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Living for the Hereafter

instead of

the Dunya

Summarized by Sis. R. Mohammed, Florida USA

Life is an interesting paradigm. Most of the time, we can’t wait to get through the work day, school day, family get-togethers, or whatever we’re doing. We can’t wait for end of day, for Friday, for the weekend. Sounds familiar right? It’s a repetitive pattern of life we foster. But what is lost on us is the fact we have one day less in our life, one day less to achieve our pre-ordained destiny. It is also one day closer to the grave, to the hereafter, to answer for our good and bad deeds, right? So why are we such in a rush to get the end of our lives? Have we accomplished everything we would like in this life and prepared accordingly for the hereafter? It is important to reflect every now and then, to ask ourselves the question: how do we spend our time: the days, the hours, the minutes?  The reality is we cannot extend our life more than it is written for us by Allaah (SWT).  As the years go by, it is important to understand what we’re doing with our life? In general, we tend to concentrate heavily on the materialistic aspects that make us successful in this life:  degrees, diplomats, properties, businesses, marriages? Granted, Allaah (SWT) tells us in the Qur’aan, all of these are necessities or Zarooriyat (Urdu) and to enjoy all these things. But while doing so, Allaah (SWT) also tells us don’t forget to prepare spiritually for the hereafter. Allaah tells us, recommends to us and guides us on how to invest for our life in the next life. Today, many parents only advise and prepare their children on how to succeed in this life or Dunya, but not how to succeed in the next life. The truth of matter is, if something goes wrong in this life, we can get help from various sources like our family. But if we die today, there is no one to help us through to the Jannah or heaven: no father to help his son, no wife to help her husband, children to help their parents. On the Day of Judgement, we are on our own, brothers and sisters.  And as such we are duly responsible to prepare for our judgement day. Now there is caveat or exception in this case: a child can help a parent on Judgement Day if and only if, that parent invested in having that child memorize the Qur’aan and live by Qur’aan. On the Day of Judgment, the parents of that child will wear a crown and Allaah (SWT) will intercede, and give permission to save parents. And why?Simply because the parents invested and prepared that child spiritually by learning and living by the Qur’aan. So brothers and sisters, heed the advice of Allaah (SWT) and make the necessary change. Surah Hashr, chapter 59, verses 18-21 tells us: “Oh ye who believe, do your duty to Allaah – declare Shahada, pray Salah, give Zakat, perform fast and carry out Haj”. These are basic pillars of Islam, the foundation of Islam. But it’s only the foundation. There’s a letter called “Waw” in Arabic, and it literally means “and”. So Allaah (SWT) instructs us to do our duty or carry out the five pillars of Islam. And in addition to the five pillars, we must also invest our tomorrow, that is, develop and maintain our Iman or faith and Islamic lifestyle. So on the Day of Judgment, besides the five pillars, what can we do to prepare ourselves for our tomorrow? As noted in the hadith (Bukhari / Muslim): every child is born a Muslim, in total submission to God. Some parents take their children off the path of God for the sake of the Dunya. And on the Day of Qiyamah or Judgment, those parents and children will become enemies because they were busy fighting for the Dunya. So beware parents of what you teach your children in this life: don’t prepare your children only for the Dunya, but also teach them about Allaah and the Quran, and prepare them also for the hereafter. To put things in perspective, ask yourself if you and your children are prepared to answer the following five questions on the Day of Judgement:

1. What did you do in your youth? (Did you learn the Quran etc. ?)

2. How have you spent your life? ( Did you live by five pillars of Islam and practice Iman etc.?)

3. What have you done with the knowledge I gave you? (Did teach others about Islam etc.)

4. How did you earn your money or wealth? (Was it halal or haram, did you steal from anyone etc.?)

5. How did you use your wealth that Allah gave you? (Did you give zakat, perform dawah etc.?)

According to Prophet Muhammad (SAW) (Hadith reference), everyone will have to answer these five questions on the Day of Judgement. Allaah (SWT) gave us these questions ahead of the Day of Judgement so we can better prepare ourselves, brothers and sisters.

Yes, Allaah (SWT) has given us permission to enjoy the beautiful things in this world, the Dunya. But he also tells us don’t only invest in the Dunya, but make sure to prepare our children and ourselves for the hereafter and guide them on the “SiratulMustaqeem” or right path.  Live a life of Imaan. Allaah  (SWT) has provided the framework for Imaan, namely, the Qur’aan. 

MAKE ALLAAH YOUR PRIORITY

Summary of Khutbah written by Sis. Staci Brody / Florida USA

Dear Readers,

As we approach the coming months of Ramadan and Dhu al-Hijjah, it is important for us to recognize and prioritize our duties to Allah SWT. Although it is easy to fall into the habit of spending our time trying to obtain merely transient success, it is necessary that we also take the time to reflect on how our conduct and actions will contribute to our success not only in this world, but also in the hereafter. One of the most profound ways we can realize Allah SWT’s mercy is through the execution of good deeds. Allah SWT says in the Holy Quran, “And those who believe and do righteous good deeds, they are dwellers of paradise, they will dwell therein forever” (2: 82). Keeping this in mind, it is essential to understand that it does not matter what your status, good or bad, may be in this world, but rather, when it comes to death, the only memento of worth that any of us will bring to the grave with us will be the good deeds in which we performed. The five pillars of Islam (declaration of faith, prayer, charity, fasting, and pilgrimage) are among the most sublime actions any human being can fulfill during their lifetime. The Hajj (pilgrimage) is such a substantial act that it actually removes the sins of the performer and cleanses one so much that, SubhanAllah, after performing Hajj, Prophet Muhammad SAW says that it is like the pilgrim becomes as pure as a newborn baby. With the potential to receive this extraordinary blessing, it comes as a surprise that some Muslims choose not to perform Hajj, as instructed by Allah SWT. In the Holy Quran (3:97), Allah says, “And [due] to Allah from the people is a pilgrimage to the House - for whoever is able to find thereto a way. But whoever disbelieves - then indeed, Allah is free from need of the worlds.” This verse has a two-fold meaning. First it addresses whom the pilgrimage is obligatory for, which is those who have the ability (health and financial means), and next it declares the self-sufficiency of God. Therefore, if you have the resources and the health to perform Hajj, then you should not procrastinate to do so.  Going back to the unpredictability of life and death discussed earlier, it is crucial to realize that to die without performing Hajj, when you had the ability to do so (according to the Hadith) is like dying as a “Jew or Christian”. This is not meant as an insult to either religion, but rather a point to be made that although Jews, Christians, and Muslims are all People of the Book, and all technically perform the first four pillars of Islam, Muslims are the only people Allah SWT commanded to perform Hajj, as a requirement of their religion. For this reason, do not simply make the intention to perform Hajj in your lifetime, but rather make it a priority because there is a chance you could fall ill, lose your wealth, or have some other difficulty in the future which prevents you to go. Lastly, in the world today Islam is being attacked from many angles. It is our responsibility as Muslims, more than ever, to spread the proper message of Islam to others who are misguided about Islam’s true message.In the Holy Quran (5:67), Allah tells the Prophet SAW, “O Messenger, announce that which has been revealed to you from your Lord, and if you do not, then you have not conveyed His message. And Allah will protect you from the people.” As Muslims, we cannot be afraid to speak up against evil in the world. In the last sermon of Prophet Muhammad SAW, he states, “Be my witness, O ALLAH, that I have conveyed your message to your people”. Granted that Prophet Muhammad SAW is the most excellent example we have of good character and righteous deeds, we should all strive to make it our duty to spread the message of Islam, just like our beloved Prophet SAW did. Assuredly, by taking on this responsibility, the popularity and spread evil messages will cease. As Muslims, it is essential that we remain steadfast in fulfilling our duties to Allah SWT.  This includes performing good and righteous deeds as well as completing the five pillars that have been ordained to us. Only then can we expect to receive the mercy and blessings of Allah SWT and obtain true success, both in this world and in the hereafter, InshaAllah, Ameen.

QUR’AANshould bePRIORITY

Summary of Khutbah written by Bro. Al Mustapha / Florida USA

My friends, Allah (SWT) has blessed us with so many countless bounties such as life, Islam, Quran, Prophet Muhammad SAW,Imaan, Taqwa, health, spouses, kids, careers, wealth, houses; the list is never ending, Al-Hamdulillah! Many of us are familiar with chapter 55 of the Quran where Allah (SWT) repeatedly asks us, ‘which is it of the favors of your Lord do you deny’? Of course we can never deny any of Allah’s favors although many of us mistakenly do so by our actions. Of all the bounties we were blessed with the first bounty Allah (SWT) mentions in Surah Rahman is Al Quran. Just imagine the great importance and priority He has placed on this great Quran, and the importance of seeking the knowledge, reciting, reading, and understanding this blessed Quran. Unfortunately one of the ways we might be denying the favor of this Quran is by us placing more priority on going to academic classes and seminars and also by sending our children to the universities while we barely send them to learn to recite the Quran. Many of us also don’t make the sacrifice to learn to recite the Quran nor do we attend the free tafseer classes being offered at the Masjid which will increase our understanding. By our actions we show that the blessed Quran which is at the top of Allah’s list might unfortunately be at the bottom of our list, Astagfirullah! Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) said some people are elevated by the Quran and others are downgraded by it. Those who recite and read and study the Quran will no doubt be elevated by it and those who neglect or disrespect the Quran may be downgraded by it, may Allah (SWT) protect us and our families from being downgraded, Ameen.  We should also remember that the very first verse of the Quran which was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was ‘Iqra’ which was the command (not a request) to read or recite…’in the name of your Lord and Cherisher’. Some of us as a last resort do send our children to Sunday Madrassah but that is only for 3 to 4 hours a week, meanwhile we send them to academic school five days a week, where is our priority my friends? Also, many times when they come on Sundays they reach late and haven’t reviewed or done their homework from the previous week due to the amount of school homework they have to do daily. So where are we as parents placing the priority in our life versus where Allah (SWT) wants us to place the emphasis and priority? In addition, the message we send to our kids is that school work comes first and Quran studies comes after and we are constantly placing many other things as priority over the Quran. The correct way is we should try our best to send our children to Islamic schools or at the very least send them to daily Madrassah and we should review their work with them.Also, if we as parents can’t recite the Quran properly how can we review or even pray salaah properly? We too must try to attend recitation, tafseer, fiqh and seerah classes during the week.  As Muslims, we and our children must know and accept that Allah’s Quran is the #1 priority and we must place the correct level of importance required by Allah (SWT) when it comes to His blessed book. The amount of Quran we know will also determine our level in Jannah and how pleased Allah is with us. My friends, if we don’t give the Quran priority in our lives as commanded by Allah SWT and we choose to learn it and recite it and understand it only when we choose to and when we have extra time, we should then beware! We would be technically saying to Allah (SWT) that the Quran is not a priority for us and that it is in fact at the bottom of our list. In return, it’s possible that Allah may also not give us priority in life and may place us at the bottom of His list! May Allah always protect us and place us at the top of His list, ameen. Allah (SWT) says in hadith Qudsi, ‘I am with you the way you think I am with you’, so how we remember Allah is how He will remember us, if make very little time for Him in our life He may make very little time for us. If we put His Quran as a priority in our lives He will no doubt make us a priority. When we connect with Allah (SWT) thru daily salaah and thru reciting and understanding the Quran, great thing happen my friends and many doors open for us and our families in this life and in the hereafter.  Remember the parents of every Hafiz will each be given a crown to wear in Jannah by Allah (SWT)! My friends, let us make the sincere intention today to change our attitude and our performance in life, let us make every effort to ensure that we and our children learn to recite and understand the Quran or learn to recite more of it on a daily basis and let us also never miss another salaah. Let us also strive to have better behavior and character, and to more closely emulate the life of the noble Prophet Muhammed (SAW). In this way we will hopefully do much better in the sight of Allah by giving greater priority in our lives to Him and His Quran and His last Prophet, Insha Allah. May Allah give us the guidance, motivation and ability to implement these critical changes in our lives today, Ameen.

Bismillaah Hir Rahmaanir Raheem - InShaa Allaah Ameen

2017 KHUTBAH TOPICS

­­­­BismillaahHirRahmaanirRaheem - InShaaAllaahAmeen

2016 KHUTBAH TOPICS

                                         InshaaAllaahAmeen – MaashaaAllaah                                         

BismillaahHirRahmaanirRaheem

InshaaAllaahAmeen

2015 KHUTBAH TOPICS

                                                                    InshaaAllaahAmeen – MaashaaAllaah                                         

Bismillaah Hir Rahmaanir Raheem

Inshaa Allaah Ameen

2014 KHUTBAH TOPICS

BismillaahHirRahmaanirRaheem

InshaaAllaah

2013 KHUTBAH TOPICS

InshaaAllaah

BismillaahHirRahmaanirRaheem

InshaaAllaah

2012 KHUTBAH TOPICS

Yursa (Ease)

vs.

USRa (Difficulty)

Summarized by Sis. R. Mohammed, Florida USA

Brothers and sisters, everyone wants a life free of hardship and difficulties. But this is never the reality, is it? Life itself is a concept of duality: yursa (ease) and ursa (difficulty). Both are part and parcel of human life! It is important as Muslims who believe in the Qur’aan and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Mohammed (SAW) to live a life with belief and faith in Allaah (SWT). Allaah (SWT) is the one who makes yursa (ease) for us and has promised to make every ursa (difficulty) followed by ease, prosperity and success.  And Allaah (SWT) tells us in the Qur’aan, Chapter 94, Surah Al-Inshirah – “Fainnama’alusriyusra Inna ma’al ‘usriyusra”: “that certainly with every difficulty comes ease”. Allaah (SWT) is telling us in Chapter 94, if we can endure the hardships and stand firm against the miseries we are faced with, then with patience and Imaan, he will always provide a solution, a way out, a relief, a way that leads to ease and happiness. There is always going to be some challenging situation, something that tries to discourage us and break our faith in Allaah (SWT). But we must remain firm in our faith and believe that Allaah will take care of us! We can take a look at two examples in history.

1. First, is that of Prophet Mohammed (SAW). The prophet always had a positive demeanor and greeted everyone with “Alhamdulillah ‘alaakulihaal” translated as “all praise and thanks are only for Allaah (SWT) in all circumstances”. He never depicted himself as depressed, worried or angry. Yet despite his positive demeanor, his Imaan was tested when his two young sons died and people began ridiculing him, stating his God was displeased with him and he had no heir to continue legacy. But Allaah (SWT) revealed to him in Chapter 108, Surah Al Kauther, verses 1-2: “Innaaa’tainakalkauthar, Fasalli li rabbikawanhar”, translated as “surely Mohammed (SAW), we have given you an abundance of goodness, therefore turn to your lord with prayer and sacrifice.” Mohammed (SAW) was told not to worry about the two sons he had lost (ursa). But rather look at the abundance or “kauthar” Allaah(SWT) had given him (yursa), that is, the millions of followers in the world to continue the legacy and fellowship of Islam.

2. The second example is that of Adam and Hawwa (Eve). When Allaah (SWT) created Adam, he gave him paradise. Then Allaah (SWT) created a wife for him, Hawwa, because he was lonely and needed tranquility and a companion in his life. Allaah (SWT) gave them permission to everything in paradise, the only exception being the ‘tree’. They were forbidden to eat from the tree. Satan saw an opportunity to exploit Adam and Hawwa’s weaknesses. And what did Satan do? And what did Satan do? He began creating doubts in Adam and Hawwa minds’ and they begin asking themselves: ‘why is Allaah (SWT) forbidding us from going to that tree? If we go to that tree, will we become powerful?’ And what happened? Adam and Hawwa became preoccupied with the forbidden tree and forgot all the great positive bounties or yursasAllaah (SWT) had bestowed on them. That was the beginning of Adam and Hawwa’sdemise.Remember, anytime you have doubt in your Imaan, in Allaah (SWT), you create a niche for Satan’s work to prosper and grow! This is why it is so important to remain steadfast in your belief. When things are bad, ask Allaah (SWT) to correct it and remove it from your life. And be firm! For example, consider the tarika or methodology of making dua to Allaah (SWT): when you ask Allaah (SWT) for something, do not ask with doubt, for example: maybe Allaah (SWT) will grant me my desire. When you ask Allaah (SWT) for something, it’s not about if, when, could, should.  When you ask Allaah (SWT) for something, you should know, without a doubt, you are asking Allaah (SWT) the most high, the greatest, who can give you whatever he wants: “kun fia kun”- “be and it shall be”. That is type of Imaan you should have. This is because Allaah (SWT) is the greatest, most powerful and his mercy is unlimited.andsisters, don’t live your life preoccupied with the negative aspects of daily living. Focus on positive aspects of your life, on what Allaah (SWT) has given you, has blessed you with: whether it be your health, family, wealth, job, education and so forth. We have much to be grateful for! Do not be discouraged or disheartened about the one two impediments in your life! Be patient and steadfast in your Imaan. Remember Allaah (SWT) has promised that there will be ease after the difficulty, that there is more abundance to come, more success to come, more peace to come, whether it be in this dunya or the hereafter. That is Allaah’s (SWT) promise to you!