Sadullah Khan – Effective Presence of the Prophet Jumuah 10 Rabi ul Awal 1444 7 October 2022
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In the name of Allah most gracious most
merciful
all praise is due to our creator, our
cherisher,
our nourisher and our sustainer.
We bear witness, there's none worthy of worship
but Allah.
We bear witness we believe in all the
prophets
and we bear witness of prophet Muhammad ibn
Abdullah,
Rasulullah
is the final of all the emissaries of
Allah.
To the elders and brothers,
at this auspicious hour of Jum'ah,
I greet you with the Islamic universal greeting
of peace.
May the peace, the mercy, and the blessings
of Allah
be upon you on this blessed month of
Rabi al Awal
on the eve of when people commemorate the
birth of the prophet
Allah opens the Quran with specific words and
perchance
deliberately.
These are the first words that appear in
the sequence of the Quran that we have
as preserved
throughout history.
And it begins in the name of Allah
most compassionate,
most merciful,
all forms of all things and gratitude
and praise is due to Allah,
the cherish and nourish and sustain of all
existence of all the worlds
and then most compassionate,
the most merciful.
So Allah introduces
himself
at the very beginning of the Quran
by his supreme name, the love which
Allah
and followed by his primary attribute
reflected in 2
words.
Most compassionate,
most merciful,
and then
makes reference to the characteristics
of himself as the facilitator of all development
of the initiate of all existence
and the perpetuator of life
and the control of things and
then
he repeats
most compassionate,
most merciful.
These are the first words
of the final revelation. There's no revelation to
come after the Holy Quran.
But at the initiation,
in the beginning of the Quran, Allah gives
us
a glimpse of himself.
He introduces himself
as if he wants to be known by
this.
When we introduce ourselves, we give our name,
maybe our title from where we are. So
Allah introduces himself in the Quran
giving us an initial glimpse of himself, if
you will, and conveys
a definite impression in our minds,
an impression
of compassion.
The reasons why first impressions are
so important and significant,
if the first impression
last well beyond the first moment.
The first impression
last well beyond
that first moment.
In fact, very often, the first impression
is the lasting impression. It may not be
the last impression
but it may be the lasting
impression.
And this is what is referred to as
the
primacy effect.
The primacy effect, which means
that when someone experiences something
before other things in the sequence, when you
experience something first,
they remember the first thing more than the
rest.
There's there is a moment in any relationship
in human engagement
that is important for us to realize and
that is that initial step then leads to
a momentum. What follows from that? There's a
negative first impression.
What follows
may be seen in the light of that
first impression.
And the person may have momentum if you
have a negativity. If you walk into a
restaurant and it's filthy, you all say, let
me see the menu. You walk out immediately.
The food may be the best,
but the impression you got
overlooks
the goodness of the food or the excellence
of the service. You walk out virtually immediately.
There's a momentum built up. No. I don't
want to be here, or I would want
to be here.
So that momentum
can develop much quicker and better if the
first impression is good.
And it's easier to increase a good momentum
when there is a first impression.
The question we need to ask ourselves
as the Ummah of Rasulullah
already
maligned
in much of the media,
already misperception created about Islam,
the question we should ask ourselves
in our relationship with the world as individual
Muslims
or as organizations and institutions
or as communities,
what is the dominant attitude
that we as Muslims display?
When we are passionate about something,
what emotions come to the fore when we
are passionate?
What emotions come to the fore? Is it
love?
Is it hate?
Is it anger?
Is it revenge,
compassion,
Condemnation?
Self righteousness?
What impression do we give?
And you don't have to give go very
far.
Look at the attitude of Muslim institutions and
organizations
and leadership towards one another
which is not very
savory most of the time. What do you
think is our impression of others?
See something beautiful and attractive
or something negative or obnoxious. What are we
giving?
As individual Muslims
towards one another,
as human beings towards other human beings,
as an in relation to humanity,
what is the dominant characteristic
in our social interaction
and what impression
do we leave of ourselves?
Rasulullah salallahu alaihi wa sallam was on his
way on the hijra in a difficult time
and he encounters as an incident that occurs
with Rasool
and
some of his companions meet a lady,
and the prophet engages her, asks her for
something and a miracle also occurs there but
the issue here is
later that day, she describes to her husband
the people she met during the day.
She says to her husband
describing the prophet and those around him and
I'll just give briefly of what she said.
She said,
I saw a person
visibly radiant in
It was
a mellowness,
a softness,
a gentleness in his voice.
She said when he was silent,
he appeared dignified
And when he
spoke, he was imminent
crowned with magnificence.
His speech was sweet.
His words were precise
neither too little he said nor do you
speak too much.
He said,
he was surrounded by companions and when he
spoke, they listened attentively
because the way he spoke
grabbed their attention.
When he gave orders,
they rushed to do what he asked.
Honored and honorable,
surrounded by his followers,
he never frowned
nor was he critical.
This is the first impression of the lady
of the prophet
and this is the description she gives
of the Rasul
to her husband.
That is called the effective presence.
When you come, what presence you've been there?
Some people, when you see them, you feel
negative.
When they speak about the deen, they're condemning
something.
Even sometimes you read some articles when you
come from a particular source you know already
someone is.
What is the effective presence that we are
leaving behind?
It doesn't mean we mustn't address issues and
be forthright and be frank
but is this a consistency thing that we
always have a negative or do we have
a positive impact?
So what is our effective presence?
Our way of being or the way we
are.
This, the way we are, is an emotional
signature. When people leave, you leave them with
a signature.
Some company you leave, you feel good. When
you see them, you look forward to seeing
them.
When said, Mix with people in such a
way that when you're alive they want to
be with you and when you are dead
they cry for you.
Character wise and in attitude,
you must remember we get
what we give
and we receive what we portray.
And since our attitude is a reflection of
ourselves in the middle of life,
ask ourselves,
what do we reflect
And what lasting
impression do we leave?
What is our personal brand
if I may say? You know, when you
were brand Nike or something, people know what
it is. Sometimes it's fake also, by the
way.
But, nonetheless,
what is our brand
by which we are recognized? We don't even
buy Muslim clothing with a Muslim brand. It
doesn't count. We are so brainwashed into believing
other people's brands are better.
And by the way, some of these things
are made in Bangladesh and they put the
brand on in America and then we pay
for it. And the people in Bangladesh can't
afford it.
Do you realize some people,
some people, you should realize that some people
consider what you think
but not many people know what you think.
Okay?
Others reflect on what you say which is
important.
Many judge you by what you do
but most people relate to you according to
how you make them feel.
You can give a beautiful lecture whatever the
impression you give sometimes.
How you make people feel?
Who are fighting the prophet
and
he came up to the prophet,
approached the prophet with a sword
and surprised the prophet
and said who will protect you? He told
you Rasool.
The prophet said Allah,
Allah will protect me.
So that he was shocked when the Rasool
Allah,
he dropped the sword and the prophet picked
up the sword and the prophet asked him
now who will save you?
And he said, oh, Rasoolah.
Oh, Muhammad, be better than the one who
attacked you.
The Rasool said to him or another report,
he said, Allah said, Rasool said, that Allah
who protected me will protect you too.
Then the prophecy to him,
Will you testify
that none is worthy of worship but Allah?
And will you testify that I'm the messenger
of Allah?
Remember as an enemy on the battle,
took out a sword, threatened the Prophet. Prophet
surprised him. Now he got the sword. As
the man the man said,
I'm not gonna say.
I will not say
but what I will do, I will not
fight you
and I will never join people who fight
you.
And the Rasul let him go.
So when this man, Gaurav Bil Haris went
to his people, what did he say? He
didn't become Muslim.
He said,
I've just come you from the best of
human beings.
I've just come to you
from the best of human beings. You see?
The initial
introductory
evaluation or impression upon meeting a person
encountering something or experiencing a situation for the
first time has a tremendous impact on the
person.
The unique characteristic however of the Rasool
and that's why
You see Muhammad. You know, human beings are
human beings. They're a soul of human of
course. Just like stones are stone,
but
Rasulullah is special.
A diamond is also a stone, but you
can buy
a 1,000
truckloads of charcoal is pure carbon by the
way. You know charcoal is carbon and diamond
is carbon. Both are carbon but you can
buy a 100 truckloads of charcoal with 1
diamond.
So Rasool is like diamond
and
we could be like charcoal. May Allah grant
us to be also of those who are
polished
like Rasoolullah
and by these characteristics.
The unique characteristics of the Rasulullah
The uniqueness of his prophetic personality
was his consistency.
His consistency.
We can also be good sometimes.
We can also create a positive impression sometimes.
And it's good to have a positive impression
when you do interviews, You make sure you
wear the best clothes. You say what he
wants to hear. You know something about the
company interviewing you. That's a first impression.
It's good. Nothing wrong with that. But is
that the lasting impression? Is it who you
are? Are you trying to be good to
seem good or are you just good?
Are you trying to be good to seem
good
or are you really good? Rasul Sallallahu Alaihi
Wasallam,
he was consistency
in his in the prophetic personality.
The first impression you got of him was
the lasting impression.
That is why Allah
has designated him
as as the ideal exemplar.
It is therefore the ultimate human attribute
to the prophet If those closest to him
described him,
Those who knew his secrets.
Those who knew him in public and in
private. In anger and in joy. In battle
and in prayer. In mosque and in the
market. Those who knew him like that,
they said some things about him.
What did they say? Say the Aisha
the wife of the Rasul
describing the prophet.
She said,
He was the easiest of of his wife,
by the way. This way, he was the
easiest of people,
the most noble and the most generous of
people.
He was among people like one of them.
He never stood out. People wouldn't know that
he was a leader.
He didn't take himself about other people. When
they worked, he worked. When they dug the
trench, he dug the trench.
So she said,
he was the easiest of people, can you
imagine?
The easiest of people.
Children were praying in the masjid said no
Omar came they ran away but the prophet
was there didn't run for the prophet
the prophet said
even if shaitan comes he runs
in the opposite direction but they didn't run
from the prophet did they?
Easiest of people, most noble and most generous.
He was among people like he was one
of them.
Always cheerful
and always
smiling.
Said
who
was in his home, grew up in his
home, married his daughter.
His progeny continued through Ali,
1st male
to be embraced Islam, young boy.
When he described the prophet, he knew the
prophet all his life every day. Every verse
that was revealed, he knew when it was
revealed and why it was revealed.
Said do you have knowledge Ali is the
gate that Ali who knew the prophet so
intimately,
he
said, Lasting impression. First impression we got from
the lady now, she saw the Rasul and
what she said and so on And this
man on the battlefield.
Now we go to people who knew the
Rasul.
The
The prophet
the seal of prophets, the most generous and
the bravest of people.
His speech was the most reliable.
He was
such he was most attentive to people's interest.
When people spoke to him, they described the
prophet when somebody spoke to him. He would
turn to the person as if there's nobody
else. He would give full attention to the
person.
That's why when the verse when, he was
speaking to the chiefs of Arabia
and the blind man came to ask him
about something
and he turned away and Allah had reminded
him, why? Because the sudden style of the
prophet.
You just turn. The blind man didn't see
the prophet. The blind man wasn't offended, but
it was unlike the prophet even on that
occasion. So when he did once, Allah reminded
him, it's not you.
And Allah documented in the Quran. You turned
away when the blind man came speaking with
the chiefs
of and perchance the man came to purify
himself. Maybe he's better than those you're speaking
to.
It's not to reprimand the Rasool so much
to remind us look how
how perfect is like someone get 99% of
the teachers, but why you got one wrong?
But I got the highest in the whole
school. I got the highest in the country.
But how did you get the one wrong?
Because you never get anything wrong. This is
the kind
of.
So he says
he was the most
attentive to people's attend
trust trust and careful to fulfill people's duty.
He was the most amenable person, the most
friendly person, amenable, most yielding. Let's do this.
He would do it. Provide.
See him seeing him unexpectedly,
you would automatically
him and him.
And those who became acquainted with him, who
really knew him, really loved him.
Such is the beautiful example of the prophet
sallallahu alaihi wasallam.
A reflection of divine compassion.
A personification
of the Quranic spirit
and an embodiment
of mercy. Allah reminds us.
Indeed,
Allah bestowed a favor upon you, oh believers.
When you raise up in your midst
an apostle from among yourselves
to convey his message
and
to cause you to develop in purification.
And to impart
unto you divine
guidance as well as wisdom.
A chance before this,
you were lost
and in error.
From the verse of the from the first
verses of the Quran, we read Bismillah.
From the first verses of the Quran
and the first impression of the almighty
in that verse
to the first impression
that people receive of Rasulullah.
We note the
first and the lasting impression of both the
almighty
and the prophet is wind of one of
kindness,
is one of kindness,
positivity
and of compassion.
Put it very beautifully.
The prophet reached the highest state by his
sublime character.
He removed darkness
by his beauty.
He removed darkness by his beauty.
Excellent
are all his characteristics
and his achievements.
Salutations upon him and his family. Allah Muhammad.
Salutation on that prophet
whose effective presence resulted
in removing prejudice with understanding,
in removing darkness through light, in removing evil
with good, in replacing hatred with love.
That very prophet who advised us,
Documented
by your mom.
The prophet said, be conscious of Allah wherever
you may be. Under all circumstances,
be conscious of Allah.
Follow-up a wrong you may have done,
erasing it by doing something good,
and deal with people
in the best possible manner.
As the ummah of Rasulullah
Whether you celebrate
or not, I'm not interested.
But
on this month of,
the month of the birth and the passing
of the prophet,
let us, as the,
let our presence be pleasant
even to each other.
Let our presence be present.
Let our kindness be our trademark
and let compassion
be our lasting impression.
Like
that of the Rasool Allahu Alaihi Wasallam
was a manifestation
of the Quranic spirit.
For the beautiful
and advice
that you had departed
to unto us.
Bless you.
And on that note, the mercy committee would
like to invite each and everyone tomorrow evening,
inshallah,
from the walk of Maghrib
and then maybe we'll delay
a little bit, but not too long, inshallah.
So from Maghrib, the walk of Maghrib, inshallah,
until Isha for our program that will take
place at the masjid tomorrow evening. Everyone is
welcome inshallah.
Young men, old men, and the ladies as
well. Inshallah.
So we hope to see you all here
tomorrow evening.
Let me just ask the brothers to stand
in front of the quite a few people
standing outside, and there are spaces in the
corner on your left hand side.
It's basically gonna be filled now.
And there's no delay after the, especially your
left hand side corner there.
Let me just ask the brothers to fall
on the left hand side. I think there's
quite a few spaces here on the left
hand side.