Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds and may He bless and grant peace to Muhammad, the Faithful and the Honest, and may Allah bless his folks and companions, the trustees of his Dawah and the leaders of his armies and be pleased with us and them o Lord of worlds.
O Allah lead us out from the depths of darkness and illusion unto the lights of erudition and knowledge, and from the muddy shallows of lusts unto the heavens of Your Vicinity.
All human beings are ranked by Allah in two categories:
Dear brothers,
It was narrated from Thawban that the Prophet (PBUH) said:
(( “I certainly know people of my nation who will come on the Day of Resurrection with good deeds like the mountains of Tihamah, but Allah will make them like scattered dust.” Thawban said: “O Messenger of Allah, describe them to us and tell us more, so that we will not become of them unknowingly.” He said: “They are your brothers and from your race, worshipping at night as you do, but they will be people who, when they are alone, transgress the sacred limits of Allah.” ))
[ [Ibn Majah by the authority of Thawban] ]
This Hadith is very serious.
My call to Allah is based on a rule in which I believe: The bitter truth is thousand times better than the comforting delusion.
Words usually comfort people, tickle their feelings and give them kind of satisfaction about themselves, however the bitter truth is thousand times better than the comforting delusion.
Let me mention the previous serious Hadith again:
(( “I certainly know people of my nation who will come on the Day of Resurrection with good deeds like the mountains of Tihamah, but Allah will make them like scattered dust.” Thawban said: “O Messenger of Allah, describe them to us and tell us more, so that we will not become of them unknowingly.” He said: “They are your brothers and from your race, worshipping at night as you do, but they will be people who, when they are alone, transgress the sacred limits of Allah.” ))
[ [Ibn Majah by the authority of Thawban] ]
This means that worldly life is limited and that we are created for eternal life, but what does the word "eternal" mean?
In fact, any number you may imagine, no matter how big it is, is actually zero if compared to infinity.
Imagine Iif you write the digit "1" on earth and you write zeros next to it from earth to the sun which is 156 million kilometers away from earth and you left only one millimeter space between every two zeros, this big number is still zero comparing to infinity.
Much in the same line, worldly life with all its money, positions, pleasures, desires and positions is just zero if compared to the afterlife.
We are created for paradise and the proof is in the following all inclusive decisive eloquent Ayah:
﴾ By the night as it envelops; And by the day as it appears in brightness; And by Him Who created male and female; Certainly, your efforts and deeds are diverse (different in aims and purposes); ﴿
Human beings on earth are more than 7 billion, and all those people regarding all their races, orientations, nationalities, religions and schools of thoughts are categorized by Allah into two fields:
﴾As for him who gives (in charity) and keeps his duty to Allah and fears Him, And believes in Al-Husna. ﴿
He believed that he is created for paradise and thus he refrained from disobeying Allah and he built his life on giving:
﴾ But he who is greedy miser and thinks himself self-sufficient. And gives the lie to Al-Husna (see Verse No: 6 footnote); ﴿
He disbelieved that he is created for paradise and believed only in worldly life and thus he built his life on taking:
(( “I certainly know people of my nation who will come on the Day of Resurrection with good deeds like the mountains of Tihamah, but Allah will make them like scattered dust.” Thawban said: “O Messenger of Allah, describe them to us and tell us more, so that we will not become of them unknowingly.” He said: “They are your brothers and from your race, worshipping at night as you do, but they will be people who, when they are alone, transgress the sacred limits of Allah.” ))
[ [Ibn Majah on the authority of Thawban] ]
Knowing Allah is the utmost blessing man might acquire:
There is a saying that might bring pain to some people and comfort to others: "The deeds of the one, who has no fear from disobeying Allah in private, will not be considered by Allah".
Disobeying Allah in private denotes hypocrisy.
When man's behavior, steadfastness, connection with Allah and worship are the same in public and in private, and when he acts in his own home as he acts in the mosque without any difference, this is but a huge blessing.
Dear brothers, don't forget that there are outstanding hints of fearing Allah, take for example a Muslim in Ramadan, for he might become very thirsty while he is fasting and he is inside his house given no soul on earth will know if he drinks a glass of water, yet he doesn't, why? It is because he knows that Allah knows and this is the utmost level of faith.
The highest level best kind of man's faith is to know that Allah knows.
I have no doubts that any Muslim will ever break his fasting in private no matter how many justifications he is given.
Of course there are justified excuses for not fasting and they are accepted in Islam, but breaking Siam without excuse will not be done by any Muslim.
This is the act of worship that shows man's steadfastness, piety and knowledge of the fact that Allah is always watching over him and this puts man's mind at ease, as he will not compromise his fasting for any reason.
Let me comment on something that has nothing to do with our topic:.
In two weeks or three, Eid Al Fitr will arrive, and in Eid there are visits, meetings and allowances given to children, so suppose that one of those children says to the relative he is visiting in Eid: I have a great amount of money, you might estimate that he has 50 dinar at most. On the other hand if a high ranking official in the Pentagon told you: We have budgeted a great sum of money for the war in Iraq, you might estimate that it was $200 billion. When the King of Kings says to you:
﴾And taught you that which you knew not. And Ever Great is the Grace of Allah unto you (O Muhammad ). ﴿
The fact deduced from this Ayah is that no blessing man may gain is better than the blessing of knowing Allah
"
(( O Son of Adam! Seek Me and you will find Me; if that happens, it is as if you have found everything, while if you miss Me, it is as if you have missed everything, and I shall make you love Me more than anything else." ))
[ [Tafseer Ibn Katheer] ]
If Allah is with you, who will be against you? And if Allah is against you, who will be with you? O, Lord, what did he miss who found You, and what did he find who missed You?
There is no party on earth may harm you if Allah is with you, but if Allah is against you, who will be with you?
He who knows Allah and follows His Path will gain happiness in this life and in the life after:
Dear brothers, the facts of faith bring joy.
Some kinds of knowledge bring joy to the one who masters them.
If you are studying history for example and you have to study odyssey and Iliad, you will enjoy studying them, however not every knowledge that brings joy is useful.
You should gain broth upon studying something.
For example, Oone might acquire PHD in atom which makes his paycheck hefty and surpasses his needs, not to mention his high position; however one day death will come and will put an end to everything, to the power, the weakness, the knowledge, the ignorance…etc. As for the one who knows Allah and is guided to His Path and followsed it in order to draw closer to Allah, this is the knowledge that brings joy in worldly life and in the hereafter.
Not every pleasurable field of knowledge is useful and not every useful knowledge is enjoyable, only knowing Allah is enjoyable when you know Him through His Signs:
﴾ Then in which speech after Allah and His Ayat will they believe? ﴿
Allah's Signs are of three kinds and all of which are clean and pure paths to reach Allah: His cCreation of the universe, His aActions and His Words in Qquran:
﴾Then in which speech after Allah and His Ayat will they believe? ﴿
[Al-Jathiyah, 6]
His signs in the universe, His Aactions and His Words in Quran.
The signs that indicate Allah's Greatness are countless:
Dear brothers, the earth revolves around the sun in an oval orbit which means that its orbit has two diameters: a long one and short one.
While the earth is revolving around the sun, it comes close to its short diameter, so the distance between the earth and the sun becomes closer, and we would have a high possibility of earth‘s gravitation towards the sun and thus it will evaporate in a second as the sun's degree is 20 million degrees centigrade, so what does happen in this case? The earth increases its speed when it is closer to the sun, now Whose Hand, Knowledge and Omnipotence that are involved in increasing its speed?
Increasing its speed when it is closer to the sun creates centrifugal power equals the gravity power which keeps the earth on its orbit; Allah says that in the following Ayah:
﴾ Verily! Allah grasps the heavens and the earth lest they move away from their places, ﴿
By Allah dear brothers, this universe is full of Signs that indicate Allah's Greatness:
﴾ And on the earth are signs for those who have Faith with certainty, ﴿
There are delicate things in Allah's Creation.
Allah created duct, discovered by the French scientists "Botallo", this duct between the two auricles cancels the minor circulation (between the heart and the lungs). Since there is no air in the womb and thus the respiratory system of the embryo doesn't work, the lungs don’t work as well, and in normal cases, this duct closes shortly is sealed after the baby’s birth, so Whose Hand seals this duct? Had this duct failed to closenot be sealed, it would have needed a surgery that costs hefty money.
Can a father teach his newborn baby how to suckle mother's milk? Imagine this father telling his newborn baby that he should suckle in order to be fed, well this is ridiculous assumption. When a baby is born, the reflex of suckling is born with it; given it is very complicated process. Whose Hand created this reflex?
By Allah dear brothers, there are functions in man's systems, limbs and anatomy that only Allah knows about.
If man knows Allah, follows His Ppath and draws closer to Him, he will gain both this worldly life and 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). ﴿
Man's heroism appears at his own household:
Hence, "The deeds of the one, who has no fear from disobeying Allah in private, will not be considered by Allah". I am still breaking to you the bitter facts.
Man shows his best in public, as he is dressed well, puts on perfume, shaves his beard, smiles and cringes before his manager, yet at home he is a monster.
What did the prophet PBUH say?
(( “The best of you is he who is best to his family, and I am the best among you to my family." ))
[ [At Tirmizi on the authority of Aishah] ]
Your heroism is shown at home where there is no one to watch or judge, but Allah is there watching.
The prophet PBUH instructed the believers to be gentle to women, he said:
(( "Honor women, by Allah only an honorable man treats women with honor and integrity, and only a vile and dishonorable man humiliates and degrades women. They overcome the honorable and be overcome by the vile" ))
[ [Ibn Asaker on the authority of Ali] ]
There is an extension to this hadith that goes as follows:
"…. I like to be an overcome honorable man than being a vile who overcomes women?
Man has only two courses: responding to Allah or following his desires:
Islam is related to everything in your life: at your home, in the way you earn your money, in the way you spend your leisure time, in how your raise your children, in your relations and in your hobbies.
Take my word, the one who knows Allah is a different person.
When a man reconciles with Allah, he will be tolerant ce with his wife no matter what she says, because knowing Allah has changed him 180 degrees and thus he becomes gentle, tolerant, realistic, rational and lovable to a point that he attracts the attention of all his family. The prophet PBUH said:
(( It was narrated that Thawban said: "The Messenger of Allah said: 'Adhere to righteousness even though you will not be able to do all acts of virtue. ))
[ [Ibn Majah on the authority of Thawban] ]
The following Ayah should be considered by you:
﴾ But if they answer you not (i.e. do not believe in your doctrine of Islamic Monotheism, nor follow you), then know that they only follow their own lusts. ﴿
Beyond doubt, this Ayah decisively indicates that there are only two courses, either you respond to Allah, or you follow your own lusts
﴾ But if they answer you not (i.e. do not believe in your doctrine of Islamic Monotheism, nor follow you), then know that they only follow their own lusts. ﴿
He who follows his desires lawfully is on the safe side:
Now pay attention:
This means that the one who follows his lusts is the most astray man on earth:
﴾ And who is more astray than one who follows his own lusts, without guidance from Allah? ﴿
He follows his lusts without guidance from Allah.
Rationally this means that the one who follows his lusts according to the guidance of Allah is on the safe side.
There is no deprivation in Islam, but rather there is moderation in Islam.
If someone longs to a woman, he can get married.
If someone longs to eat delicious food, he can work hard and work extra time and make lawful money with which he buys this food.
Thus in Islam there is no deprivation.
I have never had enough from repeating this analogy: Lust resembles fuel, so if this fuel is poured in the confined fuel tank of the car, and it runs into the tubes and was ignited at the right moment in the right place, we will get a useful movement of the car and it will take you and your family to a beautiful place, but if we pour this same fuel on the car and give it a light, it will burn the car and those inside it.
The lust resembles the fuel, given these lusts are installed in us so that we may sublime in the Sight of the Lord of the earth and heavens.
Moreover, these lusts are reasons for us to sublime twice, how is that? If you lower your gaze from looking at a woman that is unlawful to you, you will sublime due to your self-control, and if you look at your wife, who is lawful to you, you will sublime because you express your gratitude to Allah.
Islam is a rational religion and it is the religion that goes along with man's instinct.
Sins are a movement towards fulfilling the lusts away from Allah's Ppath, but if this movement accords with Allah's pPath, then man is on the safe side.
I don't want any young man to think that there is deprivation in Islam, or that Islam considers everything as impermissible, this is not true, for every desire installed in man but has a lawful path to be fulfilled through.
I want to end this session with the following: sins are of two kinds, the easiest of which is the sin that is between you and Allah, because these sins are subject of Allah's forgiveness, unlike the sins you commit against people, for you should give back their rights or be forgiven by them.
There is a huge delusion among Muslims, as they think that if one of them observes Hajj, he will come back from it as pure as the day his mother gave birth to him. Well this is right regarding the sins between you and Allah, but if you despoiled someone's home, company, trade, money or if you slept on someone's debt, observing Hajj million times will never grant you forgiveness.
(( Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (PBUH) said, "He who observes fasting during the month of Ramadan with Faith while seeking its reward from Allah, will have his past sins forgiven." ))
[ [Agreed upon on the authority of Abi Hurairah]. ]
Only your sins between you and Allah will be forgiven, but not the rights of people.
A dead person was brought to the Prophet (PBUH) so that he might lead the funeral prayer for him. He asked, "Is he in debt?" They said, "Yes." He (refused to lead the prayer and) said, "Lead the prayer of your friend." One of the companions said, "O Allah's Messenger (PBUH)! I undertake to pay his debt." Allah's Messenger (PBUH) then led his funeral prayer.
The next day the prophet asked this man if he paid the debts of the dead man, but the answer was no. The prophet PBUH asked the third day and the answer was no, then the prophet PBUH asked the fourth day and the man answered "Yes I did", at that moment the prophet PBUH said: "Now his skin is cooled".
Please dear brothers, don't assume that Hajj or Siyam will forgive everything, for only the sins between you and Allah are forgiven, but the sins you commit against people are not forgiven unless you pay them their rights back or you are forgiven by them.
Observing Siam in Ramadan for 30 days will not forgive your sins you commit against people, and if you think the opposite then you are in great delusion, given delusion brings comfort to man just like having a bad check of 100 thousand Dinar, as you might enjoy having it, but if you use it, you will be apprehended in jail.
So what do you prefer: the comforting delusion or knowing the bitter truth before it is too late?
Again, only the sins between you and Allah might be forgiven, but the sins you commit against people are not forgiven unless you pay them their rights back or you are forgiven by them.
