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بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Friday Sermon
HAZRAT KHALIFATULLAH AL-MASSIH AL-MA’OUD
Munir Ahmad Azim
(04 Ramadhan 1432 Hijri)
(Summary of Friday Sermon)
After having greeted everybody with the Salutations of Peace, the Messiah (Massih’ullah) read the Tashahhud, Taouz and Surah Al Fatiha and he said:
Ramadan is a great favour bestowed upon Muslims by Allah the Most High. We shall recognise this favour only when we shall give it its true value; otherwise Ramadan shall come and go without us beneficiating anything from it. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) is quoted to have said: “If my Ummah knows what Ramadan is about, they would have wished it was Ramadan all year.”
There is so much blessings in this Holy month. We all know how it is difficult to observe the fast during one whole year, but there is in this special month such rewards that the Muslims would have wished that Ramadan continue for one whole year. But in another Hadith, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) is reported to have said: “Observing the fast in the month of Ramadan and three days in every month repel all bad thoughts from the heart.”
The companions (May Allah be pleased with them) used to observe the fast even in the Holy wars, and during long tiring journeys despite the permission given to them by the Messenger of Allah to break their fast. The situation became to such a point that the Messenger of Allah had to restrict them from observing the fast in such circumstances.
In a Hadith found in Muslim, it has been reported that once when the companions of the Prophet (May Allah be pleased with them) were on the way to wage war – Holy war – they stopped for some time to rest. It was very hot and as they were poor, they had not enough clothes on them to protect them from sun rays. Many among them used their hands as a means of protection against the sun, and in this condition also, many among the companions were fasting. They were so tired and could not tolerate the hot climate that they lost consciousness.
Our beloved prophet (peace be upon him) recommended us in these Hadiths to seek the great virtues and blessed of this Holy month so that we may correct and reform ourselves. But nowadays, we became so negligent that we are neither acting on his advices nor taking care about it, to such a point that very few among us are aware of the great benefits that we can derive from this month.
I thus cite a Hadith that every year when Ramadan starts, this Hadith is mentioned to make understand the importance and benefits of Ramadan.
Hadhrat Salman (May Allah be pleased with him) reports that on the last day of Shabaan, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) addressed the companions saying, “O people! A great and blessed month is dawning upon you. It is a month that includes a day that is better than a thousand months. Allah has made fasting compulsory in this month and standing in prayer (Tarawih, Tahajjud) an act of tremendous merit. Whoever carries out an act of (voluntary) virtue during this month will receive the reward of carrying out an obligatory act during any other month and whoever carries out an obligatory act during this month will receive the reward of carrying out seventy obligatory acts during any other month.
You will notice that Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him) said these few words towards the end of Shabaan. It is very clear that he (peace be upon him) means to get the attention of Muslims on the exceptional benefits found in the month of Ramadan, that we may ponder over them and not let any moment therein slip without giving this month all the importance it deserves.
Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him) wanted us to pay attention to several points. Firstly, there is the “Night of Decree” which is verily a night which value cannot be fully estimated. Thereafter the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) informed us that for the voluntary deeds which we shall do during Ramadan, we shall receive such rewards as for obligatory deeds and for the implementation of an obligatory deed, we shall receive in return such rewards which is seventy times the value of obligatory deeds which we do in other months.
It is necessary that each of us ponder over our acts of worship, how much importance we are giving the deeds which are obligatory during Ramadan and how many voluntary acts we are doing? When we devote our attention firstly on obligatory prayers, we see that many people go to sleep after taking their Suhur (meal consumed before dawn when they are observing the fast) and thus they miss the Fajr prayers. Others perform Fajr prayers but not in congregation. The impression that we get, is that we do not thank Allah the Most High at all for the meal that we have had, when we do not accomplish the greater obligatory act (prayer) or even when we do not perform it in congregation. But verily, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said concerning prayer in congregation: “For the people who stay nearby the Mosque, there is no prayer for them except in the Mosque.”
The reading of the Quran has a direct connection between the Quran itself and Ramadan. The Holy Quran was revealed in this month and it was revealed little by little to our beloved prophet (peace be upon him) during a period of twenty-three years. It is reason enough why each Muslim must maximise the reading of the Quran during this blessed month, with translation and also commentary. In the Hadiths, we have learnt that the archangel Gabriel (on him be peace) used to recite the Quran as a whole to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) during Ramadan.
In the same Hadith, Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him) said many other things, among which, Ramadan is a month of patience. Even if we see it difficult to observe the fast, we must be happy to be steadfast; we must not complain like some people do in hot season. If we have not had the opportunity to take a right Suhur, then we must not complain and if we feel tired at the time of Tarawih, then we bear all this with patience and steadfastness. We must not consider these good deeds as a burden or a constraint otherwise these deeds would lose all value in the eyes of Allah and therefore it is us who shall then be the losers. We often find ourselves in a situation whereby we have to leave behind all our material comforts, sacrificing our food and drink because of our work. Therefore can’t we bear all these difficulties when it is about seeking the pleasure of Allah? We also learn from this Hadith that Ramadan is a month of sharing and brotherhood, especially with the poor and the needy (people who are facing difficult times). The spirit of sharing is a quality which we must live in practice.
In another Hadith, it has been reported that the one who gives food to a famished person, clothes to a needy person, and refuge to a traveller, Allah the Most High shall protect him from all fears on Judgement Day. Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him) also mentioned the rewards reaped when one gives sometime to a faster to break his fast. Reported also in another Hadith that in the nights of Ramadan, angels send blessings upon the one who spend from his licit income to give something to a faster to break his fast, and in the Night of Decree, the archangel Gabriel (on him be peace) makes an accolade with him (the faster) and he shall perceive this blessings through signs: his heart becomes tender and at the end tears come rolling down his cheeks in abundance.
The Hadith in question points to the reference made by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) during the first part of Ramadan as a period of blessings. Allah the Most High sends His blessings in abundance upon all believers. Of course, these people who show themselves all the more grateful towards Allah the Most High for all good which has been bestowed upon them will get even more in return. Allah the Most High says in the Holy Quran: “If you are grateful, I would certainly give to you more.” (14: 8)
In the second part of Ramadan, Allah the Most High grants forgiveness to the believers as a reward for the fasting which they have observed during the first part of Ramadan.
In the third part of Ramadan Allah the Almighty saves us from Hellfire. Other Hadiths confirm this point. People who receive the blessings of Allah from the beginning of Ramadan are indeed fortunate because Allah the Most High shall fill them with His infinite blessings (Allah knows best).
Another point mentioned in the Hadith (reported by Salman) is that employers must do their best to facilitate the work of their employees during Ramadan because they are observing the fast. If we give them many hard works to do, we thus put upon them a heavy burden, but of course this applies for only the workers who are fasting, otherwise there is no difference for them between the month of Ramadan and another (normal) month. But there are also some employers who do not fast but they force their workers who are fasting to do many heavy works, and if there be some lateness (in meeting deadlines) or weakness in the workplace due to fasting and prayer, these employers become angry with these people; they truly do not have any pity in their heart.
For these people, the Quran says: “they who act unjustly shall know to what final place of turning they shall turn back.” (26: 228)
Before ending I cite a Hadith whereby Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him) says: “The one who asks in abundance for forgiveness (of sins), Allah (the Most High) shall always open for Him a door whenever He faces any difficulty and shall remove his sadness. Moreover, he shall receive his provisions from unexpected sources.”
Therefore, I call for all Muslims to do this Zikr (and supplication) in any leisure time they may have (Insha-Allah):
“Laa Ilaaha Illallahu, Astaghfirullah, Allahumma inni asalukal jannah wa audhu bika minan-naar” – There is no god but Allah; Forgive me O Allah; O Allah, I ask You for Paradise and protection from Hellfire. Ameen
May Almighty Allah give us paradise through His mercy and protect us from Hellfire, and may Allah make us plunge into His worship in this month and other days also to such an extent that He is satisfied with us. Insha-Allah. Ameen. |
