Source: Sermons of Hafiz Muhammad Ishaq Zahid, compiled by: Tauheed.com
Brothers in Islam! In the last Friday sermon, we discussed in detail the Farewell Pilgrimage sermon of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ at Arafat, and we also briefly mentioned the sermon of the Day of Sacrifice... and we promised that we would explain it in the next sermon. So here are some details, please listen.
Question about deeds
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said in the sermon of the Day of Sacrifice: (وسَتَلْقَوْنَ رَبَّكُمْ، فَسَيَسْأَلُكُمْ عن أعْمالِكُمْ،)
Reference: (Sahih al-Bukhari:4406)
"And soon you will meet your Lord. He will question you about your deeds."
Therefore, it is obligatory upon us that after the reformation of beliefs, we pay full attention to the reformation of deeds and perform only those deeds which please our Lord and avoid those deeds which displease Him. The deeds that please Allah are those which Allah Almighty or His Messenger ﷺ have commanded or encouraged. Whereas the deeds that displease Allah are those from which Allah Almighty or His Messenger ﷺ have forbidden or warned. Remember that no deed is acceptable to Allah Almighty until it fulfills two conditions: The first condition is that the deed is purely for the pleasure of Allah Almighty and no partner is associated with Him in it. The second condition is that the deed is in accordance with the blessed Sunnah of the Noble Prophet ﷺ. The Divine command is:
﴿فَمَن كَانَ يَرْجُوا۟ لِقَآءَ رَبِّهِۦ فَلْيَعْمَلْ عَمَلًا صَٰلِحًا وَلَا يُشْرِكْ بِعِبَادَةِ رَبِّهِۦٓ أَحَدَۢا﴾
Reference: (Surah Al-Kahf:110)
"So whoever hopes to meet his Lord, let him do righteous deeds and not associate anyone in the worship of his Lord."
And it is narrated from Hazrat Abu Huraira (RA) that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said:
(إنَّ اللَّهَ لا يَنْظُرُ إلى صُوَرِكُمْ وأَمْوالِكُمْ، ولَكِنْ يَنْظُرُ إلى قُلُوبِكُمْ وأَعْمالِكُمْ.)
Reference: (Sahih Muslim:2564)
"Indeed, Allah does not look at your forms or your wealth, but He looks at your hearts and your deeds."
Also, the Prophet (PBUH) said:
(تُعْرَضُ الأعْمالُ في كُلِّ يَومِ خَمِيسٍ واثْنَيْنِ، فَيَغْفِرُ اللَّهُ عزَّ وجلَّ في ذلكَ اليَومِ، لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ لا يُشْرِكُ باللَّهِ شيئًا، إلَّا امْرَءًا كانَتْ بيْنَهُ وبيْنَ أخِيهِ شَحْناءُ، فيُقالُ: ارْكُوا هَذَيْنِ حتَّى يَصْطَلِحا، ارْكُوا هَذَيْنِ حتَّى يَصْطَلِحا.)
Reference: (Sahih Muslim:2565)
"Every Thursday and Monday, deeds are presented, so Allah forgives every person who does not associate anyone with Him, except a man who harbors enmity and hatred between him and his brother. It is said: Let them be given respite until they reconcile, let them be given respite until they reconcile."
From these two ahadith, it is established that after the correction of beliefs, the reform of actions is a necessary matter. Therefore, in the light of the blessed Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, one should strive to reform their actions.
The Importance of Preaching the Religion
The third important point of the Eid al-Adha sermon, which was not in the Arafat sermon, is that in it the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
(فَلْيُبْلِغِ الشَّاهِدُ الغَائِبَ،)
Meaning, "Whoever conveys Allah's religion from what exists to what does not exist." From this, it is understood that preaching the religion and conveying it to people is a very important matter. And the person who performs the duty of invitation and preaching is very fortunate in the sense that when people act upon his invitation, he receives the same reward as those who act upon it. As narrated by Hazrat Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
(مَن دَعا إلى هُدًى، كانَ له مِنَ الأجْرِ مِثْلُ أُجُورِ مَن تَبِعَهُ، لا يَنْقُصُ ذلكَ مِن أُجُورِهِمْ شيئًا، ومَن دَعا إلى ضَلالَةٍ، كانَ عليه مِنَ الإثْمِ مِثْلُ آثامِ مَن تَبِعَهُ، لا يَنْقُصُ ذلكَ مِن آثامِهِمْ شيئًا.)
Reference: (Sahih Muslim:2674)
"The person who invites to guidance will have a reward equal to that of those who follow him, without any reduction in their reward. And the person who calls to sin will bear a sin equal to that of those who commit it, without any reduction in their sins."
However, those who engage in calling and preaching should remember that the matter to which they invite people must be established by the Quran and Hadith, and they must have knowledge about it. Because knowledge is the foremost condition for calling and preaching. Allah Almighty says: ﴿قُلْ هَٰذِهِۦ سَبِيلِىٓ أَدْعُوٓا۟ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ ۚ عَلَىٰ بَصِيرَةٍ أَنَا۠ وَمَنِ ٱتَّبَعَنِى ۖ وَسُبْحَٰنَ ٱللَّهِ وَمَآ أَنَا۠ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ ﴿١٠٨﴾
Reference: (Surah Yusuf:108)
"Say, 'This is my way; I invite to Allah with insight, I and those who follow me. And exalted is Allah; and I am not of those who associate others with Him.'"
Another virtue of those who carry out the duty of Dawah and Tabligh, which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ stated while standing at Maqam-e-Khaif in Mina during the Farewell Pilgrimage, is:
(نَضَّرَ اللَّهُ امْرَأً سَمِعَ مَقَالَتِي، فَبَلَّغَهَا، فَرُبَّ حَامِلِ فِقْهٍ، غَيْرُ فَقِيهٍ، وَرُبَّ حَامِلِ فِقْهٍ إِلَى مَنْ هُوَ أَفْقَهُ مِنْهُ، ثَلَاثٌ لَا يُغِلُّ عَلَيْهِنَّ قَلْبُ مُؤْمِنٍ: إِخْلَاصُ الْعَمَلِ لِلَّهِ، وَالنَّصِيحَةُ لِوُلَاةِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، وَلُزُومُ جَمَاعَتِهِمْ، فَإِنَّ دَعْوَتَهُمْ، تُحِيطُ مِنْ وَرَائِهِمْ)
Reference: (Sunan Ibn Majah: 3056)
"May Allah grant happiness, joy, delight, and comfort to the person who listens to my words and conveys them to others, for many who seek knowledge (jurists) are not wise, and many who seek knowledge convey it to those wiser than themselves. And there are three things in the presence of which enmity does not enter the heart of a believer: to sincerely act for the sake of Allah, to wish well for the leaders of the Muslims, and to remain in their group at all costs. Because their invitation encompasses all of them (just as a wall surrounds them, similarly their invitation—which is the invitation of Islam—encompasses all of them and protects them from sectarianism). Therefore, it is extremely necessary to stay united with their group."
In this hadith, the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, specifically prayed for happiness and comfort for those who listen to his blessed hadiths and then convey them to others. Besides this, the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, drew people's attention to three more things and said that these three things are contrary to hatred and malice, meaning that if these things exist, then hatred and malice cannot enter the heart of a believer. These are:
➊ Sincerity of action for Allah Almighty
As we have mentioned before, the first condition for the acceptance of every righteous deed is that it is done purely for the pleasure of Allah Almighty and that no one else is associated with Him in it.
The Divine command is: ﴿وَمَآ أُمِرُوٓا۟ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ ٱلدِّينَ حُنَفَآءَ وَيُقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَيُؤْتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ ۚ وَذَٰلِكَ دِينُ ٱلْقَيِّمَةِ ﴿٥﴾
Reference: (Surah Al-Bayyina:5)
"And they were only commanded to worship Allah, to purify worship for Him alone and to be sincere, and to establish prayer and give zakah. This is the most correct religion."
He also said: ﴿إِنَّآ أَنزَلْنَآ إِلَيْكَ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ بِٱلْحَقِّ فَٱعْبُدِ ٱللَّهَ مُخْلِصًا لَّهُ ٱلدِّينَ ﴿٢﴾ أَلَا لِلَّهِ ٱلدِّينُ ٱلْخَالِصُ﴾
Reference: (Surah Az-Zumar:2-3)
"Indeed, We have sent down this Book to you with the truth, so worship Allah, being sincere to Him in religion. Beware! The religion is purely for Allah alone."
Similarly, He said:
﴿قُلْ إِنَّ صَلَاتِى وَنُسُكِى وَمَحْيَاىَ وَمَمَاتِى لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ ﴿١٦٢﴾ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُۥ ۖ وَبِذَٰلِكَ أُمِرْتُ وَأَنَا۠ أَوَّلُ ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ ﴿١٦٣﴾
Reference: (Surah Al-An'am:162-163)
"Say, 'Indeed, my prayer, my sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds, who has no partner.'"
From all these verses, it is established that every righteous deed must be purified for Allah alone; otherwise, if any deed is done for anyone other than Allah, or if anyone else is associated with Allah in the deed, or if there is ostentation or the intention to hear praise from people, then such a deed becomes worthless and instead becomes a source of harm.
➋ Showing goodwill towards the heads of state
Showing goodwill towards the heads of state means obeying them in rightful matters and praying to Allah Almighty for divine success for them. They should be given good advice regarding state affairs, guided to fulfill the requirements of justice and fairness in the state, kindly advised to promote Islamic values in society and eliminate evils, and if they make any mistakes, their errors should not be publicly exposed to incite rebellion against them, but rather they should be warned secretly and in a manner of goodwill.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:
(الدِّينُ النَّصِيحَةُ. قُلْنا: لِمَنْ؟ قالَ: لِلَّهِ ولِكِتابِهِ ولِرَسولِهِ ولأَئِمَّةِ المُسْلِمِينَ وعامَّتِهِمْ.)
Reference: (Sahih Muslim:55)
"Religion is sincerity (goodwill)." The Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, asked: For whom, O Messenger of Allah? He ﷺ replied: "For Allah, for His Book, for His Messenger, for the common Muslims, and for their rulers."
➌ To remain part of the Muslim community at all costs
When all Muslims or the majority of them are united under one Caliph, their community should not be abandoned, nor should one separate from them and cause discord or division among them. It is narrated from Hazrat Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
(مَن رَأَى مِن أمِيرِهِ شيئًا يَكْرَهُهُ فَلْيَصْبِرْ، فإنَّه مَن فارَقَ الجَماعَةَ شِبْرًا، فَماتَ، فَمِيتَةٌ جاهِلِيَّةٌ.)
Reference: (Sahih Muslim:1849)
"Whoever sees something in his ruler that he dislikes, he should be patient, because whoever separates even by a hand's span from the community and dies in that state, his death will be the death of ignorance (Jahiliyyah)."
And Hazrat Hudhaifa bin Al-Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that people generally used to ask the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) about good, but I used to ask him about evil out of fear that I might be afflicted by it. So I said: O Messenger of Allah! We were in ignorance and evil, then Allah honored us with this good (Islam), so will any evil come after this good? The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Yes. I asked: Will any good come after that evil? The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Yes, but it will have some impurity. I said: What is meant by impurity? The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: (قَوْمٌ يَسْتَنُّونَ بغيرِ سُنَّتِي، وَيَهْدُونَ بغيرِ هَدْيِي، تَعْرِفُ منهمْ وَتُنْكِرُ،) "There will come people who will abandon my way and follow another way, and leave my character and take guidance from someone else's character. You will like some of their words and dislike others." I asked: Will any evil come after that good? The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Yes, some callers will come who will be as if standing at the gates of Hell; whoever accepts their invitation, they will throw him into it. I said: O Messenger of Allah! Describe their characteristics. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: They will be from among us and will speak our language. I said: O Messenger of Allah! If that time comes upon me, what do you advise me? The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: (تَلْزَمُ جَمَاعَةَ المُسْلِمِينَ وإمَامَهُمْ،) "In every condition, remain attached to the group of Muslims and their ruler." I said: What if there is no group of Muslims and no ruler? The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
(فَاعْتَزِلْ تِلكَ الفِرَقَ كُلَّهَا، ولو أَنْ تَعَضَّ علَى أَصْلِ شَجَرَةٍ حتَّى يُدْرِكَكَ المَوْتُ وَأَنْتَ علَى ذلكَ.)
Reference: (Sahih Muslim:1847)
"Then leave all those sects, even if you have to gnaw the roots of a tree, until death comes to you in that state." Also, Hazrat Urfajah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
(مَن أتاكُمْ وأَمْرُكُمْ جَمِيعٌ علَى رَجُلٍ واحِدٍ، يُرِيدُ أنْ يَشُقَّ عَصاكُمْ، أوْ يُفَرِّقَ جَماعَتَكُمْ، فاقْتُلُوهُ.)
Reference: (Sahih Muslim:1852)
"Whoever comes to you at a time when you are united upon a ruler to create discord among you and to break your group into pieces, then kill him."
In summary, these three matters (sincerity of action for Allah, goodwill towards the head of state, and remaining part of the Muslim community) are such matters that keep the heart of a believing servant free from diseases like hatred and enmity towards Muslims.
The Sermon of the Day of Sacrifice … Another Tradition
In the authentic narration of Sunan Ibn Majah, there are some additional words regarding the sermon of the Day of Sacrifice which were not in the previous narration, and they are: After explaining the sanctity of a Muslim's blood, wealth, and honor, the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
(أَلَا لَا يَجْنِي جَانٍ إِلَّا عَلَى نَفْسِهِ، وَلَا يَجْنِي وَالِدٌ عَلَى وَلَدِهِ، وَلَا مَوْلُودٌ عَلَى وَالِدِهِ، أَلَا إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ قَدْ أَيِسَ أَنْ يُعْبَدَ فِي بَلَدِكُمْ هَذَا أَبَدًا، وَلَكِنْ سَيَكُونُ لَهُ طَاعَةٌ فِي بَعْضِ مَا تَحْتَقِرُونَ مِنْ أَعْمَالِكُمْ، فَيَرْضَى بِهَا،)
Reference: (Sunan Ibn Majah:3055)
"Beware! Every criminal is responsible for his own crime, and if a father commits a crime, its burden does not fall on his children, and if the children commit a crime, its responsibility does not fall on the father. Beware! Satan is certainly disappointed that he will ever be worshiped in your city, but yes, in some of your deeds which you consider trivial, he will be obeyed, and he will be pleased with that alone."
In this hadith, the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, pointed to three things:
➊ Every person is responsible for their own sin. Therefore, the punishment for their sin will not be taken from someone else but from themselves. This is the meaning of Allah Almighty's command: ﴿وَلَا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَىٰ﴾
Reference: (Surah Al-Isra:15)
"And no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another." He also said: ﴿كُلُّ نَفْسِۭ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ رَهِينَةٌ ﴿٣٨﴾
Reference: (Surah Al-Muddathir:38)
"Every soul is a pledge for what it has earned." Among the Arabs, it was a common practice that if a person committed a sin, one of their close relatives would be seized as punishment, which was outright injustice. Therefore, during the Farewell Pilgrimage sermon, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) forbade this and stated an important principle of the law of crime and punishment: "Whoever does (the deed) will bear (the consequences)." It is not that one commits and another bears the burden!
➋ Then the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) specifically mentioned both the father and the child, stating that if either commits a crime, the other cannot be punished for it. That is, it is not correct to punish the child for the father's crime or the father for the child's crime. When this matter cannot occur between a father and his child, it cannot occur between anyone else either.
➌ The third important point of this narration is that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) informed that now, when people are embracing Islam in large numbers and the tribes that were enemies of Islam until yesterday have now accepted Islam, Satan has become hopeless in his own way that in the Arabian Peninsula his worship, i.e., acts of disbelief, will be obeyed. However, some actions, which people generally consider minor, such as lying, betrayal, backbiting, and deceit, will still be obeyed by him, and he will be pleased with that. Similarly, modern electronic temptations, such as those spread through mobile phones, TV, the internet, and cameras, also fall into this category.
Day of Sacrifice … Another Sermon
Hazrat Abu Umamah (RA) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (SAW), while sitting on his she-camel (Al-Jad'aa) during Hajj al-Wada', delivered a sermon on the Day of Nahr in Mina. He (SAW) stood with his feet in the stirrups of the camel and, raising his voice to attract the attention of the people, said: (أَلا تَسْمَعُوْنَ) "Do you not hear?" Then the Prophet (SAW) said three times: (ألَا لعلَّكم لا تَرَوني بعدَ عامِكم هذا،) "Perhaps you will not see me next year."
A man who was standing at the very back said: "So what do you command us?" Upon this, the Prophet (SAW) said:
(اتَّقوا اللَّهَ ربَّكم وصلُّوا خمسَكم وصوموا شَهرَكم وأدُّوا زَكاةَ أموالِكم وأطيعوا ذا أمرِكم تدخلوا جنَّةَ ربِّكُم)
Reference: (Sahih al-Tirmidhi: 616)
And in a narration of Ahmad: (أعبدواربكم…)"Fear Allah, who is your Lord, and keep performing the five prayers, and give the zakat from your wealth. Also, continue to obey your rulers. In this way, you will enter the Paradise of your Lord." In Ahmad's narration, instead of (اِتَّقُوْا اللّٰہَ رَبَّکُمْ), the words (اُعْبُدُوْا رَبَّکُمْ) are used: In this sermon, the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, commanded five things and gave the glad tidings of Paradise to those who act upon them. These five things are:
➊ Taqwa (Piety):
Taqwa means that a person has such fear of Allah in his heart that he protects himself from disobeying Him. When a bad thought arises in his heart or Satan presents some evil to him in an attractive way, the fear of Allah stands as a barrier between him and that evil, and he refrains from it. Allah Almighty has repeatedly commanded taqwa in the Holy Quran. For reminder, listen to a few verses:
The Divine command is: ﴿يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَلْتَنظُرْ نَفْسٌ مَّا قَدَّمَتْ لِغَدٍ ۖ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ خَبِيرُۢ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ ﴿١٨﴾
Reference: (Surah Al-Hashr:18)
"O you who have believed! Fear Allah. And let every soul look to what it has put forth for tomorrow (the Day of Judgment)! And fear Allah. Indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what you do."
﴿يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِۦ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ ﴿١٠٢﴾
Reference: (Surah Al-Imran:102)
"O you who have believed! Fear Allah as He should be feared and do not die except as Muslims."
﴿يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَقُولُوا۟ قَوْلًا سَدِيدًا ﴿٧٠﴾ يُصْلِحْ لَكُمْ أَعْمَٰلَكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ﴾
Reference: (Surah Al-Ahzab:67-68)
"O you who have believed! Fear Allah and speak words of appropriate justice. He will [then] amend for you your deeds and forgive you your sins."
In these verses, Allah Almighty commands piety, and while explaining the benefits of piety, He says:
﴿وَمَن يَتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُۥ مَخْرَجًا ﴿٢﴾ وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ﴾
Reference: (Surah At-Talaq:2-3)
"And whoever fears Allah - He will make for him a way out. And will provide for him from where he does not expect."
Also He said: ﴿وَمَن يَتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُۥ مِنْ أَمْرِهِۦ يُسْرًا ﴾
Reference: (Surah At-Talaq:4)
"And whoever fears Allah - He will make for him ease in his matter."
Also He said: ﴿وَمَن يَتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ يُكَفِّرْ عَنْهُ سَيِّـَٔاتِهِۦ وَيُعْظِمْ لَهُۥٓ أَجْرًا ﴾
Reference: (Surah At-Talaq:5)
"And whoever fears Allah - He will pardon him his sins and grant him a great reward."
In these verses, Allah Almighty has explained the benefits of piety, stating that for those who fear Him and protect themselves from disobedience, Allah makes a way out of difficulties and troubles, makes their tasks easy, grants abundance in their sustenance, and erases their sins, bestowing upon them a great reward.
➋ Five Prayers
Five prayers during the day and night are obligatory upon every accountable Muslim, and after the declaration of the oneness of Allah and the Prophethood, performing them regularly is the second fundamental pillar of Islam. Allah Almighty has commanded the establishment of prayer at many places in the Holy Quran, and the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, declared it the pillar of the religion and spoke about its obligation and virtue:
(خَمسُ صلواتٍ كتَبهُنَّ اللهُ على العِبادِ، فمَن جاء بهنَّ لم يُضيِّعْ منهنَّ شيئًا استخفافًا بحقِّهنَّ، كان له عندَ اللهِ عهدٌ أنْ يُدخِلَه الجنَّةَ، ومَن لم يأتِ بهنَّ، فليس له عندَ اللهِ عهدٌ؛ إنْ شاء عذَّبه، وإنْ شاء أدخَلَه الجنَّةَ.)
Reference: (Sunan Abi Dawood:1420)
"Allah Almighty has made five prayers obligatory upon the servants. Therefore, whoever performs them and does not neglect any prayer, considering them light, Allah Almighty promises to admit him into Paradise. And whoever does not perform them, Allah Almighty has no promise for him; if He wills, He will punish him, and if He wills, He will admit him into Paradise."
Dear ones! Allah Almighty called His most beloved Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, to Himself, raised him to the heavens above as far as He willed, and during this journey, imposed five prayers upon him and his Ummah. This is evidence that among all obligations, the duty of prayer is extremely important! And in view of its importance and status, Allah Almighty will take account of it first on the Day of Judgment. As the Noble Messenger, peace be upon him, said:
(أوَّلُ ما يحاسبُ بِهِ العبدُ يومَ القيامةِ الصَّلاةُ، فإن صلُحَت صلُحَ سائرُ عملِهِ، وإن فسَدت فسدَ سائرُ عملِهِ)
Reference: (الترغيب والترهيب:1/189)
"On the Day of Judgment, the first thing to be accounted for from a servant will be the prayer. If the prayer is found correct, then all other deeds will also be found correct, and if the prayer is corrupt, then all other deeds will also be corrupt."
And in another narration, it is said: (يُنْظَرُ في صلاتِهِ فإنْ صَلُحَتْ فقد أفلحَ ، وإنْ فَسَدَتْ فقد خَابَ وخَسِرَ)
Reference: (الترغيب والترهيب:1/190)
"His prayer will be examined; if it is correct, he will be successful, and if it is not correct, he will be disgraced, humiliated, and a loser."
Regarding the virtue of the five prayers, Hazrat Salman (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that I was with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) under a tree. The Prophet (peace be upon him) took a dry branch and shook it so much that all its leaves fell off. Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: O Salman! Do you not ask me why I did this? I said: Why did you do this? Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
(إنَّ المُسْلِمَ إذا توضَّأَ فأحسنَ الوضوءَ، ثمَّ صلَّى الصَّلواتِ الخمسَ-تحاتَّت خطاياهُ كما تحاتَّ هذا الورقُ وقالَ:{أَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ طَرَفَيِ النَّهَارِ وَزُلَفًا مِنَ اللَّيْلِ إِنَّ الْحَسَنَاتِ يُذْهِبْنَ السَّيِّئَاتِ ذَلِكَ ذِكْرَى لِلذَّاكِرِينَ})
Reference: (الترغيب والترهيب:1/185)
"Indeed, when a Muslim performs ablution properly and then offers the five prayers (at their respective times), his sins fall away just as the leaves fall from a branch. Then the Prophet ﷺ recited the verse whose translation is: 'Establish prayer at the decline of the sun [from its meridian] until the darkness of the night and [also] the Qur'an of dawn. Indeed, the recitation of dawn is ever witnessed. Indeed, the good deeds erase the bad deeds. That is a reminder for those who remember Allah.'"
And Hazrat Abu Huraira (RA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
(أَرَأَيْتُمْ لو أنَّ نَهْرًا ببَابِ أَحَدِكُمْ يَغْتَسِلُ منه كُلَّ يَومٍ خَمْسَ مَرَّاتٍ، هلْ يَبْقَى مِن دَرَنِهِ شيءٌ؟ قالوا:لا يَبْقَى مِن دَرَنِهِ شيءٌ، قالَ: فَذلكَ مَثَلُ الصَّلَوَاتِ الخَمْسِ، يَمْحُو اللَّهُ بهِنَّ الخَطَايَا.)
Reference: (Sahih Muslim:667)
"Tell me, if there is a river at the door of one of you and he bathes in it five times a day, will any dirt remain on him?" The people said: "No, not even a little dirt will remain." The Prophet ﷺ said: "That is the example of the five prayers; Allah wipes away sins through them."
➌ Fasting in the month of Ramadan
Like the five prayers, the fasts of the month of Ramadan are also obligatory upon every accountable Muslim. Allah Almighty says:
﴿يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ ﴿١٨٣﴾
Reference: (Surah Al-Baqarah:183)
"O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous."
And the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, mentioned many virtues of the fasts of Ramadan. One of these virtues is:
(مَن صَامَ رَمَضَانَ، إيمَانًا واحْتِسَابًا، غُفِرَ له ما تَقَدَّمَ مِن ذَنْبِهِ)
Reference: (Sahih al-Bukhari:38)
"Whoever fasts in Ramadan with faith and seeking reward from Allah, his past sins are forgiven." Besides this, many other virtues are established in various hadiths, which we have discussed in detail in the sermons of Ramadan. Here, the purpose is only to mention that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, in his Farewell Pilgrimage sermon, in front of a large gathering of people, emphasized many righteous deeds, including the fasts of the blessed month of Ramadan, so that no doubt or suspicion would remain regarding them.
➍ Zakat of wealth
The fourth point of this hadith is to pay the zakat of wealth, and Allah, the Exalted, has commanded in many verses of the Holy Quran that wherever the establishment of prayer is commanded, the payment of zakat is also commanded, which is evidence that the importance of zakat is no less than that of prayer. Therefore, the owners of wealth should not be negligent in paying zakat. At the beginning of the caliphate of Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him), those who refused to pay zakat, he declared war against them and said:
(واللَّهِ لو مَنَعُونِي عِقَالًا كَانُوا يُؤَدُّونَهُ إلى رَسولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عليه وسلَّمَ لَقَاتَلْتُهُمْ علَى مَنْعِهِ،)
Reference: (Sahih al-Bukhari:7284)
"By Allah! If they refuse to give me even a rope which they used to give to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), then I will fight them for their refusal."
From this, you can understand how important the payment of Zakat is! Especially in a society where there is class division, where one household has every kind of comfort and every blessing of the world, and right next to it, there is nothing to eat or drink, and where in one neighborhood many wealthy people reside, and alongside them many poor, needy, and destitute also live, the importance of Zakat increases even more. When the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, sent Hazrat Muadh bin Jabal, may Allah be pleased with him, towards Yemen, he instructed him to first invite the people to the oneness of Allah and the Prophethood. If they accepted, then inform them that Allah has made five prayers obligatory upon them during the day and night. After that, he said: (فإذا فَعَلُوا، فأخْبِرْهُمْ أنَّ اللَّهَ قدْ فَرَضَ عليهم زَكاةً تُؤْخَذُ مِن أغْنِيائِهِمْ فَتُرَدُّ علَى فُقَرائِهِمْ،)
Reference: (Sahih Muslim:19)
"If they do so (i.e., start offering prayers), then warn them that Allah has made Zakat obligatory upon them, which will be taken from their rich and distributed among their poor." And Allah Almighty has stated in the Holy Quran:
﴿خُذْ مِنْ أَمْوَٰلِهِمْ صَدَقَةً تُطَهِّرُهُمْ وَتُزَكِّيهِم بِهَا…﴾
Reference: (Surah At-Tawbah:103)
"O Prophet, take from their wealth a charity by which you purify them and cause them increase, and invoke [Allah's blessings] upon them."
From this, it is understood that the payment of Zakat purifies wealth and purifies the soul from greed, miserliness, and avarice.
➎ Obedience to the Ruler
The fifth point of this Eid al-Adha sermon is (أطيعوا ذا أمْرِكُم) that is, "Obey your rulers and those in authority." After commanding obedience to Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him), Allah has commanded obedience to the Wali al-Amr (the ruler):
﴿يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ أَطِيعُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا۟ ٱلرَّسُولَ وَأُو۟لِى ٱلْأَمْرِ مِنكُمْ﴾
Reference: (Surah An-Nisa:59)
"O you who have believed! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger (peace be upon him) and those in authority among you." In this verse, Allah Almighty has commanded obedience to those in authority, but after commanding obedience to the Messenger (peace be upon him), the word (أطیعوا) was used again for obedience to him, whereas this word was not used for obedience to those in authority. This is evidence that obedience to the Messenger (peace be upon him) is absolute, while obedience to those in authority is not absolute but conditional. And what is that condition? Its explanation is given in the Hadith of the Messenger (peace be upon him):
(عَلَى المَرْءِ المُسْلِمِ السَّمْعُ والطَّاعَةُ فِيما أحَبَّ وكَرِهَ، إلَّا أنْ يُؤْمَرَ بمَعْصِيَةٍ، فإنْ أُمِرَ بمَعْصِيَةٍ، فلا سَمْعَ ولا طاعَةَ.)
Reference: (Sahih Muslim:1839)
"Listening and obeying is obligatory upon a Muslim, whether he is commanded to do something he likes or something he dislikes (i.e., obedience is necessary in every situation), except when he is commanded to commit a sin. Therefore, if he is commanded to disobey (Allah Almighty or His Messenger ﷺ), then that command should neither be listened to nor obeyed." From this, it is understood that obedience to the ruler/leader/person in authority is conditional upon obedience to Allah and His Messenger ﷺ. Accordingly, disobedience to Allah and the Messenger ﷺ means that obedience to the ruler of the time and those in authority will not be given.
Brothers in Islam! In this era, voices are raised against those in power over trivial matters, protests and demonstrations create a provocative atmosphere in the country, and rulers and ministers are insulted in gatherings and processions! However, this approach contradicts many hadiths of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and is completely against the methodology of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah. Because the unanimous approach of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah regarding those in power is to wish them well, assist them in matters of truth, and if they oppress the subjects, to advise them secretly, show patience and tolerance, and pray for their well-being. Listen to a few hadiths on this matter:
Hazrat Anas رضي الله عنه states that the senior companions رضي الله عنهم forbade us from disobeying the rulers and narrated to us this saying of the Prophet ﷺ:
(لا تَسُبُّوا أُمَراءَكم ولا تَغُشُّوهم ولا تَبْغَضوهم واتقوا اللهَ واصبِروا فإنَّ الأمرَ قريبٌ)
Reference: (Takhreej Kitab al-Sunnah:1015)
"Do not insult your rulers, do not deceive them, do not harbor enmity against them, fear Allah, and be patient, for the matter is near."
And it is narrated from Hazrat Auf bin Malik (RA) that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said:
(ألا مَن ولِيَ عليه والٍ، فَرَآهُ يَأْتي شيئًا مِن مَعْصِيَةِ اللهِ، فَلْيَكْرَهْ ما يَأْتي مِن مَعْصِيَةِ اللهِ، ولا يَنْزِعَنَّ يَدًا مِن طاعَةٍ.)
Reference: (Sahih Muslim:1855)
"Beware! Whoever is appointed as a ruler over someone, and he sees that he is committing some disobedience to Allah, he should not like that disobedience, but he should not withdraw his obedience from him."
And it is narrated from Hazrat Hudhayfah bin Yaman (RA) that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said:
(يَكونُ بَعْدِي أَئِمَّةٌ لا يَهْتَدُونَ بهُدَايَ، وَلَا يَسْتَنُّونَ بسُنَّتِي، وَسَيَقُومُ فيهم رِجَالٌ قُلُوبُهُمْ قُلُوبُ الشَّيَاطِينِ في جُثْمَانِ إنْسٍ، قالَ: قُلتُ: كيفَ أَصْنَعُ يا رَسولَ اللهِ، إنْ أَدْرَكْتُ ذلكَ؟ قالَ: تَسْمَعُ وَتُطِيعُ لِلأَمِيرِ، وإنْ ضُرِبَ ظَهْرُكَ، وَأُخِذَ مَالُكَ،)
Reference: (Sahih Muslim:1847)
"After me, some rulers will come who will neither take guidance from my teachings nor follow my Sunnah, and soon there will be among you some people whose hearts are of devils and bodies are of humans." I asked: If I live in such a time, what should I do? The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "You should listen to the ruler and obey him even if he strikes your back and confiscates your wealth."
And Hazrat Iyad bin Ghanim (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
(مَنْ أَرَادَ أَنْ يَنْصَحَ لِذِي سُلْطَانٍ فَلا يُبْدِهِ عَلانِيَةً وَلَكِنْ يَأْخُذُ بِيَدِهِ فَيَخْلُوا بِهِ فَإِنْ قَبِلَ مِنْهُ فَذَاكَ وَإِلا كَانَ قَدْ أَدَّى الَّذِي عَلَيْهِ”.)
Reference: (Narrated by Ibn Abi Asim and authenticated by Al-Albani in Zilal al-Jannah:1096)
"Whoever wants to advise a person in authority should not do so publicly, but should take his hand and go aside (and then advise him). If he accepts, that is good; otherwise, the one who advised has fulfilled his duty."
Dear respected ones! This and many other hadiths clarify and provide evidence for the methodology and stance of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah regarding those in authority. Therefore, this stance should be adopted, and deviation from it should not create an atmosphere of anarchy and rebellion in the country, because the harm outweighs the benefit. Rather, it spreads disorder, lawlessness, and chaos in the country, and if the rulers become inclined to suppress the rebellion, innocent lives are lost... Yes, if those in authority commit clear disbelief—about which there is no doubt or suspicion—and despite the advice of the scholars and learned people, they are not willing to abandon that disbelief, then rebellion against them can be undertaken. But the condition is that the rebellion should not cause the spread of a greater evil or corruption, and those who rebel should be capable of removing the rulers without bloodshed. If they are not capable of removing them or if rebellion risks causing a greater evil, then there is no option but to be patient.
Hazrat Ibadah bin As-Samit (RA) narrated that we pledged allegiance to the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) that we will listen and obey in every situation, even if our rights are violated, we will still obey. And that we will not try to seize power from those in authority. The Prophet (PBUH) said: Except when you see clear disbelief about which you have proof from Allah.‘‘
Reference: (Sahih al-Bukhari: 7055, Sahih Muslim: 1709, Al-Amarah, Chapter on the Obligation to Obey the Rulers in Non-Disobedience)
In summary, the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) in this sermon commanded five things (Taqwa, the five prayers, fasting in the month of Ramadan, Zakat on wealth, and obedience to the ruler). After mentioning these five, the Prophet (PBUH) said:
(تدخلوا جنة ربكم) meaning if you act upon these, you will enter Paradise. Therefore, we all should adhere to these five.
Some more narrations of the Farewell Pilgrimage sermon of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ are presented so that this topic may be fully covered.
Another Sermon of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ
Hazrat Jabir رضي الله عنه reports that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ gave us the Farewell Sermon in the middle of the days of Tashreeq and said: (يا أيُّها النَّاسُ: إنَّ ربَّكمْ واحدٌ، وإنَّ أباكمْ واحدٌ، ألا لا فَضلَ لعربيٍّ على عَجميٍّ، ولا لعَجميٍّ على عَربيٍّ، ولا لأحمرَ على أسوَدَ، ولا لأسوَدَ على أحمرَ، إلَّا بالتَّقوَى،{إنَّ أكْرَمَكُمْ عِنْدَ اللهِ أتْقاكُمْ،}ألا هل بلَّغتُ؟ قالوا: بلَى يا رسولَ اللهِ. قال: فلْيُبلِّغِ الشاهدُ الغائبَ)
Reference: (Sahih al-Targhib:2964)
"O people! Indeed, your Lord is One and your father is one. Beware! No Arab has any superiority over a non-Arab, nor does a non-Arab have any superiority over an Arab; nor does a white person have any superiority over a black person, nor does a black person have any superiority over a white person. Only piety and righteousness confer superiority. The Divine Command is: {إنَّ أكْرَمَكُمْ عِنْدَ اللهِ أتْقاكُمْ،} Indeed, the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous among you. Beware! Have I conveyed the message?" The Companions رضي الله عنهم said: "Yes, O Messenger of Allah!" He ﷺ said: "The one who is present conveys to the one who is absent."
In this sermon, the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, emphasized two important points. One is the unity of the Ummah, meaning that your Ummah is one Ummah, it has one Lord and one Father. Therefore, it is obligatory upon every individual of this Ummah to worship one Allah and not to create division and sectarianism by worshipping others besides Allah. Exactly the same thing has been stated by Allah Almighty in the Holy Quran:
﴿إِنَّ هَٰذِهِۦٓ أُمَّتُكُمْ أُمَّةً وَٰحِدَةً وَأَنَا۠ رَبُّكُمْ فَٱعْبُدُونِ ﴾
Reference: (Surah Al-Anbiya:92)
"Indeed, this your Ummah is one Ummah, and I am your Lord, so worship Me."
And He said: ﴿وَٱعْتَصِمُوا۟ بِحَبْلِ ٱللَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا۟﴾
Reference: (Surah Aal Imran:103)
"And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided."
This and many other texts indicate that Islam teaches this Ummah the lesson of unity and harmony and forbids division and factionalism. The current regrettable situation of this Ummah is that it has been divided into various groups, due to which its strength has been lost and the enemy has gained dominance over it! The only way out of this is the same path that the early people of this Ummah adopted, and by adopting which they presented a commendable example of a united Ummah and created unparalleled unity and harmony among themselves, and that is the worship of Allah alone and obedience only to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him. Following only the Quran of Allah and the commands of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him. There was no third party besides these two who was considered a leader and whose obedience was required, and this is essentially the straight path on which the Quran commands to walk. The Divine command is:
﴿وَأَنَّ هَٰذَا صِرَٰطِى مُسْتَقِيمًا فَٱتَّبِعُوهُ ۖ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا۟ ٱلسُّبُلَ فَتَفَرَّقَ بِكُمْ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ وَصَّىٰكُم بِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ ﴾
Reference: (Surah Al-An'am:153)
"And indeed, this is My straight path, so follow it and do not follow other paths, for they will separate you from His way. This is Allah's emphatic command for you so that you may become righteous."
The second point emphasized by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in the Farewell Pilgrimage sermon is the abolition of discrimination based on nationality and race. That is, no nation is superior to another, and no color is superior to another. However, if anyone has any superiority over another, it is only in terms of piety. Therefore, whichever nation or person is more pious and righteous will have precedence over all other nations and individuals, whether they belong to Arabs or non-Arabs, and whether their color is fair or dark.
Farewell Pilgrimage Sermon ........ and the Dajjal
Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar (RA) narrates that we used to talk about the Farewell Pilgrimage (Hajjat al-Wada') in the presence of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), even though we did not know what the Farewell Pilgrimage was. Then during the Farewell Pilgrimage, the Prophet (PBUH) praised and glorified Allah, then mentioned the Antichrist (Masih ad-Dajjal) and exaggerated in his description, saying: (مَا بَعَثَ اللَّهُ مِنْ نَبِيٍّ إِلَّا أَنْذَرَ أُمَّتَهُ أَنْذَرَهُ نُوحٌ وَالنَّبِيُّونَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ وَإِنَّهُ يَخْرُجُ فِيكُمْ فَمَا خَفِيَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْ شَأْنِهِ فَلَيْسَ يَخْفَى عَلَيْكُمْ أَنَّ رَبَّكُمْ لَيْسَ عَلَى مَا يَخْفَى عَلَيْكُمْ ثَلَاثًا إِنَّ رَبَّكُمْ لَيْسَ بِأَعْوَرَ وَإِنَّهُ أَعْوَرُ عَيْنِ الْيُمْنَى كَأَنَّ عَيْنَهُ عِنَبَةٌ طَافِيَةٌ)
Reference: (Sahih al-Bukhari:4402)
"Allah sent many prophets, and all of them warned their people about him (the Dajjal). Prophet Noah (AS) and all the prophets after him warned about him, and he will certainly appear among you. What was hidden from you about him should no longer remain hidden. Indeed, your Lord is not unaware of you." He said this three times. "Indeed, your Lord is not unaware." And he (the Dajjal) will certainly be one-eyed, as if his eye is like a protruding grape."
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, warned the Ummah about the trial of the Dajjal in his Farewell Pilgrimage sermon, and the severity of this trial can be understood from the fact that every prophet in every era warned about it, but the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said that he will appear among you. Moreover, along with warning about it, he also mentioned a sign that no one before him had mentioned, by which there can be no mistake in recognizing him, and that is his being blind in the right eye. An even clearer sign is mentioned in another hadith where the Prophet, peace be upon him, said that it will be written on his forehead (کفر). May Allah protect us all from his trial. Ameen.
