A Very Sad Day

Salam Alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh

Bismillah al Rahman al Rahim al hamdu Lillah wa Salatu was Salam ala rasulillah Allah Allah He was happy.

Indeed we praise Allah subhanho wa Taala upon all conditions we send blessings and salutations upon Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, his household, His Messenger his companions May Allah subhanho wa Taala bless us and every one of them to I mean my brothers and sisters, today is a sad day. It is a unique occasion. It is the time of Salatu Juma here in Johannesburg. And we are speaking from a totally empty Masjid May Allah subhanho wa Taala grant us forgiveness.

The reason why the masjid is empty is because of the restrictions that have been placed upon us due to the virus that has overtaken the world. May Allah subhanho wa Taala grant us cure. And may Allah grant cure to all those who have the sickness? And may Allah have mercy upon those who have passed on and make it easy for the families of those who've lost their loved ones. I mean,

my brothers and sisters, what do I do on this occasion?

We are very sad because there are restrictions that are placed upon the places of worship.

And yes, worship will always continue. We will not miss a Salah or a prayer simply because there may be restrictions when it comes to a Masjid.

We will not miss worshipping Allah where we are supposed to be worshiping Him simply because there are restrictions placed on the masajid or the houses of Allah. The Quranic recitation should continue on a daily basis at our home. Our prayers should continue at home and we should congregate our loved ones and our family members, and fulfill what is known as Salatu jamaa in order for us to achieve the reward and in order to liven up the house, la Lu boo, boo boo rah, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam says, Don't make your houses into graves. And what was meant by that is to fulfill acts of worship within your homes. Be it, Vicar, the remembrance of Allah, be it the

recitation of the Quran, be it your Salah, the Sunnah and the nephew, especially. And in cases like this, it would also refer to fulfilling your obligations unto Allah in the best possible way, given the circumstances you're in. So, as much as we are very sad, what I should do primarily is seek the forgiveness of Allah. by seeking the forgiveness of Allah, Allah will open our doors once he is pleased with us. This is why I recall at the beginning of this pandemic, sometime last year, perhaps in about March 2020, there was an Imam in one of the Middle Eastern countries who made an announcement to his Muslim families. And he told them that this Sala with Gemma here will not

continue and he burst out into tears. And they asked why he said

we need to earn the pleasure of Allah. They said When will we reopen? He said when Allah is pleased with us, when Allah is pleased with us once again, he will invite us back to his home back to his house, the house of Allah subhanho wa Taala and mosquito Bay to live in. We know that the masjid is the house of Allah on earth. But we still will continue to remind one another to do goodness, like what I'm doing right now and so many other imams will be fulfilling. Whenever we have this type of a circumstance. We are not excited about it at all. We speak with a heavy heart. But at the same time we understand

that Allah subhanho wa Taala is in absolute control. He knows why what is happening is happening. He also knows when it will end. That does not mean we don't take precautions my brothers and sisters taking precautions is quite simple. It costs you nothing. And to be honest, it is a duty upon a Muslim to take precautions regarding everything and anything

when you want your house to be protected.

In the evening, very simple before you say Bismillah, whatever come to Allah, In the name of Allah, I lay my trust in Allah, you should lock your door. And then you say, I lay my trust in Allah. When you're driving before you say Bismillah, you make sure you've taken all necessary precautions, you would be foolish. If you drove in a very

in a way that is irresponsible. If you were very rough, and you did not obey the rules, you would be foolish. But when you say Bismillah, hit our kill to Allah. Use whatever capacity Allah has given you to try and ensure that you're okay and you will be safe. And then if something does happen to you take it in your stride. thank Allah for it. Those of us who have taken precautions, to the best of our ability, and we are human beings, my brothers and sisters, if you are then affected by something, it was always in the plan of Allah. But by saying it was always in the plan of Allah, we're not implying that you should take it for granted. And I hope I'm clear in that regard. So

primarily, I should start off by seeking the forgiveness of Allah, Who to start with back home in Ghana of

new Hani Salam told his people seek the forgiveness of Allah He is indeed oft forgiving, most forgiving, he will continue to forgive you the term of afar refers to one who is going to keep forgiving you. That's Allah, Allah alone does that your seal is

what you need to be.

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he says if you were to seek forgiveness, not only will ALLAH forgive you, but he will open the skies for you. He will grant you beneficial rain, he will sustain you. He will give you children and offspring. He will bless you in every single way. Because you are now on the right page. You made peace with the owner of protection, you are now protected. Subhana Allah, you made peace with the owner of sustenance, he will now sustain you, you made peace with the owner of forgiveness, he has forgiven you, may Allah be pleased with us. So our connection with Allah needs to be looked into. Make amends you have to improve your relationship with Allah. And obviously if I'm seeking the

forgiveness of Allah, I need to quit and abandon sin and promise Allah, I'm not going to commit it again. May Allah forgive us for whatever sins we've committed, and may we never commit those sins again. May we turn to Allah before we return to Allah.

May we turn to Allah before we return to Allah, that is a powerful statement. My brothers and sisters, we don't know when we are going to return to Allah. But right now we know we can turn to Allah so that when we do return to Him, we would have turned to him so behind Allah Subhana Allah. No one knows when he is going to go with this new variant, supposedly, people are actually being lost on a daily basis. Do you realize that here in Southern Africa, we've lost a lot of scholars, I saw a list drawn up the other day of scholars that we lost within the last year, and they were almost 50 of them. Subhan Allah, Allah Allah mean, in Allah to Allah Allah COVID-19 mantissa and

enter zero humaneness when our kin Yakubu be montella llama Hata either lamea calima oosten yo holla for su e lufa. After will be reading mean for bamboo, bamboo. One of the signs of the hour is Allah is going to snatch and take away the scholars. And Allah says we're not just going to snatch them like like snatching but we will take them away through death, they will die one by one and when all the scholars have passed on, people will consider the ignorant as their leaders they will be asked they will respond with ignorance, they themselves will be ignorant and they will be leading others towards ignorance. That's a Hadith of the Prophet sallallahu sallam. So it's important for us to

know my beloved brothers and sisters that motul our limits and Mattoon law to subdue.

The death of a scholar is actually a loss and it is a void that will not be filled by the same caliber of scholar. Yes, we have many scholars who will Mashallah get up and do the job in sha Allah but having lost their teachers, their mentors, those who are above them, those who taught them in the chain of narrators is something that is irreplaceable

and this is why when you

We look at Hadith. When you look at the Quran and the teaching of it through the proper chain of narrators, you will find that the less narrators, the stronger the statement. When there are less less narrators in a Hadith, it is a more powerful Hadith. The more the number of narrators in the chain, the weaker it becomes. So if you have 33 people between you and the prophets are seldom once you've passed on, they will be having 34 if you have taught them, yes, it is still knowledge, but Subhanallah it is one step less. So what we need to do, like I said, primarily seek forgiveness. Quit sin and promise Allah that you are not going to sin, then we need to improve our worship of

Allah. If the masajid have been restricted, now you're at home, make sure you fulfill your Salah on time, perhaps when Allah sees that you're taking more time to fulfill your sujood and your record and you're crying to Allah and you're reading your Quran, he might become pleased with us and eradicate whatever calamity has befallen us so that the massage it will be opened once again, because he loves the way we worship Him. Subhan Allah Subhana Allah.

There are restrictions not only in our countries here in Southern Africa, but there are restrictions across the globe in so many countries. I heard about the UK with some very, very stringent measures they've put in place this would apply to them to May Allah subhanho wa Taala be pleased with us, increase your ibadah increase your charity, a sadhaka to to Bala, when you are charitable, it will extinguish calamity. So a charity is like a fire extinguisher. And the more you give, the more likelihood there is of that calamity being extinguished because calamity is like a fire.

My beloved brothers and sisters, charity begins at home and charity is not only monetary. Remember that dubba suka v cassata. The prophet SAW Selim talks about how the expressions on your face can become an act of charity to smile at the face of your brother is an act of charity. If my brothers and sisters smiling at someone who's just your brother in faith is an act of charity. What about smiling at your own spouse, your children, your parents, your siblings, your relatives, Subhana Allah, it might be difficult sometimes with a few misconceptions that have occurred or a few differences that have occurred between you and your family members, but still be kind. Remember,

these might just be your last days on Earth.

So we will give out the charity we will take time in worshiping Allah, we will increase the ways that we worship Allah. If I was only fulfilling Salah, I will begin to fulfill not just my father, but my sooner and nothing as well. I will take my time in my prayer. If I used to take five minutes for follow up, I will now try endeavor to take a little bit longer in order to worship Allah more. The number of sujood you are going to make for Allah is already written, you do not know you might only have 20 or 40 remaining. Or this might be your last prayer. People are dying and passing away of sudden heart attacks. calamity has befallen a lot. Just prepare for the day you're going to meet

with Allah and you won't regret. Don't sit back and say, Well, whatever Allah has written is already going to happen. He's written Heaven and Hell, and he knows where I'm going to go. So what's the point of me worshiping, that is similar to a person who's not taking precautions. He's claiming that Allah already knows Allah has already destined the things why should you take precautions? Well, for the same reason that you need to do deeds, even though Allah already knows whether you're going to Jenna or Johanna Subhana Allah, because you don't know. So Allah expects you to work towards something and then he will open the doors of that because you're working towards it. When levena

Jaya hado Vina, Lana,

Lana, those who strive towards us who strive in our path in our cause who strive to come to us, we will open for them the doors that lead to us the doors of guidance,

we will guide them to those doors. So you need to utilize your energies in the right direction my brothers and sisters.

Similarly, we need to make amends when it comes to the difficulties we have faced and the differences we have faced with our family members and others seek forgiveness from people. It's very important. Just like you're seeking forgiveness from Allah, just like you're increasing your rabada just like you're giving charity, just like you're promising to quit sin. You also need to definitely seek forgiveness from those whom you've wronged. make peace with them. Don't

Say to yourself that I'm going to leave this for the Day of Judgment, you be the bigger person, go out and seek forgiveness. You never know what might happen on the Day of Judgment, you might be the one who's wrong Subhan Allah. So don't leave it for that an intelligent person is one who sorts his matters out here on Earth before he goes to the hereafter.

Similarly, we need to give back the dues that we owe people. If you owe someone money, make sure you've paid it back. If you have something outstanding, make sure you have dealt with it. Because you don't want to meet with Allah with many outstanding things. And ultimately, my brothers and sisters, prepare for the meeting with Allah. Prepare for the day you're going to meet with Allah by becoming the best possible version of you. Constantly repeat the Shahada eyeshadow, Allah ilaha illallah wa shadow, Mohammed and Rasulullah I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship besides my maker, Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is His

Messenger and Prophet, the final messenger of Allah

Subhana Allah, start reading the Sierra of the Prophet sallallahu Sallam the biography of the messenger will call you and calm you down. When you see what he has been through, you will realize that when Allah favors a person, he makes them go through calamity upon calamity in Allah either Babylon it Allah, when Allah loves you truly, he begins to test you with bigger tests because he wants you to have a bigger certificate, he wants you to have a greater qualification. He wants you to gain even more closeness to him than ever before. Imagine when someone has lost everything, and they're still so close to Allah Subhana Allah, Allah Subhana Allah, imagine losing something that

drives you closer to Allah, was that really a loss? It was actually not a loss, it was a gain, you gained things Mashallah tabarrok Allah, what did you gain? If you gain the relationship of Allah because of the material loss of anything, it was actually the biggest gain Subhana Allah, if you lost your whole family, but that brought you closer to Allah, it was the biggest thing you could gain.

Then my brothers and sisters, when the massage, the restrictions are lifted, and their doors are flung open to the general public, as it should be. Remember, don't drive past the machine, knowing that it is the time of Salah, and this is the house of Allah, Allah only invites to his houses those whom he knows are close to him. Subhana Allah. And why I say this is because there is a clear cut Hadith that talks about the VIPs on the Day of Judgment, and I've mentioned this many times, where the prophets Allah seldom clearly says, Are Julian pallu ma Lacombe masajid. A person whose heart is connected to the houses of Allah to the places of prostration

Subhan Allah that person will have a special shade on the day of reckoning, when they will be no shade but the shade given by Allah so that your heart be connected to the masjid in such a way that even if there are restrictions, the pain that is felt in your heart depicts the connection that you have with the houses of Allah. And the fact that you're prostrating, even though you might be at home is something amazing? It is a sign of closeness to Allah.

It brings me to Musa alayhis salam and Harun alayhi salam, when the two of them made a dua to Allah to protect them from the Pharaoh and Freetown and to save the people. Allah subhanho wa Taala says thereafter, por la causa ouji back down moto Kuma festa Pima. Indeed, the dua or the supplication of both of you has been answered, so be steadfast be very steadfast. And in the verse just preceding that, Allah says aegir Alou Lu Taku kybella

Aki masala, make sure that you have taken your houses as the direction of prayer towards Allah and make sure that you fulfill your prayer. Obviously, their prayer was slightly different from that which was prescribed upon us through Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, but they too had a direction. they too had a prayer, a type of Salah that they fulfilled for Allah sake, according to the instruction of Allah. And Allah says, If you want the goodness, make sure that even your homes are considered places of worship, places of prayer. How many of us have a lot of dirty things at home? Take them out.

Whether there are magazines, whether they're whatever else it may be, sometimes we sit in our houses and we watch programs that are displeasing to Allah knowing that this is displeasing to Allah and your surroundings become hostile towards you because they are bearing witness against you ready for the day of judgment.

When you do something bad, the bricks and the walls and the floors and the roofs and the ceilings all of that, bears witness, it is watching Subhan Allah, it is watching.

Like a CCTV Subhana Allah, it is watching and it will bear witness against you or for you. So hon Allah, you need to seek forgiveness in order to wipe it out. It will all be gone. And you make peace with Allah. When you make peace with Allah and everything is wiped out. You will achieve peace at home. Some people say I have no peace at home. Well, my brother, my sister, is something wrong happening at home. Are you worshiping Allah at home? Do you call the call to prayer and pray when it comes to your Salawat? Do you call the man five times a day and fulfill your prayer now that the massage did have restrictions and even when the massage do not have restrictions? It's not wrong to

call the call for prayer and have Salah with Gemma for those who are remaining within the home.

But we have no idea is your is your house filled with boron and Tila and liquid and rabada and good character and beautiful teachings for your children and so on? Or is it filled with swear words? Is it filled with hostile behavior? Is it filled with that which is displeasing to Allah? If that's the case, how do you expect that house to be filled with no and with peace?

Do you respect the scholars? Do you respect those who carry the deen? Even if they have faltered slightly here and there they are human beings? Or do you jump on the bandwagon to swear them and belittle them and then expect the mercy of Allah when you don't even know who you swore perhaps might have been a friend of Allah, Masada Lee and then to who will help whoever

has

hurt a friend of mine created enmity with a friend of mine. Whoever has harmed a friend of mine, Allah says, I have announced war against that person.

Would you win a war against Allah? Never. So stay out of it. If you see others belittling scholars, you can stay out of it and you should stay out of it. Make dua for the betterment of all. And if you really have to correct someone, it should be done with utmost respect because you don't want to be doomed. Shaytan definitely keeps trying with us and wants us to fail my brothers and sisters. Don't let that happen. So in order to end like I say, this unique day where I'm speaking from a Masjid with all restrictions, it's actually an empty Masjid just myself, the Imam no more other than that's it. May Allah subhanho wa Taala grant us goodness, and May Allah open our doors, my beloved brothers

and sisters, let's cry to Allah for forgiveness so that Allah be pleased with us, so that he can cure us from this disease from whatever has happened. And at the same time, the restrictions can be lifted, when it comes to the houses of Allah to begin with, and then with everything else, as I close I want to teach you as soon as the Prophet salallahu alayhi wa sallam that should be read during these times, and it would be correct also to read Punahou naskila in your Salah, because this is a time when Punahou nasbla is actually needed. It is a calamity that has been fallen the oma remember that Allahumma inni obika meenal barassi will Janani will do the me woman's a scam. We're

asking protection of Allah from all forms of disease from leprosy, from calamity, from disaster, from plagues, from pandemics and that is what we're asking. It's as soon Do I have the profits and sell them? May Allah accept the drought from us? Aku Kohli hada masala Allahu wa Sallim wa barik ala nabina. Muhammad was Salam alaykum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh