IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MOST GRACIOUS, THE MOST MERCIFUL
THE THIRD SERMON FOR THE MONTH OF RABI’ AL-AWWAL, DATED 17/3/1446 AH (20/9/2024 CE)
TOPIC: ISLAM: FAITH, KNOWLEDGE, AND ACTION
THE FIRST SERMON
All praise is due to Allah, who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth, that He may make it prevail over all religions, and sufficient is Allah as a witness. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, alone, without any partner, and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him abundantly.
To proceed:
O faithful brothers, the best acquisition for the soul, the most valuable possession of the heart, and what elevates a servant in both this world and the Hereafter is knowledge, faith, and action. All of these are integral parts of Islam, each complementing the other. No knowledge is beneficial without faith, and no faith is valid without knowledge. The benefit of knowledge lies in acting upon it, and action without knowledge is more likely to lead to corruption. Similarly, faith is perfected through action; in fact, action is a core component of faith. Therefore, the topic of today’s sermon is Islam: Faith, Knowledge, and Action.
Servants of Allah, He has linked faith and knowledge in several places in His book:
Allah, the Most High, says: (وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ وَالإيمَانَ لَقَدْ لَبِثْتُمْ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ إلَى يَوْمِ الْبَعْثِ فَهَذَا يَوْمُ الْبَعْثِ وَلَكِنَّكُمْ كُنتُمْ لا تَعْلَمُونَ)
“And those who were given knowledge and faith will say, ‘You have stayed in Allah’s decree until the Day of Resurrection, but you did not know.’” [Surah Ar-Rum: 56].
The jurist Imam Qadi, may Allah have mercy on him, said: “Mentioning knowledge includes faith, and Allah does not attribute knowledge to one who does not know all that necessitates faith. Then, faith is mentioned afterward to emphasize its importance and honor it. Hence, Allah has highlighted the position of faith and specified it for distinction” [Al-Muharrar Al-Wajeez].
Ibn Ashur, may Allah have mercy on him, said: “Those who were given knowledge are the believers, and the mention of ‘those who believe’ in the place of ‘those given knowledge’ is intended to praise them by describing them with the attribute of faith” [At-Tahrir wa At-Tanwir].
Among the verses that connect faith and knowledge is His saying: (يَرْفَعِ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنكُمْ وَالَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ دَرَجَاتٍ وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ)
“Allah will raise those among you who have believed and those who were given knowledge by degrees. And Allah is acquainted with what you do.” [Surah Al-Mujadila: 11].
Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “Allah will raise those who were given knowledge from the believers over those who were not given knowledge in ranks” [Ad-Durr Al-Manthur].
Ar-Razi, may Allah have mercy on him, said: “Know that Allah, the Exalted, has mentioned degrees for four categories:
First, for the believers from the people of Badr, He said: (إنَّمَا الْـمُؤْمِنُونَ الَّذِينَ إذَا ذُكِرَ اللَّهُ وَجِلَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ) ‘The believers are only those whose hearts tremble when Allah is mentioned…’ until His saying: ‘For them are ranks with their Lord’ [Surah Al-Anfal: 2-4].
Second, for the Mujahideen, He said: (وَفَضَّلَ اللَّهُ الْـمُجَاهِدِينَ عَلَى الْقَاعِدِينَ) ‘And Allah has preferred the Mujahideen over those who remain [behind] by degrees’ [Surah An-Nisa: 95].
Third, for the righteous, He said: (وَمَن يَأْتِهِ مُؤْمِناً قَدْ عَمِلَ الصَّالِـحَاتِ فَأُوْلَئِكَ لَهُمُ الدَّرَجَاتُ الْعُلَى) ‘And whoever comes to Him as a believer having done righteous deeds, for those will be the highest degrees’ [Surah Ta-Ha: 75].
Fourth, for the scholars, He said: (وَالَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ دَرَجَاتٍ) ‘And those who were given knowledge by degrees’ [Surah Al-Mujadila: 11].”
And Allah has favored the people of Badr over other believers by degrees, and He has favored the Mujahideen over those who remain behind by degrees, and He has favored the righteous over them by degrees, and then He has favored the scholars over all categories by degrees. Therefore, scholars must be considered the best among people.” [Tafsir Ar-Razi].
Sayyid Qutb said: “The verse teaches us that faith, which leads to openness of heart and obedience, and knowledge, which refines the heart, resulting in its expansion and submission, both lead to elevated ranks with Allah.” [In the Shade of the Quran].
Raising ranks and status is proportional to how the hearts engage with knowledge and faith:
Shaykh al-Islam, may Allah have mercy on him, said about Allah’s statement: (يَرْفَعِ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنكُمْ وَالَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ دَرَجَاتٍ) “Allah will raise those among you who have believed and those who were given knowledge by degrees” [Surah Al-Mujadila: 11], “Allah, the Almighty, specified the raising of ranks and status for those who have been granted knowledge and faith; they are the ones Allah referred to in His words: (شَهِدَ اللَّهُ أَنَّهُ لا إلَهَ إلاَّ هُوَ وَالْـمَلائِكَةُ وَأُوْلُوا الْعِلْمِ قَائِماً بِالْقِسْطِ) ‘Allah bears witness that there is no deity except Him, and [so do] the angels and those of knowledge, standing in justice’ [Surah Al-Imran: 18].
He also informed that they are the ones who see that what was revealed to the Messenger is the truth, as He says: (وَيَرَى الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ الَّذِي أُنزِلَ إلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ هُوَ الْـحَقَّ) ‘And those who have been given knowledge see that what has been revealed to you from your Lord is the truth’ [Surah Saba: 6].
This indicates that learning the proof and adhering to it raises the ranks of those who do so, as Allah says: (نَرْفَعُ دَرَجَاتٍ مَّن نَّشَاءُ) ‘We raise by degrees whom We will’ [Surah Al-An’am: 83].
Zaid bin Aslam said: ‘[This raising is] by knowledge.’ So, the raising of ranks and status is proportional to how the hearts engage with knowledge and faith.” [Majmu’ al-Fatawa 16/49].
Ibn Al-Qayyim, speaking about the virtue of those with knowledge and faith, said: “These are the essence and core of existence, qualified for the highest ranks.” [Al-Fawaid, 107].
The high ranks are for the people of knowledge and faith in both this world and the Hereafter. A nation where the people of knowledge and faith are elevated is a nation qualified to lead humanity to a good life, where human dignity is upheld, and every scholar is recognized for their value and rank. Conversely, a nation that does not give scholars their due recognition and status in all fields is a nation destined for subordination, not leadership; for humiliation, not honor; and for hardship and constrained living, not a good life.
O Muslims, in Islam, faith and knowledge are not merely intellectual comprehension or heart-felt belief without practical effect on life… No! They are belief, action, and sincerity.
The Quran mentions faith coupled with action in more than seventy of its verses. It does not settle for mere action but calls for the performance of “righteous deeds,” a comprehensive term from the Quran that encompasses everything that improves both worldly and religious life, benefiting individuals and society, as well as spiritual and material well-being.
The believer is motivated to act by an internal drive, a self-inspired impulse, a force that emerges from within rather than an external whip compelling them from outside. This internal motivation is faith in Allah, in the message of the heavens, and in the believer’s mission to cultivate the earth and lead the universe.
The believer is certain that happiness in the Hereafter and success in this world depend on action. Paradise in the Hereafter is not a reward for the idle, the lazy, or the indifferent, but for those who are diligent, hardworking, and excel in their efforts:
(وَتِلْكَ الْجَنَّةُ الَّتِي أُورِثْتُمُوهَا بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ) “This is Paradise, which you have been made to inherit because of what you used to do” (Surah Az-Zukhruf: 72),
(فَلا تَعْلَمُ نَفْسٌ مَّا أُخْفِيَ لَهُم مِّن قُرَّةِ أَعْيُنٍ جَزَاء بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ) “No soul knows what delights of the eyes are kept hidden from them as a reward for what they used to do” (Surah As-Sajda: 17).
Islam has destroyed the false hopes and empty wishes that led some people to believe that Paradise was reserved for them alone, or that they would inherit it from their forefathers merely by belonging to a certain religion or bearing a special title.
Islam has nullified these grand claims and returned the matter entirely to sincere faith and righteous deeds:
(وَقَالُواْ لَن يَدْخُلَ الْجَنَّةَ إِلاَّ مَن كَانَ هُودًا أَوْ نَصَارَى تِلْكَ أَمَانِيُّهُمْ قُلْ هَاتُواْ بُرْهَانَكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ * بَلَى مَنْ أَسْلَمَ وَجْهَهُ لِلَّهِ وَهُوَ مُحْسِنٌ فَلَهُ أَجْرُهُ عِندَ رَبِّهِ وَلاَ خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ) “And they say, ‘None will enter Paradise except one who is a Jew or a Christian.’ Those are their (false) hopes. Say, ‘Produce your proof, if you should be truthful.’ Yes, [on the contrary], whoever submits his face in Islam to Allah while being a doer of good will have his reward with his Lord. And no fear will there be concerning them, nor will they grieve.” (Surah Al-Baqarah: 111-112)
Thus, the path to Paradise is drawn: submission to Allah and good deeds.
This was not Islam’s stance only toward Jews and Christians. Islam took the same stance against those among the Muslims themselves who followed their desires, indulging in false hopes and believing that merely uttering the word “Islam” or carrying the names of Muslims would suffice to open the gates of Paradise for them, allowing them to enter in peace and security. But the Quran clearly explained that Allah’s law regarding reward is universal for all His servants. There is no favoritism, and no distinction between one group and another.
It is narrated by the Quranic commentators that a gathering included groups of Jews, Christians, and Muslims, and each group claimed that they were the most deserving of entering Paradise. The Jews said, “We are the followers of Moses, whom Allah chose with His messages and words.” The Christians said, “We are the followers of Jesus, the Spirit of Allah and His word.”
The Muslims said, “We are the followers of Muhammad, the Seal of the Prophets, and the best nation brought forth for mankind.”
The Quran did not leave them, neither the Jews nor the Christians nor the Muslims, to their claims and disputes. Its verses were revealed, deciding and judging with justice and clarity, addressing the Muslims with transparency:
(لَّيْسَ بِأَمَانِيِّكُمْ وَلا أَمَانِيِّ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ مَن يَعْمَلْ سُوءًا يُجْزَ بِهِ وَلاَ يَجِدْ لَهُ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَلِيًّا وَلاَ نَصِيرًا * وَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِنَ الصَّالِحَاتَ مِن ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنثَى وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَأُولَئِكَ يَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ وَلاَ يُظْلَمُونَ نَقِيرًا) “Paradise is not [obtained by] your wishful thinking, nor by the wishful thinking of the People of the Scripture. Whoever does a wrong will be recompensed for it, and he will not find besides Allah a protector or a helper. And whoever does righteous deeds, whether male or female, while being a believer, those will enter Paradise and will not be wronged [even by as much as] the speck on a date seed.” (Surah An-Nisa: 123-124).
May Allah benefit me and you with the great Quran, and with the guidance of the Master of the Messengers. I say this, and I seek forgiveness from Allah for me and you and all the Muslims for every sin, so seek His forgiveness. Indeed, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.
THE SECOND SERMON
I praise Allah, the Most High, for His blessings, and I thank Him for His favors. I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah, alone, with no partner, and I bear witness that our master Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. O Allah, send blessings upon Your servant and Messenger Muhammad, and upon his family and companions, and grant abundant peace.
To proceed:
Fear Allah, O servants of Allah, and realize your faith in your Lord. Know that any belief that finds its way into the heart of its holder—whether true or false—will inevitably impact them, influence them, and drive them to act for its cause…
Allah Almighty said: (الذين كفروا وصدوا عن سبيل الله أضل أعمالهم) “Those who disbelieve and hinder [others] from the path of Allah – He will waste their deeds.” (Surah Muhammad: 1)
And He said: (إن الذين كفروا ويصدون عن سبيل الله والمسجد الحرام) “Indeed, those who disbelieve and avert [people] from the way of Allah and [from] al-Masjid al-Haram…” (Surah Al-Hajj: 17)
And He said: (إن الذين كفروا ينفقون أموالهم ليصدوا عن سبيل الله، فسينفقونها ثم تكون عليهم حسرة ثم يغلبون) “Indeed, those who disbelieve spend their wealth to avert [people] from the way of Allah. So they will spend it; then it will be for them a [source of] regret; then they will be overcome.” (Surah Al-Anfal: 36)
Their disbelief drives them to act and work to obstruct the path of Allah, His house, and His religion. They even spend their wealth for this cause. Likewise, those who believe in Allah should work to support their belief:
(فمن كان يرجو لقاء ربه فليعمل) “So whoever hopes for the meeting with his Lord – let him do righteous work…” (Surah Al-Kahf: 110)
(يأيها الذين آمنوا إن تنصروا الله ينصركم ويثبت أقدامكم) “O you who have believed, if you support Allah, He will support you and plant firmly your feet.” (Surah Muhammad: 7)
O servants of Allah, Allah Almighty has made it the responsibility of the Muslims to lead all of humanity from darkness to light through the message of the revealed book. As He said: (كتاب أنزلناه إليك لتخرج الناس من الظلمات إلى النور بإذن ربهم إلى صراط العزيز الحميد) “(This is) a Book We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], that you might bring mankind out of darknesses into the light by permission of their Lord – to the path of the Exalted in Might, the Praiseworthy.” (Surah Ibrahim: 1)
So how can we guide them from the darkness of disbelief to the light of guidance while we sit idle without action?
Allah also revealed the Quran to establish justice on earth and to eradicate oppression:
(لقد أرسلنا رسلنا بالبينات وأنزلنا معهم الكتاب والميزان ليقوم الناس بالقسط) “We have already sent Our messengers with clear evidences and sent down with them the Scripture and the balance that the people may maintain [their affairs] in justice.” (Surah Al-Hadid: 25)
Establishing justice requires preventing oppression and restraining the oppressor from his wrongdoing. This necessitates commanding, forbidding, struggling, and possibly even fighting. Allah has made the rectification of the earth dependent on the ongoing struggle between the people of truth and the people of falsehood:
(ولولا دفع الله الناس بعضهم ببعض لفسدت الأرض) “And if it were not for Allah checking [some] people by means of others, the earth would have been corrupted.” (Surah Al-Baqarah: 251)
If this struggle were to cease, the earth would become corrupted, and monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques – where the name of Allah is mentioned – would be demolished. This struggle cannot happen if the people of truth remain seated and fail to rise to defend the truth and repel falsehood and its people.
Thus, what the resistance fighters in Palestine, Iraq, Yemen, Lebanon, and elsewhere are doing to strike against the Zionist enemy is a duty of faith and knowledge. There is no good in those who abandon them, sitting idle and discouraging others. We ask Allah Almighty to grant them a mighty victory and an evident conquest. Indeed, He is capable of that.
Supplication:
O Allah, grant us safety in our homelands, appoint the best of us to lead us, and support our leaders with truth. Grant security and stability in our lands. O Allah, we ask You for all good, immediate and delayed, that which we know and that which we do not know, and we seek refuge in You from all evil, immediate and delayed, that which we know and that which we do not know. O Allah, honor Islam and the Muslims, and rectify the affairs of the Muslims everywhere. O Allah, grant us security in our homes and protect us from trials and evils, and set right our leaders. Answer our supplications, for You are the All-Hearing of prayers. May Allah’s peace and blessings be upon the Prophet and upon his family and companions.