Mirza Yawar Baig – Hardship and Relief
AI: Summary ©
The importance of Islam is discussed, including its belief in Allah and its ability to bring happiness and relief. The struggles and struggles of various people in various cycles of the century, including those who experienced pain and suffering from child birth. The importance of faith and testing and graduation for success is emphasized, along with the need for God's mercy and graduation for success in life. The Sun principal guide for obtaining relief from hardships is also discussed, along with the development of taqwa, which is the desire to have a single criterion for every decision in life.
AI: Summary ©
In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful,
the Most Compassionate.
We praise Him, we seek His help, and
we seek His forgiveness.
We believe in Him, and we put our
trust in Him.
And we seek refuge in Allah from the
evils of our souls and from the evils
of our deeds.
Whomsoever Allah guides, none can misguide him, and
whosoever He leads astray, none can guide him.
And we bear witness that there is none
worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad
is His servant and Messenger.
Allah has sent a bearer of good tidings
and a warner, a supplicant to Allah by
His permission, and a bright lamp.
And then Allah said, O you who have
believed, fear Allah as He should be feared,
and do not die except as Muslims.
And He said, O you who have believed,
fear Allah and say, My
dear brothers, sisters, elders, the topic of my
khutbah today is hardship and relief.
We are living through difficult times, as we
all know.
Some of us are directly in the difficulty,
and others are watching difficult things happen to
those they love.
To truly understand hardship and relief, we must
understand the source of both, and that is
Allah.
Nobody and nothing can do anything, and nothing
can happen in the world without the will
of Allah.
So who is Allah?
Subhanahu wa ta'ala.
And what is it that Allah wants for
us?
Nobody can introduce Allah better than He introduced
Himself.
And Allah said, Do
not sleep or fast.
To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens
and whatever is on the earth.
Who is it that will intercede for him
except by His permission?
He knows what is before them and what
is behind them.
And they do not encompass anything of His
knowledge except as He wills.
And He is the Most High, the Most
Great.
Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest.
There is no god but Allah.
Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest.
And all praise is due to Allah.
He is Allah.
He is Allah, there is no god but
Him.
He is the Knower of the unseen and
the seen.
He is the Most Merciful, the Most Merciful.
He is Allah, there is no god but
Him.
He is the Sovereign, the Most Holy, the
Most Peaceful, the Believer, the Righteous, the Exalted
in Might, the Exalted in Might.
Glory be to Allah!
Glory be to Allah above whatever they associate
with Him.
He is Allah, the Creator, the All-Creator,
the Bestower.
To Him belong the most beautiful names.
To Him belong the most beautiful names.
He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious,
the Most Merciful.
Say, He is Allah, the Promised.
Allah, the Ever-Lasting.
He neither begets nor is born.
And there is none like unto Him.
Allah introduced Himself and He said, Allah.
There is no god worthy of worship except
Him.
The Ever-Living, All-Sustaining.
Neither drowsiness nor sleep overtakes Him.
To Him belong whatever is in the heavens
and whatever is in the earth.
Who could possibly intercede with Him without His
permission?
He fully knows what is ahead of them
and what is behind them, but no one
can grasp any of His knowledge, except what
He wills to reveal.
His seat encompasses the heavens and the earth,
and the preservation of both does not tire
Him, for He is the Most High, the
Greatest.
He is Allah.
There is no god worthy of worship except
Him.
Knower of the perceivable and the unperceivable.
He is the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful.
He is Allah.
There is no god except Him.
The King.
The Most Holy.
The All-Perfect.
The Source of Serenity.
The Watcher of All.
The Almighty.
The Supreme in Might.
The Majestic.
Glorified is Allah.
Far above what they associate with Him in
worship.
He is Allah.
The Creator, the Inventor, the Shaper.
He alone has the most beautiful names and
attributes.
Whatever is in the heavens and the earth
constantly glorifies Him, and He is the Almighty,
the All-Wise.
Say, O Muhammad ﷺ, He is Allah, One
and Indivisible.
Allah, the Sustainer needed by all, and He
needs nobody and nothing.
He has never had offspring.
He has no children.
Nor was He born.
He has no parents.
And there is none comparable to Him.
About what Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala wants
for us, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala said
in the ayat related to fasting, يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ
بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَةَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْرَ Allah intends
ease for you, not hardship.
So why then are there trials and hardships
in life?
To understand this we must understand that in
life appearance is deceptive.
Many times behind the apparently negative great positivity
is hidden.
We know that one of the most severe,
if not the most severe pain that a
human being can suffer is the pain of
childbirth.
That the mother suffers when she gives birth
to a child.
Why then do women have children?
Why do they have a second child and
a third one and a fourth one?
Not only do they have them but they
want them, they pray to have children and
they go to all sorts of lengths to
have children.
Because when the mother holds her baby in
her arms, she forgets the pain.
And that is why they said when Allah
takes away something from you, you feel the
pain.
But when you receive the replacement, you will
forget what you had lost.
The Quran tells us story after story of
the Anbiya alaihimussalam, the prophets, who faced not
just hardships, but each apparently total and terminal,
yet they were victorious.
Only when you know the whole story can
you see the pattern and sequence when the
danger and hardship were really signs that Allah
subhanahu wa ta'ala was in control.
And that whatever was happening was according to
his plan.
Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala told us the
story of Yusuf alaihi salam.
He's thrown into the well, then he's taken
out and sold into slavery, then he goes
to jail.
He told us the story of Ibrahim alaihi
salam, trussed up and tied up in the
cup of the catapult, the trebuchet, about to
be launched into the fire and then actually
launched into the fire.
And he falls in the middle of the
fire.
He told us the story of Rasulullah, Rasulullah
sallallahu alaihi wasallam told us his own story
of his journey to Taif and what happened
in Taif.
We know the story of Musa alaihi salam
when he was standing between the sea and
the army of Fir'aun behind him.
And we know how each of those stories
ended.
The Quran al-Karim tells us stories not
for entertainment or for history lessons, but as
a means of interpreting the events of our
own lives.
So let us see today's scenes of apparent
difficulties and disasters in this light.
We are influenced by the apparent and the
immediate and don't remember that it's part of
a sequence.
It's like the electrician cleaning the copper wire
and rubbing it and scraping it.
Only so that the current can flow through
it properly.
It's like the pain of weightlifting or hard
aerobic exercise, but without that a good looking
and well functioning body is impossible.
The lesson is that no matter what the
difficulty, no matter what the apparent loss, if
it takes me to Jannah, it is worth
it without doubt.
Because loss in this life is inevitable.
وَمَا عِنْدَكُمْ يَنْفَضُ وَمَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ بَاقٍ قَالَ
تَعَالَى He said whatever is with you will
finish, will perish, will go.
And whatever is with Allah will remain.
Loss in this life is inevitable, but Jannah
must be earned.
It's not inevitable.
If I give up something that I would
have lost anyway to get Jannah which is
mine forever, that is the best possible bargain
that I could get and I welcome it.
Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala told us that
no calamity happens without His will and permission,
but that through it Allah subhanahu wa ta
'ala supports and protects the hearts and minds
of those afflicted so that they see the
reality behind it and don't lose hope.
They remain firm on their faith while others
look at them astonished.
This is the real help of Allah subhanahu
wa ta'ala which comes to those who
have faith and trust in Him.
We are seeing example after example after example
of this in the live stream of the
genocide that we are watching.
May Allah have mercy on them and may
Allah have even more mercy on us because
the gates of Jannah, Jannatul Firdaus are opened
and we know the exact geographical location of
those gates in this context and they are
not above you and my head.
Let me assure you, the gates are not
on top of this Masjid.
Those gates are somewhere else.
May Allah have mercy on them, may Allah
have mercy on us.
We need His mercy more than they need
the mercy.
As I told you, appearances are deceptive.
What we are seeing is misery and suffering
and death.
The reality is the gates of Jannah.
Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala said Allah
said no calamity befalls anyone except by Allah's
will and whoever has faith in Allah, he
will rightly guide their hearts through the adversity
and Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala has perfect
knowledge of all things.
I remind myself and you that life is
a collection of incidents, some of which are
trials.
Trials are the means of getting into Jannah.
We ask Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to
give us Jannah without the trials.
Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala told us that
Jannah is not something that is so easy
to attain that all that we need to
do is to simply say I have Iman,
profess faith.
Not enough.
Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala told us that
people of faith have always been tested and
so shall we be tested.
Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala said Arabic Allah
subhanahu wa ta'ala said Do you think
that you will be admitted into Jannah without
being tested like those before you?
They were afflicted with suffering and adversity and
were so violently shaken that even the messenger
and the believers with him cried out when
will Allah's help come?
Indeed Allah's help is always near.
We sometimes forget this when we decide to
turn over a new leaf and to change
our lifestyles and to start obeying Allah subhanahu
wa ta'ala.
We expect that the angels will walk with
us and shake our hands.
The reality is different.
The reality is the same as when we
want to go into a higher class in
school or want promotion at work.
When we announce that we are ready for
the promotion by applying for the job, we
are invited to a test.
If we pass the test, we get promoted.
But we must pass the test.
The same situation happens in life.
When we announce to Allah subhanahu wa ta
'ala that we are ready to obey him,
the first thing that happens is that we
are tested to see how truthful we are.
Allah knows already the test is for us
as a hujjah in favour of us or
against ourselves.
The only difference is that Allah subhanahu wa
ta'ala is the most beneficent, the most
merciful and therefore when he tests, he also
supports us in the test and comforts us
and helps us to pass the test as
long as we remain steadfast.
He even helps us to remain steadfast.
I remind myself and you that tests are
an indication that we are upwardly mobile and
that our levels are being raised and that
we are getting closer to Allah subhanahu wa
ta'ala.
I say this so that Allah may forgive
me and you and the rest of the
Muslims.
Indeed, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.
I remind myself and you, my brothers and
sisters, that Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala promised
to test us and he promised to reward
those who are patient, those who have samur.
Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala said in Surah
Al-Baqarah, Allah
subhanahu wa ta'ala said, which means, we
will certainly test you with a touch of
fear and famine and loss of property, life
and crops and children and so on.
Give good news to those who patiently endure,
who have sabr.
Who when faced with disaster, they say, Surely
to Allah we belong and to Him we
will all return.
They are the ones who will receive Allah
subhanahu wa ta'ala's blessings and mercy and
it is they who are rightly guided.
Let's ask ourselves, what is the value of
receiving salawat, the blessings of Allah subhanahu wa
ta'ala and the mercy of Allah?
What is the value of being given a
confirmation that we are rightly guided?
Do you think that's worth whatever difficulty we
had to endure?
This thought will help us to put things
in perspective.
When Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala promised to
test the believers in His mercy, He also
taught them how to deal with difficulties and
how to ask for Allah subhanahu wa ta
'ala's help.
And He said, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala
said, O believers, seek help with sabr, with
patience and prayer, with salah.
Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is truly with
those who are patient.
Sabr, unlike the mistaken impression sometimes we have,
which some people feel sabr means to just
sit around and wait for something to happen,
that's not the Islamic definition of sabr.
In Islam, the definition of sabr is to
make the maximum effort, do everything possible in
your control, and then to stand before Allah
subhanahu wa ta'ala and beg for His
help.
Knowing that it is not my effort which
will bring the result, but the hukum of
Allah.
Why make the effort?
Because Allah told us to make the effort.
Because Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam made the
effort.
Throughout his life, you do not have a
single incident where he simply sat in a
masjid and made dua.
Never.
All his duas were out in the field.
Every dua of help was out in the
field.
And that is the example we follow.
The reward is that Allah subhanahu wa ta
'ala said that He is with those who
have sabr.
He did not say Allah will help those
who have sabr.
Allah will accept the dua of those who
have sabr.
No, Allah said Allah is with them, ma
'as sabireen.
Innallaha, verily, Allah is ma'as sabireen.
There is a promise of help, and there
is a promise of the one whose help
is being sought, being with the one who
needs the help.
And between the two, there is a world
of difference.
It's like the king saying, I will help
you.
And saying, I am with you.
When the king says, I will help you,
that help is limited.
Do whatever you ask.
I need so much, the king thinks I
will give you.
But when the king says, I am with
you, the king is with you with all
his power, all his wealth, all his treasures,
all his control, everything.
He is with you.
For how long?
Allah did not say, I am with you
as long as nothing.
Allah is with you.
Ma'as sabireen.
My brothers and sisters, yes, like a surgeon
cutting out cancer, the wound hurts and bleeds,
but it saves our life.
In this case, that life is the hereafter.
Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala then showed us
what we need to do to access his
treasures, which is to develop taqwa.
Taqwa is the desire to please Allah.
The one we love more than we love
anyone and anything else.
And the fear of displeasing him for the
same reason.
Taqwa is to have that single criterion.
Does this please Allah?
As the decision-making criterion for every single
decision in life.
Without exception.
When we do that, and how do we
get there?
By making istighfar and tawbah.
Seek repentance.
Turn towards Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.
And when we do that, Allah subhanahu wa
ta'ala promised His bounties.
So I advise myself and you, forget all
your advisers, and listen to Muhammad Rasulullah ﷺ.
And then you do that, and when I
do that, inshallah, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala's
treasures will open for us.
Allah says, وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مَخْرَجًا
وَيَرْزُقُهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ فَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى
اللَّهِ فَهُ عَزْبُهُ Allah says, whoever has taqwa,
whoever makes the pleasure of Allah subhanahu wa
ta'ala the number one criterion for his
life and decisions, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala
will make a way out for him from
every difficulty.
Allah will solve your problem for you.
And He will provide that person from sources
he cannot imagine.
And whoever puts his total and complete trust
in Allah, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala will
become sufficient for him.
Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala told us the
way to get Him on our side.
Allah said, In Surah An-Nahl Allah said,
Allah is with those who have taqwa and
those who are muhsinun, ihsan.
Taqwa is adl, ihsan is more than adl.
We hear this ayat in every Jummah.
Allah has ordered you to do adl.
Because less than adl, less than justice is
not the way of Islam.
But there is something which is even higher
than justice.
And that is al-ihsan, to give more.
My brothers and sisters, the natural outcome of
this focus is the development of al-ihsan
in our lives.
When we do this, the help of Allah
subhanahu wa ta'ala comes in unexpected ways,
from unexpected sources and at unexpected times.
When the one who is in total control
is with you, hearing and seeing and you
are engaged in doing His work, then what
do you have to fear?
What can anyone or anything do without the
permission of Allah?
That is the most reassuring thing that we
can hope to know, that Allah is with
us.
The key to the help of Allah subhanahu
wa ta'ala is to obey Him in
the way of Muhammadur Rasulullah salallahu alaihi wa
sallam.
The Kitab of Allah, the Book of Allah,
the Quran is a book of commandments.
The Sunnah is the field book.
It is the practical guide of how to
follow those commandments.
Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala said, Aqimu s
-salat, establish the prayer.
Rasulullah salallahu alaihi wa sallam said, Sallu kama
ra'aytu mu'unihu salli, pray as you
have seen me pray.
We obey the command in the way of
the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon
him.
My brothers and sisters, I remind myself and
you, nobody can do anything without the permission
of Allah.
That is the most reassuring thing that we
can hope to know, that Allah is with
us as long as we are faithful to
Him.
That is the way to get relief from
all hardships.
Think about it like this.
You are standing before a door which is
locked, and behind this door is every single
thing you can hope for, in this world
and in the next world.
And the door has a keypad, and you
know the code.
All you need to do is punch in
the code, the door opens.
But remember, if you are punching in the
code, you need to punch in the complete
code, and you need to punch it in
in the same sequence of the code.
If you vary the sequence, the door will
not open.
If you leave out a digit, the door
will not open.
Punch in the code, in the sequence.
What is the code?
Anybody?
24434.
That's the code.
24434.
Ameen.