The age we live in today is an age of fitnah (trial and tribulation), especially for the Muslims living in the non-Muslim societies of the West. The Prophet (ṣallallāhu `alayhi wa-sallam) said, “There will come a time where a Muslim holding fast to his deen (religion) is like he who is holding onto a hot coal.”
Lecture delivered at Salaheddin Islamic Center in Toronto. Date: January 30, 2013.
In hamdulillah Madhu monastery in hoonah. Still Pharaoh when our builder Himanshu Rory and fusina woman say Tiana Lena Mejia de la who Fela mobile Allah woman yo boo fella howdy Allah what a shadow Allah Illa Illa la hula hula sharika What should I do now? Mohammed Abu Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa ala alihi wa sahbihi woman, Dr. han de la Yomi Deen another
My dear brothers and sisters
it is from the plan of a loss of Hannah who attalla
that
after he commanded us to believe in Him
and follow his religion,
that it was not enough for us to simply believe.
And that's it.
And this is why Allah subhanho wa Taala
has made it part of his plan
to test his believing servants
and this is why I was with Hannah who Allah says
in the Quran has he been a zoo and youth Roku and your kulu m in our home life afternoon.
Do the people think that they will be left to simply say we have believed in kulu Amanda well hola afternoon and they will not be tested. And then Allah subhanho wa Taala says, what are called fraternal adidam in Kabbalah him fell a lemon law Hola, Dena sada qu and elemental Caribbean.
And then Allah says, Verily, We tested those who came before you, the nations of the past,
so that we can distinguish the truthful from those who are not truthful, meaning, the truthful in terms of their belief.
Are they really truthful, in terms of what they have believed in?
And so this is an ongoing struggle. There are lots of Hannah who with data, he wants us not only to believe, not only to do righteous actions, but to strive hard, and to remain firm, and steadfast. And so, remaining firm and steadfast upon the deen of Allah subhanho wa Taala is not an easy thing.
And this is the test.
This is the test of a wasp head who were to Halla
in order to distinguish the strong from the weak and the truthful from the liars.
And so Allah subhanho wa Taala in various places in the Quran, has commanded us to remain firm and steadfast. For example, Allah subhanho wa Taala says, commanding the believers
when they face the enemy on the battlefield, yeah, you have Latina Aminu
either lucky to attend first Butoh.
Yeah, you have Latina amanu even Ibis, he says that when you hear Allah subhanho wa Taala, addressing the believers, oh, you who believe when you hear this, pay attention? Because Either
you are about to be commanded with something or forbidden from something. So pay attention. Yeah, you have larina amanu. Either lucky to attend or you believe if you face an enemy if you meet an enemy, meaning on the battlefield.
First.
Stand firm, stand steadfast.
Don't turn your backs don't start shaking. And this is why
one of the major sins
in fact, among the 10 major sins that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam mentioned are the
are the sins that cause a person a person's destruction.
One of those sins is to flee
from the battlefield
after the battle has begun,
and so here Allah subhanahu wa tada
commands us to remain firm and steadfast.
This can also apply in our daily lives for the enemies are throwing all types of fitten at us.
There are two types of fit in
there.
The fitting of a shoe hat, and of a Shahar a shoe hat or the fitting that deal with a person's belief,
don'ts that he starts having, such as the existence of Allah subhanho wa Taala.
This is a doubt that the enemies of Islam
throw at us
and all the other adults related to our belief. These are called Shu heart. And so we must remain firm and steadfast upon our Eman
and not fall for these shoe hats. The second type of Phaeton or the shadow
and the shadow what are the worldly desires,
the desires that one has for the dunya
such as women, wealth, etc. And so the enemies are throwing all types of shots at us. And so we must remain firm and steadfast and not fall for these Shahada.
Also,
Allah subhanho wa Taala has commanded us to remain firmly steadfast.
Not temporarily, but rather until the day we die. This is why Allah subhanho wa Taala says, Yeah, you Hallelujah, Amen. Taka la healthkart Ducati he will utter Mouton. Illa intimacy moon.
Again, oh, you who believe.
Fear a lot, the fear that he is most deserving of and do not die except
except as Muslims, except in a state of submission.
And so, here Allah subhanho wa Taala has ordered us
to remain firm and steadfast until the day we meet him subhanho wa Taala.
And so it is upon us to remain firm and steadfast
in times of Phaeton trials, and the times that we live in today
are times of fitting great trials and tribulations, especially for the Muslims living in this part of the world, and especially for the youth and the young ones.
But the question is, what should one remain firm and steadfast upon?
Allah subhanho wa Taala. He says
that he keeps
the believers firm and steadfast
upon even
a loss of handhold subhanho wa Taala says you said be to Lahore leadin. Amano bill hourly de bt Phil hayati dunya was will ask you
here awesome Hannah who without it says that he keeps firm and steadfast
the believers those who believe upon
the word that is steadfast What is this word? It is the caliber of a tawheed until a Tahitian Eman is what we should remain firm and steadfast upon. Allah subhanho wa Taala tells us that he keeps the believers firm and steadfast upon this man, and they still heat
in this life and in the era
for dunya or fill era.
So this man that was a man who Allah will keep the believers firm upon
is the man of the hearts
that necessitates
that necessitates actions.
And so a person cannot simply believe with his heart
and say that this is sufficient,
rather, he must follow it up with action. And this is why it is the belief of sooner with jamara that a man is what a man is believed with the heart, seeing it with the tongue, and acting upon it with with the rest of your body parts.
And so actions are a part and parcel of a man, a person who does not act. He does not do anything that Allah has commanded him to do, he does not pray, he does not fast, etc. He cannot be called a man he cannot be called a believer.
And so, we are living in times of fitten.
And these fit and the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam actually informed us about them. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam said in the headquarters narrated by NSA Malik
he said that before the day of judgment
and so this is
One of the signs of the Day of Judgment. He said before the day of judgment,
there will be fitted
trials tests tribulations
like parts of a dark night
cochlea, Taryn muslimah, like parts of a dark night. In it, a man will wake up, as
in the morning he will wake up as a man as a believer. And by the evening, he will be a cafe, he will be a disbeliever.
And
in it, a person will be a coffee in the morning he will wake up as a as a cafe, and by the evening he will be a moment.
And then the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said,
in these times,
there will be people who will sell their Deen at the price of the dunya.
And this is exactly what we see, in our times today.
People who chase after the dunya at the price at the price of their Deen. And so the commentators of this hadith the scholars they have said regarding this Hadith,
that this hadith refers to one of the signs of the day of judgment
that there will be great fitten trials tribulations like parts of a dark night black due to its uncertainty,
lack of clarity.
And so there will be a lot of uncertainty in these times of fitting in it and then we'll be constantly changing, he will be constantly changing his sayings and his actions will become diverse. And so, for him the good has become bad, and the bad has become good.
Man has become Cofer.
And Cofer has become a man sooner has become beta and beta has become sooner. And so this is the meaning of this hadith.
And then they they go on to say that perhaps it may be that a man has become closer and closer has become a man. And so these people will sell their Deen at the price of the dunya.
And so what the prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam told us over 1400 years ago, is exactly what we see, in our day and age. How many people do we know
who used to be with us here in this semester,
and now they're gone. You don't see them anymore. Some have left Islam, while others have not left Islam, but they become weak in their email.
And so one who used to grow his beard now is clean shaven, this sister used to wear hijab, you don't see her with a hijab anymore, and so on and so forth. And so these are the fitting the trials, the tests that we live in today.
And the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.
If we look
at
his early life, or rather, the early years of his prophethood
we find that it was a time of great tests and fitten.
There were companions, who were tortured,
who were beaten, who were even killed.
And some of these companions used to come to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam
and seek his assistance.
And so Hubbard wrote
the companion or the Allahu Han,
who was one of the young companions, the youth from amongst companions.
He one day came to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam as a prophet SAW, Selim, was leaning against the Kaaba, and he came and complained to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam about their situation,
the situation of the Muslims at that time.
So he said, Will you not ask the Lord to help us? Will you not invoke upon Allah subhanho wa Taala to grant us victory.
And so the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, he sat up
and he admonished this young companion, he said, among those before you, meaning among the nations of the past,
there will be a believer amongst them
who would be taken
and a pit would be varied for him in the ground,
and he would be thrown into this pit
And then a saw would be brought
and placed over his head
and he would be chopped into two pieces.
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam he went on to say, yet all of that did not cause him to abandon and leave his religion.
In fact, the only thing that caused that to happen was because he kept on to his Deen. He remained firm and steadfast. He did not give up.
Then the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, By Allah, this Dean will be completed and will gain triumph and victory until a writer goes from so not to have the remote
fearing nobody except Allah subhanho wa Taala and the wolf less, it may eat up his sheep.
And then the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, however, you are a people impatient.
And so the lesson that we are to learn from this incident
is that in times of fitten in tests and trials, we are supposed to be patient
and not give up. We are supposed to remain firm and steadfast and not give in to the temptations of the dounia
or the doubts that the kuffaar may throw at us.
And
in another Hadith, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam informed us
that there will come a time
when
one who remains patient over his Dean
is like one who grabs hold of hot boiling coal.
Even though it's very hot, he remains firm and steadfast,
not letting it go. And this is the rope of Allah subhanho wa Taala.
That one should never let go. He should always he should always put his trust and hope in Allah subhanho wa Taala that eventually, after this darkness, there will be light at the end of the tunnel.
And so why is it that we find a lot of people changing?
A lot of people their Eman is shaking.
Why is it that we find the people changing?
From email to cover? Or from high
to low email?
You are many reasons.
There are many reasons that we can mention. But inshallah I'll just mention
a few of those. A few of those reasons.
One of the reasons why people change and become weak and do not remain firm and steadfast
is
self deceit.
They think there's something
and so they become self deceived.
And there is a story narrated in Buhari
where
there was a Christian
in the time of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam
who had embraced Islam. He became Muslim.
And he memorized. He memorized surah, Baqarah and surah area and Ron.
And not only that, but he was one of those who used to record the revelation. Whatever was revealed to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, he would write it down. He was one of the scribes of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam.
However, later on, he returned to Christianity.
He Apos stated and returned to Christianity.
And he left the Muslims and returned to his Christian companions.
And one of the things that he used to say, after he left Islam, one of the things he used to say is that Mohammed knows nothing except what I write down.
So he thought he was something
he felt self deceit, this what you call self deceit.
And so
he passed away he died, and his Christian companions
went out to bury him
and
when they buried him
They buried him in the ground.
They left and the next morning they came and found his body had surfaced, and was lying on the ground.
So they said, this must have been the work of Mohammed and his companions, because
he left their religion and he left them.
So they buried him into the ground a second time.
And then they left. And then the next morning they came, and they found the body had surfaced once again.
And this happened for three consecutive days.
Finally, they realized that this was not the work of any human being. And they had left his body as it was, without wearing it.
And so, this Christian could have become a companion.
Imagine that a person abandons
not only Islam,
but he abandons it, at the time of Revelation,
he could have become a great companion.
But he gave up he gave up all of that, for the sake of the dunya. And because of his self deceit, he thought he was something
and so shaitan
deceived him and abandon him.
Among the reasons that we see the the people changing,
and not remaining firm and steadfast
is following the Hawa
the whims and desires.
And this is one of the main reasons why we why we find people change
and they give in to the temptations of the dunya
because of their Hawa,
and their desires.
In surah Tula roff Allah subhanahu wa tada tells us,
of a man from Bani Israel, he,
in the time of Musa alayhis salam
who Allah subhanho wa Taala had given him
religious knowledge had given him the act. Allah subhana wa tada says,
What to do Allah him never Allah Dr. Tina, Tina francisella Herman have to bow who shall upon Academy nawawi
relate to them the story of the one who had given him our act.
And so he left them behind.
He threw them behind his back
for tobacco shavon
associaton followed him up and deceived him. And then Allah subhanho wa Taala says, What Oh shit, no, no, no, sir, I know who be her. What are kin? Who
are we what turba
loss of Hannah who tada tells us that had we wished had we had we willed
we could have caused him to rise
with our if he could have become a person of status amongst the people.
However,
a holiday NLRB, whatever, however, however, he remained, clinging on to the ground.
And he followed his However,
what did he do he followed his Hawa, he followed his whims and his desires. Allah subhanho wa Taala then goes on to give us a parable of this person.
Allah subhanho wa Taala says thermistor Lu cometa. Lil Keller, international IE l has out at ruku yell has
Allah subhanho wa Taala tells us that the parable of this man, the example of this man
is like that of a dog.
If you chase it, it will paint it will let his tongue out and it will pan
and if you leave it alone, it'll pant and narrow his tongue also.
Meaning that it doesn't make any difference.
Whether you try to guide such a person, he will not be guided because he followed his desires. And then Allah subhanho wa Taala closed his heart from accepting the guidance
So the point here is that following one's desires
is one of the main reasons
for not remaining firm and steady and steadfast upon Amen.
Also, among the reasons that we find people changing and not remaining firm and steadfast
is something very common amongst people who become weak in their Eman.
And that is under estimating the gravity of things
looking down on sins, especially the minor sins.
And so the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam said, beware of under estimating sins,
for the gather upon a person until until they destroy him.
Then he gave us an example. He said, it is like a group of people who go out in the desert, they're traveling
and their cook comes and he wants to cook. So
each one goes and brings a branch
a piece of wood, and they gather until it becomes a large pile, and then they light it and it becomes a bonfire.
So the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam gave us this example, to show us the gravity of sins,
that we should not underestimate, especially the minor sins, because they will gather and gather and gather until they become a huge pile like a mountain.
And,
and so the scholars have said that as long as a person persists in committing minor sins, it becomes a major sin.
And so it is very common for people to look down on the minor sins.
A person he doesn't commit Zina.
He does not commit Zina. But he looks at how wrong
he looks at what is not permissible for him to look at.
And he thinks it to be something small.
Yes, it is a minor sin.
It is not like Xena, but it is
the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam referred to it as Xena.
And so it is a type of Xena, not a sinner that requires punishment, but the Zener that will lead to the greater Zina and this is why Allah subhanho wa Taala in the Quran.
He did not command the believing men to refrain from Xena. He did not say let us know do not commit Zina, rather Allah subhana wa Tada. He commanded the believing men to lower their gazes
because if they lower their gazes, it will protect them from the greater sinner.
And so one should never underestimate the gravity of sins, especially the minor sins. For if one does that, it will lead him to destruction. And it will lead him to become weak in his Eman and it will not enable him to remain firm and steadfast upon email.
There are many many other reasons that we can mention. But the common reason that we can see here is
that people who do not remain firm and steadfast.
It is as a result of following in the footsteps of shaitan.
And so Allah subhanho wa Taala has warned us in the horror and in many different places to be aware of falling into the footsteps of shaitan. For a person who follows in the footsteps of shaitan it will cause him to move further and further away from a loss of Hannah who would Allah and it will weaken his emotion until it will lead to his destruction.
After all this
The question is
what can help us
to remain firm and steadfast upon the deen of Allah subhanho wa Taala.
The first means that could help us to remain firm and steadfast
upon the deen of Allah subhanho wa Taala
is remembering the greatness of a loss of Hannah who was
remembering the greatness of the one
We are sending.
When a person does that, it helps him to refrain from falling into sin.
Allah subhanho wa Taala he mentioned to us His greatness in different parts of the Quran, and also the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam
has informed us of the greatness of Allah subhanho wa Taala.
In ayatul kursi Allah subhanho wa Taala describes his courses.
Allah subhanho wa Taala says, was the accuracy you somehow it went up
his kursi extends over the heavens and earth.
What is the mercy of Allah subhanho wa tada
what is the last courtesy?
Who can tell me
not the throne.
The throne is the harsh
The kursi is
no.
The the footstool,
the mercy of Allah subhanho wa Taala is his footstool.
And here Allah subhanho wa Taala describes his footstool as
extending over the heavens and earth.
This entire universe the courtesy of Allah subhanho wa Taala extends over it. That's only the mercy of Allah subhanho wa Taala
in the hadith of Abu Dhabi, Al Rifai de Ravi Allahu when
he said that he asked the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam he said, Yasukawa what is the greatest of that which has been revealed to you? So the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam responded and said
ayatul kursi
and so ayatul kursi is the greatest verse in the Quran.
It is the greatest verse in the Quran.
Then he said, The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said to a Buddha, yeah, those are
the seven heavens, the seven heavens
compared to the courtesy of Allah subhanho wa Taala
is nothing
but like a ring
thrown into a barren desert.
And the superiority of the harsh the throne of Allah subhanho wa tada
is
like the superiority of the arch over the codici is like the superiority of the desert
over that ring that is thrown into that huge and massive desert.
And so this is the greatness of Allah creation.
So how about Allah subhanho wa Taala himself.
Imagine that a ring that you throw in the middle of a desert is like the courtesy of Allah subhanho wa Taala. And this massive desert
is like the throne of Allah subhanho wa Taala of which the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam informed us that it is the greatest of all of creation.
What is the greatest thing that Allah has created? It is his throne,
the harsh the throne of Allah subhanho wa Taala is the greatest of all last creation.
greater than the earth, the sun,
this galaxy, this entire universe,
you have the footstool, then you have the throne.
The throne, the greatest of Allah is creation.
And then the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, Will law who tokoloshe and a law is above the Throne.
Allah subhanho wa Taala is above his throne, in a manner befitting himself.
This is the greatness of a loss of Hannah who was a healer.
So when one constantly reminds himself of this greatness
at all times,
whether he's worshiping a law or whether he's carrying out his daily affairs,
this will help him to remain firm and steadfast in the face, of all types of Phaeton.
The second means
or ways that we can help ourselves to remain firm and steadfast
is
By remembering
the value of the life of this dunya
the value of the life
of the dunya
Allah subhanho wa Taala in different places in the Quran
has given us the example of the dunya.
Compared to that Pharaoh
and as an example, Allah subhanho wa Taala says Kuru Mata or dunya khaleel will add hero to hydro limani. Taka,
say to them, oh Mohammed,
that this dunya is
short.
The enjoyment of this dunya is short, it is little. As for the accurate,
then it is far better for who not for the one who simply says that he believes. But for the one
who has attained taqwa. limani Taka
The one who has attained taqwa, the one who fears Allah subhanho wa Taala. He is conscious of a loss of Hannah who What?
And so a person should live in this world, as if he is a traveler, as a prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam informed us
and a traveler he takes with him from this dunya what he needs. When one of you travels, he sets out on a journey. He takes with him of luggage what he needs, he does not take everything with him. Similarly, we are travelers in this dunya we should take what we need and leave what we don't need
and leave what we don't need. Because this is a temporary life, it will one day come to an end. As for the Acura it is permanent and eternal, lasting forever.
Among the means and ways that we can help ourselves to remain firm and steadfast upon this Deen
is why we're remembering the stories of the prophets and the messengers of the past.
And what they went through of Phaeton of tests and trials.
And this is why Allah subhanho wa Taala said to his prophet
to his prophet muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam,
he said coolin wakulla naka suhaila coming yet wakulla wakulla nakasu alayka min Amba Eros holy man who's a b2b, Hebrew Arabic.
here Allah subhanho wa Taala is telling his prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam
that everything that we reveal to you. And we narrate to you of the news of the messengers of the past.
It is for what purpose it is, so that we may make strong and firm your heart nearby.
And so, this is the Prophet of Allah subhanho wa Taala,
the greatest of mankind, Allah subhanho wa Taala is relating to him, the stories of the prophets and the messengers of the past
in order to strengthen his heart,
so that he remains firm and steadfast in the face of fitten.
And this is why
the prophets and the messengers
they faced what no other human being after them ever faced,
of Phaeton of tests and trials.
They were forced out of their homes, they were stoned, pelted,
mocked, and so on and so forth.
And yet, they remained firm and steadfast in the face of these fitter.
And so when we read these stories,
it will help us to remain firm and steadfast.
Because it will remind us that what we are going through is nothing compared to what the prophets and the messengers of the past went through.
And take for example,
Prophet nor Halle his Salaam
who called his people
for nearly 1000 years.
And yet Allah subhanho wa Taala says that only a handful
accepted his message.
And when Allah subhanho wa Taala drowned his people
and prophet knew when his followers were saved,
Prophet asked Allah subhanahu wa tada What about my son
And, and so Allah subhana wa tada said, that your son is not from your family
because he was a disbeliever.
And so his very own son did not believe in him. And he was sorrow and sad because of that.
Look at the test and trial of Prophet Yunus, Allah, his Salah,
and how he was eaten by the whale,
and yet he remained firm and steadfast.
And likewise, all of the prophets and the messengers, their stories have been narrated in the Quran, in great detail, for this very reason. So that it may help us to remember what the prophets and the messengers of the past went through, and that what they went through was far greater than the tests and the trials, that we go through ourselves
among one of the most important ways and means that we can help ourselves to remain firm and steadfast upon this theme.
is none other than a doula
by calling upon the loss of Hannah who tada
when we are faced with the fitting that we are faced with,
and this is why,
on selama,
the wife of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi, wa sallam,
she mentioned that the one that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam used to make the most
was young cannibal. galoob the bit called be hygienic.
The old Turner's alternator of the hearts,
keep my heart, firm upon your dream.
And so
she asked the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam selama
Why is it that this is the duhallow that you use to make the most?
So the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said,
Yeah, selama Indeed, there is no human being
except that his heart
is between two of the fingers of a runner.
You can libo hack a fair shot.
He turns these hearts as he wishes.
And so each and every single one of us.
Our guidance lies in the hands of a loss of Hannah with Allah.
Allah guides whom He wills and he allows to go straight to misguidance, whom He wills.
And so one should never become self deceived. And think that because
he has grown his beard.
He is praying five times a day, he is coming to the messenger.
He should never think
that that's it.
Now, he's going to Jenna for sure.
He should never guarantee himself that because Allah subhanahu wa Tada. He guides whom He wills and he leads astray whom He wills,
sometimes even righteous people, they may slip and fall.
And as we mentioned, the story of the Christian
who died as a cafe after he had believed in the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, he had memorized Surah Al Baqarah Surah Al e Imran
two of the greatest suitors of the Quran.
He became a companion of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam what greater status can one achieve than that?
And yet, he died in a state of Kufa
without a man
and so one should always
be asking Allah subhanho wa Taala to keep their heart firm upon the deen of Allah subhanho wa Taala and upon righteousness
and upon EMA
We ask Allah subhanho wa Taala
to keep us firm and steadfast upon Amen And upon this Dean
and we asked him subhanho wa Taala to protect us from every type of fitna. Now volha Rahman Hama, Bhutan what is apparent of that
What is hidden? And we ask Allah subhanho wa Taala to protect our young ones, and our youth, especially in this society, we ask Allah subhanho wa Taala to guide them all to history Taz Subhana Allah who will be handed a shadow Allah Allah.
Still filled with water to booty, like