Khutba On Contentment and Sabr

الحَمْدُ للهِ، الحَمْدُ للهِ الذي جعل الدنيا دارَ الفتنةِ والبلاءِ، ليمتحنَ بها قلوبَ المومنين والفقراء، ويرى من كان منهم يُلقَّاها بالصبرِ والرضا، نَحْمَدُهُ تعالى ونستعينه، ونشكره تعالى ونستغفره ونستغيثه، نعوذ بالله من شرور أنفسنا ومن سيئات أعمالنا، مَنْ يَهْدِ اللهُ فلا مضل له، ومَنْ يُضلِلْ فَلاَ هَادِيَ لَهُ، ونَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ  وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ، له الملك وله الحمد، يحيي ويميت، بيده الخير، وهو على كل شيء قدير، ونشْهَدُ أَنَّ سَيِّدَنَا ومولانا مُحَمَّداً عَبْدُه وَرَسُولُهُ، وحبيبه وصفيه، بلغ الرسالة وأدّى الأمانة ونصح الأمّة، النبي الأمي الذي أرسله الله بالهدى والدين الحقّ، بشيرا ونذيرا بين يدي الساعة، صلى الله عليه وسلم وعَلَى آلِهِ وأَصْحابِهِ ومَنْ تَبِعَهم بإِحْسانٍ إِلَى يَوْمِ الدِّيْنِ.  أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَيَا عِبَادَ اللهِ اتقوا الله حق تقاته ولا تموتن إلا وأنتم مسلمون، يا أيها الذين آمنوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَقُولُوا قَوْلًا سَدِيدًا، يُصْلِحْ لَكُم أَعْمَالَكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَمَنْ يُطِعِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَقَدْ فَازَ فَوْزًا عَظِيمًا، يا أيها المسلمون اتقوا الله فيما أوصى وأمر، وانتهوا عما نها عنه وزجر.

         We mentioned last week about the value of acquiring wealth and the benefits it can bring when it is the tool not the master. And we also mentioned that the best way of keeping that wealth and increasing it is through shukr/thankfulness and never for one instant taking it for granted but always acknowledging where it came from. For the truth of the matter is that everything that we have and everything that we are is from our Lord, whatever our circumstances. His generosity to us is immense. Allah says,

وَكَانَ فَضْلُ اللهِ عَلَيْكَ عَظِيمًا

         the translation of which is, "Allah’s favour to you is great." And that applies even when our material possessions appear to be few or our strength appears to be waning or our health going. That applies even when we are being tested, and make no mistake, every one of us without fail will be tested, whether in our health, wealth or status among people. Every one of us will go through times of difficulty and ease, even those to whom everything seems to have been given. That is all a part of Allah’s affair, and for the believer, everything from Allah is good. The Prophet said,

عجبا لأمر المؤمن إن أمره كله له خير

         “How amazing is the affair of the the believer! His entire affair brings him good.” For Allah’s concern and solicitude for us knows no bounds. Allah says,

كَتَبَ رَبُّكُمْ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ الرَّحْمَةَ

         the translation of which is, “Your Lord made Mercy obligatory on Himself.” That is the truth of the matter, so we must learn to be content with our circumstances and our lot and never feel discontent or hard-done-by. We must never rail against fate or complain bitterly of our circumstances. We must appreciate what our Lord has given us and never begrudge what He has given others. For that envy and resentment is a poison that swiftly kills the heart and leaves one bereft of all good. The Prophet said,

إِيَّاكُمْ وَالْحَسَدَ فَإِنَّ الْحَسَدَ يَأْكُلُ الْحَسَنَاتِ كَمَا تَأْكُلُ النَّارُ الْحَطَبَ

         “Beware of envy – it consumes good actions like fire consumes firewood.” You should know that your station with Allah and your capacity to carry out His bidding and bring His deen about is not linked to the amount of worldly possessions you possess, but rather to the purity of your heart and the strength of your taqwa. Allah is with the people of taqwa and He alone knows what will be of use to us and what will be of harm. Allah says, consoling sayyiditina Aisha and Safwan after the lie had been spread about them,

لا تَحْسَبُوهُ شَراً لَّكُم بَلْ هُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ

         the translation of which is, “Do not consider it bad for you. Rather it is good for you.” In other words, despite the situation appearing to be negative in the extreme for them, it was actually a tremendous source of good. And that is true of every trial for the people of Allah. It is a sign of Allah’s great love for them. The Prophet said,

أشدُّ الناس بلاءً الأنبياءُ ثمّ الصالحون

            “The people who are tried the most are the Prophets and then the salihun (the right-acting).” The truth of this statement is readily apparent when you open the Qur’an and read the stories it relates of the Prophets and what happened to them – Adam was expelled from the Garden; Nuh was rejected and abused by his people for 950 years; Ayyub lost his whole family, all his wealth and was afflicted by illness continuously for years on end; Yunus was totally rejected by his people, for when he first went to them not a single one became Muslim, and was then swallowed by a whale; Ibrahim was thrown into a raging fire; and our own Prophet, Muhammad underwent years of famine and physical and verbal abuse in Makkah, with rubbish, dung and entrails being poured over him on a daily basis, and lost all of his sons and most of his daughters in the course of his lifetime. But did this cause them to despair of the Mercy of their Lord or the eventual victory which He had promised them? No, because they knew each fresh trial was a purification and that ease would inevitably follow difficulty. They knew there was a tremendous wisdom in what they were made to endure, and that their Lord knew their needs and circumstances better than themselves. Allah says,

وَلَوْ بَسَطَ اللَّهُ الرِّزْقَ لِعِبَادِهِ لَبَغَوْا فِي الأَرْضِ وَلَكِن يُنَزِّلُ بِقَدَرٍ مَّا يَشَاءُ إنَّهُ بِعِبَادِهِ خَبِيرٌ بَصِيرٌ

            the translation of which is, “Were Allah to expand the provision of His slaves, they would act as tyrants on the earth. But He sends down whatever He wills according to its qadar. He fully knows and sees His slaves.” In a hadith qudsi, Allah says,

إن من عبادي المؤمنين لمن يسألني الباب من العبادة فأكفه عنه أن لا يدخله عجب فيفسده ذلك، وإن من عبادي المؤمنين لمن لا يصلح إيمانه إلا الغنى ولو أفقرته لأفسده ذلك، وإن من عبادي المؤمنين لمن لا يصلح إيمانه إلا الفقر ولو أغنيته لأفسده ذلك، وإن من عبادي المؤمنين لمن لا يصلح إيمانه إلا الصحة ولو أسقمته لأفسده ذلك، وإن من عبادي المؤمنين لمن لا يصلح إيمانه إلا السقم ولو أصححته لأفسده ذلك، إني أدبر أمر عبادي بعلمي بقلوبهم إني عليم خبير

            “There are believers who ask Me to enable them to do a particular act of worship, but I prevent them from doing it so that they will not feel-satisfied and become corrupt as a result. There are believers the soundness of whose belief is contingent upon their having wealth, and were I to make them poor would become corrupt. There are believers the soundness of whose belief is contingent upon their being poor, and were I to make them wealthy would become corrupt. There are believers the soundness of whose belief is contingent upon their being healthy, and were I to make them sick would become corrupt. And there are believers the soundness of whose belief is contingent upon their being sick, and were I to make them healthy would become corrupt. I plan the affair of My slaves according to My knowledge. I am All-Knowing, All-Aware.”  It is this knowledge and this relinquishing of care and worry that bestows nobility upon a man. That is the true wealth that causes him to be loved by Allah and respected by people. The Prophet said,

إن الغنى غنى القلب وإن الفقر فقر القلب

            “True wealth is the wealth of the heart and true poverty is the poverty of the heart.” The poor man who is content with his lot is admired. Allah says,

يَحْسِبُهُمُ الجَاهِلُ أَغْنِيَاءَ مِنَ التَّعَفُّفِ

            the translation of which is, “Those who do not know consider them rich because of their reticence.” Whereas the wealthy man who is discontent and never thinks he has enough is despised and reviled. One only need open a newspaper or go to an internet forum and see what is being written about banksters to see the truth of that. They are hated by everyone

            So be content with what you have and bear your circumstances with equanimity and without complaint. And do not spend all your time and energy looking to what other people have, but rather concentrate on your own affair, and strive and work hard. For the fact that the outcome is in the hands of Allah does not mean that you sit on your hands and do nothing. Part of Allah’s rizq to us is our striving and whatever it brings to us is through His mercy. So, never despair of the Mercy of Allah and keep a good opinion of Him. He will bring you success and victory – such is His promise and His promise is never broken.

أقول قولي هذا وأستغفر الله لي ولكم ولسائر المسلمين من كل ذنب فاستغفروه إنه هو الغفور الرَّحيم

الحمد لله الحمد لله رب العالمين، وأشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له وأشهد أن محمداً عبده ورسوله، صلى الله وسلم وبارك عليه وعلى آله وصحبه، والتابعين وتابعي التابعين ومن تبعهم بإحسان إلى يوم الدين.

أما بعد! فيأيها الذين ءامنوا اتقوا الله ما استطعتم واسمعوا وأطيعوا وأنفقوا خيرا لأنفسكم. يا عباد الله أوصيكم وإياي بتقوى الله وطاعته وأحذركم وإياي عن معصيته ومخالفته. قال الله تعالى في كتابه العزيز: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آَمَنُوا اسْتَعِينُوا بِالصَّبْرِ وَالصَّلَاةِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الصَّابِرِينَ

         Allah says, the translation of which is, “O you who believe, seek help in sabr and in the prayer. Allah is with those who have sabr.” The circumstances and the difficulties that we face in the course of our lives can often be so difficult that we cannot help but be overcome – the loss of a loved one, the onset of terminal disease, bankruptcy and the total loss of wealth, being ostracised by ones fellows and so on and so forth. The immediate grief that we feel often clouds us and prevents us from seeing the bigger picture. So, Allah, in His infinite wisdom and infinite mercy, gives us sabr. What is sabr? Sabr is patient fortitude, the capacity to endure what befalls us uncomplainingly. It is through the embodiment of this quality that we get through these trials and indeed are increased and strengthened by them. Allah says,

وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُمْ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الْخَوفْ وَالْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ الأَمَوَالِ وَالأنفُسِ وَالثَّمَرَاتِ وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِينَ الَّذِينَ إِذَا أَصَابَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَالُواْ إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعونَ

            the translation of which is, “We will test you with a certain amount of fear and hunger and loss of wealth and life and fruits. But give good news to the people of sabr: Those who, when disaster strikes them, say, “innaa lillaahi wa innaa ilayhi raaji’un – ‘We belong to Allah and to Him we will return.’” This capacity to endure even the hardest of hardships and find good in them is a gift beyond compare. The Prophet said,

ما أعطِيَ أحدٌ من عَطَاءٍ خيرا و أوسعَ من الصبر

         “No one has been granted a gift better or more comprehensive than sabr.”

         Its station with Allah is so exalted that He raised up a group of the Messengers on account of it, calling them the ulu’l’azm, and mentioned it more than ninety times in the Qur’an. Its value so huge that when a man is raised on the Day of Rising and sees the amount of reward he receives on account of the trials, tribulations and afflictions that befell him during the course of his life, he will wish that all of his children, relatives and loved ones had died before him so that he could have received the reward for enduring those losses with patience and steadfastness.

         We ask Allah to place among the ranks of the saabireen. We ask Him to give us the patience and the fortitude to bear whatever affliction befalls us, no matter how great, and allow us to find peace and contentment in what He has written for us. We ask Him to make us amongst those who, when afflicted, say:

إنا لله وإنا إليه راجعون اللهم أجرني في مصيبتي وأخلف لي خيرا منها

         “To Allah we belong and to Him we return. O Allah, give me refuge in my time of afflictions and give me something better than it in return.”

إِنَّ اللهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ، يَا أَيُهَا الذِينَ آمَنُواْ صَلُّواْ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُواْ تَسْلِيماً.

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ وَسَلِّمْ وَبَارِكْ عَلَيْهِ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ  أَجْمَعِينَ. وَارْضَ اللَّهُمَّ عَنِ الْخُلَفَاءِ الرَّاشِدِينَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ وَعُثْمَانَ وَعَلِيٍّ، وعن أم المومنين عائشة التي أمرنا الله في سورة النور أن ندافع عنها، وَعَنْ سَائِرِ الصَّحَابَةِ أَجْمَعِينَ، خُصُوصاً اِلأَنْصَارَ مِنْهُمْ وَالمُهَاجِرِينَ، وَعَنِ التَّابِعِينَ وَتَابِعِي التَّابِعِينَ وَمَنْ تَبِعَهُمْ بِإِحْسَانٍ إِلَى يَوْمِ الدِّينِ.

اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِ وُلَاةَ أُمُورِ المُسْلِمِينَ لِمَا يُرْضِيكَ وَلِاتِّبَاعِ سُنَّةِ نَبِيِّكَ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَهُمْ عَلَى الصِّرَاطِ المُسْتَقِيمِ، وَأَصْلِحْهُمْ يَا رَبَّ الْعَالَمِينَ.

اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَى شَيْخِنَا، وَعَلَى أَمِيرِنَا، وَعَلَى جَمِيعِ أُمَرَاءِ وَزُعَمَاءِ المُسْلِمِينَ.

اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَى المُسْلِمِينَ فِي هَذِهِ المَدِينَةِ، وَوَفِّقْهُمْ لِمَا تُحِبُّهُ وَتَرْضَاهُ يَا أَكْرَمَ الأَكْرَمِينَ.

اللَّهُمَّ أَعِزَّ الإِسْلَامَ وَالمُسِْلمِينَ، وَاخْذُلِ الْكُفْرَ وَالْكَافِرِينَ، وَانْصُرِ المُجَاهِدِينَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ. وَاجْعَلْ كَلِمََتَكَ هِيَ العُلْيَا وَكَلِمَةَ الْكُفْرِ هِيَ السُّفْلَى.

رَبَّنَا ءَاتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقَِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ.

إِنَّ اللهَ يَامُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالإِحْسَانِ وَإِيتَاءِ ذِي الْقُرْبَى، وَيَنْهَى عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالمُنكَرِ وَالْبَغْيِ، يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَّكَّرُونَ، وَلَذِكْرُ اللهِ أَكْبَرُ وَاللهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَصْنَعُونَ. وَقُومُواْ إِلَى صَلاتِكُمْ يَرْحَمُكُمُ اللهُ.