Blessings & Salutations

My beloved brothers and sisters,

every time we commence the Friday sermon,

it is very important for us to commence with the praise of the Almighty Allah subhanho wa Taala, the one who has created us,

the nourisher, the cherisher, the Sustainer, the provider, the protector, the cure,

the one in whose hands lies, complete control of entire existence.

And it is also very important that

we send blessings and salutations upon

the chosen one.

And those who were chosen before him, in terms of the messenger peace be upon him and the other messengers of Allah subhanho wa Taala sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.

One might ask,

why is it so important

to send blessings and salutations upon Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam.

My brothers and sisters in Islam,

we are taught to be grateful and to show gratitude,

to show gratitude to those who have been kind to us to those who have done good to us knowing fully well,

that it is Allah subhanho wa Taala, who allowed them to be kind to us. So gratitude actually belongs to Allah.

But if we were to show the thankfulness and the gratitude,

in the correct way, firstly to the person in front of us,

who has done the goodness to us where we can physically witness it,

it would be

far easier and far more genuine. When we thank the maker, the creator, who behind the scenes, has actually facilitated that.

Many times someone does good to us.

It is easier to say thank you to that person Jazakallah higher Allah, may Allah recompense you with goodness,

when we use the term jazak Allah, we are referring to recompensing

May Allah recompense you

recompense you With what? This is why it is important to say, Hi Ron, after that, may Allah recompense you with goodness,

not with evil, not with something bad.

Hence, if a person was to do bad to you, and you told them jazak Allah without saying that, hey, it would mean May Allah recompense you and fix you up in the same way that you have done bad to me.

You follow the point. So it is very important to say Jazakallah Hira when someone has done good to you. But if you really want to thank Allah, it starts off by thanking the person, the people whom Allah has used, for that goodness to come to you Subhana Allah, my beloved brothers and sisters,

the greatest gift that I have, and the greatest gift that you who are seated here in this blessed Masjid in Lakey in this beautiful city of Lagos, in this lovely country of Nigeria, in this amazing continent of Africa, in this superb globe, known as the world.

To be honest, the greatest gift we have, is the fact that we believe in Allah Subhana Allah wa Taala, the one the maker, the one whom we wish he alone the Creator, and that we are part of the Ummah or the nation that belongs to Muhammad, peace be upon him. sallallahu alayhi wasallam.

So to recognize this gift

is very important.

Many of us have gifts that

We don't recognize today I am looking at you, you are looking at me. Have you thought for a moment? What if I did not have eyes?

If you were to close your eyes, and if you were to imagine that I'm never going to be able to open those eyes again, you will will turn upside down.

So thank Allah for your eyes, your nose, your ears, your tongue, your lips, and everything that we take for granted. We should thank Allah for these things.

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Allah.

Allah subhanho wa Taala speaks about

the creation of the skies and the earth, and the fact that those and whatever lies between them, and all the creation of Allah. In it, there are Signs for those with sound intellect, those whom they remember Allah, those who remember Allah often, while standing while sitting. And they ponder over the creation of Allah saying, Oh Allah, you have not created all of this in vain. Save us from the punishment of a hellfire. I mean,

those who ponder, they are the only ones who will recognize the greatness of Allah. When you sit and you think, what do you have? I had food, I have clothing, I have a home, whether it is rented or whatever it is, there are people who are worse, to be able to thank Allah you need to ponder over the issue that you are grateful for. If you haven't recognized it, how are you going to thank Allah.

When you thank Allah, Allah says, I will give you more I will increase. If your salary today is 50,000 euro and you want more, Allah tells you how to get more. You firstly you need to recognize that Allah has blessed you with that much and thank Allah for it and keep working harder. And Allah will bless you with more in one of two ways. Either he will let you have a higher salary in Vegas, or he will give you greater blessings in the same amount. Subhana Allah Subhana Allah, but for that you need to thank Allah not to complain. Our lives have degenerated into a mere play where we are complaining day and night regarding favors of Allah He bestowed upon us.

People are complaining about what they will complain about the job they have. Others don't have a job the salaries they have others have less the food they have. Others don't have food, the shoes they have the cars they have the phone, they have everything they have, they will complain about absolutely everything who is showing gratitude and thankfulness to Allah where is the thanks to Allah La,

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If you show gratitude in the true sense, Allah says I will grant you increase, I will give you more. I will give you more allies promising he uses the words in the Arabic language that are powerful. I promise you that if you are going to be grateful, you will definitely definitely receive increase.

The first thing you will get is contentment, calmness of the heart because I'm thankful for what I have. The second thing you get the pleasure of Allah you will get more

In so many other ways that Allah has promised and Allah says, If you show in gratitude, you are ungrateful, there is no way that you will be saved from the punishment of Allah.

He can take away what he gave you. So how do we show gratitude when Allah gives you obey the instructions of Allah primarily? That is great gratitude. Allah gave you energy. Are you using that energy to do harm? If you are, that is not gratitude, that is in gratitude. May Allah forgive us, my brothers and sisters,

the greatest gift is the man and the fact that we are part of the nation of the oma of Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam that is the greatest gift we have. How do we show gratitude? Number one,

we thank Allah for it indeed, and hamdulillah All praise is indeed dude due to Allah subhanho wa Taala. Didn't I say moments ago that when we start off the lecture of jamara, or any other thing or matter of importance, we start off praising Allah In the name of Allah, that is how we commence my brothers and sisters, I want to let you know something very, very interesting.

The goodness we have

in terms of believing in the creator alone,

and the discipline rules of the beautiful faith of Islam.

Islam is a religion of discipline, discipline, it will govern the way you talk and purify it and refine it to make you a beautiful individual. The way the expression on your face is the smile, the way you will address your family, all of that came in to Islam as a way of life who gave it to us, Allah. So we thank Allah,

who did Allah choose to bring it to us? The Prophet peace be upon him. So what do we do?

We thank him. How do we thank him Allahumma salli ala Sayyidina, Muhammad wa ala Li Na Muhammad in wa barik wa sallam was happy he was suddenly Oh Allah send blessings and salutations upon Muhammad, peace be upon him, his household, his companions, etc, etc. Bless them, Oh Allah, that is showing gratitude to the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him. Allah subhanho wa Taala says,

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Allah subhanho wa Taala the angels THEY BLESS the messenger peace be upon him oh you who believe sent blessings and salutations upon Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam in the most befitting way Subhan Allah Subhana Allah, this is an instruction in the Quran. Send blessings. So what do we do? sallallahu alayhi wa sallam every time we hear his name, right, we are following the instruction of Allah. O Allah sent please and blessings upon Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam Peace and blessings upon the messenger. Why? Because he was chosen by Allah, He brought the goodness to us everything we do, we owe him the things and we owe Allah subhanho wa Taala that gratitude. So this

is why the Hadith says manansala la

sala Allahu Allah He Bihar ashar whosoever sends blessings upon me one time.

Allah will bless that person 10 times as a result Subhana Allah, Hadith, so he, no doubt. You want a lot to bless you. Well send blessings upon Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam salallahu alayhi wa sallam. Think about what you are saying when you're saying it.

May Allah bless every one of us. I mean,

this all goes back to the fact that he was chosen

When Allah chooses from amongst us some, to have virtue over the others in certain things, it is a test for the one who was given the blessing. And for those who are not given the blessing as well.

For the one who was given the blessing, the test is, are you going to worship Allah in a better way, now that he has given you wealth, now that he has given you health, now that he has given you good looks, now that he has given you knowledge now that he has given you a lovely wife, and children or husband? or whatever else it may be? Are you going to get closer to Allah? Or is it going to make you haughty, arrogant, proud?

Where you don't know or you've lost, how to speak to your spouse, etc. You are not grateful? There is no gratitude. What have you done? So this is why we say when Allah blesses you, it's a test for you. Yes. And it's a test for those who don't have because when you look at others, do you thank Allah for what he has given them?

We are sitting here in this beautiful city of Lagos, like I said, they are people who are extremely wealthy, and people who are extremely poor. For both, there is a test from Allah.

Are you going to get closer to Allah because my brothers and my sister's true success is only on the Day of Judgment. When you get your book in the right hand and you are told to enter general fair dose, then you can say I have succeeded before that, there is no success that is guaranteed nothing.

You can be the poorest person in the whole country. If your relationship with Allah is strong. And on the Day of Judgment, you are called out to receive your book in your right hand. On that day, you will be higher than the richest of the rich, who used to be in the dunya if they had lost their connection with Allah.

So if this world is temporary,

the point I'm raising is the gratitude is important for both parties. By getting closer to Allah use what Allah gave you to get closer to Allah to prepare for the real life, the life after death, to prepare for the real eternal life. Not this temporary, small, short life.

The life on this earth is very short, maybe 60 to 70 years on average, if you are lucky and fortunate. Even if you live it under a tree, you will be buried in the same grave as others were similar.

As for the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, who brought the goodness to us sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, every time we send blessings and salutations upon Him, we are actually doing ourselves a favor.

His rent is the highest. He is the highest in terms of the creatures of Allah subhanho wa Taala.

He will have great gifts given by Allah on the Day of Judgment, the power to intercede the first to enter gentlemen,

the first to be resurrected, etc, etc, everything, it's beautiful, he is the highest. So by you and I are not sending blessings, we have not decreased his value in any way. But when we send blessings, we are increasing our own value. And this is why there is a competition every Friday to send blessings and salutations upon Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam

showing gratitude, but I have one complaint, what is the complaint? Sometimes we see beautifully sallallahu alayhi wasallam we say beautifully, Oh Allah sin blessings and salutations upon Muhammad peace be upon him, his household, his companions, etc, etc. So we say beautifully Allahumma salli ala Sayyidina Muhammad wa ala Sayidina Muhammad in wa barik wa sallam was happy he robotic was Selim, we say it very beautifully.

That means we are acknowledging that he is indeed the Messenger of Allah who brought a message to us. But alas, sometimes our lives are led in a way that is

Very, very far from the teachings of the same messenger, whom we are sending blessings and salutations, upon. What type of hypocrisy is that?

On one hand I am saying sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and on the other hand, I am lying. I'm cheating. I'm stealing, I'm deceiving. I'm robbing, I'm abusing. I'm beating up, I'm doing all sorts of wrong things I'm drinking, I'm committing adultery, what else am I doing now? ilaha illa Allah

La ilaha illa Allah.

So the message I have for you today, my brothers and sisters, and it is for me to let us become more conscious of the messenger of the messenger whom we send the blessings and salutations upon.

If only by sending blessings and salutations, you are getting a tenfold reward. Imagine what will happen when you really follow that sooner when you really follow the Prophet peace be upon him in his actions, in his words, in everything that he did or said. And we try our best to follow the sooner imagine what type of a reward we will have.

Many of us are guilty in our homes, when the same messenger next to whose name we are quick to say sallallahu alayhi wasallam. And rightly so.

When he has said the best from amongst you is the one who is the best to his wife

or to his family.

We are terrible to our wives. We cannot stand them. But we are quick to say sallallahu alayhi wasallam. We are very fast to say Allahumma salli, ala Sayyidina Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam? Yes, it's important to say that, but isn't it hypocrisy to pay lip service only to some people, the respect of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam is nothing more than lip service. Look at their lives. Look at the attitude. It is an attitude of gratitude. Their lives are filled with dirt and sin and that which is far not only from Islam, but from any teachings of goodness.

And they just keep on repeating salallahu alayhi wasallam is that lip service? In no way am I undermining the value

of Salah Allah Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, no ways. But all I am trying to stress is it's time to follow that Nabhi

it's time to improve yourself.

Imagine sitting with the cigarettes and smoking, whether it is a cigar that costs $100, or a little cigarette that was given to you for free. Imagine you have a cigarette and you're smoking. And you're saying sallallahu alayhi wasallam? I mean, what are you trying to achieve?

What are you trying to achieve? Can you not give up that cigarette for the sake of Allah and his or her soul?

But when the doctor tells you you have to give it up, otherwise you will die, then you are quick to give it up.

People tell me why do you give the example of cigarettes? And I tell them the reason is the doctors give the same example Subhanallah if it is harmful for you, then it is correct for me from the pulpit to address that issue. Could the bad habit Some of us are hooked on to pornography. And people say Why are you talking about it in the masjid because it is a major disaster. Can you not stop for the sake of Allah and the same Nabhi after whose name you say some Allahu alayhi wasallam Stop it.

Stop it. It's more important than anything that you can think to stop the sin Subhan Allah.

If you really love the messenger, peace be upon him. I challenge you to quit smoking, I challenge you prove your love.

If you really love the Prophet, peace be upon him. I challenge you to fulfill the five Salah a day with love. I challenge you. Do you love him?

Don't lie.

Allah protect us.

If you really love the messenger peace be upon him. I challenge you to quit adultery, to quit drinking in the gambling I challenge you.

That is true love. I want to follow what he is doing what he taught what he is saying.

Over and above sending blessings and salutations

I will continue doing that. And I want to do it.

My beloved brothers and sisters,

do you love the messenger peace be upon him?

If you truly do I challenge you to dress correctly. You know what is the meaning of correctly, I don't need to explain it. I challenge you

to improve your relationships. I challenge you to respect your folks, your parents,

to look after your relatives, I challenge you to spend wealth in the cause of Allah with respect, I challenge you. Why am I saying this? It's about time we presented the correct image of Islam.

Islam is not just chanting things, saying things that you don't know and you don't understand.

Islam is all about worshiping the maker alone.

And disciplining yourself to lead the best life, you know, see and follow humbly mercy, the same messenger after whose name we say, Allahu alayhi wa sallam so passionately, is he who said the best of mankind is the one who is most beneficial to the rest of mankind. La Ilaha Illa

How much have you benefited mankind? How have you benefited your neighbors? He is the same messenger who said,

Man can you move in law he will

follow you the job. Whoever believes in a man the last day must not harm the neighbor.

We are harming our neighbors. We are perpetrating heinous crimes. And we say I believe in Allah I believe in the messenger. Come on. It's about time we stopped just lip service. When you say la ilaha illAllah Muhammad Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam your life needs to show that I want to end by giving you one example.

When you say to someone I love you, or when someone says to you, I love you.

Sometimes you know about that love before they utter it and without them uttering it. Sometimes you feel the love, even though they have not said it, you feel it.

And sometimes when they say it, you know they are lying. Why? Because they are claiming to love you but they are harming you hurting you, not looking after your interests, etc. No respect no dignity nothing and they are claiming to love you.

May Allah forgive us. We are doing something similar sometimes. We claim to love Allah.

But what Allah said is not important to us. We claim to love the messenger peace be upon him, but we cannot even get up for salatu wa Illa Allah

May Allah subhanho wa Taala forgive us barakallahu li walakum filco Anu asuna whenever anyone can be MFI him Amina, it will hikma aku Kohli Holla Holla Holla Holla come when he saw a Muslim in I mean couldn't let them be naughty at him. First of all in nahu