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بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Friday Sermon
HAZRAT KHALIFATULLAH AL-MASSIH AL-MA’OUD
Munir Ahmad Azim
(27 Shabaan 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:
قُلْ إِنَّ رَبِّي يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَن يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ وَيَقْدِرُ لَهُ وَمَا أَنفَقْتُم مِّن شَيْءٍ فَهُوَ يُخْلِفُهُ وَهُوَ خَيْرُ الرَّازِقِينَ
Qul ‘inna Rabbii yabsutur-Rizqa limayy-yashaaa-‘u min ‘ibaadihii wa yaqdiru lah. Wa maaa ‘anfaqtum-min-shay-‘in fa-Huwa yukhlifuh: wa Huwa khayrur-Raaziqiin.
Say: ‘My lord outspreads and withholds His provision to whomsoever He will of His worshipers. Whatsoever you expend He will replace it; and He is the best of providers.’ (34: 40)
By the grace of Allah, I thus continue my sermon on Financial Sacrifice. In Chapter 34 Verse 40, Allah told the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): “Tell them that my Lord outspreads and withholds His provision to whomsoever He will of His worshipers.” That is why in connection with Allah, there must be the demonstration of steadfastness also.
Once there was a companion of the Promised Messiah (upon him be peace) who was well-off and his business also was prosperous. He formed part of a family who was involved in business and for many years this family business flourished. But it happened that suddenly business became shaky and the situation deteriorated. The businessman (companion) thus wrote the Promised Messiah (upon him be peace) to pray on his behalf. The Promised Messiah (upon him be peace) received a revelation which says that Allah is All-Powerful and He can make prosper a work which was in ruin, just like He can also ruin a work who was previously well established. Nobody can question Him on His decisions. The Promised Messiah (upon him be peace) thus understood that Allah does what He wills and whenever He wishes to ruin something well established (to test His servants) and nobody has the right to condemn Him for His decision. And the companion also understood that it was what Allah had decreed for him. Thus, that blow (that is, the downfall of his business) which could have been fatal for any other businessman did not affect him. On the contrary, this divine decision became a source of tranquillity for him. He understood that whatever he may do, but “the business shall deteriorate, because my Allah has already decreed (and informed me about) it.”
And verily he underwent this trial (with steadfastness), and when his business was destroyed, and after he had satisfied himself with the decision of Allah (not complaining with Allah concerning His decision), therefore he obtained therewith tranquillity. In fact, it is that same subject which has been mentioned in this verse, for Allah increase the provisions of whomever He wants and restrains the provisions of whomever He wants. Afterwards Allah says that, bear this well in mind that all that which you spend, it is only Allah who shall have the final say. Here (in the verse), no mention has been made of rewards. The manner in which the verse has begun, it is in function of that itself that the second part is based. Allah did not say, ‘Tell the people that when they shall spend in the path of Allah, then verily their provisions shall increase.’ Allah has said that it is He only who shall have the final say, (He alone the ultimate Judge according to what the servant deserves).
Thus it is necessary that you study this verse well, so that you understand this subject well. Concerning the loss which can be incurred, Allah then precise at the end of the verse that it is Him Who is the best of providers – “wa Huwa khayrur-Raaziqiin.”
Therefore, you must submit yourselves to Him; when you are surrounded by all sorts of difficulties and that your endeavours and businesses are suffering, when your efforts are not reaping anything (good in return), then bear in mind that you must turn to Allah for it is Him Who is the best of providers. When you establish a bond with Him, and you supplicate Him with complete submission, then it happens that many a times He changes a situation (reversing it), and thereafter it is the decree of Allah which manifests itself, that is, this Taqdir (Decree) came into being in the aftermath of your supplications. I now cite some Hadiths of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) concerning this subject. Hazrat Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) narrated that each morning two angels descends, and one of these two angels says: “O Allah, give this person more than what he has spent (in the path of Allah), the one who has a good heart and create others (like him) who shall follow in his footsteps.”
The second angel says: “O Allah, annihilate the avaricious and dispossess him of all his belongings.” These subjects are in fact beings who regulate the universe of Allah. In heavenly words, they are called angels. When it is said that two angels descend, this does not mean that they descend physically in the form of two material beings. When we study the Hadiths of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and ponder over them, we see that for each work, for each person, Allah has appointed angels. For example, there are some angels who are regulated for morning “guardianship”. Morning means that obscurity departs, and thus brings in its wake all kinds of hope, desires and also a series of trials. Therefore for these accomplishments, two special kinds of angels are appointed.
The first kind is the one who helps people to spend in the path of Allah, and he calls for Allah to multiply the wealth of the kinds of people. He supplicates Allah in favour of the person (who spends for the cause of Allah). He appeals to Allah to create more people like him who shall be like him (in the accomplishment of good deeds). On the other hand, the other angel says: “O Allah, enable the avaricious to be in torment, and cause him to lose his wealth.” This malediction is in fact the natural outcome of the deed of that person. It is this outcome which speeds in action. And the supplication (of that angel) is like an appeal (to Allah) that the natural outcome comes to materialise. Even the angels are against such people. Many a times, there are people who say: “We witnessed that many avaricious people did not incur any loss; on the contrary they have prospered and made progress.” But the truth is that the wealth of these kinds of people had already been ruined, despite the fact that you did not witness it. Many people do not realise that some rich persons’ wealth are either in banks or in safes, and that they are too avaricious that they themselves do not profit from their wealth. Therefore what difference is there between them and the poor people? In fact their wealth becomes their own tool of destruction. They derive no benefit from it. Thus, it is just your imagination when you think that these people are rich only because they have safes at their disposal. In fact, it is not safes which they have, but only the keys to these safes which they possess. And these keys are in the hands of others, and they themselves cannot benefit from their own money.
Thus, they became guardians, whereby with each hour which passes by their attention is concentrated on the ways in which their money is dilapidated. In fact, this state of affairs is the result of the malediction of these angels. These people’s keys are their own fortune and they do not have any guarantee as to its protection. They are all the time plunged in worries. But the prayers of these angels are verily effective. Sometimes, with the same money they earn, when their children inherit from them, therefore it is such that the children are the ones to squander all the fortunes of these kinds of people. And all these loss happen so suddenly that there is no gaining back the success of their business or endeavour. They are completely annihilated, for there are many maledictions upon them.
Therefore, when you look at the exterior appearance of someone, you must not judge him according to what you see (of him from an exterior perspective). The subjects mentioned by the Holy Quran are very profound, and that is the truth. If someone upon whom Allah has poured down His grace obtains money and does not spend it in the way of Allah, then this person shall never earn peace and tranquillity of mind, and he shall see that his wealth shall be depleted in other ways, unknown to him and also sudden, as if the wealth itself was cursing him!
Thus, we must supplicate Allah a lot, so that we may not fall into this situation, and become like these people whom the angels curse every morning. On the contrary, we must becomes like those whom the angels pray every morning, supplicating Allah to increase our wealth and they pray for us and ask Allah to create others who shall follow our footsteps. We must strive that we do not incur the curse of angels. Therefore each of us must understand the spirit of sacrifice, and spend in the way of Allah. Spend in the path of Allah and you shall not be impoverished; on the contrary, your wealth shall increase till the Day of Judgement, Insha-Allah.
There are a lot of blessings in spending in the path of Allah. Allah increases these blessings (due to spending in His path) without you realising it. In spending in the way of Allah, it can seems that a person’s money is depleting, but in fact he receives so much in return that he cannot count it (for verily the rewards he gets in return is multiplied and countless).
When we say in return, this does not at all cost mean “immediately”. Allah shall return that person that which he spent (for His cause), such a reward which is in consequence of his good deed. This does not mean that when you give with a hand, you expect to receive through the other hand which Allah increases for you. Despite the fact that it so happens that Allah returns to a person immediately, but in reality, (despite not receiving a reward immediately), but the person who spends for the cause of Allah finds in his act tranquillity, whereby he did that which he did selflessly, without expecting anything (from Allah) in return. They seek only the pleasure of Allah. The tranquillity which they get in return is worth more than anything else in the world. One does not get this kind of tranquillity anywhere in the world, except when one spend (with a true heart) in the way of Allah. Sometimes you give a poor person, a needy person food, and this becomes a test for you (which Allah put you through), because despite not possessing that much, but nevertheless, you prefer to sacrifice your rights (or that which you have) and you give him (or her). This may happen (to anyone among us), but this happening when it actually happens becomes a source of tranquillity for us all through our lives. When death overcomes anyone of you (if he had done this good deed), then he can remind himself of the good deed he once made, that despite it being meagre, but nevertheless it can prove to be at that moment the factor leading you to salvation. This anecdote (of spending in the path of Allah) shall then emerge before your eyes, and you may come to say that ‘I have not been able to say anything else, but maybe this good deed can save me from the destruction which Allah can subject me to.’ Therefore, it is not necessary that you perceive the rewards of your good deeds physically or materially. You start receiving the rewards of good deeds from the one for whom you are making this good deed. The other (types of) rewards come and go. They become stories only. But as for the rewards for good deeds, they are of a permanent nature. They are eternal and are not depleted. The pleasure derived from the implementation of good deeds, the taste and tranquillity derived from them, are extraordinary. The people who spend their time in fulfilling these good deeds, for them then there is such a pleasure which is enough (for them) to last a lifetime.
People (when looking from afar) can say (for the person who is spending his all in the path of Allah) ‘Look how he is suffering’, and moreover they take the examples of prophets who suffered in the path of Allah (undergoing all kinds of difficulties). But the truth is that, you do not conceive the tranquillity which a person who spends day and night in charity receives. Therefore this is the transaction for which the angels pray (for these kinds of kind-hearted people): “O Allah! Increase their wealth, give them all the more tranquillity and give them such people who shall follow their footsteps (do like them).” This prayer was all the more accepted in favour of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). What marvellous creatures Allah created, who spends (in the path of Allah)! People who spent (in the way of Allah) only to earn the pleasure of Allah!
Moreover, they were not attached to the wealth of this world. The Quran depicts an image of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and that of his followers and says that they were people who had no desire to inherit the world. If they ever got from the world, then it was only through the will of Allah alone. They only sought divine grace. And when we say “Fazl” (grace), it also refers to mundane wealth also (in addition to the spiritual favours). In many place, the Quran has qualified mundane wealth also as grace (of favours which a person receives). Therefore, they seek Allah in mundane affairs and at the same time they obtain the pleasure of Allah also. There are some people who think that they pray separately to seek (Divine) Grace and another separate prayer to seek the pleasure of Allah. But in fact the persons who spend in the path of Allah when receiving (divine) grace, it is tantamount to receiving the pleasure of Allah too. The more Allah provides for them, the more they receive the pleasure of Allah, all because they have spent thereof for the pleasure of Allah.
Therefore, an avaricious person does not have any (real) life. Furthermore I shall expose before you another image which the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) has put forward for avaricious people who refuse to spend in the way of Allah and who are also avaricious in mundane matters also. For now, I cite before you a Hadith found in Bukhari, narrated by Hazrat Ibn Masud (May Allah be pleased with him) that Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him) has said: ‘Only two persons deserve to be envied: firstly, a person to whom Allah gave wealth and he spent it in the cause of Truth; and secondly the person upon whom Allah has bestowed knowledge, wisdom and insight by which he judges between people and teaches them.’
In fact people who do not have the opportunity to spend in the path of Allah, they concentrate their attention in propagating good and combating evil. Just like blind people, sometimes it so happens that they are gifted with very good memories. There must be a reaction which definitely man manifests (at some points in life). In the same context, Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him) has painted this image that there are two types of servants of Allah; if they do not have anything to spend, therefore they use their wisdom and use it to propagate good. They are the two types of people whom you should envy. The matter of spending of what they have gained emerges by itself.
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَتْلُونَ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَأَنفَقُوا مِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ سِرًّا وَعَلَانِيَةً يَرْجُونَ تِجَارَةً لَّن تَبُورَ
‘Innallaziina yatluuna kitaabal-laahi wa ‘aqaamus-Salaata wa ‘anfaquu mimmaa razaqnaahum sirraww-wa ‘alaa-niyatayy-yarjuuna Tijaaratal-lan-tabuur.
“Surely they who recite the Book of Allah and keep up prayer and spend out of what We have given them secretly and openly, hope for a (transaction) gain which will not perish.” (35: 30)
Razaqnaahum has two aspects. One of them is the mundane advantages – the visible advantages, the advantages which you obtain through the capacities which Allah endowed you with.
In a Hadith narrated in Tirmidhi, Hazrat Qurain bin Fati (May Allah be satisfied with him) reported that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) has said that the one who spends something in the path of Allah, Allah shall give him 700 hundred times more (than he has spent) as reward. I have chosen this Hadith to explain to you the importance of that number: 700, which has been mentioned. Amongst those who have collected the Hadiths, these people have put much emphasis on numbers. By this, we can understand that the Hadiths which had been collected or reported much afterwards, they do not have the same value as the Hadiths mentioned in the first era.
Therein have been mentioned interminable rewards; Arabic numbers have been mentioned , which in fact means, several times. For example, 7 times, 70 times – all these means in great quantity (in multitudes). Like the Surah Al-Fatiha is a chapter in the Book (Quran), but its explanation is interminable. And in Surah Al-Fatiha there are only 7 verses. Therefore, the ones who have reported the Hadiths in the latter eras put so much emphasis on numbers that we come to find out that it is against the nature and character of Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him). Thus, either those who have listened (to the prophet) have made errors in understanding its meaning or it was words which were reported much after. But the Hadith which I have just mentioned does not form part of those Hadiths which were reported in the latter days and thus, we must ponder really well over its meaning.
I expressly told you that because sometimes there are Hadiths which mention numbers which makes that it becomes completely in contradiction with the excellent subject of the Hadith itself. And therefore it comes in contradiction with the Quran also. Sometimes we see that for a deed which someone does, there is the mention of rewards equivalent to 70 times the blessings of someone who knows the Quran by heart. There are other Hadiths wherein there is mention of a certain deed which has equivalent rewards of all the good acts of worships which one does throughout his life. If we understand the subject in reference with these numbers, therefore all the organization of rewards becomes upside down. And this type of Hadith comes in contradiction with the verses of the Holy Quran.
Therefore, in the final go we must look for a more profound meaning therein (in the Hadith and especially the meaning of the numbers cited) which is not in contradiction with the other subjects (mentioned). But in the Hadith which I have just mentioned, it is a Hadith mentioned by Tirmidhi and it forms part of those Hadiths reported in the first eras. Therefore, we cannot just reject it on that basis. When mention has been made of 700 times more, as for me, I do not understand it in this way: that I spend a rupee and that I get 700 rupees. This is not correct! Sometimes it so happens that a person comes to make good use of a rupee, with wisdom, and with this one rupee, thousands of rupees can be derived in return in mundane affairs.
Therefore, when 700 times is mentioned, it is not compared to the rupees which you have spent. In fact, it is 700 times more rewards which a person can obtain from his efforts. That is to say, Allah gives you 700 hundred times more; which is the best reward which you can get through your efforts. If you understand well this subject, therefore, it shall comfort your heart.
In fact the example which the Quran gives about numbers is in reference with this kind of example which you must well understand. In the Quran Allah mentions that when you spend in the path of Allah, then it is as if you have sown a seed in the soil and when the plant (maize) begin to flourish, thereafter 7 ears is obtained, and in each ear there is 100 seeds; thus it makes 700 times more. But along with this explanation, Allah has mentioned that for whomsoever He wants, He gives more than that. This also is another means to understand this Hadith.
Allah has the capacity to give you more than that, for as much as He likes. And this has a connection with the sincerity of intention.
Therefore in this Quranic verse, which is found in Chapter 2 Verse 262, Allah is giving the guarantee that we shall have not only a visible reward; that is, more wealth (money) etc., but the situation is that our Iman (faith) also shall increase and we shall come closer to Allah. Spending in the way of Allah existed since the establishment of Islam. When the companions of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) used to accept Islam, they used to make promises: to perform their daily prayers, to make financial sacrifices, and service to humanity.
The promises which they made preserved them from the fire of Hell, and even if they had nothing, but they made an effort to give something (even if it be little). In a Hadith Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him) said not to stop doing financial sacrifices in the path of Allah, otherwise Allah shall cut the source of their wealth.
In another Hadith the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said that the one whom Allah has given him wealth, and he does not do financial sacrifice, therefore on the Day of Judgement, this wealth shall become like a serpent and shall act as a yoke around his neck and jaws. Afterwards, Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him) read a verse of the Quran which says that those who are avaricious and do not spend in the path of Allah, on the Day of Judgement, this wealth shall become like a yoke around their necks.
In Bukhari, the companions of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) have said that there were companions of the prophet (peace be upon him) who has no money, and thus, they used to go in the marketplace to work. They were willing to do any (licit) work so as to have some money so that they may spend it in financial sacrifice (for the cause of Allah). And till today, these companions are still rich. In another Hadith, Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him) asks Allah to accept their financial sacrifice, and to take him (the one who does sacrifice) in His right hand and raise him (in rank). Even if you give a small sacrifice, Allah shall increase (the reward of) it to the extent of Mount Uhud.
This present era is such an era where we shall wait for the accomplishment of all the subjects mentioned in these Hadiths and verses of the Quran, and we await for their accomplishment, not once, but several times because as the Jamaat shall progress with increasing speed, with that same speed, there shall be demands to make financial sacrifices. Now, we cannot remain as we are. When someone grows up, then it becomes necessary to change the size of his clothes. If there are many children and they are growing up, then the house must be enlarged. Thus, the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam is in such an era where it shall progress by leaps and bounds, Insha-Allah. Our clothes of yesteryears shall not be too small for us. Our house has become small. Verily, these are sacrifices which shall bring victory to the peoples; it is sacrifices which attracts divine love. The day when the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam shall attain to the summit of sacrifices, that day, we shall be like a cherished child and we shall be sitting in the lap of Allah and all our worries and miseries shall disappear, Insha-Allah.
Thus, that is why in the light of these verses of the Quran, the Jamaat must progress in financial sacrifices also and we must say with full trust in Allah, that it is Allah Who shall provide for us. Let us pray that Allah may give us (of His provisions) in this world also “so that we can give this in Your path (O Allah), for Your pleasure; and to accomplish Your commandments, we need lots of money, money which is LICIT, but as for us, Your servants, we ask of no one but You alone.” We must follow the examples of the companions of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) who sought grace from Allah and all graces which Allah gives us become all in all pleasures of Allah.
May Allah help us to understand this well and help us also to make sacrifice in His path, Insha-Allah. |
