Shakiel Humayun – Initiate. Eid al Fitr Sermon 2024
AI: Summary ©
The importance of taking initiative towards Islam is highlighted, with rewarded individuals being the first to take initiative. The Sharia is emphasized as a means to achieve rewards and to become leaders, rather than just a means to achieve rewards. The decision to delay the first row of the Sharia is aimed at promoting initiative and setting guidance for leaders, while also encouraging people to take initiative and become leaders as it requires a roadmap and guidance. The Sharia is seen as a global leader and a first-to-dose leader.
AI: Summary ©
The prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam,
one day saw a group of people from
the tribe of mother,
who came
barefoot,
barely had any clothes on,
and were starving.
The prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam then spoke to
his companions
and said to give
from your dinar,
your dirham,
your food, and your clothes
to these people.
No one stood up.
Then a man came walking
with a bag.
A bag of goods so heavy that it
was so difficult for him to carry it.
He brought it and placed it in front
of the prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam.
When he did that,
when he took the lead,
when he became the first one to do
it,
he inspired others.
Other people got up, started giving
food,
clothes,
such that in front of the prophet Muhammad
Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam,
there was now 2 piles of food and
clothes. And the prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam
was pleased.
Then the prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam said,
Islam
The prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam then talked about
the action of the first person
who took initiative.
He said, whoever
initiates an action, a good action according to
Islam,
then he will get the reward of that
action
and also he will get the reward
of every other person's action who did it
after him
without anyone being,
without anyone having a reduction
in any of their rewards.
So Islam,
if we look at it closely,
surrounds special rewards
for those who take the lead,
for those
who are the first to do things.
If you look at the first Masjid built
in Islam, Masjid Quba,
The reward is special.
Whoever prays 2 rakah in
gets the reward of Umrah.
Performing a full Umrah.
If you look at the reward
as the prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam said,
That the first person to give salaam to
the other brother or sister the prophet sallallahu
alaihi wasallam said whoever begins and starts the
salaam, whoever is the first to give salaam
he is the closer one to Allah and
his messenger alayhis salatu wasalam.
If you look at the one that look
at those who sees the opportunities
when they see that when they come for
salah, the first row is available. They don't
sit in the second or third row. They
rush up to fill up the 1st row.
They seize this opportunity of a special reward
with the prophet Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wasallam said.
The prophet
said that surely Allah sends mercy
and the angels make dua for the people
who sit in the first row, who pray
in the first row.
If you look at those who look at
those
who take initiative
towards Allah subhanah,
Allah subhanah says in the hadith
that if my slave comes closer to me
by doing some action,
my slave comes close to me by a
hand span,
I will respond by coming closer to him
by an arms length. So islam
encourages us to take initiative.
To be the first
to do things.
If we look at the of the sharia,
it always encourages us to take the lead.
And if we look at how Allah subhanahu
has described the
the hypocrites,
we find that it is that they are
doing the opposite. They are negative.
They are holding back as Allah Subhanahu described
them saying,
That they would say to other people, don't
give charity. Don't donate. Don't contribute to those
who are amongst the prophet Muhammad sallallahu alaihi
wasallam. So that these people can leave the
prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam.
Negativity
is not a quality of one who would
take lead and that Allah subhanahu also called
them
people who are always holding back. They're not
the ones who would be proactive. They're not
the ones who would step up. They're not
the ones who would take initiative.
Allah said that the people who are
these hypocrites who always stay back, always hold
back, that they will say to you, oh,
Muhammad
The reason of them holding back. The reason
of them not taking initiative
is that they will say that, oh, we
were busy with our wealth, with our jobs.
We were busy with our families. So instead
of us being able to do these amazing
actions,
Oh, messenger of Allah, ask Allah to forgive
us. Allah subhanahu response.
They say with their tongues what is not
truly in their hearts. They're not genuine.
They're not sincere
when it comes to being to seeking the
forgiveness of Allah subhanahu jalawala.
But I would like to ask all of
you a question my dear brothers and sisters.
Why is Allah subhanahu encouraging us to take
the lead? Why is he encouraging us to
take the initiative?
Why is he encouraging us to be proactive?
Why is he encouraging us to step up?
Why? Why is this? Why do we find
this in the Sharia?
And this is answered in one hadith
of the prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam, where
he gives us two reasons to answer this
question.
One day the prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam
was in the Masjid
and he saw
that there were some people sitting in the
1st row and there was space and there
were some people sitting the 2nd and the
3rd row. The prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam
knowing that these companions they knew the virtues
of of praying in the 1st row.
Why are they delaying moving forward to the
first row? Why is that you have gold
and silver
that is in the first row? Would you
not come and get it? You have the
rahmah, the mercy of Allah. You have angels
making dua for you. Why would you not
seize the opportunity and move up to the
first row when there's space? So the prophet
sallallahu alaihi wasallam said
The prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam then told
the companions move forward
and follow my teachings.
So that people who come after you will
also follow you.
So the first reason that the prophet sallallahu
alaihi wa sallam is telling us for us
to take the lead is not just for
us to get rewards,
but he said that by you coming to
the first row other people will be inspired
and they will follow you.
For us to take initiative,
for us to become leaders,
the first reason is because they will inspire
other people and this is how Islam
will be passed on generation to generation.
Then the prophet salallahu alaihi wasalam continued
and now he gave us a second reason.
He said
While we know the virtues
and we don't take the lead,
we don't take the initiative,
we don't become proactive.
You know the immense rewards as an example
for the first row. The prophet sallallahu alaihi
wa sallam then said
that a people will not continue to hold
back
to delay in being the first to do
good deeds.
They will not continue continue to do that
until Allah subhanahu will continue to delay them
in his rahma.
If a group of people continue to hold
back, Allah will hold back.
He will hold back his mercy.
He will hold back his help.
He will hold back his victory.
He will hold back all good
that Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala would have given
if we moved forward and took the lead
and took initiative.
So my dear brothers and sisters
to be leaders,
it requires 2 important things.
1,
a roadmap,
guidance. We have that the Quran and Sunnah.
The second,
it requires people
who will take initiative.
People who will step up.
People
who will do good.
And this,
until we become
individual leaders,
until we show Allah subhanahu that individually we
all are able to lead, Allah subhanahu will
not allow us to move up to the
next level
of leadership.
He will not give us greater leadership until
we are all leaders within our families,
Until we are leaders at our workplace.
Until we take initiative to be the best
at our jobs.
To be the best spouse as possible. To
be the best neighbor as possible.
Until we take the lead and step up
in our communities,
in our families,
we are not showing to Allah subhanahu wa'ala
that we are ready for the next level
of leadership.
This is exactly what Allah subhanahu
wa'ala said
Allah
subhanahu
said that we made them into leaders, meeting
global leadership,
a higher level of leadership.
We made them into leaders
only when
they were persistent,
consistent,
steadfast,
And they were and they had certainty
and confidence
in our science. That when we display these
elements of leadership
being resilient,
being steadfast,
being patient,
being confident in the signs of Allah, having
certainty in the signs of Allah. These are
elements of leadership when we become proactive and
take initiative,
then Allah subhanahu
grants us global leadership.
Then Allah subhanahu
grants us leadership in our communities. Then Allah
subhanahu grants us national leadership. Then Allah subhanahu
allows islam to rise further because we individually
are proving that we are now ready for
that. So my dear brothers and sisters,
if the situation of the around the world
hurts us,
the question we have to ask ourselves,
when's the last time you took the lead?
When's the last time you took initiative to
do good in your community,
in your families,
at your workplace? Let us be amongst those
who become those who are first to rush
to good to be amongst
Those who are the first to do good.
Those who are the foremost to do good.
I ask
Allah
to enable us to all become righteous leaders
in our homes, in our communities, at our
workplaces,
and wherever we go. So we become assigned
for guidance.