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 SERMON 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.