All praise is due to Allaah, may peace and blessings of Allaah be upon His Prophet (s.a.w.s.), his household and companions.

Fellow Muslims! Fear Allaah as He should be feared and be conscious of Him in private and in public.

“O you who believe! Keep your duty to Allaah and fear Him, and speak always the truth. He will direct you to do righteous good deeds and will forgive you your sins. And whosoever obeys Allaah and His Messenger has indeed achieved a great  achievement.” (Al-Ahzaab 33:70-71)

Brothers in Faith! These days, Islaamic societies are being relentlessly attacked by Christianisation campaigns, impudent temptations and open war through misleading mass media controlled by callers to evil and corruption in order to Westernise these societies  and to divert them from their religion and path.

Indeed, the unbelieving nations live a disgraced life, suffer in infected sludge and move in moral and religious darkness. While some are alcoholics, others are addicted to music and another large number of them are enslaved by their lust. Their statutes are full of oppressive and unjust laws which they use to decide matters relating to their lives, chastity and properties. Allah (S.W.T.) says: “And he for whom Allaah has not appointed light for him there is no light.” (24:40)

However, it is very saddening that some Islaamic societies have been affected by this westernisation so much so that it has attacked their established concepts,  changed their customs, weakens their strength and destroys many aspects of their lives. Allaah says:

“And they will never cease fighting you until they turn you back from your religion if they can.” (Al-Baqarah 2:217)

Brothers in Islaam! There will be no religious stability nor actualisation of Divine promise or safety from retribution and calamities except by holding fast unto the Book of Allaah which He revealed to His Messenger Sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam (s.a.w.s.); for that is real protection, the astounding evidence and the ever-illuminating light. It is a revelation that whenever it was revealed to the Prophet (s.a.w.s.)  it weighed heavily on him, he would lower his head, his face would become morose and his forehead would sweat profusely. Aa`ishah said: “I have seen while he was been revealed to on a very cold day ad when the revelation ended, his forehead would sweat profusely.” He, himself, used to say: “Sometimes, revelation comes to me like a clattering of bell and that is the most trying experience I get when the revelation is being revealed to me. It would then leave me until I have comprehended the revelation.”

The Qur’aan is a great sign and a weighty Word. Allaah commanded His Prophet (s.a.w.s.)  to hold fast unto it and never deviate from it. He says

“Then We put you on a (plain) way of (Our) commandment. So follow you that and follow not the desire of those who know not.”  (Al-Jaathiyah 45:18)

The Prophet (s.a.w.s.)  himself informed his nation that the only guidance lies in clinging unto the Qur’aan when he said: “I am leaving for you two things if you hold fast to them you will never get astray: The Book of Allaah and my Sunnah.”

His companions used to receive the Revelation with honour and acceptance. They would abide by its commandments, surrender to its judgment and guidance without hesitation or preference to other options. Ibn Buraydah narrated from his father that he said: “While we were sitting at our drinking place on the sand and we were three or four persons with a jug with us and drinking liquor for it was then lawful, then I left for the place of the Prophet (s.a.w.s.)  and greeted him. The verse that prohibited alcohol drinking was then revealed:

“O you who believe! Intoxicants, Gambling, Al-Ansab (i.e. animals that are slaughtered on stone-altars for idols) and Arrows (that are used for seeking luck or decision) are an abomination of the Satan’s handiwork. So avoid (strictly all) that in order that you may be successful. Satan wants  only to excite enmity and hatred between you with intoxicants and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of Allaah and from Salaah (the Prayer). Will you then not abstain?”  (Al-Maa`idah 5: 90-91)

I afterwards went to my companions and read the verse to them. One of them was holding his alcohol in his hand having drank some and the rest was still in his cup, but he turn the cup just below his upper lip. They all poured away what was in their jug and said: “We abstain, Our Rabb (Cherisher and Sustainer)! We abstain, Our Rabb!”

The verse was revealed when they were holding their cups in their hands and it was the command of Allaah that prevented them from reaching their lips. Those who were holding cups of alcohol broke them and those who have taken a mouthful coughed it out. Containers of alcohol were broken in al-Madeenah. Such is the commandment of Allaah. One should have no option except to submit and surrender to it.

Also, when Allaah revealed the verse: “O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) all over their bodies.” (Al-Ahzaab 33:59 ) the Ansaar women came out as if there were  sieves on their heads because of their garments.”

Ibn `Abbaas also narrated another incident of the companions total submission to the commandments of  Allaah and His Messenger. He said: “The Messenger of Allaah saw a golden ring in the hand of a man so he pulled it off and threw it away and then said: “Will one of you knowingly take a burning charcoal and put it in his hand!” When the Messenger of Allaah left the scene, the man was told: ‘Take your ring and make use of it (in something else)’. The man replied: “No, by Allaah! I will never take it since the Messenger of  Allaah has thrown it away.” (Muslim)

Fellow Muslims! The only safe way and protection from the trials and temptations of this age is fast adherence to the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger and then the path of the righteous predecessors of this Ummah. That is the only way out of tribulations. Jundub bin Abdullah Al-Bajalee told the people of Basrah about the two revelations (the Qur’aan and Sunnah): “Hold fast unto the Qur’aan for it   is the guidance during the day and light during the night. Take them into practice however hardship and poverty that may cause you. When any calamity befalls you sacrifice for it your money rather than your religion. If the calamity is beyond what your money can bear, sacrifice your blood for it, for the actual deprived person is the one deprived of his religion. There is no poverty after entrance into Hellfire.”

Hudhayfah bin Yamaan told Aamir bin Mitr: “What will be your position if people take a single way and the Qur’aan takes another way?, which of the ways will you follow? He answered “I will be with the Qur’aan, die with it and be resurrected with it.”

Brothers in Faith! Hold fast unto this revelation sincerely you will be shown its effects in your deeds, sayings dealings and all your affairs and you will live a prosperous life and die for your religion and loyalties.

Let each and every one of us present himself before the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah and see whether he is among the obedient ones or among the negligent ones. Let everyone beware and reform himself. Hassan Al-Basree said: “May Allaah have mercy on a slave who places himself and his deeds in front of the Book of Allaah, if his deeds are in accordance with the Book of Allaah he praises Allaah and asks Him for increase and if the deeds are contradictory to the Book of Allaah he rebukes himself and amends immediately.”

Fellow Muslims! You have in your possession an infinite treasure that is the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah but yet where are those who follow  their injunctions? Where are those who submit themselves to them? Where are those who answer their call?

The Glorious Qur’aan has given us admonitions, warned us as the Prophet (s.a.w.s.)  also warned against falling in the abyss of ignorance and disobedience. Were these admonitions useful for us? Everyday we pass on evenings and mornings a threat that frightens the hearts; are we heedful to this threat?

Abu Dardaa narrated that the Prophet (s.a.w.s.)  said, “We were with the Messenger of Allaah one day , when he cast a look at the sky and said: This is a time in which knowledge will be withdrawn from people so much that they will not be able to withhold any thereof. Ziyaad bin Lubayd Al-Ansaaree then asked,“O Messenger of Allaah! How can it be withdrawn from us while we recite the Qur’aan, for by Allaah, we read it as well as our wives and children.’ The Prophet (s.a.w.s.)  answered, ‘O Ziyaad! I have been counting you among the knowledgeable people of Al-Madeenah! Are these not Jews and Christians reading the Torah and Gospel with working with anything thereof?”  (Ibn Maajah)

Some scholars commented on this hadeeth and said, “As their recitation of their book did not benefit them because of their non-practising of their injunctions, so also will be you.”

Fellow Muslims! Attacking the texts of Qur’aan and Sunnah by dishonouring and desecrating them or feeling that it cannot fulfil the needs of ever-changing life or subjugating it or twisting it in order to make it fit the modern age in matters that some irreligious people wrongly feel that Islaam is the obstacle to their progress likes issue of equating women with men in every aspect of life, taking usury, perpetrating forbidden acts, exterminating the concept of enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil and vice, giving the disbelievers opportunity to damp their ideological wastes in the name of literature, art, freedom of opinion and other issues that the texts of Islaamic law has decided on as clearly and broadly as daylight. This attack may lead to this ummah losing its identity, honour and religion which Allaah favours it with.

It is then incumbent on us, fellow Muslims,  to honour the two revelations (i.e. the Qur’aan and Sunnah) in such a way that will prevent us from disobeying them or befriending those who deny them or keeping silent when they are attacked or laughed at what they contain. Whoever insults Allaah or His Messenger or dishounours them or says or does anything that explicitly ridicules them or makes jest with the religion (of Islaam), or dishonour the Qur’aan or desecrate it has become a disbeliever in what is revealed to the Messenger of Allaah and went out of the Fold of Islaam. The Prophet (s.a.w.s.)  said, ‘Whoever apostates, kill him!”   (al-Bukhaaree)

Dear Muslim! Fear Allaah as regards your religion into which He guided you and with which is by abstaining from all that contradict it or contaminated it., You should carry out your duty towards it in all your affairs in order to be saved from the threat that is in this verse,

“And if you tune away (from Islaam and the obedience to Allaah), He will exchange you for some other people and they will not let your likes.” (Muhammaad 47: 38)

Brothers in faith! Fear Allaah, be conscious of Him and do not disobey Him. “O you who believe, fear Allaah and be always with the truthful.”

Brothers in Islaam! The Prophet (s.a.w.s.)  was compassionate  with his ummah. He is full of pity, kind and merciful to them. He feared for them ignominy and disgrace; and sins and disobedience. Abu Hurayrah (r.a.) narrated that the Messenger of Allaah (s.a.w.s.) said, “The likeness of me and my ummah is like that of a man who kindled a fire, then when it lighted all around him butterflies and other flying insects keep on falling into it, while the man keeps on preventing them from falling into it. But they overpower him and fall into the fire. Such is the likeness of me and you. I am preventing you from falling into the fire and saying, ‘Come away from the fire.’ But you overpower me and insist on falling into it.”   (Muslim)

Such is how the ignorant and the disobeying men with their sins and lusts will fall into hellfire on the Last Day in spite of the Prophet’s efforts in preventing them from doing so. They therefore will fall into fire because of their weak intelligence, just as the butterflies fall into the fire of this world, for both are striving to destroy themselves out of ignorance. So beware and be on guard before a day comes in which no good will it do to a person to believe then, if he believed not before not earned good through his faith.

Brothers in Islaam! Hold fast unto the rope of Allaah, even if people leave it and escape to Allaah from temptation of this age. The Prophet (s.a.w.s.)  said, “Verily, in front of you are days of patience. Being patient in those days will be like holding a live coal. Whoever does good deed then will have the reward of fifty men who work as he does.” The companions asked, “The reward of fifty men among them?”  He answered, “The reward of fifty men among you!”

By Sheikh Salaah Al-Budayr
Khutbah (Friday Sermon) in Madina Al-Munawarra
Rajab 4, 1422 (September 21, 2001)

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