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.
My dear brothers and sisters! Know that the Ummah of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him), the Muslim Ummah is one Ummah. We are all brothers and sisters to one another. Allah Almighty says:
“The believers are but brothers, so make settlement between your brothers.” [Surah Al-Hujurat: 10]
The believers in their love are one; we are a single body, if one part of the body aches, the rest of the body experiences sleeplessness and fever, as the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:
“The similitude of believers in regard to mutual love, affection, fellow-feeling is that of one body; when any limb of it aches, the whole-body aches, because of sleeplessness and fever.” [Muslim]
Respected servants of Allah!As I reflect upon the condition of the Ummah today, especially our brothers and sisters who are being attacked and oppressed in Nigeria, Palestine and elsewhere, I realise that the Muslims are encircled by the enemies from every direction, hearing the voices of guns and bombs from every end, where every second could be the last second of their life. There are young souls screaming from every other corner, families being displaced and parents weeping upon the dead bodies of their kids. By Allah, our hearts break and eyes shed tears, but we only say that which pleases our Lord. May Allah Almighty grant victory to Islam and the Muslims. May Allah Almighty unite us and them upon Tawhid and accept their martyrs. Ameen.
Dear brothers and sisters! I remember the words of one of my teachers:
“There are many solutions offered, there are many fingers pointed. We will hear people saying, “It is the fault of so-and-so, it is the fault of such-and-such country; it is the fault of such-and-such an individual; We need to boycott and we need to protest. Yet, almost never do you hear the people actually tell people the real reason why this is happening to us, and the very simple solution on how to stop it. We must begin by understanding that there is no evil, no trial, and no fitnah, that will befall this Ummah except that Allah Almighty and His Messenger (Peace be upon him) explained in the clearest of terms; the cause and the solution for it.”
Sadly, we see that this afflictions in Nigeria and Palestine has affected the Ummah as a whole. In many places around the world, Muslims are being oppressed in one way or the other, and yet collectively we still are not willing to work towards any solution. The cause of trials and tribulations are what our own hands have earned. Allah Almighty says in Surah Ar-Rum:
“Corruption (calamities and all kind of evils) has appeared throughout the land and sea by [reason of] what the hands of people have earned so He may let them taste part of [the consequence of] what they have done that perhaps they will return [to righteousness].” [Surah Ar-Rum :41]
Similarly, Allah Almighty says in Surah Ash-Shurah:
“And whatever strikes you of disaster – it is for what your hands have earned.” [Surah Ash-Shurah: 30]
We really need to understand that it is us, it is our own actions that have caused what we see today. That may sound like an insensitive thing to say at this time. Please note that I am grieved at the situation as much as you, yet I can say the change starts within ourselves. Let me explain:
We raise our hands making Du’a and supplication to Allah Almighty asking Him to help us overcome the Yahud (Jews), yet we follow them ‘shibran shibran – hand span by hand span.”
Narrated Abu Sa’id Al-Khudri: The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: “You will follow the ways of those nations who were before you, span by span and cubit by cubit (i.e., inch by inch) so much so that even if they entered a hole of a mastigure, you would follow them.” We said, “O Allah’s Messenger (Peace be upon him)! (Do you mean) the Jews and the Christians?” He said, “Whom else?”
We know that Jews are the people who are cursed by Allah Almighty. They are from those who have earned the anger of Allah Almighty and are those who were never trustworthy. They never kept their promise and are the stingiest of people on the face of this earth. They were the ones who caused problems for the Prophets and the Believers. Reading the history and an understanding of the Qur’an may allow us to know what kind of people they were. Allah Almighty described them as the ones who indulged in ribah (usury). All of these blameworthy characteristics of the Yahud (Jews) that we are informed of.
How many of these characteristics can we claim do not exist in the Muslims of today? We follow them in our dealings, manner and in character. Yet, we continue to ask Allah Almighty to grant us victory over them? How can we expect victory over our enemies when this is our state? We see people shouting and screaming that they would pray a prayer in Al-Aqsa Mosque (not belittling its virtue), but when you ask them how many times in day do they walk to the masjid (mosque) nearby for their own 5 obligatory prayers – you know what the answer is! Alhumdulliah, today, we can practice our religion freely, yet how many of us take it seriously? How many of us are really even concerned in learning religious knowledge which is obligatory upon us to know?! We are just busy running behind the world, day and night. We want more and more of the worldly things. Then we see people protesting on the streets, what good do we think this will bring? Protesting is not from the ways of the Muslims! Two wrongs do not make it right. It’s sad. We see so much shirk and bid’ah (innovations in the religion) everywhere, how then do we expect the help of Allah Almighty to come to us? Furthermore, we hear statements like “O Salahuddin! Where are you O Salahuddin?” Allah’s aid is sought. One should turn to Allah Almighty alone at times like this.
We are living in times when the disbelievers have gathered in order to harm the Muslims, this war is a war of kufr and Islam.
The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:
“The people will soon summon one another to attack you as people when eating invite others to share their dish. Someone asked: Will that be because of our small numbers at that time? He replied: No, you will be numerous at that time: but you will be scum and rubbish like that carried down by a torrent, and Allah will take fear of you from the breasts of your enemy and last enervation into your hearts. Someone asked: What is wahn (enervation). Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him): he replied: Love of the world and dislike of death.” [Sunan Abi Dawud]
We have read about the Battle of Uhud: when will we take the same lesson the Sahabas (Companions) took from their loss in it? They didn’t point fingers on others. We can’t change the sins of the people, but we can change our own. The solution is having fear and Taqwa of Allah, turning to Allah, and establishing the Tawhid of Allah It is not following one’s desires and by false slogans.
Fear of Allah and Taqwa in simple words is to place a barrier between yourself and the punishment of Allah Almighty. The Noble Tabi’i; Talq Ibn Habib (may Allah have mercy upon him), said:
“Taqwah, fear of Allāh, is to do what Allah commanded you upon the light of guidance from Allah, hoping for His reward. To abandon that which Allah forbade upon the light of guidance from Allah, fearing His punishment.”
This is the real solution; Turning to Allah.
Respected brothers and sisters! Wallahi, Allah doesn’t change the condition of a people until we change what is within ourselves, as Allah says in Surah Ar-Ra’ad:
“Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves. And when Allah intends for a people ill, there is no repelling it. And there is not for them besides Him any patron.” [Surah Ar-Ra’ad :11]
It is time we look at ourselves, try changing our condition, our own family and then the people around us, and when each individual does that, it can bring a huge change within the Ummah, In Shaa Allah.
Victory, no doubt, is for the Muslims! If we work upon ourselves and do what is expected of us, In Shaa Allah, we will be given strength over the enemies of Islam. None of the above means that we do not feel for our brothers and sisters being oppressed in Nigeria and Palestine. May Allah accept their martyrs and destroy the plans of the Yahud (Jews). We all should make sure we make Du’a for them, help them in whatever way possible, by sending them financial aid through authentic sources, and make people aware of the situation. However, what it means is that there is in it our share as well, and we really need to correct ourselves if we really want Allah Almighty to help us.
This religion will prevail over all other religions even if the disbelievers hate it as we know from the Qur’an and the Sunnah. The honour will be for the Muslims and for Islam only! As Umar (RA) said:
“We are a people whom Allah has honoured us through Islam’ our honour is with Islam and in Islam, and if we try to look for it in the ways of the disbelievers or any other religion other than Islam, then no doubt we will be humiliated. And we ask Allah for safety.
I would advise myself and others to be patient and keep on making Du’a for the brothers and sisters in Nigeria and Palestine, and do not despair of the mercy of Allah, He is extremely merciful to His servants. We do not forget what’s going on, but we also have to know that the way out from these trials and tribulations is by learning about the religion, teaching and establishing the Tawhid of Allah. Returning back to Allah. Nothing will rectify the latter of this Ummah except that which rectified the forerunners of this Ummah.
And I’ll end by a few words of hope from one of our teachers and Da’is (caller to Islam):
“Allah has not forsaken us! Do not think that Allah is going to leave them like that. But Allah will save it for them for a day in which the eyes will stare in horror, and that also Allah can help us to see it in the world, where Allah takes revenge on behalf of the believers. Also, Allah told us it is a test, test us with fear, loss of life, and so on, but Allah says, and give glad tidings to those who are patient. What you’re seeing now, do not be disheartened and think that Allah has forsaken us. The victory of Allah and the help of Allah is near.”
I ask Allah to protect the honour of the Muslims in Nigeria and Palestine.
The good end is for the Muttaqun (pious). May Allah Almighty unite us all upon Tawhid, grant victory to Islam and the Muslims, help us against our enemies, make for us and our brothers and sisters in Nigeria and Palestine and elsewhere from every calamity a way out, and accept the martyrs of the people of Nigeria and Palestine. Allahummah Ameen.
My dear Muslim brothers and sisters! With the month of Dhul-Hijjah fast approaching, we’re reminded of the numerous blessings it brings. Even for those of us not undertaking the Hajj (pilgrimage), participating in animal sacrifice (Layyah) holds great significance.
Each year, our Islamic Center distributes the meat from your sacrifice to our orphans and brothers and sisters living in poverty under some of the world’s harshest conditions.
Often, this is their only chance to enjoy nutritious food of high quality.
By giving your sacrifice now, you’ll assist our trusted Islamic Center in acquiring your animal and planning the sacrifice and distribution at the appropriate time.
Even if you can’t offer a full sacrifice, you can contribute as little as you can for a share in an animal.
Please don’t overlook this opportunity, or postpone it. They eagerly await Dhul-Hijjah, knowing that the generosity of the Ummah will shine upon them.
If you think Dhul-Hijjah is still far away, it’s closer than you realise! Together, let’s ensure that no one is forgotten in this month of Dhul-Hijjah.
As usual, we sincerely seek your financial support, your help, your assistance, your donation and your contribution for the buying of cows in this coming blessed Eid-Ul-Adha Celebration for our orphans and the students under our care, in our Islamic schools. Your support is highly needed for Allah’s sake, FISABILILLAH!
We sincerely solicit for your kind and sincere contribution towards the Eid-Ul-Adha Udhiyyah/Layyah (sacrifice) for our orphans and our students; and the development of our schools and Islamic Center financially, materially and morally.
Our aim and objective always is to have a standard Islamic center and Arabic/Islamic schools for orphans and less privileged Muslims children.
Also if you want to pay your this year’s Zakah our great Islamic center is waiting for your kind and merciful gesture. Sincerely, your donation will help distribute sacrifice meat, etc for our orphans.
Remember, Eid-Ul-Adha Celebration will not be the same without our families, but unfortunately this is not a privilege enjoyed by everyone. This is the reason we’re steadfast in planning to provide meat for the orphans and students under our care!
We planned to distribute meat package that worth amount up to 7,000 orphans In Shaa Allah, this year.
And your contribution is highly needed as usual. May Allah rewards all your efforts and your good deeds, ameen.
Allah Almighty says:
“If you support the course of Allah, He will support you.” [Qur’an, 47: 7]
The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:
“Whoever relieves his Muslim brother of a hardship from the hardships of this world, Allah shall relieve him of a hardship from the hardships of the Day of Judgement. And whoever makes things easy for a person in difficulty, Allah will ease for him in this world and the Next. Allah is forever aiding a servant so long as he is in the aid of his Muslim brother.”
And he (Peace be upon him) said:
“Every act of goodness is considered as Sadaqah.” [Bukhari]
Please donate to our meat and food package project. With your support we can provide essential Sallah meat, food Items and help alleviate the difficulties and bring ease to the orphans and needy who have been affected the most by the insecurity, inflation, cost of living crisis and world economic crisis.
Keep helping the cause of Allah with Allah’s money. Whoever gives for Allah, Allah will give him more. Donate to the Nagazi-Uvete Islamic Center.
This is our account details as follows:
- Account no. – 0048647196, GTBank
- Account no. – 1779691620, Access Bank
For more enquiries contact, Imam Murtadha Muhammad Gusau, the director and Imam Of the Center: 08038289761.
And to donate cows, rams etc, contact the following Numbers: 08038289761, 08056557477
Jazakumullah Khairan as you kindly contribute.
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, 16 Dhul-Qa’dah, 1445 AH (May 24, 2024).