Sermons

إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ لِلَّهِ ,نَحْمَدُهُ  ,وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ  وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ ,  وَنَعُوذُ بِاللهِ مِنْ شُرُورِ أَنْفُسِنَا وَمِنْ سَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا  ,مَنْ يَهْدِهِ

اللهُ  فَلَا مُضِلَّ لَهُ ,  وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلَا هَادِيَ لَهُ ,  وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ   وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ

Verily, all praise is for Allah. We praise Him, we seek His assistance and we ask for His forgiveness. And we seek refuge in Him from the evils of our selves. Whoever Allah guides, none can misguide. Whoever He misguides, none can guide. And I bear witness that there is no deity other than Allah and I bear witness that Mohammad is His slave and messenger.

 يَا أَيُّهَا الّذِينَ آَمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ – آل عمران:102

Al Imran 102 : O you who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared, and die not except in a state of Islam.

Oh people:

Salat (prayers) is a weighty matter with Allah Almighty. Therefore, He obligated it and made it a pillar of the religion. And of the pillars of Islam, it was mandated in the highest heavens. And it is the connection between Him the Most Perfect and His servants. And it is soothing for the believers. And the comfort of the eyes of those who believe with certainty and are humbly submissive to Allah.

When we look at the religious texts we find that the one who neglects the prayer loses what it includes of purification, walking to it, waiting for it either before, during or after, and what is linked and related to it of remembrance and voluntary prayer.

And along these lines is what was narrated by Ibn Masood (may Allah be pleased with him) who said:

مَن سَرَّهُ أَنْ يَلْقَى اللَّهَ غَدًا مُسْلِمًا, فَلْيُحَافِظْ علَى هَؤُلَاءِ الصَّلَوَاتِ حَيْثُ يُنَادَى بهِنَّ, فإنَّ اللَّهَ شَرَعَ لِنَبِيِّكُمْ ﷺ سُنَنَ الهُدَى, وإنَّهُنَّ مَن سُنَنَ الهُدَى, ولو أنَّكُمْ صَلَّيْتُمْ في بُيُوتِكُمْ كما يُصَلِّي هذا المُتَخَلِّفُ في بَيْتِهِ, لَتَرَكْتُمْ سُنَّةَ نَبِيِّكُمْ, ولو تَرَكْتُمْ سُنَّةَ نَبِيِّكُمْ لَضَلَلْتُمْ, وَما مِن رَجُلٍ يَتَطَهَّرُ فيُحْسِنُ الطُّهُورَ, ثُمَّ يَعْمِدُ إلى مَسْجِدٍ مِن هذِه المَسَاجِدِ, إلَّا كَتَبَ اللَّهُ له بكُلِّ خَطْوَةٍ يَخْطُوهَا حَسَنَةً, وَيَرْفَعُهُ بهَا دَرَجَةً, وَيَحُطُّ عنْه بهَا سَيِّئَةً, وَلقَدْ رَأَيْتُنَا وَما يَتَخَلَّفُ عَنْهَا إلَّا مُنَافِقٌ مَعْلُومُ النِّفَاقِ, وَلقَدْ كانَ الرَّجُلُ يُؤْتَى به يُهَادَى بيْنَ الرَّجُلَيْنِ حتَّى يُقَامَ في الصَّفِّ) , أي: يُؤتَى به, وهو مُستنِدٌ بين رَجُلين حتى يَقِف في الصَّفِّ وهو مُستنِدٌ أيضًا , وذلك مِن شدَّة حِرْصهم رضي الله عنهم على صلاةِ الجَماعة.

Whoever would like to meet Allah tomorrow (on the Day of Judgment) as a Muslim, let him safeguard these prayers (five daily prayer) when the call for them is given, for Allah ordained the ways of guidance for your Prophet and they are part of the ways of guidance. And if you were to pray in your houses as this man why stays away (from the mosque) prays in his house, you would abandon the way of your Prophet, and if you were to abandon the way of your Prophet, you would go astray. There is no man who purifies himself and does it well, and comes to the mosque and prays there, but for every step that he takes, Allah raises him in status one degree thereby, and takes away one of his sins. I have seen the time when no one stayed away from it, except a hypocrite, who was well known for his hypocrisy, whereas a man would be brought swaying (due to weakness) between two men till he was set up in a row. [Muslim 654b]

And also from the matters in which a person who neglects salat will lose out on is what was related from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ that

إسباغ الوضوء شطر الإيمان

Performing wudu (ablution) properly is half of Iman (faith) [Sunan Ibn Majah 280]

For certainly the one who does not pray will not perform the ritual purification and will not perform the wudu properly. Thus, he will lose out and miss half the Iman (faith).

And from the greatness of prayer is that it will be the first matter that a person will be held to account for. And it is a sign of the acceptance of the deeds or otherwise. As the Prophet ﷺ said:

أولُ ما يحاسبُ بهِ العبدُ يومَ القيامةِ الصَّلاةُ, فإنْ صَلَحَتْ, صَلَحَ سائِرُ عَمَلِه, وإنْ فَسَدَتْ فَسَدَ سائِرُ عَمَلِه

The first thing for which a person will be brought to account on the Day of Resurrection will be his Salah. If it is sound, then the rest of his deeds will be sound.  And if it is corrupt, then the rest of his deeds will be corrupt.  [atTabarani 1859]

So prayer is like a scale for the remaining deeds. And how will the rest of the deeds be for the one who does not pray? How will his state be during the accounting when the prayer is the first matter looked at? If he neglected and left the prayers, how will his accounting be? Do people visualize standing before the Hands of Allah Almighty during the accounting when the people will be in a state as Allah Almighty described:

قُلُوبٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ وَاجِفَةٌ * أَبْصَارُهَا خَاشِعَةٌ

An Naziat 8-9: (8) Hearts, that Day, will tremble, (9) Their eyes humbled.

In the utmost fear. Then his accounting will start with the prayer although he has no share of it.

Also from the consequences of neglecting prayer is become heedless. And the believer should not be under any circumstances among the heedless. And the Prophet ﷺ said:

مَن حافظَ على هؤلاءِ الصَّلَواتِ المَكتوباتِ لَم يكُن مِن الغافلينَ

Whoever safeguards these five obligatory prayers will not be from the heedless [Albani 657, The Authentic Hadith Series]

For if neglect is removed from the heart of a person his state will be that of vigilance. And he will have an illuminated and live heart. And he will think, take heed and have insight. And he will seek what benefits him. However, he will be miserable if he is overwhelmed by heedlessness. This person will seek what harms him. And he will busy himself with what contains his destruction.

The prayer is the best of deeds. And this is not said out of opinion. For the Prophet ﷺ said:

ما عمل ابن آدم شيئاً أفضل من الصلاة

No deed of the son of Adam is better than the Salat (prayer)  [Albani 5645, Sahih Al Jami’]

So the one who does not pray has lost the best of deeds.

And the Prophet ﷺ was asked about which deed is the most beloved to Allah and he said:

الصلاة على وقتها

The Prayer at its prescribed time [alBukhari 527, Muslim 85]

If prayer is the best deeds. And it is the most important matter after tawhid.  So how can a person busy himself with other than it whether it is business, trade, job, occupation, or family, wife and kids and so forth?

And look at the best of deeds that is included in the prayer. The Prophet ﷺ said:

ألا أُحَدِّثُكُمْ إنْ أخَذْتُمْ أدْرَكْتُمْ مَن سَبَقَكُمْ ولَمْ يُدْرِكْكُمْ أحَدٌ بَعْدَكُمْ, وكُنْتُمْ خَيْرَ مَن أنتُمْ بيْنَ ظَهْرانَيْهِ إلَّا مَن عَمِلَ مِثْلَهُ تُسَبِّحُونَ وتَحْمَدُونَ وتُكَبِّرُونَ خَلْفَ كُلِّ صَلاةٍ ثَلاثًا وثَلاثِينَ

Shall I not tell you a matter upon which if you acted you would catch up with those who have surpassed you? Nobody would overtake you and you would be better than the people with whom you live except those who would do the same. Say “SubhanAllah”, “AlhamduliLah” and “Allahu Akbar” thirty three times each after every (compulsory) prayer. [alBukhari 843]

The one who neglects prayer misses out on what is related and linked to it. So his losses are severe and compounded. He goes from loss to loss. And deficiency to deficiency. And faltering to faltering. Does the one who does not pray, praise, glorify and exalt Allah Almighty after prayer? Certainly not. Never. If he abandons the prayer, he will abandon the remembrances. And he will lose the ritual purification and the voluntary prayers.

If someone says “I realize the losses of neglecting prayer, leaving it and being complacent in performing it, but how do I return? The answer is simple. If a person is righteous in what they have left in their life, good will be recorded for them in what has passed and what remains. All they have to do is hasten to repent to Allah and turn to Him. And this is a glad tiding from your Lord:

إِلَّا مَنْ تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا فَأُولَئِكَ يُبَدِّلُ اللَّهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ حَسَنَاتٍ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَحِيمًا

Al Furqan (25) 70: Except for those who repent, believe and do righteous work. For them Allah will replace their evil deeds with good. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful.

أَقُولُ مَا تَسْمَعُونَ وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ  لِي وَلَكُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ ذَنْبٍ فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ  إِنَّهُ هُوَ الغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

I say what you have heard and I seek forgiveness from Allah for me and you from every sin. So seek forgives from Him, Verily He is Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

Second Khutbah

الحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ,  وَالصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ  , وَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَاْ إِلَهَ إِلَّاْ اَللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَاْشَرِيْكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدَاً عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُوْلُهُ

All praise is to Allah, and peace and blessings upon the Messenger of Allah, and I bear witness that there is no deity other than Allah and I bear witness that Mohammad is His slave and messenger.

Oh Muslims:

Indeed the prayer is the fortification of the Muslim. And his refuge that shelters him. And his trustworthy handhold that he grasps. And the rope between him and his Lord. And it is the nourishment and medicine of the soul. And a relief for the despondent. And it is mandatory to offer the prayers as your Lord has commanded. And that you are inviters to good and beams of guidance for the people. So enjoin prayer to those who have neglected and lost it. And remind them of the great danger that they are in. Feel their condition. And have compassion for them. And wish well for them. And advise them such that they may wake up and return. And let your slogan be what the righteous said:

مَعْذِرَةً إِلَى رَبِّكُمْ وَلَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ

Al Araf 164: To be absolved before your Lord and perhaps they may fear Him

How beautiful it is for the worshipers to be keen to remind those around them who do not pray with these words…their relatives, neighbors and friends. Perhaps they will return to their senses and return to their Lord and they will be joyful and be saved from the fire.

Abu Khallaad (may Allah have mercy on him) said: There is not a people who do not remind those among them who are neglectful of prayer except that their first punishment will be diminishing their provisions.

Oh Allah make us among those who safeguard our prayers and perform them in accordance to the teachings of Your beloved Prophet ﷺ and make us among those who enjoin good and forbid evil. Indeed You are all Hearing, Answering.

هَذَا وَصَلُّوا وَسَلِّمُوا عَلَى نَبِيِّكُم كَمَا أَمَرَكُمْ بِذلِكَ رَبُّكُمْ , فَقَالَ

I conclude with this and send prayers of blessings and peace upon your Prophet as your Lord commanded:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ۚ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا

Al Ahzaab (33) 56: Indeed, Allah confers blessing upon the Prophet, and His angels [ask Him to do so]. O you who have believed, ask [ Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [ Allah to grant him] peace.

اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنا فِيمَنْ هَدَيْتَ وَعَافِنا فِيمَنْ عَافَيْتَ وَتَوَلَّنا فِيمَنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ وَبَارِكْ لنا فِيمَا أَعْطَيْتَ وَقِنا شَرَّ مَا قَضَيْتَ إِنَّكَ تَقْضِي وَلاَ يُقْضَى عَلَيْكَ وَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَذِلُّ مَنْ وَالَيْتَ تَبَارَكْتَ رَبَّنَا وَتَعَالَيْتَ

O Allah, guide us with those whom You have guided, grant us well-being among those You have granted well-being, be an ally to us along with those whom You are an ally to, and bless what You have bestowed upon us, and save us from the evil of what You have decreed.  For verily You decree and none can decree over You. He whom You support can never be humiliated. Glory is to You, our Lord, You are Blessed and Exalted.

اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ كُلِّهِ عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ مَا عَلِمْنا مِنْهُ وَمَا لَمْ نَعْلَمْ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الشَّرِّ كُلِّهِ عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ مَا عَلِمْنا مِنْهُ وَمَا لَمْ نَعْلَمْ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ خَيْرِ مَا سَأَلَكَ عَبْدُكَ وَنَبِيُّكَ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا عَاذَ بِهِ عَبْدُكَ وَنَبِيُّكَ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَا قَرَّبَ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ قَوْلٍ أَوْ عَمَلٍ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ النَّارِ وَمَا قَرَّبَ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ قَوْلٍ أَوْ عَمَلٍ وَنَسْأَلُكَ أَنْ تَجْعَلَ كُلَّ قَضَاءٍ قَضَيْتَهُ لَنا خَيْرًا

O Allah, We ask You for all that is good, in this world and in the Hereafter, what we know and what we do not know. O Allah, we seek refuge with You from all evil, in this world and in the Hereafter, what we know and what we do not know. O Allah, we ask You for the good that Your servant and Prophet has asked You for, and we seek refuge with You from the evil from which Your servant and Prophet sought refuge. O Allah, we ask You for Paradise and for that which brings one closer to it, in word and deed, and we seek refuge in You from Hell and from that which brings one closer to it, in word and deed. And we ask You to make every decree that You decree concerning us good

 عِبَادَ اللّهِ  إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالْإِحْسَانِ وَإِيتَاءِ ذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَيَنْهَىٰ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنكَرِ وَالْبَغْيِ  يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ

Servants of Allah. Indeed, Allah orders justice and good conduct and giving to relatives and forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will be reminded.

اُذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ الْعَظِيمَ يَذْكُرْكُمْ واشْكُرُوهُ يَزِدْكُمْ واسْتَغْفِرُوهُ يَغْفِرْ لكُمْ واتّقُوهُ يَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ مِنْ أَمْرِكُمْ مَخْرَجًا   وَأَقِمِ الصّلَاة

Remember Allah, the Great – He will remember you. Thank Him for His favors – He will increase you therein.  And seek forgiveness from Him – He will forgive you. And be conscious of Him – He will provide you a way out of difficult matters. And, establish the prayer.