Text Box: بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم Friday Sermon Hazrat Amir’ul Momeneen Muhyi-Ud-Din Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim 14 August 2009 (Summary of Friday Sermon) After having greeted everybody with the Salutations of Peace, the Khalifatullah read the Tashahhud, Taouz and Surah Al Fatiha and then he read the following verse of the Holy Quran:  “Alam ya’-ni lillaziina ‘aamanuuu ‘an-takh-sha-‘a quluubuhum lizikrillaahi wa maa nazala minal Haqq” Is it not time for those who believed to open up their hearts for Allah’s message, and the truth that is revealed herein? (Chapter 57 Verse 17) Today I will expound on humility which a believer must have before his Lord, Allah the Almighty. Among all stages of Remembrance of Allah, humility is very important; be it in prayer, meditation, reading of the Holy Quran and other forms of Remembrance of God. A person will not be successful in attaining the perfection of worship if he does not have a profound humility which binds him permanently with his Creator. Commenting the above-mentioned verse, Ibn Masud (May Allah be pleased with him) – one of the companions of the Holy Prophet at Islam’s beginning – has said: “Four years had not gone by since the time we embraced Islam that Allah questioned us through this revelation (of this verse).” Ibn Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him) also has commented regarding this verse: “Allah has seen that the heart of the believers had not yet become firm, so He (Allah) questioned them (about this) in the 13th year after the manifestation of revelations.” In another verse, Allah congratulates the believers for their humility:  “Qad ‘aflahal-muminuun; Allaziina hum fii salaati-him khaa-shi’uun” Successful indeed are the believers; who are reverent during their Prayers. (Chapter 23 Verses 2-3) The Arabic word “Khushoo” encompasses the stage of humility and attention which a believer attains. Humility which a believer obtains in the daily prayers is based on his faith and the way he approaches himself to his Creator in his prayers. Submission to Allah, the Creator of the Heavens and Earth is essential so that humility may take place. It takes root in the reverential fear of Allah the Almighty. A believer must always be conscious that his Creator is ever-seeing him and knows what his heart conceals. When he realises this truth, he develops this fear of God and he meditates on his own existence and his mission on earth. When the human believer develops little by little this fear of God and also a powerful love for his Creator, then his heart will incline itself towards this Truth. Profound humility is not explicitly found in the physical way that a man submits towards his Creator, but above all, most importantly, he must humble his heart towards his Creator, Allah the Almighty. Humility is described as thus by Umar Ibn Al Khattab (May Allah be pleased with him): One day Hazrat Umar has seen a man bend down his neck when praying. Therefore he told the man: “O you with a neck straighten your neck for humility is not found in necks, but is found in hearts.” In a Hadith, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) has said: “Piety is found here.” And he showed the direction of his heart three times as well as said this three times. (Muslim) Like I already explained in one of my sermon on prostration in prayer, the physical actions (of our physical body) are important, but if a person does not make his heart also submit and prostrate before Allah, then such physical action holds no value. Physical action is related to the state of our heart. Allah looks at the state of our heart. The humble heart which submits completely to the will of Allah and which remembers Allah at each of its beat is an eternal one, and it is this kind of heart which Allah needs that His Creatures who called themselves believing Muslims to have. History shows us that the companions of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) hated the excessive show-off of humility which the physical body manifests, especially when this kind of humility is not followed by the piety of the heart. Each of us must take into account the state of our heart. We must be careful at each moment so that humility is not masked by hypocrisy. This manifests when the body manifests humility without the heart following its example (that is, becoming humble). Humility is also to submit oneself to the truth and reality of Allah the Almighty. It is one of the causes of humility, whereby if a person is opposed to it at the beginning because of some reservations which he may have and if he lets himself be attracted afterwards towards the truth, without having doubts in the truths which Allah has manifested and he welcomes and accepts this truth, then this person puts himself in the path of humility. To become really humble and sincere towards Allah the Almighty and His prophets, a believer must put into his head and feels with his heart that Allah encompasses all things. Especially nowadays, we are living in such an exceptional era where Allah is sending down His instructions and is reviving the Quran, through His Holy Spirit. Thus it is essential that a believer puts his trust in Allah and in His messengers. That which Allah does is for the best. If the heart of a believer is affected by a malady, the only solution for it is repentance. When repentance is present, humility manifests itself all the more whereby there is scope for regret and the fear of God returns with an extraordinary force (in the heart of the believer). “The one whom Allah guides, nobody can lead him astray, and the one whom Allah makes him go astray, there is nobody who can guide him.” It is Allah who judges the state of the heart. We, brothers and sisters in the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam, we must bear in mind that it is only Allah who judges us. He looks at the state of our heart above all. An action, even if it seems good for the eyes of people, but if it is not accomplished with sincerity of heart, this action holds no value. Those who say that they have faith in Allah the Almighty, in His prophets, His angels, books, destiny, Judgement Day, Paradise and Hell, must bear in mind that they must beforehand accept that which Allah has decreed for them in this world. If a good touches them, they praise Allah and even if an evil or a wrong touches them, they continue to praise Allah, and they make it a must to double their efforts to obtain the love of Allah and His protection. Humility’s place is in the heart, but its fruits are reaped on the physical body. The postures of prayer are an example of complete submission of the heart. It is for this reason that prayer is very important and one must try hard not to do such actions during prayer which are against the notion of humility in prayer practices. For example, in his prayer a believer must neither crack his fingers, nor play with his beard (and moustache). He must not also move excessively in his prayer and do other actions which do not demonstrate humility towards Allah the Almighty. Hadith: Ibn Abbass (May Allah be pleased with him) has reported that the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) has said: “There is nothing for you in your prayer except that which you understand of it.” (Ahmad) Allah has given the good news of success to the believers who do their prayer regularly (like mentioned in Surah 23 Verses 2-3) but this success is limited only to those who possess humility and proper attention which is needed when observing prayer and all the other forms of worship. Humility must always exist in the heart of a believer. Humility leads the believing man towards true asceticism (a complete devotion towards Allah where the Muslim submits himself completely to the will of Allah and he remains in Allah’s contemplation (Remembrance of Allah) where his heart realises Allah). The example of an ascetic is Umar Ibn Al-Khattab (May Allah be pleased with him). One day, Aisha, the Mother of the believers (May Allah be pleased with her) has seen a group of young men who were walking in a strange manner. Therefore she asked who they were; the answer came that they were ascetics. Upon hearing this, Aisha (May Allah be pleased with her) said: “When Umar Ibn Al-Khattab used to walk, he walked swiftly, when he talked, he talked in a way that others may hear him well, when he used to fight, he used to harm (the enemies) and when he used to provide food (to the people – his family and poor people), he used to nourish them well – and verily he was a true ascetic.” Humility is accompanied by a total acceptation of the commandments and prohibitions established by Allah. it means also accepting guidance which comes from Allah without putting any doubt in the heart, lest the heart loses its innocence and humility and becomes ill. This malady is caused by Satan, who is present to cause trouble in the hearts of believers. Therefore, we must put our trust in Allah and make our heart flourish in humility and fear of Allah. I pray that the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam and all Muslims from all round the world submit completely towards Allah with a sincere heart. It is this sincerity and piety of heart which brings about humility and it is humility which will elevate the stage of man before the eyes of his Creator. The universe as a whole submits to the will of Allah and they show complete humility towards their Creator. May Allah illumine our heart eternally with humility and may He enable us to submit ourselves completely to His Will – Ameen Soumma Allahoumma Ameen.