THE ENEMITY OF SATAN TO MAN

All praises are due to Allah the transcendent in His glory and dominion. I praise Him, manifest my gratitude, repent unto Him and seek His forgiveness. I seek refuge with Allah from the evils of our souls and deeds, and from the evil of Shaytan and his plots. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone, He has no partner. I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger, He sent him with guidance and true religion; to proclaim it over all religion. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, his families, his companions, his wives and offspring, the generation after his and those who follow them in righteousness till the day of recompense. After this, O people! I admonish myself and you on the fear of Allah, it is the security from temptation and tribulations, and it is as well a safeguard from all calamities. It serves as a cleanser of sins and errors. {يِا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ إَن تَتَّقُواْ اللّهَ يَجْعَل لَّكُمْ فُرْقَاناً وَيُكَفِّرْ عَنكُمْ سَيِّئَاتِكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ وَاللّهُ ذُو الْفَضْلِ الْعَظِيمِ} (الأنفال: 29). “O ye who believe! if ye fear Allah, He will grant you a criterion (to judge between right and wrong), remove from you (all) evil (that may afflict) you, and forgive you: for Allah is the Lord of grace unbounded.” (8: 29). Shaytaan in the house of assembly (Quraishite’s Parliament) O brothers in faith! Being cautious of Satan is one of the lessons of the Prophet’s Migration. He (Satan) participated in the meeting convened by the Quraish in her effort to seek an effective plan to execute rapidly the bearer of the Islamic message (peace be upon him). When they came to the assembly as earlier agreed, Iblis appeared to them in the form of a dignified old man. He stood by the door and was asked: “Who is this old man?” He replied: “An old man from Najd who heard of your plan and decide to attend to hear what you have to say, in order that he may not deprive you of a view or advice.” They said: “Right!, enter” and he entered with them. The Old man of Najd (satan) rejected all opinions at the assembly except that of the great criminal of Makkah- Abu Jahl bn Hishaam who opined that: “I suggest that we get a strong youth from every tribe with moderate status, and of our kinsmen, we then provide every youth a sharp sword, they will now approach him (Muhammad) and strike him in one blow, they will then kill him, and then we shall have rest of mind from him. If they achieve that, then his blood is divided on all the tribes and the tribe of Abdul Manaaf would not be able to wage war against all their people, therefore, they would accept with us by reason and we would recognize that for them.” The Old man said: “What this man said is the right word, this is the only standing view” Satan’s enmity to man is of time immemorial:Brothers of faith: Allah says: {"Did I not enjoin on you, O ye Children of Adam, that ye should not worship Satan; for that he was to you an enemy avowed? And that ye should worship Me, (for that) this was the Straight Way? (36: 60 - 61), Also: “O men! Certainly the promise of Allah is true. Let not then this present life deceive you, nor let the Chief Deceiver deceive you about Allah. Verily Satan is an enemy to you: so treat him as an enemy. He only invites his adherents, that they may become Companions of the Blazing” (35: 5- 6) In these verses Allah elucidates the enmity of satan to man and warns man of it. Allah informs that satan conspicuously shows his enmity to us, He therefore commands tougher enmity and opposition to him, as well as the refutation of all his advances to us. This old existing enmity commenced since Adam’s creation, Allah says: {إِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلائِكَةِ إِنِّي خَالِقٌ بَشَرًا مِنْ طِينٍ فَإِذَا سَوَّيْتُهُ وَنَفَخْتُ فِيهِ مِنْ رُوحِي فَقَعُوا لَهُ سَاجِدِينَ فَسَجَدَ الْمَلائِكَةُ كُلُّهُمْ أَجْمَعُونَ إِلاَّ إِبْلِيسَ اسْتَكْبَرَ وَكَانَ مِنَ الْكَافِرِينَ قَالَ يَا إِبْلِيسُ مَا مَنَعَكَ أَنْ تَسْجُدَ لِمَا خَلَقْتُ بِيَدَيَّ أَسْتَكْبَرْتَ أَمْ كُنتَ مِنْ الْعَالِينَ قَالَ أَنَا خَيْرٌ مِنْهُ خَلَقْتَنِي مِنْ نَارٍ وَخَلَقْتَهُ مِنْ طِينٍ قَالَ فَاخْرُجْ مِنْهَا فَإِنَّكَ رَجِيمٌ وَإِنَّ عَلَيْكَ لَعْنَتِي إِلَى يَوْمِ الدِّينِ قَالَ رَبِّ فَأَنظِرْنِي إِلَى يَوْمِ يُبْعَثُونَ قَالَ فَإِنَّكَ مِنْ الْمُنظَرِينَ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْوَقْتِ الْمَعْلُومِ قَالَ فَبِعِزَّتِكَ لأُغْوِيَنَّهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ إِلاَّ عِبَادَكَ مِنْهُمْ الْمُخْلَصِينَ قَالَ فَالْحَقُّ وَالْحَقَّ أَقُولُ لأَمْلأَنَّ جَهَنَّمَ مِنْكَ وَمِمَّنْ تَبِعَكَ مِنْهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ} (ص:71-85) [So mention] when your Lord said to the angels, "Indeed, I am going to create a human being from clay. So when I have proportioned him and breathed into him of My [created] soul, then fall down to him in prostration." So the angels prostrated - all of them entirely. Except Iblees; he was arrogant and became among the disbelievers. [ Allah ] said, "O Iblees, what prevented you from prostrating to that which I created with My hands? Were you arrogant [then], or were you [already] among the haughty?" He said, "I am better than him. You created me from fire and created him from clay." [ Allah ] said, "Then get out of Paradise, for indeed, you are expelled. And indeed, upon you is My curse until the Day of Recompense." He said, "My Lord, then reprieve me until the Day they are resurrected." [ Allah ] said, "So indeed, you are of those reprieved, Until the Day of the time well-known." [Iblees] said, "By your might, I will surely mislead them all, except, among them, who are Your chosen servants." [ Allah ] said, "The truth [is My oath], and the truth I say - [That] I will surely fill Hell with you and those of them that follow you all together." (38: 71- 85) Every man has a companion among the Jinns. Satan is an avowed enemy of man a fact which must be remembered by a Muslim, he must never forget that there is an inseparable companion among the Jinns who never leaves him. Who have been in wait for him since the day of his creation till the day of his demise. The companion tries to mislead and take man away from the path of Allah, he has actually promised and swore over misleading the sons of Adam: [Satan] said, "Because You have put me in error, I will surely sit in wait for them on Your straight path. “Then I will come to them from before them and from behind them and on their right and on their left, and You will not find most of them grateful [to You]." (7: 16- 17) It is required of a Muslim to know that every man has a companion among the Jinns, Aishah (R.A) reported that: “One night the prophet left my place and I became jealous of him, then came and saw what I did, and he said: “O Aishah what is wrong with you?” I said: “Why won’t someone like me be jealous of someone like you?” He then said: “Has your devil came upon you?” I said: “O messenger of Allah! do I have any devil with me?” He replied: “Yes” I said: “Is he with every human?” He said: “Yes”. I said: “And with you o messenger of Allah?” He said: “Yes, but my Lord assisted me over him and he be a Muslim”. The Messenger of Allah said: “There is none among you except he has been allocated his companion among the Jins and among the Angels.” (Muslim & Ahmad) The prophet (pbuh) informed us that verily every person has his accompaning enemy among the devils who lies in wait dissipating efforts at misleading him away from the straight path of Allah. To Allah belongs the exclusive wisdom behind that phenomenon. Allah imposed him on his servants as a trial and a test. Allah says: “Lead to destruction those whom thou canst among them, with thy (seductive) voice; make assaults on them with thy cavalry and thy infantry; mutually share with them wealth and children; and make promises to them." But Satan promises them nothing but deceit.” (17: 64) Steps taken by Satan at Seduction Satan is capable to influence or gain access to human thought and his mind in an unknowingly manner to man, being assisted majorly by the nature of his creation. The prophet said: “The devil moves in the bloodstream of the sons of Adam”. This is the whispers, which Allah described as ‘the retreating whisperer (of Evil),who whispers into the hearts of Mankind’. Ibn Kathir said: {retreating whisperer} i.e: that the devil perched on the heart of the son of Adam, if he forgets, he whispers to it and when he remembers Allah, he retreats. The devil exploits human weaknesses which are so many and in actual fact they are diseases situated in his heart. The diseases therefore represent parts of the gateway entrance for the devil to the hearts of men. Some of these diseases include: Anger, lust, pride, self- conceit, deceit, envy, hastiness, ignorance, negligence, lying, injustice, tyranny, sorrow, joy, love, money and fascination with this world, women and others. Satan enters through all these outlets to cause whisper. Machinations of Satan and his methods:The devil possesses some stratagems and fishing grounds where he fishes for men, the same way, he has several approaches to mislead them. Satan does not come to man to say to him: “Dump these good things” or “Dump prayer or disbelieve in God”. If he does so, no one will obey him. But he gets man through different smart approaches growing along with him in successive steps, even if the process takes lengthy times and periods. And part of his evil trick is to present advice to man, he calls to sins and claim he intends good for him. He swore to Adam to see through his plot. Allah informs as follow: {وَقَاسَمَهُمَا إِنِّي لَكُمَا لَمِنَ النَّاصِحِينَ} (الأعراف:21). “And he swore to them both, that he was their sincere adviser.” (7: 21) Another of his trick is to use gradual step by step process; he never gets tired or wearied. We have seen from the previous story an example and a lesson on that. If Satan wants a Muslim to neglect Solat, he would not whispers to him to leave solat immediately, but he uses a gradual step by step process, ordering him to delay the time, claiming there is still ample time, thereby he distract and eventually cause him to forget, then he get him busy with other things, and he become neglectful of it, solat become piled up without him observing it. When night falls he becomes too weak to observe solat, his solat would now turn to a big loss for him. After some days and months he become tired and weak and eventually leaves solat. Its other method is the decoration of falsehood. This remains the way the devil still use to misguide people, he shows falsehood in the form of truth, and exhibits the truth in the form of falsehood, he never depart from man until he embellishes the unlawful for him. Allah says: {قَالَ رَبِّ بِمَا أَغْوَيْتَنِي لأزَيِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ فِي الأَرْضِ وَلأغْوِيَنَّهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ إِلاَّ عِبَادَكَ مِنْهُمْ الْمُخْلَصِينَ} (الحجر:39- 40) (Iblis) said: "O my Lord! because Thou hast put me in the wrong, I will make (wrong) fair-seeming to them on the earth, and I will put them all in the wrong. Except Thy servants among them, who are sincere and purified (by Thy Grace)." (15: 39- 40) Allah says: {وَزَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ مَا كَانُواّ يَعْمَلُونَ} (النمل:24). “Satan has made their deeds seem pleasing in their eyes, and has kept them away from the Path,- so they receive no guidance” (27: 24) Satan embellishes the unlawful things and sin, God actually gave him the ability to embellish sins. He embellished polytheism, disbelieve, idolatory and sins for the people of Nuh, ‘Aad and Thamud, the people of Ibrahim and those of Madyan and the Quraish. He embellished homosexuality for the people of Lut, he beatified several sins for the past rebellious generations. Allah says: {لَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَآ إِلَى أُمَمٍ مّن قَبْلِكَ فَزَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الشَّيْطَّانُ أَعْمَالَهُمْ فَهُوَ وَلِيُّهُمُ الْيَوْمَ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ}(النحل:63) “We (also) sent (Our messengers) to Peoples before thee; but Satan made, (to the wicked), their own acts seem alluring: He is also their patron today, but they shall have a most grievous penalty.” (16: 63) Promises and false desires are other method by which Satan misguides man. He gives false promises and hangs them on sweet aspirations in order to drag man into sins and errors. For instance, Satan promises the gambler, the usurer, the thief, and the bribe receiver, a quick and huge profit. He promises the oppressor honour and victory. Allah says: {يَعِدُهُمْ وَيُمَنِّيهِمْ وَمَا يَعِدُهُمْ الشَّيْطَانُ إِلاَّ غُرُورًا }(النساء:120) “Satan makes them promises, and creates in them false desires; but satan's promises are nothing but deception.” (4: 120) Second All praise is due to Allah, the end belongs to the pious… I bear witness there is no god except Allah alone, He has no partner, and that Muhammad is His servant and messenger, may the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, his families and companions till the day of recompense. O dear students! The holiday had passed and in few days time God's willing our sons and daughters; male and female students, shall resume in their schools ushering in a new term. Be aware that knowledge is the life for the hearts, the light for insights, cure for the minds and comfort for the souls. It is the guide for the confused and succour for the desolate. With knowledge, one knows God, worship and thanks Him, as well as praises and remembers Him. Thus were our righteous forebears – May Allah be pleased with them- they loved knowledge, recognised its status, they spent greatly in the quest to achieve it, they spent their time and money in its cause, and they hoped in their lives to acquire enough knowledge that could deliver them in the Hereafter. Dear students, passionately desire knowledge from the first day in school so that you will not lose any of the days of study, where you will now have piles of unattended classes and assignments in the end, remember the words of the prophet (pbuh): “Whoever seeks for knowledge through a path, Allah will provide for him by that a path to paradise.” Oh God, forgive the believing men and women, the Muslim men and women,the living and dead, You are Ever-Responsive to calls.Oh Allah give honour to Islam and Muslims, humiliated polytheism and the polytheists, destroy Your enemies; the enemies of religion. O Allah make this country safe and peaceful, in generousity and affluence and other Muslim countries, and safe us from tribulations and evil. O Allah! Restore our leaders, O Mighty- Lord, O Forgiving- Lord. Our Lord! Grant us good in this world and in the hereafter and save us from the torment of the Fire.

THE MESSENGER (PBUH) AND THE ANNIVERSARY OF HIS BIRTHDAY

Praise is due to Allah for the blessing He gave, to Him belong grace for the honour He bestowed on us, He perfected the religion, and completed the divine message by sending prophet Muhammad (PBUH) with guidance and the true religion in order that he proclaim it over all religion. The prophet completed the link of guidance, he reached the destination, and revealed the goal, and he clarified the middle balanced course, and raised the banner of Islam. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone, He Has no partner, He is the possessor of greatness, pride and power. I bear witness that Muhammad is his servant and Messenger, leader of the righteous faithfuls, may Allah bless him, his families and his righteous companions. Thereafter, O People fear Allah, for Allah Has assures a complete mercy for the righteous. Allah (swt) says: {وَرَحْمَتِي وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ فَسَأَكْتُبُهَا لِلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ بِآيَاتِنَا يُؤْمِنُونَ , الَّذِينَ يَتَّبِعُونَ الرَّسُولَ النَّبِيَّ اْلأُمِّيَّ الَّذِي يَجِدُونَهُ مَكْتُوبًا عِنْدَهُمْ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ وَاْلإِنْجِيلِ يَأْمُرُهُمْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَاهُمْ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَيُحِلُّ لَهُمُ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَيُحَرِّمُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْخَبَائِثَ وَيَضَعُ عَنْهُمْ إِصْرَهُمْ وَالْأَغْلاَلَ الَّتِي كَانَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ فَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِهِ وَعَزَّرُوهُ وَنَصَرُوهُ وَاتَّبَعُوا النُّورَ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ مَعَهُ أُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ} (الأعراف: 156 – 157). “… My mercy extendeth to all things. That (mercy) I shall ordain for those who do right, and practise regular charity, and those who believe in Our signs, Those who follow the messenger, the unlettered Prophet, whom they find mentioned in their own (scriptures),- in the law and the Gospel;- for he commands them what is just and forbids them what is evil; he allows them as lawful what is good (and pure) and prohibits them from what is bad (and impure); He releases them from their heavy burdens and from the yokes that are upon them. So it is those who believe in him, honour him, help him, and follow the light which is sent down with him,- it is they who will prosper” (7:156-157) MUHAMMAD (PBUH) IS A BLESSING Muslims should be grateful to Allah for the grace of sending the messengers, revealing the scriptures and propagating the truth among men. Recognizing the The Creator would have been a difficult enterprise for human intellect to comprehend, inter-personal relation based on honesty and justice would have been elusive, as man would be unable to celebrate God with apparatus or ways that are practically not comprehendible for him. Revelation therefore formed the medium by which Allah elucidates to man the manners of recognizing Him, establishing true worship and formidable inter-personal relationship. Likewise the apostles became the elucidators and models of excellent characters for humanity. All mankind were ab initio in one religion- the religion of Adam (AS), however, as they grew in number, schism set in and opinions differed, a development which made Allah to raise messengers to them in order to uphold justice. Prophet Nuh (AS) was the first with Prophet Muhammad as the seal of all prophets. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was sent after the break in (the series of) messengers, he remain the most favoured of the prophets. He was an Arab of the progeny of prophet Ismail bn Ibrahim (AS) possessing the noblest lineage and birth. He was born in Makkah on 12th Rabiul- Awwal in the year of Elephant when Allah destroyed the companions of the Elephants who intended the demolition of the kaabah described in the Chapter of the Elephants. Eight, ninth, tenth, twelfth, seventeen and twenty- two of Rabiul- Awwal were some of the dates suggested for his birth THE PROPHET IS THE LIGHT OF GUIDANCE Brothers in faith, The world shines with clarity and meaningful explanation in remembrance of the birth of Muhammad (PBUH) who was an announcement of abundant grace to humanity. In these days we remember a fragrant history which will ever remain a light of guidance, a guiding landmark and proof for commitment to trust as well as honesty to shoulder a huge responsibility. None deviates from that path of guidance except the one that fools himself. This is a gratifying proof to those who seek for convincing proof to establish the truthfulness and honesty of Islamic message of being where man regains his soul and redirects it to natural guidance in an atmosphere filled with balance, stability and completeness after it was misled and lost. In that message, human nature, intellect, passion, heart, feelings, inclinations, needs and desires are all taken into account, not to speak of the protection of his honour and an outstanding concern for all that could actualize his efforts and humanness. Therefore, it would compel him to work in making history with trust and confidence, as well as realize his position in life, in order to favourably relate with God, human beings, and the world around him treading the ladder of values and principles that will earn him success in life and the pleasure of Allah in the hereafter. ALLAH’S BLESSINGS ON MAN O Believers! Allah honours man in two ways: firstly; when the revelation of Islam was sent to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), and making his life history a demonstration and translation for the message. Secondly, for protecting the holy Qur’an the way it was revealed and preserving the prophet’s tradition and history through men of felicity who watch over it on behalf of the Ummah. Having protected the Quran by His himself and by the efforts of the truthful scholars who further the preservation of the Quran by watchfully protecting the prophet’s history, I therefore seek Allah’s protection for myself and for you from the evil in taking this month for mere pleasure, entertainment or passing/ short-lived remembrance which ends as the Friday sermon ends or by the end of Rabiul- Awwal. I seek Allah’s protection for myself and for you from this anniversary being wild, fragrant agitation which could lead those giving to desires and misconceptions about the prophet’s history and birth to invent innovations which are the perfect translations of their inner errors and confusion. However, such dispositions and confusion are not in the practices of our predecessors in both simple and complex matters. THE LOVE FOR THE PROPHET IS PART OF FAITH O Muslims, the love and believe in the prophet (PBUH) is a fundamental principle of faith which is sacrosanct to completeness of faith. Allah says: {قُلْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ , قُلْ أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ فَإِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يُحِبُّ الْكَافِرِينَ} (آل عمران : 31 -32 “Say: "If ye do love Allah, Follow me: Allah will love you and forgive you your sins: For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. Say: "Obey Allah and His Messenger": But if they turn back, Allah loveth not those who reject Faith.” (3:31-32) {فَلاَ وَرَبِّكَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّى يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيمَا شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ لاَ يَجِدُوا فِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ حَرَجًا مِمَّا قَضَيْتَ وَيُسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا} (النساء : 65) “But no, by the Lord, they can have no (real) Faith, until they make thee judge in all disputes between them, and find in their souls no resistance against Thy decisions, but accept them with the fullest conviction.” (4:65) The messenger of Allah, said : " Not one of you truly believes until I am dearer to him than his family, his wealth, his son and his soul which is between his flanks …" The messenger of Allah, said : "None of you [truely] believes until his inclination is in accordance with what I have brought." There is no one who truly loves a person as much as the companions of Muhammad loved Muhammad, they were the best generation as described below: {كُنْتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ تَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَتَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّه}(آل عمران : 110), “Ye are the best of peoples, evolved for mankind, enjoining what is right, forbidding what is wrong, and believing in Allah…” (3:110) The prophet said: “the best century of humans is my century, then those who came after them, then those who came after those” The sincerity of the companions’ love and believe in the prophet was not demonstrated through celebrating Mawlid or staging an anniversary days and nights and then forgetting his history, traditions and guidance, rather it was demonstrated through following his sunnah. {لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِمَنْ كَانَ يَرْجُو اللَّهَ وَالْيَوْمَ اْلآخِرَ وَذَكَرَ اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا} (الأحزاب : 21) “Ye have indeed in the Messenger of Allah a beautiful pattern (of conduct) for any one whose hope is in Allah and the Final Day, and who engages much in the Praise of Allah.” (33:21) قُلْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَحِيم (آل عمران : 31) . “Say: "If ye do love Allah, Follow me: Allah will love you and forgive you your sins: For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (3:31) O faithfuls, Allah Who sent Muhammad and connected between testifying to his messengership and testifying to His oneness, He is the One Who made him an exemplary model; in words and deeds, behaviours and disposition of affairs in the light of the revealed revelation being the true interpreter and the practical articulator of the divine message. What a stupid conception! Restricting affiliation to some aspects of prophet’s worship or moral and unfortunately following some other person in some other aspects of life. It is also a kind of disobedience to the message of Islam and the life of the prophet for someone to believe in some aspect of the Islamic law and reject others. As there is no severance between the message of Islam and the prophet of Islam who left no matter- simple or complex without placing it rightly, clarifying its status with practical Quranic proofs. On this note, the sincere celebration of the anniversary of the birth of the Prophet would be following the path he followed living for the cause of inviting to the way of Allah. SECOND All praises are due to Allah Who forgive sin, accept repentance, Who is strict in punishment, and has a long reach (in all things). There is no god but He alone with no partner. He raised Muhammad (PBUH) as giver of glad tidings, and warner, and as one who invites to Allah's (grace) by His leave, and as a lamp spreading light. Oh Allah, grant peace and blessing to Muhammad (PBUH) his household, companions, and send salutation onto him accordingly. O Muslims, Faith and Piety are integral parts of the requirements needed to save the Muslim Ummah from the problems and temptations that surround it. These are not ordinary spoken words, Sayyid Qutb described faith thus: "but it is a fact, which carries responsibility, a trust which comes with burden, and a Jihad which requires patience, it is equally an effort which requires perseverance, it is not enough that people say: “we believe” and they have not dropped this claim before they were subjected to temptation and trial, but they stood firm on the claim, and survived the temptations cleanly with pure uncorrupted hearts....” This temptation on faith is a constant fundamental and tradition: Allah says: {أَحَسِبَ النَّاسُ أَنْ يُتْرَكُوا أَنْ يَقُولُوا آمَنَّا وَهُمْ لاَ يُفْتَنُونَ , وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ فَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ الْكَاذِبِينَ} (العنكبوت : 2 – 3) Do men think that they will be left alone on saying, "We believe", and that they will not be tested? We did test those before them, and Allah will certainly know those who are true from those who are false. (29: 2- 3) God’s willing, the Islamic Ummah will be saved from these calamities if it renews her faith and piety and become steadfast. Oh Allah, endorse a guided affair for the Muslim nations where those who obey You shall be dignified and the sinfuls shall be humiliated, and Your servants will command good and forbid evil. Oh Allah restore the conditions of Muslims, correct their leaders and scholars, their youths, women and offspring. Oh Allah! be their guide in all their affairs, Oh Allah provide good for us in this life and the hereafter and protect us from the hellfire.

HUMILIATION AGAINST WOMEN BEFORE PROPHETHOOD OF MUHAMMAD (PBUH).

Praise be to Allah who created the pairs- male and female from a sperm drop while it is lodge in the right place. He granted each of the pairs its path in life and its reward in the hereafter. I bear witness that there is no God but Allah alone without any partner, He created and perfected His creations, He decree and guides, He is the most wise, the most high. And I bear witness that Muhammad is His Prophet and Messenger, he was sent as mercy to the universe and with the best laws. May the peace and blessings of God be upon him, his families, wives and companions and those who follow them in righteousness till the day of recompense. After that, I admonish you and myself to fear Allah, the the All-knowing. Spend your time with the fear of Allah, day and night, you shall surely earn the pleasure of your lord and a successful end. Strive to earn lofty mansions in paradise. Allah says: { تِلْكَ الْجَنَّةُ الَّتِي نُورِثُ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا مَن كَانَ تَقِيّاً } ( مريم: 63). Such is the Garden which We give as an inheritance to those of Our servants who guard against Evil. (Maryam: 63). This Sermon is actually an introductory part to our exposition on the woman and her status in Islam. We hope to, in addition to educating, refute the obscured claims of the enemies of Allah; among the unbelievers and the hypocrite Muslims who fight against Allah and His apostle; by mockery and defamation. The scope of our discussion will cover the issues of woman and the dignity accorded her in Islam and how Islam has protected her from every form of molestation and injury. It will also cover the enabling apparatus that aided the enemies of Islam in their quest to change the thought of some women even the men, where they ridiculously imitate them in their criticism that Islam inhibits her freedom. This sermon, though it talks about the women, but it is not in any way restricted or focused to women alone. The man is actually the first target of this sermon, because he is responsible for the intellectual dislocation of his daughters, wives and sisters. It is his prerogative to understand this concept and enlighten the women around him for we shall be put to account concerning their affairs before Allah, the Almighty. HUMILIATION AGAINST WOMEN DURING THE PRE-ISLAMIC ERA Women have ever been an object of abuse and insult; within the family and in the society either as a child or lady in the pre-Islamic era. IN THE ARAB SOCIETY: The men enslaved the women, while the Arabs during this period viewed her as nothing but as ordinary acquirable property or provision like the wealth and flocks of cattle, and dispense of her as they like. The Arabs did not share to her any part of the inheritance; they consider her to have no right to inheritance as they used to say: “None will inherit us except he that carries the sword and guards the eggs” Also the woman had no right before the husband, divorce of women was without limit, the number of wives to a man was equally unlimited. With the Arabs then, when a man dies, leaving behind a wife and children, the eldest son inherits the father’s wife, he sees her as no other than he sees other properties of his father. Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, he said: “When a man’s father or father-in-law dies, he will be more deserving or worthy to his wife, if he wishes, he accepts her, or he imprisons her until she is able to bail herself with her dowry or in another cases she dies and he cart away with her wealth.” Also the waiting period for a woman who loss her husband used to be a whole year, she undergoes a hideous and difficult mourning experience. She is made to adorn worst clothes, and to reside in a terrible room, she jettisons ornamentation, perfume and cleanliness, she must not use water, nor cut her fingernails, she must not also remove her hair and she is barred from the public view. At the end of the period- one year, she comes out more ugly and horrible. The Arabs had various kinds of decadent wedlocks; collective mating of men with a single lady and she gives the child to whom she is pleased with among them, she will say: “if I deliver, he will be your baby and she does gives the baby to him”. Another is a situation where a man sends his wife to have intercourse with one of the respectable personalities in the community so that she may give birth to a child that will posses same traits as the respectable personality. There is also the temporary form of marriage. Another is a marriage where a man gives his daughter or sister to another man in exchange for his daughter without a mahr- dowry. This practice is based on the concept of a woman being an acquirable material. During this period, the Arabs dislike the girl child, they bury her alive- infanticide, they fear family commitment. Allah disapproved their practice and disgraced them. Allah says: {وَإِذَا الْمَوْءودَةُ سُئِلَتْ بِأَىّ ذَنبٍ قُتِلَتْ}(التكوير:8-9). “When the female (infant), buried alive, is questioned, For what crime she was killed;” (81: 8-9) This represents the condition of the woman in Arab society prior to Islam, a situation common in other human societies. AMONG THE JEWS: For the Jews, when a woman menstruates, she becomes an impurity or filth, no one eats or sits with her, everything she touches becomes impure; food, persons and animals. Some among them sends her away from the house until when she is clean, while some others build a tent at their doorstep for her. He then places food and water before her until she becomes clean as well, the way a pet it treated. Some other group saw her as an object of curse who seduced Adam. AMONG THE INDIAN HINDUIST: The Indian Hinduists who worship the cow see it as compulsory for the wife to be burnt alive over the burnt body of her husband. AMONG CHRISTIANS: Some Christians see her as the fountain of sins, the root of all evil and the door to hell for men. Marriage is considered to be an impurity which must be avoided and a celibate is considered highly placed before God than the married one. THE CHINESE: In china, the man has the right to sell his wife as the maid. When a Chinese woman become widowed, the deceased husband’s family claim the right to her as wealth, worst still, the Chinese could even bury her wife alive. EUROPE- FRANCE: During the childhood days of the prophet, in 586C.E, the French had a conference to determine the status of the woman; is she a human being or not? Does she have a soul or not? If she has a soul, is it a human soul or an animal soul? If it is a human soul, is the soul equal to that of man? The deliberations finally concluded that she is a human but was created only to serve man. All these were the social traditions before the Mission of prophet Muhammad-peace be upon him. MODERN IGNORANCE AND THE ENTOMBMENT OF WOMEN IN THE NAME OF FREEDOM: The woman today has reached a state of modern ignorance; the proponents of women liberation strive to withdraw her from her primary role as a woman. They convene series of conferences for her sake which are in actual sense pure conspiracies against her person. They establish independent organizations or NGOs which claim to establish her freedom and liberate her. Unfortunately their effort is only to bury her alive, not by burying her in the grave, rather an intellectual and moral entombment; the entombment of the divine message meant for her salvation. The Muslim woman got influenced by these brutal attacks; the civilized society of this era aided the campaign by attracting victims for it, and creating a distortion of her role in life. They glorify individual and neglect the family, they do not view the woman as a mother, or wife or daughter but they only view her as an exclusive individual either as a worker or employee. In their perception, woman is considered a tool taken to the commodity market of pleasure and desires. The man who claims he is set out to liberate her is thus enslaving her because he only seeks his own freedom of access to her and not her real freedom. In this manner, the woman is displaced, the family is in disarray, the society is destroyed, the nation subjugated, therefore expectedly, the woman who would have been a breeder of guided generations ended up being groomed on moral looseness, her foundational preparedness got neglected and the society ultimately suffers for it in ruins. The enemies of Islam have made the Muslim woman their target in the battle against the religion. They know the woman has a great role and influence in the society; that her reformation reforms the society while her decadence corrupts it. She is the breeder of generations, maker of men and a wholesome institution of excellent civilization. They therefore attack Islam through her, claiming Islam is unjust to the woman in most of her rights, they claim Islam imprisons her and imposes the man over her, they also claim, Islam looks down on women. In addition, they say that man and woman are equal, but Islam honours man over woman, thus they wage war against hijab and cast doubt over it, they wage war against polygamy and cast doubt in its matter, they decry the law of inheritance and payment of blood money as it concerns women. They initiate these and other kinds of propaganda revolving around issues of women in Islam. May God bless you all and myself with the Holy Qur'aan, and benefit us all from the lessons there in. Having said all you heard, I seek forgiveness from Allah for me and for you all, Muslims, engage in seeking forgiveness from Him, He is All-forgiving, Most- merciful. All praises are due to Allah Who creates and perfects, He decree and guides. He created us from a father and a mother, He made us into tribes and nations that we may know one another and relate harmoniously and live as brothers in this world. We bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone without any partner, and we testify that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. May the peace and blessings of God be upon him, his families, and all his companions. Dear Muslims, hatred is a reprehensible and a bad character. A Muslim must shun hatred judging by Islam and faith because faith is based on love. From Anas may Allah be pleased with him, he said: (none of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself) Agreed Upon'. Nothing caused the destruction of the Islamic community or its disintegration, making it a boon for its enemies other than when hatred sets in within their ranks. Each of the Muslim countries wage war against his brother, a state plots a raid against a neighbouring state instead of assisting her. In fact some small Muslim countries form allies with their enemies against their Muslim states. Despite that the enemies will come to unsheathe his sword against her after having delivered the deathblow on her sister nation. Those who love one another for Allah’s sake will be on the pulpit of light where the prophets and matyrs will envy their status on the day of judgement. This is basically because love in Allah is the strong bond that mutually binds individuals, classes and groups in the society together. Allah says: { إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الَّذِينَ يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِهِ صَفًّا كَأَنَّهُمْ بُنْيَانٌ مَرْصُوصٌ}(الصف : 4) “Truly Allah loves those who fight in His Cause in battle array, as if they were a solid cemented structure.” (61:4) The reality of what Muslims face today calls for sympathy owing to the large number of misfortunes, differences and agonies. There is no way out of this mess except recourse of our affairs to the fundamentals of our religion. Allah says: { وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلاَ تَفَرَّقُوا وَاذْكُرُوا نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ كُنْتُمْ أَعْدَاءً فَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِكُمْ فَأَصْبَحْتُمْ بِنِعْمَتِهِ إِخْوَانًا وَكُنْتُمْ عَلَى شَفَا حُفْرَةٍ مِنَ النَّارِ فَأَنْقَذَكُمْ مِنْهَا كَذَلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ آيَاتِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ }(آل عمران :103 ) And hold fast, all together, by the rope which Allah (stretches out for you), and be not divided among yourselves; and remember with gratitude Allah's favour on you; for ye were enemies and He joined your hearts in love, so that by His Grace, ye became brethren; and ye were on the brink of the pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus doth Allah make His Signs clear to you: That ye may be guided. (3:103) We ask Allah reconcile our hearts and guide us to the straight path, O Allah, honour Islam and the Muslims, humiliate idolatry and the idolaters, and destroy Your enemies, the enemies of the religion, Oh Allah, grant us your reverence, that with which You will distance us from sinning against You; and grant us of your obedience, that with which You will assure us of Your Paradise; and grant us of certainty in faith, that with which You shall ease worldly tribulations away from us. Sustain our hearing faculty, our sights and our strength as long as we live. Let them outlive us. Set your vengeance against those who transgress against us and support us over those who assault on us. Do not make the life of this world our greatest concern or the height of our knowledge. And do not impose on us one who would not be kind and merciful on us. Oh Allah I seek refuge in You from calamity, tribulations, evil disposition of affairs, and glee of enemy at one’s misfortune. Oh God, make this country safe, secured, generous and in wellbeing and other Muslim countries.

INJUSTICE AS ONE OF THE PREVALENT SOCIAL ILLS JUST BEFORE PROPHETHOOD OF MUHAMMAD (PBUH).

Praise be to Allah who honors his beloved servants with Islam and faith. He established the earth and heavens on balance and justice. I praise Allah- my creator in manifolds, purely and blessedly. I bear witness that there is no God but Allah alone without any partner, a testimony worthy to protects the proclaimer from painful torment. And I bear witness that Muhammad is His Prophet and Messenger, the seal of all messengers and prophets of Allah, May the peace and blessings of God be upon him, his families, wives and companions and those who follow them in righteousness till the day of recompense. After that, I admonish you and myself to fear Allah, that is trade that does not fail, its end is attainment of House of dignity and happiness. Allah says: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلاَ تَمُوتُنَّ إِلاَّ وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ {O ye who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared, and die not except in a state of Islam.} (Al-Imran: 102). Definition of injustice: Injustice is simply the placement of a thing in the wrong place, and acting on the right of others without his consent, and to exceed the limit set by the shariah, or a term which means trespassing truth to wrong. It is unfairness. (Jamiul Uluum Wal Hikam p. 211), (As-Sohaah 5/1977) Warning against injustice: Allah says: وَسَيَعَلَمُ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ أَيَّ مُنْقَلَبٍ يَنْقَلِبُونَ} الشعراء 227 {And soon will the unjust assailants know what vicissitudes their affairs will take! } (Q26:227). He says also: إِنَّا أَعْتَدْنَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ نَارًا أَحَاطَ بِهِمْ سُرَادِقُهَا وَإِنْ يَسْتَغِيثُوا يُغَاثُوا بِمَاءٍ كَالْمُهْلِ يَشْوِي الْوُجُوهَ بِئْسَ الشَّرَابُ وَسَاءَتْ مُرْتَفَقًا}(الكهف : 29) {… for the unjust We have prepared a Fire whose (smoke and flames), like the walls and roof of a tent, will hem them in: if they implore relief they will be granted water like melted brass, that will scald their faces, how dreadful the drink! How uncomfortable a couch to recline on! } (18: 29) He says also: وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذِ الظَّالِمُونَ فِي غَمَرَاتِ الْمَوْتِ وَالْمَلاَئِكَةُ بَاسِطُو أَيْدِيهِمْ أَخْرِجُوا أَنْفُسَكُمُ الْيَوْمَ تُجْزَوْنَ عَذَابَ الْهُونِ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَقُولُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ غَيْرَ الْحَقِّ وَكُنْتُمْ عَنْ آيَاتِهِ تَسْتَكْبِرُونَ} (الأنعام : 93), {… If thou couldst but see how the wicked (do fare) in the flood of confusion at death! - the angels stretch forth their hands, (saying),"Yield up your souls: this day shall ye receive your reward,- a penalty of shame, for that ye used to tell lies against Allah, and scornfully to reject of His signs!" } (6:93), Allah says: وَتِلْكَ الْقُرَى أَهْلَكْنَاهُمْ لَمَّا ظَلَمُوا وَجَعَلْنَا لِمَهْلِكِهِمْ مَوْعِدًا }(الكهف : 59). {Such were the populations we destroyed when they committed iniquities; but we fixed an appointed time for their destruction.} (18: 59). The prophet (PBUH) said: (Allah does give respite to the unjust person until when he get hold of him, He will not let him escape) (Bukhari & Muslim) Injustice has caused the ruin of homes, destruction of nations and peoples. It is also the cause of the prevalent difficulty people experience in life. It is also the cause of afflictions; including agony, sickness, poverty, lack of children and wealth, murder, torture, inflation in prices of materials and so on. What the nation experiences today is because of injustice. Injustices is also the cause of anguish in the hereafter. It is the enveloping darkness upon darkness, one above the other. The agony of injustice experienced by the unjust person starts with him in life, then he is tormented in his grave, and then in the hereafter it will also be absolute condemnation to hellfire- God forbid. Hence, Islam came and warned against injustice and commanded justice in all matters; in all aspects of life and it threatened the oppressors and promised him a painful chastisement. It also ordered to stand by the oppressed and defend his rights until the injustice done to him is removed and displaced. As well, Islam came to forbade injustice in all its forms and branches, even God Almighty said in the Hadith Qudsi: ("O My servants, I have made injustice unlawful for Me and unlawful for you, so do not commit injustice against one another.”). Allah says in the Holy Quran: وَمَنْ يَظْلِمْ مِنْكُمْ نُذِقْهُ عَذَاباً كَبِيراً {… And whoever among you does wrong, him shall We cause to taste of a grievous Penalty.} (25:19). The various images of injustice: Injustice has many types; the greatest of it all is to associate partner with Allah- the exalted. Almighty Allah said: إِنَّ الشّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌ { for false worship is indeed the highest injustice. } (31:13) Another form of injustice is that injustice done to other human beings, by infringing on their personality, bodies or wealth, or any other form of infringement and abuse. All these are entirely forbidden and not permissible. The prophet (PBUH) said: (verily your bloods, wealth and personalities are all forbidden to you, the way you regard this day of yours, in this month of yours, and in this country of yours,… be attentive, have I conveyed the message?) (A sermon on the day of ‘Arafah). How many are unjustly treated in his personal dignity, injustice or unfairness to his body or property. But unfortunately he could not claim or recover his right, he is unable to speak out about his oppressor, if he dare mention the name of his oppressor he will be killed. May God help us. As part of injustice which translates to the misplacement of things is not to place the right person in the appropriate position he deserve only because he is not from a particular tribe, or group or a particular clan and then install a wrong person in the position which do not suits or fits him, unjustly and falsely or out of ignorance or imposition. He will therefore act to dispense people’s sustenance and fate in accordance with his self desire, turning out to become confused, stranded and misleading to others. This situation is not limited to States or countries alone, but also some organizations and associations in which someone is often inappropriately installed and misplaced. The Prophet did count this as a sign of the last hour when a Bedouin Arab asked him thus: "O Messenger of Allah, when is the hour ... He said: “When the trust is misplaced, then expect the hour” the Bedouin said: “How then will it be misplaced? He (PBUH) said: “When issue is given to incompetent person, then expect the hour”. And know that injustice does not apply to holders of positions alone but it includes all those mentioned above as well as having authority over a household or family. A typical family set up includes the elderly and the young, the strong and the weak, men and women, every one of them has his or her rights lying on the shoulders of the leaders. A person can be seen as being unjust if he transgresses against his personal right, such as when he spends lavishly. A man’s injustice to his family includes when he treats them with cruelty and hardship or deficient in financial commitment or is deficient to relate well with them kindly. Umar bn Khattab was once lying on his back in his home and his boys were playing around him, then one of his governors entered who denounced Umar’s freedom to the children. But Umar said to him: “How do you do with your family? He said: “If I enter, everything becomes silent” In the end Umar withdrew him from the post of governor and said: “You're not kind to your family and your child how then can you be kind to the Ummah of Muhammad” One of the greatest injustices of man to his children is to leave them without a system of commanding them for good or forbidding them from evil and without training or directing them rightly. Perhaps he commands and forbids far and remote people. Part of the injustice to neighbours is to neglect their rights; such as to neglect the need to comfort them or not to ward off evil from them or their children and family. The Prophet was informed about that woman who did not benefit from her night prayers and fasts during the day because she hurt her neighbours and infringes them with her tongue. The Messenger of Allah said about her: (No benefit in all her action, she is of the people of hell) we seek refuge with Allah from the hellfire. Amin. Admonition to Leaders: Oppressing leaders should look at the consequences of severe tyrants which Allah mentions in the Holy Quran such as Pharaoh, Qaaroon, Haman and Namruud. Allah says: فَكُلاً أَخَذْنَا بِذَنْبِهِ فَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ أَرْسَلْنَا عَلِيهِ حَاصِباً وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ أَخَذَتْهُ الصَّيْحَةُ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ خَسَفْنَا بِهِ الأَرْضَ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ أَغْرَقْنَا وَمَا كَانَ اللهُ لِيَظْلِمَهُمْ ولَكِنْ كَانُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ {Each one of them We seized for his crime: of them, against some We sent a violent tornado (with showers of stones); some were caught by a (mighty) Blast; some We caused the earth to swallow up; and some We drowned (in the waters): It was not Allah Who injured (or oppressed) them:" They injured (and oppressed) their own souls.} (29: 40). Advice to the Oppressed: Dear oppressed persons, never think that God has neglected the unjust oppressor or that God has forgotten him, never, our Lord never errs nor forgets. Only that God gives respite to the unjust person and oppressors until he get hold of them he will never release them. Look around, where are the tyrants and the unjust of all times? Where is Qaarun? Where is Pharaoh?! Where is Haaman? Where is Namruud Bn Kan-‘aan? Where are the companions of the pit? Where are the oppressors and their followers in confusion? All of them have died and perished and obviously the remaining living ones will die one day. Allah says: كُلُّ مَنْ عَلَيْهَا فَانٍ * وَيَبْقَى وَجْهُ رَبِّكَ ذُو الْجَلالِ وَالإِكْرَامِ {All that is on earth will perish: But will abide (for ever) the Face of thy Lord,- full of Majesty, Bounty and Honour.} (55: 26-27). وَلاَ تَحْسَبَنَّ اللَّهَ غَافِلاً عَمَّا يَعْمَلُ الظَّالِمُونَ إِنَّمَا يُؤَخِّرُهُمْ لِيَوْمٍ تَشْخَصُ فِيهِ اْلأَبْصَارُ {Think not that Allah doth not heed the deeds of those who do wrong. He but giveth them respite against a Day when the eyes will fixedly stare in horror,-} (14:42). The beloved prophet (PBUH) said: ((Allah do give respite to the unjust until when he get hold of him, He will not let him escape) (Bukhari & Muslim) he then read the verse: وَكَذَلِكَ أَخْذُ رَبِّكَ إِذَا أَخَذَ الْقُرَى وَهِيَ ظَالِمَةٌ إِنَّ أَخْذَهُ أَلِيمٌ شَدِيدٌ {Such is the chastisement of thy Lord when He chastises communities in the midst of their wrong: grievous, indeed, and severe is His chastisement.} (11:102) (Bukhari & Muslim) Requital of Rights in the hereafter before entering paradise: From Abu Hurairah, from the Prophet, he said: (Allah's Apostle said, "Whoever has oppressed another person concerning his reputation or anything else, he should beg him to forgive him before the Day of Resurrection when there will be no money (to compensate for wrong deeds), but if he has good deeds, those good deeds will be taken from him according to his oppression which he has done, and if he has no good deeds, the sins of the oppressed person will be loaded on him." (Narrated by Al-bukhari) From Abu hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah said: “Do you know who the one who is bankrupt?” They said, ‘The bankrupt is the one who has no money and no possessions.’ He said, ‘Among my Ummah, the one who is bankrupt is the one who will come on the Day of Resurrection with prayer and fasting and Zakah (to his credit), but he will come having insulted this one, slandered that one, consumed the wealth of this one and shed the blood of that one, and beaten that one. So they will all be given some of his Hasanat (good deeds), and when his Hasanat run out, before judgment is passed, some of their sins will be taken and cast onto him, then he will be cast into the Fire.’”). (Agreed upon) Abu Sa'eed Al-khudri may Allah be pleased with him narrated that the Messenger of Allah peace be upon him said: (Allah's Apostle said, "When the believers pass safely over (the bridge across) Hell, they will be stopped at a bridge in between Hell and Paradise where they will retaliate upon each other for the injustices done among them in the world, and when they get purified of all their sins, they will be admitted into Paradise. By Him in Whose Hands the life of Muhammad is everybody will recognize his dwelling in Paradise better than he recognizes his dwelling in this world") The triumph over injustice and invocation against the unjust: When the prophets got despaired because of the injustice of the oppressors they called on Allah the Almighty. Prophet Nuh said: وَقَالَ نُوحٌ رَبِّ لاَ تَذَرْ عَلَى الأَرْضِ مِنَ الْكَافِرِينَ دَيَّارًا , إِنَّكَ إِنْ تَذَرْهُمْ يُضِلُّوا عِبَادَكَ وَلَا يَلِدُوا إِلاَّ فَاجِرًا كَفَّارًا { And Noah, said: "O my Lord! Leave not of the Unbelievers, a single one on earth!” "For, if Thou dost leave (any of) them, they will but mislead Thy devotees, and they will breed none but wicked ungrateful ones”.} (Nuh: 26-27). Musa also prayed against the Pharaoh, he said: رَبَّنَا اطْمِسْ عَلَى أَمْوَالِهِمْ وَاشْدُدْ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ فَلاَ يُؤْمِنُوا حَتَّى يَرَوُا الْعَذَابَ الْأَلِيمَ قَالَ قَدْ أُجِيبَتْ دَعْوَتُكُمَا {Our Lord! deface the features of their wealth, and send hardness to their hearts, so they will not believe until they see the grievous penalty."} (10: 89-88). The prophet (PBUH) also prayed against the idolaters among his people as it was in the battle of Badr: (O Allah! descend on the Quraish) thrice. Allah, the Almighty said: لاَّ يُحِبُّ اللَّهُ الْجَهْرَ بِالسُّوء مِنَ الْقَوْلِ إِلاَّ مَن ظُلِمَ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ سَمِيعاً عَلِيماً { Allah loveth not that evil should be noised abroad in public speech, except where injustice hath been done; for Allah is He who heareth and knoweth all things.} (4:148). Ibn Abbaas said: (God does not love that a person curses the other except in the case of injustice where permission have been given on such ground according to the verse: { except where injustice hath been done } and that patience is the best for him). Ibn Sa’di said: “Allah informs through the verse that he does not like proclaiming evil publicly, meaning He hates and detests it and will punish for it, { except where injustice hath been done }: That is it is allowed to invoke against or curse who wrong him unjustly and complain and speak out against him, as long as he is not fabricating falsehood against him, he should not add to the claim and must not transgress or exceed in the demand. (Taiseerul-Kareem Rahman, p. 175) So therefore let the oppressor beware of the invocation or curses of the oppressed by moving away from injustice for the prayer of the oppressed is quickly accepted, there is no barrier between it and Allah. Abu Hurairah said: the Messenger of Allah peace be upon him said: (The invocation of the oppressed is responded to even if he is morally corrupt, the wrath of his immorality is on himself). (Classed as Hasan by Al-baani in Saheeh Al-jaami ', 3,382). From Abu Hurairah that the Prophet peace be upon him said: (Allah raises the invocation of the oppressed above the clouds and the gates of heaven are opened for it and the Lord says: “By my might, I will surely assist you even if it is after a while) narrated by Al-tirmidhi, May God bless you all and myself with the Holy Qur'aan, and benefit us all from the lessons there in. Having said all you heard, I seek forgiveness from Allah for me and for you all, Muslims, engage in seeking forgiveness from Him, He is All-forgiving, Most- merciful. The Second Sermon All praises are due to Allah the forgiver of sins, the accepter of repentance and the concealer of defects and flaws, the remover of anguish and agony. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone without any partner, and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. May the peace and blessings of God be upon him, his families, and all his companions. Dear Muslims, you ensure to uphold remembrance of Allah and prayer with due causative actions. Attainment of victory has its causes likewise gaining the support of Allah has its causes as well. The first of these causes is to withdraw from sins and sincere repentance from all iniquities with soul purification as well the purification of homes and societies and communities of forbidden things. This is the first step without which victory is achievable. It is also mandatory to augment these means with remembrance of Allah and quality prayers perhaps Allah could save you through the blessings of your remembrance (tahleel, tasbeeh) and recourse to Him. If you establish true remembrance of Allah fervently with your tongue and praying and beseeching him sincerely in your heart Allah will surely deliver and save you with the blessings of your prayer. The Messenger of Allah increases prayer, and insistence on God, beseeching Him with humility before Allah especially when calamity and adversity befalls. Part of his prayer in such situation includes: يَا حَيُّ يَا قَيُّومُ بِرَحْمَتِكَ أسْتَغِيثُ أَصْلِحْ ليِ شَأْنِي كُلَّهُ وَلاَ تَكِلْنِي إِلىَ نَفْسِي طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ meaning (The Living Lord, The Self- Existent Lord, I seek protection with Your mercy, reform my affairs and do not leave me to my fate even for a blink of an eye.) Ali bin Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him said: the Messenger of Allah taught me the words to say when there is fear (لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ الْحَلِيمُ اْلكَرِيمُ سُبْحَانَ اللهِ وَتَبَارَكَ اللهُ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ) Meaning (there is no god but Allah, the Clement, the Generous, glory be to Allah, blessed be Allah, the Lord of the mighty throne, and praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds). It is required of you Muslims to repent to Allah and give up sins and repentance from all sins, and increase in the remembrance of Allah and supplications to the Lord of lords, may he be glorified and exalted, Oh God, forgive Muslim men and women, believing men and women, the living and the dead, you are All- hearing, All-knowing. Oh Allah! The condition of our Muslim brothers and sisters in the west and east are all known to you, O Allah assist them, do not assist others against them, support their plans, do not support the plots of others against them, ease their guidance, help them against those who oppress them. O Allah choose the best among them as leaders for them, protect them against the evil ones among them, and make their states among those who fear and revere You, and follow Your religion and seek Your pleasure. You are surely a responder to supplications.

In the name of God the Merciful

Thank God, who sent down the book, and ordered the chastity and the veil, and I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone with no partner forgiving sin, repentance, the Stern in punishment, from unbend the gift received recognition and reward, and زاغ is menacing Bolam agony, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger envoy wisdom The separation of the speech, and sheriff's virtues and cream ethics and morality, may Allah bless him and his family and companions and followed them until the day of the MAB. The distance / Young lady who hands the brothers of Islam and myself to fear Allah, it is those who fear God honored him and helped, and confirm with his heart on the right and JENANAH, and enter Paradise Almighty says:} that heaven North of Our servants who vomits {Mary 63 Islam came and found the Arab community, like other communities in that time women are seen as a tool of pleasures, and the satisfaction of instinct, and then viewed from the humanitarian point of view downward, and also found in the community somewhat chaotic in sexual relationships and degeneration aesthetic; and celebrate Paljsudaiat overwhelming , and found the system family Makhlkhala. The Quranic text referred to the Finery, Faouha that remnants of ignorance, said the Almighty God} and stay in your houses and تبرجن flaunt ignorance} (parties 33), and Finery: show women the same pros and clothes and jewels for all to see men. The fighter said Ibn Hayyan: {تبرجن not flaunt ignorance} and Finery: they receive veil on her head, nor Chdh Vioara Qlaidha Crdoha and neck, and it seems that all of them, and Finery. Mujahid said: a woman out walking in the hands of men, it flaunt ignorance. Qatada said: It was them and break gait and تغنج God forbade it. "Tafsir Ibn Kathir 6/410" And ignorance - Muslim brothers - not a certain period of time, but is a state of a particular social, with certain perceptions of life, and can be found this case, and that there is this perception in anytime, anywhere, so evidence of ignorance where he was. With this measure, we find that we now live in a period of ignorance blind, thick sense, animal perception, falling in dark human to perigee humiliating, and realize that purity is no zakaah not swimming in the community live this life; does not take means purification and hygiene, which God for mankind to purification of uncleanness, and get rid of ignorance. God's grace upon His slaves dress and الرياش: O Muslims, have blessed God for His slaves as making them dress and الرياش, God said O Children of Adam have sent down to you to dress mask Soatkm and Richa and clothing piety so good that one of the signs of God that they may remember} (custom: 26), Valbas Lester genitalia It pudenda,, الرياش and feathers is beautifying apparent, Valraash necessities, and feathers: sequels and increase, and clothing of piety is the faith and fear of God. Said Abdul Rahman ibn Aslam: fear Vioara his genitalia, the same is the dress of piety. Flaunt women of the greatest reasons for the fall in the Muslim community: O nation of Islam: I learned the enemies of our religion that women of the greatest causes of force in the Muslim community, and they learned it from the most dangerous means of demolition and destruction in the Muslim community so they start planning and plotting to distort this nation, but the heart of the identity of this nation, and the destruction of morality of this nation, which has reached what arrived it Vozl fractions and insulted Caesar day that failed in the occupation of our land military occupation armies, and uttered Louis IX day that families in Dar Ibn Luqman Mansoura Cairo uttered explicit and crystal clear in the fourth day, he said: It is no longer possible to control the country's Muslim armies military, must - now - Find a new way for the invasion of the Muslims, and the invasion was much more serious intellectual of a military invasion. Goal of Islam from the imposition of the veil: The God who is no other god what Islam forbids Finery on Muslim women brothers of faith, and the imposition of Islam veil, except for maintenance, protection, and preservation of the futility of the abusers, and shamelessness Almagenan not even aspire looks adulteress, and so as not to desecrate her body this looks treacherous, etc. God wanted Islam has only chastity and modesty and decency make Islam the prescribed كاللؤلؤ Webmasters and Caldrh protected surrounded by accident, so as not to stretch it hand sinful frivolous, Val says: Malk lowest to know Do not disturb} (parties 59) May God commanded the believing women covered up and veil full Almighty said: O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers يدنين them ie screen lowest to know Do not disturb and Allah is Oft} (parties 59), and robes: is the cloak that circumvents the woman and cover her head and all of her body. Rule Finery: O Muslims, if Finery large موبقة in this world and the Hereafter, and that of the attributes of the people of Hell ((two kinds of people did not fire Oarhama, people with whips like the tails of cow beating people, and scantily dressed women Mailat Mmellat, wearing see divination slash not enter Paradise nor smell its fragrance, although Rihha no such and such)) "Narrated by Muslim." There have been prophecy of the Messenger of Allah has Cefhen describe scenes to them, it means (scantily dressed): wear thin clothes describe the color of the flesh or short, they are draped in the naked in the name of truth. And the meaning (Mailat: (any Zaúgat for obedience to God, and what they need when modesty and concealment Mailat in Msheethen (gait): any gait to the hearts of men to nicotine. Finery brings even accompanied by curses and expulsion from the mercy of God, narrated Abdullah bin Umar said: Messenger of Allah said: ((be the last of my scantily dressed women wearing see divination Anohn they Mlonat)). O Muslims, and habits of ignorance that has spread in our society today to wear women's clothing men, and men to wear women's clothing, has forbidden Islam, it was narrated Abdullah ibn Amr said: I heard the Messenger of Allah peace be upon him says: (not one of us like men of women do not like women than men)) "Narrated by Ahmad and Tabarani and Abu Naim." Abu Hurayrah may Allah be pleased with him said: ((cursed upon him the man who wears women's clothing and women's wear for Sixteen men)) "Narrated by Abu Dawood, Ibn Majah, Governor Ahmed said the ruling correctly on the conditions of Muslim." Among the most serious conversations received from the Messenger of Allah in this serious matter, for Abdullah Bin Umar said: The Messenger of Allah peace be upon him: ((three not enter Paradise nor consider God to them doomsday disobeys his parents, and women Butch Almichbhh men, Cuckold)) "directed by the Governor and Bayhaqi and Ahmad said the ruling: true attribution Narrated Bazaar Women." God bless you and me in the Quran and Sunnah, May نفعني and you including two for the guidance and wisdom, say what you hear and ask forgiveness from God for me and you and the other Muslims Fastgvrōh He is Oft Mercy. Thank God who blessed us yes life and religion, and made us Muslims, and I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone with no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family and companions, and those who followed them in truth until the Day of Judgment. Fear God, O Muslims the right to piety. Today, we live for so hard, and in calamities and disasters and setbacks, and know that one of the greatest reasons that we left the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, then know that the causes of Deliverance enjoining and forbidding what is wrong, and the reasons for the fall and perdition: silence on evil, he says: when they forgot what mentioned saved those who forbid evil, and we take those who wronged pains Bis that they infringed} (customs 165). And has warned the Messenger of Allah peace be upon him of negligence in the matter of the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, said: ((and my hand to Tamrn Virtue and forbid evil or Yushkn God to send you a punishment from him then you call it answered for you)) "Narrated by Tirmidhi and horses" . Also narrated by Bukhari and Muslim that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him Asked: أنهلك us righteous? Said: ((yes if many slag)) any depravity and debauchery. Saheeh him peace be upon him, he said: ((like the existing limits of God - any who calls the tune - and indeed where, like folk Asthmua in a ship, was folk highest, and people underneath, was who at the bottom if Draw some out water passed on who at the top , and apprehend that they Adhuhm, they said: if I have violated in the lower side of what Avena who are above us ((Then he said peace be upon him: ((If left them perished, and all perished, and if they took on their hands all survived and survived)). And every one knows that curses are not solved harmdoers alone, but affects all of silent on Snaahm and both Georhm, he says: And fear tumult which affecteth not those of you who do wrong (Anfal 25) And has earned the children of Israel expulsion from the mercy of God because of their negligence in the prevention of vice, he says: cursed those who disbelieved of the Children of Israel on the tongue of David and Jesus, son of Mary so as they disobeyed and persisted attack, they do not Atnahon is evil they did to evil what they were doing} (Round 78 -79) Oh the fittest us our is infallibility hurry, and the fittest us our mundane pensions, and the fittest us Akhratna where Maadna, Mark increase our life in all the best, and Mark death comfort us from all evil. Oh fittest our women and Muslim women, O Zanhen hijab and chastity, and Junbhen Finery and adornments and mixing O dearest Islam and Muslims, and humiliated the infidels and unbelievers and claimed the hypocrisy and the hypocrites, and we insist O Dink and your book and years prophet peace be upon him and Thy faithful.

The Fundamentals of Happiness

Do not be shaken by criticism; instead, be firm. And know that, in proportion to your worth, the level of people’s criticisms rises. Faith in God and good deeds: these are the ingredients that make up a good and happy life. Whoever desires peace, tranquility, and comfort can find it all in the remembrance of God You should know with certainty that everything that happens, occurs in accordance with a divine decree. Train yourself to be ready and prepared for the worst eventuality. Perhaps what has happened is in your best interest (though you may not comprehend how that is so). Enumerate the blessings of God and be thankful for them. You are better off than many others. Relief comes from one hour to the next In both times of hardship and ease, one should turn to supplication and prayer Calamities should strengthen your heart and reshape your outlook in a positive sense. Work hard at something that is productive, and cast off idleness.

10 Benefits of Reading

1. Reading repels anxiety and grief 2. While busy reading, one is prevented from delving into falsehood 3. Habitual reading makes one too busy to keep company with the idle and the inactive. 4. By reading often, one develops eloquence and clarity in speech. 5. Reading helps to develop the mind and purify its thoughts. 6. Reading increases one in knowledge and improves both memory and understanding. 7. By reading, one benefits from the experiences of others: the wisdom of the wise and the understanding of scholars. 8. By reading often, one develops the ability to both acquire and process knowledge and to learn about the different fields of knowledge and their application to life. 9. One’s faith will increase when one reads beneficial books, especially books written by practicing Muslim writers. The book is the best giver of sermons and it has a forceful effect in guiding one towards goodness and away from evil. 10. Reading helps to relax one’s mind from distraction and to save one’s time from being wasted.

PREVALENT SOCIAL ILLS CLOSELY BEFORE PROPHETHOOD AND THE APPROACH USED TO REMEDY THE SITUATION.

Praise is for Allah, The Most High, The Greatest, Who said: “Indeed, association of partners [with Him] is great injustice." Most magnificent praises be unto Him for His uniqueness at relating with His creation and for the sustenance, He is all-aware of all things. I bear witness there is no god except Allah alone, He has no partner, the Lord of all-encompassing favours. I bear witness Muhammad (PBUH) was a servant and messenger of Allah raised for purification, teaching and guiding the unlettered community to the straight path. May Allah bestow grace and peace in manifolds on him, his families, wives, companions and all followers of his guidance till the day of recompense. And after that, O Muslims keep your duty to your Lord dearly in utmost piety for that is the best preparation. It positions one for guidance, happiness and forthrightness and security. Allah says: { وَتَزَوَّدُواْ فَإِنَّ خَيْرَ الزَّادِ التَّقْوَى وَاتَّقُونِ يَا أُوْلِي الأَلْبَابِ }(البقرة: 197) “And take provisions, but indeed, the best provision is fear of Allah. And fear Me, O you of understanding.” (2: 197) Dear Muslims, Allah created man as a composite of two principal elements: the body and the soul. Each of these has its own peculiar food for growth and development. God also guides to remedy that addresses both components when stricken by diseases. Verily Allah has bestows His blessings on His servants as exemplified in the verse below: {هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ لَكُمْ مَا فِي الأَرْضِ جَمِيعاً} It is He who created for you all of that which is on the earth. (2:29) As for the soul, its diseases were critical in this period, much closer to death situation before the advent of the prophethood of Muhammad (PBUH). However, Allah revived and resuscitated the souls of men with the light and guidance of the prophet hood of Muhammad (PBUH). {أَوَمَنْ كَانَ مَيْتاً فَأَحْيَيْنَاهُ وَجَعَلْنَا لَهُ نُوراً يَمْشِي بِهِ فِي النَّاسِ كَمَنْ مَثَلُهُ فِي الظُّلُمَاتِ لَيْسَ بِخَارِجٍ مِنْهَا}(الأنعام 122) “And is one who was dead and We gave him life and made for him light by which to walk among the people like one who is in darkness, never to emerge therefrom?” (6:122) Through this, Allah emphatically inspired the soul of men that the only relevant and efficient way to disengage it of all its maladies and malfunction is the divine revelation. {وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ مَا هُوَ شِفَاءٌ وَرَحْمَةٌ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ} (الاسراء82 ) . “And We send down of the Qur'an that which is healing and mercy for the believers, but it does not increase the wrongdoers except in loss.” (17:82) THE PREVALENT TRAITS OF THE HOST COMMUNITY OF MUHAMMAD’S (PBUH) PROPHETHOOD The host community of Muhammad’s prophet hood was bedeviled with all classes of the diseases of the heart, the leading of which was As-Shirk- joining partners with Allah, whereby the heart is absolutely attached to other than Allah (swt), and according such all the pristine and legitimate rights of Allah (swt). Shirk was the prevalent ideology among the Arabs and the general religion within the Arabian peninsula. The Arabs despite the prevalent polytheism, believed God as the Supreme Being, the creator of the universe, sovereigner of the heavens and earth. Allah obviously testified to their confirmation of God’s attribute as the creator, the provider of sustenance and the mighty, however, despite this, they remained pagans because they failed to translate that believe to sole worship of Allah alone, and they worshipped other than Him, exalted is He above what they join with Him. {وَلَئِنْ سَأَلْتَهُمْ مَنْ خَلَقَهُمْ لَيَقُولُنَّ اللَّهُ فَأَنَّى يُؤْفَكُونَ} (الزخرف87) “And if you asked them who created them, they would surely say, " Allah ." So how are they deluded?” (43: 87) {قُلْ مَنْ يَرْزُقُكُمْ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَاْلأَرْضِ أَمْ مَنْ يَمْلِكُ السَّمْعَ وَاْلأَبْصَارَ وَمَنْ يُخْرِجُ الْحَيَّ مِنَ الْمَيِّتِ وَيُخْرِجُ الْمَيِّتَ مِنَ الْحَيِّ وَمَنْ يُدَبِّرُ اْلأَمْرَ فَسَيَقُولُونَ اللَّهُ فَقُلْ أَفَلاَ تَتَّقُونَ } (يونس31). “Say, "Who provides for you from the heaven and the earth? Or who controls hearing and sight and who brings the living out of the dead and brings the dead out of the living and who arranges [every] matter?" They will say, " Allah ," so say, "Then will you not fear Him?" (10:31) The Arab society was drowned in idolatry in its worst form, every tribe or area, or city had a particular idol, in fact every household had its specific idol. Al-Kalbi said: “Every home in Makkah had specific idol they worship. And when anyone among them is to embark on a journey, the last task he carries out in his house is to wipe his body with the idol while the first thing he does as he enters his house on his return is to wipe his body with the idol again. The Arabs were reckless in idol worshipping; some built an edifice for the idol, and others took an idol alone, and who is not capable of an idol nor erecting a house, could set up stone monument at the front of the ka’bah or other approved structures. Then they circumambulate around it the way they do at the ka’bah, and they called this practice Al-Ansoob (dedication of stones). At the centre of the ka’bah and around its spaces were three hundred and sixty idols. The people moved from worshipping idols and images to the worship of mere stones. From Abu Raja: “We used to worship stones, but when we find a better stone, we discard the former and take the latter. If we could not get stones, we gather heaps of sands, then get a sheep which is milked over it and we circumambulate around it.” (Bukhari) The situation of the Arabs was not different from a typical idolatry society anywhere or anytime in history. Gathering various gods and goddesses from among the angels, jinns, stars, they believed angels are daughters of God, they took them as intercessors before God, and they relied on them as mediators to reach God. {إِنَّ الَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاْلآَخِرَةِ لَيُسَمُّونَ الْمَلاَئِكَةَ تَسْمِيَةَ الأُنْثَى , وَمَا لَهُمْ بِهِ مِنْ عِلْمٍ إِنْ يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلاَّ الظَّنَّ وَإِنَّ الظَّنَّ لاَ يُغْنِي مِنَ الْحَقِّ شَيْئًا} (النجم27- 28) “Indeed, those who do not believe in the Hereafter name the angels female names, And they have thereof no knowledge. They follow not except assumption, and indeed, assumption avails not against the truth at all.” (53: 27- 28) {وَجَعَلُوا بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ الْجِنَّةِ نَسَبًا وَلَقَدْ عَلِمَتِ الْجِنَّةُ إِنَّهُمْ لَمُحْضَرُونَ , سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ (الصافات/158- 159) “And they have claimed between Him and the jinn a lineage, but the jinn have already known that they [who made such claims] will be brought to [punishment]. Exalted is Allah above what they describe.” (37:158- 159) WAYS USED BY THE APOSTLE TO REMEDY THE ILLS OF THE SOCIETY Dear Muslims, the prophet approached these dangerous and seemingly incurable diseases by first eradicating and sanitizing the hearts. Thereafter he then filled their hearts with the love of God, His reverence, sustaining hope in Him, singling Him out alone for worship without joining partners with Him. For God is the sole creator of all creatures and existence Who rightfully deserves to be worshipped, and none must be worshipped beside Him whatever the status. The prophet met several kinds of abuse in the hands of the pagans. He was patient until God's victory and support came making him and his supporters the heirs. {وَلِلَّهِ الْعِزَّةُ وَلِرَسُولِهِ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ}(المنافقون 8) " And to Allah belongs [all] honor, and to His Messenger, and to the believers.” (63:8) {وَالْعَاقِبَةُ لِلتَّقْوَى} {and the end is for piety} The prophet also faced series of intransigence and opposition from his people as encapsulated thus: {وَعَجِبُوا أَنْ جَاءَهُمْ مُنْذِرٌ مِنْهُمْ وَقَالَ الْكَافِرُونَ هَذَا سَاحِرٌ كَذَّابٌ , أَجَعَلَ اْلآَلِهَةَ إِلَهًا وَاحِدًا إِنَّ هَذَا لَشَيْءٌ عُجَابٌ , وَانْطَلَقَ الْمَلأُ مِنْهُمْ أَنِ امْشُوا وَاصْبِرُوا عَلَى آَلِهَتِكُمْ إِنَّ هَذَا لَشَيْءٌ يُرَادُ , مَا سَمِعْنَا بِهَذَا فِي الْمِلَّةِ اْلآَخِرَةِ إِنْ هَذَا إِلاَّ اخْتِلاَقٌ , أَؤُنْزِلَ عَلَيْهِ الذِّكْرُ مِنْ بَيْنِنَا بَلْ هُمْ فِي شَكٍّ مِنْ ذِكْرِي بَلْ لَمَّا يَذُوقُوا عَذَابِ}(ص4-8) “So they wonder that a Warner has come to them from among themselves! and the Unbelievers say, "This is a sorcerer telling lies! "Has he made the gods (all) into one Allah? Truly this is a wonderful thing!" And the leader among them go away (impatiently), (saying), "Walk ye away, and remain constant to your gods! For this is truly a thing designed (against you)! "We never heard (the like) of this among the people of these latter days: this is nothing but a made-up tale!" "What! has the Message been sent to him - (Of all persons) among us?"...but they are in doubt concerning My (Own) Message! Nay, they have not yet tasted My Punishment! (38: 4-8), Pride and Envy propelled them (unbelievers) to this ugly state to utter such ridiculous statement as explained in the Qur’an concerning the people of prophet Solih: {كَذَّبَتْ ثَمُودُ بِالنُّذُرِ فَقَالُوا أَبَشَراً مِنَّا وَاحِداً نَتَّبِعُهُ إِنَّا إِذاً لَفِي ضَلالٍ وَسُعُرٍ أَأُلْقِيَ الذِّكْرُ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ بَيْنِنَا بَلْ هُوَ كَذَّابٌ أَشِرٌ} “The Thamud (also) rejected (their) Warners. For they said: "What! a man! a Solitary one from among ourselves! shall we follow such a one? Truly should we then be straying in mind, and mad! "Is it that the Message is sent to him, of all people amongst us? Nay, he is a liar, an insolent one!" (54: 23- 25) The most manifested of the approaches employed by prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to treat this disease was to insist and prevail on the unbelievers to recognize Allah as the Only One Who deserves to be worshipped solely, based on what they know and claim of God’s supremacy. A graphical detail of this situation is mentioned in Suratu-n-Naml: {آللَّهُ خَيْرٌ أَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ أَمَّنْ خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ وَأَنْزَلَ لَكُمْ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً فَأَنْبَتْنَا بِهِ حَدَائِقَ ذَاتَ بَهْجَةٍ مَا كَانَ لَكُمْ أَنْ تُنْبِتُوا شَجَرَهَا أَإِلَهٌ مَعَ اللَّهِ بَلْ هُمْ قَوْمٌ يَعْدِلُونَ أَمَّنْ جَعَلَ الأَرْضَ قَرَاراً وَجَعَلَ خِلالَهَا أَنْهَاراً وَجَعَلَ لَهَا رَوَاسِيَ وَجَعَلَ بَيْنَ الْبَحْرَيْنِ حَاجِزاً أَإِلَهٌ مَعَ اللَّهِ بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لا يَعْلَمُونَ أَمَّنْ يُجِيبُ الْمُضْطَرَّ إِذَا دَعَاهُ وَيَكْشِفُ السُّوءَ وَيَجْعَلُكُمْ خُلَفَاءَ الأَرْضِ أَإِلَهٌ مَعَ اللَّهِ قَلِيلاً مَا تَذَكَّرُونَ أَمَّنْ يَهْدِيكُمْ فِي ظُلُمَاتِ الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ وَمَنْ يُرْسِلُ الرِّيَاحَ بُشْراً بَيْنَ يَدَيْ رَحْمَتِهِ أَإِلَهٌ مَعَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى اللَّهُ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ أَمَّنْ يَبْدأُ الْخَلْقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُ وَمَنْ يَرْزُقُكُمْ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالأَرْضِ أَإِلَهٌ مَعَ اللَّهِ قُلْ هَاتُوا بُرْهَانَكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِينَ}(النمل 59-64) “Is Allah better or what they associate with Him? [More precisely], is He [not best] who created the heavens and the earth and sent down for you rain from the sky, causing to grow thereby gardens of joyful beauty which you could not [otherwise] have grown the trees thereof? Is there a deity with Allah ? [No], but they are a people who ascribe equals [to Him]. Is He [not best] who made the earth a stable ground and placed within it rivers and made for it firmly set mountains and placed between the two seas a barrier? Is there a deity with Allah ? [No], but most of them do not know. Is He [not best] who responds to the desperate one when he calls upon Him and removes evil and makes you inheritors of the earth? Is there a deity with Allah ? Little do you remember. Is He [not best] who guides you through the darknesses of the land and sea and who sends the winds as good tidings before His mercy? Is there a deity with Allah ? High is Allah above whatever they associate with Him. Is He [not best] who begins creation and then repeats it and who provides for you from the heaven and earth? Is there a deity with Allah ? Say, "Produce your proof, if you should be truthful." (27: 59- 64) In Suratul- Hajj, Allah illustrates the incapability of the idols they worship in a wonderful and eloquent manner thus: {يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ ضُرِبَ مَثَلٌ فَاسْتَمِعُوا لَهُ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ لَنْ يَخْلُقُوا ذُبَاباً وَلَوِ اجْتَمَعُوا لَهُ وَإِنْ يَسْلُبْهُمُ الذُّبَابُ شَيْئاً لا يَسْتَنْقِذُوهُ مِنْهُ ضَعُفَ الطَّالِبُ وَالْمَطْلُوبُ. مَا قَدَرُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ قَدْرِهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَقَوِيٌّ عَزِيزٌ}(الحج 73-74) . “O people, an example is presented, so listen to it. Indeed, those you invoke besides Allah will never create [as much as] a fly, even if they gathered together for that purpose. And if the fly should steal away from them a [tiny] thing, they could not recover it from him. Weak are the pursuer and pursued. They have not appraised Allah with true appraisal. Indeed, Allah is Powerful and Exalted in Might.” (22: 73- 74) THE SPREAD OF THIS DISEASE IN OUR SOCIETY TODAY: Muslims, this deadly disease (shirk) has spread its fullness in our society today such that the Government even supports this idolatry practice in the name of culture and spends a lot of money on this project. Shirk was the first corruption or evil done on Earth, even, it is the biggest and the greatest. That is the reason why the prophet (PBUH) placed it as the first of the seven destructing sins. From Abu Hurairah: “Avoid the seven destructing sins” they (the companions) said: “O Messenger of God and what are they?” He said: “Joining partner with Allah in worship matters …” It is a form of sin which the sinner will not be forgiven if he dies in that state. Allah said: { إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَغْفِرُ أَنْ يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَلِكَ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ وَمَنْ يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدِ افْتَرَى إِثْمًا عَظِيمًا} (النساء48) “Allah forgiveth not that partners should be set up with Him; but He forgiveth anything else, to whom He pleaseth; to set up partners with Allah is to devise a sin Most heinous indeed.“ (4:48) God bless you all and me with the Holy Qur'aan, and benefit us all from the lessons there in. Having said what I said, I seek forgiveness from Allah for me and for you all, Muslims, engage in seeking forgiveness from Him, He is All-forgiving, Most- merciful. THE SECOND SERMON All praises are for Allah, the most powerful, most wise, supporter and protector of the righteous and pious. I testify there is no god except Allah solely exclusive without any partner; He is the protector of the righteous. I testify also that Muhammad is His servant and messenger, may Allah bestow His blessing on him, his household and all his companions. There can be no pride, dignity, nor hope of victory and safety from painful torment except by the return to the religion of Allah, sincerity of adherence to His orders and prohibitions, complete submission to the religion of Islam, and following the Prophet (PBUH). { وَلله الْعِزَّةُ وَلِرَسُولِهِ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَلَكِنَّ الْمنَافِقِينَ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ }( المنافقون:8) "And to Allah belongs [all] honor, and to His Messenger, and to the believers, but the hypocrites do not know.” (63:8) {مَن كَانَ يُرِيدُ الْعِزَّةَ فَلِلَّهِ الْعِزَّةُ جَمِيعاً }( فاطر:10) “Whoever desires honor [through power] - then to Allah belongs all honor.” (35:10) Be aware that sin against Allah is the cause of all forms of relegation, debasement and drawbacks. Allah deals with whoever sin against Him; he could be subjected to open humiliation, put him in a state of perpetual fear, subdued and overturned into grief and sorrow and even become abandoned before Allah, because sin is the cause of all defects and a reason for being dominate or overrun by the enemies, and equally a source of trials, hardships and adversity. { فَكُلاًّ أَخَذْنَا بِذَنْبِهِ...} “So each We seized for his sin” (29: 40) May Allah forgive the believing men and believing women, Muslim men and women, the living and the dead, You are All-hearing and Ever-responsive. O Allah, honour Islam and the Muslims, humiliate idolatry and the idolaters, and destroy your enemies- the enemies of Islam, O Lord- the most powerful, most enduring. And make this country- Nigeria safe, and other Muslim lands, through your mercy Oh merciful Lord.