IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MOST GRACIOUS, THE MOST MERCIFUL
THE THIRD SERMON FOR THE MONTH OF RABI‘ AL-AKHIR (DATED 18TH RABI‘ AL-AKHIR 1447 AH / CORRESPONDING TO 10/10/2025 CE)
TOPIC: CAUSES OF BLESSING (BARAKAH) IN SUSTENANCE AND LIFE
THE FIRST SERMON
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all worlds. We praise Him, glorify Him, seek His help, seek His guidance, and seek His forgiveness. We repent to Him. Whoever Allah guides, none can mislead; and whoever He allows to go astray, none can guide. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone, without partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. O Allah, send Your peace, blessings, and mercy upon our Prophet Muhammad, upon his family and companions, and upon all those who follow them in goodness until the Day of Judgment.
To proceed: Dear servants of Allah! I advise you and myself, first and foremost, to fear Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, in private and in public. Indeed, Taqwa (piety) is the ultimate goal of all acts of worship and the purpose of every command and prohibition. Allah the Exalted says:
﴿يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اعْبُدُوا رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ وَالَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ﴾
“O mankind, worship your Lord, who created you and those before you, that you may become righteous.” (Al-Baqarah 2:21)
Honorable listeners! There is no doubt that in our present time, many people complain of tight sustenance and lack of blessing. Our sermon today, by the will of Allah, uncovers the causes of increase in provision and the descent of blessings, as indicated by the noble Qur’an and the authentic traditions of the trustworthy Prophet ﷺ. We ask Allah to open for us the gates of His provision and grant us success in doing that which brings barakah (blessing) into it. Among these causes are:
1. Fear of Allah (Taqwa):
Allah, the Exalted, says:
﴿وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ مَخْرَجًا * وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ﴾
“And whoever fears Allah – He will make for him a way out, and will provide for him from where he does not expect.” (At-Talaq 65:2–3)
Ibn Kathir said: “He will provide him from a direction that never occurred to him.” Ibn Abbas said: “From a source he neither hopes nor expects.”
Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) defined Taqwa as: “Fearing the Majestic, acting upon revelation, being content with little, and preparing for the day of departure.”
Talq ibn Habib said: “Taqwa is that you act in obedience to Allah upon light from Allah, hoping for Allah’s reward; and that you abandon disobedience to Allah upon light from Allah, fearing Allah’s punishment.”
Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “Taqwa is that Allah is obeyed and not disobeyed, remembered and not forgotten, thanked and not denied.”
Therefore, Taqwa means to place between yourself and the anger, wrath, and punishment of Allah a protective barrier.
Allah the Exalted says:
﴿وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَهْلَ القُرَىٰ آمَنُوا وَاتَّقَوْا لَفَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِم بَرَكَاتٍ مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ﴾
“And if only the people of the towns had believed and feared Allah, We would have opened upon them blessings from the heaven and the earth.” (Al-A‘raf 7:96)
2. Abundant Repentance and Seeking Forgiveness (Istighfar):
Prophet Nuh (peace be upon him) said:
﴿فَقُلْتُ اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفَّارًا * يُرْسِلِ السَّمَاءَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِدْرَارًا * وَيُمْدِدْكُم بِأَمْوَالٍ وَبَنِينَ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ أَنْهَارًا﴾
“And I said, ‘Ask forgiveness of your Lord. Indeed, He is ever a Perpetual Forgiver. He will send rain to you in abundance and give you increase in wealth and children and provide for you gardens and provide for you rivers.’” (Nuh 71:10–12)
Imam Al-Qurtubi said: “This verse indicates that through seeking forgiveness, sustenance and rainfall descend.”
Ibn Kathir said: “If you repent to Allah, seek His forgiveness, and obey Him, He will increase your provision and bless you with rain and the bounties of the heavens and the earth.”
Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Whoever constantly seeks forgiveness, Allah will make for him a way out of every distress, and relief from every anxiety, and will provide for him from where he does not expect.” (Reported by Ahmad, authenticated by Shaykh Ahmad Shakir)
3. True Reliance (Tawakkul) upon Allah
Allah the Most High says: ﴿وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ﴾ — “And whoever puts his trust in Allah, He will suffice him.” (At-Talaq 65:3) — meaning, Allah will be sufficient for him, protecting him from harm, fulfilling his needs, and granting him relief from what worries him. Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet ﷺ said: “If you were to rely upon Allah with the reliance He is due, you would be provided for as the birds are provided for — they go out hungry in the morning and return full in the evening.” (Reported by Ahmad and al-Tirmidhi, who graded it Hasan Sahih).
That is, the birds leave their nests in the morning with empty stomachs, relying on the Lord of the heavens and the earth, and soon return satisfied with what Allah has provided for them. Ibn Rajab said: “This hadith is a fundamental text on reliance upon Allah, and that it is among the greatest means by which sustenance is obtained.”
Our Lord, the Exalted, also says: ﴿فَامْشُوا فِي مَنَاكِبِهَا وَكُلُوا مِن رِّزْقِهِ﴾ — “So walk among its slopes and eat of His provision.” (Al-Mulk 67:15)
And He says: ﴿فَانتَشِرُوا فِي الأَرْضِ وَابْتَغُوا مِنْ فَضْلِ اللَّهِ﴾ — “Then disperse through the land and seek from the bounty of Allah.” (Al-Jumu‘ah 62:10)
Imam al-Shafi‘i (may Allah have mercy on him) beautifully said:
“I have relied for my provision upon Allah, my Creator,
And I am certain that Allah — without doubt — is my Provider.
Whatever is destined for me will never miss me,
Even if it lies in the deepest depths of the seas.
Allah the Great will surely bring it to me by His grace,
Even if my tongue is not capable of speaking.”
4. Maintaining Family Ties (Silat ar-Rahim):
Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, has made it a cause for the expansion of sustenance and the descent of blessings upon one’s wealth, family, health, and lifespan. Al-Bukhari titled a chapter in his Sahih: “Whoever wishes for his provision to be expanded through maintaining kinship.” He narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Whoever wishes that his provision be increased and his life be prolonged, let him maintain his ties of kinship.” (Agreed upon).
Al-Tirmidhi also reported from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Learn enough about your lineage so that you may maintain your family ties; for maintaining family ties brings love among the family, increases wealth, and prolongs life.” (Reported by Ahmad also, and authenticated by al-Albani).
Family ties refer to one’s relatives through blood and lineage. Maintaining them means visiting them, being gentle toward them, inquiring about their condition, visiting their sick, sharing in their joys and sorrows, fulfilling their needs, giving to their poor and needy, and helping those in distress.
As the poet said:
Whoever has wealth but withholds it from his kin,
Will soon be forsaken and blamed by them all.
And whoever shows kindness to those unworthy of it,
Will waste his favors — for who avoids insult shall not be insulted.
5. Spending in the Path of Allah and Frequent Charity:
Whether in Jihad or in all acts of goodness and benefit. Allah the Exalted says: ﴿وَمَا أَنفَقْتُم مِّن شَيْءٍ فَهُوَ يُخْلِفُهُ، وَهُوَ خَيْرُ الرَّازِقِينَ﴾ — “And whatever you spend of anything [in His cause], He will replace it; and He is the best of providers.” (Saba’ 34:39)
Ibn Kathir said: “He will replace it for you in this world with an alternative, and in the Hereafter with reward and recompense.”
In Sahih Muslim, Allah the Blessed and Exalted says: “O son of Adam, spend, and I will spend on you.” (Also reported by al-Bukhari). How soothing these words are to the heart when a person believes in them and fills his heart with certainty!
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Every morning, two angels descend, and one of them says, ‘O Allah, grant the spender a replacement,’ while the other says, ‘O Allah, bring destruction to the one who withholds.’” (Agreed upon).
This is a true promise, and evidence for it is found in both the Qur’an and Sunnah. The destruction of the miser’s wealth is illustrated in the story of the owners of the garden in Surah Al-Qalam, and the realities of life continually bear witness to this truth.
6. Performing Hajj and ‘Umrah Frequently:
Especially in our time, when the cost of these journeys has increased and many people have become negligent toward them, we remind them of the saying of the Prophet ﷺ: “Perform Hajj and ‘Umrah consecutively, for they remove poverty and sins just as the bellows removes impurities from iron, gold, and silver.” (Reported by al-Nasa’i and authenticated by al-Albani).
7 – Marriage for the Sake of Chastity:
That is, whoever wishes to marry in order to protect himself from falling into fornication — Allah has made this a means of sustenance. The Almighty says:
﴿وَأَنكِحُوا الْأَيَامَىٰ مِنكُمْ وَالصَّالِحِينَ مِنْ عِبَادِكُمْ وَإِمَائِكُمْ ۚ إِن يَكُونُوا فُقَرَاءَ يُغْنِهِمُ اللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ﴾
“And marry those among you who are single, and the righteous among your male and female servants. If they are poor, Allah will enrich them from His bounty, for Allah is All-Encompassing, All-Knowing.” (An-Nur 24:32)
And in the Hadith: “There are three whose help is a duty upon Allah: the one striving in the path of Allah, the slave seeking to free himself (through payment), and the one who marries desiring chastity.” (Authentic, reported by al-Tirmidhi)
Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “How strange it is that a person does not seek wealth through marriage, while Allah says: ‘If they are poor, Allah will enrich them from His bounty.’”
THE SECOND SERMON
All praise is due to Allah, Who commands the support of the oppressed and promises relief to His patient servants. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, alone without partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. May Allah send His peace and blessings upon him, his family, and all his Companions.
Other causes of sustenance include:
8 – Increasing in Worship and Dedicating Time for It:
This does not mean that a person should spend all his time in prayer or in the mosque, neglecting lawful work and effort to earn a living; rather, it means to set aside some time for worship and increase in it as much as possible.
In the divine Hadith, your Lord, Blessed and Exalted, says: “O son of Adam, devote yourself to My worship and I will fill your heart with richness and your hands with provision. O son of Adam, do not distance yourself from Me, lest I fill your heart with poverty and your hands with toil.” (Reported by al-Hakim)
So we say: O Allah, occupy us with what You created us for, and do not occupy us with what You created for us.
9 – Abandoning Sins and Acts of Disobedience:
For indeed, they remove blessings, invite punishment, eliminate barakah, bring down curses and destruction, and cut off sustenance. It is reported in some prophetic traditions: “Indeed, a servant may be deprived of provision because of a sin he commits.” (Reported by Ahmad in his Musnad, graded Hasan by others)
Its proof is the saying of Allah the Exalted:
﴿وَضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلًا قَرْيَةً كَانَتْ آمِنَةً مُّطْمَئِنَّةً يَأْتِيهَا رِزْقُهَا رَغَدًا مِّن كُلِّ مَكَانٍ فَكَفَرَتْ بِأَنْعُمِ اللَّهِ فَأَذَاقَهَا اللَّهُ لِبَاسَ الْجُوعِ وَالْخَوْفِ بِمَا كَانُوا يَصْنَعُونَ﴾
“And Allah presents the example of a city which was safe and secure; its provision came to it abundantly from every location, but it denied the favors of Allah, so Allah made it taste the garb of hunger and fear for what they had been doing.” (An-Nahl 16:112)
If you are blessed with a favor, then guard it well,
For indeed, sins remove all blessings.
Preserve it through obedience to the Lord of creation,
For the Lord of creation is swift in retribution.
10 – Gratitude and Contentment:
Allah has guaranteed an increase for the grateful, as He says:
﴿وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكُمْ لَئِن شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ وَلَئِن كَفَرْتُمْ إِنَّ عَذَابِي لَشَدِيدٌ﴾
“And [remember] when your Lord proclaimed: If you are grateful, I will surely increase you; but if you are ungrateful, indeed My punishment is severe.” (Ibrahim 14:7)
And He says:
﴿وَسَيَجْزِي اللَّهُ الشَّاكِرِينَ﴾
“And Allah will reward the grateful.” (Aal Imran 3:144)
As for contentment (rida), it is the greatest and most comprehensive door to true wealth. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Be content with what Allah has allotted for you, and you will be the richest of people.” (Reported by al-Tirmidhi)
O noble servants of Allah, there is a false allegation that has spread — in fact, issued by a political figure in the United States named Ted Cruz. He posted on his official platform on X, a claim stating: “Since 2009, a genocide has been ongoing against Christians in Nigeria, claiming more than fifty thousand Christian lives, destroying over eighteen thousand churches and two thousand Christian schools,” and he alleged that Muslims were the perpetrators of this heinous crime. He even called upon his government to intervene in the matter!
O noble servants of Allah, there is no doubt about the falsity of this statement. It contains nothing but deception, distortion, and concealment of the truth — aimed at igniting the flames of discord among the people of our beloved nation, Nigeria.
The Federal Government has responded to this allegation clearly and appropriately — may Allah reward them for their timely and commendable effort.
Moreover, dear brothers, regardless of the parties that attempt to distort our reality, we must not be heedless of understanding the truth of our own circumstances: how many Muslims have been killed in our country, especially in the northern states? How many mosques have been attacked and prevented from holding prayers?
Indeed, some of the criminals in those areas have been arrested, and it was uncovered that they were Christians disguised in Muslim attire! Yet, Muslims have not used such incidents as a pretext to slander other faiths. This restraint is from the noble character of Islam and among its most beautiful virtues.
O Muslims, and you, honorable scholars and respected Imams, it is your duty to respond to these false accusations with wisdom and clarity, using every proof and evidence at your disposal to make the truth clear and refute falsehood, so that the plots of the enemies may not overpower us. Remember what happened in the case of Boko Haram as a lesson that should never be forgotten. We do not deny that violence does occur in Nigeria; however, this violence affects all religions — Muslims, Christians, and others alike — and it is the responsibility of every sector of society to work toward ending violence and prosecuting its perpetrators, wherever they may be and however they may disguise themselves. Describing the situation as “genocide” is an unobjective claim, a distortion and fabrication that insults the dignity of the nation, its government, and its people. Where are those who rush to make loud accusations when genocide and oppression are taking place in Gaza and throughout Palestine? Where are they when real calamities strike the Muslims? As Allah, the Exalted, says:
﴿… يَبْغُونَكُمُ الْفِتْنَةَ وَفِيكُمْ سَمَّاعُونَ لَهُمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِالظَّالِمِينَ﴾
“They wish to cause you trials, and among you are those who would listen to them. And Allah is Knowing of the wrongdoers.” (Surah At-Tawbah, 9:47)
Dear believers, when falsehood is promoted from the pulpits of authority or through the media, it is incumbent upon us to refute it with truth and evidence. We must neither remain silent nor accept fabrications. We pray to Allah to grant our country peace and stability, to inspire our leaders, scholars, and all Muslims with the ability to support the oppressed, combat falsehood and lies, and ward off tribulations from the Ummah.
I say these words of mine and seek forgiveness from Allah for myself and for you. Seek His forgiveness, for indeed, He is the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
Supplication: O Allah, we ask You for abundance in provision, blessings in our lives, wealth, and children. Grant us gratitude for Your blessings, excellence in worship, and success in attaining Your Paradise, O Most Merciful of the merciful. O Allah, strengthen Islam and the Muslims. O Allah, support the oppressed in Gaza and the West Bank. O Allah, have mercy on their martyrs, heal their wounded, and free their captives. O Allah, protect Qatar and all Muslim lands from the plots of the enemies. O Allah, turn the schemes of the Zionists against themselves, tighten Your grip upon them, and send upon them Your punishment which none can repel from the wicked people. Indeed, You are the One who answers supplications and are capable of all things. And may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and all his companions.