Over the
past three weeks the reminder was on ways to enter Paradise. This week the
reminder switches to speak of those to whom Paradise will not the final abode.
We need to
be over hopeful of the mercy of Allah SWT but also to be fearful that we do not
fall into the cursed group of those who have been mentioned in the Quran and
the Hadith as those who will not go to Paradise.
The first
step to avoiding these groups is to recognize what groups these are. The reminder
today highlights these groups so that we can recognize the danger and avoid
them.
Firstly, the
imam reminded us of the 40th ayat of Sura Al-A’far. This is
translated to say:
Surely the gates of Heaven shall not be opened for those who
reject Our signs as false and turn away ‘ from them in arrogance; nor shall
they enter Paradise until a camel passes through the eye of a needle. Thus do
We reward the guilty ones.
Dear
brothers and sisters, this ayat informs us that the cursed group is that who
rejected the signs from Allah SWT due to their arrogance and died in disbelief.
Further on this surah, in the 50th ayat, Allah SWT warns us again by
saying:
The people of the Fire will call out to the people of
Paradise, “Pour on us some water, or some of what Allah has provided you.” They
will say, “Allah has prohibited these for disbelievers,
And so, dear
brothers and sisters, the declaration of faith and the requirement to believe
in Allah SWT is not only rewarded with Paradise but it’s denial is the
destination of Hellfire.
The second group
as mentioned in todays reminder is best illustrated by mentioning two hadith of
the Prophet SAWS. They are translated to say:
He who has in his heart the weight of a mustard seed of pride
shall not enter Paradise.
And
“He who has, in his heart, an ant’s weight of arrogance
will not enter Jannah.” Someone said: “A man likes to wear beautiful
clothes and shoes?” Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “Allah is Beautiful,
He loves beauty. Arrogance means ridiculing and rejecting the Truth and
despising people.”
Dear
brothers and sisters, we need to be mindful that we are not displaying the traits
of arrogance or pride. Also, we should put ourselves in the shoes of those around
us and make sure that how we conduct ourselves doesn’t come across as arrogant
as this is a possible error that could cost us dear. It’s worth that extra
level of mindfulness and worth doing from time to time.
The third group
are those who associate partners with Allah SWT. Allah SWT warns us of this in
Sura Al-Maeda, ayat 72 which is translated to say:
They do blaspheme who say: “Allah is Christ the son of
Mary.” But said Christ: “O children of Israel! worship Allah, my
Lord, and your Lord.” Whoever joins other gods with Allah―Allah will
forbid him the Garden and the Fire will be his abode. There will for the
wrong-doers be no one to help.
Dear brothers
and sisters, we need to have respect, reverence and love for all the Prophets and
Messengers of Allah SWT, but at the same time, be absolutely clear in the distinction
between them and the only one that is worthy of our worship and that is Allah SWT.
Lastly, the
group mentioned in today’s reminder is highlighted by the following hadith by
the imam. It is translated to say:
Two are the types of the dwellers of Hell whom I did not see:
people having flogs like the tails of the ox with them and they would be
beating people, and the women who would be dressed but appear to be naked, who
would be inclined (to evil) and make their husbands incline towards it. Their
heads would be like the humps of the camel inclined to one side. They will not
enter Paradise and they would not smell its odour whereas its odour would be
smelt from such and such distance.
Dear
brothers and sisters, first sub-group here is that those who beat people. It
can be argued that this is all types people who oppress and we need to be
careful that if we are in positions of power, in both our families and in our
workplace, that we are not guilty of oppressing others as this is a dangerous
trait to have.
The second
sub-group here are women who are dressed inappropriately despite being clothed.
Examples could be tight-fitting clothes or clothes that are so thin, they are almost
transparent.
We need to
understand here that the beauty of a woman is a powerful thing and that the responsibility
is on both the woman to dress appropriately but also on the men to encourage
their wives with kindness and love. They are the heads of their families and
they have the responsibility of teaching the manners and morals of our faith to
everyone in their family.
We live in a
day and age where the role of the man in the home is often diluted with western
concepts of what a man’s role is in the home. However, this hadith outlines
that we also hold a responsibility with our wives to teach them but to teach
them through love, compassion, kindness and empathy. Remember, our Prophet SAWS
was known for his beautiful conduct with his wives and so we should emulate
this when we are in our own homes.
Dear brothers
and sisters, we should take todays reminder as an opportunity to take stock of
our lives and ensure that we do not fall into any of the cursed groups that
were mentioned today.
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Last week we
were reminded of the beauty of our faith in that we were given hope from our
beloved Prophet SAWS that this life is temporary and that those who believe in
Allah SWT and His Messenger SAWS will enter Paradise for eternity.
We spoke of
ways in which this could have been achieved. The three points last week were on
worshipping Allah SWT alone, following the Sunnah of the Prophet SAWS and
focusing on the prayer.
This week we
continue the reminder with other ways.
The imam
began with reminding us that Repenting is a key component for entering Paradise.
As was mentioned last week, Shaitaan will attempt to fill us with despair by
making us think that our mistakes in this world are unforgivable by Allah SWT
and that we are therefore destined for Hell.
On the contrary,
this first point of repentance is backed by references in the Quran and the
Sunnah. The first of these is the 60th ayat of Sura Maryum in which
the earlier ayat spoke of those who did wrongdoings in this life. Allah SWT
then reminds us that despite those wrongdoings, there is a way to recover from
that and it is translated to say:
Except him who repents and believes and does righteousness;
so those will enter the Garden and they will not be done injustice in anything.
Alongside
this we have the Hadith of the Prophet SAWS saying:
One who repents from sin is like
someone without sin.
The next way
is those who seek knowledge for the sake of Allah SWT. Dear brothers and
sisters, it’s important here to note that it’s not just Islamic knowledge, for
those here who are still studying, any form of study where your intention is to
work and provide for your family or even to share good knowledge with others
afterwards, falls into this category and therefore intention is everything when
we set out to seek knowledge.
To Build a
Masjid is another one. The imam reminded us of the hadith of the Prophet SAWS
in which he was reported to have said:
Whoever built a mosque, Allah would build for him a similar
place in Paradise.
The next one
mentioned today was on manners. Again, the imam reminded us of a hadith to emphasise
this point. It is translated to say:
I guarantee a house in the surroundings of Paradise for a man
who avoids quarrelling even if he were in the right, a house in the middle of
Paradise for a man who avoids lying even if he were joking, and a house in the
upper part of Paradise for a man who made his character good.
Dear
brothers and sisters, the foundation of our behaviour is manners and the starting
point of perfecting your manners is from the Prophet SAWS and then from your
parents, your teachers, your elders. We live in a time and a place where bad
manners is considered funny and normal and we mustn’t fall into this trap of being
OK with that. Instead, we strive to go against the tide and have impeccable
manners in all areas of our lives.
Which leads
us nicely onto the next point of Jihad. The word, despite what media will tell
us, means to strive and to struggle, and this is all about continuously moving
to the next level of our manners and our worship. To do jihad is to go out of
your comfort zone and perform that next level of worship you talk yourself out
of doing. Whether it’s more optional prayers, fasts or something else, the point
is about continuous improvement as a Muslim and this is what it means to
perform Jihad.
Other points
mentioned by the imam were to perform Hajj as it wipes your record clean, to
perform congregational prayers in the masjid and to look after an Orphan. All
these examples carry great reward and should be adhered to wherever possible.
And finally,
the imam spoke of having Taqwa. Dear brothers and sisters, this is a topic in
itself and we have had whole reminders on the topic of Taqwa as it’s that
important. To summarize for today, it is to be aware of Allah SWT. Obviously, our
five senses cannot assist us here, but to have Taqwa goes beyond your senses,
it is feeling Allah SWT in your heart, seeing Him through the blessings all
around you and communicating with Him through worship and conduct in life.
The imam
reminded us of Taqwa by relaying the 133rd ayat of Sura Imran which
is translated to say:
Race with one another towards Forgiveness from your Lord and
towards a paradise the width of which spans the heavens and the earth. It has
been prepared for the God-fearing,
Dear
brothers and sisters, we are blessed to belong to the Ummah of the Prophet SAWS.
Through his teachings and from the Glorious Quran, we have at our disposal optimism
and real practical steps on how to tread this life and return back to Allah SWT
with hope that He will admit us into Paradise.
Let us use
the reminders of these past couple of weeks to both become the best that we can
be and to become role models for those around us as well.
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This week’s khutbah was on a passage from Sura Al-Furqan and it’s reference to paradise.
The imam followed on from last week’s mention from Sura Al-Furqan by mentioning in this weeks khutba Sura Al-Furqan ayat 75 and 76 which is translated to say:
Such are the ones who will be rewarded with the lofty places in paradise for their patience, wherein they shall be welcomed with greetings and salutations.
They shall live forever in that excellent dwelling and excellent resting place!
Dear brothers and sisters, these special servants of Allah SWT, with their attributes, are referred to and in a short conclusion their divine reward is brought up as follows:
“Those (servants of Allah SWT) shall be rewarded with the high stations or lofty places (in Paradise) because they were patient…”
If we delve further into the translation of the Arabic, we can deduce more from this passage. The Arabic word “qurfah” means something that is picked up and consumed, such as water that man gets from spring for drinking. Then this word was applied to upper parts and stories of a building and houses. Here it implies the best places of the Paradise.
Since the servants of the Allah SWT, with the attributes spoken of in last week’s reminder, are in the first row of other believers, their heavenly rank and position must be also the highest.
As a reminder then for us all, it must be noted that this high rank is given to them due to the attributes they possessed. What are these attributes that we need?
Well, after the events of this week it’s even more poignant that we are reminded of these passages by the imam. The attributes spoke that were possessed by the believers according to the Quran are that they have been patient and tolerant for the sake of Allah SWT.
Dear brothers and sisters, is it possible to worship Allah SWT, to be humble and modest, to struggle with low desires and to stop vain witness, without patience and perseverance?
Is it possible indeed to absorb all that we see taking place in the world in the name of this peaceful religion without patience and perseverance?
And so we ought to reminder ourselves that the Qur’anic word “sabr” meaning patience has got an extensive concept which includes tolerance and resistance against difficulties being on the path of worshipping Allah SWT.
It means struggling with low desires and withstanding both minor and major temptations of sin.
We need to remind ourselves that everything we are witnessing in life, everything that is being depicted in the media in our name, everything that strains at our hearts is there for a single purpose only.
That purpose is for us to turn back to our Lord in submission and in dua to Him. To perform dua is an act of worship and to be tested in our patience and in our tolerance is the reminder that we are helpless without His mercy and His blessings and that we need to turn back to Allah SWT in dua for our selves, our lives and our afterlife.
And alongside this reminder of the ayat, the imam spoke of the latter half of the translation and expanded upon the descriptions given by Allah SWT on paradise.
He made reference in particular to Sura Az-zumar, ayat 34 which says:
They will have whatever they desire with their Lord. That is the reward of the doers of good
And Sura Muhammed ayat 15 which says:
Is the description of Paradise, which the righteous are promised, wherein are rivers of water unaltered, rivers of milk the taste of which never changes, rivers of wine delicious to those who drink, and rivers of purified honey, in which they will have from all [kinds of] fruits and forgiveness from their Lord
Dear brothers and sisters, we are reminded this week that patience and tolerance holds a high station in the afterlife. We are reminded also that the descriptions of Paradise have been offered by Allah SWT as a perfect balance to the test that we are living in this life.
We ought to remind ourselves that this is not a time to succumb to impatience or intolerance for whatever reaction may come our way from people around us. Fear causes irrational behaviour this much is true. But let’s remind ourselves that this is a call from our Lord to step up and show the people around us what it means to be Muslim. Demonstrate that in our actions with others, in our words and in our everyday dealings with people.
Alongside that though, on a personal level, this is a reminder that nothing comes without the will of Allah SWT and so when we are faced with times when patience and tolerance is needed in abundance, there is no better response from within than to turn back to our Lord in sincere repentance and dua. And by doing that we will be of the people mentioned in the ayat mentioned in today’s reminder insh’Allah.
May Allah SWT grant us patience and tolerance. May Allah SWT grant us lofty stations in Paradise and may Allah SWT reward us in our efforts to be patient and tolerant.
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he topic of death is one which often finds the audience uncomfortable in listening to it. Nobody likes to think of death because as well as their own mortality, they often think of loved ones that have passed away in times past.
However, this is an important topic as the reminder of death enables us to best spend the time prior to it. And it is a certainty for us all as Allah SWT states in Sura Al-Imran, Ayat 175:
Everyone shall taste death. And only on the day of Ressurection shall you be paid your dues. And whoever is removed away from the fire and admitted to paradise, he indeed is successful.
This ayat ends with a statement which is paramount for us all to reflect upon. Allah SWT ends this ayat by declaring:
The life of this world is only the enjoyment of deception.
Dear brothers, often we can be guilty of spending time in this dunya excited by what it has to offer. Last week’s khutba outlined the blessings that Allah SWT has bestowed upon each and every one of us and naturally we enjoy these blessings in their entirety.
But sometimes we can forget the conclusion of what life really is. Every day it becomes closer to us and no sooner has the book reached it’s appointed time that we then belong amongst the dead.
Whilst we are craving the pleasures that this world has to offer, it is important to cast thought occasionally to those graves you pass from time to time.
Those cemeteries are a great lesson for us. We will be the dwellers of such places one day and one day it will be us that are carried there and not one of the attendees.
Allah SWT has emphasised this many times in the Quran and one reference is to Sura Al-An’am, ayat 62 which states:
Then they his servants are returned to Allah, their true Lord. Unquestionably, His is the judgment, and he is the swiftest of accountants.
However, with such reminders comes the key to this life. As muslims, we are blessed with the knowledge that life does not end with death. In fact, for those who embark upon attaining the pleasure of Allah SWT, this life should be a build-up to hope, optimism and excitement that one day they will meet their Lord who will be pleased with them and grant them an eternity in Paradise.
Dear brothers, it should be the case therefore that the trials and tribulations of this world begin to appear insignificant to us as we are mindful of death. Someone who remembers death has high aims and is instead yearning for the everlasting bliss in paradise.
Remembering death though does not mean that one should make their life loathsome in any way. It is not the way of the muslim to obsess over death and be locked away in a room waiting for his time.
Instead one should use death as a reminder to keep him away from sin and the ways of the Shaytaan. Use it to be hopeful and optimistic towards the next life, the real life. Use it to soften the heart towards others as we are all headed in the same place.
Use the rememberance of death to drive oneself towards righteous deeds, obeying Allah SWT and increasing one’s efforts in all acts of worship.
We must be wary that we do not fall into the group of people who Allah SWT refers to when he says in Ayat 99-100:
Until when death comes to one of them, he says: “My Lord, send me back That I might do righteousness in that which I left behind.” No! It is only a word they are saying and behind them is a barrier until the day they are resurrected.
We can never do enough deeds to guarantee our fate in the next life. But we can use this reminder to reset our way of thinking to that of the truth of our existence and that is to be grateful slaves to our Master, Allah SWT until our return to Him.
May Allah SWT make us mindful of our inevitable conclusion. May Allah SWT make us hopeful and optimistic towards our final abode. And may Allah SWT fulfil our high expectations of our next life.
Ameen wal hamdullilahi rabilalameen.
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Uthman Ibn Afan (May Allah be pleased with him) has narrated that the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) has said:
“The best of you are those who learn the Quran and then teach it to others”
There are many amongst us who struggle to recite the Quran, especially living in this country. In fact, the following Hadith is escpecially applicable to those:
“Verily the one who recites the Quran beautifully, smoothly and precisely, he will be in the company of noble and obedient angels. And as for the one who recites with difficulty, stammering or stumbling through it’s verses, then he will have TWICE that reward”
Furthermore the Prophet Peace Be Upon Him said:
“Whoever reads a letter from the Book of Allah will receive a hasanah (good deed) from it. And the hasanah is multiplied by 10. I do not say Alif-Laam-Meem is a letter, rather Alif is a letter, Laam is a letter and Meem is a letter.”
What a great gift we have as muslims to be given the ability to read the words of Allah SWT. Surely the success of this life lies in the remembrance of Allah SWT and what better what than through the recitation of the Quran?
Going back to the first Hadith mentioned, the Prophet Peace Be Upon Him has said that those who memorize or learn the Quran should not do it for just themselves but that they should teach it to others then so that there is a benefit for a greater number of people.
Furthermore, it is important to be aware of the following ayat from Sura Al Furqan that states:
“And the Messenger Will Say “O My Lord!, My people have abandoned this Quran””
We need to be wary that we do not fall into the group of muslims that the Prophet Peace Be Upon Him, complains about.
Abandoning the Quran takes many forms:
There is the reading of it, the understanding of it, how to live by it and how to teach it to others. We need to strive to do all of the above.
The Prophet is reported to have said:
“It will be said to the companion of the Quran after he has entered paradise, “Recite and rise” For every verse he recites he will rise on level in Paradise until he reaches the last verse with him i.e. in his memory”
This hadith mentions the merit of those who memorize part or all of the Quran. We should all memorize as much of the Quran as we can until our last breath for every ayah we memorize will result in higher ranks in Jannah! Inshallah!
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