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Acts of worship
1- How would it be if you perform the acts of worship as you should?
Dear believing brothers, few days ago we bid farewell to the month of Ramadan; the month of repentance and forgiveness, charity and the Qur'an, closeness (to Allah) and mercy, brining near to Allah and piety. Siyaam (Fasting) has been ordained upon man to strengthen his will, so that he will be able to obey his Lord, to develop sincerity in his heart, to strengthen the bond with his Creator, and to establish the meanings of being a worshipping servant to Him.
If the acts of worship, including Siyaam, are performed in the manner Allah the Almighty expects, they will make the believer a unique person, to whom souls will be attracted, on whom eyes will be set, and by whose light hearts will be guided. Furthermore, if the acts of worship are performed in the manner Allah the Almighty expects, they will make the believer an enlightened man in the mind and heart together, will sharpen his eyesight and foresight together and will embrace his intellect with his emotions. As a result, you will be astonished at his good conduct and great knowledge and wonder at his courageous soul and bright mind. Also, if the acts of worship are performed the way Allah the Almighty expects, they will make the believer have a broad horizon, a sharp sight and a sound trial. Besides, they will make him immersed in happiness that the sensual pleasures of the earth will never be able to distract him from it. Moreover, they will make his manners noble in such a way that the glittering gold bars and the harsh circumstances will not affect them.
The true believer- as Allah the Almighty expects him to be- is as solid as a mountain, as hard as a rock, as bright as the sun, as overflowing as the volcano, as deep as the sea, as clear as the sky, as fresh as spring, as sweet as water, as shy as the virgin and as innocent as the little child.
2- Siyaam has been ordained to defeat lusts:
Siyaam has been ordained in order to make man defeat his ownself and to lead her to her everlasting happiness. Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "The angels have been created to have reason but no lusts, animals have been created to have lusts but no reason, but mankind have been created to have both. Thus, if man's reason elevated higher than his lusts, he would be in a higher position than angels, and if his lusts defeated his reason, he would be in a lower rank than animals."
3- Be religiously committed in all months of the year:
Success is not to defeat your ownself in Raman and be defeated by it all year long, but rather success lies in being victorious in all months of the year under all circumstances whenever and wherever.
Also, success is not reflected in controlling our tongue in Ramadan, refraining ourselves from backbiting, gossip, and saying falsehood, but doing these things after Ramadan, as we start over again lying and telling false things. Success is reflected in controlling our tongue and cleaning our heart as long as we are alive.
Success does not mean to lower our gaze from looking at things Allah has forbid, and to control our unlawful lusts in Ramadan, then to return to what we used to do when Ramadan is over. If we do so, we will be like "her who undoes the thread which she has spun after it has become strong" [An-Nahl, 92]. Hence, success is to perform Siyaam by abstaining our limbs from sinning in Ramadan, after Raman and until we meet with Al-Wahid Ad-Daiyyan (Allah, the One, the Judge). Furthermore, success is not to keep away from Haram (forbidden matters) fearing to have your Siyaam rejected, and then to do them after Ramadan as habitual activities and common manners in our life. Rather, success is to have piety as a constant principle and a non-stop manner.
Success is not to avoid meetings that do not please Allah for the sake of the month of Ramadan, and then return to them, as if Allah were not Ever Watchful in the other months and years. Also, success does not lie in being watchful of our duties and actions as long as we are fasting, and the minute we bid farewell to Ramadan, we favor our interests over performing our deeds and fulfilling our duties sincerely.
The one who fasts like this, is not aware of the true fasting, nor is he aware of the essence of Islam. Thus, he is like a camel whose owners tie it to a tree, and then set it free, but it does not know why they tie or release it. Like this camel, the ignorant one of the purpose of fasting does not know why he fasts nor does he know why he breaks his fasting.
Repentance
1- Repentance is not exclusively intended in Ramadan
Ramadan is the month of repentance and forgiveness, but this does not mean that repentance is limited to it. Well, the gates of repentance are wide open in all months of the year, and the proof is in the following Ayah:
(Say: "O 'Ibadi (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah, verily Allah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.)
2- Allah the Almighty urges people to repent:
Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He, urges those who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins) to repent, so what about addressing those who have fell short in their acts of worship? How could addressing them not be true since Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He, says in His Noble Book the following Ayah?
(O you who believe! Turn to Allah with sincere repentance! It may be that your Lord will remit from you your sins, and admit you into Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise) the Day that Allah will not disgrace the Prophet (Muhammad PBUH) and those who believe with him, their Light will run forward before them and with (their Records Books of deeds) in their right hands they will say: "Our Lord! Keep perfect our Light for us [and do not put it off till we cross over the Sirat (a slippery bridge over the Hell) safely] and grant us forgiveness. Verily, You are Able to do all things .")
Pay attention to the following Hadith Qudsi:
(O son of Adam! I shall go on forgiving you so long as you pray to Me and aspire for My forgiveness whatever may be your sins. O son of Adam! I do not care even if your sins should pile up to the sky and should you beg pardon of Me, I would forgive you. O son of Adam! If you come to Me with an earthful of sins and meet Me, not associating anything with Me in worship, I will certainly grant you as much pardon as will fill the earth.)
The only condition is not associating anything with Allah in worship.
3- Allah the Almighty is pleased with the servant's repentance:
This is true as indicated in the following Hadith:
(Allah's pleasure with a penitent person weighs over that of a thirsty man who arrives at water or a barren woman who begets a child or a loser who finds his lost one. Verily He will make the guardian angels, his limbs and all the points on the earth to forget the sins and faults of the one who repents and turns to Allah sincerely.)
This is the truth since Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He, says in Hadith Qudsi reported by Al-Baihaqi, on the authority of Abi Ad-Darda':
(My dear people are those who are with Me (i.e. whoever would like to be with Me, let him supplicate to Me and remember Me). Whoever thanks Me, I grant him more blessings; whoever obeys Me, I raise him and endear him more. Whoever disobeys Me, I keep the doors of My Mercy open for him; if he returns to Me, I bestow My Love upon him since I love those who repent and purify themselves for My Sake. If he does not repent, I will be his doctor.)
This is undoubtedly true since it is referred to in the following Hadith mentioned in the relic:
(If a sinner returns to Allah the Almighty in repentance, a caller says in the heavens and the earth, "O creatures congratulate so and so person; he has reconciled with Allah the almighty)
4- Repentance is knowledge, state and action:
Repentance is: knowledge, state, and action. It is knowledge as the sinner knows the harmful effects of sins, and he knows that sins cause a veil between the worshipping servant and Allah. Such knowledge generates a psychological distress, which is remorse for the sins that have been committed and for the good things the sinner has missed. This feeling of remorse begets determination and a goal that will turn into an action related to the present, the past and the future.
The repentant quits the sin he was used to commit at once, he intends from the bottom of his heart not to get back to commit it in the future, and he tries to fix the wrongdoings of his past. The Prophet, peace be upon him, summarizes these three phases in regret. He said in a Hadith narrated by Imam Ahmd, on the authority of Anas bin Malik:
(Regret is repentance.)
Repentance should be preceded by knowledge (recognizing the sin one has committed) and followed by a fruitful action (quitting the sin).
5- Minor sins become major by insistence and consistence:
Imam Al-Ghazali, may Allah have mercy upon his soul, indicated the reasons that make minor sins major ones. According to him, some of the reasons are insistence on committing them, and the continuity of committing them. It is said, "Minor sins become major ones by insisting on committing them, while major sins become minor by seeking Allah's Forgiveness after committing them."
Also, one of these reasons is considering a sin something trivial. Actually, when the servant feels how critical the sins he have committed are, they will be minor in Allah's (in the sense that he avoids committing them due to his fear of Allah). On the other hand, when the servant considers sins as silly matters, they become crucial in Allah's Sight. The Prophet, peace be upon him, in a Hadith reported by al-Bukhari, said:
(A believer sees his sins as if he were sitting under a mountain which, he is afraid, may fall on him; whereas the wicked person considers his sins as flies passing over his nose and he just drives them away like this.")
One of these reasons is to commit sins publically, ignoring Allah's cover to his sins, patience on him, and chance for him to quit it. It is said, "Do not consider how minor the sin you have committed is, but consider Whom you have defied while committing it."
6- The good deed is the backbone of life:
Although Ramadan is the month of good deed and closeness (to Allah the Almighty), this does not mean that the opportunities to do good deeds are restricted to it. On the contrary, the gates of performing good deeds are open in all months and the paths to get closer to Allah are paved all the time.
Good deed is the nourishment of the soul, just as food and drink are the nourishment of the body. Besides, poverty in its reality is the scarcity of good deed, and richness in its essence is the abundance of good deeds. Concerning this point, Imam Ali, may Allah ennoble his face, said, "Man's richness and poverty are decided after meeting with Allah the Almighty."
If it is true to consider sins and violations serious obstacles on the way to approach Allah, and that sincere repentance is what removes these obstacles, so that the path to Allah becomes passable and safe, then it is also true to consider good deeds the movement, and progress on this path. Allah the Almighty says:
(So whoever hopes for the Meeting with his Lord, let him work righteousness and associate none as a partner in the worship of his Lord.")
7- The good deed is the backbone of life:
Verily, the good deed is the practical manifestation of one's faith. Better yet, it is the proof of its existence and validity. For this reason, good deed is attached to faith in more than 100
Ayat in Allah's Book. Allah the Almighty says:
("Verily! Those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah Islamic Monotheism) and do righteous deeds, shall have the Gardens of Al-Firdaus (the Paradise) for their entertainment.)
8- The believer's position in Allah's Sight is determined by his good deed:
The believer's position in Allah's Sight is determined by his good deed. Allah the Almighty says:
(For all there will be degrees (or ranks) according to what they did. And your Lord is not unaware of what they do.)
If you want to know your position in Allah's Sight, then consider the deeds you are entitled to do. Well, elevating your position in Allah's Sight is done by good deeds. Allah the Almighty says:
(And the righteous deeds exalt it (the goodly words i.e. the goodly words are not accepted by Allah unless and until they are followed by good deeds)
9- Good deeds require sincerity and continuity:
The good deed is not considered righteous unless it is performed for Allah's Sake. Allah the Truth, Glorified and Exalted be He, never accepts a good deed unless it is performed for the Sake of His Noble Countenance. It was reported in Sahih Muslim that Allah's Messenger, peace be upon him, said:
(Almighty Allah says, "I am the One Who is most free from want of partners. He who does a thing for the sake of someone else beside Me, I discard him and his polytheism.")
A Dirham spent sincerely is better than 100.000 Dirhams spent hypocritically. Allah the Almighty describes the sincerity of the believers in the following Ayah. He says:
(Saying): "We feed you seeking Allah's Countenance only. We wish for no reward, nor thanks from you.)
The deed is not viewed good and righteous unless it is clean from things that corrupt it. In other words, man should not perform a good deed at some time and then perform a bad one at another. Ad-Daylami narrated in Musnad al-Firdaws that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
(Two Rak'as (of prayer) by a pious person are far better than a thousand Rak'as by a person mingling good deed with bad one.)
It was also said, "He whose piety does not deter him from disobeying Allah in private, Allah does not consider any of his good deeds."
10- The good deed is the fruit of the act of worship:
The good deed can be more important than the act of worship, because it is its fruit in the first place. Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
(Helping the fellow brother in fulfilling his needs and taking care of them is more rewarding than fasting for a month and staying in I'tikāf (secluded devotion to Allah) in my Masjid.)
In another Hadith, the Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
(All people are the dependants on Allah the Almighty, and the most beloved people to Allah are those who are most beneficial to others)
Pay attention to the following incident:
(Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, was in a state of I'tikāf in the Masjid of the Noble Prophet, but he left it to help his fellow believing brother to meet his need of a brother, so he was told, "Did you forget that you are in a state of I'tikāf? He said, "No, I did not, but I heard the one who lies in this tomb, and the meeting with him is coming soon, [at that moment he cried] saying, 'Helping a fellow Muslim brother in meeting his need is better than ten years of I'tikāf.'")
(It was narrated that Zayd al-Khair, may Allah be pleased with him, once asked Allah's Messenger, peace be upon him, "What is the sign of choosing some people by Allah (to do good deeds and get closer to Him) and excluding others?" The Prophet, peace be upon him, replied, "How about you, Zayd?" He answered, "I start to like good deeds and their performers, and I hasten to perform good deeds whenever I can, and if I miss any, I will be sad about that and I will yearn to perform a good deed." The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, "Then, this is how you know that Allah has chosen some people for the good deeds.")
Keep in mind that people's rejection to you and denial to your favor upon them, should never stop you from performing good deeds. Narrated Malik on the authority of Umar bin Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
(Do favor to those who deserve it as well as to those who do not. If your favor meets those who deserve it, they are worthy of it, but if your favor meets those who do not deserve it, it is you who are worthy of it)
11- Jihad is one of the best good deeds:
Dear believing brothers, in both the Arab and Muslim Worlds, when the land of a people is occupied, its wealth is looted, its sacred things are violated, its dignity is insulted, its will is defeated, its beliefs are corrupted, its values are void and its history is fabricated, and when its people are forced to be corrupted and to corrupt others after suffering from ignorance, starvation and torture by their enemy; the enemies of Allah, of truth, of goodness, and life, the greatest good deed in Allah's Sight is to fight against this occupying enemy and defeat it, so that Allah's Word becomes the uppermost.
Imam Ali, may Allah ennoble his face, said, "Now then surely Jihad is one of the doors of Paradise which Allah has opened for His Awliya'. It is the dress of piety and the fortified armor of Allah and His trustworthy shield. Whoever abandons it willingly, Allah covers him with the dress of disgrace and the clothes of distress. He is kicked with contempt and scorn, and his heart is veiled with screens (of neglect)."
Dear believing brothers, the uprising of our people in the occupied lands is actually, an affirmation of the meanings of Jihad and martyrdom, and an embodiment of the principles of sacrifice and redemption, and an establishment of the virtues of giving and bestowing. Allah the Almighty says:
(Think not of those who are killed in the Way of Allah as dead. Nay, they are alive, with their Lord, and they have provision.)
O Allah our Lord, teach us what is useful for us, let us make use of what You have taught us and advance us in knowledge.
The 2nd Khutbah:
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of Creations, and peace and blessings be upon our Master Muhammad, the faithful and the honest.
Repentance and good deed are the basic factors of mental health:
Discussing repentance and good deeds after Ramadan is over leads us to the following facts: man has been created to have an elevated Fitrah; it is elevated since Allah the Almighty has installed it in him. Thus, when man deviates from the principles of his Fitrah and exceeds the limits of humanity by sinning and transgression, he will be mentally disturbed and will suffer devastating melancholy. Psychologists call this health condition stress, which is the major cause of many physical diseases that affect body organs causing, for example, disturbing and increasing heartbeat, convulsive arterial narrowing, high blood pressure of nervous origin, which is known as high blood pressure, gastrointestinal ulcers, allergic diseases, nerve diseases of and paralysis of the psychological cause.
When man reconciles with Allah, he repents from his sins, acts upon Allah's Order, and performs good deeds to get closer to Allah. Shortly, he will no more have a disturbing nightmare, he will get rid of a heavy load that is as huge as a mountain, he will have layers of darkness vanished, and he will feel that depression and distress have disappeared for good. Only then, he will feel his heart is filled will tranquility and happiness that if they are distributed to the people of a whole country, they will all be happy. Furthermore, the physical condition of man will become better being affected positively by the mental health he will get, so the symptoms of most physical diseases that are basically caused by his mental disturbance will no more exist.
In brief, repentance and good deed are solid ground of mental health, which in its turn is the basic element for the physical health. Concerning this point, Imam Ahmad reported a Hadith in his Musnad that Allah's Messenger, peace be upon him, said:
(Adhere to righteousness even though you will not be able to do all acts of virtue. Know that among the best of your deeds is prayer and that no one maintains his ablution except a believer.)
Imam Munawi interpreted this Hadith indicating that "when you become steadfast, you will not be able to count the bounties you will be rewarded with due to steadfastness."
Du'a (Supplication):
O Allah, we beseech You to show us the way of righteousness together with those to whom You showed it; and to give us good health together with those whom You have healed; and to be our Protector, as You are of those whom You protect; and to bless what You have bestowed on us; and to save us from the affliction that You have decreed –for You rule with justice and You are never judged; and he whom You protect shall never be humiliated, and he whom You make Your enemy shall never be elevated, blessed and dignified are You. We thank You for what You have decreed, we ask You for Forgiveness for our sins, and we repent to You.
O Allah, please lead us to the good deeds, for no one leads to them but You; please lead us to the good conduct, for no one leads to it but You; please make us do well in the Deen, which is our dignity, make us do well in our worldly life, in which we dwell and grant us safety on the Day of Judgment for it is our Final Destination. O Allah, please supply our life with all good things and make our death a rest from every evil.
O our Master, the Lord of all Worlds, please make us desire what You have made lawful and reject what You have made unlawful, make us by Your benevolence independent of all others and make our obedience to You turn us away from our disobedience. O Allah, let us not be oblivious to Your planning; do not deprive us of Your shield and do not make us forget Your remembrance.
O Allah, by Your Mercy and Benevolence, raise high the word of truth and this Deen, grant triumph to Islam, dignify Muslims, humiliate polytheism and polytheists and grant triumph to Your believing servants all around the world, O Lord of the Worlds
O Allah, lead the rulers of Muslims to what pleases You, O Lord of the Worlds, as You are the only One Who is capable over His decreed, and Who responds to our supplication.
