MSH.2 OCT 2009.KHUTBAH.POST.ENG

 Paradise People are the One with Good Character

Mawlana Shaykh Hisham Kabbani

2 October 2009    Montreal, Canada

 
A`udhu billahi min ash-Shaytan i`r-rajeem. Bismi`lLahi `r-Rahmani `r-Rahem.
Ayyuha' lladheena mu'minoon al -haadiroon it-taqulLah wa ati`ooh. Innallaha ma` alladheena taqaw wa'lladheena hum muhsinoon 

O believers! Days are passing and life is getting short. Allah (swt) gave every one a life to live; no one can take the life of the other one.

إِذَا جَاءَ أَجَلُهُمْ لاَ يَسْتَأْخِرُونَ سَاعَةً وَلاَ يَسْتَقْدِمُونَ

La yastaqdimoona sa`atan wa la yastakhiroon. but when the end of their term approaches, they can neither delay it by a single moment, nor can they hasten it. (16:61)
Not one second more not one second less. When the bell rings, you are moving and you don't look behind. Now in dunya, there is every day a bell ringing reminding us of akhirah but always we are looking behind us.We are not looking forward. But when the main bell ring, Allah calling you now, "Come!" Can you say, "No, O Allah leave me alone now, I have university, I have to go study. I have money in bank have to put together for inheritors." No way , come now; that time when it comes you cannot look backwards with Sayyidina Azra`eel (a), the angel of death, it is like a magnet. Believers are seeing paradises in front of them. How they are looking after dirty world of  bad desire, they look for the pleasure of Allah (swt). They look forward and move on. So it means wherever  you run in this dunya, you cannot live forever.

Sayyidina Nuh (a) lived for 950 years! They are a moment now; they passed as if they are not there anymore. When Sayyidina Nuh (a) left dunya, that 950 years finished, it doesn't mean anything to him, it is the moment he is meeting his Lord. O Muslims, Believers! It is not about what you have achieved in dunya, it is what you achieved in dunya for akhirah. That is what counts. You might find people, might be taxi drivers. But they are very content and happy with what Allah gave to them. I remember a long time ago, when I was in my 20's, a neighbour of Grandshaykh (q) and Mawlana Shaykh, he was so happy with his life. He lived in a cave; the homes there were like caves, now they made them look like houses, but in reality he lived in a cave near Grandshaykh (q) and he was so happy. And what was his work? He began early before tahajjud time, at two or three o'clock in the morning. He had a wife and children and they prayed the five prayers. Some of his children now are doctors.

 

What was his job? He used to bring his donkey in the morning, which had a saddle with big pockets, and he collected people's garbage from home to home. He began before Fajr, collecting their trash and taking it all the way down the extremely steep hill in Damascus, to near the maqaam of Sayyidina Muhiyiddeen ibn al-`Arabi (q), in a big dump for the city to collect because they could not come up as there was no road, only donkeys. That happy neighbor finished by 12 noon and returned home and then came to Grandshaykh (q), sitting and listening. He was content. He was da`eef (weak), not in a physical sense, but he was weak, not running after dunya. He did not run after physical desires. He is a humble person.

 

What do you think if that person who collected garbage on a donkey sat beside a president of a country? Will people look at the president or at that person? They look at the president, but that is wrong. Allah doesn't look at the president or the one who collects garbage, except from the perspective of who is more humble. There might be kings and presidents who are more humble than a garbage collector. In Allah's eyes they are high. There may be some who are even more humble than that and Allah looks at them. That is why Prophet (s) said, :  ألا أخبرك بأهل الجنة ؟  - alaa ukhbirukum `an ahl al-Jannah, "Shall I tell you about the people of Paradise?"The people of Paradise are not arrogant or proud. There are people who are so proud of themselves, saying, "I am doctor, a physician," and they cannot accept to say, "I am a donkey, a collector of garbage." What is the problem.? Say it and Allah will be happy with you. If you are a lawyer, a doctor and humble, it is okay, no problem.

رب أشعث أغبر لو أقسم على الله لأبره - "Rubba asha`th aghbar law aqsama `ala Allah la-abarrah -There might be someone with greasy, dirty hair and when you look at him you feel disgusted; dust covers his clothes." He didn't take a shower, he is dirty, his hair is not combed, he might be carrying swine flu also! (laughter) People will run away from him. But Prophet (s) is telling us, "If that one asks anything from Allah, Allah will grant it to him." Allah doesn't look at how you dress or position but at your sincerity.

 

Why do people fight; children and parents, husband and wives. Because children don't want to bow down to parents, and married people don't want to bow to what the other is saying. Everyone wants to be the one who controls and decides. Why do we take a teacher and a guide? It is to teach us sweetness of Islam, and sweetness comes with humbleness, not with arrogance! You might look at someone you don't like in a gathering and in fact his heart is connected directly with the Divinely Presence. To Allah that one is better and that one might be the best in the entire group. Someone who might want to be by himself and not have anything to do with people. Why? His heart is working. He might ask Allah and Allah will give him. Be careful, it might be if you make him angry and he complains to Allah, and Allah will accept his praise.

Prophet (s) said, alaa ukhbirukum `an ahl al-Jannah mulook al-Jannah, "Shall I tell you about the different kings of paradises"? Because they are not kings of dunya Allah made them kings of Paradise. (Hasan, narrated by many authentic muhadditheen.) You might enter Paradise, man qaala la ilaha ill-Llah dakhal al-Jannah, (whoever says  la ilaha ill-Llah enters Paradise),  you may say la ilaha ill-Llah and go to paradise you might not be king. Allah is asking if you want to know who is king of paradise. Rajul da`eefun mustad`afun law aqsama `ala'Llahi ta'ala la-abarrah. Hadith is hasan, authoritative, narrated by many muhaddithoon. Someone who is weak and helpless, not arrogant. He is weak and trying to make himself more humble by humiliating himself, making everyone feel happier from him that they are higher than him. And if that one asks Allah, Allah will give to him. So do you want to be a king of paradise or you want to be like everyone else? If you want to be a king, imitate Prophet (s)! Humble yourself! As much as you humble yourself, Allah raises you higher.

عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وقف على أناس جلوس فقال ( ألا أخبركم بخيركم من شركم ) قال : فسكتوا ، فقال ذلك ثلاث مرات ، فقال رجل : بلى يا رسول الله أخبرنا بخيرنا من شرنا ، قال ( خيركم من يرجى خيره ويؤمن شره وشركم من لا يرجى خيره ولا يؤمن شره ) رواه الترمذي ــ كتاب الفتن رقم

Prophet (s) said, `An Abi Hurayrah annahu qaala, alaa ukhbirukum bi khayrikum min sharrikum,"Shall I tell you of the best ones and the bad ones among you?"  The Prophet (s) isn't specific, saying "this one or that one," but makes a general statement, so you will think about it. Khayrukum man yurjaa khayruhu "The best among you is the one who makes lot of khair, goodness." And people expect that from him, as he never harmed anyone, neither by tongue or by action. He is always open to everyone, never closes his door to anyone, "wa yu'minu sharruh - and you are protected from his badness."  It means that person will never try to make something bad on you, never injure you or cause you pain, wa sharrukum man la yurjaa khayruhu. "That one whose goodness you don't need is the bad one and he will make you his slave." You are slave only to One, Allah (swt). He might give something and often say publicly, "I gave him this and gave him that." You don't need that one, because you cannot trust him; he might harm you one day. What Prophet (s) is teaching us is, the good is that one from whom you see all kinds of goodness and no badness.The bad is he from whom you see a lot of badness and no goodness.

رواه ابن أبي الدنيا أيضا عن صفوان بن سليم مرسلا قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم   : ألا أخبركم بأيسر العبادة وأهونها على البدن الصمت وحسن الخلق  

Prophet (s) said, alaa ukhbirukum an aysar al-`ibadah, wa ahwanuha `ala al-badan: as-samt wa husnu 'l-khuluq, "Shall I not tell you of the best of worship?" This must be always a nail in our foreheads (must remember it), like today people put tattoos all over their face, which is haraam in Islam as it is changing Allah’s Creation. Don't make a tattoo; Allah will take it with Hellfire out of your body!  

Prophet (s) said, alaa ukhbirukum bi aysar al-`ibadah wa ahwanuha `ala 'l-badan, "Shall I tell you the best of worshipness, and easy on physicality?" He said aysar al ibadah, as-samt, “Don’t talk.” Don't talk, zip it! You open your mouth and make a mistake. Husbands and wives, they open their mouths and there is Hellfire in the house! He shouts at her, stay quiet. She shouts at him, be quiet, because Allah likes that. This is showing humbleness. If (she is quiet and) he becomes more frustrated, no problem! Both sides, don’t shout, be careful, be quiet. Sayyidina `Ali said, "Four elements I recommend for everyone. First is as-samt, taken from the hadith of Prophet (s), keep quiet, don’t talk too much. Whenever you see something wrong, ask yourself, does Allah look at everything bad or everything good? Allah's Honor is to look only at everything which is good. If people are highly educated and spiritual, they won’t look at  peoples mistakes, they try to avoid that and look at everything good. Allah looks at everything  good, which means that Allah will forgive our sins, insha'Allah!

 

Prophet (s) said, "don't talk of that which does not fit you, leave it, maybe that person is happy with what he is saying, he is responsible for it not you. Da'wah is to give advice. Only Prophet (s), basheeran wa nadheera has the right to give good tidings or warn, not you. Who are you? Did anyone give you a message to deliver? Only show people goodness. Don't tell them, "don't do this, don't do that, you will go to Hell,"  you may go to hell! Why, are you so clean?

    

So he said, as-samt, to keep quiet wa husnu 'l-khuluq, good manners. So fix your manners! When you don't talk you begin to  realize, "O, I am like them." Why I am better? If you want to have Sunnah of Prophet (s) is to have mirror in your house to look in every day and speak to yourself, to see if you are better today or worse. Sayyidina `Umar (r) said, "If I am not going to be better today than yesterday then it's better for me to be underground." Are we better everyday, progressing or are we worse and worse. Allah knows,we cannot judge; yes, you can check yourself, but don't judge others. You have no right. Don’t think if you gave food or a donation you are good. If you give and that person takes—anything you give—that person did you a favor, because his donation was accepted by you, which means it was accepted by Allah! If he refused it  that means "I don't want your khair", no goodness in you.  As in the previous hadith. If your donation is accepted it is for you and not for the person who took it from you, it might be a burden on that person, how to spend it. May Allah forgive us! We have to be very careful. Prophet (s) gave us thing in order to solve our problems but people, they are not… I don’t know what to say. Their minds are closed and their hearts are closed.

 

عن الامام السيوطي عن الامام علي عليه السلام قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم :  ("ألا أعلمك كلمات لو كان عليك مثل جبل صبير دينا أداه الله عنك قل "اللهم اكفني بحلالك عن حرامك وأغنني بفضلك عمن سواك")    رواه أحمد والترمذي والحاكم عن على رضي الله عنه

And here the Prophet (s) is saying, `an `Aliyyin (r) qaal, "qaala rasulullah (s), Prophet (s) said to Sayyidina `Ali,`ala wa u`allimuka kalimaati 'law kaana alayka mithl jabali 'sabayri daynan`abdahullahu `ank." A mountain in Madinah, this is from ahadith as-Suyuti collected. "Shall I not teach you, Ya `Ali, a few words that if you have loans, debts (the size) of this huge  huge mountain in Madinah, if you say them, Allah will take all your debts away." Prophet (s) is speaking with Sayyidina 'Ali in order to tell his ummah coming later to do that. But are we doing that? Might be some are. He said, " اللهم اكفني بحلالك عن حرامك وأغنني بفضلك عمن سواك - qul allalhumma akhfinee bi halaalika `al haraamika waghninee bi fadlik `amman siwaak, O Allah! Make me rich with your halal over your haram, and honor me with Your favor on me, by You and not with someone else." Allah will take away all your debts and difficulties.

عن ابي الدنيا عن سعد بن أبي وقاص رضي الله عنه قال: كنا جلوسا عند رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال ("ألا أخبركم بشئ إذا نزل برجل منكم كرب أو بلاء من الدنيا دعا به فرج عنه؟ فقيل له : بلى قال: دعاء ذي النون إذا دعا وهو في بطن الحوت "لا إله إلا أنت سبحانك إني كنت من الظالمين". فإنه لم يدع بها رجل مسلم في شئ قط إلا استجاب الله له") رواه الترمذي والنسائي وأحمد والحاكم وغيرهم.

Narrated by Sa’ad (r), "The Prophet (s) said,  alaa ukhbirukum bi shayyin idhaa nazala bi rajulin minkum karbun aw balau'n min amri 'd-dunya da`a bihi farraja `anh, do you want me tell you about someone who sees an affliction coming on him, that there is a du’a with which Allah (swt) will take that affliction away"?  What was the du`a of Dhul-Nun (a) when he was swallowed by the whale? "لا إله إلا أنت سبحانك إني كنت من الظالمين" La ilaha illa Anta Subhanaka inni kuntu min adh-dhalimeen. "There is no God but You; Glory be to You! Truly I have been one of the wrongdoers." (Surat al-Anbiyah, 21:87)

Allah farraja `anh, Allah took him out of that problem. So in these two different ahadith, the Prophet (s) showed us how to be humble, to take away our problems, for debts and for difficulties.

I am not seeing anyone has a pen in his hand and writing. Only one person here is writing (taking notes) and I am mentioning him in my heart yesterday, he was sitting and thinking deeply, that one if he makes a du`a Allah will accept it. Today he is writing, I am seeing him from here. May allah (swt) forgive us, may Allah bless us, aquloo qawli haadha w'astaghfirulullah al-`adheem lee wa lakum wa li saairi 'l-mustaghfireen, astaghfirullah.