Sadullah Khan – Resolution for another Ramadaan in Pandemic
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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 who came in the great line of
divine. And we bear witness that prophet Muhammad
is the final of all the emissaries of
Allah.
May the peace, the mercy, and the blessings
of Allah be upon each and everyone present
here at this auspicious hour of Jumuah.
The last foodbah I conducted at this
was at a time when there was growing
concern
about the pandemic having reached
our shores
and affecting
some South Africans.
I made an appeal for us all to
be cautious
as we may be entering
a period
where our movements
may become restricted.
Our schools,
our place of employment,
and our places of worship may find some
form of restriction.
That was instantly the last khutbah
at this masjid
before the lockdown
because 2 days thereafter,
on 15th March
2020,
there was a declaration of national disaster.
And we have
been in some form of lockdown
ever since.
None of us could have ever imagined
that our world would change so radically,
so considerably,
so significantly,
so suddenly,
and perhaps irreversibly
due to a microscopic virus
that has caused titanic
and colossal devastation.
It has taken the whole world hostage
and making its effects felt by all human
beings in every part of the earth.
Subsequently,
the coronavirus
has thus far infected
a 128,000,000
people worldwide
and has caused to date
close to 2,000,000 deaths
worldwide.
And here we are
a few days away
from entering our second Ramadan
in an unpredictable
and in an unspecified
worldwide lockdown.
We are here
in a continuous grip
of a global COVID 19 pandemic
in a world that still seems unusual,
unfamiliar,
and uncertain.
We have buried too many people
and witnessed the suffering of so many who
have taken ill
during this pandemic
to be oblivious
or remain heedless
of the reality
of the challenge that we are facing.
We are currently at the tail end of
the second wave here in South Africa of
the COVID 19 pandemic.
And Allahu Adam, a possible anticipation
of a deadly third wave
in the coming weeks. May Allah
protect and preserve us.
But having survived
the first and second waves,
we must learn from what has happened,
and we must heed the advice of
A believer
is never bit from the same hole twice.
In other words,
we do not repeat mistakes.
We learn from the first time.
So if we learn from our experiences,
then there could be a positive
dimension even to the difficult experiences that we
are having. Because learning from trials and learning
from tribulations
is how we grow and therefore the notion
of of patient perseverance
through periods of trials and tribulations.
If however,
we fail to learn from our experiences,
we set ourselves on the path to possible
failure
or even potential disaster.
During the first wave, we did not know
what to do
or what to expect
but we tried to adapt as quickly as
possible. Our schools, our masajid, whatever happened.
In the second wave we gained a bit
more experience though some people became too relaxed.
If we don't learn lessons from the 1st
and second waves,
that would certainly be irresponsible on our part
and will seem as if we're rejecting the
mercy of Allah
who has already
spared us the first two waves.
We have learned
for sure
that wearing masks or face mask or coverings
reduce the risk of virus
transmissions
significantly.
We also have evidence that keeping to social
distancing
can reduce
transmission
to virus.
So following
the health protocols
and in keeping with the prophetic advice,
neither harm others nor allow yourself to be
harmed. Let us continue to be safe.
Let us sanitize and wash our hands regularly.
Wear our face masks, where it's mandatory.
Abide by the COVID 19 guidelines to the
best of our ability.
Stay socially connected but physically distance.
All this, not only to protect ourselves
and for our safety, but all for this
also for the safety and well-being of our
families and our communities.
Besides doing physically what we are required to
do and specifically as we're entering the last
part of Sharban,
about to enter Ramadan.
It is an opportune time for us,
ideal time for us to refocus ourselves.
And ideal time for social contemplation,
ideal time for spiritual reflection,
ideal time for moral improvement.
With the constant trepidation and desperation,
apprehension we find around us, insecurity.
All of these caused by the pandemic.
It is absolutely
important for us to ensure that the limited
time that we have left on earth, and
as I always remind people on Ramadan and
Eid, whenever I speak in the Masjid, on
those occasions,
I do say how many people were here
last year, who are not here this year,
and how many of us are here today,
who will not be here next year.
Keeping all of that in mind, we should
resolve to live our lives according to the
best version of ourselves.
It can't be Ramadan in and Ramadan out.
And we don't be not of
the those who are traveling spiritually,
elevating ourselves
morally and spiritually.
So we should live and try this Ramadan
to inculcate those virtues, those values, those practices
which will bring out the best version of
ourselves.
Especially as we go into a second Ramadan
in a global pandemic.
Don't forget all of us still have profound
feelings
of uncertainty that binds all of us irrespective
of our faith.
All people are bound by the profound feeling
of of uncertainty.
Also, we have a common desire for relief,
all people.
And the need for compassion
to help
each other.
With this in mind,
I beg your indulgence
in suggesting a theme
or a resolution for the coming of Ramadan.
Let's make one resolution if we can for
the coming Ramadan. So before it comes, we
go into it with this attention.
That each of us could try to implement
for the coming Ramadan
a resolution where in this month of heightened
consciousness,
the month of siam, the month of qiya,
the month of quran,
the month of.
That we in this month increased our worship.
This month of spiritual rejuvenation.
This month of where we are engaging increasingly
in philanthropy and charity and compassion.
Ramadan, of course, by itself encourages
the spirit of humanity to others. Of consciously
caring
and sharing, being compassionate,
deepening our understanding of the world around us
while
simultaneously
empathizing with the challenges that we are facing,
as well as the facing the challenges faced
by other people.
So I'm asking us to focus
on this notion of rahma.
We repeat what we often say,
the revealer, the messenger, the message is expected
of the fellowship to reflect that as well.
The current pandemic
is forcing us to acknowledge
that we, all of us, are a world
of common problems and shared solutions.
The virus
never discriminates
but sometimes we do.
We must realize by now that we are
all in this together.
One humanity,
what harms 1, harms the other.
And this pandemic has raised our consciousness
beyond the level of sympathy. Sympathy is where
you acknowledge the suffering of others and shame
you feel sorry for them.
But it has raised it to the level
of empathy
where we feel the suffering of others as
our own because within our own, we are
witnessing the suffering.
With the current state of affairs in this
ailing world, at this monumental period in our
history, we need a lasting sense of compassion.
And as we journey towards Ramadan,
in preparation of welcoming and celebrating the month
of the Quran,
we note how the theme of healing on
the one hand and compassion on the other
are intertwined
with the very Quran itself.
This whole notion of healing, we want cure,
we want vaccine or treatment. Whatever people are
doing to try to find a means of
alleviating this pandemic
or blocking the pandemic.
And on the other hand, I mentioned the
notion of compassion. Both of these
are intertwined with the Quran in a very
well known verse in Surah Yunus where Allah
says,
addressing not Muslims or believers, but humanity at
large.
Oh, humankind.
There's come to you in admonition,
which is the Quran. That has come to
all of
you. It's come as a cure, an ailment
for what is within you, within your chest,
hearts. It's come as a shefa, as a
cure.
And a guy guide to all people.
As a mercy for those who believe and
follow it because they benefit from the prescriptions
thereof.
And therefore
Say to the people, say to all of
them regarding the boundaries of Allah and the
mercy of Allah, among the greatest of which
is Rasul himself
and the Quran.
Rejoice because that is better than everything that
people can
bring together
and
join.
So,
in fact, we see the most merciful
brought humanity into existence
through
his breath.
Allah
says, when Allah breathe
into the human spirit his the spirit into
human,
We breathe into him, and in that way
Allah
brought humankind into existence. Our very existence
emanate
from the spirit of breath of the merciful.
Way to when you fashioned and proportion to
and we breathe into him of my spirit.
Allah says in surah alaijib. Since our very
coming into existence
emanated from the merciful breath of the divine,
our existence
should be a reflection of the mercy of
the divine.
Just as life has been conferred upon us
from that
from that
divine spirit,
fasting has been prescribed for us.
Allah has prescribed,
fasting upon us, but he also prescribed rahma
upon us. He's prescribed both rahma
and
fasting.
So as he has prescribed
fasting for Ramadan, in another verse he says,
Allah says, my mercy engulfs,
overwhelms,
encompasses everything.
So I have also prescribed it.
I have also prescribed it for those who
are pious and righteous and those who seek
to the social needs of people through the
Zakar and who believe in the signs that
we have given them.
Allah
then ultimately becomes the ultimate source of human
compassion and as we know whatever we do,
we begin with
in the name of Allah. And ultimately, whatever
we can accomplish is due to the favors
and the bounties of Allah, the ability and
capacity
granted to us by Allah. So that's why
we conclude everything with as
well. Both the opening verses of the holy
Quran.
So Allah is a source of human compassion
that manifests itself in inculcating
personal righteousness
and in fulfilling social responsibility.
The
idea of belief.
In other words, personal righteousness,
we have
which is the objective of fasting.
Objective of fasting and then also the fulfillment
of social responsibility for your 2 nazuka.
You see when we are when we are
compassionate,
when we reflect mercy and love, Mahaba
and Rahma.
Positive energy pours from our soul into the
world.
Positive energy emanating from the primordial breath of
the divine.
Channeling the mercy of the most merciful
through us. And by that, causing healing and
restoring balance in the world around us. And
the zenith of that mercy, as I said,
has been reflected through the personality and the
character of our beloved Rasulullah,
salallahu alayhi wasallam, of whom Allah says, I
have not sent him.
I have not sent him
except with the express purpose.
As a mercy unto all existence
and the Quran as the verse I read,
a book is a healing,
a guide,
and a mercy and a cure.
I want to reflect
on an incident.
A snapshot in the lifetime of
And the lesson we can learn from that
and perchance
be a motive and a motivation for us
rather to be able to initiate this notion
of compassion in Ramadan.
Abdullah ibn Salam
was a very well known Jewish person in
Yathrib,
which later became Madina.
And he belonged to the Banuqainuka
tribe.
He said by the Jews who
were around him, they said he was of
the descendant of Levi Yusuf and Allah knows
best.
But he was widely respected and honored in
Madinah by everyone known for his piety,
known for his goodness, his generosity,
his upright conduct,
his truthfulness and most importantly
for his knowledge of the Torah. He was
an expert in the Torah.
So he is a documented hadith
where it is
reported
that he heard that the Rasulullah was coming
to Yafir, to Madinah.
And this
righteous,
honest,
knowledgeable Jewish
person,
Abdullah bin Salam, here. So he joined the
throngs of people
as the people
and he went to see who is this
Muhammad
and he says,
I looked and they said,
people say the Prophet is coming, the Prophet
is coming.
And I came with the people to watch
to see.
And when I saw his face for the
first time, I realized
this was not a face of a person
who lies.
Then he said,
and this is documented for us
as part of our history.
The first thing the prophet told the people
when he came to Medina, the first thing
he said to them, as they welcomed
it. All people,
The Jews were there,
the Christians perhaps, there were Jews and whoever
was there, or the other tribe,
you muslims and those who are not muslim,
Oh people,
spread the greeting of peace.
Feed those who are hungry.
Maintain your family ties.
Turn to Allah when people are sleeping.
Then you'll enter
enter paradise
with peace.
Listen, let
us activate
that first pronouncement of Rasulullah
salallahu alaihi wasalam as he entered Yashrib which
became
Let those first words of the prophet
providing 4 instructions to humanity. Let that let
those those advice, that first words
of the 4 guidelines
be the guiding theme for our coming Ramadan.
The second Ramadan in pandemic.
Let's spread peace and harmony.
Somehow or the other, I do not know.
Shaitan gets loose amongst Muslim people in Ramadan.
Shaitan's supposed to be tied up. But all
the attacks and negativity
somehow seems to increase in Ramadan. I beg
you. I urge
you, stop
attacking any other Muslims, even other people, but
more particularly
stop undermining ourselves.
Stop attacking one another. Stop the negativity.
Differ, differ with respect.
I'm asking you and I'm begging you. These
4 advices, not advice of Rasoolah. The first
words he said in Madinah. In other words,
that was the foundation
of the Islamic State.
The first Muslim state was in Mecca, Madinah.
Let us spread peace and harmony. Let us
feed the increasing amount as well as here.
The increasing amount of hungry people. We notice
with so many more who are unemployed
and so many more people are reaching levels
of poverty with no way out. Allah will
ask us what we have done on these
moments.
So let us speak bread, peace, and harmony.
Let's feed the increasing number of hungry if
we can. Let us boldly improve our relationships
especially with our loved ones, our dear ones,
and our families.
And let us increase
our nightly prayers whether in solitude as the
Rasool says, as we often do in Ramadan.
And through all of this, may Allah grant
us Jannah
Insha'Allah. With the constant sense of trepidation and
desperation, apprehension as I mentioned, and insecurity
caused by the pandemic. It is absolutely
important
to find some sanity and some stability
through all of this in our lives.
We know that Ramadan is a month of
this heightened consciousness
and COVID has surely taught us to acknowledge
that we are in a world of common
problems and shared solutions.
This
is an era of awakening. A period of
awakening to the power of human potential.
Reawakening to the necessity of human responsibility. Each
one ourselves. Don't worry about the governments and
the organizations and institutions. What are you doing?
What am I doing?
This is the era of awakening to the
power of human potential, my human potential. If
not collective at this individual, if the world
doesn't do something, Allah won't ask you what
the world has done. Allah will ask, what
have you done. Let's reawaken
to the power of human potential. Reawakening the
necessity of human responsibility.
Rededication
into doing what is good and reprioritizing
what is important. Don't fight over secondary things
that are important.
Don't focus on things that are necessary.
So I repeat,
era of awakening that is repeated for us
of awakening
to the power of human potential.
Reawakening to the necessity
of human responsibility.
Rededication to doing what is good
and reprioritization
of what is essential.
So besides our faith,
compassion,
human empathy, and social solidarity
are keys to surviving
this catastrophic
consequence
of the global pandemic we are facing and
perchance
a means of attaining paradise
even through this trial and tribulation.
We beseech Allah
for the protection from the pandemic
and I know there are many people who
are from out of town here. If people
from Johannesburg and Durban and some people from
states who are here. So may Allah Subhanahu
Wa Ta'ala know some of them personally. May
Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala grant you that you
enjoy our most beautiful city in the world
from wherever you come. Most beautiful city in
the world, welcome to it. And may Allah
grant you a safe stay and may Allah
grant you a safe return when you do
return inshallah. We ask Allah
to increase our capacity to reflect his mercy.
We ask Allah to increase our capacity to
reflect his mercy. That is a sunnah of
Rasulullah. The biggest sunnah of Rasulullah is his
mercy. The biggest sunnah of all of. Do
all the sunnah that you get. All of
it, inshallah, please. Some of us will shorten
1 or 2. But the biggest of is
mercy. Biggest of all of this.
And we don't reflect that. So may Allah
grant us the capacity
to reflect his mercy. We pray for the
healing of those who are affected and afflicted.
We pray that those who have passed from
the Allah grant them in Jannah.
We pray that the crisis will end soon,
Insha'Allah.
And it's in the hands of Allah. And
may Allah grant their lives and livelihood will
be spared.
And we say, Allah. We seek refuge in
you and protection through you from the suffering
of the trials and tribulation
and from the negativity of this pandemic.