Talking Points from the Mind of A Servant of Allah

WITH ALLAH’S NAME, THE MERCIFUL BENEFACTOR, THE MERCIFUL REDEEMER

Talking Points from the Mind of a Servant of Allah

Documented by Jibril Abdul-Hafeez (جبريل عبدالحفيظ)

E-mail: NewAfrica2@aol.com or new_africa_now@yahoo.com

Friday, December 5, 2008 / Yaum-ul-Jumu’ah, Dhul-Hijjah 7, 1429

As Salaam ‘Alaykum: We thank Allah, we seek His help, we ask for His forgiveness, we believe and put our complete trust in Him, Mighty and Sublime is He. We witness that there is no G’d but Allah, He alone is without partners, and we witness that Muhammed is His Servant and Messenger, the prayers and peace be on him, on his descendants, his companions, and peace be on Allah’s Messengers (all of them), and what follows after this noble invocation.

In the Qur’an, 110:1-3, Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) has said,

إِذَا جَآء نَصْرُ اللَّهِ وَالْفَتْحُ- وَرَأَيْتَ النَّاسَ يَدْخُلُونَ فِى دِينِ اللَّهِ أَفْوجاً- فَسَبّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبّكَ وَاسْتَغْفِرْهُ إِنَّهُ كَانَ تَوبَا

Glorify our Lord with praise, seeking forgiveness and repentance; these are standard duties in our daily worship practices. Needless to say, far too often we are neglectful in regards to making atonement for our daily transgressions. Therefore, when we gather in private or altogether in places of worship, Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) reminds us to make amends for the minor and major omissions that we deliberately or accidentally commit against ourselves and one another each and every day.

Being that this is the Hajj month wherein countless millions are visiting Masjid-ul-Haraam answering the call to worship in unified voices saying: “O Allah: I am here at Your service; You have no partner; O Allah: I am here at Your service. Surely the praise, grace and sovereignty belongs to You, You have no partners.” If we remember the essential characteristics that are implied in these sanctified words; and govern our life this way, especially during the times when we answer the call to worship, this would create a unified atmosphere of humility in obedience to Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى).

It is reported in narratives regarding the actions and words of the nobles in Al-Islam, that during his Farewell Hajj, Prophet Muhammed (ﺼﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻮ ﺴﻠﻢ) said,

«إِنَّ دِمَاءَكُمْ وَأَمْوَالَكُمْ وَأَعْرَاضَكُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ حَرَامٌ كَحُرْمَةِ يَوْمِكُمْ هذَا، فِي شَهْرِكُمْ هذَا، فِي بَلَدِكُمْ هذَا»

“Surely, your blood, your wealth, and honor are as sacred among you as the sanctity of this day of yours, in this month of yours, in this town of yours.”

When we gather at Makkah coming from every quarters of the world to Mount `Arafat during Dhul-Hijjah; there is no better time to recall the wisdom in the Qur’an, 49:13, Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى), has said,

﴾ يأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَـكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍ وَأُنْثَى وَجَعَلْنَـكُمْ شُعُوباً وَقَبَآئِلَ لِتَعَـرَفُواْ إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عَندَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَـكُمْ ﴿

We see our beginning as all families start and we should want to make it a priority searching the word of G’d for a solution to overcome our divisions. Think about this, [ اﻟّﻬُﻢّ ﻟﺒّﻴْكَ ] O Allah: I am here at Your service! A report in the narratives regarding the words and the actions of Allah’s (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) most noble servant, Prophet Muhammed (ﺼﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻮ ﺴﻠﻢ) said, “an ‘Arab is no better than a non-‘Arab. In return, a non-‘Arab is no better than an ‘Arab. A red man is no better than a Black man except in G’d consciousness. All mankind is Adam’s children and Adam was created from dust.”

Be mindful of the words of Prophet Muhammed (ﺼﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻮ ﺴﻠﻢ),

«إِنَّ اللهَ لَا يَنْظُرُ إِلَى صُوَرِكُمْ وَأَمْوَالِكُمْ وَلكِنْ يَنْظُرُ إِلَى قُلُوبِكُمْ وَأَعْمَالِكُم»

“Surely, Allah does not look at your shapes or your wealth, but He looks at your hearts and your works.”

Prophet Muhammed (ﺼﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻮ ﺴﻠﻢ) said, “O people: I am not succeeded by a Prophet and you are not succeeded by any nation. So I recommend you to worship your Lord, to pray the five prayers, to fast Ramadan and to give the prescribed charity out of your provisions willingly. I recommend you to do the pilgrimage to the Sacred House of your Lord and to obey those who are in charge of you then you will be awarded to enter the Paradise of your Lord. O Allah: bear witness that I have delivered Your Message. Let him that is present communicate it to him who is absent. Perhaps, people to whom the Message is communicated may be more mindful of it than the audience.

Surely, I leave you with the Book of Allah.” I believe that if we are of the same mind regarding putting nothing before Allah and His Messenger as the Prophet demonstrated by his excellent example of obedience to Allah, if we follow and live according to the best of what Allah revealed, we will earn the good of this life and it is our prayer the Allah save us from hell’s fire.

أَقُولُ قَوْلِي هذَا وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ لِي وَلَكُم