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بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Friday Sermon
Hazrat Amir’ul Momeneen Muhyi-Ud-Din Al Khalifatullah
Munir Ahmad Azim
13th March 2009
(Summary of Friday Sermon)
SIRAT UN NABI صلى الله عليه وسلم
After having greeted everybody with the Salutations of Peace, the Khalifatullah read the Tashahhud, Taouz and Surah Al Fatiha and afterwards he said:
The Sirat-un-Nabi (peace be upon him) is a guidance, where to commemorate by Muslims all over the world who join together for such rewardable deeds as reciting the Quran, telling the story and character of our beloved Prophet (peace be upon him), teaching religious knowledge, slaughtering animals to feed the poor, and gathering to thank and praise Allah and ask Him to exalt the honour of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
The basis for commemorating honourable events repeatedly every year is evidenced in the Sunnah of the Prophet. As related by Bukhari, when the Prophet (peace be upon him) emigrated to Madina he found the Jews fasting, so he asked them why they fasted on the 10th of Muharram. They told the Prophet (peace be upon him) they do so to commemorate the day Allah saved Prophet Moses and the Tribes of Israel from the tyranny of the Pharaoh. It was revealed to the Prophet what the Jews said was true; so Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) told them: “We are more deserving of Moses – Musa (on him be peace) – than you.” He said this because Prophet Moses was a Muslim. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) ordered the Muslims to fast the 9th and 10th of Muharram.
To celebrate the Sirat-un-Nabi (peace be upon him) by doing rewardable deeds, that this can be done on any day of the year, not only one day celebrate Sirat-un-Nabi (peace be upon him) or Milad-un-Nabi with (100 big recipients of briani) and procession with flags “Laa-Ilaaha Illallah” on motorcycle, lorries, and cars. These practices are not Islamic at all, whereby many do not put the practice (Sunnah) of our beloved prophet into practice. They readily have cigarettes in their mouths, and crying loudly “laa-Ilaaha Illallah Muhammadur Rassullullah”. This is an innovation in Islam, an innovation of misguidance. Then on these days, men, women and youths are going to the Mosque or in the tent where there is the celebration of Yawn-un-Nabi. Whereas for Jummah, Eid Prayer, women and girls are not allowed in the Mosque and is said to be forbidden (Haram) for them! Where the teachings of Islam have gone?
The celebration of Sirat-Un-Nabi (peace be upon him) is not celebrating only for one day or one week. Every Muslim must put in practice the Sirat-Un-Nabi (peace be upon him) everyday of his life.
In the Holy Quran Allah the Almighty says:
“You have indeed in the Prophet of Allah a beautiful pattern (of conduct) for anyone whose hope is (in meeting) Allah and the Final Day, and who engages much in the remembrance of Allah.” (Chapter 33 Verse 22)
The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) is the soul without whom creation would have not come into existence: the quintessence of transcendental perfection. He is the paragon of virtue; the magnificence of his divine message is a perpetual source of inspiration and guidance for mankind, in general, and the believers, in particular. Of exalted and noble character, he is the seal of the prophethood, a mercy for mankind, an illuminating light, the believers’ Intercessor on the Day of Judgement. God’s blessings unto him, his progeny, his companions and all those who follow him till the day of Judgement.
The Holy prophet (peace be upon him) was born on 12th Rabi’ul Awwal. His father was Abdullah bin Abdul-Muttalib and his mother was Amina. It was in the year of Abraha when the Abyssinian army leader endeavoured to commit the despicable act of attacking Mecca in order to demolish the Kaaba. He came on an elephant which had impressed the Arabs but was driven away by a swarm of flying creatures which pelted the Abyssinians with stones. This event thwarted their crooked plan, by the power of Allah.
A series of miracles which stunned the world preceded the birth of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) – the lake of Saouna abruptly dried up, a violent earthquake shook the parapets of Kesra Anouchiourane and fourteen of its pillars collapsed, the ‘sacred’ fire in the Farsi temple which were lit for thousands of years was suddenly put out and all the idols which were scattered over the world bowed down in shame.
The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) came to alter the course of the human history. He was a spring of light in the Arabian Peninsula, a land of paganism, moral depravity, an abyss of ignorance, fratricide, bloodshed and plunder.
The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) came to the world free of blemish. All the blessings of the Quran came with him and through him Allah the Almighty perfected our religion. Qualities of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): mildness, courtesy and forbearance. In his good manners, gentleness, cordiality, sympathy and forbearance the messenger of God has left a perpetual and living example of noble behaviour for the entire humanity. To tell the truth, he stood on such an exalted plane of graceful and polite deportment that God has paid him a glowing compliment in the Quran: “And verily you are of a high and noble disposition.” (Ch.68 V.5)
The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) once told the companions: “God has Himself disciplined me in the best manner.”
Jabir (May Allah be pleased with him) reported the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) as saying: “God has raised me for the completion of moral virtues and seemly behaviour.” (Mishkat)
When Hazrat Aisha (May Allah be pleased with her) was questioned about the character of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him), she replied: “Quran was his character.” (Muslim)
Indeed, such were his tolerance and forbearance, sympathy, graciousness and large heartedness that even the painters of soul with the gift of speech would seldom find words adequate to catch his likeness. Had the accounts about him not been handed down with greatest caution by the most trustworthy narrators, it would have been difficult for one to accept them.
But all these accounts have been transmitted with the greatest care by very many narrators each testifying the piety, veracity, acumen and intelligence of the other from whom he learnt of an event, and, then the reports transmitted through different sources and channels so corroborate one another that in their genuineness and authenticity they form a class by themselves in the entire continuous and methodical records of public events. There is, thus, not the least doubt that every unbiased student of these records will come to the conclusion that never has there existed historical evidence better authenticated by external and internal evidence than the Traditions of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) which represent the climax of the science of history.
A few incidents given here illustrate the Holy Prophet’s (peace be upon him) tenderness and mercy towards the people.
1. Clemency of the merciful Apostle of God made no distinction between a friend and a foe. Abdullah Ibn Ubayy was the leader of hypocrites whose revengeful attitude had always created difficulties for the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him). But when he died and has been placed in his grave, the Apostle of God arrived and asked him on his knees, blew some of his saliva over him, and clothed him with his shirt. (Bukhari)
2. Anas reports: “Once when I was walking with the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) who was wearing a Najrani cloak with a coarse fringe, a nomadic Arab met him and gave his cloak a violent tug. I saw that the man’s tug had left a mark on the neck of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him). The Nomad said: “Command that I be given some of God’s property you have, Muhammad (peace be upon him).” The Holy Prophet turned round to him and laughed, and then ordered that he should be given something.” (Bukhari)
3. Zayd Ibn Sana came to the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and demanded payment of the money owed by the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him). Then he violently pulled the Holy Prophet’s (peace be upon him) cloak from his shoulder, caught hold of it and addressed him rudely, saying: “You son of Abdul Muttalib are dilly-dallying.” Umar rebuked and reproached him but the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) kept smiling and said to Umar: “This man was entitled to a better treatment from you. You ought to have advised me to repay the loan promptly and asked him to make his demand politely.” Then, turning to Zayd, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “There are still three days to go for appointed time for repayment.” At the same time, he asked Umar to repay the loan and give Zayd twenty as more so as to compensate him for his threatening attitude towards Zayd. The gracious and obliging behaviour of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) caused Zayd to embrace Islam.” (Ahmad)
Every companion of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) was sufficiently forbearing to throw the godliest soul into shade but the long suffering patience of the Prophet (peace be upon him) rose above the patience of all of them. He was their kind-hearted teacher and mentor and guide from whom all drew inspiration. An incident related by Abu Huraira (May Allah be pleased with him) illustrated the breadth and bigness of the Holy Prophet’s (peace be upon him) heart. Once, a Bedouin urinated in the Holy Mosque. The companions jumped at him and grabbed him for the sacrilegious act, but the Prophet (peace be upon him) commanded: “Let him alone. Pour a bucket or two of water over what he has urinated, for you have been sent to make things easy and not to make things difficult.” (Bukhari)
Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) has also related many an instance of the Holy Prophet’s (peace be upon him) leniency, sympathy and noble mindedness. He says that the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) was too generous and kind. If anybody in need approached him for anything, he gave it to him or at least made a promise for the same.
The Holy Prophet’s (peace be upon him) material body rests in the sacred city of Medina but his example, his teaching and his universal truth and values he brought with him stood the test of time and will endure for ever until the end.
The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) was sent to provide guidance to all classes, ranks and grades in every age, time and clime. If you have the life of the Prophet (peace be upon him) before you, you can find the examples of all the prophets, Noah and Abraham, Jonah and Moses and Jesus. If the life and character of each Prophet of God were deemed to be a shop selling the wares of one commodity; that of Muhammad (peace be upon him) would verily be a variety store where goods of every description can be made to suit the tastes and needs of all.
There are many aspects of his lives and his qualities which can be elaborated, but it is not at all easy to expose of them here today. Insha-Allah, may Allah help us to analyse his life and reflect his good qualities, and may we become worthy of being true Muslims of his pure and selfless religion – ISLAM. Ameen |
