By Imam Murtadha Gusau
In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all creation, may Allah extol the mention of our noble Prophet Muhammad in the highest company of Angels, bless him and give him peace and security―and his family, his Companions and all those who follow him correctly and sincerely until the establishment of the Hour.
Dear brothers and sisters! Let us increase our taqwa and fear of Allah Almighty by obeying His commands and abstaining from His prohibitions. Let us continue our pursuit of good deeds and seek Allah’s grace and mercy. May Allah Almighty grant us His help, ameen.
Dear brothers and sisters! Indeed the life of this world is a constant spiritual battle. As Muslims, faith (Iman) is our source of strength and resilience in facing this battle. It gives us hope and determination to overcome challenges. It strengthens our spirit to continue our pursuit of goodness. It assures us that Allah will grant us help as long as we continue to place our trust in Him and commit to His path.
In difficult moments in life, as we are overwhelmed with insecurity, inflation, cost of living crisis, sorrows and sadness that may cause us to feel hopeless and depressed, let us hold fast to Allah’s promise. With every hardship, there will come ease and a way out. Allah Almighty says in noble Qur’an, in Surah As-Sharh, verse 5:
“For indeed, with hardship comes ease.”
Whatever challenges we may face, we must continue to pray for our country, and to have hope that we will overcome them and emerge as better Muslims In Shaa Allah. One whose taqwa and fear of Allah has strengthened will hence become more patient and resilient. Allah Almighty says:
“So do not weaken and do not grieve for you are superior, if you are [true] believers.” [Surah Ali Imran: 139]
Respected brothers and sisters! We acknowledge that we live in a very difficult, challenging and uncertain time. While the current situation is indeed very worrying, there are reasons for us to remain positive and grateful. In making the required adjustments to our lives including the way we celebrate our festive season (Fast Eid-ul-Fitr), we have been able to bond with our families in a responsible manner. We have been able to enjoy the happiness of the month of Shawwal, although not as festive as we would like it to be.
Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) said:
“Look at those who are lower than you (in matters of this world and wealth) but do not look at those who are higher than you, lest you belittle the favours Allah conferred upon you.” [Bukhari and Muslim]
Dear brothers and sisters! The global situation today is also facing so much uncertainty. Humanity is still confronted with an incredible amount of misery and suffering. While many are still affected by the wars and insecurity, others are facing violence and aggression that have led to the loss of innocent lives. This is truly distressing and heartbreaking. The soul of a believer cannot accept such cruelty. Those with compassion and mercy reject all forms of oppression and persecution, especially when they took place on the sacred land of Al-Aqsa Mosque, while Muslims were performing acts of worship in the month of Ramadan, up till the present month of Shawwal to Dhul-Qa’dah. These incidents, without a doubt, have caused us so much worry and grief.
Dear brothers and sisters! As we worry and grieve, let us remind ourselves of the importance of putting our faith and trust in Allah, and that His help will come. We must also instil in ourselves a strong sense of conviction when making prayers and supplications for the suffering of others to end. As the Prophet (Peace be upon him) once said:
“The supplication of a Muslim for his brother in his absence will certainly be answered.” [Muslim]
In addition to praying for our country, and praying for our brothers and sisters who are facing the problems of insecurity and hardship, we can also help them through making monetary donations. And do make sure that our donations are channelled to famous bodies that are sincere in collecting such funds. This is to ensure that those funds reach the right beneficiaries and are not being misused.
Please let us contribute as much help as possible, to the best of our abilities. We hope that these donations will be able to provide a glimmer of hope for the victims who are affected.
At the same time, we are reminded not to worsen the situation by instigating words that propagate hate, disunity and enmity. As believers, we must be just and reject all forms of violence and hostility, regardless of whom the target is.
In the moments when our supplications are accepted by Allah Almighty, let us humble ourselves before Him and ask Him to restore peace in Nigeria and in the world, and put an end to all forms of oppression, insecurity, cruelty and violence.
Ya Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Protector. We humble ourselves before You in supplication and prayer. Restore tranquility, harmony and peace to Nigeria, to the world – most of all to areas where there is unrest and hardship.
Ya Allah, the Ever-Preserving, protect us, protect our country and our brothers and sisters, including the Palestinians, from suffering and oppression. Guide us, lead us and grant us Your guidance so that all forms of cruelty are ended with peace. Shower Your love and mercy upon Your servants who desperately need Your help. Ease the burden of Your servants who are facing insecurity, hardship and adversity.
Ya Allah, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of all existence. Accept our prayers to restore lasting peace and harmony among all of humanity, ameen Ya Rabbal Alamin.
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. May the peace, blessings and salutations of Allah be upon our noble Messenger, Muhammad, and upon his family, his Companions and his true followers.
Murtadha Muhammad Gusau is the Chief Imam of: Nagazi-Uvete Jumu’ah Mosque; and Late Alhaji Abdur-Rahman Okene Mosque, Okene, Kogi State, Nigeria. He can be reached via: gusauimam@gmail.com; or +2348038289761.
This Friday sermon (Jumu’ah Khutbah) was prepared for delivery today Friday, 02 Dhul- Qa’dah, 1445 AH (May 10, 2024).