Summary of the Friday Two Sermons on October 16, 2015:
First Sermon: Lessons from the Migration of the Prophet.
This sermon discussed the significance of the Prophet's migration. It serves as a profound lesson for us, highlighting the necessity of resilience and determination in the face of adversity. The Prophet's migration was not only a physical journey but also a spiritual and moral one, emphasizing the importance of striving for one's beliefs and seeking a conducive environment for their propagation.
Second Sermon: Entering a New Year.
The second sermon emphasized the importance of reflecting on the past year as we enter into a new year. It is crucial to remember the lessons learned from our experiences and to avoid repeating past mistakes. Furthermore, we should aim to increase our acts of kindness and charity in the new year, striving to improve ourselves morally and spiritually.
End of summary.
The First Sermon:
The migration of the Messenger of Allah from the place where he could not convey the message of his Lord and where those who believed in him and followed him were persecuted.
Every year people gather to remember that day, celebrating the day that became the beginning of history after years of his migration.
In the migration of the Messenger of Allah , there are lessons that must be paid attention to, and they must be recalled every year for those who study the biographies of prophets and reformers, to reflect on the struggles they faced in conveying the message they were entrusted with.
Every year, we remember the month of Muharram in which the migration of the Messenger of Allah took place. Those who reflect upon this migration stand as contemplative observers, pondering what occurred and the reasons behind it, not merely studying its historical context but also extracting lessons and insights from it.
The Messenger of Allah sought permission to migrate due to the persecution faced by some of his followers who could no longer endure in Mecca, leading to their migration to Abyssinia. This story is well-known to those who have read the prophetic biography.
The situation remained unchanged until it intensified, and the Prophet and his companions found no other option but to leave Mecca as emigrants.
The primary lesson learned from this migration is that if a person cannot convey what they intend to in a particular place, the first course of action is to leave that place, even if they persist, as one poet said:
"If Muhammad could preach in Mecca and found success; He wouldn't erect a pulpit in Yathrib."
This reflects the importance of recognizing when circumstances necessitate a change in environment to fulfill a greater purpose.
The second matter is that those who pledged allegiance to the Messenger of Allah , known as the Ansar, and those who migrated with him, as well as those who migrated before him, are known as the Muhājirēn. The first act that the Messenger of Allah performed beyond the limits of time and place was the construction of the mosque, and he did not stay in the place he left until he gathered people to honor them or to invite them to descend to his house, saying: "Leave the reins of the camel for it is commanded."
The action that should be renewed every year and not interrupted is the "brotherhood" (al-mu'ākhāt) that existed between the Muhājirēn and the Ans̱ār. When the Messenger of Allah established brotherhood between the Muhājirēn and the Ans̱ār, he united them in love, in support, in cooperation, and in the principle that those who possess much give to those who have nothing. He made them partners in what they owned, in their work, and in their wealth. Whoever chose to work for others did so.
The brotherhood that the Messenger of Allah practiced after his migration is nothing but evidence that Islam places brotherhood first, which is cooperation, that the wealthy support the poor, and that the strong support the weak. Whoever possesses more than his needs should give to those who need it. The importance of this is emphasized in what was narrated from Amir al-Mu'minēn ʻAli ibn Abi Ṯālib: "None of you should demand of his brother what he knows is beyond his need."
Migration, in its meanings, if it were a mere recall of a past event without that event having a relevance in this time, would have been just another passing day, and its history would end with the conclusion of the event in which it occurred. However, the fraternity that existed during that time and the establishment of meanings for migration were among the first of those meanings: that the migrant is one who forsakes sins.
Whoever wishes to reflect on this day should do so with insight and contemplation. They should know that if they wish to emulate, as wisdom dictates, the Messenger of Allah , then they should be among those who abandon sins. "The migrant is the one who forsakes sins and leaves what Allah has forbidden," as mentioned in the hadith of the Messenger of Allah.
When people migrated, they migrated to Medina, they migrated to fraternity, they migrated from injustice to justice, from tyranny to fraternity, and from what pained them and prevented them from speaking truthfully to a place where they could live as they desired.
How did things change after the migration of the Messenger of Allah ? This serves as evidence that what he did with migration, if one wishes to recall it, is akin to abandoning sins.
How did things become after the Messenger of Allah regarding fraternity and cooperation?
People have begun killing each other, slaughtering one another, and even consuming each other. The wealthy overpower the poor, and the poor seek something they can manage. Thus, the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah in fraternity and cooperation has become neglected, with no place for it among most people.
To celebrate the migration of the Messenger of Allah without understanding its essence and meanings is merely to recount a historical event that took place in the past. Migration was meant to yield benefits in every era, benefits that people could derive lessons from and act upon.
Whoever turns away from these meanings has regressed to what they were before Islam. Even if they continue to speak in the name of Islam, they are only holding onto its superficial aspects. This is in line with the saying of Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s),
"Know that after the migration, you have become divided into tribes, and after allegiance, into factions. You do not hold onto Islam except in name, nor do you recognize faith except in appearance."
People do not adhere to Islam, which is about ensuring safety for others, nor do they understand faith, which entails being trustworthy. We only hold onto the name of Islam and the appearance of faith. Is this migration away from sins, turning towards obedience, and abandoning prohibitions that Allah has commanded to leave?
The migration of the Messenger of Allah , if not a lesson to be learned and benefited from every year, is merely a recollection of a past event that holds no relevance in this time and does not guide you towards anything beneficial in your present era.
The true migrant, applicable in every era, is one who abandons sins. No one should be called a migrant until they prove their justification on earth. What constitutes this justification that must be understood and acted upon?!
This has been answered by the Imams more than once, clarifying that Allah's justification upon His servants in every era is reason. It's what their minds comprehend, guiding them towards goodness and warning them against evil. Reason is how one understands.
What is the justification for people or creation today, as Ibn al-Sikkit's question was answered? He said: Reason / al-ʻaql.
Reason /"al-ʻaql" is what Allah uses to justify His servants, it's what you know and what you've been commanded and forbidden. So, whenever you act upon it, you migrate every day from sins to good deeds, from injustice to justice and fairness. Above all, you migrate every day towards your humanity, as it should be.
We ask Allah, glorified and exalted, to make us among those who abandon sins, turn to obedience, and are inspired by Allah in every matter that comes their way.
May Allah bless Muhammad and his family...
The Last Sermon:
... As for what follows, peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
Connected to the migration of the Messenger of Allah, which was plotted against by those around him who intended to restrain him, kill him, or expel him, in order to distance his messange from the ears and eyes of the people:
And [remember, O Muhammad], when those who disbelieved plotted against you to restrain you or kill you or evict you [from Makkah]. But they plan, and Allah plans. And Allah is the best of planners. [Quran 8:30]
And [remember, O Muhammad], when those who disbelieved plotted against you to restrain you.. to prevent you from completing the message, or to kill you, to extinguish the light of knowledge and the light of guidance in darkness. The intent of using this word was not out of ignorance. Indeed, during the era of ignorance, people were eloquent, articulate, and skilled orators. All of us know the greatness of that eloquence known as "ignorance". It was among the most profound aspects of etiquette among the Arabs. However, that era of ignorance was not characterized by simplicity; rather, it was an era of oppression, subjugation, and tyranny, which is why it was called "ignorance" / "al-Jāhiliyyah".
And this ignorance (Jāhiliyyah) was not in the sense commonly understood as ignorance. Indeed, during that time there were poets, scholars, eloquent speakers, and rhetoricians. If not for that, the Quran would not have been revealed in such a lofty, robust, and eloquent Arabic language. If the people had not been eloquent and skilled in rhetoric, Allah would not have addressed them with the Quran and challenged them to produce a surah like its chapters. If they were incapable of speech, rhetoric, and eloquence, they would not have been tasked with any of that.
The jahiliyyah that Allah described in His book, to restrain you, or to kill you, or to evict you, and they plan, and Allah plans. And Allah is the best of planners, was intended to restrain the message, extinguish it, or relocate it from this place to another.
If someone today were to observe the Muslims, what aspects of the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah would they find? What would they find of his morals? And what would they find of his etiquettes? And what would they find of his generosity?
In the Year of the Conquest (Fath), when those who harmed him from Quraysh asked him, "What do you think I will do to you?" They said, "You are a noble brother and the son of a noble brother." He said, "Go, you are free."
Who among us today forgives those who wronged him, even if the harm inflicted was a fraction of what befell the Messenger of Allah ?
Who among us today forgives those who have oppressed him? We all profess our love for the family of the Messenger of Allah , but have most of us truly been sincere in claiming this love?
Imam As-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: "Our courage as the people of the household is to forgive those who have wronged us, to mend relations with those who have severed ties with us, and to give to those who have deprived us." So what has become of us today that we do not forgive those who wrong us, nor mend relations with those who have cut us off, nor give to those who have deprived us? Instead, when someone has a rightful claim against us, we seek ways to evade fulfilling that right and to avoid honoring our obligations towards them.
The Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah has been neglected today, and likewise, the family of the Messenger of Allah who came after him has also been neglected. It is advisable and appropriate for a person to reflect on a day like this, when celebrating the migration of the Messenger of Allah, because it marks the passing of one year and the arrival of a new one, just as Amir al-Mu'minēn ʻAli ibn Abi Ṯālib (peace be upon him) said: "So, no servant attains a blessing except through the parting of another, and no day of his life begins except by welcoming another part of its appointed term.."
So, this past year that has gone by and the new year that has come, we must reflect before we recall what was in it. What did we do in our past year, and what do we ask Allah, glorified and exalted, to make easy for us to do in our upcoming year? What intentions do we have, for "actions are but by intentions," as mentioned in the words of Amir al-Mu'minēn ʻAli ibn Abi Ṯālib (peace be upon him).
We all know that the wise and intelligent person is one who takes himself to account before he is taken to account. But where is the one who truly holds himself accountable before being held accountable?
And where is the one who remembers his mistakes and what he has achieved, so that he may increase in correctness and avoid mistakes in his upcoming year?
The esteemed scholar Sheikh Soulaiman al-Ahmad, may Allah have mercy and be pleased with him, said:
"This reflection/Diary on the new year reminds me of what I did in my past year.
I have made everything I have done for my Lord, God, the love of the Imams in my first reflection/organizer."
So, whoever looks today at this new year to fill the agenda that he prepares with something that draws him closer to Allah, we have filled our agenda with the tasks required of us in this world. What will we do tomorrow, from where will we buy, what will we sell, where will we build, what will we do, and where will we go? Has anyone put down their pen to see what they have done in their past year, and in what they fell short in obedience to their Lord, before they fall short in accumulating wealth?
Let them see what they will do in the coming year, what they will do in the year that comes upon them, not knowing what Allah, glorified and exalted, Has decreed for them. Will they exit the year safely, or will death come to them before they exit the year? Perhaps this year could be our last year in this world, so let us consider how we will depart from this world. Will we depart in obedience to Allah, or will we depart in disobedience to Him?
This is a new year, and history serves only to remind humans when they look upon it or when it approaches, reminding them that they have bid farewell to another day of their lives. Just as an old year passes and a new year begins, so too will they pass from this world and others will come after them. If one excels in this world, they will depart laughing and joyful. If they fare poorly, they will leave weeping and in regret. But regret at a time when it is of no benefit.
"You were born crying while people around you were laughing in joy,
So strive to be such that when they weep on the day of your death, you depart laughing in joy."
This past year and the year that has come are days from our lives, and what lies ahead are the remaining days of our terms. Let us ask Allah, glorified and exalted be He, to make us among those who intend goodness in our coming year, find goodness, tread upon goodness, prepare for it, and make it easy for us. May our mistakes and sins of the past be forgiven by Allah's forgiveness, serving as lessons and admonitions to avoid displeasing our Lord in the new year.
"O Allah, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad..."
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