Sikander Hashmi – Give Your Best in the Best 10 KMA Friday Message
AI: Summary ©
The importance of setting aside windows to maximize space for others to gather is emphasized, along with small small things like performing Hajj to avoid causing harm and reward effort. The season of Hajj is designed to highlight the importance of success and rewarding individual actions, and to focus on small things like performingnoon practices and praying for the upcoming season. The season is designed to emphasize the importance of value of actions during Easter, including fasting, praying, and charity. Recitation of names of Jesus on appointed days is also emphasized.
AI: Summary ©
Respected elders, dear brothers and sisters, my young
friends, Assalamu alaykum
Today is a PD day for many of
my young friends
and plus the weather is a bit wet.
So if I'll ask all the brothers and
sisters to please move forward and fill in
all the gaps so that we can maximize
the space inshallah. So try to move forward,
squeeze in a little bit, especially at the
back so we have space for those to
come in.
Sorry?
The windows, yeah, actually the AC. We have
got AC, central AC working now. So,
I'm not sure. It should be on. So
we should be maybe closing the window so
that it gets cold.
So every day this week, my brothers and
sisters,
people are saying
goodbye to their loved ones
and
are heading over to the most
sacred place on earth.
The most sacred place on earth. Why? To
gather for the most important gathering
of their life at the most special time
of the year.
And
many of the members
of our community are also
departing for Hajj or have already departed.
And we all know that Hajj
is one of the pillars of Islam obligatory
on all of those who are able to
make the journey, who have the health and
the means. Allah subhanahu wa
ta'ala
tells
us
the pilgrimage to the house
has been described
to the house of Allah Subhanahu wa ta'ala
and of course, it's called Baitullah
not because you know,
that Allah Subhanahu wa ta'ala lives there but
it is because of the association with Allah
Subhanahu wa ta'ala.
Right? It is the first house of worship
for the one Allah. So, it is described
the Hajj has been described as a duty
to Allah
for those who have the means.
And we know that when there is an
obligation,
it should be discharged
right away. Right? So salah is,
obligatory
at,
at,
is, is mandatory at specified times.
You know, as is fasting in Ramadan. So,
similarly,
the time for Hajj.
Obligation, meaning when the Hajj becomes obligatory for
a person
is the year when they have the health
and the wealth to pay for the trip.
When they have the health and the wealth
to pay for the trip, they're able to
make the journey safely,
that is when the Hajj becomes
obligatory.
Now there is no question that, you know,
it can be trying
and difficult at times.
You know? And by the way, if you're
planning to go for Hajj, you know, yes,
there's benefit in talking to people. But one
of the things you might notice is that
every time you ask someone about Hajj, everyone's
gonna have a story.
Every person's gonna have a story about, oh,
I was in this place, and then that
happened, and then I lost my luggage, and
then the bus broke down, and then the
hotel room wasn't ready, and then this and
that and that. Most people will have some
sort of story.
So there is always, you know, some difficulties,
some challenge that is probably going to come,
although,
you know, it is,
so much more easier
physically today
than it was in the past. Right? Albeit
much more expensive. Right? And if you talk
to, you know, your grandparents, your great grandparents,
those, you know, who who had the opportunity
to go for Hajj, they will tell very
different stories.
You know, their stories will be very different.
It's not gonna be like, oh, we lost
our luggage and the plane was late and,
you know, the bus broke down or the
hotel room wasn't ready. You know, it's not
gonna be those stories. Right? It's gonna be
stories about ships. It's gonna be stories about,
you know, loading food and taking animals, you
know, and bandits and, you know, and people
falling ill and people dying.
You know? So a lot more easier today,
albeit much more expensive.
But the,
of course, the the the
the the benefit or the easy thing
is the good thing is that Allah
has not made it mandatory if you're not
able to afford it. So if you're not
able to afford it and it's getting more
expensive, then it's not obligatory upon you. You.
Right?
But, you know, if you are able to
afford it and you do have the money,
then of course, you have a responsibility,
and you're able to go, then you have
responsibility
to perform it.
Now, remember that the more difficult or trying
an act is, then the more rewarding it
is as well. That the more difficult
and more trying an act, a good act
is, then the more rewarding it is as
well because the reward is linked with the
amount of effort that goes into doing the
good deed. There's the amount of effort and
pain and difficulty that goes into doing something
positive, something that's pleasing to Allah the amount
of patience that goes into it, and also
the time and the act as it is
seen by Allah
It can be difficult also to make arrangements,
right? Getting time off, people who have children,
trying to have someone watch over their children
as an example. Allah knows, you know, that
you need to make these arrangements.
So you think that Allah will not appreciate
the sacrifice
and reward the efforts if they're done sincerely?
Of course, Allah will give a very great
reward. And the Prophet
has mentioned a number of rewards for Hajj.
So, first of all, spiritual purification.
The prophet
said,
that whoever performs Hajj
for Allah
does not commit any obscenity
and wrongdoing,
then that person will come out
as the day he
was born or she was born, meaning pure
and free from sins. Right? So it is
the ultimate, one of the ultimate means of
spiritual purification.
So that's number 1. By the way, that
doesn't mean that we delay the Hajj as
much as possible.
Sometimes people may think this that, Oh, I'm
still young right now, I have lots of
things to do, I want to enjoy lives,
I'm gonna commit many sins. And then when
I have a big mountain of sins, then
I'm gonna go perform Hajj, and Insha'Allah Allah
is gonna wipe everything clean, and then I'm
gonna be good, and then I'll die soon
after that. This is not the thinking of
a believer. Because first of all, what is
the guarantee that you're gonna get a chance
to go to Hajj,
you know, after all of this? And secondly,
just the thinking, the mindset is is not
you know, this is not the mindset of
a believer that let me commit sins or
let me live my life, and then I'll
go in the end, and it's worth it.
Now that's not the way that the believer
should be thinking. Right? So the the the
right thing to do is to perform Hajj
as soon as possible. And I often advise
this especially for young people, you know, students,
young graduates, young couples,
make it a priority
Make it a priority that the first opportunity
you get, especially if you're newly married and
you know, you have, of course, it can
be a time when you're building your life.
I understand that but build your life with
hajj, with the obligation of hajj first.
Right? So, try to perform the Hajj, save
money, and try to perform the Hajj if
you can.
As a young couple or even before you
get married and that way the obligation is
done with. And
may give you an opportunity to go again
in the future and may Allah make it
easy and make it happen. But do not
leave it
for the end. Subhanallah, sometimes, you know, it
breaks your heart when you see, you know,
the the people who come to perform Hajj.
No fault of their own. Sometimes, you know,
they spent entire lifetime saving money.
Entire lifetimes, you know, especially many other countries
because people come from around the world. There's
people who spend their entire lives saving money,
you know, pinching little, you know, bits here
and there saving because they don't have much.
You know, they're not well off but still
they save because they have this dream, they
have this, you know, this great desire to
perform Hajj. And Allah
makes it possible for them in old age.
Right? Or some countries they have like a
lottery system, right? Not like a haram lottery
but just like a draw system where you
know, you put your name in and maybe
you will be picked. And their turn comes
when they're, you know, when they're elderly. You
know, sometimes I remember, I probably told you
before. I remember being in the right in
the in front of the Kaaba where people
do and there was one elderly man
his back was he was perpetually like he
was permanently in
Okay. When he's walking, his back was so
hunched over that he is literally like as
if he's walking in.
And he's he's performing like
that. Right? Another time I remember there was
a, you know, we're doing tawaf. It's crowded,
and then there's like, all of a sudden
it opens up and then there's like the
space. I was like, okay. Well, you know,
people are going around something or someone. And
you see that there's basically a person with
no legs.
Subhanallah. He has no legs and he's still
doing it himself. You know, he gets 2
little stumps and he's just, you know, going
around the the Kaaba and doing tawaf on
his own. You know? So,
you know,
make it easy for everyone, but try to
take, you know, the first opportunity to perform
the Hajj. Do not delay it because you
don't know what's gonna come your way. You
don't know what Allah has written for you,
and don't have this mindset that I want
to do it later because, you know, I
wanna
I wanna accumulate sins and then go wipe
it out all at once. So that's number
1. For, spiritual, purification. Secondly,
emancipation from the hellfire and entry into Jannah
inshallah. The prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said,
That there is no day on which Allah
subhanahu wa ta'ala frees more people from the
fire than the day of Arafa. And the
prophet goes on and he says that he
comes close and expresses his pride to the
angels saying, asking, you know, what do these
people want? You know, they have gathered here.
In another narration, he says, look at my
slaves who have come unkempt and dusty because
the people who come, you know, on the
day of Hajj, the main Hajj is, I
mean, there's number of days but the climax
is the key element of the Hajj is
the day of Arafa. And everyone is in
their haram, they're wearing, you know, they're in
that special state, a special clothing,
you know, very minimal clothing, very simple clothing,
and they're all gathered in the heat especially
in this the Hajj is happening in the
summer. These month, these years and it's hot
and it's a dusty and you know, people
are sweaty and they're not, you know, they're
they're not in a in a in a
great state but they're there only and only
for Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. So, the Allah
subhanahu wa ta'ala expresses,
you know, pride to the angels with regards
to his servants who have chosen
because human beings have free will. So, they
have chosen
to put themselves in this situation, seeking the
pleasure of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala and the
prophet
said,
that the reward for Hajjma and we talked
about the various interpretations of of Hajjma but
let's say the one that is accepted is
nothing but Jannah. We discussed this last night
in the hadith reading. So, the reward for
Hajj Mahbruur is nothing but Jannah. Thirdly, my
brothers and sisters is acceptance of supplication and
prayers because the people who go for the
Hajj are described as guests of Allah subhanahu
wa ta'ala. The Prophet
said that, He, Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala, called
them and they responded.
They asked of Him and He will give
them. So acceptance of dua as well. Fourthly,
protection from poverty and sin.
Number 4, protection from poverty
and sin. The prophet said,
keep on doing Hajj and Umrah.
Because doing so eliminates poverty and sin.
Just as the bellows eliminate impurities from iron.
Just as the bellows, like when iron is
being purified and iron is being formed, just
as the bellows eliminate impurities from iron,
similarly,
performing Hajj and Umrah also eliminates poverty and
sin from a person, subhanallah.
So,
you know, this is what is happening. This
is,
you know, the importance of what people are
gathering for and the name of this month,
of course, is the Hijjah, the month of
Hajj.
But this is all for those who are
able to go. These are for this is
for all of the people who are able
to go for Hajj, who are able to
perform the Hajj and
has chosen them for that this year. But
for all of those, the majority of people
who are not going for Hajj because of
course there's about a 1,000,000,000 Muslims in the
world. And you know a couple of 1,000,000,
3, 4, 5000000 people max will be performing
the Hajj. So, you know, the majority of
the Muslims do not go for Hajj every
year. But there is also a great opportunity.
Because this season of Hajj is not only
for the people who are performing Hajj.
It is not only for those who are
going for Hajj. It's not like, okay, they
go for Hajj and the rest are just
like, you know, just have fun and it's
not our turn. So, what could we do
and, you know, just go on with life.
No. So,
there's also a great opportunity for us who
are not going
and that these this opportunity
is specifically in this 10 days, these 10
days
of the month of Hajj starting today because
today is the first of
the first day of the month of Hajj.
And Allah
highlights the importance, the value of these days,
when he swears by them in the
beginning of
according to the according to some of the
commentators of the Quran.
By the dawn and by the 10 nights.
And Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala
he, you know, whatever he swears by, that
means that it is highlighting the importance of
that thing that he is swearing an oath
by. By the way, for the human beings,
for us, it is not permissible to swear
an oath
by anything other than Allah or
anyone other than Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. So,
you know, we when we swear an oath,
we swear an oath by Allah by Allah
only but
when Allah is doing the same then he
can do it with with other things as
well.
He said that the 10 nights referred to
here are the first 10 days nights of
and other commentators of the Quran also held
the same opinion.
Reported that the prophet
said
that, And there's different narrations with similar wording.
That there are no days
greater in the sight of Allah Subhanahu wa
ta'ala in which righteous deeds are more beloved
to him than these 10 days. There are
no days greater in the sight of Allah
in which righteous deeds are more beloved to
him than these 10 days. And also
that there is no deed more precious in
the sight of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala nor
greater in reward than a good deed done
during the 10 days of sacrifice.
He mentions that the most apparent reason because
we look at why the question was why
are these 10 days so special? So this
is the most apparent reason
for the 10 days of being distinguished
in excellence
is due to the assembly of the greatest
acts of worship in this period. So
prayers, of course, which are gonna happen and
also the Eid prayer,
fasting, which is recommended in these dates except
for the day of 8, of course, and
the days that follow. And
charity,
especially, you know, with regards to the sacrifice
of the animals, the Hajj pilgrimage. In no
other period, do these great deeds combine. So
all of these different virtuous acts which are
pleasing to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, they come
together in this season of these special days.
Now, what's different here because remember, it's what?
We're 70 days out of
of Ramadan. Okay. We're 70 days, 7 0
days since Ramadan ended.
In Ramadan,
there is a lot more specification
of actions to do.
Right? Fasting is obligatory. It's not optional in
Ramadan.
Yes? Okay. Night prayers, they're sunnah, they're emphasized.
Right? So there is more direction when it
comes to
Ramadan,
but when it comes to the first 10
days of Dhul Hijjah for the people who
are not performing hajj, it's not forced upon
us. Right? There's not as as much direction.
So, you can say that perhaps the test
by Allah
to see how much of a desire we
have to become a close friend to Allah
You know, constantly thinking about Allah, remembering Allah
looking to please Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. So,
think of it as a scheduled test and
opportunity,
you know, 60 days
after, so, not 70 days, of course, but
70 days would be
so 60 days after the month of Ramadan.
So, how do we do that? You know,
how do we value these days? So, Allah
tells us
mention the name of Allah on appointed
days. There's a and
there's
a
Right? And, Mufasirun, many of them say that
is referring
to the days coming, the day of
and
the the days that follow
Whereas
are referring to the first 10 days of
the month of Dhul Hijjah. And the Prophet
has recommended
abundant recitation
of praises of Allah
on these days. Right?
During this time the Prophet
said, Recite a great deal of tahleel,
takbir and tahmeed. Meaning, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar,
La Iraha illallah, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu
Akbar, Wallilaalhamt.
Or different forms of this form of remembrance
of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. One narration also
mentions
as well. So, subhanallah as well.
So,
what increase the remembrance of Allah during this
time? You know, try to do it with
the heart, feeling the greatness of Allah, thankfulness
for Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, passion for Allah
And,
Imam Bukhari relates that Ibrahim Umar and Abu
Murayah
During this time, the 2 of them, they
used to go out to the marketplace
during these days saying the takbir, and they
would say it, you know, a bit loudly,
and it would remind others and would cause
other people to engage in remembrance of Allah
subhanahu wa ta'ala as well. Secondly, as I
mentioned, fasting is also,
highly recommended until the 9th day of, Dhul
Hijjah.
Likely a practice of the prophet
you know, but the evidence, the narrations are
are not, you know, so strong to say
that it is a stub of sunnah, but
nonetheless, it is highly recommended.
You know, if you're able to, that's great.
If you're not able to because I know
that the days are long and it's hot,
then it's not an obligation, you know, and
it's not even categorized as sunnah but it
is highly recommended and something that we should
try to do if we are able to
do it. If not all 9 days, whichever
days we can and particularly
the fasting of the 9th day which is
the day of is especially emphasized and we
can talk more about that next week inshallah.
Apart from these, any other acts of worship,
you know, repentance
and virtue may be done on these days
and inshallah, they will be rewarded greatly through
the mercy of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala. So,
you know, we can't be there for the
Hajj but we can certainly join in the
spirit of the Hajj. We ask Allah Subhanahu
Wa Ta'ala to accept the Hajj of those
who have been called by him this year.
We ask Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala to bring
them back safely. Ask Allah
to grant us his closeness in these days
and that we may be included among all
of those who will be forgiven and accepted
at this time this year.
Take a quick break inshallah and we'll continue.