Sadullah Khan – Jumuah 6 Muharram 14445 August 2022
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AI: Transcript ©
Respected Shamar.
My name is Tamiz Mohammed, and I'm the
head boy of the Islamic College.
On behalf of the Islamic Governing Council and
the Islamic Board of Trust and the larger
Islamic family, I would like to convey
to all Musalis today. May Allah grant
a year us a year filled with blessings
and prosperity,
Insha'Allah. So
today, us, the students of Islamic College, have
been blessed with the opportunity
to officiate the jumuah.
The advance will be given by Abdul Kalika
from Gratin, and, alhamdulillah, I've been given the
privilege of leading the salah.
So without further ado, I would like to
present today's speaker, Sheikh Saadullah Khan, the CEO
of Islamic College.
As this Tuesday, well, 9th August will be
Women's Day, sheh has aptly chosen the topic,
could Anik a reflection on women. So without
any further delay,
I wish I could speak slowly and clearly
like that.
Allah bless you.
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 who came throughout history
And we bear witness that prophet Muhammad ibn
Abdullah.
Rasulullah salallahu alayhi
wasalam is the final of all the emissaries
of
elders, respected youth,
teachers, educators, learners.
I greet you with the Islamic universal greeting
of peace at this auspicious hour of Jum'ah
in this magnificent house of Allah.
3 brief points I wish to focus on
today.
One is about
commemorative events.
The second is about
the reference
that the head boy made to women's day
and hence we have a public holiday in
this week coming.
And also, more importantly,
about
how women
are presented in the Quran to clear up
some misperception
that others may have or that we ourselves
may
have. To begin
regarding commemorative events,
we need to realize that to remember important
people
and significant events
are fundamental parts
and fundamental and essential for the preservation of
history
and also for the continuation of any legacy.
Because if you forget the history,
you disconnect yourself from the past,
but you also
are in the process
eliminating
the legacy.
And therefore,
commemorating
people
and commemorating events
have been a fundamental practice
in virtually every society
throughout history.
So
commemorative events with the religious,
some are not religious,
but are important and significant
and worthy of remembrance
and worthy of commemoration.
So commemorative events whether religious,
whether political,
whether social,
All of
these focus our attention on
significant personalities
or major events
that serve as a motivational
lesson for generations to come.
So historically for example,
some events occurred before the time of Rasulullah
salallahu alaihi wa sallam which you commemorate. For
example,
Idu Agha
sacrifice.
Ibrahim alaihis salam and Ismail
centuries before the Rasool's time, but it's incorporated
as part of our practice.
Some
among us fast on the 9th or 10th
and 10th 11th of Muharram to commemorate an
event that occurred before the Rasool's time.
That
is the saving of Musa Alaihi Salam from
Firang.
Some events we commemorate occurred during the lifetime
of Rasoolullah.
For example,
the occasion of the revelation of the Quran.
The inception of the revelation
and so on.
But there are also events of significance
and I repeat,
events of significance.
That occurred after the passing of the prophet,
and that constitute
part of our history and legacy.
And
they serve as a motivational lesson for generations
to come.
For example,
the martyrdom of the prophet's beloved grandson Imam
Hussain,
on 10th Muharram
on the 61st year of hijra.
Nobody of any
or any time in history
ever fasted the fast that we do because
of Karbala or because of Imam Hussain. Get
it very clear.
But the event itself is significant
because
there's a tremendous moral lesson
that can be attained from this
human tragedy, this historic tragedy.
That involve the brutal slaying, the merciless
brutal slaying of the Prophet's grandson
killed by corrupt
self serving Muslim leaders
who unashamedly
killed that person of whom the Rasool said
in authentic hadith documented
in the Muslim of Imam Ahmad ibn
by Imam and by Ibn Majah.
I am Hussain is from me and I
am from him. Allah loves those who love
Hussain.
That incident of his killing, not only that,
They stripped his sister, the prophet's granddaughter naked.
Paraded her in front of people.
They took his head on a sword, Husayn's
head on a sword.
That Husayn of whom the Rasul should get
down the mimbar when he gave a khutba
to pick him up. That Husayn when Rasul
went on the sujood,
sat in sujood until he got off not
to disturb him.
My point I'm making is we get in
debate, but we don't fast because of this.
The result didn't commemorate this.
The event is significant in our lives.
And there are lessons for us to be
learned,
but
that commemoration,
we do not speak about it.
In fact, we have reached a cowardly stage
where so many among us
are even uncomfortable mentioning it.
And I can assure you some will come
after Khutba and say why I spoke about
this or mentioned it.
Tragic indeed.
You see commemoration of Ashura,
10th of Muharram
every year
Every year for me, it serves as a
reminder
of the sacrifice of righteous people
throughout our glorious history.
Our history didn't begin with Rasulullah. It didn't
end with his passing.
It began from the beginning of time from
the first prophet was Adam through Rasulullah
through his call his, his followers until the
day of Qiyamah.
Revelations taught with Rasulullah,
but lessons we learned throughout history.
So
the commemoration of Ashura on the 10th of
Muharram every year serves to remind us of
the sacrifice of the righteous throughout history.
From prophet Musa Alaihi Salam against Firawn before
the Surullah's time.
After
the Surullah's
lifetime.
Because
why? Both of these connect us to our
larger history.
Connect us to our continued legacy.
And
it makes people aware
of then and now,
of those who bravely stood up, who selflessly
and principally
stood up for what was right.
But also and that's why it's uncomfortable
because so many of the people
who are now in positions of authority in
Muslim lands have exactly the Yazidi mentality
and Hussein doesn't suit them very well.
It exposes those who watch what was happening,
who knew what was right, who knew what
was wrong
and yet did absolutely nothing.
A warning and a lesson for us.
But
as for a fixed memorial day or commemorative
event,
Generally it served as a significant tribute
to a life or to events of importance,
but it also means of passing on a
legacy as I've said
for those who are to come after us.
It is in this light that we here
in South Africa commemorate women's month or women's
week and more particularly on the 9th August,
we have a public holiday,
women's day.
And this
arises from an incident that occurred in 1956.
When
mass march of women
to the union buildings in Pretoria on the
9th August 1956
to hand over a petition against the past
laws and for those young people who may
not know, you had to carry those who
are black, so called black, had to carry
a pass, a document on you to give
you permission to be in a particular area.
If you were in that area without the
document you could be locked up immediately.
And not only that, you needed that to
work and also even to pass through. There
sometimes you couldn't go pass through some towns,
you couldn't go through Bloemfontein after sunset.
And it applied to everybody was non white
by the way. This was reality.
So they were demonstrating against that unjust passed
law and hence eventually
that mass that march was led by 4
primary women Lillian Goy, Helen Joseph, Sophia Williams
the brain and Rahima Musa after whom the
hospital is named in Johannesburg.
The brave action of the women on that
particular day
became
somewhat a commemorative event which we now call
women's day in South Africa.
And the focus is subsequently
become not only the gallant political action that
occurred through that march on 9th August,
but also
about the appreciation
of women as a whole.
So having spoken about commemorative events and the
historic
background
that granted the impetus for the 9th August
in women's day, I want to come to
the topic I want to focus on for
a few moments.
It's often perceived by critics
that there is a lack of appreciation
or that Islam undermines women.
And I therefore wish to take this opportunity
where there is a national focus
on women
by paying attention to the subject
and looking at it and how the Quran's
agrarian approach,
agrarian representation,
the reflection of women in the whole Quran.
A reflection which very often is misperceived
by those who may not be of our
faith, those who may not be Muslim
but very often misrepresented
even by those who consider themselves Muslim.
So few few general points
at the outset we need to understand
that all of humankind emanate from one source,
and
from the partnership of male and female,
So we emanate
from one source.
Number 2,
human beings male and female and particularly more
so
in believing male and believing female
are integral,
interdependent
components
of society. Integral
interdependent
components of society.
At the same time,
male and female efforts
are of complete equal worth in the estimation
of Allah.
Allah. Never will Allah allow to suffer the
loss of the labor or the fruits of
the labor of anyone whether it be male
or female you are members
one of the other.
One of the most problematic issues among religious
people
is
how some among us must construe culturally inherited
chauvinism
as part of our religiosity.
We must construe
culturally inherited chauvinism
as part of our religiosity.
And Allah clearly tells us
that we are members of one another
of the human race, equal in our value,
in our worth, and in our deeds. And
Allah reminds us,
But But the bottom line is whether nations
or tribes male or female.
The only criterion of preference
irrespective of color, of language, of of nationality,
of age,
of gender.
The only criterion of preference by Allah is
or piety and piety is only measurable by
Allah. No human being can measure piety.
Even in the time of the prophet
some of the women were given the wrong
impression by other women men folk,
by men
folk that men were more privileged
and the flow of language seems
to favor or give preferential treatment towards men.
And the prophets beloved wife, Hind Binti
Abi Umayyah or her name as we know
her, Umma Salma, the
and she went to Rasool Allah, you Rasool
Allah. Some people assume and even the ladies
that men are preferenced.
How do we clear this misperception
and Allah revealed a verse.
Very famous words where Allah says for Muslim
men and Muslim women, believing men and believing
women, for devout men and devout women, for
genuine men and genuine women, For patient men
and for patient women. For constantly, he emphasized
men and women separately.
10 categories Allah gave.
Allah promises all of them. Those who do,
they were righteous, they were pious, they were
good.
Allah promises them
magfirah and a tremendous reward.
The Quran we must realize
at the same time does not give a
one dimensional
representation of women.
It's one dimensional.
Female personality is the Quran serve as an
example for all humanity.
It's not that they serve example only for
females.
And if you look in the Quran
from Hawa alaihis salam
whose womb is the
is the source of human origin as families
for example.
Humanity started with Adam and Hawa,
but
the humanity was perpetuated through the womb
of Hawa. So we come as children of
Hawa from the union between Adam and Hawa.
So there we find the womb of Hawa
as the symbol of human origin and of
human equality
as families
after the creation of Adam and Hawa.
Umme Musa whose name was Ayaka Akundusam,
the mother of Musa alaihis salam
who encapsulates the nurturing spirit so much required
for human beings.
Allah speaks about her nurturing spirit. Bilqai is
the queen of Sheba. Allah refers to as
the embodiment of astute leadership,
of excellent management skills of judicious wisdom.
Allah speaks about authority and power and how
she delegated responsibility.
Hannah and
or Anna the mother of Mary is an
icon of nobility that Allah refers to.
An icon of nobility and then Mary herself,
the,
who is the essence of virtue
We have chosen you and we have purified
you. So
critics of Islam very often say that Islam
women are referred to in the Quran
primarily as as secondary figures
as wives to their husbands.
They are referred to incidentally
because it's reference to men and this happened
to be their wives. That's not the case.
You look at Aesah alaihi salam, the Messiah,
al Masihyah
mentioned 25 times in the Quran. 25 times
by name in the Quran.
16 times
is referred to as
Aisa B Al Maryam,
Jesus the son of Mary.
Isa the son of Mary and only 9
times as Isa by himself.
So,
it's incident
A lady who complained about her husband made
a dua to Allah
about her husband about the practice which was
prevalent in Arab society.
Where they call the hardware a man who
could just say something, you know, you like
the back of my mother, which is a
term they use in those days which immediately
implied divorce and she complained to Allah.
She complained to Allah in the dua
and Allah responded with a revelation to her
dua.
Allah responded to her, banning that practice
among the people. But not only that, in
the time of Sayedna Umar, one day he
was speak speaking among people, among important people
and the lady came by
and he left them and he paid attention
to her and the one person said, our
Umar Al Khalif, you're paying attention to this
lady and we are senior people sitting here?
So he
replied, do you know who that is?
This is
Allah listened to her when she spoke from
the 7 heavens.
Allah listened to her and paid attention to
her. How can I not pay attention to
her? Umrah. That's an incident.
So it's very important to realize
that there's
a distinct acknowledgement
of also
women's
individuality
because we have this notion of a,
blanket approach
of a submissive
blanket secondary subservient approach which may be our
cultural understanding but not the Quran reflection.
For example,
there are women who are great, there were
women who are evil but because they were
great or because they were evil not because
they were women. For example,
Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala looks at the homes
of the prophet. There were those who came
from the homes of the prophet who guided
people yet the women in those homes were
deviant.
For example,
They came
from within the home. These prophets were preaching
and
yet in the household
these wives were deviant and did not follow
them. At the same time, there were sometimes
women who stood by themselves, who had no
one to defend them, who were ostracized by
the society because of their prejudices. And an
example of that is Mary.
Mary was accused
by her people when she brought the baby
Jesus, Isa alaihis salam. She stood by herself,
defended only by this little child.
And then of course you find in the
house of pharaoh, the arch type of oppressors
in the Quran. That symbol of oppression.
Firaun,
in the house of the Firaun.
In the house of a prophet you had
people who are deviant. In the house of
you find us here, under the leaders of
the women of paradise
who brought up a prophet in the house
of that.
He didn't grow up in the area of
the in the school of the she brought
him up. What kind of unique leadership,
love, compassion,
commitment that she have to bring up
against the wishes of a husband, she brought
up a righteous prophet who would eventually rise
against a husband, but the guts and the
ability and the nobility to be able to
say I'll nurture this child and so on.
So the significant message regarding
the Quranic perspective of women That you should
realize and internalize.
The Quran does not privilege
men over women in the biological
capacities as male or treat the man as
the normative self and the woman as the
other.
Just because the Quran acknowledges
patriarchy, in other words male responsibility,
it does not imply male superiority.
You see wise ones
amongst our forefathers have said
wise ones have said, men of noble character
under women.
Those men who are vile and dishonorable
tend to dishonor women. And the Rasul himself
and Hadid documented by imam Atirmid he said,
Imam Atirmid he said, He was telling his
companions the males among them. The
man most complete in faith among you.
Your most among you those who have most
complete religion, complete faith is the one who
has the best character and the best among
all you men folk are those who are
best to the women folk.
There's a dire need for us
to reread
not unread,
not necessarily reinterpret,
reread
the message of the Quran.
Not as a book interpreted by men for
men,
but as a book of guidance for humanity
at large.
Comprehensive and inclusive,
impartial and fair.
Guidance not even for the Muslims alone, not
even for the Muttaqeen alone, guidance for all
of humanity.
Always remember the Quranic directive.
The male believers and the female believers
are helpers and protectors and carers of each
other.
They're enjoying what is right and they forbid
what is wrong. They establish
a pursue spiritual
development and up
you know
and and piety through prayer that they manifest
their generosity and kindness to society through charity
and they obey Allah and his messenger.
Equal in all of them have Allah promised
mercy for surely Allah is exalted in might
and in power. Indeed Allah is the most
wise.
We say
to Sheikh Sadellahu for that thought provoking and
informative lecture.
May Allah grant Sheikh many, many more years
filled with health,
to continue to guide and inspire us as
a jama'ah and as the students of Islamic
College. There are just a few announcements.
On behalf of the Habibiya Sufi Masjid of
Cape Town,
with the extended invitation to the Jamah for
the annual program
that takes place this long weekend. The details
go as follows. On Friday night, they will
have a special program led by the CTIEC
with guest speaker Mufti Harun Al Azeri.
Saturday night starts with a lecture of the
Maghrib
by Yousef Parker, and after Isha, they will
have the annual mass
ticket. On Sunday night, there will be a
lecture program which continues after Maghrib,
and the main Ashura program will take place
on Monday night corresponding to the 10th of
Muharram in the Masjid.
The program closes
after Asar on Tuesday, 9th August, with Iftar
and Yahshad Supper to be served after.
All are welcome.
For further details, one can see the masjid
notice boards as well as the social media
pages.
The Habibi Sufi Masjid encourages all those of
Jummar to bring along family, friends, and support
the many food store vendors,
The program here at will
be from 5 pm until Maghrib on 9th
August,
Insha'Allah.
Please feel free to bring anything along to
Sheykh For Iftar, and the Masjid will try
to give out takeaway food, Insha'Allah.
Lastly,
we may du'a for Hajjah and the imam
al Muqaddam who is very ill. May Allah
grant her and all those who are ill
complete shefa and kamila, inshallah.
A long more echo.