IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE BENEFICENT, THE MERCIFUL
BEING THE FIRST KHUTBAH FOR THE MONTH OF RABI’U AL-AKHIR, DATED: 2ND/RABI’U AL-AKHIR /1444AH (28 /OCT/2022CE)
IMPORTANT RECOMMENDATIONS ON PARTICIPATING IN THE 2023 GENERAL ELECTIONS IN NIGERIA
Praise be to Allah, Who says:
:﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَخُونُوا اللَّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ وَتَخُونُوا أَمَانَاتِكُمْ وَأَنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ﴾{الأنفال:8 \27}
“O you who have believed, do not betray Allah and the Messenger or betray your trusts while you know [the consequence].” we praise and thank Him-the Exalted, we believe in Him and rely on Him. We seek refuge in Him from the evils of ourselves and deeds. He whom Allah guides is guided, and whom He leads astray, none can guide him. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone, and I equally testify that our Prophet, Muhammad (SAW) is His servant and Messenger, he said: “When honesty is lost, then wait for the Hour.” It was asked, “How will honesty be lost, O Allah’s Apostle?” He said, “When authority is given to those who do not deserve it, then wait for the Hour.” (Bukhari). May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him (SAW), his noble household, faithful companions, the succeeding generation and whoever follows them in righteousness till the end of time.
Oh worshipers of Allah, I admonish you and myself to fear Allah, in the open and the secret. Allah says
﴿وَمَنْ يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مَخْرَجًا (2) وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ ﴾ {الطَّلاق 2-3}
And whoever fears Allah – He will make for him a way out ( 3 ) And will provide for him from where he does not expect. And whoever relies upon Allah – then He is sufficient for him.” (65: 2-3 )
Brothers in Islam, this is the first khutbah for the month of Rabi’u Al-Aakhir, and today we are discussing the issue of the moment in our country. In the past weeks, we have talked about AN ISLAMIC VIEW OF PARTICIPATION IN CONTEMPORARY ELECTIONS. In maintaining the order of arrangement and in continuation of this subject, we shall be discussing today – Allah’s willing – about: IMPORTANT RECOMMENDATIONS ON PARTICIPATING IN THE 2023 GENERAL ELECTIONS IN NIGERIA.
PARTICIPATION NOT BOYCOT.
Dear Muslims, the Muslims are witnesses upon mankind, that is, they are leaders. They should not dissociate from their society, rather it is obligatory on them to play the role of directing and reformation in the society. Allah the Exalted says: (وكذلك جعلناكم أمة وسطا لتكونوا شهداء علي الناس ويكون الرسول عليكم شهيدا) “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.” (2:143)
In addition, they are the best nation established for mankind, their comparative betterment is their attribute of enjoining good and forbidding evil. Allah says: (كنتم خير أمة أخرجت للناس تأمرون بالمعروف وتنهون عن المنكر وتؤمنون بالله ولو آمن أهل الكتاب لكان خيرا لهم منهم المؤمنون وأكثرهم الفاسقون) “Ye are the best of peoples, evolved for mankind, enjoining what is right, forbidding what is wrong, and believing in Allah. If only the People of the Book had faith, it were best for them: among them are some who have faith, but most of them are perverted transgressors.” (3:110)
Verily, participation in elections, and by its imperative, participation in the governance and politics of the nation is an element of enjoining good and forbidding wrong.
Uthman, the khalifah (R.A.) said: “Verily Allah accomplishes through the leader what He would not achieve through the Qur’an.”
Repelling the evil is implemented through strong hand, iron, fire, imprisonment, and that would only be achievable by the establishment of government, therefore, elections becomes an indispensable matter through which the obligatory matter could not be achieved except through it.
SIGNIFICANCE OF PARTICIPATION
The prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Narrated An-Nu’man bin Bashir: The Prophet said, “The example of the person abiding by Allah’s order and restrictions in comparison to those who violate them is like the example of those persons who drew lots for their seats in a boat. Some of them got seats in the upper part, and the others in the lower. When the latter needed water, they had to go up to bring water (and that troubled the others), so they said, ‘Let us make a hole in our share of the ship (and get water) saving those who are above us from troubling them. So, if the people in the upper part left the others do what they had suggested, all the people of the ship would be destroyed, but if they prevented them, both parties would be safe.”
Participation could lead to safety. A passenger aircraft flying from Lagos to Port Harcourt. The flight which should not take more than an hour. The pilot announced after about two hours that he had not been able to land the plane for more than an hour. Then one of the passengers sent his card to the pilot, and when he saw it, he allowed him to enter the cockpit and within five minutes he was able to safely land the aircraft.
Enjoining good and forbidding evil is one of the greatest religious duties:
It has been established from the statement of scholars that through enjoining good and forbidding evil the duties are established, the thoughts are protected, the properties are purified permissible, the injustices are prevented, the land is built, and the oppressed gets justice from the oppressor. People would continue to be in fortune so long as they enjoin good and forbid evil, cooperate on goodness and piety, but when they fail to do these, they are severed of divine blessings, a part of them oppress another, and there would be no helper for them on earth or in the heaven
Allah says: (ولتكن منكم أمة يدعون إلي الخير ويأمرون بالمعروف وينهون عن المنكر و أولئك هم المفلحون) “Let there arise out of you a band of people inviting to all that is good, enjoining what is right, and forbidding what is wrong: They are the ones to attain felicity” (3:104)
It is established from the hadeeth of Abu Hurairah: “How would you be when your wives become corrupt and and your youth turn to transgression, and you do not enjoin good and do not forbid evil? It was said to him: Will that happen o messenger of Allah? He said: Yes. He said: How would you be when you do not enjoin good and do not forbid evil? It was said to him: Will that happen o messenger of Allah? He said: Yes. He then said: “How would you be if you order evil and forbid goodness? It was said: “Will that happen o messenger of Allah? He said: Yes. And the worst of that is that how would you be when you would regard good as bad and the evil as good?”
Enjoining good and forbidding evil have levels:
Dear brothers in faith, Abu Sa’eed Al-khudri (R.A) narrated that: I heard the Messenger of Allah (saw) say, “Whoso- ever of you sees an evil, let him change it with his hand; and if he is not able to do so, then [let him change it] with his tongue; and if he is not able to do so, then with his heart — and that is the weakest of faith.” (Muslim)
The first level of enjoining good and forbidding evil is the repelling of evil with the hand in the state of ability, this in practical terms will occur by pouring out vessels of intoxicants, destroying instrument of ganes and entertainment, and preventing any intender of evil agaist people from implementing the evil, including enforcing solat, zakat, and other obligations. No one can do these except the leader, thus the process of installing him is one of the obligations.
The gravity of boycotting elections:
Distinguished Muslims, to boycott election is a form of silence on evil and corruption, which could be regarded as support to evil, and the punishment engulfs the oppressors and the silent., It causes the descending of the wrath of Allah. Allah says: (لعن الذين كفروا من بني إسرائيل علي لسان داود وعيسي ابن مريم ذلك بما عصو وكانوا يعتدون* كانوا لا يتناهون عن منكر فعلوه لبئس ما كانوا يفعلون”)
” Curses were pronounced on those among the Children of Israel who rejected Faith, by the tongue of David and of Jesus the son of Mary: because they disobeyed and persisted in excesses. Nor did they (usually) forbid one another the iniquities which they committed: evil indeed were the deeds which they did. “(Surat Al-Maida 78- 79)
Neglecting the enjoinment of good and forbidding of evil in all its levels is signal to the divine punishment. Allah says: (واتقوا فتنة لا تصيبن الذين ظلموا منكم خاصة واعلموا أن الله شديد العقاب) “And fear tumult or oppression, which affecteth not in particular (only) those of you who do wrong: and know that Allah is strict in punishment.” (8:25)
The prophet (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “O people, Allah the Exalted says to you:” Enjoin good and forbid evil, before (a time when ) you will call me, and I will not answer you, and you will ask Me and I will not grant your request, and you will seek support for your victory but I will not assist you.”
He also said: “No man shall be within a people perpetrating evil within them, where they are able to change him but fail to do so. Except that Allah afflicts them with torment before they die.” (Al-Albani 286/2)
SECOND KHUTBAH
All Praises belong to Allah, praises as much as His creation, and Praises be to Allah to the extent of what He created. I bear witness that there is no god worthy of worship except Allah alone. He has no partner. And I bear witness that our Master and Prophet Muhammad is Allah’s servant and Messenger. May the prayers and peace and blessings of Allah be upon our Master and Prophet Muhammad and upon all his family and companions, and upon those who follow them in goodness till the Day of Judgment.
ISLAMIC UNITY IS AN INEVITABLE NECESSITY
O muslims! Allah Ta’alah says: (وَاعْتَصِمُواْ بِحَبْلِ اللّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلاَ تَفَرَّقُواْ وَاذْكُرُواْ نِعْمَةَ اللّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ كُنتُمْ أَعْدَاء فَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِكُمْ فَأَصْبَحْتُم بِنِعْمَتِهِ إِخْوَانًا وَكُنتُمْ عَلَىَ شَفَا حُفْرَةٍ مِّنَ النَّارِ فَأَنقَذَكُم مِّنْهَا كَذَلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللّهُ لَكُمْ آيَاتِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ) “And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allah, and be not divided among yourselves, and remember Allah’s Favour on you, for you were enemies one to another but He joined your hearts together, so that, by His Grace, you became brethren (in Islamic Faith), and you were on the brink of a pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus, Allah makes His Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.,) clear to you, that you may be guided.” (Aal-Imraan: 103).
This noble verse includes a divine command to all muslims, that they should hold fast to His rope, and unite around His call, just as they must adhere to the Book of their Lord and the Sunnah of their Prophet (May the Blessings and Peace of Allah be upon him) and to be of a singular row in a coherent unity that brings them together, because unity is a means of strength, victory and honour for them.
And the noble verse reminds them of the Favour of Allah upon them: that He guided them to Islaam, which brought them together and united their words, so they became loving brothers after they had been warring enemies in the pre-Islamic era, striking at each other’s necks, fighting.
Therefore, it is incumbent upon you – O muslims – to come together in obedience to Allah, and to act in unison in a coherent unity on the same word. And if you deviate – may Allah not let – from this straight path, the only things you’ll reap are weakness, humiliation, debasement and loss.
O Muslims! Our religion of Islam shows us the importance of unity and the convergence of our voice, such that it becomes one of the fundamentals of the religion, a divine command contained in the Noble Qur’an, and emphasized by the prophet in countless authentic, explicit hadiths, and in practical application in the lives of the companions and the tabi’een, which were, by Allah’s Favour, like one single body, and a compact building with one part supporting and strengthening the other!
We find however, the reality of muslims today, unfortunately, the opposite of that, where there is disagreement and hatred, and as the poet said:
I searched for religions in the whole earth # I found the land of Allah in the West and in the East
I did not see the like of Islaam’s claim to bonding # Nor the like of its adherents in division
The affair of muslims is amazing! Their God is one, their Messenger is one, their Qur’an is one, their Sunnah is one, the language of their Qur’an and their Sunnah is one, yet they are of fragmented countries, divided peoples, warring sects, conflicting groups, and different thought-schools, despite the fact that Islaam calls them to unity in a clear straightforward manner that does not require any interpretation or explanation or any extra effort to understand.
Servants of Allah! Part of the requirements of eemaan, unity and brotherhood is being concerned with the affairs of others and the country. It is worth mentioning in this regard, the calamity of the floods across the country. Since June 2022 until now, heavy rains and strong winds have affected our country Nigeria severely. The floods affected 33 of its 36 states. The most affected states are Anambra, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta and Rivers in southern Nigeria, and Kogi, Jigawa and Kebbi states in the north, and Bayelsa State is the most affected, with around 700,000 people displaced or affected, and farmers incurring countless losses. The crisis has displaced more than 1.4 million people, affected more than 2.5 million, and killed 603 people. Laa-haula Wa-laa-quwata illa-bi-LLah! And we ask Allah Ta’alah for forgiveness, good wellbeing and success, and to remove distress from the distressed and the afflicted, and to protect the country and the citizens from such calamities. Servants of Allah! This is nothing but the harvest of our deeds and what we have earned with our hands. Allah Ta’alah says: (وَما أَصابَكُمْ مِنْ مُصِيبَةٍ فَبِما كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِيكُمْ، وَيَعْفُوا عَنْ كَثِيرٍ) “And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned. And He pardons a lot.” (Ash-Shuura: 30). We must engage in repentance from all sins and disobedience, otherwise, its consequence is painful and severe. We enjoin patience and perseverance, because indeed, with hardship comes ease. We also call on the responsible authorities to discharge their duties as necessary in ameliorating the difficulties of affected people.
Ad-Dua:
اللهم أمنا في أوطاننا وول علينا خيارنا وأيد بالحق أولياء أمورنا, وحقق الأمن والاستقرار في بلادنا, اللهم إنّا نسألك من الخير كله عاجله وآجله ما علمنا منه وما لم نعلم ونعوذ بك من الشر كله عاجله وآجله ما علمنا منه وما لم نعلم, اللهم أعز الإسلام والْمسلمين وأصلح أحوال الْمسلمين فى كل مكان, وادفع عنا الفتن والشرور وأصلح لنا ولاة الأمور, واستجب دعاءنا إنك أنت سَميع الدعاء