IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MOST GRACIOUS, THE MOST MERCIFUL.
THE FIFTH SERMON FOR THE MONTH OF DHU AL-HIJJAH DATED 29/12/1445 AH – 5/7/2024 CE.
TOPIC: LESSONS AND EXHORTATIONS FROM THE PROPHET’S MIGRATION.
THE FIRST SERMON:
All praises are due to Allah, the Controller of the months and years, the Disposer of the nights and days, who made the noble migration of the Prophet from Makkah to Madinah a new beginning for the establishment of the Islamic state, and an opening of goodness, victory, and blessings for Islam and Muslims. We praise Him, Glorified and Exalted be He, and thank Him. We seek His help and guidance, believe in Him and rely on Him. And we seek refuge with Him from the evils of our souls and the misdeeds of our actions. Whoever Allah guides is rightly guided, and whoever He leads astray, none can guide. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, alone without any partner; and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger, the best who prayed, fasted, performed Hajj, migrated, and struggled in the path of his Lord, Mighty and Majestic. O Allah, bless him, his family, companions, and all who follow his way and adhere to his path until the Day of Judgment.
As to what follows,
O servants of Allah, I advise you and myself to fear Allah, Glorified and Exalted, in the secret and public, according to His saying: (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).
Brothers in faith, this is the last sermon of the Hijri year 1445 AH, and the topic of our sermon today revolves around: Lessons and Exhortations from the Prophet’s Migration.
Definition of Migration: Linguistically and Legally:
The meaning of Migration, linguistically: it is moving from one land to another and the movement of individuals from one place to another seeking livelihood. (Al-Waseet Dictionary).
The meaning of Migration, legally: it is the leaving of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and his noble companions, may Allah be pleased with them all, from Makkah to Madinah due to the severe harm inflicted upon them by the polytheists, and in compliance with the command of Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He.
Benefits, Lessons, and Exhortations:
Brothers in faith, the Prophet’s migration to Madinah provides us with a set of benefits, lessons, and exhortation, including:
1. The struggle between the truth and falsehood is ancient and ongoing:
It is a divine, inevitable law, as He, Glorified and Exalted, said: (الَّذِينَ أُخْرِجُوا مِنْ دِيَارِهِمْ بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ إِلاَّ أَنْ يَقُولُوا رَبُّنَا اللَّهُ وَلَوْلاَ دَفْعُ اللَّهِ النَّاسَ بَعْضَهُمْ بِبَعْضٍ لَهُدِّمَتْ صَوَامِعُ وَبِيَعٌ وَصَلَوَاتٌ وَمَسَاجِدُ يُذْكَرُ فِيهَا اسْمُ اللَّهِ كَثِيرًا وَلَيَنْصُرَنَّ اللَّهُ مَنْ يَنْصُرُهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَقَوِيٌّ عَزِيزٌ) “Those who have been evicted from their homes without right – only because they say, ‘Our Lord is Allah.’ And were it not that Allah checks the people, some by means of others, there would have been demolished monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques in which the name of Allah is much mentioned. And Allah will surely support those who support Him. Indeed, Allah is Powerful and Exalted in Might” (Al-Hajj: 40). However, the outcome of this struggle is known: (كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لأَغْلِبَنَّ أَنَا وَرُسُلِي إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَوِيٌّ عَزِيزٌ) “Allah has decreed, ‘I will surely overcome, I and My messengers.’ Indeed, Allah is Powerful and Exalted in Might” (Al-Mujadila: 21).
2. The Plotting of the Opponents Against the Preacher is Ongoing and Repeated:
Whether through imprisonment, killing, or exile, the preacher must turn to his Lord, trust in Him, rely on Him, and know that evil plotting only harms its perpetrators, as the Almighty said: (وَإِذْ يَمْكُرُ بِكَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لِيُثْبِتُوكَ أَوْ يَقْتُلُوكَ أَوْ يُخْرِجُوكَ وَيَمْكُرُونَ وَيَمْكُرُ اللَّهُ وَاللَّهُ خَيْرُ الْمَاكِرِينَ) “And [remember] when those who disbelieved plotted against you to restrain you or kill you or evict you. But they plan, and Allah plans. And Allah is the best of planners” (Al-Anfal: 30).
3. Precision in Planning and Taking Measures:
Anyone who reflects on the event of the migration and observes the precision in planning and taking measures from the beginning to the end will realize that the precise planning guided by revelation in the life of the Prophet, peace be upon him, was ongoing. Planning is part of the Prophetic tradition and a part of the divine mandate in everything required of a Muslim. Those who lean towards spontaneity, under the pretext that planning and managing affairs are not from the Sunnah, are mistaken and harm themselves and the Muslims.
4. Taking Measures is a Necessity:
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, prepared all the means and took all the necessary steps, but at the same time, he was with Allah, calling upon Him and seeking His support to crown his efforts with success. Thus, his supplication was answered, and the people left after standing at the entrance of the cave, and Suraqah’s horse sank into the ground, and the effort was crowned with success.
5. Belief in Perceivable (Physical) Miracles:
During the migration, physical miracles occurred, which are tangible signs of Allah’s protection and care for His Messenger, peace be upon him. These include the spider web at the entrance of the cave, the events with Umm Ma’bad, and the encounter with Suraqah. Preachers should not deny these extraordinary events but mention them as long as they are authenticated by the Prophetic tradition, while also reminding people that these extraordinary events are among the signs of his Prophethood and his message, peace be upon him.
6. Permissibility of Seeking Help from a Trusted Non-Believer:
It is permissible for preachers to seek help from those who do not believe in their message as long as they trust them and feel secured with them. We have seen that the Prophet, peace be upon him, and Abu Bakr hired a polytheist to guide them on the migration route, handed over their camels to him, and appointed a meeting place at the Cave of Thawr. These were significant matters they entrusted him with, undoubtedly because the Prophet, peace be upon him, and Abu Bakr trusted and felt secured with him.
7. The Role of Muslim Women in the Migration:
When the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, first met the early Ansar, he only encouraged them towards Islam and recited the Quran to them. When they returned the following year, he made a pledge with them on worship, morals, and virtues. Many notable names shone in the migration, including Aisha bint Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, who preserved the story, comprehended it, and conveyed it to the Ummah; Umm Salama, the patient migrant; and Asma bint Abi Bakr, who contributed by providing the Prophet, peace be upon him, and his companion in the cave with water and food.
8. The Preacher Refrains from Taking People’s Money:
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, did not accept to ride the camel until he paid its price to Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him. Similarly, when the Prophet, peace be upon him, pardoned Suraqah, Suraqah offered him assistance, but the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: “I have no need of it.”
9. Exemplary Soldiering and the Tears of Joy:
The effect of the Prophet’s upbringing is evident in the soldiering of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq and Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with them. When Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, wanted to migrate to Madinah, the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, told him: “Do not hasten; perhaps Allah will give you a companion.” Abu Bakr then started preparing and planning for the migration by purchasing two camels and waiting for the permission to migrate. The example of Ali ibn Abi Talib as a loyal and sincere soldier for the cause of Islam is also notable; he risked his life for his leader, understanding that the leader’s safety ensures the safety of the mission, while his demise would mean its failure and weakness.
10. The Clear Principle of Gradual Progression:
We observe that when the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, first met the early Ansar, he only encouraged them towards Islam and recited the Quran to them. When they returned the following year, he pledged them on worship, morals, and virtues. By the next year, the pledge of Aqaba was on jihad, victory, and support.
11. Migration as a Great Sacrifice for the Sake of Allah:
The migration of the Prophet, peace be upon him, and his companions from the sacred city was a significant sacrifice, as expressed by the Prophet, peace be upon him, when he said: “By Allah! You are the best land of Allah and the most beloved land to Allah, and if I had not been expelled from you, I would not have left” (Ahmad 4/305, Tirmidhi 3925, Ibn Majah 3108).
I say this, and I seek forgiveness from Allah the Almighty for myself and for you. Seek His forgiveness and turn to Him in repentance, for He is the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
THE SECOND SERMON
All praise are due to Allah, the Generous, the Opener, the One of generosity and grace, who grants abundant rewards to those who relates with Him. Glory be to Him, the Creator of dawn and the Creator of souls.
I praise Him for the renewed blessings that come with each morning and evening, and I thank Him for averting and removing harm. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, alone without any partner, a testimony that brings relief and peace to the heart. And I bear witness that our master Muhammad is His servant and Messenger, who was sent with guidance and righteousness. O Allah, bless and grant peace to Your servant and Messenger Muhammad, and his family and companions, so long as star shines and appears.
Indeed, the pious and God-fearing Muslim constantly holds himself accountable for the punishment of Allah, repenting sincerely to Him. Through this self-accountability, one escapes from Allah’s punishment and anger, and attains His mercy and forgiveness. Through sincere repentance, one earns Allah’s love and His paradise, wiping away the stains of sins and transgressions. One should hold oneself accountable daily, weekly, monthly, and annually, especially at the beginning of each Islamic year.
O servants, hasten towards self-accountability and repentance! Through them, cleanse the filth of your sins and erase the marks of your heedlessness.
Self-Accountability:
Allah, in His wisdom, created humans imperfectly. They are constantly challenged by forces of good and evil, pulled between the impulses of piety and the temptations of desires. They remember Allah’s oversight over them at times, yet heedlessness can overwhelm them again. They approach Allah at times and turn away at others, their hearts wavering between the armies of Allah and the armies of Satan.
Out of His mercy for these weak beings, Allah has opened the door of repentance for them, guided them towards the path of self-accountability, and clarified the importance of holding oneself accountable before standing before Allah, where they will be judged for their deeds, movements, and stillness.
A true Muslim gives their soul its due by refining it through worship. They approach their worship with a tranquil soul, praying with a calm spirit, clarity of thought, and a mindful intellect as they recite and supplicate in their prayers. Then, they seclude themselves to praise their Lord, recite verses from His Book, and contemplate the meanings that flow from their tongues.
Allah says: (إِنَّ الَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا إِذَا مَسَّهُمْ طَائِفٌ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ تَذَكَّرُوا فَإِذَا هُمْ مُبْصِرُونَ) “Indeed, those who fear when they are touched by temptation from Satan, remember [Him] and at once they have insight” (Surah Al-A’raf, 7:201).
Therefore, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) used to say to his companions: “Renew your faith.” They asked, “O Messenger of Allah, how do we renew our faith?” He replied, “Increase in saying: There is no god but Allah.”
Dear servants of Allah, the Islamic nation has suffered a great loss this week with the passing of two distinguished scholars from Nigeria. They are Sheikh Dr. Abdul Rashid Abdul Jabbar Salman Al-Buwaib, the jurist, expert of science of inheritance, known for his extensive scholarly sessions in Iwo, and Sheikh Abdul Wahab Bayo Ahmad, who taught many students at the Ma’hdul Arabiy An-Naijeeriy in Ibadan for many consecutive years, and who was among the remaining students of the institute’s late founder. This is undoubtedly a great calamity, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Allah does not take away knowledge by removing it from the hearts of people, but He takes it away by the death of the religious learned ones, till when none of the (religious learned men) remains, people will take as their leaders ignorant persons who when consulted will give their verdict without knowledge. So they will go astray and will lead the people astray” (Narrated by Muslim). We offer our condolences to their families, ourselves, and the entire Muslim community on their loss. May Allah have mercy on them, grant them paradise, and give their families patience and solace. Indeed, to Allah we belong and to Him we shall return.
Finally, it is essential to mention our brothers, the mujahideen, the steadfast, and the oppressed in Gaza in our weekly sermons. They remain under the protection and care of Allah at all times. The aggression against the Palestinian people continues, and the Islamic resistance movements, led by Hamas, continue to resist. There is a new statement from Hamas stating: “We have exchanged ideas with mediators with the aim of stopping the aggression against our Palestinian people.” This statement outlines steps towards ending the aggression against our noble brothers as soon as possible, by the permission of Allah, the Most High.
Supplication: O Living, O Sustaining One, O Possessor of Majesty and Honor! You who have constrained Your servants and prevented Your mosques from being prayed in while Your name is remembered in them. Fill their hearts with fear and their souls with dread. Narrow the earth upon them as it was expanded. Narrow their souls upon themselves and grant them humiliation and disgrace in this world. Hasten their failure and loss for them. Make them an example for those who have insight. Extend Your mercy upon the noble and chaste who are unjustly imprisoned, hasten their relief, improve their situation, expand their sustenance, increase their faith, magnify their certainty, cut off every hand that reaches out to harm them, and return them safely and victorious. May blessings and peace be upon our master Muhammad, his family, his companions, and all who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment.