Category: Lecture Summaries

FridaySermon

Summary of Friday Khutba – 9 April 2010

In: General, Lecture Summaries
RECIPROCATING LOVE THROUGH KEEPING AWAY FROM TAKABBUR

When you are sure of someone’s love and affection towards you, wisdom dictates that you must also reciprocate with love and affection. And one of the ways of doing this is to keep the beloved happy. In the Holy Quran and even in the Ahadeeth, we have been shown a list of what Allah (SWT) likes and what He (SWT) despises. One such thing which He (SWT) dislikes is TAKABBUR  (Pride; to consider oneself better and superior than others) in man. “Indeed Allah does not love the proud, the boastful”. (4:36) “Do not turn your cheek disdainfully from the people, and do not walk exultantly on the earth. Indeed Allah does not like the proud, the boastful”. (31:18) TAKABBUR is the source of many evils and it is the main cause of hatred and disunity in society. It is also a ‘Gunaah-e-Kabeera’ meaning a major sin. The Holy Prophet (saww) has said, “Refrain from TAKABBUR. Indeed for a servant who is persistent in TAKABBUR, Allah (SWT) instructs His angels: ‘Include this servant among the tyrants”. (Kanzul-‘Ummaal) He (saww) has said: “O Abu Dhar! Whoever dies having an atom’s weight of arrogance in his heart will never smell the scent of Heaven.” (Bihar al Anwar)

PRIDE IS FOR ALLAH ALONE

One thing which we ought remember is that TAKABBUR  (Pride) is an exclusive quality of Allah (SWT) – Who is the Creator and the Master of the universe. He alone deserves the right to be proud because He is the Highest, the Greatest and the most Supreme in all respects. “And to Him belongs [all] grandeur within the heavens and the earth, and He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise”. (45:37)

Imam Ameerul-Mumineen (as) says in one of his sermons: “All praise be to Allah Who wore (the dress of) honour and pride; and chose them both for Himself giving not to His creatures”. Then elsewhere in the same Khutbah, he (as) says: “Nay! Almighty Allah cannot give entry into Paradise to a man for the same reason (Pride), because of which, He (SWT) threw out from it an angel”. Iblees, although a Jinn was considered an angel due to his years of worship. He was thrown out of Paradise because of his arrogance and pride. Imam (as) explains that after years of worship, if an angel could be thrown out of Paradise, how can Allah (SWT) allow anybody else with the same attribute of TAKABBUR to enter into it?! Then again, in the same Khutbah, Imam (as) adds: “If Allah would have permitted anybody from His servants to be Proud, then they would have been His Prophets & the most Beloved people. But Allah despised TAKABBUR for them too and showed His pleasure in their humility”. (Nahjul-Balaghah)

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Summary of Friday Khutba: 2nd April 2010

In: General, Lecture Summaries

MANIFESTATION OF ALLAH’S LOVE

By nature, Man expresses his love and shows affection only towards one who reciprocates with the same.  And this behaviour declines at the moment any hostility is sensed. The love and affection of Allah (SWT) for His creatures knows no bounds and is unrestricted. Analyse the following two points:

One is that everything in this life is such that if we seriously contemplate upon them, Allah (SWT)’s love and affection will become manifest for us. Allah (SWT) created us and brought us into existence when before that, we were not worthy of any mention – this is His love! He (SWT) gave us ‘Aql and power of speech. With ‘Aql we understand and with speech, we convey our understandings to others – this is His love! He (SWT) gave us parents to take care of us and bring us up – this is His love! He (SWT) gave us spouses to procreate and enjoy each other’s company – this is His love! He took the responsibility of providing us with sustenance – this is His love! The skies brighten up during the day to enable us to study and work; and it darkens up during the night to enable us to rest – this is His love! He (SWT) sent His messengers to guide us towards Him and enforce His laws for our good – this is His love! He (SWT) has appointed Judgement Day and rewards in the Hereafter – this is His love! “So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both (men and jinn) deny?” (55:13).

And the other thing is that in this life, we express our love and show affection mostly to only those whose love and affection in return is confirmed – the love and affection of Allah (SWT) for His creatures knows no bounds and restrictions. It is for all except that the believers will benefit more. It is related that a person was once standing on the banks of a river. He had come to swim when he witnessed an amazing and a very interesting incident: He saw a tortoise preparing to enter the water. Suddenly a scorpion appeared out of a tree and climbed on the back of that tortoise. The tortoise then entered the water while the scorpion sat on its shell. The tortoise moved towards the opposite shore. This man, out of curiosity swam together and went on the opposite side.  As the tortoise reached the opposite bank, the scorpion jumped down and made its way to a nearby tree. The man noticed that near the tree a young man was sleeping in a drunken state without any mental sense. A poisonous snake was circling around him and was about to sting him. The scorpion took a chance and gave powerful stings to the snake, which ultimately died. This way the young man was saved. Having witnessed this, the man woke the youth up to his senses and then narrated the whole story to him; and pointed out the greatness and the kindness of Allah (SWT) on him although he was disobedient. (Lessons from Life) Such is the love of Allah (SWT) for His creatures.

Let us look at ourselves. How many times in this life do we rebel against Allah (SWT)? How many times in this life do we disobey the commands of Allah (SWT)? How many times we do commit actions that annoy and displease Him? Yet, He (SWT) looks at us mercifully and He (SWT) does NOT ONLY increase His favours upon us BUT ALSO protects us from misfortunes! In Dua’ al-Iftitaah, we recite: “How many. O my God, Troubles You have relieved me of, Griefs You have dispelled, Mistakes You have prevented, Blessings You have spread, And series of afflictions You have separated”.

RECIPROCATING LOVE

When we are sure of someone’s love and affection towards us, wisdom dictates that we must also reciprocate with love and affection. And one of the ways of doing this is to keep the beloved happy. A righteous man once said in a poem: And love your Lord by serving Him, for lovers are but servants of the Beloved.

 

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Friday Khutba Summary (28/08/09)

In: General, Lecture Summaries

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– NHS/CIA produced a booklet on healthy fasting and how intake of food affects spiritual wellbeing (www.cia.org)
– Prophets Hadith says you should only fill 1/3 of your stomach.
– CIA.org says healthy foods include: Onions, Olives, Cucumber and Figs
– Son of late Hakim passed away 26/08/09.
– Many Muslims in Italy find religion under attack; laws being introduced to force Muslims to stop adhering to fasting.
– Jordan held 6 Shia’s for promoting Shia-ism.

– Imam  Jaffer (AS): the Quran is a trust of Allah on his creation. Desirable for every Muslim to evaluate this trust. It’s recommended to
recite 50 verses each day.
– Reciting the Quran lightens the punishment of parents.
– 3 types of fasting:Physical restraint; The fast to attain taqwa and the fast where a person does everything solely for the pleasure of Allah (fast of the heart).
– We must enjoy the spiritual feast by constantly being in his proximity.
– 13:17 – Grace of Allah. The grace of Allah pours abundantly; everyone receives it according to their own capacity..
– Naj-al-balagah: These hearts of ours are containers, the best of which are those that preserve knowledge.

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Friday Khutba Summary (21/08/09)

In: General, Lecture Summaries
The Holy Prophet (SAW) then goes on to describe just how special this month is. Anyone who gets the chance to breath in this month is actually doing ‘tasbeeh.’ Anyone who sleeps in this month is doing ‘Ibadaah.’ Its days are the best of days, its nights are the best of nights, its hours are the best of hours. Then the Prophet brings out a powerful statement,’ You are invited in it to be the guests of Allah (SWT).’ What an honour!

There are many recommended things we can do, of which are reciting the Holy Quran as this is the month of the Holy Quran- of course this should be done with pondering and contemplation. The other recommended action is giving charity especially taking care of orpahns as they are usually neglected in our muslim ummah.

One may ask what is the best deed in this month. This was actually answered by Imam Ali (A) who stood up in the khutba and asked the Holy Prophet (SAW) what the best deed was in this month. the Holy Prophet (SAW) replied that the best deed was keeping away from sin.

We pray to Allah (SWT) to allow us to use this month to the maximum.

Article contribution by Br. Kumayl Sheriff
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Friday Khutba Summary (14/08/09)

In: Lecture Summaries

Current Affairs

A human rights committee has denounced loopholes in the law that allow war criminals to stay in the UK without facing any charges.

In Yemen, tensions have been rising between Houthi fighters and the Yemeni army in Sa’ada in the north of the country.  The Houthi fighters have been campaigning for the Zaidi regime to return to power.  The Zaidis themselves were last in power in 1962 where they were ousted in a coup d’etat.

In Iran, four members of the terrorist organisation Jundullah have been arrested in Zahedan, in the south-east of the country.  Jundullah have been responsible for a number of bombings in the Sistan-Balochistan province, in particular on a Mosque which killed 25 people in may of this year.

Summary contribution by Brother Ammar Farishta
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