Sikander Hashmi – Thank & Remember KMA Friday Message
AI: Summary ©
AI: Transcript ©
The reality is, my brothers and sisters, that
each one of us
is where we are today
because
of the sacrifices of someone else.
If it wasn't
for them,
for the sacrifices that they made,
then we may not have been where we
are today,
whether in terms of our being
or our location
or our circumstances.
Because we are
the product
of
efforts
and decisions
that have been made by people before us.
We know
that being in a state
of perpetual gratitude to Allah
is an integral part
of being a complete believer.
A believer a person cannot be a complete
believer
until
they are
regularly and continuously
grateful to Allah
And it's not just about expressing gratitude to
Allah
but it's actually being in the state of
gratefulness
towards Allah
for all of his favors, all of his
blessings,
and simply
for who he is
But along with that, my brothers and sisters,
we are also taught
to show gratefulness
to people as well.
We are not simply taught to be grateful
to Allah
although that is most important.
But our
gratefulness
and the expression of our gratefulness is not
to stop,
is not to end,
is not to begin and end at Allah
but rather it is to continue.
As Muslims and as the ummah of Rasulullah
our manners
should be exemplary.
Our manners should be the best,
better than anyone else.
As
he has
told us that
and there's different wordings, of course, that I
have been sent to perfect
good manners.
I have been sent to perfect
good manners. So a true believer, a true
lover, a true follower of
is a person who exemplifies
that good conduct
and the good character that
has been sent to perfect.
We have also been taught
to care about people,
to care about the feelings
of people,
and to be humble
in dealing with people.
And indeed, this is from prophetic character.
Right? We are not
taught to be people
who are indifferent
to others,
who are,
careless,
you know, towards
others and the feelings of others.
So giving thanks to people
has an important teaching.
It is important
for the one who is thanked
and the one who does the thanking.
So this is also a part of Islamic
teachings to thank others because the prophet
has said that
related
that said that he
has not thanked Allah who has not thanked
people.
He has not thanked Allah
who has not thanked people.
Right? And it's interesting when you think about
it. Right? Because
okay. We understand the importance of thanking Allah
But then here, Rasulullah
is linking
the thanking
of people with thanking Allah
Right? So this is an important teaching, important
for the one who is thanked. Why? Because
even though a person
does not do good to get thanks from
people, that is not our intention, and that
is not what we should be,
aiming to to to achieve, right, or to
receive from doing good works. That is not
the purpose. That is not the intention.
But it is natural that a person who
is thanked
for their good actions,
it gives them good motivation.
Right? It makes
the person feel
positive,
makes them feel confident,
makes them feel appreciated. And naturally,
these things then
serve as a morale booster
and give strength to the person
and inspires them perhaps to continue
doing good. It doesn't mean that if we
are not thanked, then we should not
continue to do good works. Of course not.
Right? The prophet
were the best and the most important in
doing good works that are pleasing to Allah
but they were hardly ever thanked.
Right? In most cases, they were not never
never thanked. Right? But rather people disobeyed them
and mocked them and made fun of them.
Right? So
seeking approval and seeking thanks from people is
not, you know, what
what should should drive us and should be
our sole intention.
And the lack of it should not stop
us from doing good. But when we do
give thanks,
then it certainly serves
as a booster for the person's morale and
gives them
more strength to continue doing good.
And it is also good for the one
who gives thanks.
Right? Imam
great 10th century scholar, he explains this concept
that the person who is ungrateful to people
for the good things that they do for
him or her
will also be or will also end up
being ungrateful to Allah
for the gun for the good done by
him.
Right? And this is the predominant interpretation. There's
2 interpretations. So predominant one is
that if a person has trouble thanking people,
they're gonna have trouble thanking Allah
because that means
that they were having difficulty seeing goodness.
They were having difficulty recognizing when someone has
done good for them.
They're taking things for granted, and they're not
thanking people. And as a result, they're going
to be short in their gratefulness towards Allah
as well.
The second interpretation that has also been given
is that Allah Almighty
does not accept
Allah
does not accept thanks for his blessings
unless
the servant also thanks people for the good
that they have done for him.
So in order for Allah
to accept the gratefulness that a servant of
his or, that expresses
to towards him,
they also have to express gratefulness
to the people who Allah
has chosen as means
to deliver
his goodness
to them. The prophet
has also said that whoever
does you a favor, whoever does you a
favor, then reciprocate.
And if you cannot find anything with which
to reciprocate,
then pray for them. Make dua for them
until you have until you think or you
feel that you have reciprocated them. Right? Sometimes
it happens. You know, somebody gives you something,
and you're able to return it.
But at times, the favor may be so
great or perhaps the person is no longer
available.
Right? They're no longer around. They're no longer
alive. You're not in touch with them anymore.
Right? And you feel
the good that they had done to you.
So you can reciprocate that by making dua
for them until you feel you have made
enough dua of goodness for them that you
have returned that favor.
Said that the messenger of
said,
whoever
has a favor
done for him and says to the one
who did it,
has done enough to thank that person.
K. So this is, of course, another dua.
Right? A way of expressing thanks to a
person when you sincerely say
that may Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, you know,
reward you and and and recompense you with
goodness,
then that is one of the best ways
that a person can thank another person.
The prophet
also said that whoever is treated well,
let him repay them.
If he cannot find repayment,
let him praise them for what for that
is thanking them.
If somebody has done some goodness towards you,
has treated you well, then repay them. And
if you cannot find repayment, if you cannot
find a way to repay them, then praise
them
for that is also a form of thanking
them. But if he conceals it, he was
being or he has been ungrateful to them.
Right? So if somebody has done goodness for
you, repay them. If you're not able to
repay them, then as we have learned previously,
make for
them, but also
praise them and speak good of them because
that is a form of thanking them.
And if you do not speak good about
them, right, you're not repaying them, you're not
speaking good of them, but rather you are
just concealing the goodness, then that is a
type of ungratefulness.
Now the scholars say that this is general.
This is for Muslims
and for everyone else as well. And my
brothers and sisters,
we know that, you know, today is November
11th. It's Remembrance Day in Canada and many
other countries.
And,
the scholarly views
differ
on participation.
Right? Some people will say,
including Canadians, even those who are not Muslims
from diverse backgrounds,
will see it as a glorification of war,
a celebration of the end of World War
1,
that led to the colonization
of primary particularly of Muslim lands and so
on. So there, that is one perspective and
one way, to look at Remembrance Day.
Other people will say that this day has
evolved since it started.
And,
you know, if they're marking that day, they're
not thinking of or they're not marking it
for for the reasons that I mentioned,
earlier, but rather they tear they're taking it
as an opportunity humanitarian
missions, not as a sign of, you know,
of, of approval of unjust military missions, but
to honor those who have helped
make the country safe,
or make the country as safe and as
peaceful
as it is, today.
Perhaps it is also an opportunity to share
the fact
that
up to 100,000 Muslims
from the French colonies,
from France's colonies, from North and Sub Saharan
Africa,
died
serving France during World War 1
to a 100,000 Muslims.
70,000 of them at the battle of Verdun
in 1916.
400,000
Muslims,
fought for Britain in World War 1.
This force came from an undivided India,
which includes, of course, present day Pakistan and
India and Bangladesh.
And they fought, and they died alongside British
troops.
And,
that was their military since they were colonized,
by Britain.
In many of these cases,
you know, soldiers were conscripted.
There were also those who volunteered.
And, of course, today,
we have
the advantage of hindsight, which is 2020.
Right? So now we know how things have
played out,
and we know the consequences and the effects
and so on. But the people who were
there at that time,
it must have been quite difficult
if you try to imagine,
in trying to figure out, you know, where
the world was heading
and,
you know, and the the the situations and
the positions that they they found themselves in.
And the reality is,
even today, in many cases,
individual
soldiers
are,
in all cases actually, are at the mercy
of their leaders, their political leaders and masters,
right, who continue to sit
in their comfort and luxury.
And it is the soldiers who are sent,
to to to
many times forward their imperial agendas.
Right? It is not like the previous times
or like in the case of
where he would be at the forefront.
He would not be sitting back in Madinah
and commanding,
you know,
expeditions and and telling people to go while
he sits in comfort. That was not the
case.
As we read in the hadith few nights
ago, right, it was Rasool Allah who himself
went down to the trench
to dig himself even though he had a
stone tied to his stomach because of hunger.
So this is
the true spirit, right, of leadership.
So my point in saying this is that,
you know, in in many cases,
there are,
people and soldiers who don't want to be
doing
what they're being asked to do. But for
one reason or the other, they end up
doing it.
Regardless of where you stand, my brothers and
sisters, we should not shy away from showing
thanks and compassion towards those who have sacrificed
for good causes.
And
it's true. This includes many of our veterans
as well. Right? Some of whom or actually
many of whom are suffering,
especially in old age and even living in
poverty now.
Right? They're even living in poverty now, many
of whom who have served honorably,
who have served, you know, humanitarian missions, peacekeeping
missions, who have tried to do the right
thing and still define themselves
in this,
very,
tragic,
situation where they're not being cared for as
they deserve to be cared.
We should also show respect
for those who have passed away generally regardless
of their faith, and this is also from
good prophetic manners. Right? We know that a
funeral passed by,
and he stood up, and he was said
to him that it is a Jew. Right?
The people were surprised that that's this janazah,
this funeral that's pass passing by is not
that of a Muslim. Right? It is that
of a Jewish person, but Rasulullah said,
that was he not a soul?
Was this person not a soul?
So another aspect of this, my brothers and
sisters, is that remembering
our past is a positive thing.
Each nation, each group has its history
and has its heroes,
And remembering the history and remembering the heroes
can inspire a people. It can give them
strength in their identity.
It can build fortitude
to face future channel challenges.
And when a people are cut off from
their roots,
it's like
a boat or a ship
that has been cut from its anchor and
is at the mercy of the waves.
They don't know where they're supposed to be.
They don't know where they're coming from. They
don't know where they're going. They don't know
who they are.
And that's why it is so important
that,
we share our Islamic history as well. Right?
The sacrifices of our Muslim heroes.
Right? We educate our children, our youth, so
that they know who we are and that
we too have an inspiring history of courage
and sacrifice for the sake of Allah subhanahu
wa ta'ala. But the question is how to
remember.
Right? What's the best way? What's the most
optimal optimal way to remember? We know that
the way of the prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam
in his Sahaba, the early Muslims,
was not to have commemorations, like annual celebrations
or annual commemorations
of historic events. Right? That was not their
way. However, that does not mean that they
did not remember. Rasulullah
sallallahu alaihi wa sallam
would generally advise and would himself go and
visit
cemeteries and visit the marchers and visit those
who have passed away. Right? He would make
the trip, you know, to to Uhud and
and and visit the the shuhada of Uhud
and, of course, pray for them. Right? The
prophet
would go make weekly trips almost to the
masjid of,
of.
Right? The first masjid.
So remember the history and the Sahaba
they would share stories of the past. They
would talk about incidents.
So at the very least, right, that is
something that we should also try to keep
alive, that we share the stories. Right? We
learn ourselves, and we share the stories.
We teach our children.
Right? We talk about those inspiring moments
and the great sacrifices
that the Sahaba
and many of, the early Muslims and even
later Muslims have made. And not just, you
know, in terms of battles and wars, but
also in terms of,
knowledge, right, in terms of research and advancement,
and, and and service to humanity. There's many
types of sacrifices that that should be talked
about. May Allah
make us those,
with perfect character. We ask Allah
to make us those who are thankful to
him and to those who have done good
for us. May Allah
increase us in compassion and mercy and kindness,
and may he make us those who are
always inspired,
and remember the sacrifices
done by those before them for the sake
of Allah.
We have some sad news, and that is
the passing of our, of the brother of
our sister,
So we make dua for him, and all
of those who have passed away.