Jealousy

اعوذ باللہ من الشیطٰن الرجیم
بسم اللہ الرحمٰن الرحیم
الحمد لله رب العالمين ، أرسل رسوله بالهدى و دين الحق ليظهره على الدين كله و كفي بالله شهيدا ، و أشهد ألا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له ؛ له الملك و له الحمد ، يحيى و يميت و هو على كل شئ قدير

In the name of Allah SWT the most beneficient, the most merciful, the one who blessed us with this life and the one who will give eternal life in the hereafter. Salutations be upon Prophet Mohammad SAW and his companions who showed the way to practice Quran in our life.

My Dear respected brothers and sisters,
Assalam o allaikum Wr. Wb.

Among the spiritual sicknesses and spiritual diseases in a person is Hasad, Jealousy. Jealousy is defined as Tamanni Zawaley Naimatil Ghair'. It means Allah SWT has blessed a person with several naimat and bounties, provided him with all luxuries of life, wealth and happiness and everything is going well in his life. A jealous person cannot stand that. He cannot bear that. He cannot tolerate that. Why is that person enjoying all those comforts and luxuries in life that I cannot see in my life. He has a burning desire in his heart that the naimat and comfort this person is experiencing should be taken away from him. This is called Hasad.

If that person see another person with all these naimas and wealth and comforts and he also wishes that Allah SWT blesses me with all these bounties as well without wishing that they be taken away from the other person then that is called ENVY (ghitta).

If it is for a worldly issue it is called Ghitta and if it is for the religious issue, in case where one sees that Allah SWT has given somebody the taufeeq to follow the commandments of Allah SWT such as regularly praying salah, fasting etc and one wished that may Allah SWT give me that taufeeq and blessing as well, then that feeling is called Tanafus, where one competes with another in the matter of religious goodness.

In our shreeat, Hasad is Haram. Ghitta, in the worldly issue without wishing that the naimat be taken away from the other person, is permissible. And to compete with one another on religious issues, if one has a naimat of deen and you also want to compete to get that naimat without wishing the other person to be deprived of this naimat, that is Wajib.

Hasad is a very bad thing, It is Haram and it is said that The first sin that took place in the skies was Hasad and the first sin that took place on the face of the earth was also Hasad.

Allah SWT created Adam AS and told all the malaika to make sajda to Adam AS. The Shaitan refused. So what thought came in the mind of Shaitan that I am Namoosul Malaika. I made so much of sajda before Allah SWT, I made so much Ibada and Allah SWT took me out of the ranks of the Shayateen and put me to the ranks of Malaika. All my life I worshipped Allah SWT and this Adam is just created and he is worthy of prostrated before?! I am more worthy of that. That Hasad made him to feel that Why Allah SWT has bestowed the bounty on Adam AS and not on him. So that Hasad came to him and becasue of that

aba wastakbar wakana minal kafireen

He Showed Pride and became a kafir.

This is what makes a person do.

Likewise the first sin that took place on earth, Habeel was to marry Qabeel Sister, and Qabeel was to marry Habeel Sister. Now Qabeel's own sister from his own birth was more beautiful and Hasad came over him and he thought how come Habeel will get more beautiful wife. Because of this Hasad he was ready to kill his own brother.

Stated in the books of ahadeeth that at the time of Rasulallah SAW there were three groups of people. One were Yahood, they were regarded to be the Ahlul Ilm ( the Ulama ) of the time. If people were to find any answers to religious problems, then they would go to Jews. Then there was a second group who were the Nasara ( Christians) who had their own distinct way of life and then there were Mushrkikeen of Makkah.

The Yahood had Taurat. They were known as the people of knowledge and because of that they used to say that since knowledge is with us We are the sons of Allah SWT and we are most beloved in the sight of Allah SWT. In the Taurat it was written about the final messenger who would be coming to bring a complete shreeat of Allah SWT. All the signs and indications were mentioned there and they really thought that the final messenger will come among them.

In the taurat it was written that when the Red Star will shoot in the sky that will be the time when the final messenger will be expected to come.

When the Jews saw this shooting star they were very happy and they carried out an investigation that which woman is about to give birth in Madina Munawarrah. Many women were pregnant but there was no woman who was about to give birth. Then they expanded their investigation, and tried to find out in Makkah if there was any woman who was about to give birth. There were many women who conceived but there was only one woman who was about to give birth and that was AMINA , the mother of Rasulallah SAW.

When the Jews when they heard about this, the whole happiness now turned into dissapointment and dismay that the final messenger and prophet will come from Banu Ismail. Ibrahim AS had two sons, Ismail and Ishaq. Jews and Muslims they are cousins. So Nabi Kareem SAW is from the progeny of Ismail AS and Jews are from the progeny of Ishaq AS. The jews were expecting the last messenger to be from the progeny of Ishaq AS but when when they found out that the last messenger will be from Banu ismail , their happiness turned into jealousy.

Hasad and Jealousy is a fire in the heart and it burns the inside of the heart making a void between a person and those around him. It makes it devoid of any peace and comfort and happiness.

Allah Swt gives his bounties to whomever he wishes:

نَحۡنُ قَسَمۡنَا بَيۡنَہُم مَّعِيشَتَہُمۡ فِى ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا‌ۚ وَرَفَعۡنَا بَعۡضَہُمۡ فَوۡقَ بَعۡضٍ۬ دَرَجَـٰتٍ۬ لِّيَتَّخِذَ بَعۡضُہُم بَعۡضً۬ا سُخۡرِيًّ۬ا‌ۗ

We have apportioned among them their livelihood in the life of the world, and raised some of them above others in rank that some of them may take labour from others

When Allah SWT gives somebody more and somebody less in different quantities, then we must accept that. When a person develops Hasad in the heart, then he is actually fighting with Allah SWT.

When a person sees around, all kinds of bounties are being showered upon. In one family somebody is being proposed for marriage, in one family somebody is having children, in one family somebody is preparing for hajj, in one family somebody is about to open a business... so if a person start thinking that who so and so blessed and I dont have anything then this hasad can put him into a category that are going against Allah SWT. Allah SWT says:

أَمۡ يَحۡسُدُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ عَلَىٰ مَآ ءَاتَٮٰهُمُ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضۡلِهِ

Or are they jealous of mankind because of that which Allah of His bounty hath bestowed upon them?

That is why Nabi Kareem SAW warned us hen you good amal performing salah, making zikr, then a noor is generated into the hearts due to these good deeds, then preserve that. One thing that will eat all that up is Hasad.

Rasulallah SAW is reported to have said, that Hasad eats up all your good deeds like fire eats up dry wood. When you see the burned dry wood, there is only ashes and no sign of wood, so similarly no sign of good that you have committed if you fall into the Hasad.

Another hadeeth mentions, Two things can never stay in the heart together, Iman and Hasad.

You cant have iman and hasad in the heart at the same time and if a momin has the two in the heart, then there is a problem with this person.

Muawiyah RA mentions about Hasad that From All evil qualities, there is no evil quality more JUST than the evil quality of Hasad, Why is that so? Becasue the Hasad first kills the Jealous person before his kills the victim of Jealous person.

Muawiyah RA also mentions that you can never make a jealous person happy. When the Hasad is deeply entrenched in the heart of the person then nothing can make him happy except one thing. It is ZAWALU Naimaltil Ghair. .... that is the bounties of others must be taken away from them.

What are some of the things that Hasad can lead to?

Raza Bil Qawa ---- Person will not be content with the decree of Allah Swt... Allah has given something to somebody and a Hasid will always be discontent for not receiving the same.

Tabaghuz – Another reason for having Hasad is because of Bughz or enmity for a person. You have a disagreement with someone and you develop this enmity towards him. Now all the bounties that the other person has becomes a burden on your heart and you start to wish that those bounties be taken away from them. You fall into the trap of Hasad.

Ishtiraq Fi Amal Wahid – People mostly have same type of profession and you see that they start competing with eachother for all the perks and benefits they get. If one person receive more of something, then the other would develope Hasad for him.

What are the nuqsanat of this Hasad?

1. A jealous person is deprived of the happiness of Allah SWT. If you did not get the pleasure of Allah SWT then you are the most unfortunate person. But if you got the whole worlds displeasure but you received Allah's pleasure, then you are most fortunate person.
2. Harm of Hasad and Jealousy, the person is harming his ownself. He is depriving himself of all the happiness. He is spending more time to think about other peoples lives rather than concentrate the problems of his own life, family and children.

How to overcome this Jealousy?

Ta'awuzz – See refuge in the protection of Allah SWT.

Istighfar

If you are under the influence of Hasad, then never practice under the dictate of the Hasad rather go against you feeling. If you feel enmity for someone, go against your emotion and be kind and humble to the person, if you feel the other is deprived of something, then give him a gift or hadiya. The best thing you can do is to make dua to Allah SWT and say that you have blessed so an so with so much bounties and I cannot tolerate it but increase in his bounties.

Once you will do that often, you will see you will come out of Hasad.

May Allah SWT give us all tofeeq to understand this evil of spirituality and make us strong to fight against this feeling and emotion.. amiin

Original Speech by Mufti Ebrahim Desai

Khutba delivered at MANB - April 19, 2013

The Virtues and Sunnahs of Jummah

In the name of Allah SWT, the most beneficient, the most merciful, the master of the day of judgement. It is his aid that we seek and it is His forgiveness that we yearn for. Salutations be upon Prophet Mohammad SAW, his companions and his family.

My dear respected brothers and sisters,

Assalam o allaikum.

Allah SWT says in the quran:

يٰۤاَيُّهَا الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡۤا اِذَا نُوۡدِىَ لِلصَّلٰوةِ مِنۡ يَّوۡمِ الۡجُمُعَةِ فَاسۡعَوۡا اِلٰى ذِكۡرِ اللّٰهِ وَذَرُوا الۡبَيۡعَ‌ ؕ ذٰ لِكُمۡ خَيۡرٌ لَّـكُمۡ اِنۡ كُنۡتُمۡ تَعۡلَمُوۡنَ‏

"O believers, when the call is proclaimed for the prayer on Friday, come to the remembrance of Allah and leave off business, that is better for you if you but did know."

Hadhrat Ali Ibn Abu Taalib (RA) narrated: on the pulpit in the mosque of Kufah:

When Friday comes, the devils go to the markets with their flags, and involve people in their needs and prevent them from the Friday prayer. The angels come early in the morning, sit at the door of the mosque, and record that so-and-so came at the first hour, and so-and-so came at the second hour until the imam comes out (for preaching). When a man sits in a place where he can listen (to the sermon) and look (at the imam), where he remains silent and does not interrupt, he will receive a double reward. If he stays away, sits in a place where he cannot listen (to the sermon), silent, and does not interrupt, he will receive the reward only once. If he sits in a place where he can listen (to the sermon) and look (at the imam), and he does not remain silent, he will have the burden of it. If anyone says to his companion sitting besides him to be silent (while the imam is preaching), he is guilty of idle talk. Anyone who interrupts (during the sermon) will receive nothing (no reward) on that Friday.

Then he (the narrator) says in the end of this tradition:

I heard the Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) say so. (Abu Dawood 1046)

My brothers and sisters, This tells us that Friday is not an ordinary day for muslims and there are certain things that a muslim has to take care of on this day. We are going to talk about what steps and activities does a muslim require to follow on this day.

The Aadaab of Jumuah

1. Every Muslim should make preparations for jumuah from Thursday. After the asr salaat of Thursday, he should make a lot of istighfaar. He should clean his clothes and keep them ready. If he does not have any perfume in his house, then if it is possible he should try and obtain some and keep it ready so that he will not get distracted with these things on jumuah. The pious people of the past have stated that the person to receive the most benefit on Friday will be that person who waits for it and who makes preparations for it from Thursday. The most unfortunate person will be he who does not even know as to when Friday will fall, so much so that he will ask the people in the morning as to which day this is. Some pious people used to go and stay in the jaame musjid from the night of jumuah in order to make full preparations for the following day. (Ihyaa ul-Uloom, vol. 1, page 161). These preparations also include the clipping of the nails, removing the unwanted hair and to have haircut if required.
   
2. On the day of jumuah, ghusl should be made and the hair of the head and the rest of the body should be thoroughly washed. It is also very virtuous to use the miswaak on this day.
   Ghusl must be made for any salat if the person is in a state of Janaba or if he had ihtelam.
   GHUSL:
   The Ghusl has three compulsory acts and they are as follows:
   1) Rinsing the mouth thoroughly, ensuring that the water reaches the back of the throat.
   2) Taking water into the nostrils to the limit of the tender or fleshy part of the nose.
   3) Drenching the WHOLE body - from head to toe - thoroughly, ensuring that no part of the body is left dry.
   If the above points are carried out then the Ghusl is complete and one is purified.
   

There are five actions that make it obligatory for a person to have a bath (ghusl). As a result you CANNOT do any form of worship, touch the Quran or even enter the mosque until you perform ghusl. The five actions are as follows

• The ejaculation of sperm from it’s place with lust. (Janaba)
• To have a wet dream. Meaning nocturnal emission that is the releasing of sperm whilst sleeping. (Ihtelam)
• Sexual intercourse whether it is with or without lust, with or without orgasm, the bathing would be obligatory on both. (Mubashara)
• To become clean from menstrual pause (period). (haydh)
• To become clean from blood after child birth.(Nifas)
  

3. It was narrated from Abu Hurraira that the Prophet (Pbuh) said: Whoever does Ghusl then comes to Jummah, and prays as much as Allah decrees for him, then listens attentively until the khutbah is over, then prays with him (the imam), will be forgiven for (his sins) between that and the next Jummah and three more days. (Muslim, 857)
   
4. After making ghusl, a person should wear the best clothing that he possesses, and if possible he should also apply some perfume.
   
5. On one Friday, Rasulallah said: "O Muslims! Allah Ta'ala has made this day a day of Eid. So have a bath on this day, whoever has perfume should apply it, and use the Miswaak.“ (Ibn Majah)
   
6. He should try and go very early to the jaame musjid. The earlier a person goes, the more reward he will receive. Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:
   

   “On the day of jumuah, the angels stand at the entrance of that musjid in which jumuah salaat is to be offered. They write down the name of the person who enters the musjid first, and thereafter the name of the person who follows, and they continue doing this. The person who entered first will receive the reward of sacrificing a camel in the path of Allah, the one who followed him will get the reward of sacrificing a cow, thereafter a chicken, thereafter the reward of giving an egg as charity in the path of Allah. Once the khutbah commences, the angels close the register and begin listening to the khutbah.”
   — (Bukhari and Muslim)

7. By going walking for the jumuah salaat, one gets the reward of fasting for one year for every step that he takes. (Tirmidhi)
   

It was narrated from Aws ibn Aws al-Thaqafi that the Messenger of Allah (Pbuh) said: Whoever does Ghusl on Friday and causes (his wife) to do Ghusl, and sets out early, and comes close to the imam and listens and keeps quiet, for every step he takes he will have the reward of fasting and praying qiyaam for one year.” (al- Tirmidhi, 496)

8. One should listen very attentively to the khutba even if one does not understand. One should not speak or even warn another to keep quite while the khutba is in progress.
   
   
   
   

• People shake hands
  
• Say Salam by words or by waving
  
• Whisper in the back of the ear
  
• Answering phone and sometimes even conversing on the phone during khutba
  

9. To try to sit as close as possible to the Imaam. (Ibn Majah, Tirmidhi)
   
10. If the Saffs (rows) are already filled, one should not jump over the shoulders of the musallies in order to get to the front. (Abu Dawood)
    
11. One should not fiddle with clothes or fingers but listen attentively (Ibn Majah)
    
12. When Rasulallah (Pbuh) name is mentioned in the khutba then it is permissible to recite durood in the heart only without the movement of the lips or tongue.
    
13. Between the two khutba’s one should make dua.
    
14. Related by Hakim and Bayhaqi, from Abu Sa`id “Whoever recites Surat al-Kahf on Friday, light shall shine forth for him between the two Fridays.” (Ibn Hajar, Talkhis al- Habir)
    
15. There is a lot of reward in reciting Surah Kahf either before the jumuah salaat or after it. Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:
    

    “The person who recites Surah Kahf on Fridays, a nur will appear for him from below the arsh as high as the skies. This light will help him in the darkness of the day of resurrection. And all the sins which he may have committed from the last Friday till this Friday will be forgiven.”
    –(Sharh Sifrus-Saaadah)

    The ulama have written that this Hadith refers to minor sins because major sins are not forgiven without making taubah.
    
16. There is more reward in reciting durood on Fridays than on other days. It has been mentioned in the Hadith that durood should be recited abundantly on Fridays.
    Rasulallah (Pbuh) is reported to have said, “Recite Durood upon me in abundance on the day of Jummah since they are presented to me.” (Ibn Majah)
    
17. Making abundant dua on Jummah
    
    Rasulallah (Pbuh) said: "There is such an hour on Friday that if any Muslim makes dua in it, his dua will definitely be accepted.” (Bukhari, Muslim)
    

Ad Dua Mukhul Ibada – That is supplication is the essence of worship. 

Delivered - MANB - May 10, 2013 

Advices : Luqman AS

Alhamdulillahi Rabbil A’alimeen, Wal Aaqibatul Muttaqeen, Wasalaatu Wassalamu Ala Rusoolihil Kareem,

Amaa Baad

Assalam o allaikum Wr Wb. My dear respected brothers, sisters and elders of the community,

The mufassireen have mentioned that Luqman AS did not have a very pleasant outlook but he was greatly and highly respected among the people. At a point in his lifetime he used to graze the herds of sheep. Once a colleague of Luqman AS who also used to graze the sheep, happen to pass by a big gathering in which there was so many people who were gathered around a person in a particular discourse. When the colleague went closer he saw Luqman AS sitting among them who were benefiting from the teachings of Luqman AS. He goes upto to Luqman AS and says to him that, ‘Aren’t you the same person with whom I used to graze sheep together?’ Luqman AS said, ‘yes!’. He asked, ‘ Then how is it that Allah SWT has blessed you with such a status among the people that so many people are benefiting from your discourse?’ Luqman AS replied, ‘ That the acceptance, the qubooliyat of a human soul is in the hand of Allah SWT but outwardly, it appears to me that my qubooliyat is because I have never been careless with my tongue’, meaning that Luqman AS kept his tongue safe from any kind of evil and kept other people safe from the evil of tongue.

Almight Allah SWT mentions about Luqman AS as a person with wisdom, who was known as Hakeem Luqman, and six advises or words of wisdom are mentioned in Quran.

Allah SWT says,

وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا لُقْمَانَ الْحِكْمَةَ أَنِ اشْكُرْ لِلَّهِ وَمَن يَشْكُرْ فَإِنَّمَا يَشْكُرُ لِنَفْسِهِ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَنِيٌّ حَمِيدٌ

And, indeed, we granted this wisdom unto Luq­man: “Be grateful unto Allah - for he who is grateful [unto Him] is but grateful for the good of his own self; whereas he who chooses to be ungrateful [ought to know that], verily, Allah is self-sufficient, ever to be praised!”

Almighty Allah SWT is absolutely independent and Allah is worthy of all praises. Allah SWT is not in need of our shukr to Him, rather we are in need of expressing our shukr to His greatness.

If the entire world had to get together and they were to worship together to Allah SWT, every creation and every part of the world falls into sajda, then too, that will not increase the Izzat and greatness of Allah SWT and if all of mankind decides to leave Allah SWT, that too will not decrease even a fraction of the respect of Allah SWT.

Allahumma La Uhsi SanaAn A’leyk Antaka Ma Asneyka Ala Nafsik

This is the dua of Nabi SAW that ‘ We cannot encompass fulfilling the haq of your praises. You are as You have praised yourself, we do not even know that.’

Allah has bestowed us with naymah and bounties so it is our duty to express the shukr of those bounties.

Allah mentions to us in Quran Al Kareem:

وَإِن تَعُدُّواْ نِعْمَتَ اللّهِ لاَ تُحْصُوهَا

…And should you try to count God's blessings, you could never compute them.

I just want to think of one bounty of Allah SWT, leave aside all that Allah SWT has blessed us with. Allah SWT has given us this aql, the brain, the intelligence. Even after years and years of research, human being today cannot claim that he understands the way in which our brain works. Scientists now claim that they know more about the brain than they did 100 years ago, but what they know of the brain is not even a scratch compared to the knowledge of the being that created this brain.

In one hadeeth, Rasulallah SAW mentions, that Allah SWT says, ‘ I will reward people and I will punish people based on the aql that I have given to the people.’

This aql through which man today has built the entire infrastructure of the world, through which insaan has designed a way of life today to suit his nafs and desires. Did we ever sit back and ponder, as to how much we know about this very aql? Did we ever used our aql to realize that we forget every day to say shukr to Allah SWT for this aql.

Rasulallah SAW has said, ‘ ManLLAM YashkuriNaas Lam Yashkurillah’

That person who does not make the shukr of the people has not made the shukr of Allah SWT.

This is the first advice, that when people make some Ihsaan upon us, we should recognize it, appreciate it and we should thank them. So the first advice from Allah SWT to Luqman was that Wisdom was bestowed upon Luqman and allah SWT asked Luqman to be thankful to Allah SWT for that.

The second advice that Allah SWT gives to Luqman AS is:

وَإِذْ قَالَ لُقْمَانُ لِابْنِهِ وَهُوَ يَعِظُهُ يَا بُنَيَّ لَا تُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ إِنَّ الشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌ

Behold, Luqman said to his son by way of instruction: "O my son! join not in worship (others) with Allah. Verily, ascribing partners with Allah SWT is Shirk al Adheem.”

If we ponder about the greatness of Allah SWT and the majesty and grandeur, we cannot even begin to comprehend to associate any partners with Him. How can we equate anyone to Allah SWT. He is the one and Unique. He is alone and complete in His zaat.

What bigger injustice will it be to associate a partner to such a Being, the Creator who is not dependant on anyone, but everything is dependant on Him.

The third advice Luqman AS was given:

وَوَصَّيْنَا الْإِنسَانَ بِوَالِدَيْهِ حَمَلَتْهُ أُمُّهُ وَهْنًا عَلَى وَهْنٍ وَفِصَالُهُ فِي عَامَيْنِ أَنِ اشْكُرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيْكَ إِلَيَّ الْمَصِيرُ

“And [God says:] ‘We have enjoined upon man goodness towards his parents: his mother bore him by bearing strain upon strain, and his utter dependence on her lasted two years: [hence, O man,] be grateful towards Me and towards thy parents, [and remember that] with Me is all journeys’ end.”

See that after the mention of the Tauheed of Allah SWT, the rights of parents are mentioned. Mufassireen have mentioned that there is a close link between the Rights of Allah SWT and the rights towards one’s parents. Allah has created us through the means of our parents and that is why, after the haq of Allah SWT the huqooq of parents are mentioned.

Rasulallah SAW has mentioned in one hadeeth, ‘ The pleasure of Allah, the happiness of Allah SWT lies in the pleasure of father and the displeasure of Allah SWT lies in the displeasure of father.’

One day a father, he asked his son, ‘ O son, what is the time?’ The son told the time. The father asked again after a few seconds, ‘ O son, what is the time?’ The son got irritated and said , I just told you the time, whats wrong with you?’ Father said, ‘ O son, I was asking, what is the time?’ The son said, ‘ O Father, I just told you the time, how many times will you ask me?’

Father said, ‘ I remember the day, when you asked me about a toy dozens of time, but not a single time you saw a cliché on my forehead.’

We need to understand, that today we get irritated by the demands of our parents. We get annoyed at their wishes. Didn’t they have their chance to be annoyed at us? The difficulty that we feel with our parents today, is not comparable to the difficulty of a mother that stays up all night to make sure her child doesn’t remain hungry. Allah SWT says to us, never say even ‘UFF’ to you parents. The mufassireen have mentioned that if there was a word smaller than Uff Allah would have mentioned that.

Rasulallah SAW says in a hadeeth :

AL JANNATU TA7TA AQDAAMI UMMAHAAT

The Heaven lies beneath the feet of the mothers.

Meaning if you displease your mother, you displease Allah SWT and if you please your mother, you please Allah SWT.

INCIDENT OF MUSA AND BUTCHER

The fourth advice given was:

وَإِن جَاهَدَاكَ عَلى أَن تُشْرِكَ بِي مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ فَلَا تُطِعْهُمَا وَصَاحِبْهُمَا فِي الدُّنْيَا مَعْرُوفًا وَاتَّبِعْ سَبِيلَ مَنْ أَنَابَ إِلَيَّ ثُمَّ إِلَيَّ مَرْجِعُكُمْ فَأُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ

"But if they strive to make thee join in worship with Me things of which thou hast no knowledge, obey them not; yet bear them company in this life with justice (and consideration), and follow the way of those who turn to me (in love): in the end the return of you all is to Me, and I will tell you the truth (and meaning) of all that ye did."

If the parents put you in a condition where they forcefully make you associate partners with Allah SWT, then do not obey them in this matter but even in this matter refuse them politely and gently. It is not acceptable even in this state to be verbally abusive to one’s parents.

That is why Allah SWT gives us the dua,

Rabbir HamHuma Kama Rabbayani Sagheera.

O Allah have mercy on my parents, as they did when they raised me from my childhood.

The fifth advice given was:

يَا بُنَيَّ إِنَّهَا إِن تَكُ مِثْقَالَ حَبَّةٍ مِّنْ خَرْدَلٍ فَتَكُن فِي صَخْرَةٍ أَوْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ أَوْ فِي الْأَرْضِ يَأْتِ بِهَا اللَّهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَطِيفٌ خَبِيرٌ

"O my son!" (said Luqman), "If there be (but) the weight of a mustard-seed and it were (hidden) in a rock, or (anywhere) in the heavens or on earth, Allah will bring it forth: for Allah understands the finest mysteries, (and) is well-acquainted (with them).

Luqman AS says that even if you hide small pride in your heart, Allah will bring it forth on the day of Qayyama. There is no reason why a human being should have any pride. We know what we are inside, look at our Nafs and we will recognize Allah SWT. How weak, feable, minute in our stature we are, that we forget the One who deserves the real honor and pride.

And lastly we are told:

وَلَا تُصَعِّرْ خَدَّكَ لِلنَّاسِ وَلَا تَمْشِ فِي الْأَرْضِ مَرَحًا إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخْتَالٍ فَخُورٍ

“And turn not thy cheek away from people in [false] pride, and walk not haughtily on earth: for, behold, God does not love anyone who, out of self- conceit, acts in a boastful manner.

Luqman AS tells us here that do not spoil the glow of your face for people. You may not agree with people, but you must agree to disagree. We may have difference of opinion, or disagreement with the people, but that does not give us the ijaazat or permission to treat people in a disrespectful way. When we are agreeing that we are humans and not angels, that we have weaknesses then we are also agreeing that we have difference of opinions. If we hear an opinion contrary to ours and we get angry, then it means there is something not right inside our heart and there is need for Islah or correctness.

May Allah SWT give us the taufeeq to understand these beautiful advices and to understand them for if we truly bring into practice these advices, they can be means of nijaat in aakhira.

Wa Ma Taufeeqi Ilallah Billah.

~Khutbah given at Muslim Association of New Brunswick -February 22, 2013