Ramadan Kareem! Ramadan Mubarak!! Ramadan Message

Ramadan Kareem! Ramadan Mubarak!! Ramadan Message Month of Mercy, forgiveness, abundant blessing Month of the Holy Qur’an e.t.c. *“Verily, those who say: ”Our Lord is Allah (alone.” and then they stand firm, on them the angels will descend (at the time of their death”) (Saying): “Fear not, nor grieve: But receive the glad tidings of Paradise which you have been promised!....................................Suratul Fussilat Q.41 :V30 * “And who is better in speech than he who (Say: “My Lord is Allah (believes in His oneness, “and then stands firm (acts upon His order), and invites (men to Allah’s (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds and Says: “I am one of the Muslims.” Suratul Fussilat Q.41 :V33 Allah Tabaraka wa-Ta’aalaa (Blessed is He and Exalted) Said; My love is compulsory for those who love one another for me; for those who sit with one another for me; for those who visit one another for me; and for those who spend (charity) on one another for me. (Related by Ahmad). He who call people to guidance has the same reward as those who follow him without decreasing anything from the reward of the latter; (Muslim). “One who observes fasts experiences two joys: He is joyful when he breaks his fast and he is joyful by virtue of his fast when he meets his Lord”. (Bukhari and Muslim). He who provides for the breaking of the fast of another earns the same reward as the one who observed the fasting without diminishing in any way the reward of the latter” (Tirmidhi). For Your Reflection & Ramadan Gift

PRE-MARTAL SEX

Being a human being and a member of society, Man has some duties to perform and obligations to fulfill. But the spirit of duty and sense of obligation are not inborn. He has to acquire them by dint of proper culture. This culture must be processed through some prescribed principles and orders. Man has instincts, both good and bad. By habitual culture he may develop the good instincts and give up the bad ones. Good morals is the backbone of the society without which no good social order can be formed. Pre-Marital sex is one of the sins which man commit under the impulse of his useful nature, which run counter to the purpose of his creation according to Islam. In order to met up with the purpose of our creation and build a society with good social order. This lecture focus on pre-marital sex, Meaning, Purpose, Causes, effects, punishment it proffer solutions that will ensure safety society and good social order. Others area examine are morals, pornography and others. Definition of Terms The modern Man visualize illegal and deviated sexual gratification as natural acts and regard Marriage as an unnecessary …….. They feel it is perfectly natural that whenever one feels the urge, or finds the opportunity, and whenever two members of same or opposite sex mutually agree, sexual intercourse should take place, even without the presence of a deeper spiritual bond. Whereas all the revealed all religious have prohibited fornication and adultery and have fought against these crimes against society. Islam laids clear steps towards perfecting it and very strict in prohibiting Zina as it leads to confusion of lineage. Child abuse, the breaking-up of families, bitterness in relationships, the spread of venereal diseases, general laxity in morals, open the door to a flood of lust and self-gratification Hence in Islam whatever excites passions, opens ways for illicit sexual relations and promotes indecency and obscenity is prohibited. Pre-Marital sex-in Arabic word is Zina- which refers to sexual intercourse between a Man and Woman not married to each other. It is immaterial whether one or both parties have their own spouses living or are unmarried. It is also insignificant whether it is with the consent of the parties. The word Zina in Islam- applies to both adultery (where one or both parties are married to a person or persons other than the persons involved in the sexual intercourse) and fornication where both parties unmarried. ●Fornication has been define in order way- as the disappearance of the glans penis of a sober and sensible major (adult) person into the vagina of a woman, not his own legally married wife and this act not being due to any mistake or compulsions. While the English word adultery applies to a Married Man or Woman indulging in illicit sexual intercourse with one who is not the legal wife or husband, while fornication implies that both parties are unmarried. Islam considers Zina not only as a great major sin, shameful in itself and inconsistent with any self-respect or respect for others, but also an act which open the gate road to many evils. It destroys the basis of the family, it leads to quarrels and murders, ruin reputation and property, spread numerous disease, both physical and spiritual, it works against the interest of children born or to be born;, also loosen permanently the bonds of society. Hence Islam says not only should it be avoided as a sin, but any approach or temptation to it should be avoided. (The Holy Qur’an enjoins upon us: - “Do not come nearer to adultery for it is shameful deed and an evil, opening the road to other evils. (Q17 v 32)” Fornication creates disturbance in genealogy and is the cause of many dissensions and strife and in an evil way makes its head in the society). The Prophet (S.A.W) declared that Zina is the greatest crime/sin after shirk (associating partners with Allah”. “There is no sin after shirk greater in the eyes of Allah than a drop of semen which a semen which a Man places in the womb which is not lawful for him” Another hadith places it next after shirk and the killing ones child for fear of poverty. “Abdullah Ibn Masud reported; I ask the Prophet (S.A.W), “O Allah’s Apostle which is the biggest sin? He replied; To set up a rivals with Allah by worshipping others though He alone has created you. “I asked “What is next? He said “To kill your child lest it should share your food”. I asked? what next? He said “To commit illegal sexual intercourse with the wife of your neighbour”. (STEP TOWARDS ADULTERY) Forms of Zina: Zina is a very grievous crime. One should not even draw near it implies that one should not even commit those actions which are done by the preliminary impulses of lewdness as seeing a woman without legitimate authority of shariah. Kissing a woman, shaking hands with a woman as it is common today. The major forms of adultery according to the hadith of the Prophet are the following: “The Zina of legs” “The Zina of hands” “The Zina of eyes” The first step towards adultery is provided by having a passionate look at an unknown woman. The Holy Prophet (S.A.W) reported to have said “Even to look at unknown woman (with a passionate look) is also a sin”. Other steps towards adultery are prohibited by the Prophet (S.A.W) in this hadith. “The adultery of leg is walking (towards an unlawful woman with bad intention) and the adultery of the hands is touching and patting (an unlawful woman) and the adultery of eyes is casting passionate glances (at a woman”. Islam forbids looking at a member of the opposite sex with desire; for the eye is the key to the feelings, and the look is the messenger of desire, carrying the message of fornication or adultery. A ancient Poet said:- “All affairs begin with the sight, the raging fire a spark can ignite”. Contemporary Poet declares:- (A look, then a smile, then a nod of the head, then a talk, then a promise, then the warmth of the bed.” The term “the lustful look” gives sexual pleasure and gratification in an unlawful manner. Indeed, such hungry and lustful looks are not merely a danger to sexual morality but they are also result in agitation of the mind and disturbed thoughts. Causes of Pre-Marital Sex (ZINA)  Corrupted heart or unpurified heart  Not being shameful  Things that corrupt heart ●“Once a man came to the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) and asked him to permit him to engage in fornication. The Prophet (S.A.W) remained silent for a while, while the companions around him rebuked the man at his discourteous and insolent questions to the Prophet. They said to him that he should control his tongue in the presence of the Messenger of Allah and should not utter such derogatory statements. The Prophet S.A.W called him near and asked him whether he approved of this act being committed to his mother, daughter, sister, paternal or maternal aunt. He said “May Allah sacrifice my life on you, O messenger of Allah never! “The prophet replied, “Similar is the case with others. They will greatly abhor this action being committed to their mother, daughter, sister, paternal and maternal aunts. “Then the Messenger of Allah prayed to Allah on his behalf that his heart be purified and his shameful parts are made secure. Abu Imama mentions that after this prayer his condition became such that he did not cast an eye on any stranger woman. ●Immorality as opposite of modesty and when haya-modesty purity of mind, body and soul are displaced, immorality, with all its accompaniment of evil and other disastrous consequences becomes the order of the day. The displacement in a community opens the door to the worst kind of vice which ruins the moral, spiritual and physical fibre of the human being. Man’s natural barrier against immorality is the noble attribute which Allah S.W.T has endowed to people in various degrees. The importance of haya can be seen from the fact that the Prophet S.A.W equates haya with Iman (faith) according to the hadith “Haya is a branch of Iman. In addition Prophet (S.A.W) said “If you don’t feel ashamed, then do whatever you like.” “Immorality will certainly fill the Vacuum left by the elimination of haya”. The Qur’an cautions believers: “Do not follow in the footsteps of shaitan, for verily, he is for you an open enemy. He commands you with evil and immorality”. ●Spiritual-emptiness  Things that corrupt the heart and therefore serve as part of the causes:-  Bad companying  Reading romantic novels/ page 3 of the sun e.t.c  Watching sexy films-Blue films, keeping company of the opposite sex - travelling, bus, wrong sitting - okada e.t.c.  Music, Pornography, chatting on facebook  Africa Magice.t.c  Cell-Phone- night calling - cool………….  Indecent dressing Internet exploration- the influence.  Wrong walking/ movement  Lustful looking  Shaking hands with opposite sex  Modeling  Masturbation  Uncontrolled access to sexually explicit information. Consequences / Implication Effects of Pre-Marital Sex (ZINA) ● Is a great sin ● Shameful acts open the rosad to ● Shameful in itself - acts ● In consistent with any self-respect or respect for others ● Opens the road to many evils. ● Destroys the very basis of the family ● Leads to quarrels and murders ● Ruins reputation and property ● Works against the interest of children born or to be born. ● Loosen permanently the bonds of brotherhood and society. ● Creates disturbance in genealogy and cause many disspensions and strife. ● Child abuse ● Early pregnancy ● death ● abortion ● general laxity in morals ● unprepared fatherhood / motherhood ● sudden termination of education career  loss of scholars or potential assets for Islam  AIDs/HIV  Set-backs-spiritually, socially and economically  PUNISHMENT. PUNISHMENT FOR ZINA. ●Zina (fornication) adultery) is a serious crime and major sin which takes away the quality of faith from a person, and exposes him to punishment and humiliation unless he repents. The Qur’an and hadith have clearly defined the punishments to be meted out to those committing Zina. The 1st injunction was directed towards the women restricting those guilty of Zina to their homes until death. Q4 v15:- “If any of your women are guilty of adultery, take the evidence of four (reliable) witness from amongst you against them; and if they testify, confine them to their houses until death do claim them, or Allah Ta’ala ordain for them some other way.” ●Major opinions on the word “fahishah” refers to adultery ohishah” refers to adultery ohishah” refers to adultery ohishah” refers to adultery or fornication. SENCOND revelations directed towards both men and women: If two persons among you are guilty of adulty, punish them both, if they repent and amend, leave them alone for Allah is Oft-Returning, Most Merciful.” The 3rd Injunction categorically and specifically defined the punishment to be meted out to the offenders: Q4v2: “The woman and the man guilty of adultery or fornication, flog each one of them with a hundred stripes, let them not compassion move you in their case in a matter prescribed by Allah, If you believe in Allah S.W.T and the last day and let a party of believers witness their punishment.” NOTE: Believers, no hesitation, diminish the punishment, withdraw, devise light public e.t.c. The punishment should not be in solitary confinement. It should be administered before an assembly of Muslims because in that humiliation there is the perfection and publicity of the punishment and a source of lesson for the others or on lookers. Others are: Prophet (S.A.W) said “No adulterer is a believer at the time when he is committing adultery” ●If a man commits Zina, faith comes out of him and hovers over him like a cloud, then when he stops, faith returning to him” Punishment Prophet experienced during Israil Wal Miraj. Also it is not permissible for a man or woman who has committed Zina to get married until after he or she has repented. Q24:3. “The adulterer-fornicator marries not but an adulteress-fornicatress or a mushrikah…… Q24 v2: There should be no confusion as per the case of fornication, the punishment for adultery is not hundred lashes though Qur’an may remained silent on rajm (stoning to death). This following hadith clarifies it. Sahih Bukhari: - Kitab Prophet (S.A.W) clarified the injunction: “Take it from me, accept it from me, undoubtedly Allah has now shown a path for them (adulterers) for unmarried persons (guilty of fornication), the punishment is one hundred lashes and an exile for one year. For married adulterers, it is one hundred lashes and stoning to death.” Caliph ‘Umar (r.a.h) also predicted anti-rajm sentiments in future generations; Ibn Abbas (Rd) has reported: “Umar said: I am afraid that after a long time has passed, people may say; “We do not find. The verses of rajm (stoning to death) in the Book of Allah, and consequently they may go astray by leaving an obligation that Allah (S.W.T) has revealed. L I confirm that the penalty of rajm be inflicted on penalty of rajm be inflicted on him who commits illegal sexual intercourse if he is already married and the crime is proved by witnesses or pregnancy or confession.” Some scholars are of the opinion that an offender who is going to be stoned to death, need not punished with a hundred lashes, citing the incidence where the Prophet S.A.W stoned two Jewish adulterers and with held lashing them. Some Jurists are of a contrary opinion maintaining that Caliph Ali (Rd) punished a woman with lashes on a Thursday and stoned her on a Friday. His explanation was that she was lashed in accordance with Qur’anic injunction and stoned in keeping with prophetic compulsion. CONDITIONS TO BE FULFILED BEFORE THE HADD OF STONING TO DEATH. Anyone who has been accused of Zina, has to be proven guilty by one of these conditions.  Be sane  Be a Muslim  Be Married  Must have reached the age of puberty  Must be a free man not a slave  Four eye witness  Self confession  Circumstantial evidence e.g. an unmarried woman becomes pregnant.  Li’an i.e each of the spouse curses himself / herself in the event of his/her allegation  of adultery is incorrect and courses the other if the allegation against him/her is fabricated. FOUR EYE WITNESS Seen, Caught red handed, All witness- Muslim Mature, Sane; Pious & trust worthy. bear testimony in one sitting otherwise: Q24 v 4-5 “And those who launch a charge against chaste women, and produce not four witness (to support their allegations), flog them with eighty stripes, and reject their evidence ever after, for such men are wicked transgressors. Unless they repent thereafter and mend their behaviour then Allah S.W.T is oft-forgiving most merciful.” Q24 v 4-5. ●Case of false allegation Aishah R.A Return from the expewcdition to the Banu Mustaliq 5-6 A.H Looking for valuable necklace Safwan – Mahajir-companion -Chief of the MEdinah – hypocrites Abdullah Ibnubai Q24:23-27 “Those who slander chaste women, indiscreet but believing are cursed in this life And in the life hereafter, for them is a grievous penalty on the DSay of Judgment, Their tongues, their hands, and their feet will bear witness against them as to their actions”. -3 types of punishment directed towards the slanderer:- Corporal Punishment (80 strips) Moral Punishment (deprived witness) Religious Punishment Estigmatised as being impious. SELF CONFESSION Guilty persons feel remorseful and voluntarily present themselves to receive the penalty’ 4 confession voluntarily makes in one sitting. Maize Ibn Malik Al-Aslami come to the Prophet S.A.W, while he was in the mosque and confessed of his sin saying: O messenger of Allah “,I require you to cleans and Purify me of this evil” The Holy Prophet S.A.W turned away from him and sent him away saying, “Go back and seek forgiveness of Allah S.A.W and turned to Him penitently.” Repeated 4 times- from adultery. -Insane, drunk wine, committed adultery, are you married? Do you know what is Zina – Yes ●Stone strunk him, he began feeling………….. Why did you not let him off so that he might have turned to Allah repentantly and Allah would have also looked at him forgivingly. ●Female - Confession A woman from Ghamid came to the Prophet (S.A.W) and said, “O prophet S.A.W of Allah I have committed adultery so purify me. ”The Prophet S.A.W sent her away. The following day she returned and said, “O Prophet of Allah S.A.W, “Why do you turn me away? Perhaps you turn me away as you turned away Ma’iz. By Allah I have become pregnant. He said, well, If you insist upon it, then go away until you give birth to the child, when she delivered she came with the child wrapped in a rag and said “Here is the child whom I have given birth to. “He said return and suckle him until you wean him., “When she had weaned her child she lame to him with the child who was holding a piece of bread in his hand. She said “O Prophet of Allah S.A.W, here he is. I have weaned him and he eats food. The Holy Prophet S.A.W entrusted the child to one of the Muslims and thereafter pronounced punishment. While stoning her some blood fell on Khalid Ibn Walid’s face who rebuked and cursed her so loudly that the Prophet S.A.W over heared him. The Prophet S.A.W saw said; “Softly O Khalid, this woman has repented so sincerely that if it were to be divided among seventy people of madina it would have been sufficient for their salvation.Prophet presided over the Janazah (funeral ceremony) Jews cases adultery and their revelations. CIRCOMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE If an unmarried woman is found to be pregnant, then the authorities are to Investigate and found whether she committed Zina voluntarily or forcefully. Similarily, If a woman is married to a person whose reproductive organ has Been amputed or to a boy who is sexually not mature, and she is found to be pregnant, they are also to find out the cause of her pregnancy. The same injunctions applyes to a woman who was married and gave birth to a child within less than six months from the day her husband had sexual intercourse with her. Once Zina has been proven beyond a shadow of doubt then the punishment will be administered irrespective of the status and the prominence of the offender. Example- Punishment given to Ubaidah, alias Abi-shamhah, the second son of caliph Umar. A Jew house, drank wine and intoxicated.- Sleeping woman pregnant, legitimate and illegitimate confirmed, caught him by the collar, punishment secret and no public disgrace no mercy. MUTUAL IMPERCATION. Under no circomstances should a husband intentionally deny the fatherhood of his child on flimsy evidence or mere imagination of his enemies. But if there is concrete proof depicting the dishonesty of his wife and the resultant child being the product of an adulterous affairs, then in such cases shariah does not want to impose the responsibility of the woman nor does it want to make him an illegitimate heirs to his property. This is where the provision of mutual impercation becomes operational. First four witness shall be demanded of the man who accuses his wife of adultery if he produces four witnesses then the woman shall be given the punishment of adultery. If he does not produce four witnesses then, he shall be told to swear by God four times that he is truthful the accusation he did not tell a lie in casting upon his wife the implication of adultery. In other words these are the four witnesses on oath in place of witnesses on oath in place of witnesses of men. Case of Hilal Ibn Ummaya wife committing adultery and witnessed it. The Prophet S.A.W advised him to produce evidence or else he could be lashed eighty stripes since there was no alternative. The prophet S.A.W was about to order punishment when divine revelation intervened. Q24 v 6-9 “And for those who launch a charge against their spouses, and have in support no evidence but their own, their solitary evidence can be receive if they bear witness four times with an oath by Allah that they are solemningly telling the truths and the fifth oath should be that they solemnly invoke the curse of Allah on themselves if they tell a lie. But it would avert the punishment from the wife, if she bears witness four times with an oath by Allah S.W.T that her husband is telling a lie; and the fifth oath should be that she solemnly invokes the wrath of Allah on herself if her accuser is telling the truth; OTHER RELATED CONCEPT / PUNISHMENT Sodomy (Al-lwa’t) homosexuality- It is an unnatural act of sex to satsfy ones passion. Qur’an speaks Q7 v 84. We also sent Lut: he said to his people: “Do you commit adultery as no people in creation committed before you? for you practice your lusts on men in preference to women; you are indeed a people transgressing beyond limits; Prophet (S.A.W) also reported to have said: “Four types of people get up in the morning while they are under the wrath of Allah and they sleep in the night while they are under the displeasure of Allah.” He was asked: “Who are they, O Messenger of Allah? The Prophet replied: Those men who try to resemble women and those women who try to resemble men (through dress and behavior) and those who commit sex with animals and those men who commit sex with men.” Another one (Homo-sexuality Lesbianism/gay culture. “One who kissed a boy with passion, Allah most high will punish him for a thousand years in the fire of hell.” “The Prophet said: “One who touched a boy with passion, he will be cursed by Allah, the angels and all the people,” “It is related by Ibn Abbas that the Prophet (S.A.W) said; Allah most High will not look at a man who committed sex with a man or a woman through her anus.” “If a man commits an act of sex with a man, they both are adulterers and if a woman commits such acts with a woman, then both of them are adulterersses.”

Fasting and its Status in Islam

All praises are due to Allah, for bestowing on us seasons of abundant blessings, full of forgiveness of sins and provision of gifts. He guides, among them, whom He wills to obedience and reverence. He subject whom He wills to wander in loss and sins. I celebrate His praises for He had perfected the religion, completed His favour on us, and making Islam a way of life. He ordained good deeds, He provides guidance towards achieving it and reserves rewards for implementing it. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone without a partner, I equally bear witness that prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is His servant and Messenger. May the peace and blessings of Allah be showered upon him, his families, companions and those who follow them in righteousness until the day of recompense. Thereafter, Dear believers, I enjoin you to fear Allah the Sovereign, the All-knowing. Live your life by it, you will surely earn the pleasure of Allah, a blissful end and a lofty abode in paradise. Almighty 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.} (Mary: 63). Dear believers, it is not unknown to you that soon you shall receive a honourable guest- a great season, the holy month of Ramadan, may Allah make us witness it, and grant us the ability to perform deeds that are beloved and pleasing to Him which could earn us His closeness, and gather us in the group of the forerunners, leaders of the pious, He is Honourable, Compassionate and Merciful. Therefore we want to talk about the concept of fasting and its place in Islam ahead of the holy month of Ramadan. Definition of fasting: Fasting is a great act of worship which must be held with utmost attention and concern. Whoever desires it should learn its laws, principles, obligations and permissibility, and apply it rightly. He should as well learn the vitiations, prohibitions and disliked matters regarding fasting, which will translate into compliance with the divine injunctions necessitating inestimable rewards promised by Allah. Fasting linguistically means to abstain, or forsake. The Faster- the person fasting is called the Soim in Arabic, because he abstains from food, drink and intercourse. Someone who keeps quiet is also called a Soim due to abstinence from talking. In the story of Maryam Allah says: { إِنِّي نَذَرْتُ لِلرَّحْمَنِ صَوْماً فَلَنْ أُكَلِّمَ الْيَوْمَ إِنسِيّاً}(مريم 26) 'I have vowed a fast to (Allah) Most Gracious, and this day will I enter into not talk with any human being' (Mary 26). (fasting in this verse means abstinence from talking) Fasting technically means the intention to abstain from some specific things including eating, drinking, intercourse and others, from dawn to sunset, by a person with the following specific characteristics: Muslim, puberty, capability, resident, free from menstruation or post childbirth bleeding. It is not necessary to fast in the occurrence of any of the excuses, rather he will have to observe it at the termination of the excuse or pay a ransom. Types of Fast Servants of God, fasting is of two categories: 1- Mandatory 2- Supererogatory. 1- Mandatory Fast: This is the fasting of Ramadan which is the fourth of the five pillars of Islam. It is mandatory on both men and women once in a year as ordained by God. Attached to this class of fast is the fasting of Expiation such as the expiation on zihaar (calling one’s wife the mother), expiation for having intercourse during the day in Ramadan, expiation of eating deliberately according to some scholars such as Maliki and Hanafis, if he is incapable to free a slave, then he will have to fast if he is capable to do so, and lastly the expiation for committing murder if he is also incapable to free a slave. Also mandatory is fulfilling the vow one made to fast; if a person vows for Allah to fast on Monday or Thursday or on any other day, such is binding. 2- Supererogatory Fast: Such includes fasting on Monday or Thursday, fasting three days of each lunar month, fasting six days in Shawwaal, and fasting every alternating days etc. This type is as well called the voluntary fasting. Fasting among the earlier nations before Islam: When God ordained fasting on Muslims in His word thus: {يَأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ أَمَنُواْ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمْ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ} (البقرة183) {O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint,} (2: 183), He informed us that fasting was prescribed for the previous nations. The nations referred to are those nations that believed in monotheism including the nations of Nuh, Ibrahim, Musa, ‘Eesa- Jesus, peace be upon them. The reference here is not intended for the pagan Nations who worshipped idols, claiming them to be god other than the true God. It is clear also that the fasting of the earlier Nations was not like the fasting of Muslims today, even though they all partake in this great act of worship. This reality indicates that the religion of God is one despite plurality of messengers and messages. The religion of God is one in its fundamentals and purposes as pointed out in the Holy Qur’an. {إنَّ الدِّينَ عِنْدَ اللهِ اْلإسْلاَمُ} (آل عمران 19) The Religion before Allah is Islam (submission to His Will) (3: 19). As for the details of the fast of those before us and the period, we have nothing which clearly explains these details. All we have is only the established sunnah regarding the fasting of prophet Dawood (peace be upon him), and the ‘Ashura fast of prophet Musa. Status of fasting in Islam: Dear beloved in faith, fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam and one of the best worship because Allah personally ascribed it to himself as described in the hadeeth Qudsi (Every deed of the son of Adam is for him except fasting, it is for Me, I will reward (them) for it.) (Narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim). It is a silent act of worship which does not have exterior manifestation, it is a secret between a person and his Lord, showing the symbol of sincere consciousness in the heart of the believer because showing off cannot affect it. Allah’s word is true as He said: لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ} (البقرة183) { that ye may (learn) self-restraint,} (2: 183), The fasting builds God’s consciousness in a believer; to be seen by Allah as submissive to His command and refraining for His sake. This represents a noble objective and a lofty goal but unfortunately, the ambitions of many people fall short of this quality. At the end of the verse of fasting, the holy Qur’an highlights the most important characteristic and wisdom of fasting (“ that ye may (learn) self-restraint”), it also clearly points out that the characteristic is the same in all religions where it remains the most important characteristic of the Islamic Shari’ah. And this characteristic is piety, it means guarding the soul from its whims and desires; it entails all things. {يَأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ أَمَنُواْ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمْ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ} (البقرة183) {O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint,} (2: 183), Sayyid Qutub (may Allah have mercy on him) said: ( … And thus is the great objective of fasting manifested, and that is piety. It is the aliveness of piety that guides it to observing the obligation of fasting in obedience to God and preference for His pleasure. Piety guards the hearts from corrupting the fast with sins, even as it regards those things that occur in the mind. Those addressed in this Qur’an know the status of piety before Allah and its weight in the scale. It is the goal their souls seek for. And fast is one of the tools of piety and a way leading to it, consequently, the context raises it before their eyes as the bright goal which they aim at through fasting, (that ye may (learn) self-restraint,). (in the shade of the Qur'an, 2/75) - Fasting is a means to show gratitude for the grace of God, because fast prevents one from enjoying one of the greatest blessings of Allah in eating, drinking and sexual intercourse. Therefore, abstaining from such grace for a known period of time will reveal their value and importance. When such graces are unappreciated or unrealized while we have, if it is lost, the value become imminent, this can then propel one to accord it the due recognition and rights by being grateful. Therefore, being thankful of graces is mandatory, rationally and legally as pointed out in the word of Allah (swt): {لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ} (البقرة 185) {perchance ye shall be grateful.} (2:185). - Fasting is a means to piety. If a person is able to subject himself to abstain from lawful things in anticipation of the pleasure of Allah and fear of a painful punishment, then it will be most deserving of him to subject it to abstain from the unlawful, fasting thus stand as a reason to safeguard from the prohibitions of Allah, as pointed to in the the verse: "that you may learn restraint.”. - Fasting conquers and breaks lust, because if the soul is fed to its fill, it builds wishes but if it becomes hungry it abstains from desires. The Prophet peace be upon him said: (Whoever among is afraid of provision, should fast, fasting will be a control for him)) narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim. Fasting is mandatory, since it is instrumental in protecting one from sins. (badaa'i ' Al-sanaa'i ' 2/76). May God bless us 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 my sins 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, Who has perfected the religion and favour on us. We praise and thank Him and seek His forgiveness. I bear witness that there is no god except Allah and that prophet Muhammad is His servant and messenger. May the peace and blessings be showered upon him, his household, and all his companions. Thereafter, Keep your duty to Allah and fear Him. Be reminded that there is no special merit or value attached to the night or day of the middle of Sha'baan over other nights and days. Whoever is in the practice of observing tahajud in the nights regularly in the year should stand up for prayer, just like he does in other nights. Whoever usually fasts the 13th – 15th days of the lunar calendar should fast in those days in Sha’baan as usual, the same goes for whoever is used to fasting on Mondays and Thursdays weekly and that coincides with the middle of sha'baan, he should fast according to his habit joining others. Likewise is the person who fasts most of the month of Sha'ban as reported by Muslim from Aisha (RA) She said: (I have never seen him fast in any month more than his fasting in Sha’baan) and in another narration: (He used to fast (all) Sha'baan except a little). Whoever follows the Prophet (pbuh) and fast most of the month of Sha’baan including the middle of the month, there is no harm in that, because in this case he is only passes through it, but the forbidden thing is to specifically select the middle of the month over other days. Two sound hadiths of the prophet (pbuh) have been reported on the virtue of the night of the middle of Sha'baan, they are: Hadith of Abu Tha'labah, the Prophet (pbuh) said: (On the night of the middle of Sha'baan, Allah looks at all His creations, and He will forgive the believers, and give respite to the unbelievers, neglecting the people in grudge and rancor to their grudges until they shun it). And the hadeeth of Mu'aadh Ibn Jabal (RA), the prophet (pbuh) said: (God looks at all His creations on the night of the middle of Sha’baan, He then forgives all His creations except an idolater or a quarreling person). Thus there is nothing in these hadiths that points to the selection of the night of the middle of Sha’baan for any special prayer, recitation, remembrance, or any other act of closeness to God in the night. Oh Allah grant us Ramadan, assist us to fast and stand in its night for prayers, in faith and anticipation for Your rewards, and make us not among those who only gain hunger and thirst from their fasts, or earns no other reward from their tahajud except fatigue and sleeplessness, grant us good words and works, save us from the fire and all in it including the shackles and horrors.

THIS DAY OF SACRIFCE

Allahu Akbar Allahu Akbar Allahu Akbar Laa ilaha illalah. Your witnessing this day is a special blessing from Allah (To renew our deed so that we can be successful in life hereafter). Many people like you witnessed this same day of Shabaan, Ramadān...eidul-Adha.. last year but have now returned to the world of no return. It is a day when Allah tests sincerity of men. Millions of Muslims will slaughter rams but how many of them will solely do it with all the attendant conditions for Allah alone? It is a day when every Muslim must appreciate Allah for all His boundless favours. It is a day of unity when Muslims locally and internationally converge at one point to pray together. This gathering does not leave anybody behind. It is indeed a day of reflection. It was the sacrifice of one man that culminates in this festival. So, we must remember this great man and his son. We must appraise our devotion to Allah. We must ask what kind of sacrifice we make to please our Lord. We must ask where our faith lies. We must ask if as fathers or children we are devoted to Allah. We must ask what kind of legacy we are bequeathing posterity. A society is an amalgam of communities and a community is a conglomerate of families. Every member of the society belongs to a family. Each family unit begins with the husband and wife or father and mother or a parent. Children belong to where they are born. Nobody can claim that he is born without a father and a mother. In other words, all that are born belong to a unit of the family. Drawing from all these backgrounds is the fact that, if living in the world is peaceful and secure, the credits go back to all or some of the families and thus, they are commendable. But, if otherwise, the rebuke goes back to all or some of the families, and thus they are condemnable. The thieves, armed-robbers, touts, urchins, tyrants, embezzlers, murderers, assassins, drunkards, fornicators, adulterers, bastards, liars, lesbians, homosexuals, idolaters, corrupt leaders, etc., have their different families. It logically follows, then, that the families from which these people of negative tendencies emerged have woefully failed to properly bring them up. Consequently, such families should be held liable for all the evils in the society. It is indeed ironical that parents and or children who do not observe the daily salaat correctly with its due tend to be the buyers of the biggest rams for eidul-Adha! Alas, the only attachment some so-called Muslims have with Islām is the celebration of the Eidul Fitr or Adhā. That is all, because they will wear new cloth, eat ram and go to recreational places! One could say without mincing words that on occasions like this, we know who the true Muslims are. They compuct themselves within the confine of Islam even while celebrating. It is the ignoramuses who go outside the bounds. Eidul-Adha is a mirror of our homes. It is a festival which reminds us how we should live as Muslim families. This, we draw the cue from Prophet Ibrahim and his family. It reminds us of the essence of tawheed. But today some if not most families believe in the potency of talisman and fortune telling and not in Allah, the Creator of all. No Salāt, because they have to acquire enough modern education! No fasting, because it will weaken them to do their reading and other assignments. Then, where is the Islāmic family? Failure to save your soul and that of your family will unfailingly mean failure to enter Al-jannah for you. It is very possible that you are good and do other things Islām requires of you. But are you only an individual. Islām takes into full consideration the havoc that can be caused to the entire society if there should be a problem of transgression and disobedience from your family. You have to know what Islamic demands are. Spring into action and let your families (especially your wife and children) do the good deeds you are also doing. Spread the knowledge of Islām amongst them. Teach them the various etiquettes of the Prophet (SAW). Teach them how to read the Qur’ān. Establish Islamic culture in your house. Whatever good things have been associated with Islām or the Muslims should reign supreme in your house. Let them know the significance of the Salāt time and observe it accordingly. Let them see reason why they must fast in Ramadān. Do not just force them to do or observe Islamic practices, you should explain to them with wisdom, why such practices are the best for them. When you are gong to the mosque let your male children follow you. Let the female observe their Sālat with their mothers at home, unless you are going to the mosque together. Provide for them, according to your ability, their needs in terms of feeding, clothing and shelter. By that you can gain their confidence and retain them genuinely in Islām. Do not hesitate to frown at and condemn anything anti-Islām they do and explain its implication to them. Create or fix a time for regular discussion with your family. Let there be information flow within the family. Present, intelligently, the incontestable points to them why only Islām is the true way to salvation. If you do all these, you would have been treading the path of Ibraheem and making required sacrifices.

PREPARATION FOR RAMADAN

Praise be unto Allah, for connecting His servants to His favours and kindness, filling their hearts with lights and love of religious obligations. He allocated periods for worship, and divided worship in accordance to His judgement and wisdom. We praise Him, we seek His help, forgiveness, and repentance. We seek refuge in Allah from the evil of our souls and actions. Whom Allah guides, none can mislead, and whom He misleads, none can guide him. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone with no partner, none can reject His decree, and no consequence can trail His decision. I equally bear witness that our Master, Muhammad (pbuh) is His servant and Messenger- the most dignified creature. O Allah! bless Muhammad, his families and all his companions and those who follow them in righteousness until the day of recompense. Thereafter, I admonish you and me to revere Allah, be obedient to Him and strive with good deeds towards Paradise and God’s forgiveness. Be grateful to Him for His bounties and favours. Beware of sins! It is the door to the annoyance and wrath of God. Allah says: {وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ} (الحجرات 10) {and fear Allah, that ye may receive Mercy.} (2:197). ARRIVAL OF RAMADAN: The Month of Ramadan is close by with its bounties. It is granted honour over other months for there is no month similar to it. Fasting in Ramadan is made a pillar of Islam, while prayers in its nights are made supererogatory, it is the month of Quranic recitation, mercy, forgiveness and emancipation from the hell. Many prayers are answered in it, good deeds increase in manifolds, sins are cleansed, and status elevated. PREPARING FOR RAMADAN: Dear Muslim brothers, Sha’baan is a month for training and educational adaptation. A Muslim relates with the month in a manner that prepares him for active obedience in Ramadan. He should read topics specifically about maximizing the gains and benefits of Ramadan, he plans his Ramadan programmes in it, he schedules charity functions, and makes the month of Sha'ban a training session for proper adaptation in Ramadan including doing lots of Qur’an reading, fasting and other acts of worship. Therefore, he will make the month, though neglected by many, a strong impetus for increasing in obedience and goodness in Ramadan. Sha’baan is also a training arena of adaption for fasting in Ramadan. Through this approach, a Muslim will not reach Ramadaan filled with discomfort and burdensomeness, rather he would have drilled himself and practised fasting such that he will be able to have derived the joy and sweetness of fasting in Sha'baan before Ramadan fasting. This would also enable him to be in a high level of strength and agility in Ramadan. In order to achieve these goals, the following adaptational programmes will go a long way to assist a Muslim in Sha'baan in his preparation for Ramadan: 1- Faith and devotional preparation: - Sincere repentance from all sins and evils, turning to God, and opening a new leaf in life. - Increasing in the supplication thus: “Allahumma Baarik lana fi Sha’baan, Wa balligna Ramadan” meaning: “O Allah bless us in Sha’baan and permit us to reach Ramadan” Also: “Allahumma Sallimna liRamadan, Wa sallim lana Ramadan, Wa tasallamhu minna mutaqabbalan” meaning: “O Allah facilitate us for Ramadan, and facilitate Ramadan for us, and he accept it from us.” Prayer is the strongest support for faith and spiritual preparation. - To engage in lots of fasting in Shaban: this is a practical training for the minds and a proper preparation for the advent of the holy month of Ramadan. - Living in the vastness of the Quran: to achieve full co-existence with the Qur’an in Ramadan. - Tasting the sweetness in tahajud and remembrance of Allah in Sha'baan and adherence to dhikr in the morning and evening and in all conditions. 2- Preparation of Strong Determination: - Having strong resolution and determination of intention and sincerity to seek the pleasure of Allah and generating more than one intention cutting across various kinds of acts of worship from now onward. Examples of such intentions include: intention for repentance, intention to turn a new leaf before God, intention to correct and reform behaviours and morals, intention for sincere fast, intention to complete the Quran more than once, intention to observe tahajjud and night prayers, intention to observe lots of supererogatory prayers, intention to seek for knowledge, intention to enjoin good and forbid evil, intention to help people over their commitments or predicaments, intention to work in support of the cause of Allah, intention for striving with one’s wealth and so on. - Making the days of Ramadan different from the other days - Frequenting the mosque and observing all solat in Jamaa’h in the mosque and reviving forgotten sunnah- practices of the prophet, such as: staying in the mosque after the subh prayer till sunrise, eagerness to be in the first row before the Adhan- call to prayer, with the intention of ‘Itikaaf- seclusion in the mosque. - Clearing the heart of grudges and ill- feelings. 3- Educational preparation: - Attending circles of knowledge, mosque lectures and open lectures in preparation for Ramadan. - Reading the laws and jurisprudence guiding fasting, knowing the details of any matter concerning fasting and knowing the functions and the wisdom behind Ramadan fasting and also reading the tafseer- interpretation of verses of fasting. - Listening to tapes of lectures by scholars on Ramadan and preparing for it. 4- Family preparation: - All members of the family should be adequately prepared for the blessed month in addition to creating relevant programmes. - Early and proper arrangement of gift packages to be distributed to people in Ramadan in order to create a friendship atmosphere in obedience to Allah. 5- Preparation for utmost striving (the real struggle): - Readiness to endure and persevere in difficult and challenging situations. - Training the tongue for the jihad of the tongue and guarding it from obscenity, training the abdomen and guarding it from despise, regulating one’s passion and desires, and guarding against the influence of shaytaan. - Preventing the soul from luxury lifestyle, and striving towards Az-Zuhd- asceticism, moving away from the worldly thing and what resides with men and not to engage in the extravagant lifestyle of food, drink and clothing. 6- Material preparation: - through the earning of Halal and avoiding Haraam, Allah is pure and will accepts only pure things. Therefore, get ready to maximize the gains in Ramadan, commit yourself to obedience to God in its nights and days, surely whoever Allah grants the opportunity to engage in righteousness in Ramadan has been greatly favoured which could lead him to great rejoice. May Allah make one of those to fast in Ramadan and observe prayers in the nights and spend the rest of our lifetime in the pleasure of God. Having said this, I seek Allah’s forgiveness for us all and all Muslims, He is verily The All-forgiving, Most Gracious. THE SECOND SERMON All praises are due to Allah, Who have completed the religion and His favour on us. We praise and thank Him and seek His forgiveness. I bear witness that there is no god except Allah and that prophet Muhammad is His servant and messenger. May the peace and blessings be showered upon him, his household, and all his companions. Thereafter, fear Allah in the right measure of piety. Dear Muslims, the tragedies confronting Muslims today are great, the massacre, slaughter and persecution ramping our nation around the world are terribly horrifying. These incidents cause the bleeding of the heart of every conscious Muslim looking at a scenario where a tribulation succeeds another before its conclusion. The massacre and humiliation in our nations is unending, the humiliation is so conspicuous, that the muslim nations are the mostly affected in the world experiencing such precarious situation and the blood of a Muslim became the cheapest blood anywhere. Dear listeners why is this so? Summarily, the obvious reason for this inability in the Muslim nations is because they have distanced themselves from the religion- Islam and its principles, where Islam is actually the source of our honour and victory. The solution is no other than a sincere return to Allah in order to regain our pride and power and to protect ourselves and our people, and to earn the help from God against our enemies. This is the basis for solution and it is deserving of every Muslim to struggle towards it. Allah says: { يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اسْتَجِيبُوا لِلَّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذَا دَعَاكُمْ لِمَا يُحْيِيكُمْ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَحُولُ بَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَقَلْبِهِ وَأَنَّهُ إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ} (الأنفال : 24) O ye who believe! give your response to Allah and His Messenger, when He calleth you to that which will give you life; and know that Allah cometh in between a man and his heart, and that it is He to Whom ye shall (all) be gathered. (8: 24) {وَلَقَدْ كَتَبْنَا فِي الزَّبُورِ مِنْ بَعْدِ الذِّكْرِ أَنَّ اْلأَرْضَ يَرِثُهَا عِبَادِيَ الصَّالِحُونَ , إِنَّ فِي هَذَا لَبَلاَغًا لِقَوْمٍ عَابِدِينَ } (الأنبياء : 105 - 106) Before this We wrote in the Psalms, after the Message (given to Moses): My servants the righteous, shall inherit the earth." Verily in this (Qur'an) is a Message for people who would (truly) worship Allah. (21:105- 106) {وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنْكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ وَلَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمُ الَّذِي ارْتَضَى لَهُمْ وَلَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ خَوْفِهِمْ أَمْنًا يَعْبُدُونَنِي لاَ يُشْرِكُونَ بِي شَيْئًا وَمَنْ كَفَرَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ} (النور : 55) Allah has promised, to those among you who believe and work righteous deeds, that He will, of a surety, grant them in the land, inheritance (of power), as He granted it to those before them; that He will establish in authority their religion - the one which He has chosen for them; and that He will change (their state), after the fear in which they (lived), to one of security and peace: 'They will worship Me (alone) and not associate aught with Me. 'If any do reject Faith after this, they are rebellious and wicked. (24:55) O Lord, grant us recourse and strive towards You and grant us the sweetness of supplication and submissiveness in Your presence, answer our prayers and actualize our requests and never return us disappointed and fruitless. O Allah grant honour to Islam and Muslims, and humiliate idolatry and idolaters, protect the possession of religion, humiliate the enemies of the religion. O Allah grant us security in our country- Nigeria, make this country safe, secured, generous, comfortable, and all other Muslim countries. O Allah, grant victory to your religion and your book and your Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and your righteous servants. Oh God, make our leaders merciful to us, and guide them to the truth, O Lord of the universe.

BLISSFUL MONTH OF RAMADHAN

Beloved brethren, another opportunity has come in the glorious month of Ramadhan. The month of mercy, forgiveness and liberation from hellfire. A period of complete devotion to Allah when the Muslim world experiences perfect peace and brotherhood. It is a the month of the Qur'an, the month of blessings, the month of repentance and the month of profitable transaction with Allah (‘Azzawajalla). We therefore need to increase our zeal and enthusiasm in order to maximize the reward therein and re-affirm our status in paradise. In order to achieve these the follow are recommended as daily activities for the month 1. Endeavour to create Ramadhan awareness in the neighbourhood .through greetings (via the media, public lecture, printing of flyers, handbills or pamphlets at least a week before Ramadhan 2. Strive to place Ramadhan messages in homes, neighbourhood mosques and centres. 3. Strive to mobilise funds to sponsor Tafsir on air at least three times 4. Strive to make Rabaniyyah (getting close to Allah) your focus for this Ramadhan 5. Hasten towards sincere repentance: “And repent unto Allah all together OH believers that you may prosper”. 6. Adopt the policy of mutual forgiveness, pardon and overlooking to preserve the bond of brotherhood. “The Believers are but a single brotherhood” 7. Constantly renew the intent and purpose of every action no matter how unimportant they may be “Actions are but with intentions” 8. Ensure you are constant with the daily solawat in Jama’a especially Subhi and Ishai. 9. Strive with determination to read the whole Qur`an at least two times in the month since the Qur`an was revealed in it. 10. Be steadfast in the daily nawafil (tarawih, witr solatu duha etc) for they are highly rewarding. 11. Engage relentlessly in the praiseworthy adhkar viz tasbih, tahmid, tahleel, takbir and solatu alan-Nabiyy ( SAW) “Let not your tongue waiver from the constant remembrance of Allah” 12. Take time out to visit relations especially parents, and break the fast with them as frequent as possible. 13. Hasten to provide food for fasting Muslims as much as is convenient, for you will get the replica of their rewards 14. Do not hesitate to have iftar with fellow brethren especially in your area at least once in the month. 15. Pay adequate attention to your spouse(s) and the children in Ramadhan by taking iftar with them at least once a week as well as gathering them and supplicating together for the family and Muslims generally. 16. Endeavour to recite dua` Raabitah at every Magrib time or at breaking of fast. 17. Find ways to put a smile on as many Muslims faces as possible for this is pleasing to Allah. 1. Create time to perfect and revise your memorization of Juz ‘Amma 2. Study and reflect upon the book of Allah, even if it is a verse per day; Suratu Ma’idah (ch.05) is suggested. It is for you to study, understand and imbibe what your relationship must be with non-Muslims, especially the Jews and the Christians. 3. Cultivate the habit of spending everyday ( Sodaqoh) no matter how little 4. Ensure time consciousness in all you do so that no portion of the month is wasted because “Time is life” 5. Always remember the Muslims in your prayers because prayer is the brain of worship and also the sword of a believer. 6. Try to attend tafsir sessions at least once a week. 7. Create time to visit the sick as this will remind you of Allah’s favour on you. 8. Do not hesitate if you have the means to perform the Umrah particularly in the last ten days of Ramadhan. 9. Give special focus to the last 10days for seclusion in the mosques, I’itikaf{ either fully or partly, especially its nights } for in them lies the laylatul Qodr which is better than a thousand months 10. Be eager to give out the Zakatul fitr at the stipulated period of time 11. Participate and enjoin others too in observing solatu Eid with brethren 12. Observe the Islamic injunctions particularly lowering of gaze to maximize rewards 13. Ensure physical fitness through body exercise for about 15minutes daily. 14. Be informed about happenings around the world by listening to news in both print and electronic media. 15. Ensure you read and comprehend chapters from the book tittled ‘Muslim Character’ by Muhammad Al-Gazali, especially that areas that relate Iman to good character. Bad or weak character or manners is an indication of Weak Iimaan 16. Ensure you participate in the Qur’anic/Rabbaniyyah sessions for it helps a lot in your spiritual growth. May Allah seal all our efforts with paradise. Amin

Standby for the holy month of Ramadan

Praise be to God, who arrived slaves grace and range, and the age of their hearts with the lights of religion and functions, and make every affair in worship, and the type of worship by judgment and wisdom, we praise Him Almighty and seek His help and forgiveness and repent to him and seek refuge with Allah from the evils of ourselves and our disadvantage, of Allah guides not misleading him , and not mislead Hadi him, and I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone with no partner, no rad to the order does not overturn the will, and I bear witness that the Prophet Muhammad Abd Allah and His Messenger best creation and Akram Brith, O Allah, bless and peace be upon your servant and Messenger Muhammad, his family and all his companions and followers in truth until the Day of Judgment. The distance / O you believers, I advise you and myself to fear Allah and obey him, and the contest deeds to forgiveness and his committee, and thanked him for cream gifts and very much a blessing, and beware of sins they key to his anger and نقمته, {and fear Allah, that ye may obtain mercy} (closets 10) Here is the month of Ramadan, had approached his shadow, and the DNA of his time, a month grace of God to other months, and there is no unparalleled in the corridor of the ages, God made fast one of the pillars of Islam, and the nights of redundancy bones, the month of the recitation of the Quran, the month of mercy and forgiveness and emancipation from the fire, on how many answered invitations! And increased the Favors! And how it degrades from evil deeds, and doubled the score. Training course for Ramadan: Dear brothers Muslims, the month of August is a month of training and educational qualification and Lord, accepts it for a Muslim to be eligible for obedience in Ramadan, reads in the month of August everything related to the month Rmassan and means اغتنامه, and equip program in Ramadan, and charting functions charity, making the month of Shaaban training course For Ramadan, فيحرص where a lot of reading the Koran and fasting and other acts of worship, and this makes the month overlooked by many people as a strong impetus and the movement of qualifying for more obedience and goodness in Ramadan, it (August) training course for the Ramadan fast so as not to enter a Muslim in Ramadan hardship and the cost, but have Train to fast and habit, and found in Siam Shaaban before Ramadan, the sweetness of fasting and delight, enters the fast of Ramadan vigorously, and in order to achieve this, this rehabilitation program educational carried out by Muslims in the month of August in preparation for the holy month of Ramadan: 1_ configuration faith devotional: _ Sincere repentance and quit sin and leave the evil, and the popularity of God, and to open a new page pure white. _ A lot of prayer, "God bless us in August and reached Ramadan", "God gave to Ramadan Ramadan and handed us and he took us receptive" du'aa powerful images subsidy on the configuration of faith and spirituality. _ A lot of fasting in August of the same breeding and preparation for the advent of the holy month of Ramadan Rehab _ live in the Holy Quran to achieve full cohabitation with him in Ramadan. _ Tasted the sweetness of the night of August, and taste the sweetness male, and attendance prescribed traditions in the morning and evening and said God if at all. 2_ create a resolute determination to: _ Holding faith and sincerity face to God, and bring more than faith now, and those intentions, for example: the intention to repent to God, the intention of opening a new page with God, the intention of correct behavior and evaluate the morality, the intention of fasting pure God, the intention of sealing the Quran more than once, intention to do night and Tahajud, the intention of a lot of redundancy, the intention of the application of science, the intention of the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, the intention order to help the people, the intention of working for the religion of God and his victory, the intention of Jihad with money ... _ Make the days of Ramadan is normal nowadays. _ Building houses of God and prayers are all witnesses in the group, and revive the dead of the ways of worship such as: staying in the mosque after dawn until sunrise, the first initiative to rows and by prayer retreat structure ... _ Salama al-Sadr. 3_ scientific configuration: _ Attend science councils, lessons Almsadjadah and is Almsadjadah championships, in preparation for Ramadan. _ Read provisions of and jurisprudence fasting fully, and find out all the details for fasting, and knowledge of the functions of the month of Ramadan and the secrets of fasting, and read the interpretation of the verses of fasting. _ Listening to tapes of lectures scientists about the reception Ramadan, and preparing for it. 4_ family configuration: _ Initialized in the house of the wife and children of this holy month, and how to prepare for this honored guest and a program for it. _ Prepare Ramadan gift from now for submission for people تأليفا for hearts, Thabiba in obedience to God and demand it. 5 _ a jihadist configuration to achieve the meaning of "applying self-restraint" and through: _ Carrying self-trained endurance and patience with the hardships. _ Training on Jihad tongue, it is not commit any obscenity, and Jihad the abdomen not Istzl, and Jihad lust do not control, and self-Jihad, not overwhelm, Jihad devil do not have fun. _ Prevent the breath of some of what you want from the luxury of living, and asceticism in the world and when people, and non-involvement in the luxuries of food, drink and clothing. 6_ physical configuration: the loss of halal and avoid haram, because God is Good and only accepts good. Vtahbwa رحمكم God اغتنامه, and Oazbwa to worship in his nights and days, it is reached by God's holy month of Ramadan, which enabled him to do good works were of great grace of him, rejoice in the very joy. God made me and you who fasts Ramadan and the nights, and spend the rest of his life as pleases Him, I say this and ask forgiveness from God Almighty you and me and all the Muslims from all guilt Fastgvrōh, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful. Second Sermon Praise be to Allah who has completed our religion and did us by grace, and bless us Islam is a religion, praise Him Almighty and thank him, and repent to Him and ask His forgiveness, 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, may Allah bless him and his family and his companions peace and recognition often . The distance / Obey God exalted right of piety. O Muslims, the numerous tragedies Muslims, and abounded slaughter and oppression facing our nation in various parts of the world are terribly Ataftr his heart of every Muslim jealous, and that will end the tragedy until the other begins and almost ends massacre even followed her sister, and shame in our nation's ongoing humiliation and clear so we the most vulnerable people on earth for such calamities and Muslim blood has become cheaper blood at all, and the reason for that dear listeners? The reason for the nation's deficit is a short distance from the debt which is the source of the throttle and victory. And treated in its return to God faithfully until you return her pride and strength thereby protecting themselves and their children, and Anasrha God on their enemies, and this is the solution basis must for every Muslim to initiate hustling him. Allah says: {O ye who believe استجيبوا God and the Messenger if called you for greeting and know that Allah converts between a man and his heart and that to Him shall} (al-Anfal: 24) and saying: We wrote in the Psalms, after mentioning that the earth shall inherit Ebadi righteous, that in this tip for people who Abdeen} (the Prophets: 105 - 106), and saying: God has promised those of you who believe and work righteous deeds, to Istkhalvenhm in earth as استخلف who before them, can I have a religion which embraced them and Abdlnhm after their fear safer worship me, do not associate me something and then Kafr Those are reprobates} (Nur: 55) O Allah, grant us the fear and turn to you, and inspired adulthood and guidance in your religion, and do not make the world's largest Our concern, and the amount of our knowledge, we have introduced the mercy of Paradise with the righteous, O Aziz Ghaffar. Oh God, forgive the believers, men and women, and Muslim men and women, living and dead, Oh God, make our country safe reassuring generous welfare and other Muslim countries, you listens nearby Mujibur invitations.

LESSONS AND REFLECTIONS THAT ARE DERIVABLE FROM CONTEXT OF MIGRATION IN THE BOOK OF ALLAH WHICH IS TO LIT OUR PATH IN THIS LIFE.

1 The accompaniment of the presence of God and His support for the believers. This was reflected in God’s protection for the Messenger of Allah- peace be upon him- while he was in the cave and in his eventual deliverance from Suraqah bn Malik. 2 Absolute trust in Allah and in His help and support. This lesson was reflected in the prophet’s reply thus: “what do you think of two people to whom Allah is the third.” Likewise in his unperturbed nature when Suraqah met him, as if he was not concerned. Also, in the giving of a guarantee to Suroqah while he was leaving his country as an immigrant, however, believing in his eventual victory and he passionately waited for it with all conviction as certain it is to see the sun in midday. 3 Adoption of material means does not contradict the trust in Allah. Here, the prophet- peace be upon him adopted various physical means available to him. He concealed himself by the noon and the night and within the hollow of the cave. He took unusual direction, he faced the south but he intended the north while employing an unbeliever he already sorted his trust. Despite that, all these have not made him forget to rely on His Lord and to be confident in Him. These means adopted by the Prophet, peace be upon him were not enough to keep the Quraish away from him, the Quraysh reached the cave of Thawr, but God concealed him and their evil could not reach him. Ibn Hajar said: “Reliance on Allah is not inconsistent with the adoption of means, because Reliance is an action of the mind while the other is an action of the body, Ibrahim (AS) did said: {وَلَكِن لّيَطْمَئِنَّ قَلْبِى}(البقرة:260) “but just to reassure my heart.” (Al-Baqarah: 260) Sheikh Abu Muhammad bn Abi Hamzah (Allah’s mercy be on him) said: “As long as a Mukallaf is able to embark on any of the legitimate means, he would not exhibit reliance except after he has done it, in order not to contravene the wisdom (behind it), however, if he is unable, he has to be pleased with what his Lord Has decreed, he should not burden himself with any means he is not capable of using.” Ibn Hajar said: As long as means are not coinciding with the destiny then it is of no use” After stating the views of scholars on the connection between adopting means and having reliance on Allah, he also said: “The truth is that whoever trusts in Allah and is certain that His decrees are inevitable, he has not committed slander in his reliance on Allah in the adoption of means, in full compliance with the practice of Allah and His Messenger (pbuh). He (pbuh) used the armour and wore the headgear, he stationed archers at the entrance of the country, he dug pit around Madinah, he authorised migration to Abyssinia and Madinah, he personally migrated, he adopted the means of food and drink, he kept food for his family and never expected the sky to rain food despite being the most worthy person to deserve that. He even replied the person who asked thus: “Should I tie my camel or leave it?” he replied: “tie it and be reliant on Allah” (Tirmidhi 2517, Fathul- Baari’ 6/ 82) He thus pointed out that being cautious does not repel reliance on Allah, and Allah knows best” (Fathul- Baari’ 10/212) 4 Allah clearly expressed in His book that man is of two parties and they are those: {اسْتَحْوَذَ عَلَيْهِمُ الشَّيْطَانُ فَأَنْسَاهُمْ ذِكْرَ اللَّهِ} (المجادلة : 19) {أُولَئِكَ حِزْبُ الشَّيْطَانِ} { أَلاَ إِنَّ حِزْبَ الشَّيْطَانِ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ , إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُحَادُّونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ أُولَئِكَ فِي الأَذَلِّينَ , } (المجادلة : 19 –20), {كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لأَغْلِبَنَّ أَنَا وَرُسُلِي إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَوِيٌّ عَزِيزٌ }(المجادلة 21) “The Evil One has got the better of them: so he has made them lose the remembrance of Allah.” (Al-Mujadilah: 19) and He said concerning them: “They are the Party of the Evil One.” Then He mentioned the end of their affairs and the outcome of their plots saying: “Truly, it is the Party of the Evil One that will perish! Those who resist Allah and His Messenger will be among those most humiliated.” (Al-Mujadilah: 19- 20) Thereafter He talked about the end of their affairs saying: “Allah has decreed: "It is I and My messengers who must prevail": For Allah is One full of strength, able to enforce His Will.” (Al-Mujadilah: 21) 5 The struggle between the two parties have been in existence from when Allah sent away Iblis from Paradise and made Adam (AS) descend therefrom. {وَقُلْنَا اهْبِطُوا بَعْضُكُمْ لِبَعْضٍ عَدُوٌّ} (البقرة : 36), {أَلَمْ أَعْهَدْ إِلَيْكُمْ يَا بَنِي آدَمَ أَنْ لاَ تَعْبُدُوا الشَّيْطَانَ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُبِينٌ , وَأَنِ اعْبُدُونِي هَذَا صِرَاطٌ مُسْتَقِيمٌ , وَلَقَدْ أَضَلَّ مِنْكُمْ جِبِلاَّ كَثِيرًا أَفَلَمْ تَكُونُوا تَعْقِلُونَ} (يس60 – 62). “We said: "Get ye down, all (ye people), with enmity between yourselves.” (Al-Baqarah: 36) Iblis and his army represents a party while Adam and his followers represents another. “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? "But he did lead astray a great multitude of you. Did ye not, then, understand? (Yaasin: 60- 62) 6 The truth does involve stages, periods where the proponents become weakened, the followers become few, get frightened and banished. {قَدْ نَعْلَمُ إِنَّهُ لَيَحْزُنُكَ الَّذِي يَقُولُونَ فَإِنَّهُمْ لاَ يُكَذِّبُونَكَ وَلَكِنَّ الظَّالِمِينَ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ يَجْحَدُونَ , وَلَقَدْ كُذِّبَتْ رُسُلٌ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ فَصَبَرُوا عَلَى مَا كُذِّبُوا وَأُوذُوا حَتَّى أَتَاهُمْ نَصْرُنَا وَلَا مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ وَلَقَدْ جَاءَكَ مِنْ نَبَإِ الْمُرْسَلِينَ , وَإِنْ كَانَ كَبُرَ عَلَيْكَ إِعْرَاضُهُمْ فَإِنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ أَنْ تَبْتَغِيَ نَفَقًا فِي الأَرْضِ أَوْ سُلَّمًا فِي السَّمَاءِ فَتَأْتِيَهُمْ بِآيَةٍ وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَجَمَعَهُمْ عَلَى الْهُدَى فَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْجَاهِلِينَ } (الأنعام : 33 – 35) {وَاذْكُرُوا إِذْ أَنْتُمْ قَلِيلٌ مُسْتَضْعَفُونَ فِي الأَرْضِ تَخَافُونَ أَنْ يَتَخَطَّفَكُمُ النَّاسُ فَآوَاكُمْ وَأَيَّدَكُمْ بِنَصْرِهِ وَرَزَقَكُمْ مِنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ}(الأنفال 26) فهذه سنة الله في الصراع بين الْحق والباطل يبتلي أولياءه بأعدائه { لِيَمِيزَ اللَّهُ الْخَبِيثَ مِنَ الطَّيِّبِ وَيَجْعَلَ الْخَبِيثَ بَعْضَهُ عَلَى بَعْضٍ فَيَرْكُمَهُ جَمِيعًا فَيَجْعَلَهُ فِي جَهَنَّمَ أُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ } (الأنفال 37). Allah said: {We know indeed the grief which their words do cause thee: It is not thee they reject: it is the signs of Allah, which the wicked contemn. Rejected were the messengers before thee: with patience and constancy they bore their rejection and their wrongs, until Our aid did reach them: there is none that can alter the words (and decrees) of Allah. Already hast thou received some account of those messengers. If their spurning is hard on thy mind, yet if thou wert able to seek a tunnel in the ground or a ladder to the skies and bring them a sign,- (what good?). If it were Allah's will, He could gather them together unto true guidance: so be not thou amongst those who are swayed by ignorance (and impatience)! } (Al-An’aam: 33- 35) {Call to mind when ye were a small (band), despised through the land, and afraid that men might despoil and kidnap you; But He provided a safe asylum for you, strengthened you with His aid, and gave you Good things for sustenance: that ye might be grateful.} (Al-Anfaal: 26) These are the ways of Allah in the struggle that ensues between the truth and falsehood where He tries His beloveds by their enemies. {In order that Allah may separate the impure from the pure, put the impure, one on another, heap them together, and cast them into Hell. They will be the ones to have lost.} (Al-Anfaal: 37) 7 The devil’s group spends colossal amount in turning people away from the path of Allah, however it shall be sorrow and regret for them in the end and the cause of their downfall. {The Unbelievers spend their wealth to hinder (man) from the path of Allah, and so will they continue to spend; but in the end they will have (only) regrets and sighs; at length they will be overcome: and the Unbelievers will be gathered together to Hell} (Al-Anfaal: 36) 8 The devil’s party would not refrain from using any means in an attempt to cause the end of God’s faithfuls ranging from imprisonment, killing, excommunication, {وَإِذْ يَمْكُرُ بِكَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لِيُثْبِتُوكَ أَوْ يَقْتُلُوكَ أَوْ يُخْرِجُوكَ وَيَمْكُرُونَ وَيَمْكُرُ اللَّهُ وَاللَّهُ خَيْرُ الْمَاكِرِينَ (الأنفال 30) {Remember how the Unbelievers plotted against thee, to keep thee in bonds, or slay thee, or get thee out (of thy home). They plot and plan, and Allah too plans; but the best of planners is Allah.} (Al-Anfaal: 36) They studied which of these three means is most beneficial to them in order to cause the end of the prophet (pbuh) and his call on the night of migration where they agreed to kill him as it is known in the account of the migration, but Allah protected him, saved him and perfected His light even though the unbelievers detest it. 9 Certainly the end is for the pious. The one that views the migration in an ordinary manner would think the call was moving towards downfall and vanish. In reality, the migration provides a clear lesson that the end belongs to piety and the pious ones. The prophet teaches the Mujahid on the path of Allah through his history to be firm, steadfast to confront the parties of evils, not to waver in their repulsion and straightening their crookedness. He should not be frightened to accept breathing space for them while they become more emboldened to make assault with their calvary and infantry. Evil has its circuits, its sects have assaults, but the end is for those who are patient and are amenders. {وَالْعَاقِبَةُ لِلتَّقْوَى} (طه: 132)، He said: "Fear not: for I am with you: I hear and see (everything). وقال تعالى: {وَإِنَّ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ لَحُسْنَ مَآبٍ}( ص:49) and verily, for the righteous, is a beautiful Place of (Final) Return, وقال تعالى:{ إِنَّ الْعَاقِبَةَ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ } (هود:49). for the End is for those who are righteous. The Second Sermon O servants of Allah, may Allah be merciful to you, be aware that there are non- negotiable conditions attached to the victory and consolidation Allah promised His faithful friends- including, patience, piety, conviction … It is mandatory on the friends and party of Allah to adorn the garb of patience, piety and conviction. All these qualities in its most perfect form are embodied in the prophet (pbuh) Allah helped him over his enemies and the supporters of shaytan. Allah said: :{ إِنْ تَمْسَسْكُمْ حَسَنَةٌ تَسُؤْهُمْ وَإِنْ تُصِبْكُمْ سَيِّئَةٌ يَفْرَحُوا بِهَا وَإِنْ تَصْبِرُوا وَتَتَّقُوا لاَ يَضُرُّكُمْ كَيْدُهُمْ شَيْئًا إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ مُحِيطٌ (آل عمران120) If aught that is good befalls you, it grieves them; but if some misfortune overtakes you, they rejoice at it. But if ye are constant and do right, not the least harm will their cunning do to you; for Allah Compasseth round about all that they do. (Al-Imran: 120) لَتُبْلَوُنَّ فِي أَمْوَالِكُمْ وَأَنْفُسِكُمْ وَلَتَسْمَعُنَّ مِنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ وَمِنَ الَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا أَذًى كَثِيرًا وَإِنْ تَصْبِرُوا وَتَتَّقُوا فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ مِنْ عَزْمِ الأُمُور} (آل عمران 186) Ye shall certainly be tried and tested in your possessions and in your personal selves; and ye shall certainly Hear much that will grieve you, from those who received the Book before you and from those who worship many gods. But if ye persevere patiently, and guard against evil,-then that will be a determining factor in all affairs. (Al-Imran: 186) Before that Allah mentioned in Suratul- Baqarah thus: وَلاَ يَزَالُونَ يُقَاتِلُونَكُمْ حَتَّى يَرُدُّوكُمْ عَنْ دِينِكُمْ إِنِ اسْتَطَاعُوا وَمَنْ يَرْتَدِدْ مِنْكُمْ عَنْ دِينِهِ فَيَمُتْ وَهُوَ كَافِرٌ فَأُولَئِكَ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَاْلآخِرَةِ وَأُولَئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ } (البقرة : 217) Nor will they cease fighting you until they turn you back from your faith if they can. And if any of you Turn back from their faith and die in unbelief, their works will bear no fruit in this life and in the Hereafter; they will be companions of the Fire and will abide therein. (Al-Baqarah: 217) Sufyan bn ‘Uyaynah (R.A) was asked about the criteria for leadership in the religion, to which he replied: “Patience and Conviction.” Allah said: {وَاسْتَعِينُوا بِالصَّبْرِ وَالصَّلَاةِ وَإِنَّهَا لَكَبِيرَةٌ إِلَّا عَلَى الْخَاشِعِينَ (45) الَّذِينَ يَظُنُّونَ أَنَّهُمْ مُلاقُو رَبِّهِمْ وَأَنَّهُمْ إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ} (البقرة : 45 _ 46), Nay, seek (Allah's) help with patient perseverance and prayer: It is indeed hard, except to those who bring a lowly spirit, Who bear in mind the certainty that they are to meet their Lord, and that they are to return to Him. (Al-Baqarah: 45- 46) It also includes sincere worship of Allah alone without aiming other than Him. Allah said: {وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنْكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ وَلَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمُ الَّذِي ارْتَضَى لَهُمْ وَلَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ خَوْفِهِمْ أَمْنًا يَعْبُدُونَنِي لَا يُشْرِكُونَ بِي شَيْئًا وَمَنْ كَفَرَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ , وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ (النور : 55 ، 56) Allah has promised, to those among you who believe and work righteous deeds, that He will, of a surety, grant them in the land, inheritance (of power), as He granted it to those before them; that He will establish in authority their religion - the one which He has chosen for them; and that He will change (their state), after the fear in which they (lived), to one of security and peace: 'They will worship Me (alone) and not associate aught with Me. 'If any do reject Faith after this, they are rebellious and wicked. So establish regular Prayer and give regular Charity; and obey the Messenger; that ye may receive mercy.” (An-Nur: 55- 56)

On certainty that the End belongs to piety and the righteous

The End is always for the pious ones: Dear Muslim brothers! It should be known that whoever views the hijrah with an immature judgement will think Islam was moving towards extinction and decline. In actual sense, the migration vividly gives a clear lesson that the end belongs to piety and the pious ones. The prophet teaches the Mujahid on the path of Allah through his history to be firm, remain steadfast to confront the parties of evils, he should not feeble out at repelling them and straightening their crookedness. He should not be frightened as days approach, the evil has its circuits, its sects have assaults, but the end is for those who are patient and those who are peacemakers. Glad tidings of the future of religion, despite bitter reality: O Muslims: Anyone who looks at the reality of the Muslims’ nations today, and what is going on in this world and in the lands of Islam, in particular, will see phenomena which draw attention and warrant analysis. It will be manifested in these events, things that brings hope, favorable consequences, including goodness, prosperity, victory, honour and feet planting for Islam and Muslims by Allah’s leave. Often, it is repeatedly chanted to the hearing of Islamic reformers, preachers, and students that the future belongs to this religion- Islam and that victory is approaching, Allah’s willing. But a Sayer may say out of bitterness and sadness: “What Good news of future belonging to ISLAM while brutal massacres of Muslims is seen everywhere? What kind of Good news and what type of hope when enemies of Islam have connived to destroy Islam and to eradicate Muslims despite their inclinations and the multiplicity of religions. In spite of all this and even more than this, where then is the future of Islam? O believers! the darkest part of the night is the time followed by the light of dawn, surely, the dawn of Islam is inevitably approach as the inevitable approach of the night and day. The Nation of Islam had become sick and riddled with periods of long recession, but out of the grace of Allah it does not die. What eventually determines the matter in the end is not the power of falsehood, but the power of the truth. Without doubt we own the truth for which the heavens and earth were created, and the paradise and hell were created and for which the the scriptures were revealed and apostles sent. We possess the “Nature’s Reserves” as described by Sayyid Qutb. He said in an beautiful chapter titled “Nature’s Reserves”: The first day ever that Islam appears, it confronted a huge reality, it confronted beliefs and perceptions, values and scales, benefits and schism, interests and hysterical. The distance between Islam the day it came and the reality people were living with was remotely enormous. Though if it were to be said to a person in that age that this new religion will eventually be victorious it would have been met with only derision and condemnation! But this reality soon became displaced from its place for the newcomer religion. How did this seemingly impossibility became a reality? How could one man stand alone in the face of the whole world? He did not flatter their beliefs, nor flatter their feelings, he never flatter their gods, he did not distribute promises and booties using positions for those who follow him. How then did the change occurred? Verily this occurrence was possible due to the predominance and supremacy of this approach, because it is there was a mutual collaboration between the virtual reality with the “Nature Reserves”. So with us is “Nature’s Reserve”, and above all, God is with us, and what a decent accompaniment. {وَاللَّهُ غَالِبٌ عَلَى أَمْرِهِ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ }(يوسف : 21). “And Allah hath full power and control over His affairs; but most among mankind know it not.” (Yusuf: 21) It is truly the promise of Allah and His word: {وَلَقَدْ سَبَقَتْ كَلِمَتُنَا لِعِبَادِنَا الْمُرْسَلِينَ , إِنَّهُمْ لَهُمُ الْمَنْصُورُونَ , وَإِنَّ جُنْدَنَا لَهُمُ الْغَالِبُونَ} (الصافات: 171–173) “Already has Our Word been passed before (this) to our Servants sent (by Us), that they would certainly be assisted, and that Our forces,- they surely must conquer. (Q37: 171-173) Surely, this blessed promise is part of the fixed universal tradition of Allah which does not change, and the victory is a permanent tradition, the way planets and stars are in the space. Reasons for delay in victory: O Muslims! victory may be delayed for many reasons, but it will surely come in the end God’s willing, whatever reinforcement falsehood and its people equip themselves with in the forces of iron and fire. We have not said this as a guess into the unknown or rosy dreams for pain relief and healing. But the Qur’an speaks, the Prophet gladdens with good news and human history bears witness. Glad tidings in the book of Allah: {يُرِيدُونَ لِيُطْفِئُوا نُورَ اللَّهِ بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَاللَّهُ مُتِمُّ نُورِهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْكَافِرُونَ , هُوَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلَ رَسُولَهُ بِالْهُدَى وَدِينِ الْحَقِّ لِيُظْهِرَهُ عَلَى الدِّينِ كُلِّهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ}(الصف : 8 - 9) Their intention is to extinguish Allah's Light (by blowing) with their mouths: But Allah will complete (the revelation of) His Light, even though the Unbelievers may detest (it). It is He Who has sent His Messenger with Guidance and the Religion of Truth, that he may proclaim it over all religion, even though the Pagans may detest (it). (As-Saff: 8-9) Allah promises believers victory, He said: {وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِكَ رُسُلًا إِلَى قَوْمِهِمْ فَجَاءُوهُمْ بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ فَانْتَقَمْنَا مِنَ الَّذِينَ أَجْرَمُوا وَكَانَ حَقًّا عَلَيْنَا نَصْرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ}(الروم : 47, “We did indeed send, before thee, messengers to their (respective) peoples, and they came to them with Clear Signs: then, to those who transgressed, We meted out Retribution: and it was due from Us to aid those who believed.” (Ar-Rum: 47) Allah says: {يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنْ تَنْصُرُوا اللَّهَ يَنْصُرْكُمْ وَيُثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَكُمْ} (محمد : 7) “O ye who believe! If ye will aid (the cause of) Allah, He will aid you, and plant your feet firmly.” (Q47: 7) Allah (swt) informs that He helps His believers when they assist and strive in support of Allah’s religion. Even if this tradition occasionally is delayed for a reason best known to Allah in His divine wisdom, it does not negate the principle that victory belongs to those who assist the religion of God. That also include the firm planting of their feet on earth. {وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنْكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ وَلَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمُ الَّذِي ارْتَضَى لَهُمْ وَلَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ خَوْفِهِمْ أَمْنًا يَعْبُدُونَنِي لا يُشْرِكُونَ بِي شَيْئًا وَمَنْ كَفَرَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ} (النور : 55), “Allah has promised, to those among you who believe and work righteous deeds, that He will, of a surety, grant them in the land, inheritance (of power), as He granted it to those before them; that He will establish in authority their religion - the one which He has chosen for them; and that He will change (their state), after the fear in which they (lived), to one of security and peace: 'They will worship Me (alone) and not associate aught with Me. 'If any do reject Faith after this, they are rebellious and wicked.” (An-Nur: 55) In the verse, Allah promises the believers attainment of authority in the land, establishment of their religion, what hope for Muslims is greater than the promise of Allah? What hope there exists after this for a true believer? Other promises in the Qur’an include: {إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا يُنْفِقُونَ أَمْوَالَهُمْ لِيَصُدُّوا عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَسَيُنْفِقُونَهَا ثُمَّ تَكُونُ عَلَيْهِمْ حَسْرَةً ثُمَّ يُغْلَبُونَ وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا إِلَى جَهَنَّمَ يُحْشَرُون} (الأنفال : 36) “The Unbelievers spend their wealth to hinder (man) from the path of Allah, and so will they continue to spend; but in the end they will have (only) regrets and sighs; at length they will be overcome: and the Unbelievers will be gathered together to Hell” (Anfaal: 36) How many billions is spent and still being spent freely horrible manner only to repel from the path of God and to remove the religion of Allah. How many billions is spent to evangelize Muslims? How much of the billions is spent to destroy the family institution among Muslims? How much of the billions is spent to undermine and corrupt stated morals by spreading immorality through satellite and through pornographic films, promiscuous serials, licentiously shameless pictures and immoral stories. Now, through the use of Internet networks, it has found its way into every room with ease without guard. But what is the result, the result, God willing, is His promises: { فَسَيُنْفِقُونَهَا ثُمَّ تَكُونُ عَلَيْهِمْ حَسْرَةً ثُمَّ يُغْلَبُونَ وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا إِلَى جَهَنَّمَ يُحْشَرُون} (الأنفال : 36) “… and so will they continue to spend; but in the end they will have (only) regrets and sighs; at length they will be overcome: and the Unbelievers will be gathered together to Hell” (Anfaal: 36) Ponder also on His word: “As for them, they are but plotting a scheme, And I am planning a scheme. Therefore grant a delay to the Unbelievers: Give respite to them gently (for awhile).” (Tariq: 15 - 17) Whatever scheme these people plots and whatever war they wage against the religion of Allah, Allah is patiently watching them, they are the enemies of God before they became enemies of Muslims. Some the Prophetic Glad Tidings: O Muslims! Listen to the prophetic promises which affirm these realities. From Tamim Ad-Dari may Allah be pleased with him said: I heard the Messenger of Allah peace be upon him says: ((This issue shall reach all the areas reached by the day and night, Allah (swt) will not leave out a house except that He brings Islam into it- giving honour to those who accept it and humiliate rejecters, Allah honours the believer and humiliates the Kafir. The prophet (pbuh) says: “A sect among my Ummah will remain evident on the truth, whoever forsakes them or contradicts them cannot do them any harm until the command of Allah comes and they will remain as such. Dear Muslims! I swear by Allah- no other god except Him, that the reign of Islam is fast approaching. It is the religion approved by Allah: {إِنَّ الدِّينَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ الإِسْلامُ}(آل عمران : 19) The Religion before Allah is Islam (submission to His Will): Nor did the People of the Book dissent therefrom except through envy of each other, after knowledge had come to them. But if any deny the Signs of Allah, Allah is swift in calling to account. (Q3: 19) {الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الإِسْلاَمَ دِينًا} (المائدة : 3). This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion. But if any is forced by hunger, with no inclination to transgression, Allah is indeed Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful. (Q5: 3) And destruction is coming, God’s willing, on those who disbelief, are misguided and fight Islam and Muslims. Allah says: وَأنَّ الدِّمَارَ قَادِمٌ بِإذْنِ اللهِ لِمَنْ عَلَى شَاكِلَتِهِمْ مِنَ الْكُفْرِ وَالضَّلاَلِ ومَحَارَبَةِ الإسْلامِ وَأهْلِهِ، وَصَدَقَ اللهُ العَظِيمُ: {وَلا يَزَالُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا تُصِيبُهُمْ بِمَا صَنَعُوا قَارِعَةٌ أَوْ تَحُلُّ قَرِيبًا مِنْ دَارِهِمْ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ وَعْدُ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُخْلِفُ الْمِيعَادَ} (الرعد : 31) But the Unbelievers,- never will disaster cease to seize them for their (ill) deeds, or to settle close to their homes, until the promise of Allah come to pass, for, verily, Allah will not fail in His promise. (Rad: 31) The world today is searching for a saviour and there is none except Islam. Second Sermon All praises are due to Allah …. O Muslims! The tragedy that happened last Saturday when a helicopter crashed killing the Executive Governor of Kaduna, is an admonition and a reminder to us. We must prepare for death with good works. Allah says: “Say: "The Death from which ye flee will truly overtake you: then will ye be sent back to the Knower of things secret and open: and He will tell you (the truth of) the things that ye did!” (Jum’ah: 8).