Monday, January 6, 2014

THE ROLE OF ISLAMIC BROTHERHOOD IN SOCIETAL REFORMATION

Praise be to Allah, who unite the hearts of the believing men and women and made them brothers. Allah removes the grudges of their hearts to become companions on earth and associates in the hereafter. I praise and thank Him, repent and seek His forgiveness, and ask for His help. I testify there is no god but Allah alone- a testimony which earns one closeness and pleasure of Allah. I testify that our leader- Muhammad (pbuh) is his servant and messenger. O Allah shower peace and blessings on him, his household, companions and whoever follow them in speech, action, justice, goodness till the day of recompense. Having said that, Worshipers of Allah, I enjoin you and myself to fear Allah, through taqwa, Allah saves from all hardship, provide from all angles and grants one honour. Allah says: وَمَنْ يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مَخْرَجًا (2) وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ ..." (الطلاق : 2- 3 ) " And whoever fears Allah - He will make for him a way out. And will provide for him from where he does not expect." ( 65: 2-3) . Allah says: "... إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ..." ( الحجرات : 13 ). Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. (49:13) Brothers in faith, this is the second sermon on Islamic brotherhood as established by the messenger (pbuh) in Madinah. Having discussed last the general understanding of brotherhood, we shall today focus on the role of Islamic brotherhood in societal reformation. Conditions of Islamic brotherhood 1- The brotherhood should be sincerely for Allah- the exalted. Allah says: " أَلَا لِلَّهِ الدِّينُ الْخَالِصُ ... " (الزّمر :3 ) Unquestionably, for Allah is the pure religion. (39:3) " وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ حُنَفَاءَ ..." (البيِّنة : 5) And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth, (98: 5) The Prophet said: “Verily, actions shall be according to the intention and for every person is what he intends” 2- The brotherhood should be associated with faith and taqwa. Allah says: " الْأَخِلَّاءُ يَوْمَئِذٍ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ عَدُوٌّ إِلَّا الْمُتَّقِينَ" ( الزُّخرف :67). “Close friends, that Day, will be enemies to each other, except for the righteous” (43: 67) The Prophet said: “Do not be in company of anyone except of a believer, and none should eat of your food except a pious one” (Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi) If brotherhood is as described, it becomes well entrenched than the mountains and more solid than a towering structure. 3- It should be committed to the Islamic approach: Brotherhood cannot be except when the brothers submit to Islamic law. The Prophet said: “…and two persons who are mutually in love for Allah’s sake, they meet for the sake, and they dispersed on that”. 4 – The brotherhood should be based on advice for Allah: It is essential that brotherhood is based on advice on good behaviour, calling brothers to repent at instance of shortcomings. The Prophet said: "Religion is nasihah." We said: "To whom?" The Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, said: "To Allah and His Book, and His messenger, and to the leaders of the Muslims and their common folk." (Narrated by Muslim. 5 – It should be founded on mutual cooperation in good and bad times: The act of joining or sharing in the joy and sorrow of others is a valuable Islamic attribute which is more demanding among brothers. The Prophet - peace be upon him - said: "None of you believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself " Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim. He (pbuh) also said: "The similitude of the believers in their mutual love, mercy and compassion, is like a single body, if any part complains, the rest of the body summon one another to share in its insomnia and fever" Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim. Practical ways to deepen the spirit of brotherhood among the believers : Brothers in faith, in order to deepen the spirit of brotherhood among the believers which will lead to a purpose society the following processes are recommended: 1 – When a brother loves another brother, he should be able to tell him with passion and honesty that: “I love you for Allah’s sake”. The Prophet said: "If a person loves another, he should inform him that he loves him" Narrated by Abu Dawood and Tirmidhi. 2 – A brother should request his brother to pray for him in his absence when he leaves him. Umar (R.A) sought the Prophet’s permission to perform Umrah and he was granted. The Prophet then said: “My brother, do not forget us in your prayer” (Dawood and Tirmidhi). 3 – Smiling when you meet him: "Do not belittle any act of goodness, even if it is to meet your brother with a welcoming face" narrated by Muslim from Abu Dhar (R.A) 4 – Beginning with handshake: Exchanging handshake whereby the palms are well pressed together with the feeling of love and passion. The Messenger of Allah - peace be upon him – said: "When two Muslims meet, and they exchange handshake, their sins of both are forgiven before thay separate.” Narrated by Abu Dawood from Bara may Allah be pleased with him . 5 - Call him with names he loves most. E.g: “O father of so and so” 6 – Pay him frequent visits and ask after him. The Prophet - peace be upon him - said : " Allah said: My love is guaranteed for those who love one another for My sake, and those who sit together for My sake and those who generously give among themselves for My sake”. 7 - Congratulate him on joyous occasions. The Prophet said - peace be upon him - said: “Whoever meet his brother with what he loves in order to make him happy, Allah –the exalted will make him happy on the day of Resurrection." 8 - To share in his grief and sympathize with him. 9 – To show concern to attend to his needs. The Prophet - peace be upon him - " said: “Allah is at the help of a servant so long as the servant helps his brother " (At-tabarani). 10 – Presentation of gifts during occasions in a way that makes him feel loved and appreciated. The Prophet said: “Exchange gifts among yourselves, you will love one another” (At-tabarani) . 11 – To make space for him at gatherings. 12 - Praying for him in his absence. Abu Darda narrated that the Prophet - peace be upon him - said: "The Muslim’s prayer for his brother behind his back is answered. By his head is an Angel who is commissioned (for carrying supplication to his Lord). Every time he prays for his brother with good, the Angel says: “Ameen, and same is for you.”." Abu Darda - may Allah be pleased with him – used to say: “I do pray for seventy of my brothers in my Sujuud (prostration) position mentioning their names.” Honourable brothers and sisters, we shall conclude this sermon with an important hadith to confirm the value of Islamic brotherhood and the tools that can make it a reality among members of the Muslim community. In addition to the provisions of many benefits in this noble Islamic heritage, and how to protect it from all forms of defects or inefficiencies so as not to become mere talks played around by people or unachieveable imaginations. Imam al-Nawawi commented in the book "Al-Adhkar" about this hadith thus: “What a great benefit! Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Don't be envious of one another, and don't raise prices of goods to bid him out and don't nurse aversion or enmity and don't enter into a transaction when the others have entered into that transaction and be as fellow-brothers and servants of Allah. A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim. He neither oppresses him nor lie against him nor looks down upon him. The piety is here, (and while saying so) he pointed towards his chest thrice. It is a serious evil for a Muslim that he should look down upon his brother Muslim. All things of a Muslim are inviolable (forbidden) for his brother in faith: his blood, his wealth and his honour. SECOND KHUTBAH All praises are due to Allah who says: " اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ (1) خَلَقَ الْإِنْسانَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ (2) اقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ الْأَكْرَمُ (3) الَّذِي عَلَّمَ بِالْقَلَمِ(4)عَلَّمَ الْإِنْسانَ ما لَمْ يَعْلَمْ (5) “ Recite in the name of your Lord who created -( 2 ) Created man from a clinging substance.( 3 ) Recite, and your Lord is the most Generous -( 4 ) Who taught by the pen -( 5 ) Taught man that which he knew not. (96:1-5). We praise and thank Him, believe and depend on Him. I testify there is no god but Allah alone and I testify that our leader- Muhammad (pbuh) is his servant and messenger who said: “Seeking knowledge is an obligation on every Muslim” (Ibn Majah, Tabaraani, Bazaar, Al-baaniy classified it as sound). Lessons derivable from the above- mentioned verses as stated by Dr Wahbah Zuhailiy in At-Tafseerul- Muneer include: 1- Elucidating the ability and greatness of Allah as the Creator. He created man from the clinging rigid clot of blood. These were the first revealed verses and the first grace of Allah on humanity. 2 - Allah ordered the Prophet peace be upon him to read the Qur’an in the name of his Lord who created, and taught man what he knew not. 3 – Allah commanded learning how to read and write because both are tools for gaining religious knowledge and revelation, and proof for oral knowledge among people, and the basis of the progress of science, arts and cultures, and the growth of civilization and urbanization. 4 – The favour of God on man is knowledge. It moves man from darkness of ignorance to the light of knowledge. Through knowledge, Adam excelled over the angels. Knowledge could be either with thought and mind, or verbally or in writing. Qatada said: The Pen is a great grace from Allah, otherwise the religion would not stand and life would not be of good. The virtues of writing are numerous. Allah refers to the pen and praises Himself as the most honourable and generous thus: “and your Lord is the most Generous -( 4 ) Who taught by the pen”. Meaning: He taught men through the pen or that He taught man to write with the pen. After recounting His favour on man in his creation, balanced proportion, open and secret, Allah described Himself with honour thus: يا أَيُّهَا الْإِنْسانُ، ما غَرَّكَ بِرَبِّكَ الْكَرِيمِ الَّذِي خَلَقَكَ، فَسَوَّاكَ فَعَدَلَكَ [الانفطار 82/ 6- 7] “O mankind, what has deceived you concerning your Lord, the Generous,( 7 ) Who created you, proportioned you, and balanced you? (82: 6-7) The Prophet said: “The first thing that God created was the pen, He said to it: “write” and it wrote all what will be till the Day of Resurrection. That is with Him in the book of remembrance above His throne”. The illiteracy of the Prophet- peace be upon him- and his being taught by Allah is a miracle affirmed among the unlettered Arabs. Brothers, despite the lofty status knowledge occupies, the Nigeria nation has failed to recognize this virtue for knowledge, students and scholars. The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Lagos State University (LASU) chapter, said it will call for strike if the university management does not meet their demands after the long nationwide strike of the national body of ASUU. Moreover, the Examination Board for West Africa (WAEC) has announced the results of the November-December, GCE, 2013 exams which shows that most participants failed except 29% who scaled through! ! ! Oh Allah descend peace; flowing with continuous tranquility and security upon Nigeria and all other Muslim nations. O Allah accept the worship of the pilgrims of hajj and Umrah, and grant us all Your pleasure, And the last of our call will be, "Praise to Allah, Lord of the worlds!"

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