almighty has completed His Favor upon His believers. In other words, Allah the Almighty made His Sacred House the place towards which believers turn their faces when performing Salah (prayer) at least five times a day. Therefore, according to Allah's Will, the believer’s heart is always preoccupied with this Sacred Place, even if he is far away, and he looks forward to the time when he becomes capable of performing Hajj.
Thus, performing Hajj (Pilgrimage) is a sign of the completeness of Allah ’s Grace upon a believer because if Allah had not blessed him with good health, he wouldn't have been physically capable of performing Hajj, . Also, if Allah had not granted him surplus money that exceeds his essential needs and covers the expense of his family during his absence, he would not have been financially capable of performing Hajj.
Furthermore, going to hajj demonstrates that one's faith is strong enough to make him leave his family, friends and homeland, and spend of his wealth and property to make such a spiritual journey to Allah and His Messenger.
Moreover, it is a sign that one has performed other ritual acts of worship such as Salat (prayer), Zakat (obligatory charity), and fasting, as well as the other acts of worship which are related to dealing with others such as performing one's duties and fulfilling the rights of others.
Hajj is a comprehensive form of worship:
In fact, Hajj (Pilgrimage) is a comprehensive form of worship that comprises all foundations of Islam. For example, It includes Salat (Prayer) because the pilgrim goes to the Sacred House of Allah in order to pray therein.Jaber narrated that the Prophet, may Allah's Peace and Blessings be upon him, said:
“One prayer in my Mosque is better (rewarded) than one thousand prayers in another mosque except in the Holy Mosque; and one prayer in the Holy Mosque is better (rewarded) than one hundred thousand prayers in other mosques.”
As for Zakat (obligatory charity), Hajj requires spending money for travel costs, hotel booking, food
and drink costs, taxes and fees…etc.
Abdullah Ibn Buraidah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated from his father that the Prophet, may Allah's Peace and Blessings be upon him, said:
“Expenditure in pilgrimage is (rewarded) seven hundred times, just like expenditure for the Cause of Allah.”
When it comes to fasting, a pilgrim should abstain from many lawful things, such as: wearing stitched clothing, wearing perfume, having his hair cut, and clipping his nails, which were permissible to him before he entered the state of Ihram (consecration), Furthermore, Hajj (Pilgrimage) implies the Shahadah (the testimony of faith): “There is none worthy of worship but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.”], For one goes to perform pilgrimage in compliance with Allah’s Order, as he says: “O Allah! Here I am at Your service! There is no partner with You! Here I am at Your service!....” And he performs the rites of pilgrimage as the Prophet (PBUH) taught Muslims when he said:
“Learn the rituals (of Hajj and 'Umrah) from me”
Some of the prerequisites for servitude to Allah during Hajj:
1-To avoid displaying arrogant behavior toward other fellow humans:
Dear brothers, Hajj (Pilgrimage) also symbolizes servitude to Allah, the Almighty, the Creator of the
heavens and the earth, and the Lord of all worlds. Man’s servitude to Allah necessitates that he should keep away from displaying arrogance or haughtiness towards other fellow humans. In a mosque, for example, those who arrive first have the right to sit in the first row, and late-comers, regardless of their social status, have to sit in the last row. This sense of equality amongst Allah's servants makes them shun arrogance and be modest. In other words, all Muslims feel that they stand on equal footing before One Great God, Allah, Who does not look at their outward appearance but rather at their hearts, innermost intentions, and deeds.Moreover, Allah the Almighty does not want to make this equality and submission limited within a certain environment, but rather He wants it to be a universal and all-embracing concept which includes all human beings. In other words, Cultural and social differences may exist within our communities, however, they vanish in Allah’s Sacred House, wherein we have to stand before Allah in absolute equality, since we were all created equal, and we will all stand before Him on the Day of Judgment.
2- To be gentle and kind to everything:
Dear brothers, Hajj (Pilgrimage) teaches Muslims how to treat everything with care and respect,in other words, one of the pre-requisites of a Muslim’s servitude to Allah as manifested in Hajj (pilgrimage) is that Allah has ordered a pilgrim to be gentle and kind to all things; to be gentle and kind to inanimate objects as he kisses the Black Stone of the Ka’bah, to plants as he abstains from cutting them, to animals as he refrains from hunting them, and to other fellow humans as he avoids quarrel and argument with them.
3- Shedding tears of repentance in Allah’s Sacred House
Dear brothers, weeping and shedding tears of regret and repentance in Allah’s Sacred House is one of the requisites of being an obedient servant of Allah the Almighty during Hajj . When a pilgrim enters Allah’s Sacred House and circumambulates the Ka’bah, his eyes begin to shed tears of regret and repentance of his previous sins, and he invokes Allah to accept his repentance and to forgive him. Such weeping symbolizes not only renouncing arrogance and haughtiness, but also total submission to Allah, the Creator of the heavens and the earth. Also, It is a sign of forsaking everything and surrendering one's heart fully to Allah the Almighty. Although weeping is originally a token of weakness, helplessness and grief, it is not so in pilgrimage, i.e. during Hajj (pilgrimage), shedding tears is an indication that the pilgrim feels deep down inside that true happiness lies in drawing nearer to Allah the Almighty. . To this effect, a righteous scholar said “If kings knew the happiness which we enjoy, they would fight us for it by swords.” Another one said: “O my Lord! What can someone who has lost You ever find?! And what can someone who has found You ever lose?!”
Feeling close to Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He, makes one cry out of delight, i.e. the spiritual delightful of getting one's sins forgiven, gaining the Good Pleasure of Allah, the Creator of the universe, and being one of Allah’s righteous servants.
Some of the Divine Signs in the Sacred House of Allah:
1- Maqam Ibrahim ( The standing place of Abraham);
Dear brothers, the standing place of Abraham comprises a number of clear Divine Signs.
2- Ibrahim was an Ummah; a leader having all the good righteous qualities:
One of these Divine Signs is that Ibrahim (Abraham) (PBUH) was a whole nation by himself, i.e. a
leader having all good attributes that could not be found all together in a single individual person but rather in a whole nation. In other words, in every nation, there are some people who are truthful; others who are generous; and others who are trustworthy…etc. But all these good traits were found all together in Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) (PBUH). In a similar way, it can be said that the Muslim nation as a whole, is infallible, whereas the Prophet, may Allah's Peace and Blessings be upon him, is himself infallible. 3- Man's value in the Sight of Allah depends on his deeds
Also, one of these Divine Signs is that Man’s value in the Sight of Allah is compatible with his good deeds. in other words, Prophet Abraham’s righteous deeds, which Allah helped him to achieve, are equal to those of a whole nation. In this context, it has been rightly said: “If you want to know your position In Allah's Sight, just consider your own deeds (whether they are good or bad ones).” This reminds us of Allah’s Words to His Messenger, Muhammad, may Allah's Peace and Blessings be upon him:
“We sent you not but as a Mercy for all worlds.”
4- Prophet Ibrahim built Al Ka'bah in response to Allah's Command
Furthermore, one of these Divine Signs is that Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham), peace be upon him, built the Ka’bah in response to Allah’s Command. He, peace be upon him, built it in perfect precision, which reflects his great love for his Lord, Allah, Most Gracious. This reminds us of the following Noble Hadith in which the Prophet, may Allah's Peace and Blessings be upon him, said:
“Allah verily loves that if anyone of you does a job, he should perfect it.”
Also, dear brothers, one of the Divine Signs in Maqam Ibrahim is that Allah the Almighty has created the universe and made it governed by natural laws of cause-and-effect. Hence, whosoever makes proper use of causes and takes appropriate means gains the fruits thereof, whether he be a believer or a disbeliever. Nevertheless, there is a great fact that goes: the Creator of causes, Allah, the Almighty, has full control and power over them. That is to say, if He, Most Gracious, desires to grant someone something, He does even without any causes whatsoever. Similarly, if He, All-Mighty, desires to withhold something from someone, no causes could ever help him get such thing. In other words, according to Islamic theology, causes do not bring about any effects unless by Allah’s Leave. Therefore, in his daily movements and activities man should by no means forget that Allah Who created causes and means has full power and control over them.
Actually, the best evidence of this point is the story of Mrs. Hajar; the wife of Prophet Ibrahim, peace be upon him, and her baby Ismael, peace be upon him it was narrated that Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham), peace be upon him, took his wife, Hajar, and his son, Ismael (Ishmael), out to a barren desert area (where Prophet Ibrahim and Ismael constructed the Kabbah many years later), where there were no plants, water, or any fundamentals of human life. He left them at that place and went back; but as he was about to do so, his wife caught the rein of his camel saying: “O Abraham! Where are you going, leaving us in this barren valley ?!” As he gave no answer, she said: “Is it Allah Who has commanded you to do so?” “Yes.” He replied. She said: “Then He will not forsake us!” Such is a great issue of Faith; If Allah, All-Mighty, orders you to do something that seems to be harmful or detrimental to your interests, or that seems to stand in the way of achieving your dreams ,you should know for sure that Allah the Almighty who is the One Who gives the Orders will definitely guarantee the best outcome for you, i.e. you should believe that He shall never let you down, that the world shall be subjugated to you and that the final end shall be in your favor if you comply to His Command. You should also make sure that he whose major concern is the present world, Allah makes poverty appear before his eyes and renders him in complete confusion and loss; and he will not get anything from this world except that which has been decreed for him. And he who makes the Hereafter his major concern, Allah makes his richness within his heart, provides him with guidance and rectitude, and subjugates this present world for him. To this effect, Allah, All-Mighty, says in a Hadith Qudsi: “He who seeks refuge with anyone of my creatures instead of Me - I know that from his innermost intention - I make the earth unstable under his feet and cut him off the Upper World; and he who seeks refuge with Me instead of anyone of My creatures – I know that from his innermost intention – and (all those in) the heavens and the earth plot evil against him, I make for him a way out of all that.”
6-Prophet Ibrahim’s love for Allah was indescribable
Dear brothers, one of the Divine Signs in Maqam Ibrahim is that when Prophet Ibrahim, peace be
upon him, was ordered to slaughter his sole beloved young son, Ismael, peace be upon him, , he carried out Allah’s Command without the slightest hesitation, although he was too old and his wife was barren. He did not ask Allah to have mercy on him because of his old age and to exempt his son Ismael from that extremely tough trial but rather he , carried out his Lord’s Command without the least hesitation, and he was about to kill his dear young only son when Allah the Almighty stopped him. Undoubtedly, such an act on the part of Prophet Ibrahim, peace be upon him, shows clearly that he loved Allah the Almighty much more than the present world and all the things existing therein. In other words, Prophet Ibrahim’s love for Allah the Almighty was beyond compare . In this context, the Prophet, may Allah's Peace and Blessings be upon him, said:“None of you is a true believer until I am more beloved to him than his father, his son, and all people.”
Dear brother, what we benefit from the story of Prophet Ibrahim and his son Ismael, peace be upon them, is that when we accept Allah's decree and surrender to it, we will be rewarded by Allah for being obedient to His Orders, , and He will remove our affliction. . To this effect, Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful, says,
" Then, when they had both submitted themselves (to the Will of Allah), and he had laid him prostrate on his forehead (or on the side of his forehead for slaughtering);*And We called out to him: "O Abraham!* You have fulfilled the dream (vision)!" Verily! Thus do We reward the Muhsinun (good-doers).* Verily, that indeed was a manifest trial*And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice (i.e. a ram);"
Dear brothers, in other words, when a believer carries out Allah’s Order, even if it might seem, from his limited perspective, to run counter to his own interests, since he prefers obeying Him and seeking intimacy with Him to the perishable pleasures and enjoyments of this present world, he will inevitably reap the good fruits of his obedience and will taste the sweetness of drawing closer to Allah the Almighty. . Furthermore, in a way that is only known by Allah, , all his worldly interests will be perfectly fulfilled. That is why some scholars said: “He who gives preference to this worldly life over the Hereafter, he loses both of them; and he who gives preference to the Hereafter over this present world, he wins both of them.”
All Divine commands are for the good of believers:
If a fellow human asks you to do something, you may ask him: “Why should I do that?” But if Allah, the Almighty, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, the Most Merciful, and the Most Compassionate, orders you to do something, you should obey his Order as much as you firmly believe in His Infinite Divine Knowledge, Mercy, and Wisdom. In other words, Allah, the Almighty, desires only good for us; and He, Most Gracious, decrees nothing except good. Moreover, Divine Good is far beyond human comprehension or understanding. To this effect, Allah, Most Merciful, says,
“And it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing which is bad for you. Allah knows but you do not know..”
When Allah, the Almighty, addresses His creatures, He does not address them by ordering them to do or not to do; but rather He calls them first to believe in Him and then enjoins His Commandments upon those who believe from among them. That is why all of Allah’s Commandments in the Holy Quran are preceded by His Words “O you who believe!” This is because when one believes in Allah the Almighty, this means that he has already believed definitely that Allah is Absolute and Perfect. Hence, if he receives an Order from Allah, The All-Wise, and fulfills it, even without understanding the wisdom behind it, he will find comfort in his heart, peace in his mind and felicity in his life. Also, when a believer fulfills Allah’s Order out of his trust in His Infinite Divine Knowledge, Mercy, and Wisdom, Allah unveils to him the wisdom Behind His Order; hence, a true believer gains two benefits: the reward of a worshipper and the deep understanding of a knowledgeable scholar.
Allah’s Sacred House is located in the geometric center of earth
Dear brothers, let's move on to the scientific subject of this Khutbah: Allah’s Sacred House is located in the center of the earth and is surrounded by the different continents of both the ancient and new worlds. Such fact is proved by a most up-to-date research carried out by an astronomic research center in one of the Arab countries, using computers in calculating the distance between Mecca and a number of cities which lie on the edges of both the ancient and modern worlds. Calculations, however, show that the farthest edges of the ancient world in Europe, Africa, and Asia,
are 8 thousand kilometers far from Mecca. Concerning the edges of the new world, which includes America, Australia, and the Antarctic, the edges of these three continents are 13 thousand kilometers far from Mecca. Moreover, there is no land in the opposite side of Mecca on the earth, but there is the Pacific Ocean. Therefore, according to the the above-mentioned research, it has been proved that Allah’s Holy House is located in the geometric center of the earth. In this context, Allah, All-Mighty, says:“Verily, the first House (of worship) appointed for mankind was that at Bakkah (Makkah), full of blessing, and a guidance for Al-'Alamin (the mankind and jinns).* In it are manifest signs (for example), the Maqam (place) of Ibrahim (Abraham); whosoever enters it, he attains security. And Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) to the House (Ka'bah) is a duty that mankind owes to Allah, those who can afford the expenses (for one's conveyance, provision and residence); and whoever disbelieves [i.e. denies Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah), then he is a disbeliever of Allah], then Allah stands not in need of any of the 'Alamin (mankind and jinns)."
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Oh Allah, teach us what is good for us, and benefit us from what You taught us, and increase our knowledge. All praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds.
The second Khutbah:
All praise be to Allah and I bear witness that there is no Deity worthy of worship except Allah, the Protector of righteous people, and I bear witness that our Master Muhammad is Allah's Servant and Messenger, and is the one of great moral character. O Allah our Lord, Send Your Peace and Blessings upon our Master Muhammad, his Folks and his Companions.
The Muslim conquest of Al-Quds:
Dear brothers, in the first Khutbah, we have really enjoyed talking about the Sacred House of Allah the Almighty. Now let's move on to talk about Al-Aqsa Mosque; the second oldest mosque in Islam (after the Ka'ba in Makkah), the third sacred site of Islam (after the Ka'ba in Makkah and the Prophet's Mosque in Al Madinah), the former Prophets' place of worship, and the Masra (the point of departure) for the last Prophet's miraculous night Journey to the Heavens.
Let's imagine together this scene; let's go back in time to Friday 27th Rajab 583 AH, 2nd October 1178 , the day on which Salah Aldeen Alayoubi, may Allah be pleased with him, liberated Al Quds from the aggressive invaders. People's heart are filled with joy, there is a look of happiness on their faces, people express their gratitude to Allah by their tongues and hearts, the flag of Islam is raised high, Adhan (the call to prayers) is recited loudly at mosques, people become pure in heart, go to mosques to recite Quran, to perform prayers, and to make supplication, Allah showers His Blessings on people, all troubles and afflictions come to an end, grief disappear, people find peace of mind and inner calm, and the believers rejoice in the victory granted by Allah the Almighty. Now, we are entering the Al-Aqsa Mosque, we see Salah Aldeen Alayoubi and his soldiers sitting on the ground like other Muslims do, in order not to distinguish themselves from the others, i.e. Salah Aldeen Alayoubi and his soldiers, who show outstanding courage on battlefield, turn into submissive devoted worshippers of Allah and sit in a very humble posture in the Masjid.
Parts of Muhyi Al-Din Al-Qurashi's Khutbah at the liberation of Al-Quds
Now, Muhyi Al-Din Al-Qurashi; the Khateeb (the preacher) of the mosque and the judge of Damascus is ascending the Minabar (the pulpit) in order to deliver his Khutbah (sermon) which was so impressive and heart- touching. He began his Khutbah by the following Noble Ayah in which Allah the Almighty says" So the roots of the people who did wrong were cut off. And all the praises and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of the 'Alamin (mankind, jinns, and all that exists)."
Let's listen together to his Khutbah: he says: "O people rejoice with the pleasure of Allah which is the ultimate goal, and the most sublime degree since He has enabled you to retake this land from occupiers, to bring it back under Islamic government after it had been under occupation for about 100 years, and to purify and cleanse al-Aqsa Mosque from polytheism and aggression so that the Name of Allah could be mentioned in it. Then he warns them saying: O servants of Allah, beware of being misguided by Shaitan by making you think that you achieved this victory by your swords and good horses. Never! Victory is from Allah Alone! . Beware of committing a major sin after being honored with this great conquest. If you help (in the cause of) Allah, He will help you. Strive to eliminate and to get rid of your enemies. "
Then we get out of Al-Aqsa mosque, and we meet one of the Franks who has witnessed the conquest of Jerusalem. He says to us: Muslim soldiers did not cause harm to us or commit any act of plundering and looting. Furthermore, they did not kill any non-Muslim living in the Islamic state with legal protection. They let us leave if we want, taking whatever we need with us. We sold them our unwanted luggage at full price, (i.e. the Muslim soldiers did not force them to sell it at low price). . We enjoy real freedom of movement. Verily, they are very ethical and civilized people. As it was said: “throughout history, there has never been any conqueror more merciful than the Muslim conquerors!”
"The Muslim conquerors did not demolish a house, did not confiscate land, build a settlement, or break a bone (of a dead)."
Now, let's come back to our country; Damascus, to continue our Friday Khutbah:
Types of struggle between right and falsehood:
Dear brothers, in stark contrast to that, Al-Aqsa Mosque now is in a very bad situation; people's lands and wealth are plundered, their sacred places are being desecrated by their enemies, their sanctities are violated, and people are deprived of their liberty. Furthermore, their beliefs, values, history are distorted, and their enemies; the enemies of Allah, of truth, of good, and of life, are implementing the policy of ignorance, starvation, and torture on them. Consequently, those people have every right to struggle to restore their violated right to live with human dignity.
Dear brothers, this noble struggle can never be called terrorism, sabotage, or suicide since Israel's intransigence led to a deadlock in the peace process, as our president said; they totally reject all the Ingredients for a true peace process, adopt an invasive approach to deceive the world, and provoke the Islamic, Arab, and human conscience by building more settlements. Our president added: Our salvation depends on adherence to Islam, since when we cling to our faith, no one would ever be able to humiliate us.
Verily, Islam is the religion of truth, justice, and equality among human beings. Also, Islam is our source of strength. Therefore, it is our duty to strive sincerely with all our might to save this true religion from these colonial conspiracies in order to preserve its majesty and dignity. Accordingly, it remains the Muslims' source of pride and strength, as well as their catalyst for progress in all domains.
O our brothers in occupied territories, may Allah bless you and reward you for your effort. Verily, you are the symbol of sacrifice since you set the greatest example of redemption. Moreover, your high sense of honor terrorizes your enemies and fills their hearts with fear.
Dear brothers, consider the following piece of advice that Caliph Umar Ibn Al-Khattab gave to Saad Ibn Abi Waqqas, may Allah be pleased with them (when he appointed him as the commander of the army at the battle of Al-Qadisiyyah); he said: "Fear your sins more than you fear your enemy as your sins are more dangerous to you than your enemy. We, Muslims, are only victorious over our enemy because their sins outnumber ours, not for any other reason. If our sins were equal to those of our enemy, then they would defeat us due to their superior numbers and resources "
As it was said: the struggle between two truths never occurs, since there is only one truth, and the struggle between truth and falsehood will not last long because Allah will eventually grant victory to truth over falsehood, whereas the struggle between two falsehoods is endless ( since they both don't deserve Allah's Victory).
