IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE BENEFICENT, THE MERCIFUL
BEING THE FOURTH SERMON FOR THE MONTH OF JUMAADAL ULA,
DATED: 24TH JUMAADAL ULA, 1445AH (8TH DEC., 2023CE)
TITLED: AL-WALAA WAL BARAA FOR THE SAKE OF ALLAH ALONE
FIRST SERMON
Allah praise are due to Allah, Lord of the worlds, the Guardian of the Believers, the One who exalts Islam by his victory, and humiliates polytheism by his conquest, who arranges matters by His command, and increases blessings by His thanks. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone, with no partner, the Eternal One there is none like Him, and He is the All-Hearing and All-Seeing, and I bear witness that our Prophet Muhammad is His servant and Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family and companions and grant them abundant peace.
As for what follows:
So fear God Almighty – O Muslims – and do what God has commanded you to do and avoid what He has forbidden you, and it is one of the attributes of His friends, Glory be to Him.
Dear brothers in faith, the current situations, where the Islamic region is going through great crisis, our brothers in Palestine are persecuted, slaughtered, and their homes are destroyed, by the Zionist occupation army, and these events that are passing by us impose on us a conversation about one of the foundations of the faith, in reality a solid foundation and a one of the pillars of faith, which is Al-Walaa and Al-Baraa, loyalty and disavowal to Allah alone, who has no partners. Loyalty to God, His Messenger, and the people of Islam, and disavowal of the people of disbelief and tyranny.
O Muslims, the meaning of loyalty: guardianship, is support, love, honor, respect, and being with the loved ones, outwardly and inwardly. Allah Almighty said: (اللهُ وَلِيُّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ يُخْرِجُهُم مِّنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّوُرِ وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ أَوْلِيَآؤُهُمُ الطَّاغُوتُ يُخْرِجُونَهُم مِّنَ النُّورِ إِلَى الظُّلُمَاتِ) { Allāh is the Ally[105] of those who believe. He brings them out from darknesses into the light. And those who disbelieve – their allies are ṭāghūt. They take them out of the light into darknesses.” (Al-Baqarah: 257).
As for Al-Baraa (disavowal): it is to distance, dissociate, and enmity after giving respite and warnings. Allah Almighty tells a story about the Prophet Ibrahim – peace be upon him – with his people: (قَدْ كَانَتْ لَكُمْ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ فِي إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَالَّذِينَ مَعَهُ إِذْ قَالُوا لِقَوْمِهِمْ إِنَّا بُرَآءُ مِنْكُمْ وَمِمَّا تَعْبُدُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ كَفَرْنَا بِكُمْ وَبَدَا بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمُ الْعَدَاوَةُ وَالْبَغْضَاءُ أَبَدًا حَتَّى تُؤْمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَحْدَهُ) “There has already been for you an excellent pattern in Abraham and those with him, when they said to their people, “Indeed, we are disassociated from you and from whatever you worship other than Allāh. We have denied you, and there has appeared between us and you animosity and hatred forever until you believe in Allāh alone” (Surat Al-Mumtahinah: 4)
Know, may Allah have mercy on me and you – O nation of Islam – that loyalty to Allah, His Messenger, and the believers, and disavowal of all those who stray from Allah and His Messenger, among the unbelievers and hypocrites, are considered to be fundamental to the Tawheed of Allah and singling out servitude to Him alone. The origin of loyalty is love, and the origin of disavowal is hatred, meaning that love is in Allah, and hatred for the sake of Allah, loyalty for the sake of Allah, enmity for the sake of Allah, worship of Allah, seeking help from Allah, fear of Allah, hope in Allah, giving for Allah and withholding for the sake of Allah. Allah Almighty says: (إِنَّمَا وَلِيُّكُمُ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا الَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَهُمْ رَاكِعُونَ * وَمَنْ يَتَوَلَّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا فَإِنَّ حِزْبَ اللَّهِ هُمُ الْغَالِبُونَ * يَاأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَتَّخِذُوا الَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا دِينَكُمْ هُزُوًا وَلَعِبًا مِنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ وَالْكُفَّارَ أَوْلِيَاءَ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ) “Your ally is none but Allāh and [therefore] His Messenger and those who have believed – those who establish prayer and give zakāh, and they bow [in worship] (56) And whoever is an ally of Allāh and His Messenger and those who have believed – indeed, the party of Allāh – they will be the predominant. (57) O you who have believed, take not those who have taken your religion in ridicule and amusement among the ones who were given the Scripture before you nor the disbelievers as allies. And fear Allāh, if you should [truly] be believers.” (Al-Ma’idah: 55-57).
Ibn Jarir and Muhammad bin Nasr al-Marwazi narrated on the authority of Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, who said: “Whoever loves for the sake of God, hates for the sake of God, is loyal to the sake of God, and is hostile for the sake of God, will attain God’s guardianship through that, and no servant will find the taste of faith, even if his prayers and fasting are many, until he becomes like that. Brotherhood with people has become over worldly affairs, and this is of no benefit to its people.) “Hilyat Al-Awliya’, 1/312, and Jami’ Al-Ulum wal-Hikam, p. 30.”
Loyalty and disavowal are among the requirements of (There is no god but Allah):
O Muslims, this chapter that we on now is a great chapter of monotheism and faith that every Muslim must know and practice. It is a religious duty and a requirement of faith, one of the requirements of monotheism, and one of the requirements of the good and honorable statement, which is the statement of Tawheed (there is no god but Allah). This word imposed on every Muslim who adheres to this belief to be loyal to its people of the statement and hostile to its enemies, and not to take the unbelievers as allies, who are the enemies of Allah, the Almighty, as it is not possible for faith in Allah and the love for His enemies to come together in the heart of the servant, our Lord Almighty has forbidden us from doing so. Allah says: (يَاأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَتَّخِذُوا عَدُوِّي وَعَدُوَّكُمْ أَوْلِيَاءَ تُلْقُونَ إِلَيْهِمْ بِالْمَوَدَّةِ وَقَدْ كَفَرُوا بِمَا جَاءَكُمْ مِنَ الْحَقِّ) “O you who have believed, do not take My enemies and your enemies as allies,[1672] extending to them affection while they have disbelieved in what came to you of the truth …” (Surah Al-Mumtahana: 1). It is not possible for a person to be a monotheistic believer, and at the same time be a lover of the unbelievers and polytheists, being loyal to them, believing the correctness of what they stand on of the false belief, so that’s not possible basically. Allah, the Almighty says: (لَا تَجِدُ قَوْمًا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ يُوَادُّونَ مَنْ حَادَّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَلَوْ كَانُوا آبَاءَهُمْ أَوْ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ أَوْ إِخْوَانَهُمْ أَوْ عَشِيرَتَهُمْ أُولَئِكَ كَتَبَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمُ الْإِيمَانَ) “You will not find a people who believe in Allāh and the Last Day having affection for those who oppose Allāh and His Messenger, even if they were their fathers or their sons or their brothers or their kindred. Those – He has decreed within their hearts faith and supported them with spirit[1648] from Him. And We will admit them to gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally. Allāh is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him – those are the party of Allāh. Unquestionably, the party of Allāh – they are the successful.” (Surah Al-Mujadila: 22).
ومن أعظم مقتضيات الكفر بالطاغوت: البراءة منه ومن أوليائه.
Just as a person does not become a Muslim unless he disbelieves in the taghut, Allah the Exalted says: (فَمَنْ يَكْفُرْ بِالطَّاغُوتِ وَيُؤْمِنْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدِ اسْتَمْسَكَ بِالْعُرْوَةِ الْوُثْقَى لَا انْفِصَامَ لَهَا وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ) “So whoever disbelieves in ṭāghūt[104] and believes in Allāh has grasped the most trustworthy handhold with no break in it. And Allāh is Hearing and Knowing.” (Surat Al-Baqarah: 256).
One of the greatest requirements for disbelief in taghut is disavowal of him and his friends.
Dear brothers in Islam, Allah Almighty forbids us from supporting the Jews and Christians who are enemies of Islam and its people, and threatens those who support them. Allah Almighty says: (يَاأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَتَّخِذُوا الْيَهُودَ وَالنَّصَارَى أَوْلِيَاءَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ وَمَنْ يَتَوَلَّهُمْ مِنْكُمْ فَإِنَّهُ مِنْهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ * فَتَرَى الَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ مَرَضٌ يُسَارِعُونَ فِيهِمْ يَقُولُونَ نَخْشَى أَنْ تُصِيبَنَا دَائِرَةٌ فَعَسَى اللَّهُ أَنْ يَأْتِيَ بِالْفَتْحِ أَوْ أَمْرٍ مِنْ عِنْدِهِ فَيُصْبِحُوا عَلَى مَا أَسَرُّوا فِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ نَادِمِينَ * وَيَقُولُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَهَؤُلَاءِ الَّذِينَ أَقْسَمُوا بِاللَّهِ جَهْدَ أَيْمَانِهِمْ إِنَّهُمْ لَمَعَكُمْ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ فَأَصْبَحُوا خَاسِرِينَ) “O you who have believed, do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. They are [in fact] allies of one another. And whoever is an ally to them among you – then indeed, he is [one] of them. Indeed, Allāh guides not the wrongdoing people. (52) So you see those in whose hearts is disease [i.e., hypocrisy] hastening into [association with] them, saying, “We are afraid a misfortune may strike us.” But perhaps Allāh will bring conquest or a decision from Him, and they will become, over what they have been concealing within themselves, regretful. (53) And those who believe will say, “Are these the ones who swore by Allāh their strongest oaths that indeed they were with you?” Their deeds have become worthless, and they have become losers.” (Surat Al-Ma’idah: 51-53)
The status of Al-Walaa (loyalty) and Al-Baraa (disavowal) in the Sharia law:
O Muslims, the doctrine of loyalty and disavowal has a great status in Sharia, among which we are:
1 – Loyalty and disavowal are among the foundations of faith and part of the meaning of testimony of Lailaha illa Allah. Allah, the Exalted says: (فَمَنْ يَكْفُرْ بِالطَّاغُوتِ وَيُؤْمِنْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدِ اسْتَمْسَكَ بِالْعُرْوَةِ الْوُثْقَى لَا انْفِصَامَ لَهَا وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ) “So whoever disbelieves in ṭāghūt and believes in Allāh has grasped the most trustworthy handhold with no break in it. And Allāh is Hearing and Knowing.” (Surah Al-Baqarah: 256) and the most trustworthy handhold referred to in this verse it is (There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah) as Abu Bakr Al-Jazairi said in his Tafsir: (Aisar al-tafaaseer: 1/246)
2- Loyalty and disavowal are part of the condition of faith:
Allah, the Exalted says: (تَرَى كَثِيرًا مِنْهُمْ يَتَوَلَّوْنَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَبِئْسَ مَا قَدَّمَتْ لَهُمْ أَنْفُسُهُمْ أَنْ سَخِطَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ وَفِي الْعَذَابِ هُمْ خَالِدُونَ * وَلَوْ كَانُوا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالنَّبِيِّ وَمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مَا اتَّخَذُوهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءَ وَلَكِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِنْهُمْ فَاسِقُون) “You see many of them becoming allies of those who disbelieved [i.e., the polytheists]. How wretched is that which they have put forth for themselves in that Allāh has become angry with them, and in the punishment they will abide eternally (81) And if they had believed in Allāh and the Prophet and in what was revealed to him, they would not have taken them as allies; but many of them are defiantly disobedient.” (Surat Al-Ma’idah: 80-81)
3- Loyalty and disavowal are the strongest bonds of faith:
On the authority of Ibn Abbas – may Allah be pleased with them both – he said: The Messenger of Allah – may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him – said: “Indeed, the strongest bonds of faith are: loyalty for the sake of Allah, enmity for the sake of Allah, love for the sake of Allah, and hatred for the sake of Allah“ (Classified by Al-Albani in Al-Silsilah Al-Sahihah) .
4 – Loyalty and disavowal are a reason to taste the sweetness of faith:
Anas bin Malik (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “There are three qualities whoever has them, will taste the sweetness of Iman: To love Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ) more than anyone else; to love a slave (of Allah) only for (the sake of) Allah; and to abhor returning to infidelity after Allah has saved him from it as he would abhor to be thrown into the fire (of Hell)” (Narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim).
5 – By achieving loyalty and disavowal, you obtain Allah’s guardianship:
On the authority of Ibn Abbas – may Allah be pleased with them both – he said: “Whoever loves for the sake of Allah, hates, and is loyal for the sake of Allah, and shows enmity for the sake of Allah, then he attains the guardianship of Allah through that. And no servant will find the taste of faith, even if his prayers and fasting are many, until he is like that, and all the brotherhood with people has being about the affairs of this world, and that will bring no benefits to the people.” (Narrated by Abdullah bin Al-Mubarak in (Al-Zuhd).
I say this and ask forgiveness from Allah for me and for you.
THE SECOND SERMON
All praises are due to Allah, Who says in His perfect Book: (يَاأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَتَّخِذُوا الْيَهُودَ وَالنَّصَارَى أَوْلِيَاءَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ وَمَنْ يَتَوَلَّهُمْ مِنْكُمْ فَإِنَّهُ مِنْهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ) “O you who have believed, do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. They are [in fact] allies of one another. And whoever is an ally to them among you – then indeed, he is [one] of them. Indeed, Allāh guides not the wrongdoing people.” (Maidah: 51). I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that our Prophet Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. May Allah shower blessings and peace upon him, his family and grant them peace.
As to what follows,
Servants of God, fear God Almighty in all your circumstances, and fear Him as He deserves to be feared. (يَاأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ) “O you who have believed, fear Allāh as He should be feared and do not die except as Muslims [in submission to Him]” (Al-Imran: 102)
O Muslim brothers, part of the actions related to loyalty and disavowal in the ongoing tragedy at Gaza, in Palestine is the obligation to support our brothers there by praying for them and offering them our donations, and to be wary of not letting them down nor surrender them to the Zionist enemy in these difficult circumstances. Every Muslim who believes in Allah as Lord, Islam as religion, and Muhammad as messenger, should know that what is happening in Gaza, is a Jewish-Zionist war against Islam and Muslims. A war in which people are divided into two opposing groups: a Muslim group that does not accept anything other than Islam as a solution or alternative, and another infidel group that is an alliance against Islam among the Zionist Jews, their infidel allies, and their brothers among the hypocrites. So with which of the two groups does the Muslim stand? And in which of the two camps should he be? Should he be in the camp of disbelief that hates Islam and its people, or in the camp of Islam? Obviously the matter is serious and dangerous, and a test for the Tawheed (belief in Oneself of Allah) in the heart of the believer, that stands on the worshipping Allah alone, and maintaining disbelief in anything other than Him, and upholding allegiance and hostility for Him, Glory be to Him. Remember the saying of the Messenger – may Allah bless him and grant him peace: Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah ; AbuTalhah ibn Sahl al-Ansari: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: No (Muslim) man will desert a man who is a Muslim in a place where his respect may be violated and his honour aspersed without Allah deserting him in a place here he wishes his help; and no (Muslim) man who will help a Muslim in a place where his honour may be aspersed and his respect violated without Allah helping him in a place where he wishes his help. (Narrated by Abu Dawud)
Dear Servants of Allah, Allah, the Exalted says: (أَيْنَما تَكُونُوا يُدْرِكْكُمُ الْمَوْتُ…) “Wherever you may be, death will overtake you…” We received very sad and terrible news about an accidental bombing incident that struck some civilian Muslims, in the village of Tudun Biri in Kaduna State, last Sunday evening, while they were celebrating the birth of the Prophet at that time. It was said that the error bombing occurred when the Nigerian army targeted a group of terrorists and bandits, and the operation led to the killing of more than a hundred people and the wounding of more than eighty. We appreciate President Ahmed Tinubu’s order to conduct a comprehensive, independent investigation into the incident, and we advise the army to exert their greatest efforts to prevent such an incident. We beseech Allah, the Almighty to accept all the dead, heal the sick, and console their families.
In conclusion, we take advantage of this opportunity to express our joy at the return of the Islamic glory and honor to Muslims with the opening of the Inisha Central Mosque, Osun State. The mosque was closed five years ago following the disputes the ensued from the effort of choosing a new Imam after the demise of the previous Imam. Our gratitude extends to everyone who participated in the effort, as we specifically mention Sheikh Labib Lagbaji, may Allah reward him appropriately on our behalf and on behalf of the Ummah.
Supplication: O Allah, never allow a banner to be raised for the Jews in Jerusalem, and never allow them to achieve any goal in Gaza. O Allah, help the people of Jerusalem, the people of Gaza, and the people of Palestine. O Allah, strengthen them, O Allah strengthen their hearts. O Allah, spread tranquility in their hearts. O Allah, send them warmth, peace, security and safety. O Allah, accept their martyrs and heal the sick. O Allah, have mercy on the bereaved mothers and widows. O Allah, have mercy on the elderly who bow in (prayers), the suckling infants, and the young who prostrate. O Allah, deal with the aggressing Zionists and those who supported and helped them. O Allah scatter their togetherness, scatter their power, and divide their unity.
O Allah, show us in them the effects and wonders of your power. O Allah, tear them apart in the most devastating manner, O Lord of the Worlds. O Allah, surround them in their numbers and destroy them as a swarm, and do not leave out anyone of them. O Allah, never allow a banner to be raised for the Jews in Jerusalem, and never allow them to achieve any goal in Gaza. O Allah, grant us happiness with the victory of our brothers over our enemy and their enemy. O Allah, we are in dire need of your mercy and help, eventhough we are unable to physically participate with them, then accept our prayers for their victory, O Allah, our Lord, we trust in You, and we hope for Your help, and we turn to Your door, so do not disappoint us. O Allah, grant us victory, O Allah grant us victory, O Allah grant us victory. O Allah, accept their martyrs, grant victory to their armies, heal their sick, heal their wounded, replace their fear with security, their hardship with ease, their distress with relief, and their patience with victory, O Mighty, O Powerful, O Possessor of enduring power, O Possessor of majesty and honor.
May the blessings and peace of Allah be upon our Prophet, our Master Muhammad, his family and companions. Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.