YOUTH CAMP : 29TH AUGUST 1998  06TH JAMAADHUL AWWAL 1419 – At Wariyapola, Colombowatte Estate (-thro’ Mrs. Omardeen).

بسم الله الرّحمن الرّحيم

ربّ اشرحلي صدري ويسّرلي أمري واحلل عُقدة مّن لُّلساني يفقهو قولي

الحمد لله ربّ العالَمين والعاقبة اللمتّقين والصّلوةُ والسّلام على رسولك سيّدنا محمّد

وأاله وأصحابه وأهل بيته وأهل طاعتك أجمعين – أمّا بعد

أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرّجيم

بسم الله الرّحمن الرّحيم

قُلْ إِنَّ صَلاتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

6.162 Say: “Truly, my prayer and my service of sacrifice, my life and my death, are (all) for Allah, the Cherisher of the Worlds:

My Dearest Brothers – My Dearest Sisters and my Dearest Children.

السّلامُ عليكم ورحمةُ الله وبركاتهُ

I want you to give your fullest attention to this session because, I am dealing in a subject which should totally touch your hearts  we are in a training session and today’s theme had been the family unit.  You who are here today  you can be children, brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers and even grandparents  you are in this position, in this state, in this condition, because of the sacrifices your parents have made for you.    You have to accept the fact that it is the enormous, unconditional sacrifices of your parents that has brought you to this level.  From the time of conception until you were brought out into this world the trials and tribulations and pain your mother has gone through the loving tender care of both your parents :

When you were did not eat and stayed hungry they too remained hungry.

When you did not drink and you were thirsty they too remained thirsty

They did not sleep when you were awake

They did not rest when you were sick

Some of them may not be as educated as you are; but it is they who pushed you into learning

They sacrificed their comfort, their leisure, their wealth their property, their time for you.

This filial love and sacrifice that has been made for you was only as a result of Alláh in His Boundless Mercy ingrained in the hearts of your parents, sowed the seeds of love, compassion,  feeling and

understanding in their hearts while you were just a clot of blood in your mothers womb

خَلَقَ الإنْسَانَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ

96.2 Created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood:

اقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ الأكْرَمُ

96.3 Proclaim! And thy Lord is Most Bountiful,-

وَقَضَى رَبُّكَ أَلا تَعْبُدُوا إِلا إِيَّاهُ وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا إِمَّا يَبْلُغَنَّ عِنْدَكَ الْكِبَرَ أَحَدُهُمَا أَوْ كِلاهُمَا فَلا تَقُلْ لَهُمَا أُفٍّ وَلا تَنْهَرْهُمَا وَقُلْ لَهُمَا قَوْلا كَرِيمًا

17.23 Thy Lord hath decreed that ye worship none but Him, and that ye be kind to parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age in thy life, say not to them a word of contempt, nor repel them, but address them in terms of honour (and with Benevolence).

وَاخْفِضْ لَهُمَا جَنَاحَ الذُّلِّ مِنَ الرَّحْمَةِ وَقُلْ رَبِّ ارْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِي صَغِيرًا

17.24 And, out of kindness, lower to them the wing of humility, and say: “My Lord! bestow on them thy Mercy even as they cherished me in childhood.”

So the subject today is sacrifice  the sacrifice according to the Holy Quran  sacrifice is that which essentially forms the closest link to an Islamic family unit. The Islamic Jamaa’ah the Islamic Ummah

Especially the sacrifice of parents are unmatched – unparalleled.

The first thing that strikes when we say sacrifice is  slaughter of animal or person as offering to Allah. and hence surrender to Allah of some possession.

What does this word “Sacrifice” mean?

In a general sense or wider sense, we can say: “it means giving up things which are valued or desired by us.  Those things may be tangible, countable  like time, wealth or life  –  or intangible: unmeasurable  like feelings,      attitudes, opinions or aspirations.

They are given up for the sake of something that is more worthy or more important or more urgent.

It may be difficult to find in the Quranic vocabulary a single word, which is an exact equivalent word for “sacrifice”  because when the Holy Quran deals with sacrifice, it deals in and depicts

a wide literary usage.

The word nearest in meaning  perhaps is the word “nusuk” the ayath that I read out to you at the beginning :

قُلْ إِنَّ صَلاتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

“say, my prayer, and my nusuk (my sacrifices) my living and dying all belong

to Allah the lord of all the worlds (6:162).

There  is another word in the Holy Quran described as “giving” (أنْفَقَ – ‘Anfaqa’ – spend, defray, disburse).

This is a fundamentally important motif in the Quran stressed again and again.

““Iman”” – the faith – says the Holy Quran in numerous places, must lead to spending of what we have provided them.  Along with salaath, “giving” suffices to support, encompass and symbolize a life based on “Iman”.

¤ذَلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لا رَيْبَ فِيهِ هُدًى لِلْمُتَّقِينَ    ¤   الم

الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلاةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنْفِقُونَ

Alif-Laam-Meem – This is the Book; in it is guidance sure, without doubt, to those who fear Allah;

Who believe in the Unseen, are steadfast in prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them;

(Surah Baqarah 1 to 3)

So the provision, given by Allah, and to be given away by man includes everything that man has.

In one place in the Holy Quran ‘giving’ along with ‘taqwa’ – تقوى – (refraining from doing wrong) and

‘tasdiq’ – تصديق (accepting the truth) is all that is required to characterize a good life:

(Surah Al-layl 92:4 to 10)

إِنَّ سَعْيَكُمْ لَشَتَّى

92.4 Verily, (the ends) ye strive for are diverse.

فَأَمَّا مَنْ أَعْطَى وَاتَّقَى

92.5 So he who gives (in charity) and fears (Allah),

وَصَدَّقَ بِالْحُسْنَى

92.6 And (in all sincerity) testifies to the best,-

فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُ لِلْيُسْرَى

92.7 We will indeed make smooth for him the path to Bliss.

وَأَمَّا مَنْ بَخِلَ وَاسْتَغْنَى

92.8 But he who is a greedy miser and thinks himself self-sufficient,

وَكَذَّبَ بِالْحُسْنَى

92.9 And gives the lie to the best,-

فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُ لِلْعُسْرَى

92.10 We will indeed make smooth for him the path to Misery;

Sacrifice is the stuff of which good and successful ordinary human lives are made.

Without it, life will be devoid of peace, harmony and cooperation.  It will be full of conflict and discord,

a prey to self-centredness, covetousness and immediate gratification of desires.

Neither families nor communities can exist or achieve cohesiveness and strength without some sacrifice on the part of their members.

No human endeavour can succeed in reaching its goal unless one sacrifices things valued or desired.  this is more so in the case of Islam.

** Islam simply means  ’surrender to Allah, of your whole being” – not of just some possession

- ادْخُلُوا فِي السِّلْمِ كَافَّةً (udhkhuloo fissilmi kaaffah).

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ادْخُلُوا فِي السِّلْمِ كَافَّةً

2.208 O ye who believe! Enter into Islam whole-heartedly; [Enter into Islam completely]

** Islamic life is a life of sacrifice par excellence.

** Islam is a struggle that must be ceaseless waged, to actualize Islam, inwardly and outwardly to make it a living reality.

Sacrifice is the nourishment without which the tiny seeds of “Iman” will not grow into mighty, leafy trees, providing shade and fruit to the countless caravans of mankind:

أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ ضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلا كَلِمَةً طَيِّبَةً كَشَجَرَةٍ طَيِّبَةٍ أَصْلُهَا ثَابِتٌ وَفَرْعُهَا فِي السَّمَاءِ

14.24 Seest thou not how Allah sets forth a parable? – A goodly word like a goodly tree, whose root is firmly fixed, and its branches (reach) to the heavens,- of its Lord. So Allah sets forth parables for men, in order that they may receive admonition.

تُؤْتِي أُكُلَهَا كُلَّ حِينٍ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهَا وَيَضْرِبُ اللَّهُ الأمْثَالَ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ

14.25 It brings forth its fruit at all times, by the leave of its Lord. So Allah sets forth parables for men, in order that they may receive admonition.

The struggle must be the constant companion without which the path of jehad cannot be traversed, for across it stretch endless deserts and high mountains.  If the struggle is in fits and starts – Then there is some vested interests to fulfil.

قُلْ إِنْ كَانَ آبَاؤُكُمْ وَأَبْنَاؤُكُمْ وَإِخْوَانُكُمْ وَأَزْوَاجُكُمْ وَعَشِيرَتُكُمْ وَأَمْوَالٌ اقْتَرَفْتُمُوهَا وَتِجَارَةٌ تَخْشَوْنَ كَسَادَهَا وَمَسَاكِنُ تَرْضَوْنَهَا أَحَبَّ إِلَيْكُمْ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَجِهَادٍ فِي سَبِيلِهِ فَتَرَبَّصُوا حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ اللَّهُ بِأَمْرِهِ وَاللَّهُ لا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْفَاسِقِينَ

9.24 Say: If it be that your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your mates, or your kindred; the wealth that ye have gained; the commerce in which ye fear a decline: or the dwellings in which ye delight – are dearer to you than Allah, or His Messenger, or the striving in His cause;- then wait until Allah brings about His decision: and Allah guides not the rebellious.

It is one of those keys without which the closed doors do not unlock

Hadith

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ عَنِ الزُّهْرِىِّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِى عَطَاءُ بْنُ يَزِيدَ اللَّيْثِىُّ أَنَّ أَبَا سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِىَّ – رضى الله عنه – حَدَّثَهُ قَالَ قِيلَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ، أَىُّ النَّاسِ أَفْضَلُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم « مُؤْمِنٌ يُجَاهِدُ فِى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ بِنَفْسِهِ وَمَالِهِ » .،

The Holy Quran further says:

أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَنْ تَدْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِكُمْ مَثَلُ الَّذِينَ خَلَوْا مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ

2.214 Or do ye think that ye shall enter the Garden (of bliss) without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you?

loftier the goal, more arduous the way – the greater the need to sacrifice and sacrifice more and more.

Sacrifice is a very vast subject.

Together with it equally vast and important is the theme of trials and tribulations  ibthila and mah.nah and sabr (patience). [إبتلا – مِحْنَة - صبر ]

إبتلا – ibthila: test, affliction, distress, suffering

مِحْنَة – mih.nah:   بَلِيَّةbaliyyah: severe trial, affliction, catastrophe, calamity, misfortune.

صبر – s.abr: patience, forbearance, endurance, tolerance, perseverance, constancy, steadfast

****

let us look at this important question

Why must Islam be so emphatically linked with the idea of struggle?

What has one to do with the other?

Cannot a person become a good muslim without involving himself in a struggle that necessarily requires sacrifices?

The answer is a big “NO”  the reasons are obvious :

Islam is not merely the confession of a faith which is made once in a life time.

** The faith is of cosmic dimensions.

** It requires a radical reorientation of the entire life and the world.

** the confession is not merely verbal  -  it is an act of witnessing which must transform life into a living and continuing testimony of faith.

You enter Islam by saying shahaadah (bearing witness)  -   but

You can live in Islam   only by constantly doing shahaadhah – The Shahaadhah must be seen in action.

وَكَذَلِكَ جَعَلْنَاكُمْ أُمَّةً وَسَطًا لِتَكُونُوا شُهَدَاءَ عَلَى النَّاسِ وَيَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ عَلَيْكُمْ

2.143 – Thus, have We made of you an Ummat justly balanced, that ye might be witnesses over the nations, and the Messenger a witness over yourselves;

22.28 “That they may witness the benefits (provided) for them, لِيَشْهَدُوا مَنَافِعَ لَهُمْ

and feed the distressed ones in want.        وَأَطْعِمُوا الْبَائِسَ الْفَقِيرَ

Doing shahadah – putting shahadah into practise will bring you in ceaseless confrontation with the false gods inside you and with those outside you.

It will also require a ceaseless striving to reshape self and society to  so as to attest to your witnessing.

Islam.

Being ‘Muslim’ -  thus requires – Becoming Muslim

Becoming Muslim after the seed of “Iman” has been sown in the heart – This  is a twofold process.

1. To summon one’s own self ) and

2. To Summon mankind -

To live under the Sovereignty of One Allah

Both are inextricably linked together, both are to be taken up simultaneously.

** summoning mankind is not a passive call. It is an active dynamic process  an active movement

** it must wage ‘Jehad’ with all available resources    so that all the false claimants to absolute rule are dethroned.

** oppression and corruption are overpowered

** and justice established among mankind.

that is why the prophet (s) in the early days of makkan life declared:

Hadith

حَدَّثَنِى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ حَدَّثَنَا قَيْسٌ عَنْ خَبَّابِ بْنِ الأَرَتِّ قَالَ شَكَوْنَا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهْوَ مُتَوَسِّدٌ بُرْدَةً لَهُ فِى ظِلِّ الْكَعْبَةِ ، قُلْنَا لَهُ أَلاَ تَسْتَنْصِرُ لَنَا أَلاَ تَدْعُو اللَّهَ لَنَا قَالَ « كَانَ الرَّجُلُ فِيمَنْ قَبْلَكُمْ يُحْفَرُ لَهُ فِى الأَرْضِ فَيُجْعَلُ فِيهِ ، فَيُجَاءُ بِالْمِنْشَارِ ، فَيُوضَعُ عَلَى رَأْسِهِ فَيُشَقُّ بِاثْنَتَيْنِ ، وَمَا يَصُدُّهُ ذَلِكَ عَنْ دِينِهِ ، وَيُمْشَطُ بِأَمْشَاطِ الْحَدِيدِ ، مَا دُونَ لَحْمِهِ مِنْ عَظْمٍ أَوْ عَصَبٍ ، وَمَا يَصُدُّهُ ذَلِكَ عَنْ دِينِهِ ، وَاللَّهِ لَيُتِمَّنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ حَتَّى يَسِيرَ الرَّاكِبُ مِنْ صَنْعَاءَ إِلَى حَضْرَمَوْتَ ، لاَ يَخَافُ إِلاَّ اللَّهَ أَوِ الذِّئْبَ عَلَى غَنَمِهِ ، وَلَكِنَّكُمْ تَسْتَعْجِلُونَ » .

“There were such people before you that a man would be seized and a pit would be dug for him in which he would be thrown, then a saw would be brought and placed over his head and he would be cut into two – still nothing would turn away from his religion and his flesh would be combed away from his bones by iron combs  still nothing would turn away from his religion.  By Allah, he will complete this mission until a rider will travel from San’aa to Hadhramauth and will have no fear but of Allah and no worry but

about a wolf that might harm his cattle. “

the path of Islam cannot therefore be anything other than the path of struggle, and that means “sacrifice.”

Islam is a gift of Allah  without his help  without his supporting hand we can take no steps on the straight path (sirathul musthaqeem) – الصّراط المستقيم the path of Islam.

Yet only through our sincere intention and devoted striving can we deserve to receive this most precious gift to retain it, to grow in it, to derive full benefit from it.

The gift  no doubt  is given in his infinite mercy and kindness – but it is not unconditional.

If given whether desired or not  and earned or not it would have become cheap, valueless.

That is why the Holy Quran says

وَيَهْدِي إِلَيْهِ مَنْ يُنِيبُ

42.13 . . and guides to Himself those who turn (to Him).

[Allah guides unto Himself him who turns unto Him].

Turning towards Allah requires both will and effort.  It is also imperative that you turn away from all false gods besides Allah.

It is a total change of direction – inner and outer.

Progress then depends on striving

وَالَّذِينَ جَاهَدُوا فِينَا لَنَهْدِيَنَّهُمْ سُبُلَنَا وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَمَعَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ

29.69 And those who strive in Our (cause),- We will certainly guide them to our Paths: For verily Allah is with those who do right.

Such is the law of Allah – “Sunnath Allah”

سُنَّةَ اللَّهِ فِي الَّذِينَ خَلَوْا مِنْ قَبْلُ وَلَنْ تَجِدَ لِسُنَّةِ اللَّهِ تَبْدِيلا

33.62 (Such was) the practice (approved) of Allah among those who lived aforetime: No change wilt thou find in the practice (approved) of Allah.

Not only for Islam but for all the priceless gifts our lives have been blessed with.

Let us take a look at some of them:

** the eyes we see with

** the ears we hear with

** the hands and the feet we work with

** the air we breathe

** and the water we drink without which life cannot even exist.

We have not made them, nor could we, even if we wanted.

We get them without asking,

We have no inherent claims upon them nor any inalienable right to possess them.

They are all gifts of Allah’s Grace.

Yet to retain them and to derive full benefit from them we must put in our best efforts.

Not much comes to us in life without endeavour or struggle.  We gain only what we earn by our strivings.

(Surah Al-balad)90.4.

لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الإنْسَانَ فِي كَبَدٍ

90.4 Verily We have created man into toil and struggle.

And in Surah Al-najm) 53.39.

وَأَنْ لَيْسَ لِلإنْسَانِ إِلا مَا سَعَى

53.39 That man can have nothing other than what he strives for.

The soil is there, the water is there, the seed is there;

But the soil will not turn seeds into crops unless we dig it, plough it, sow the seeds, water the plants, protect them and harvest the crop.

without sweat and toil, the gifts of Allah that abound all around us will not yield their full treasures to us.

Indeed the richer the treasures desired, the greater the efforts required.

** Islam is not just one gift among the many   - It is the choicest gift of Allah:

الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الإسْلامَ دِينًا

5.3 This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.

Out of all the countless bounties and the blessings that Allah has given us to enable us to live our lives in this world, the greatest and the most important is that he has guided us to the true meaning and purpose in our lives.

That purpose and that meaning is to live for him, to strive to seek his pleasure, and even to die in his way.

instead of living like animals being born, eating and drinking, procreating and dying  we live a

meaningful existence.

** life is thus lifted up from being a transient, fleeting moment in history,  terminable at death, to an eternal event.

** our existence is more directed to merely coveting and acquiring the blessings and bounties that abound in this world instead the way is open to turn thisworld’s possessions into everlasting benefits to be reaped in the next world

** sometimes by taking and enjoying them, gratefully, sometimes by giving them up.

** if ordinary things in this world cannot be obtained without effort, how much endeavour is required to obtain something that gives meaning and purpose in life in short  Islam.

The nature and magnitude of struggle, and of sacrifice, must be commensurate with the nature and value of the goal we want to reach.

** tell me  what purpose in life could be more valuable, more compelling, more important, more urgent, than that of bringing the whole man  his inner personality, his environment, his society, the entire world  to the path of Allah.

Without struggling hard, merely by wishing, desiring, professing, making claims and statements, resting on the laurels of our ancestors, how can we ever hope to reach the destination that we have set for ourselves?

If one’s daily bread cannot be earned without effort, will Allah give His greatest blessing success in this life and success in the life to come

** unless we prove that we deserve to receive it?

** unless we demonstrate that our profession of faith is rooted in our hearts,

** that we are truthful in our claims of loyalty,

** that we are prepared to offer sacrifices required of us:

Remember the Quranic Aayaaths:

وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَقُولُ رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ

2.201 And there are men who say: “Our Lord! Give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and defend us from the torment of the Fire!”

وَالَّذِينَ هَاجَرُوا فِي اللَّهِ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا ظُلِمُوا لَنُبَوِّئَنَّهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَلأجْرُ الآخِرَةِ أَكْبَرُ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ

16.41 To those who leave their homes in the cause of Allah, after suffering oppression,- We will assuredly give a goodly home in this world; but truly the reward of the Hereafter will be greater. If they only realised (this)!

وَآتَيْنَاهُ فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَإِنَّهُ فِي الآخِرَةِ لَمِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ

16.122 And We gave him Good in this world, and he will be, in the Hereafter, in the ranks of the Righteous.

The Holy Quran further says:

أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَنْ تَدْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَعْلَمِ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ جَاهَدُوا مِنْكُمْ وَيَعْلَمَ الصَّابِرِينَ

3.142 Did ye think that ye would enter Heaven without Allah testing those of you who fought hard (In His Cause) and remained steadfast (and with patience and constancy)?

أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَنْ تَدْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِكُمْ مَثَلُ الَّذِينَ خَلَوْا مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ مَسَّتْهُمُ الْبَأْسَاءُ وَالضَّرَّاءُ ز\,\..

2.214 Or do ye think that ye shall enter the Garden (of bliss) without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you? they encountered suffering and adversity . . . .

أَحَسِبَ النَّاسُ أَنْ يُتْرَكُوا أَنْ يَقُولُوا آمَنَّا وَهُمْ لا يُفْتَنُونَ

29.2 Do men think that they will be left alone on saying, “We believe”, and that they will not be tested?

وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ فَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ الْكَاذِبِينَ

29.3 We did test those before them, and Allah will certainly know those who are true from those who are false.

** remember that our efforts and sacrifices can never ever match the gifts and blessings that Allah has conferred on us.  Yet it is clear that Allah in his mercy wants that it is through our own labour that we should get food from the earth.

** it must also be remembered that the hard work put in by the farmer cannot be considered equivalent to the priceless, immense benefit mankind derives -

Similarly, whatever we are required to sacrifice in our struggle  ª in the way of Allah is not measurable against the benefits that we shall personally derive, ..  but what the Muslim Ummah will collectively gain,

what mankind as a whole will reap .

So it is left to us to prove that within our human limitations, that we are prepared not only to profess our faith in our cause, but also prepared to struggle and sacrifice what we really declare to be dearest to us.

That is why in the Holy Quran: “Iman”  faith is almost invariably bracketed with righteous deeds (alamalis saalih) and with hijrah and ‘Jehad’.  There are 50 Ayaaths in the Holy Quran which Join Iman and Amalus-Salih – I will just give 2 such examples

وَبَشِّرِ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الأنْهَارُ

2.25 But give glad tidings to those who believe and work righteousness, that their portion is Gardens, beneath which rivers flow

وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ أُولَئِكَ أَصْحَابُ الْجَنَّةِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ

2.82 But those who have faith and work righteousness, they are companions of the Garden: Therein shall they abide (For ever).

(Others are 2.277, 3.57, 4.57, 4.122, 4.173, 5.9, 5.93, 7.42, 10.4, 10.9 11.23, 13.29, 14.23, 18.30, 18.107,

96. , 22.14, 22.23, 22.50, 22.56, 26.227, 29.7, 29.9, 29.58, 30.15, 30.45, 31.8, 32.19, 34.4, 35.7, 38.24, 38.28, 40.58, 41.8, 42.22, 42.23, 42.26, 45.21, 45.30, 47.2, 47.12, 48.29, 65.11, 84.25, 85.11, 95.6, 98.7, 103.3).

And Allah says in the Holy Quran :

إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَرْتَابُوا وَجَاهَدُوا بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنْفُسِهِمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أُولَئِكَ هُمُ الصَّادِقُونَ

49.15  Indeed it is Only those are Believers who have believed in Allah and His Messenger, and have never since doubted, but have striven with their belongings and their persons in the Cause of Allah: Such are the sincere ones.

This struggle  ‘Jehad’  is undertaken at two levels  :

1. at the personal level and the other collective level

At the personal level, “Iman” requires that one bring his self under Allah and obey him; that one must therefore love Allah more than everything else.

وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَشَدُّ حُبًّا لِلَّهِ

2.165… but those of faith are overflowing in their love for Allah…

Put differently, “Iman” requires that nothing is too worthy nothing is too valuable to sacrifice in order to earn the pleasure of Allah.

But it is at thecollective level that, struggle, and hence, sacrifices are required in order to summon the entire world to live under one Allah.

Most often the Holy Quran denotes the struggle in this sense as ‘Jehad’.

“Iman” demands dethroning all false gods, standing up to all forces of evil, oppression and corruption.

‘Jehad’ is required to subdue all forces in rebellion against Allah.

It therefore requires sacrifices of a vastly different order and nature than those required to subdue one’s naf’s (baserself)

*** so you can see that at the individual level, sacrifices strengthen our inner spiritual and moral resources and develop qualities of character which are essential to our struggle at every level.

** at the collective level they develop and reinforce cohesion and discipline within a collectivity, giving it the strength and resources to conduct ‘Jehad’ at the wider societal level.

** every act of sacrifice nourishes and increases your “Iman”

*sacrifices transform your verbal confession and a mental conviction into a living reality.

**  it confirms and thus increases your love for Allah for at every step you give up something

for the sake of his love

الَّذِينَ اسْتَجَابُوا لِلَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا أَصَابَهُمُ الْقَرْحُ لِلَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا مِنْهُمْ وَاتَّقَوْا أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ

3.172 Of those who answered the call of Allah and the Messenger, even after being wounded, those who do right and refrain from wrong have a great reward;-

وَلَمَّا رَأَى الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الأحْزَابَ قَالُوا هَذَا مَا وَعَدَنَا اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَصَدَقَ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَمَا زَادَهُمْ إِلا إِيمَانًا وَتَسْلِيمًا

33.22 When the Believers saw the Confederate forces, they said: “This is what Allah and his Messenger had promised us, and Allah and His Messenger told us what was true.” And it only added to their faith and their zeal in obedience.

* Sacrifice reinforces your loyalty and fidelity to Allah – for all other loyalties become secondary as they are sacrificed for the sake of this loyalty.

In short sacrifices bring you closer Allah the process is mutually interactive

** the stronger the faith  the greater the will and greater the capacity to sacrifice.

** greater the sacrifices  the more internalized and deeper the faith.

In order to achieve this state of sacrifice there is another important ingredient

That is the development of patience, endurance, perseverance, fortitude, resolve and determination

just summed up in word in the Holy Quran  sabr - الصّبر.

** All promises of help from Allah  all assurances of success in this world and rewards in the hereafter have been made conditional upon the attainment of “Iman” and sabr.

Sabr is a very comprehensive virtue.  Sabr is also discipline.

Discipline is very closely related to sacrifice

In  fact both are interdependent.

Self-discipline, spiritual and moral discipline, organizational discipline, social discipline -

These disciplines cannot be attained unless and otherwise you are prepared to sacrifice the things you love.

لَنْ تَنَالُوا الْبِرَّ حَتَّى تُنْفِقُوا مِمَّا تُحِبُّونَ وَمَا تُنْفِقُوا مِنْ شَيْءٍ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ بِهِ عَلِيمٌ

3.92 By no means shall you attain righteousness unless you give (freely) of that which you love; and whatever you give, of a truth Allah knows it well.

Nor can you continuously offer sacrifice of things to which you assign some value without developing a discipline within you, an inner discipline.

This indeed will generate and sustain a disciplined collective life.

Let us see why in a personal way, your wanting to achieve higher and higher status in the way of Allah, requires higher and higher sacrifices and self-discipline   in seeking his pleasure. the pleasure of Allah

But once you decide to come together, collectively  as an organization, as a “Jamaa’ath”, as an “Ummah”  you stand in greater need of making sacrifice than when you were an individual.

إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الَّذِينَ يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِهِ صَفًّا كَأَنَّهُمْ بُنْيَانٌ مَرْصُوصٌ

61.4 Truly Allah loves those who fight in His Cause in battle array, as if they were a solid cemented structure.

[61.4. Allah loves those who, fighting in his way as if they are a wall of molten lead.]

بُنْيَان – Bunyaan – In Arabic Means – Construction, Building, Infrastructure, Edifice, Foundation, Superstructure

مَرْصُوْص  – Marsoos – has synonyms like – Muthraas – مُتْرَاصْ – Multhaz – مُلْتَزْ  - Meaning : Compact, compressed tight, fused.

Lead –  مَعْدِنْ رَصَاص     –          Lead pencil is called – قَلَمٌ رِصَاصْ

What a beautiful and meaningful parable – strong and solid, fused and welded, impregnable and without cracks and fissures – compressed and tightly knit..

That is how members of a Muslim community, joined, welded together, strive in the way of Allah.

Just look at the Muslim Community – Are we united, fused, tightly knit – No – We are shattered, split ourselves in to “isms” – castes and creeds are now rampant – We have split ourselves with wealth, pride, power, position, jealousy – You name it.

There are two types of sacrifices –  (i) the tangible and intangible.  (ii) abstract.

In our knowledge of sacrifice, it simply means to simply give up things which we love and hold dear.

which in our eyes have some value for us.

We may possess them now or hope and aspire to have them in the future.

Important among tangible  concrete things are time, money, worldly possessions, physical abilities, life.

Important intangible  abstract things  may include our ties of love and affection  especially familial; likes and dislikes; preferences and prejudices, views and opinions, desires and aspirations, pleasures and comforts, status and roles or merely our own ego.

Let me state here three basic principles which are important to understand if we want to have a full understanding of sacrifice.

1. Giving up something  deserves to be called a sacrifice only when we love and value it.

Hence it is difficult to draw clear line of demarcation between the concrete and the abstract.

** In the final analysis - every sacrifice is a sacrifice of our love or value.

When we give away money, or life or a familial tie for the sake of Allah

what we really give up, and that makes it a sacrifice, is our love for money, life or a relative, not the object itself.

2. It is more difficult and more necessary to sacrifice abstract things rather than the concrete.

3. we can give up something we love and to which we attach value only for something we love more and to which we attach a greater value.

Let us look at some of the most important of tangible sacrifices

1. Time :

Time is our most precious commodity.  Nothing we covet and desire in life can be obtained except by spending time and spending it properly, in its pursuit.

We may be spending our time to seek pleasure, to earn money and worldly possessions, to work, to enjoy, for entertainment, or we may simply idle it away  doing nothing.

Time is the first thing that Allah demands of us.

* It takes time to fight in the way of Allah.

* It takes time to pray

* It takes time to do da’wah

* It takes time to read the Holy Qur’an

* It takes time to visit the sick.

* It takes time to attend to seek knowledge – Quran Classes.

* It takes time to attend camps like these.

Every moment of this time should be spent in seeking his pleasure, in fulfilling our commitment to him.

But if you reflect more deeply, you will realize that what you are really required to sacrifice

is not your time.

It is the things in whose pursuit your time is being spent –

Things which may be contradictory to your goals in life, meaningless, unimportant or less important compared to Allah’s cause.

Therefore to give your time for Islam, before anything else,

You must be ready to sacrifice many other things which claim your time.

How can you bring yourself to sacrifice these things and devote your time to Allah?

** remember that time is one thing you cannot hold on to even for a moment.

Every tick of your watch you and I are nearing and nearing to the grave.

It must continuously slip away from you, in whatever way you chose to spend it.

**  Its value to you is simply what you gain from it.  Time will melt away,   what you earn will stay:

Imam Razi (R) has cited a scholar as saying: that when he was passing along a busy market place  I heard someone  shouting

“have mercy on the one whose wealth is melting away” – “have mercy on the one whose wealth is melting away”

he was calling aloud and repeating it to draw the attention of the people in the bazaar.

I turned around to see who it was – I got a shock of my life – it was a man selling ice

Suddenly it struck me that this must be the meaning of surah wal-‘Asr – “ innal insaana la fee khusr.”

(the wealth of life melting away)

Let us take a simple example :

A candidate sits in an examination hall answering his test paper – question paper.

The speed with which the time is passing can be estimated from the movements of the “seconds” hand in

the clock in the examination hall.

If he does not concentrate on answering his paper – all the required questions on time – if he just wastes his time away playing or doing something else than what he is suppose to do  he certainly will be at a loss – the examiner is certainly not going to wait until he finishes  – as soon as the said time is over, he will remove the answer script – whether fully answered  or partially answered or even if it is not answered at all.

Remain very conscious that every moment in time, depending on how you choose to spend it,

will turn into either eternal bliss or an endless misery.  Why should you not sacrifice earning something which you will only find turning into a never-ending misery and remorse.

While time is passing  think deeply  what is happening

* are you gaining  something transient or something abiding!

* will it be a remorse or a joy?

* what preference has Islam in your time?

* what proportion of it is devoted to Allah?

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَلْتَنْظُرْ نَفْسٌ مَا قَدَّمَتْ لِغَدٍ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ

59.18 O ye who believe! Fear Allah, and let every soul look to what (provision) He has sent forth for the morrow. Yea, fear Allah: for Allah is well-acquainted with (all) that ye do.

** Sacrificing time for the sake of Allah is the essence of Islam:

whenever summoned  you must respond.

** You should train yourself to give up everything by giving your time to the cause of Allah.

Five times a day this quality is ingrained in your character.  On Fridays you have been instructed to respond:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا نُودِيَ لِلصَّلاةِ مِنْ يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ فَاسْعَوْا إِلَى ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَذَرُوا الْبَيْعَ ذَلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ

62.9 O ye who believe! When the call is proclaimed to prayer on Friday (the Day of Assembly), hasten earnestly to the Remembrance of Allah, and leave off business (and traffic): That is best for you if ye but knew!

Worldly possessions and money

Most of your time is spent in the pursuit of money, worldly possessions obtained through money, the time spent in your professions for the sake of name, fame, power and position and recognition  these desires and live are ingrained in our nature and Allah says so:

زُيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ حُبُّ الشَّهَوَاتِ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ وَالْبَنِينَ وَالْقَنَاطِيرِ الْمُقَنْطَرَةِ مِنَ الذَّهَبِ وَالْفِضَّةِ وَالْخَيْلِ الْمُسَوَّمَةِ وَالأنْعَامِ وَالْحَرْثِ ذَلِكَ مَتَاعُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَاللَّهُ عِنْدَهُ حُسْنُ الْمَآبِ

3.14 Fair in the eyes of men is the love of things they covet: Women and sons; Heaped-up hoards of gold and silver; horses branded (for blood and excellence); and (wealth of) cattle and well-tilled land. Such are the possessions of this world’s life; but in nearness to Allah is the best of the goals (To return to).

This love and desire of worldly things,  let us remember is neither condemnable nor even bad or even evil.

the world is not inherently evil  that is not the teaching of the Holy Quran.

** Money and wealth are not despised; it is called  - خير khayr (good)-  and that too quite logically -

Because the path to Allah, and to the other  worldly blessings passes through this world. If we abandon this world, we have nothing left by which to gain those priceless treasures.

Hence indeed, it is the only source and basis of gaining Allah’s pleasure and the other world.

What makes this world evil is:

When we forget that all this has been placed at our disposal for the duration of this world only as a means to real and eternal goals  better than anything what this world has to offer

When the means become the end, they bring misery by diverting us from what is of real value to us.

let us continue this Quranic ayah

ذَلِكَ مَتَاعُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَاللَّهُ عِنْدَهُ حُسْنُ الْمَآبِ

3:14 . . Such are the possessions of this world’s life; but in nearness to Allah is the best of the goals (To return to).

قُلْ أَؤُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِخَيْرٍ مِنْ ذَلِكُمْ لِلَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ جَنَّاتٌ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الأنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا وَأَزْوَاجٌ مُطَهَّرَةٌ وَرِضْوَانٌ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ بَصِيرٌ بِالْعِبَادِ

3.15 Say: Shall I give you glad tidings of things Far better than those? For the righteous are Gardens in nearness to their Lord, with rivers flowing beneath; therein is their eternal home; with companions pure (and holy); and the good pleasure of Allah. For in Allah’s sight are (all) His servants,-

** it is not easy for man to give away his worldly possessions

** many people falter and fail when confronted with real choices.

** what will help you to offer these difficult sacrifices is to constantly remember certain things:

The remedy:

1. nothing belongs to you. Everything belongs to Allah.  When you sacrifice something  you are only returning to the rightful owner.

وَلِلَّهِ مِيرَاثُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأرْضِ

3.180 To Allah belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth;

[3:180 wa lillaahi meeradhus samawaathi wal ardh

to Allah belongs everything in the heavens and the earth]

2. whatever great value that you may attach to worldly possessions, these will become naught with your last breath.

مَا عِنْدَكُمْ يَنْفَدُ وَمَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ بَاقٍ

16.96 What is with you must vanish: what is with Allah will endure.

وَاضْرِبْ لَهُمْ مَثَلَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا كَمَاءٍ أَنْزَلْنَاهُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ فَاخْتَلَطَ بِهِ نَبَاتُ الأرْضِ فَأَصْبَحَ هَشِيمًا تَذْرُوهُ الرِّيَاحُ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ مُقْتَدِرًا

18.45 Set forth to them the similitude of the life of this world: It is like the rain which we send down from the skies: the earth’s vegetation absorbs it, but soon it becomes dry stubble, which the winds do scatter: it is (only) Allah who prevails over all things.

الْمَالُ وَالْبَنُونَ زِينَةُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَالْبَاقِيَاتُ الصَّالِحَاتُ خَيْرٌ عِنْدَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابًا وَخَيْرٌ أَمَلا

18.46 Wealth and sons are allurements of the life of this world: But the things that endure, good deeds, are best in the sight of thy Lord, as rewards, and best as (the foundation for) hopes.

3. only by giving it away for Allah can you receive it back,

increased manifold:

إ فَاقْرَءُوا مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنْهُ وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَأَقْرِضُوا اللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا وَمَا تُقَدِّمُوا لأنْفُسِكُمْ مِنْ خَيْرٍ تَجِدُوهُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ هُوَ خَيْرًا وَأَعْظَمَ أَجْرًا وَاسْتَغْفِرُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ

73.20 . . . Read ye, therefore, as much of the Qur’an as may be easy (for you); and establish regular Prayer and give regular Charity; and loan to Allah a Beautiful Loan. And whatever good ye send forth for your souls ye shall find it in Allah’s Presence,- yea, better and greater, in Reward and seek ye the Grace of Allah: for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

مَثَلُ الَّذِينَ يُنْفِقُونَ أَمْوَالَهُمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ حَبَّةٍ أَنْبَتَتْ سَبْعَ سَنَابِلَ فِي كُلِّ سُنْبُلَةٍ مِائَةُ حَبَّةٍ وَاللَّهُ يُضَاعِفُ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ وَاللَّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ

2.261 The parable of those who spend their substance in the way of Allah is that of a grain of corn: it groweth seven ears, and each ear Hath a hundred grains. Allah giveth manifold increase to whom He pleaseth: And Allah careth for all and He knoweth all things.

** Think for a while, reflect and ponder awhile

How are you spending your wealth  are they on meaningless pleasures?

If any one offers you an investment plan that would increase your investment 700 times  what would you do?

Ponder on yourselves  we want a better standard of living, enjoyment and pleasure. Consumerism and material gains have been the only objects in life.

Look at your lives what proportion of your lives are you willing to spend  willing to sacrifice  for the sake of Allah

Hadith Qudsi

رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم  قال« إِنَّ ثَلاَثَةً فِى بَنِى إِسْرَائِيلَ أَبْرَصَ وَأَقْرَعَ وَأَعْمَى بَدَا لِلَّهِ أَنْ يَبْتَلِيَهُمْ ، فَبَعَثَ إِلَيْهِمْ مَلَكاً ، فَأَتَى الأَبْرَصَ . فَقَالَ أَىُّ شَىْءٍ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ قَالَ لَوْنٌ حَسَنٌ وَجِلْدٌ حَسَنٌ ، قَدْ قَذِرَنِى النَّاسُ . قَالَ فَمَسَحَهُ ، فَذَهَبَ عَنْهُ ، فَأُعْطِىَ لَوْناً حَسَناً وَجِلْداً حَسَناً . فَقَالَ أَىُّ الْمَالِ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ قَالَ الإِبِلُ – أَوْ قَالَ الْبَقَرُ هُوَ شَكَّ فِى ذَلِكَ ، إِنَّ الأَبْرَصَ وَالأَقْرَعَ ، قَالَ أَحَدُهُمَا الإِبِلُ ، وَقَالَ الآخَرُ الْبَقَرُ – فَأُعْطِىَ نَاقَةً عُشَرَاءَ . فَقَالَ يُبَارَكُ لَكَ فِيهَا . وَأَتَى الأَقْرَعَ فَقَالَ أَىُّ شَىْءٍ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ قَالَ شَعَرٌ حَسَنٌ ، وَيَذْهَبُ عَنِّى هَذَا ، قَدْ قَذِرَنِى النَّاسُ . قَالَ فَمَسَحَهُ فَذَهَبَ ، وَأُعْطِىَ شَعَراً حَسَناً . قَالَ فَأَىُّ الْمَالِ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ قَالَ الْبَقَرُ . قَالَ فَأَعْطَاهُ بَقَرَةً حَامِلاً ، وَقَالَ يُبَارَكُ لَكَ فِيهَا . وَأَتَى الأَعْمَى فَقَالَ أَىُّ شَىْءٍ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ قَالَ يَرُدُّ اللَّهُ إِلَىَّ بَصَرِى ، فَأُبْصِرُ بِهِ النَّاسَ . قَالَ فَمَسَحَهُ ، فَرَدَّ اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ بَصَرَهُ . قَالَ فَأَىُّ الْمَالِ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ قَالَ الْغَنَمُ . فَأَعْطَاهُ شَاةً وَالِداً ، فَأُنْتِجَ هَذَانِ ، وَوَلَّدَ هَذَا ، فَكَانَ لِهَذَا وَادٍ مِنْ إِبِلٍ ، وَلِهَذَا وَادٍ مِنْ بَقَرٍ ، وَلِهَذَا وَادٍ مِنَ الْغَنَمِ . ثُمَّ إِنَّهُ أَتَى الأَبْرَصَ فِى صُورَتِهِ وَهَيْئَتِهِ فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مِسْكِينٌ ، تَقَطَّعَتْ بِىَ الْحِبَالُ فِى سَفَرِى ، فَلاَ بَلاَغَ الْيَوْمَ إِلاَّ بِاللَّهِ ثُمَّ بِكَ ، أَسْأَلُكَ بِالَّذِى أَعْطَاكَ اللَّوْنَ الْحَسَنَ وَالْجِلْدَ الْحَسَنَ وَالْمَالَ بَعِيراً أَتَبَلَّغُ عَلَيْهِ فِى سَفَرِى . فَقَالَ لَهُ إِنَّ الْحُقُوقَ كَثِيرَةٌ . فَقَالَ لَهُ كَأَنِّى أَعْرِفُكَ ، أَلَمْ تَكُنْ أَبْرَصَ يَقْذَرُكَ النَّاسُ فَقِيراً فَأَعْطَاكَ اللَّهُ فَقَالَ لَقَدْ وَرِثْتُ لِكَابِرٍ عَنْ كَابِرٍ . فَقَالَ إِنْ كُنْتَ كَاذِباً فَصَيَّرَكَ اللَّهُ إِلَى مَا كُنْتَ ، وَأَتَى الأَقْرَعَ فِى صُورَتِهِ وَهَيْئَتِهِ ، فَقَالَ لَهُ مِثْلَ مَا قَالَ لِهَذَا ، فَرَدَّ عَلَيْهِ مِثْلَ مَا رَدَّ عَلَيْهِ هَذَا فَقَالَ إِنْ كُنْتَ كَاذِباً فَصَيَّرَكَ اللَّهُ إِلَى مَا كُنْتَ . وَأَتَى الأَعْمَى فِى صُورَتِهِ فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مِسْكِينٌ وَابْنُ سَبِيلٍ وَتَقَطَّعَتْ بِىَ الْحِبَالُ فِى سَفَرِى ، فَلاَ بَلاَغَ الْيَوْمَ إِلاَّ بِاللَّهِ ، ثُمَّ بِكَ أَسْأَلُكَ بِالَّذِى رَدَّ عَلَيْكَ بَصَرَكَ شَاةً أَتَبَلَّغُ بِهَا فِى سَفَرِى . فَقَالَ قَدْ كُنْتُ أَعْمَى فَرَدَّ اللَّهُ بَصَرِى ، وَفَقِيراً فَقَدْ أَغْنَانِى ، فَخُذْ مَا شِئْتَ

، فَوَاللَّهِ لاَ أَجْهَدُكَ الْيَوْمَ بِشَىْءٍ أَخَذْتَهُ لِلَّهِ . فَقَالَ أَمْسِكْ مَالَكَ ، فَإِنَّمَا ابْتُلِيتُمْ ، فَقَدْ رَضِىَ اللَّهُ عَنْكَ وَسَخِطَ عَلَى صَاحِبَيْكَ » .

Holy Prophet Muhummed (S) related: There were three persons among the Israelites  one was Leprous, the other Baldheaded and the third Blind.  Allah intended to examine them and he sent an angel.  the angel came to the leper and asked : What thing is dearest to you? the leper said: I love to have beautiful colour and a beautiful skin, and that my dirt which the people dislike should go away from me.  The angel rubbed him and the dirt vanished from him and a beautiful colour and a beautiful skin was given to him. The angel asked what property do you love most  the man said: a camel.  Then he was given a beautiful she camel.  The man said: May Allah bless you.

The angel then came to the baldheaded man and asked: What is it that is dearest to you?  He said fine hair and the dirty thing which is disliking to men should go away from me.  The angel then rubbed him and the dirt on him went away  and he was given fine hair.  The angel then asked him what property is dearest to you? he said: cow.  Then he was given a pregnant cow.  He said: May Allah bless you.

The angel then came to the blind man and asked: what thing is dearest to you: the blind man said: I would like that Allah should restore my eyesight to me, so that I might see the people.  The angel then rubbed him and Allah  returned his eyesight to him. The  angel again asked what property is dearest to you?

The  man replied : I like goats.  Then he was given a goat capable of producing many young ones.

the camel, the cow and this goat produced young ones.  Thereafter the first man got a valley full of camels and the second man got a valley full of bulls & cows and the third man got a valley full of goats.

Now, the angel comes back to examine the generosity of those three who were given the blessings.

He comes to the man who was a leper in the appearance of a needy man  and said my goods have been looted in my journey and there is no way that I can reach my home today except with the help of Allah.  I beg of you a camel in the name of one who gave you the beautiful colour and fine skin and the property of

camels, so that I may reach my destination by its help.

The former leper said: I have many commitments and i cannot help you.  The angel said:  I know you as

it were.  Were you not a man suffering from leprosy.  The people disliked you as being untidy, dirty and a beggar.  Then Allah gave  you wealth.

The former leper replied: verily I have got this vast property by inheritance from a great man.  The angel said: If you are a liar may Allah restore you to what you were.  He was changed back again into a begging leper and the valley of camels disappeared.

The angel now came to the baldheaded man in the same poverty stricken appearance.  He repeated the same thing what he told the leper and he received the same answer.

The angel said: if you are a liar, may Allah take you back to what you were.  He once again became a baldheaded beggar full of filth and the valley of herd of cows vanished.

The angel came to the former blind man in the same appearance.  He said: I am, a poor man and a traveller.  I was waylaid and my property looted in my journey.  So there is no means of reaching my

home today, except with the help of Allah.  So I beg of you a goat in the name of one who gave you wonderful sight so that I may reach my destination by its help in my journey.

The former blind man said: I was a blind man, and then Allah returned my eyesight to me to which i am very grateful.  So take what you wish and leave what you wish.  By Allah, I shall not put you in difficulty today for anything which you will take in the name of Allah.

The angel said: keep your property, you all have been tried.  Allah is pleased with you and displeased with your two companions. (متّفقٌ عليْهِ)

Sacrifice of Life.

A time may come when you will be required to sacrifice your life for the sake of Allah. Laying down your life is the highest act of doing shahaadah – شهادة –  You  then deserve to be called a shaheed  - شهيْد.

Life is your most valuable possession. Sacrificing life means you have to sacrifice everything which life

gives or makes it possible, everything that is concrete and abstract.

You will be eager to sacrifice your life when you know that the life is not yours  the life does not belong to you; but to Him –  The  Almighty and you must render to him what is due to him.

You must also remember that you can never escape death or avoid it.  It  will definitely come at the appointed hour  at the appointed place  in the appointed manner.

كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَائِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ وَإِنَّمَا تُوَفَّوْنَ أُجُورَكُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فَمَنْ زُحْزِحَ عَنِ النَّارِ وَأُدْخِلَ الْجَنَّةَ فَقَدْ فَازَ وَمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا إِلا مَتَاعُ الْغُرُورِ

3.185 Every soul shall have a taste of death: And only on the Day of Judgment shall you be paid your full recompense. Only he who is saved far from the Fire and admitted to the Garden will have attained the object (of Life): For the life of this world is but goods and chattels of deception.

وَمَا مُحَمَّدٌ إِلا رَسُولٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ الرُّسُلُ أَفَإِنْ مَاتَ أَوْ قُتِلَ انْقَلَبْتُمْ عَلَى أَعْقَابِكُمْ وَمَنْ يَنْقَلِبْ عَلَى عَقِبَيْهِ فَلَنْ يَضُرَّ اللَّهَ شَيْئًا وَسَيَجْزِي اللَّهُ الشَّاكِرِينَ

3.144 Muhammad is no more than a messenger: many Were the messenger that passed away before him. If he died or were slain, will ye then Turn back on your heels? If any did turn back on his heels, not the least harm will he do to Allah; but Allah (on the other hand) will swiftly reward those who (serve Him) with gratitude.

وَمَا كَانَ لِنَفْسٍ أَنْ تَمُوتَ إِلا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ كِتَابًا مُؤَجَّلا وَمَنْ يُرِدْ ثَوَابَ الدُّنْيَا نُؤْتِهِ مِنْهَا وَمَنْ يُرِدْ ثَوَابَ الآخِرَةِ نُؤْتِهِ مِنْهَا وَسَنَجْزِي الشَّاكِرِينَ

3.145 Nor can a soul die except by Allah’s leave, the term being fixed as by writing. If any do desire a reward in this life, We shall give it to him; and if any do desire a reward in the Hereafter, We shall give it to him. And swiftly shall We reward those that (serve us with) gratitude.

أَيْنَمَا تَكُونُوا يُدْرِكُكُمُ الْمَوْتُ وَلَوْ كُنْتُمْ فِي بُرُوجٍ مُشَيَّدَةٍ

4.78 “Wherever ye are, death will find you out, even if ye are in towers built up strong and high!

You should also know that those who die in the way of Allah attain a life for themselves and their community and their mission which transcends their death

وَلا تَقُولُوا لِمَنْ يُقْتَلُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أَمْوَاتٌ بَلْ أَحْيَاءٌ وَلَكِنْ لا تَشْعُرُونَ

2.154 And say not of those who are slain in the way of Allah: “They are dead.” Nay, they are living, though ye perceive (it) not.

Unless you are prepared to die, you forfeit the right to live especially as a community – let there be no inordinate love of this world – let there be no fear of death

not everyone of us will be called upon to give away his life.  But the yearning to do so must burn in every heart.

Hadith

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم « مَنْ مَاتَ وَلَمْ يَغْزُ وَلَمْ يُحَدِّثْ بِهِ نَفْسَهُ مَاتَ عَلَى شُعْبَةٍ مِنْ نِفَاقٍ ».

Rasoolullahi (S) said:

“One  who does not fight or does not even think of fighting in the way of Allah   he will die a death of a hypocrite”

Intangible Sacrifices

Time, wealth, life and other similar things are hard to sacrifice;  but whatever you sacrifice  you have the satisfaction of seeing them with your own eyes.

It is the sacrifice of things which are intangible and abstract in their nature which is not only more difficult to make out not only more important individually and the collectively, not only more necessary for success in a struggle but

** more likely to be overlooked or ignored.

** more often than not they are not even considered to be worth making a sacrifice of.

The reason is that the abstract things are rooted in the heart and the mind.

They cannot objectified.

Sacrificing them is not a visible act.

They are to be sacrificed unobserved and unnoticed  in everyday life, and not in the heat of the moment. Your likes and dislikes, your objects, your aims, your opinions.

Such intangible things may require a greater spirit of sacrifice.  In the cause of Allah one has to not only give up his life and money and time and resources but also his inner likes and dislikes,  his love and hatred.

Hadith:

عن ابن عبّاسٍ قَال قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ (ص) لأَبَاذَرٍّ :

يَا أَبَاذَرِّ أَيُّ عُرَى لإِْ يْمَانِ أَوْثَقُ ؟ – قَالَ – اللهًُ وَرَسُوْلَهُ أَعْلَمْ –

قَلَ: الْمُوْلاَتُ فِى اللهِ – وَالْحُبُّ فِىاللهِ وَالْبُغْضُ فِى اللهِ (رواه البيهقي,

Ibn Abbas (R) reported that the Prophet (S) once said to Abu Zarr (R): “O Abu Zarr, which aspect of faith is most firm?: he said: Allah and His Messenger know best.

Rasoolullah said :”One who cooperates for the sake of Allah, one who loves for the sake of Allah alone and makes enmity for the sake of Allah alone… he perfects his “Iman” (baihaqi)

When we refer to the Sahaba Kiram, we usually say: Allah was well pleased with them and they well pleased with him – (رضي الله عنه).  why?

It means that they had submerged their entire personality in the will of Allah, to the extent that they liked what Allah liked and they disliked what Allah disliked.

They gave away not only their lives and their properties for the sake of Allah but their whole personality!!

This is an important sacrifice that everybody neglects without which it is extremely difficult to form that united and bonded ‘Jamaa’ah’ –جمَاعة hich alone can further the cause of Allah.

they include:

love and hate relationships, likes and dislikes, preferences and prejudices, desires and motives, pleasures and comforts, hopes and expectations, habits and customs, values and attitudes, status and roles, or merely that ego….

Familial  love

** familial love is the strongest and the most predominant relationship that we have in this world.

** from childhood till death, love for parents and children, for husbands, wives for brothers and sisters, even for other relations, remain at the centre of our lives, it dominates all our concerns  our life, our work, acquiring of worldly possessions is for the love of our family and the responsibility to them.

The family is the oldest and most important human institution. It is the bedrock of all civilizational values, norms and morals, security and  stability and culture that man has built up.

Without a family  man, as man, will perish

Why then should familial love be sacrificed in the way of Allah?

The reasons are very obvious.

1. You  cannot be under total submission to Allah unless your life, love, loyalty  in short  the familial love is totally subordinated to Allah – the life, love and loyalty to Allah must have priority.  Then comes the family

2. Becoming Muslim means you begin to change yourself and your society. You begin to challenge and overthrow the established way of life.

3. You commit yourselves to undertake ‘Jehad’ with all that you possess. you override every other claim

including the claim of family love

وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّمَا أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَأَوْلادُكُمْ فِتْنَةٌ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ عِنْدَهُ أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ

8.28 And know ye that your possessions and your progeny are but a trial; and that it is Allah with Whom lies your highest reward.

قُلْ إِنْ كَانَ آبَاؤُكُمْ وَأَبْنَاؤُكُمْ وَإِخْوَانُكُمْ وَأَزْوَاجُكُمْ وَعَشِيرَتُكُمْ وَأَمْوَالٌ اقْتَرَفْتُمُوهَا وَتِجَارَةٌ تَخْشَوْنَ كَسَادَهَا وَمَسَاكِنُ تَرْضَوْنَهَا أَحَبَّ إِلَيْكُمْ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَجِهَادٍ فِي سَبِيلِهِ فَتَرَبَّصُوا حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ اللَّهُ بِأَمْرِهِ وَاللَّهُ لا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْفَاسِقِينَ

9.24 Say: If it be that your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your mates, or your kindred; the wealth that ye have gained; the commerce in which ye fear a decline: or the dwellings in which ye delight – are dearer to you than Allah, or His Messenger, or the striving in His cause;- then wait until Allah brings about His decision: and Allah guides not the rebellious.

Familial love demands obedience to parents, to elders, to the ways of forefathers or customs and society  if such obedience are contrary to the demands to Allah. you must give up.  You must abide by your reason, your conscience, your faith, the guidance you have received from Allah

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ اتَّبِعُوا مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ قَالُوا بَلْ نَتَّبِعُ مَا أَلْفَيْنَا عَلَيْهِ آبَاءَنَا أَوَلَوْ كَانَ آبَاؤُهُمْ لا يَعْقِلُونَ شَيْئًا وَلا يَهْتَدُونَ

2.170 When it is said to them: “Follow what Allah hath revealed:” They say: “Nay! we shall follow the ways of our fathers.” What! even though their fathers Were void of wisdom and guidance?

وَوَصَّيْنَا الإنْسَانَ بِوَالِدَيْهِ حُسْنًا وَإِنْ جَاهَدَاكَ لِتُشْرِكَ بِي مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ فَلا تُطِعْهُمَا إِلَيَّ مَرْجِعُكُمْ فَأُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ

29.8 We have enjoined on man kindness to parents: but if they (either of them) strive (to force) thee to join with Me (in worship) anything of which thou hast no knowledge, obey them not. Ye have (all) to return to me, and I will tell you (the truth) of all that ye did.

There are hostile relatives who try to suppress the voice of truth, mock and ridicule you, persecute you, drive you away from your homes or even eliminate you – because you spoke of Allah to them.

Love for Allah and love for his enemies cannot go hand in hand

لا تَجِدُ قَوْمًا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ يُوَادُّونَ مَنْ حَادَّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَلَوْ كَانُوا آبَاءَهُمْ أَوْ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ أَوْ إِخْوَانَهُمْ أَوْ عَشِيرَتَهُمْ أُولَئِكَ كَتَبَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمُ الإيمَانَ وَأَيَّدَهُمْ بِرُوحٍ مِنْهُ وَيُدْخِلُهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الأنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ أُولَئِكَ حِزْبُ اللَّهِ أَلا إِنَّ حِزْبَ اللَّهِ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ

58.22 Thou wilt not find any people who believe in Allah and the Last Day, loving those who resist Allah and His Messenger, even though they were their fathers or their sons, or their brothers, or their kindred. For such He has written Faith in their hearts, and strengthened them with a spirit from Himself. And He will admit them to Gardens beneath which Rivers flow, to dwell therein (for ever). Allah will be well pleased with them, and they with Him. They  are the Party of Allah. Truly it is the Party of Allah that will achieve Felicity.

You will be subject to subtle pressures in the name of love, rights, or authority, or the services they have rendered  parents, brothers, sisters, uncles and aunts  Islam does not deny them but, if anyone asks you to do things against the injunctions or commandments of Allah – you  cannot  obey  them.

وَإِنْ جَاهَدَاكَ عَلى أَنْ تُشْرِكَ بِي مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ فَلا تُطِعْهُمَا وَصَاحِبْهُمَا فِي الدُّنْيَا مَعْرُوفًا وَاتَّبِعْ سَبِيلَ مَنْ أَنَابَ إِلَيَّ ثُمَّ إِلَيَّ مَرْجِعُكُمْ فَأُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ

31.15 “But if they strive to make thee join in worship with Me things of which thou hast no knowledge, do not obey them; yet bear them company in this life with justice (and consideration and kindness), 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.”

Friendships

Friendships these are formed around common temperaments, interests, pursuits and goals.  When you start talking of truth, Allah and Rasool you will find your friends, whom you loved suddenly turning hostile what better friendship and love can there be  the friendship of Muhummed (S) who was called Al-Ameen and As-Saadiq  the truthful, the trustworthy  suddenly became the mad man, the fanatic, the

enemy of the people

views and opinions

Your own views and opinions are very dear to you. You develop a very strong sense of right and wrong, truth and falsehood.  Your views are always right  when others oppose them  you do not like them.

Unless your view are in line with the injunctions and commandments of Allah  you must sacrifice them and strengthen yourselves with the truthful view.  Your  feelings and emotions, your plans, your ambitions may need to be scrapped for the sake of Allah.

Even in mundane affairs, you will be required to sacrifice your taste and temperament  you will have to live, eat, sleep and dress in ways which may not be to your liking  the sacrifice that you make the sacrificing of your desires.  You must accept them cheerfully, willingly, without grumbling or

causing inconvenience or hurt to others.

Your ego  the “I” specialist in you also must be sacrificed.  It must surrender to the will of Allah  otherwise, our self-esteem becomes so important to us that it breeds  stubbornness, obstinacy, obduracy, contempt of others.

We always have the feeling and we always say  “we have already spent so much time, we have already given so much money, how much more shall we give!   We have made so much sacrifices  what else

is required of us?

Remember you should never have the feeling that you have done enough.

Once the disease creeps into your system, into your heart, all that you have done will be lost.

We should always think that whatever sacrifice that we may offer, it is still nothing compared to the obligations we have to discharge towards Allah.

A Great sage – Hadhrath Uthman Al-Hiri (Rahmathullaahi Alaihi) was once passing on a road, when somebody from the top of a house threw a basketful of ashes on him.  The disciples wanted to take the man to task but Hiri stopped them and went in prayers saying Ya Rabb, O Lord! I am a sinner and

deserve to receive burning Coals of fire on my head, but You in Your Clemency turned it into cold ash. I am grateful to Thee for this act of Mercy.

Tears should come to your eyes when you listen to anecdotes of this nature.

قُلْ إِنَّ صَلاتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

6.162 Say: “Truly, my prayer and my service of sacrifice, my life and my death, are (all) for Allah, the Cherisher of the Worlds:

in  conclusion that all sacrifices are required of us because we have to shoulder the immense responsibility of fulfilling the mission that Allah’s messengers were charged with : that you be

witnesses unto mankind.”

Without making sacrifices the revival of Islam will remain a matter of speeches, seminars, camps

or a matter of dreams.  To actualize it, we will have to give up our time and wealth, our life and resources, our personal likes and dislikes.

Even our best efforts may not be perfect. We may waver, we may falter, we may fail and despair;  but it is only human Allah looks to our hearts our intentions

Hadith

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ(ص) « إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَنْظُرُ إِلَى صُوَرِكُمْ وَأَمْوَالِكُمْ وَلَكِنْ يَنْظُرُ إِلَى قُلُوبِكُمْ وأَعْمَالِكُمْ ».

Raoolullahi (S) said: Allah does not see to  your external beauty but he looks into your hearts and your actions.

A Point to Ponder

Our Holy Prophet (S) said: no person swallows sips dearer than two sips to Allah:

1. the sip of anger which he swallows with patience  and

2. the sip of calamity over which he keeps patience.

There are two steps of a servant very dear to Allah

1. one step taken for performing compulsory prayer

2. another step for keeping the tie of blood

There is no drop dearer to Allah than two drops

1. one drop of blood which is shed in the way of Allah.

2. one drop of tears which falls in prostration in the grim

darkness of night and which nobody sees except Allah.

So let us turn to him to help us lest our human frailties overwhelm us when sacrifices are demanded of us and to seek his forgiveness for all our shortcomings and failures.

لا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلا وُسْعَهَا لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا اكْتَسَبَتْ رَبَّنَا لا تُؤَاخِذْنَا إِنْ نَسِينَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا رَبَّنَا وَلا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَا إِصْرًا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِنَا رَبَّنَا وَلا تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِ وَاعْفُ عَنَّا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا أَنْتَ مَوْلانَا فَانْصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ

2.286 On no soul doth Allah Place a burden greater than it can bear. It gets every good that it earns, and it suffers every ill that it earns. (Pray:)

Our Lord! condemn us not if we forget or fall into error;

Our Lord! Lay not on us a burden like that which Thou didst lay on those before us;

Our Lord! lay not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear.

Blot out our sins and grant us forgiveness.  Have mercy on us.

Thou art our Protector; help us against those who stand against faith.  THOSE WHO DENY THE TRUTH”

وآخِرُ دَعْوَانَا اَن ِالْحَمْدُ لِلهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِيْن

السّلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

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