Sunday, February 27, 2011

Be kind to our parents

Haroon Mosque Khutbah
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                                                          Friday  January 28th. 2011

Brothers and Sisters, 
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 وَاعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَلَا تُشْرِكُوا بِهِ شَيْئًا ۖ وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا وَبِذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَالْيَتَامَىٰ وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَالْجَارِ ذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَالْجَارِ الْجُنُبِ وَالصَّاحِبِ بِالْجَنبِ وَابْنِ السَّبِيلِ وَمَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ مَن كَانَ مُخْتَالًا فَخُورًا

Surah An-Nisa 4:36 Worship Allah and join none with Him in worship, and do good to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, Al-Masakin (the poor), the neighbour who is near of kin, the neighbour who is a stranger, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (you meet), and those (slaves) whom your right hands possess. Verily, Allah does not like such as are proud and boastful.

The Command to be dutiful and good to our parents comes directly after the command to submit to Allah and worship Him alone.  Then Allah Command us to be good to relatives, orphans, the needy, neighbors and friends, and wayfarer respectively.  We are not supposed to be stingy with them or not taking good care of them.
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Surah Al-Isra 17:23-24.

وَقَضَىٰ رَبُّكَ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوا إِلَّا إِيَّاهُ وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا ۚ إِمَّا يَبْلُغَنَّ عِندَكَ الْكِبَرَ أَحَدُهُمَا أَوْ كِلَاهُمَا فَلَا تَقُل لَّهُمَا أُفٍّ وَلَا تَنْهَرْهُمَا وَقُل لَّهُمَا قَوْلًا كَرِيمًا

Surah Al-Isra 23. And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you be dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor shout at them but address them in terms of honour.

وَاخْفِضْ لَهُمَا جَنَاحَ الذُّلِّ مِنَ الرَّحْمَةِ وَقُل رَّبِّ ارْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِي صَغِيرًا
Surah Al-Isra 24: And lower unto them the wing of submission and humility through mercy, and say: "My Lord! Bestow on them Your Mercy as they did bring me up when I was small." 
Once our parents reached old age, we have to communicate with them respectfully.  Be courteous with them and avoid all harsh and hard words or words of disrespect.  Imam Bukhari and Muslim reported that Abdullah Ibn-Masud asked the Prophet Muhammad (Sal.) "Which action is most favorite for Allah the Almighty?" He (Sal.) answered, "Performing the Salat (or offering Prayers) in time." He asked, "Thereafter?" He (Sal.) said, "Good treatment to parents." He submitted, "Then which next?" He (Sal.) then said, "Al-Jihad or struggling in the way of Allah."  The Prophet (Sal.) also said that to take good care of the parents is as good as jihad. 

وَوَصَّيْنَا الْإِنسَانَ بِوَالِدَيْهِ حُسْنًا ۖ وَإِن جَاهَدَاكَ لِتُشْرِكَ بِي مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ فَلَا تُطِعْهُمَا ۚ إِلَيَّ مَرْجِعُكُمْ فَأُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ

Surah Al-Ankabut 29:8 And We have enjoined on man to be good and dutiful to his parents, but if they strive to make you join with Me (in worship) anything (as a partner) of which you have no knowledge, then obey them not. Unto Me is your return, and I shall tell you what you used to do.

There are times when parents force their sons or daughters to worship others besides Allah.  They still have to behave nicely to their parents but they do not have to set rivals to Allah as their parents suggested.  Especially, when they reached old age, to serve them kindly is a path to paradise on the day of judgement.   Imam Muslim reported that the Prophet (Sal.) said, " May he be humiliated, (He said this three times), who found his parents, one or both, in old age, but did not enter paradise, (by serving them)."  
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And be kind to our parents is a must even if they are disbelievers.   Imam Bukhari and Muslim reported that Asma', daughter of Abu-Bakr said, "My mother came to Medina from Mecca to see me, while she was still a disbeliever. She had come to demand something from me. I inquired the Prophet (Sal.), "My mother has come to see me and she is expecting, something from me. May I oblige her?" He said, "Yes. Be kind to your mother."
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Imam Bukhari and Muslim reported that Prophet (Sal) said, "cursing one’s parents is a major sin." The companions said, "O Messenger of Allah! Could a person curse his own parents? He answered, "Yes, if he curses another persons father, which would make a person in retaliation curse his father.”
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The right of the parents after their death is to supplicate for Allah’s forgiveness for them and fulfilling their wills. We should also keep good relations with our parents’ blood relatives and to be benevolent towards their friends. 

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Miracle of Allah


Khutbah Haroon Mosque 

 

       Friday  January 21st: 2011

Brothers and Sisters, 

      From the Names of Allah (Sub) "Arrahman and Arrahim" the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful, is an important aspect in the mind of all the Muslims. Allah’s (Sub) Mercy is a beautiful and reassuring concept of relationship between Allah (Sub) and His servants.
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وَاكْتُبْ لَنَا فِي هَٰذِهِ الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ إِنَّا هُدْنَا إِلَيْكَ ۚ قَالَ عَذَابِي أُصِيبُ بِهِ مَنْ أَشَاءُ ۖ وَرَحْمَتِي وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ ۚ فَسَأَكْتُبُهَا لِلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَالَّذِينَ هُم بِآيَاتِنَا يُؤْمِنُونَ

Surah Al-A’raf 7:156 “And ordain for us good in this world, and in the Hereafter. Certainly we have turned unto You." He said: (As to) My Punishment I afflict therewith whom I will and My Mercy embraces all things. That (Mercy) I shall ordain for those who are the Muttaqun (pious - see V.2:2), and give Zakat; and those who believe in Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs and revelations, etc.);
      The Mercy of Allah is of a magnitude that we can not measure.  Imam Bukhari and Muslim reported that the prophet (Sal) said, "Allah has divided mercy into one hundred parts, and He kept ninety-nine parts with Him and sent down one part on the earth, and because of that, one single part, His creatures are merciful to each other….” 
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 وَلَقَدْ كَرَّمْنَا بَنِي آدَمَ وَحَمَلْنَاهُمْ فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ وَرَزَقْنَاهُم مِّنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَفَضَّلْنَاهُمْ عَلَىٰ كَثِيرٍ مِّمَّنْ خَلَقْنَا تَفْضِيلًا

Surah Al-Isra’ 17:70 And indeed We have honoured the Children of Adam, and We have carried them on land and sea, and have provided them with At-Taiyibat (lawful good things), and have preferred them above many of those whom We have created with a marked preferment.
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      Allah (Sub) Appoint man as vicegerent on Earth.  Allah (Sub) the Most Merciful Sent down Books and Messengers to lead man to the right path.  Man can acquire knowledge and enlighten his mind that can lead him to the straight path.  And Allah (Sub) Bestow the comprehensive and complete Islamic legislation that would keep man away from hardship and misery. Allah’s mercy is Overlook the sins of sinner who repent.  Allah (Sub.) changes his sins, after his sincere repentance followed by righteous deeds, to good deeds (hasanat).  All this is to prevent the sinners from feeling hopeless of the mercy of Allah (Sub).
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إِلَّا مَن تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا فَأُولَٰئِكَ يُبَدِّلُ اللَّهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ حَسَنَاتٍ ۗ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا

Surah Al-Furqan 25:70 Except those who repent and believe (in Islamic Monotheism), and do righteous deeds, for those, Allah will change their sins into good deeds, and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
      . Imam Buhkari and Muslim reported that the prophet (Sal.) said, "Allah ordered (the appointed angels over you) how to write the good and the bad deeds. If someone intends to do a good deed and he does not do it, then he gets a full good deed; and if he intends to do a good deed and actually did it, then he gets from ten to seven hundred times to many more times. And If someone intends to do a bad deed and he does not do it, then he gets one good deed, and if he intends to do a bad deed and actually did it, then Allah will write for him one bad deed." Also, Allah (Sub.) erases the sin with the good deed.
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وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ طَرَفَيِ النَّهَارِ وَزُلَفًا مِّنَ اللَّيْلِ ۚ إِنَّ الْحَسَنَاتِ يُذْهِبْنَ السَّيِّئَاتِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ذِكْرَىٰ لِلذَّاكِرِينَ

Surah Hud 11:114 And perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat), at the two ends of the day and in some hours of the night [i.e. the five compulsory Salat (prayers)]. Verily, the good deeds remove the evil deeds (i.e. small sins). That is a reminder (an advice) for the mindful (those who accept advice).
      The prophet (Sal.) made utmost effort to clarify the reality of the Mercy of Allah (Sub) with His servants so that Muslims will be merciful among one another and be merciful with others, and know that this mercy is the way to gain the Mercy of Allah (Sub.). Imam Abu Dawud, At-Tirmithi reported that the prophet (Sal.) said: "The merciful people will have mercy bestowed upon them by Allah (Sub.). Be merciful with those on earth, so He who in the heaven (Allah) will have mercy on you." Imam Bukhari, Muslim and At-Tirmithi reported that the prophet (Sal) said: "Allah will not have mercy on the one who does not have mercy on people." The Prophet (Sal) said “Allah (Sub) will forgive a fornicating woman for her kindness with a thirsty dog, because she gave it water to drink.” (Bukhari and Muslim)