Friday Sermon

Friday Sermon] World Orphans Day: Stop Devouring, Stealing Or Mismanaging The Property Of Orphans!

Published

1 week ago

November 18, 2022

Nigerian Tracker

Imam Murtada Gusau

By Imam Murtadha Gusau

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all creation—may He extol the Messenger in the highest company of Angels and send His peace and blessings upon him—likewise upon his family, Companions, and true followers.

Dear brothers and sisters! My words in this blessed hour are about an important issue entitled, WORLD ORPHANS DAY: STOP DEVOURING, STEALING OR MISMANAGING THE PROPERTY OF ORPHANS.

Respected brothers and sisters! As Nigeria joined rest of the world to commemorate World Orphans Day 2022, on Monday, November 14, 2022, our center, Nagazi Islamic Center, lamented the neglect of orphans across the country by government at all levels and Nigerian citizens.

The issues affecting orphans are unbearable as they seem to have bleak future as they are not included in the scheme of things.

As you know, these category of vulnerable children in society have been our top priority in our planning and activities as Muslims.

Dear servants of Allah! Tragically, millions of children all over the globe have become orphaned for many reasons: war, famine, displacement, disease, poverty, hunger, religious and ethnic crisis, terrorism or armed banditry. To make sure that they are not forgotten, once a year there is a special day dedicated just to them: World Orphans Day, which falls on the second Monday of each November.

This special day has been put in place in order to draw attention to the plight of the world’s orphans, and so on this day, people are encouraged to actively participate in helping raise awareness, support, and funding for motherless and fatherless children worldwide. A noble cause if there ever was one!

My beloved people! Anything you can do to help could make a world of a difference to an impoverished orphan, so please take some time to figure out what you can do and get to it! You could, for example, organise an event to raise money. There is also the possibility to sponsor an individual child in an orphanage of your choice in a particularly poor part of the world or to invest in education programmes that aim to give orphans a new start in life. There are many ways to help orphans and this annual day aims to bring those ideas to as wide an audience as possible.

Great servants of Allah! Imams Bukhari and Muslim reported in their Sahih on the authority of Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

“Avoid the seven major destructive sins. The Companions said: O Allah’s Messenger! What are they? He said: To join others in worship along with Allah, to practice sorcery, to kill the life which Allah has forbidden except for a just cause (according to Islamic law), to eat up Ribah (usury), to eat up an orphan’s wealth, to give back to the enemy and fleeing from the battlefield at the time of fighting, and calumniate the chaste, innocent, believing women.”

Let us recognise the concept of orphans, their good treatment, the virtue of taking care of them, and the prohibition of wasting their money and savings.

Now let me ask, who is the orphan?

The orphan in Shari’ah is the one whose father died while he did not reach the puberty age, however he is not called an orphan after reaching the puberty age. Hanzalah Al-Maliki (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said:

“There is no orphanhood after puberty for males, and a girl is not considered an orphan after menstruation.”

So, the word “orphan” reported in the Qur’an and the Sunnah means the one whose father died without reaching the puberty age either a male or female [i.e. The puberty age is almost 14 years old].

Of the things that cure the wounds of orphans in the Muslim society is that our Lord willed that our Prophet (Peace be upon him) be an orphan, however he was reared perfectly by his Lord whom Allah addressed in the occasion of reminding him of Allah’s Favour saying:

“Did He (Allah) not find you (O Prophet Muhammad Peace be upon him) an orphan and gave you a refuge?”

Also some Companions were orphans, such as: Abu Hurairah and Az-Zubair Ibn Al’Awwam etc.

Again some famous great scholars of Islam were orphans, such as: Imam Bukhari, Imam Al Shafi`i, Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, Imam Ibn Al Jawzi, Imam Al Awza`i, As-Suyuti, Ibn Hajar and Ath-Thawri. It is enough merit for them that they were reasonable people, leaders in guidance, celebrities in piety, lights in darkness, and like suns among people.

The child who has lost his father or his parents is subject to eating his money, negligence, and aggression, therefore the Islamic Shari’ah assigned great rights to orphans and commanded people to take care of them, neglecting them is one of the major sins (Alkaba’ir), and giving up this right shall lead to the spread of crimes in society. Allah Almighty says:

“Did He not find you (O Muhammad Peace be upon him) an orphan and gave you a refuge? And He found you unaware (of the Qur’an, its legal laws, and Prophethood, etc.) and guided you? And He found you poor, and made you rich (self-sufficient with self-contentment, etc.)?” [Surah Ad-Duha: 6 – 8]

Dear brothers and sisters! Benefits gained from these Qur’anic verses show that an orphan needs three matters rapidly in his life without delay: An abode to shelter him, good rearing, and money which is spent for him. So, the verses stress three things: Housing, expenditure, and rearing. The Qur’anic verses addresses the nation saying: O nation, secure housing to every orphan to live in, money to spend from, and good rearing and education so as not to go astray and be wretched. The Qur’anic verses came to look after orphans from the psychological and the social aspect to grow up straight; so the verses commanded people to honour and show kindness to them and prohibited suppressing, scolding, and humiliating them. Allah the Most High says:

“Therefore, treat not the orphan with oppression” and the word “oppression” is full of psychological and physical pressure, humiliation, and lack of dignity as reported by Ibn Munzir in Lisanul-Arab.

Allah Almighty dispraised those who humiliate, rebuke, and push orphans so that they would not gain their due rights:

“Have you seen him who denies the Recompense? That is he who repulses the orphan (harshly), And urges not on the feeding of Al-Miskin (the needy).”

The meaning of “repulses the orphan” is pushing him harshly to prevent him from gaining his rights. The word “repulses” is amazing because it includes all the meanings of dismissal, negligence, harshness, violence and all features of injustice which orphans face in society.

The verses of the Glorious Qur’an gave great care to the financial rights of orphans so as not to be reliable to loss and usurping their money, and assigned for them many resources to take money therefrom such as: Charity and Zakah (poor-due). Allah Almighty says:

“And gives wealth, in spite of love for it, to the kinsfolk, to the orphans, and to Al-Masakin (the needy).”

Allah the Most High says about inheritance:

“And when the relatives and the orphans and Al-Masakin (the poor) are present at the time of division, give them out of the property, and speak to them words of kindness and justice.” [Surah An-Nisa’: 8]

Allah Almighty says about the spoils of war/war booty/Ghanimah:

“And know that whatever of war-booty that you may gain, verily one-fifth (1/5th) of it is assigned to Allah, and to the Messenger, and to the near relatives [of the Messenger (Muhammad)], (and also) the orphans.” [Surah Al-Anfal: 41]

Respected servants of Allah! In order to take care of orphans, there are three cases:

1. A rich orphan whose father died and left him some money. In this case, his mother, his uncle, his grandfather, or anyone of his relatives undertake him to preserve his money and invest it. In this case, an orphan needs a good rearing because he has secured housing and money.

2. A poor orphan whose father died without leaving something to him, and that needs money and rearing.

3. A poor orphan whose parents died without leaving money, in this case one of his relatives or one of the benevolent should take care of him because he needs housing, money, and rearing.

It is not valid either from the Shari’ah side or by nature to deprive those orphans twice, once from the kindness of their mother and father and from the compassion of the society. Allah Almighty says:

“But he has made no effort to pass on the path that is steep. And what will make you know the path that is steep? (It is) Freeing a neck (slave, etc.) Or giving food in a day of hunger (famine), to an orphan near of kin.” [Surah Al-Balad: 11-15]

Imam Ibn Kathir said in his Qur’anic exegesis (Tafsir):

“But he has made no effort to pass on the path that is steep” means: Should not he follow the way that leads to salvation and goodness?

The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

“Whoever wipes the head of an orphan for the sake of Allah, he shall have deeds as much as hair he passed his hand over.”

Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that a man complained to Messenger of Allah the hardheartedness of his heart, so the Prophet said to him: If you want to soften your heart, feed the needy and wipe over the heads of orphans.

The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

“If anyone invites an orphan to his food and drink then Allah will admit him to paradise there being not even a semblance of doubt about it unless he commits a sin that is unforgivable.”

The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said:

“I and the one who looks after an orphan will be like this in Paradise,” showing his middle and index fingers and separating them. He separated between his fingers to show the differencebetween the one who does so and Prophets. The meaning of the one who looks after orphans is the one who sponsors them by housing, money, and rearing whether a grandfather, a grandmother, a mother, a parental uncle or aunt, or a maternal uncle or aunt, and a relative or non-relative. Looking after orphans includes trusted charitable societies where people pay money to spend on orphans until they grow up. Imam An-Nawawy said:

“This is a virtue that is given to a person who looks after orphans by spending from his own money or the money of orphans.”

The meaning is: The man who marries a woman who has young children and looks after them whether from his own money or from their money shall be a companion of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) in Paradise.

The one who looks after orphans must maintain their money and do not spend it except in things that benefit orphans because of Allah’s Saying:

“And come not near to the orphan’s property, except to improve it, until he (or she) attains the age of full strength.” [Surah Al-An’am: 152]

So, a guardian should endeavour to develop the money of orphans by commerce. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

“Deal with the orphan’s money so as not to be eaten up by Zakah.”

Zakah is destructive to saved money, so if a person does not use money in commerce, Zakah will reduce it.

One of the major sins (Alkaba’ir) is to waste orphan’s money whether by not preserving them, not to seek it, or eating it falsely. Allah Almighty says:

“Verily, those who unjustly eat up the property of orphans, they eat up only fire into their bellies, and they will be burnt in the blazing Fire!” [Surah An-Nisa’: 10]

When the big brother eats up the right of his younger brothers who have become orphans after the death of their father and deprived their sisters, they shall drink from a boiling water on the Day of Recompense. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

“O Allah, I declare inviolable the rights of two weak ones: The orphans and women.”

And the meaning of the Hadith is: Warning against the oppression of those two: Women and orphans because their weakness may tempt aggressors to oppress them and seize their rights. Therefore, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) invoked Allah to cast narrowness and sin in the heart of people who harm orphans.

In order to give orphans their money, there are two basic conditions which are: Reaching the puberty age and mental soundness. One of these two cannot replace the other, so both are required as was understood from Allah’s Saying:

“And try the orphans (as regards their intelligence) until they reach the age of marriage; if then you find sound judgment in them, release their property to them, but consume it not wastefully and hastily, fearing that they should grow up, and whoever (amongst guardians) is rich, he should take no wages, but if he is poor, let him have for himself what is just and reasonable (according to his labour). And when you release their property to them, take witness in their presence; and Allah is All-Sufficient in taking account.” [Surah An-Nisa’: 6]

Now let me ask my brothers and sisters another very important question. What is the reality of orphans in the world?

According to the most recent UNICEF estimates for the number of orphans (age 0–17 years) globally (referring to loss of one or both parents to all causes) is 210 million, with an estimated 17.7 million orphans attributed to AIDS. In SSA alone there are close to 60 million orphans, a number that represents more than 20 percent of all children in this region. An estimated 15.2 million children in SSA are orphaned due to AIDS (UNICEF 2013); this represents 86 percent of the global burden of orphans due to AIDS.

In Nigeria, the number of orphans has increased due to insecurity issues such as violence and clashes in many parts of the country. In 2015, the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development estimated that there were about 17.5 million orphans and vulnerable children in a nation of about 200 million people. That is close to nine per cent of the population. Sadly, this number has increased over the years due to violence, conflicts, communal clashes and insecurity in different parts of the country.

And according to the former Governor of Borno State, Alhaji Kashim Shettimah, there are 50,000 children orphaned by Boko Haram in his state. And the former Governor has disclosed that the majority of them who are taking refuge at the various internally Displaced persons (IDPs) camps in Maiduguri and environs are Girl child.

Shettimah made the disclosure at the time he was a Governor of Borno State, while officially launching the flag-off of the Nine European Union (EU) – funded projects aimed at building the resilience in conflict affected communities in Borno state.

Also Gaza war caused 1350 children to lose their parents, whereas the war in Iraq left five million orphans. What about Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria, Somalia, Burma, Northern Nigeria etc?

There are more than 210 million orphans worldwide, and due to the lack of care with this segment, 10% of the orphans who leave shelters commit suicide, more than 60% of girls head to prostitution, and 70% of male children head to the world of crime.

Respected servants of Allah! Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

“The person who strives on behalf of the widows and poor is like those who strive in the way of Allah and like those who fast in the day and pray at night.”

Aisha said:

“A woman came to me who had two of her daughters with her. She asked me for something, but I could not find anything except for a single date which I gave her. She divided it between her daughters and then got up and left. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) came in and I told him what had happened. He said, ‘Whoever looks after these girls in any way and is good to them will have them as a veil (shield) from the Fire.'”

Umm Sa’id Bint Murrah al-Fihri related from her father that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

“I and the guardian of an orphan will be in the Garden like these two (His two fingers).”

Al-Hasan reported that an orphan used to eat with Ibn Umar. One day he called for food and looked for this orphan but could not find him. He arrived after Ibn Umar had finished. Ibn Umar called for more food to be brought to him but they did not have any. So he was brought sawiq and honey. He said, “Here, have this! By Allah, you have not been cheated!” Al-Hasan said, “By Allah, Ibn Umar was not cheated!”

Sahl Ibn Sa’ad reported that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

“I and the guardian of the orphan will be in the Garden (Paradise) like that,” indicating his forefinger and middle finger.”

Abu Bakr Ibn Hafs reported that Abdullah would not eat unless an orphan was at his table. Because the best house is a house in which orphans are well treated. Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said:

“The best house among the Muslims is the house in which orphans are well treated. The worst house among the Muslims is the house in which orphans are ill-treated. I and the guardian of the orphan will be in the Garden like that,” indicating his two fingers.”

Dawud said:

“Be like a merciful father towards the orphan. Know that you will reap as you sow. How ugly poverty is after wealth! More than that: how ugly is misguidance after guidance! When you make a promise to your friend, fulfil your promise. If you do not, it will bring about enmity between you and him. Seek refuge in Allah from a companion who, when you mention something to him, does not help you and who does not remind you when you forget.”

Asma’u Bint Ubaid said:

“I said to Ibn Sirin, ‘I have an orphan in my care.’ He said, ‘Treat him as you would treat your own child. Beat him as you would beat your own child.'”

Awf Ibn Malik reported that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

“I and a woman who is widowed and is patient with her child will be like these two fingers in the Garden (Paradise).”

Shumaisah al-Atakiyyah said:

“The disciplining of orphans was mentioned in the presence of Aisha and she said, ‘I would beat an orphan until he submits.'”

Dear brothers and sisters! I end my today’s sermon by saying: all praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all creation; may Allah extol the mention of our noble Prophet Muhammad in the highest company of Angels, bless him and give him peace and security―and his family, his Companions and all those who follow him correctly and sincerely until the establishment of the Hour.

Wishing you and all your loved ones a Joyous Jumu’ah Mubarak.

Murtadha Muhammad Gusau is the Chief Imam of Nagazi-Uvete Jumu’ah and the late Alhaji Abdur-Rahman Okene’s Mosques, Okene, Kogi State, Nigeria. He can be reached through: gusauimam@gmail.com or +2348038289761.

This Jumu’ah Khutbah (Friday sermon) was prepared for delivery today Friday, Rabi’ul Thani 23, 1444 AH (November 18, 2022).

Friday Sermon

Friday Sermon] Real And True Love Is Loving Someone For Allah’s Sake!

Published

2 weeks ago

November 11, 2022

Nigerian Tracker

Imam Murtada Gusau

By Imam Murtadha Gusau

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate

Dear brothers and sisters! By saying I love you. What does that mean? I love you because you are my family, I love you because you are beautiful, I love you because you have money, I love you because you help me out, I love you because you are my tribe or we belong to the same language, I love you because we are from the same region, I love you because we belong to the same political party or I love you because we belong to the same organisation or sect?

I ask, today, please, how many people actually love simply for the sake of Allah?

Respected servants of Allah! Know that, love for the sake of Allah brings rewards your mind can’t even grasp, but unfortunately wallahi it has become a lost trait among many Muslims today. So let’s find out what it means to love someone for the sake of Allah and get motivated by a selection of amazing Prophetic Hadiths to start loving others in this blessed way In Shaa Allah!

Allah The Almighty says about the brotherly love of the people of the Ansar:

“. . . And those who, before them, had homes (in Madinah) and had adopted the Faith, – love those who emigrate to them (from Makkah) . . .” [Qur’an, 59:9]

What does “loving for the sake of Allah” really mean?

Loving someone for the sake of Allah comes in two ways: in your heart and with your deeds. You love someone for the sake of Allah in your heart because of their position with Allah, and this starts with loving the Prophets and Messengers and everyone who follows them. You should have this love in your heart for other Muslims. Outwardly means that you support that person in the good deeds they do, and you respect and defend them according to their good deeds.

This means you don’t love them because you know them very well, or because they brought you a direct benefit or because they have a nice appearance: you love and support themq because of their efforts to please Allah!

• Huge rewards to gain

1. Taste the sweetness of Iman (faith)

To start with an invaluable reward in this world, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

“There are three qualities whoever has them, will taste the sweetness of Iman (faith): to love Allah and His Messenger more than anyone else; to love a servant (of Allah) only for (the sake of) Allah; and to abhor returning to infidelity after Allah has saved him from it as he would abhor to be thrown into the fire (of Hell).” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

We have to realise that of everything you can have in this world, a taste of the sweetness of Iman (faith) is the most precious.

2. Enjoy the shade of Allah

Moving to the Day of Judgement, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said that Allah will ask on this day:

“Where are those who loved each other for the sake of Myq glory? Today, on a day when there is no shade but Mine, I shall shade them with My shade.” [Muslim]

You will only understand your intense need of this shade, when you are there and by just loving someone for the sake of Allah you can work for it now!

3. The Prophets and martyrs will envy you

The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said, Allah, the Exalted, has said:

“For those who love one another for the sake of My Glory, there will be seats of light (on the Day of Resurrection), and they will be envied by the Prophets and martyrs.” [At-Tirmidhi]

Imagine yourself sitting on seats of light and the best of the best envying you because you made it a priority to love others for the sake of Allah!

4. You will have a high rank with Him

The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

“A man set out to visit a brother (in faith) in another town and Allah sent an angel on his way. When the man met the angel, the latter asked him: Where do you intend to go? He said: I intend to visit my brother in this town. The angel said: Have you done any favour to him? He said: No, I have no desire except to visit him because I love him for the sake of Allah, the Exalted, and Glorious. Thereupon the angel said: I am a messenger to you from Allah (to inform you) that Allah loves you as you love him (for His sake).” [Muslim]

Dear brothers and sisters! Isn’t this breath taking? By loving someone for the sake of Allah, you gain the love of (Allah) the Highest and which love is better than His?

• How to love someone for the sake of Allah

1. Be patient with others and strive for a clean heart: In your relationship with other believers don’t try to seek the negative side of each word or gesture, be fast in accepting apologies and don’t be selfish. A common issue is the more ‘religious’ some people get, their hatred for others increases. Try to seek the good side in others and always try to find a good explanation or interpretation of certain behaviour or the speech of the other.

2. Be a person on whom others can rely in times of need: The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

“The believers, in their mutual friendship, mercy and affection, are like one body: if any part of it complains, the rest of the body will also stay awake in pain.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

You might know this Hadith, but try to truly reflect on it. Do you truly feel the pain of other believers, does it affect you? As this is a sign of your actual love for another!

There was an example of a man who loaned his friend money and walked back home crying. When his wife asked him why he was crying and if it was because he needed the money himself he said:

“No I am crying at my brother in faith’s state of affairs. How could I not have known what he was going through? If I had, I would have offered my help before he was compelled to ask for it.”

He was crying because he had seen his friend sighing, and even though he had seen something was wrong, he had never bothered to ask. This brother was crying because he hadn’t been there to prevent his brother in Islam from going through the pain of having to ask for a loan.

3. Tell others you love them for Allah’s sake

The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

“If any of you loves his brother then he should inform him.” [At-Tirmidhi]

Respected brothers and sisters! Wallahi, as I know, no any religion urges its followers to adopt mutual love, affection and intimacy like the religion of Islam. This should be the case at all times, not just on specific days. Islam encourages showing affection and love towards each other all the time. In a Hadith, the Prophet (Peace be upon him), said:

“When a man loves his brother, he should tell him that he loves him.” [Abu Dawud and At-Tirmithi]

In another Hadith, he (Peace be upon him) said:

“By Him in Whose Hand my soul is, you will not enter Paradise unless you believe, and you will not believe unless you love each other. Should I direct you to something that if you constantly did it, you would love each other? Spread the greetings of peace among you.” [Muslim]

Moreover, the Muslim’s affection includes inanimate beings. Talking about the Mountain of Uhud, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

“This is Uhud, a mountain which loves us and we love it.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Love in Islam is all-encompassing, comprehensive and sublime, rather than being restricted to one form only, which is love between a man and a woman. Rather, there are more comprehensive, wider and sublime meanings. There is love for Allah The Almighty, the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him), the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, and the love of good and righteous people. There is love of the religion of Islam, upholding it and making it victorious and the love of martyrdom for the sake of Allah The Almighty as well as other forms of love. Consequently, it is wrong and dangerous to restrict the broad meaning of love to this type of love only.

• A successful marital and family life is based on love and compassion

Perhaps some people are influenced by what is relentlessly propagated by the conventional and social media, movies and TV serials, day and night, thinking that a marriage will not be successful unless it is based on a pre-marital relationship between the young couple to achieve perfect harmony between them and secure a successful marital life.

Not only this, many people are also influenced by the call to intermixing between the two sexes, lewdness as well as many other moral deviations. This leads to great corruption and grave crimes as well as the violation of sanctities and honour. I will not refute this allegation from this point of view, but through real studies and figures.

In a study carried out by Cairo University (a university of neutral orientation; which is not an Islamic authority to be subject to doubt of being biased) about what it called “love marriage” and “traditional marriage”, the following was concluded:

“According to the study, 88 percent of marriages which take place after a love affair end with failure, i.e., with a success rate of not more than 12 percent. As for what it called “the traditional marriage”, according to the study, 70 percent are successful. In other words, the number of successful marriages in the so-called traditional marriage is six times more than love marriages.” [See Risalah Ila Mu’minah]

This study is confirmed by another similar one carried out by Syracuse University in the U.S. The study indicates beyond doubt that love or passion is not a guarantee for a successful marriage; rather, it often leads to failure. The alarming rates of divorce assert these facts.

Commenting on this phenomenon, Professor Saul Gordon, a lecturer at the aforementioned University said:

“When you are in love; to you the whole world revolves around this person whom you love. Marriage then comes to prove the opposite and destroy all your perceptions. This is because you discover that there are other worlds that you have to be aware of. It is not the world of humans, but the world of concepts, values and habits which you paid no attention to before.” [Ibid]

Frederick Koenig, a professor of social psychology at Tulane University, says:

“Romantic love is very strong and emotional, but does not last, while real love is linked to the land and life and can withstand trials.”

He adds:

“It is impossible that one adapts the powerful emotions in romantic love. This love seems like a cake, a person enjoys eating it [while it lasts], then it is followed by the period of downfall. While real love means sharing the concerns of daily life and cooperation for it to continue. Within the framework of this cooperation, one can achieve his human need.” [See Al-Qabas Newspaper: Quoted from Risalah Ila Hawwa’]

The love which the writer talks about and calls “real life” was expressed in the Qur’an as affection. Allah The Exalted Says:

“And of His Signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquility in them; and He placed between you affection and mercy.” [Qur’an, 30: 21]

The relationship between spouses is based on affection and mercy, not on ardent love, desire and passion. It is a relationship which is based on quiet love (affection) and mutual mercy, not illusions of love which fail to withstand reality or romantic fantasies which fail to create a successful marriage.

How knowledgeable was Umar Ibn Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, when he addressed women and said:

“If one of you does not love her husband, she should not tell him about this, because only a few homes are based on love; rather, people live together by virtue of good morals and Islam.”

Nevertheless, this does not mean that we call to neglect emotions between spouses or bury feelings and sentiments between them.

The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him), gave us the best example of loving his wives. It was narrated in the pure Sunnah that the Prophet (Peace be upon him), was careful to put his mouth on the same place from which his wife Aisha may Allah be pleased with her drank. During his final illness, he used her Siwak (tooth stick) and died while he was reclined against her chest, between her neck and bosom. What kind of love is nobler and more sublime than this?

Respected servants of Allah! Allah describes the true believers in Islam with the following description:

“While the people of Iman (faith) are stronger in their love for Allah [than anyone else].” [Surah al-Baqarah: 165]

Love and hatred are opposites. Since it is logically impossible to truly love something without hating what stands against it, Muslims both love and hate for the sake of Allah.

The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) guided us to this balance and moderation in our emotions when he said:

“Verily the strongest handhold of faith is that you love for the sake of Allah and that you hate for the sake of Allah.” [Ahmad]

Our great scholar, Shaikh Abdul-Aziz Ibn Baz (d.1420, may Allah have Mercy on him) was asked about love and hatred for the sake of Allah, and he replied:

“Loving for Allah is when you love (someone) for Allah’s sake, the Blessed and Exalted, because you believe him to be a person of taqwa (mindfulness of Allah’s orders) and Iman (upright beliefs, statements, and actions). Because of these things you love such a person for the sake of Allah. You also hate for the sake of Allah when you see a disobedient disbeliever. You hate such a person for the sake of Allah. You also hate a disobedient person, even if he is a Muslim, based on the degree of his disobedience. This is how a believer is – He allows his heart to react to both types of people, loving some of them for the sake of Allah. He loves the people of Iman and taqwa for the sake of Allah, while he hates the people of disbelief, evil, wicked and disobedience for Allah’s sake, allowing his heart to interact with both kinds. In the case when there is good and bad in a person, like a disobedient Muslim, then he loves him for his Islam and hates him for his disobedience, combining both emotions of love and hatred for one person. As for the people of Iman (faith) and the people of upright Islamic practice, then he (a true believer) loves them wholeheartedly. Similarly, he hates the people of disbelief wholeheartedly. But regarding someone who has both things (good and bad traits), a disobedient Muslim, he loves him based on the level of his Iman (faith) and Islam, while he hates him according to the level of his wickedness, disobedience and violations (of Islamic beliefs and practices).”

Wishing you and all your loved ones a Joyous Jumu’ah Mubarak.

This Jumu’ah Khutbah (Friday sermon) was prepared for delivery today Friday, Rabi’ul Thani 16, 1444 AH (November 11, 2022).

Friday Sermon

Friday Sermon] Islam Is Simple, Don’t Make It Difficult For People!

Published

3 weeks ago

November 4, 2022

Nigerian Tracker

Imam Murtadha Gusau

By Imam Murtadha Gusau

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

All praise is for Allah, we praise Him, we seek His help, we ask for His forgiveness, and we seek refuge with Allah from the evils of our own souls and the wickedness of our actions, whoever Allah guides, there is none that can lead him astray, and whoever Allah allows to go astray, there is none that can lead him to the right path.

I testify and bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship in truth but Allah, alone, without any partners. And I testify and bear witness that Muhammad (Peace be upon him) is His Servant and Messenger. As for what’s after:

Dear brothers and sisters! Allah Almighty says in the Noble Qur’an:

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“We have sent down the Book (Qur’an) to you which manifests the truth about all things and as guidance and mercy and good news for Muslims.” [Qur’an, 16:89]

Respected servants of Allah! It reminded me of a post I read on Facebook recently and I thought how true this is, but easy to forget. Society is often so focused finding complicated solutions when the answers are already in front of us. Muslims in particular have a lesson in it.

• Allah intends for you ease

The religion is easy, beautiful and simply perfect. Why make things hard? Allah Almighty says:

“Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship.” [Qur’an, 2:185]

This Qur’anic verse explains that Islam is easy to follow and rather encourages us to create ease in religion. Unfortunately some Muslims are under the misconception that the more stringent they are in following religion, the more pious they become. This is totally in contradiction to what our pure religion teaches us. The misconception is a result of lack of understanding of religion and at times drives some people away from religion, mainly because of the way it is presented to them.

Some people have aimed at causing religion to deviate from its essence, preventing religion from being practiced by attempting to add on many difficult practices and superstitions to it. Such practices have sadly resulted in people deviating from Islam. However from the information set forth in the verses in the Qur’an and the replete stories and Hadiths by the Prophet (Peace be upon him), we can ascertain that it is easy for sincere Muslims to be good Muslims.

In this life we are tested and according to the morals and faith we show in this world Allah determines where our real life will be lived, that being Hell or Heaven. The test is quite easy; Allah Almighty wishes for us simply to live the life that brings happiness and peace in this world; in short to live our life in moderation.

• Don’t go to extremes

It is known in fact that Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) always resisted any tendency toward religious excessiveness. He once said to his close companion Abdullah Ibn Amr:

“Have I heard right that you fast everyday and stand in prayer all night?” Abdullah replied: “Yes, O Messenger of Allah.” The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: “Do not do that. Fast, as well as, eat and drink. Stand in prayer, as well as, sleep. This is because your body has a right upon you, your eyes have a right upon you, your wife has a right upon you, and your guest has a right upon you.” [Al-Bukhari]

This Hadith indicates that it is significant to maintain a delicate balance between the various obligations that demand our attention; between our obligations to Allah, our obligations toward others and our obligations toward ourselves. This is also demonstrated in many verses in the Qur’an illustrating that Allah is both merciful and kind.

Confucius once said:

“Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.”

This deeply resonates as we read stories of how people strayed away from Islam because they failed to realise its beauty and were intimidated by restrictions feeling their life would be unhappy with Islam’s boundaries. There indeed is a need to clarify such misconceptions, and encourage and remind Muslims to question where did their beliefs originate from. Was it from the Qur’an and Sunnah or a tradition they have been following without knowing its origin?

In all reality, Allah Almighty created us and in turn He knows what’s best for us and those who do not know these truths feel they may lead happier and more comfortable lives when the limits are removed. Allah says in the Qur’an to pray for both the good in this world and the good in the Hereafter.

It also speaks about the enjoyment of life:

“O children of Adam! Wear your beautiful apparel at every time and place of prayer, eat and drink but waste not by excess, for Allah loves not wasters. Say: ‘who has forbidden the beautiful gifts of Allah which He has produced for His servants and the things clean and pure which He has provided for sustenance.” [Qur’an, 7:31-32]

Concerning matters of practice in Islam we have been taught that the rule is that you are expected to follow the truth as much as is possible. Allah has promised that His expectations are simple. However, in order to follow them we need to understand; in turn allowing that this strategy would ensure things are kept simple.

In sharing the message of Islam with people, the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) was advised in the Qur’an:

“It is part of the mercy of Allah that you deal gently with them. If you were severe or hardhearted, they would have broken away from you’.” [Qur’an, 3:159]

It is on this note that when the Prophet sent his companions to teach Islam to the people he advised them:

“Facilitate religious matters to people and do not make things difficult. Obey each other and do not differ amongst yourselves.” [Al-Bukhari]

Allah has created a natural balance between what is easy to follow for humans and what is the minimal requirement needed to be a morally, ethically and spiritually pious person. This can be shown for example when we increase the price of a commodity, or make things more stringent, as mentioned earlier, in religion we will find lesser people wanting to buy that commodity.

However, we must remember that easiness in religion has to be done in the way that Allah wants us to do it. It should not be mistaken for casualness. This is simply a reminder for all including myself as sometimes Shaitan (Satan) attempts to divert us from religion, from Allah’s commands and good morals and even uses negative force on faith.

By insinuating unfounded suspicions in our thoughts, suggesting faithlessness or through actions and speeches, Shaitan (Satan) tries to divert us from Islam and or its simplicity setting up many different traps for us. In short, Shaitan (Satan) is our enemy, as mentioned in the Qur’an which narrates:

“O You who believe enter Islam totally. Do not follow in the footsteps of Shaitan (Satan) he is an outright enemy to you.” [Qur’an, 2:208]

• A balanced religion

One of the main features of Islam is that it is a balanced religion. It is known that whenever the Prophet had to choose between two options, he always chose the easier, unless it was explicitly forbidden. This again proves the beauty of Islam and Allah’s mercy toward us.

While aiming to reach the afore mentioned balances between human spiritual needs and material needs I have personally come to realise it can be done by simplifying our life and lightening our material baggage by focusing more on our spiritual and mental needs.

While I am not suggesting making vows of poverty, I support the idea of reducing our quest for material possession as one easy and balanced form of working in this world and doing good deeds for the next world.

I have learned one form of getting closer to Allah and obeying one of Islam’s pillars may be accomplished as we offer charity bringing happiness to those less fortunate. We must raise our children and remind ourselves that we can only keep what we have, by giving it away; somewhat like paying it forward, but for the afterlife if you may say so.

Balancing between individual rights and responsibilities, we find that as life continues to bring us down many familiar journeys, one of those being a quest of living, we must work toward making everything simpler including our worships if we are to continue on our steady pace toward our ultimate goal, Jannah/Heaven.

Dear brothers and sisters! Bear in mind we must allow others to influence us positively whenever we are going wrong. After all, Allah has promised that He is not going to make any soul accountable for anything more than what his potential is, promising that He will forgive those who repent.

I end my today’s sermon by saying: all praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all creation; may Allah extol the mention of our noble Prophet Muhammad in the highest company of Angels, bless him and give him peace and security―and his family, his Companions and all those who follow him correctly and sincerely until the establishment of the Hour.

Wishing you and all your loved ones a Joyous Jumu’ah Mubarak.

This Jumu’ah Khutbah (Friday sermon) was prepared for delivery today Friday, Rabi’ul Thani 9, 1444 AH (November 04, 2022).

Friday Sermon

Friday Sermon] Do Not Ridicule, Mock, Scorn Or Belittle Your Brothers And Sisters!

Published

1 month ago

October 14, 2022

Nigerian Tracker

Imam Murtadha Gusau

By Imam Murtadha Gusau

In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy

Dear brothers and sisters! Allah Almighty created human beings and raised some over others. And He made some serve others as a test and to make use of each other’s services. Allah Almighty said:

“It is We who have apportioned among them their livelihood in the life of this world and have raised some of them above others in degrees [of rank] that they may make use of one another for service. But the mercy of your Lord is better than whatever they accumulate.” [Qur’an, 43:32]

And these advantages in worldly matters do not necessitate a high status before Allah Almighty. Rather, people are distinguished before their Lord based on Iman (faith) and righteous deeds. Allah Almighty said:

“Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most conscious of Allah.” [Qur’an, 49:13]

For this reason, people should behave with one another with good manners. So the strong should not ridicule the weak. And leaders should not mock their followers. And the rich should not humiliate the poor.

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And Allah Almighty has forbidden imitating the ignorant in dealing with one another through ridicule, insults, and mocking. Allah the Most High said:

“O you who have believed, let not a people ridicule [another] people; perhaps they may be better than them; nor let women ridicule [other] women; perhaps they may be better than them. And do not insult one another and do not call each other by [offensive] nicknames. Wretched is the name [i.e., mention] of disobedience after [one’s] faith. And whoever does not repent – then it is those who are the wrongdoers.” [Qur’an, 49:11]

Respected servants of Allah! Wallahi ridiculing people is a reprehensible behaviour which describes the behaviour of some of the hypocrites and disbelievers. And Allah has mentioned their ridiculing the believers and their faulting them and putting them down. The disbelievers from Prophet Nuh’s (Noah’s Peace be upon him) people ridiculed him and the believers that followed him. Allah Almighty said:

“And he constructed the ship, and whenever an assembly of the eminent of his people passed by him, they ridiculed him.” [Qur’an, 11:38]

And this was the behaviour of the disbelievers from every nation. They ridiculed their Messengers as Allah Almighty informed us:

“But there would not come to them a Prophet except that they used to ridicule him.” [Qur’an, 43:7]

As for their ridiculing of the believers, Allah Almighty said:

“Adorned for those who disbelieve is the life of this world, and they ridicule those who believe.” [Qur’an, 2:212]

As for the hypocrites, they are most in ridiculing the Messengers of Allah and their followers and what the Messengers came with of truth and guidance. Allah the Most High said:

“And when they meet those who believe, they say, “We believe”; but when they are alone with their evil ones, they say, “Indeed, we are with you; we were only mockers.” [Qur’an, 2:14]

And as ridicule is from the behaviours of some of the disbelievers and hypocrites, then it is not befitting for a Muslim to imitate them; such that he ridicules his Muslim brother, or faults them, or calls them names that demean them and put them down. Allah Almighty has forbidden us from that. And the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

“A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim: he does not oppress him, nor does he fail him, nor does he hold him in contempt. Taqwa (consciousness of Allah) is here [and he pointed to his chest three times]. It is evil enough for a man to hold his Muslim brother in contempt.” [Muslim]

That is, it is enough evil, to have contempt for one’s Muslim brother.

And ridiculing people stems from arrogance in the heart of the ridiculer. And seeing themselves above the ridiculed. So he does not see that he owes them the rights of consideration and respect. And he rejects their brotherhood, and they are his brothers in religion. And arrogance is one of the major sins. Ibn Mas’ud, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

“He who has in his heart, arrogance as much as a grain of a mustard seed, will not enter paradise.” [Muslim]

The Prophet (Peace be upon him) summarised arrogance saying:

“Arrogance is refusing the truth and disdaining and belittling the people.” [At-Tirmidhi]

And this results from viewing oneself as perfect and others as deficient.

The motive for a person’s ridicule of his Muslim brother may be his envy of a blessing that he himself does not have. And he sees that his brother does not deserve it. So his envy and the darkness of his heart reaches to the point that he ridicules his brother and disdains and belittles him, to lower his status and position so as to elevate himself. He does so to turn attention to himself. And his action says that I am more deserving than him of the favour that he has.

And ridicule leads to backbiting and it is from the major sins. For perhaps he may not be able to ridicule his brother in front of him. So he mocks him behind his back. Then it becomes both ridiculing and backbiting. And he is like the one who ate the flesh of his dead brother.

And the one who ridicules is necessarily a mocker and a scorner. Mocking directly through words by abusing and faulting people. And scorning by discrediting through actions such as gesturing with the eye, mouth or head while the person is either there or is brought up. And these two blameworthy traits describe behaviours of some of the polytheists (Mushrikun) with the Prophet (Peace be upon him) and his Companions, may Allah be pleased with them. For they used to mock and scorn. So Allah Almighty revealed Surah Al-Humazah in their regard:

“Woe to every scorner and mocker.” [Qur’an, 104:1]

Then Allah Almighty warned them:

“The fire of Allah kindled. Which mounts directed at the hearts. Indeed, it [i.e., Hellfire] will be closed down upon them. In extended columns.” [Qur’an, 104:6-9]

So the scorner and mocker of the people is described with the traits of the polytheists (Mushrikun). He behaves with the behaviour of the people of the fire. And the warning applies to him to the extent of his scorning and mocking. And the scorner takes from some of the characteristics of the devils from which Allah commanded his Prophet (Peace be upon him) to seek refuge in Allah. Allah the Most High said:

“And say, “My Lord, I seek refuge in You from the incitements of the devils. And I seek refuge in You, my Lord, lest they be present with me.” [Qur’an, 23:97-98]

And the scorner may strive in malicious gossip and it is from the major sins. And Allah warned His Prophet (Peace be upon him) from it. Allah Almighty said:

“And do not obey every worthless habitual swearer [And] scorner, going about with malicious gossip.” [Surah Al-Qalam, 10-11]

And if ridicule spreads among people they call each other offensive nicknames. And they insult one another. So their hearts will diverge and their ties will dissolve. Then they become hostile and stop talking to one another, turn their backs on each other and harbour hatred. And for this reason, Allah forbid calling one another with offensive nicknames and addressing someone by a defect. Allah Almighty said:

“And do not call each other by [offensive] nicknames.” [Qur’an, 49:11]

Abu Jubairah Ad-Dahak, may Allah be pleased with him said:

“Allah’s words were revealed concerning us, Bani Salamah: ‘And do not call each other by [offensive] nicknames. Wretched is the name [i.e., mention] of disobedience after [one’s] faith.’ When the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) came to us, a man among us would have two or three names, and the Prophet would say: Oh so and so (calling him by one of those names), Then they would say: O Messenger of Allah, he gets angry from that name, so this verse was revealed.” [Abu Dawud]

And when Aisha may Allah be pleased with her, spoke behind Safiyah’s, may Allah be pleased with her back, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) became angry with her and clarified the enormity of her action. As Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, narrated:

“I said to the Prophet (Peace be upon him): “Such and such thing of Safiyyah (May Allah be pleased with her) is sufficient for you.” (She meant her short stature). So he said, “You have indeed uttered a word which would pollute the sea if it were mixed in it.” She further said: I imitated a person before him and he said, “I do not like that I should imitate someone even (if I am paid) in return such and such.” [Abu Dawud]

Dear brothers and sisters! Indeed ridiculing people is a door of enormous evil. It opens the doors of scorning, mocking, backbiting and malicious gossip. And it fills the hearts with grudges, hate and enmity. And it is a sufficient deterrent from ridiculing others that it is the characteristic of the inhabitants of hell. So it is incumbent upon every Muslim to guard his tongue. And to be cautious with his words and actions so that he will be among the successful.

I say what you have heard and I seek forgiveness from Allah for me and you from every sin. So seek forgiveness from Him, Verily He is Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

Respected brothers and sisters! Our righteous predecessors (As-Salafus-Salih), may Allah Almighty have mercy on them, used to refrain from faulting, insulting and ridiculing others to safeguard the brotherhood and harmony of the hearts; and out of fear of sin, and wariness of falling into the faults of the people of shortcomings. Ibn Mas’ud, may Allah be pleased with him, was one of the most strict people in that regard to the point that it was narrated that he said:

“If I ridiculed a dog, I would fear that I would become a dog. And he, may Allah be pleased with him, said: The affliction is brought upon by what you say (speaking about the affliction of others).”

And Imams Al-Kisa’i and Al-Yazidi gathered with Al-Rashid, then the time came for a prayer in which the recitation is audible. So Al-Kisa’i was put forth to lead the prayer and he fumbled in reciting the Surah “Qul Ya Ayyuhal-Kafirun.” So when the prayer concluded, Al-Yazidi said, the reciter of the people of Kufah fumbles when reciting “Qul Ya Ayyuhal-Kafirun.” Then when it became time for a prayer in which the recitation is audible, Al-Yazidi was put forth to lead the prayerhe said: Safeguard your tongue, Do not say, for you will be afflicted by what you say.”

Ibrahim al-Nakha’i, may Allah have mercy on him, used to say: “I see something that I hate, but what prevents me from speaking about it is fear that I will be afflicted with the like of it.”

Yahya Bin Jabir, may Allah have mercy on him, said: “No man ever reproaches a man with a fault except that Allah afflicts him with a similar fault.”

My beloved people! Wallahi this is an observed reality, and a person may find it in himself. A person ridicules someone because of one of his traits, or because of an action that he did. Then later he does the same action or exhibits the trait that he previously faulted or laughed about. And that happens sooner or later. And if it does not afflict him, then it afflicts his children. And this is a recompense from the same type as the deed (Al-jaza’u min Jinsil Amal). And your Lord does not wrong anyone.

Oh Allah, make us among those who are cautious with our words and treat people with the utmost respect and distance us from the blameworthy traits of ridiculing, mocking and scorning. Indeed Allah is All Hearing, Answering.

I conclude with this and send prayers of blessings and peace upon your Prophet as your Lord commanded:

“Indeed, Allah confers blessing upon the Prophet, and His angels [ask Him to do so]. O you who have believed, ask [Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [Allah to grant him] peace.” [Qur’an, 33:56]

O Allah, guide us with those whom You have guided, grant us well-being among those You have granted well-being, be an ally to us along with those whom You are an ally to, and bless what You have bestowed upon us, and save us from the evil of what You have decreed. For verily You decree and none can decree over You. He whom You support can never be humiliated. Glory is to You, our Lord, You are Blessed and Exalted.

O Allah, We ask You for all that is good, in this world and in the Hereafter, what we know and what we do not know.

O Allah, we seek refuge with You from all evil, in this world and in the Hereafter, what we know and what we do not know.

O Allah, we ask You for the good that Your servant and Prophet has asked You for, and we seek refuge with You from the evil from which Your servant and Prophet sought refuge.

O Allah, we ask You for Paradise and for that which brings one closer to it, in word and deed, and we seek refuge in You from Hell and from that which brings one closer to it, in word and deed. And we ask You to make every decree that You decree concerning us good.

Oh Allah, we ask you to give us freedom from Fitnah, ignorance, hatred, ego, war, illusions and any kind of calamity. To give us a world where we can all love each other as human beings and toss away the weapons of war, and cast out our fears and hatreds from our hearts. We must mourn the memory of the innocents all over the world, and give the children of the world the hope of a peaceful, loving and beautiful world. A world full of love and without hatred or fear. A world where we can join hands together and accept one another, regardless of our skin colour, ethnic divisions, region, religion or nationality. If we don’t unite as a human race, then we have condemned the future generation of children to a dark and very grim future!

Please think of love, compassion, peace and social justice always…

O Most Merciful Almighty Allah, You created all the children of Adam in Your own image and placed before us the pathway of salvation through different Prophets who were Your Messengers and Servants. But, the contradictions (made by us) in the interpretation of Your teachings have resulted in creating divisions, faith based hatreds and bloodshed throughout the world community.

Millions of innocent men, women and children have been brutally killed by the militants of several groups and their horrifying crimes against humanity will continue unless through Your Infinite Mercy and Bounty, You guide and help us find ways to reunite peacefully.

O Allah, look with compassion on the whole human family; take away the controversial teachings of arrogance, divisions and hatreds which have badly infected our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; reunite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and confusion to accomplish Your purposes throughout the world; that, in Your good time, all nations and races could jointly serve You in Justice, Peace, Brotherhood and Harmony. Ameen, Ya Rabbal-Alameen!

Dear servants of Allah! Indeed, Allah orders justice and good conduct and giving to relatives and forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will be reminded.

Remember Allah, the Great – He will remember you. Thank Him for His favours – He will increase you therein. And seek forgiveness from Him – He will forgive you. And be conscious of Him – He will provide you a way out of difficult matters. And, establish the prayer.

All praises and thanks are due to Allah alone, Lord of the worlds. May the peace, blessings and salutations of Allah be upon our noble Messenger, Muhammad, and upon his family, his Companions and his true and sincere followers.

Wishing you and all your loved ones a Joyous Jumu’ah Mubarak.

This Jumu’ah Khutbah (Friday sermon) was prepared for delivery today Friday, Rabi’ul Awwal 18, 1444 AH (October 14, 2022).