IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MOST GRACIOUS, THE MOST MERCIFUL
THE FIRST KHUTBAH OF RAMADAN DATE: 7/9/1446 AH – 7/3/2025 CE
TOPIC: THE OBLIGATION OF OBEYING ALLAH’S COMMANDS IN ALL MATTERS
THE FIRST SERMON
All praise is due to Allah, the Supreme and Most Exalted, to Him belongs might, glory, and majesty. I praise Him, glorified be He, and I thank Him for His continuous generosity. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone, with no partner, and I bear witness that our master Muhammad is His servant and Messenger, who attained the highest degree of perfection through his noble character. O Allah, send Your peace and blessings upon Your servant and Messenger Muhammad, the best of all creation, the purest of the first and the last, and upon his family, his companions, and all those who follow them in righteousness.
O servants of Allah! Fear Allah and obey Him. Fulfill His commands and avoid His prohibitions. Know that every Muslim has rights and duties that Islam has obligated, encouraged, and made essential pillars of the faith, upon which great rewards and immense virtues are granted. Allah Almighty says:
“Indeed, Allah commands justice, good conduct, and giving to relatives and forbids immorality, bad conduct, and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will be reminded.”
(Surah An-Nahl 16:90)
Brothers in Faith! The matter of obeying the commands of Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) is among the most significant aspects of a Muslim’s life. When we speak of obedience, it means swift compliance with the divine command. (Arabic Language Dictionary, Vol. 2, p. 2066).
O noble servants of Allah! Whoever fills his life with the consciousness of his Lord will live in happiness and die with honor. So, fear Allah in your words and deeds, in your actions and behavior, in all that you do and leave behind, so that you may be successful. May Allah make me, you, our families, and our descendants among His righteous servants, those who have no fear nor shall they grieve.
Allah, the Almighty, commands justice concerning His own rights and what He has obligated upon His servants, and justice in the rights of people among themselves. Justice means fulfilling duties properly without negligence or excess. One of the greatest aspects of justice concerning Allah’s rights is the fulfillment of the testimony that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah—in knowledge, action, belief, love, reverence, and exaltation—both outwardly and inwardly. It also includes fulfilling its obligations, which are performing the prescribed acts of worship with sincerity and a truthful intention. Likewise, fulfilling the testimony that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah requires loving him, obeying him (peace and blessings be upon him), sincerely following him, adhering to his commands, and avoiding his prohibitions—whether they align with one’s desires or not. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
“None of you truly believes until his desires follow what I have brought.”
Furthermore, Allah, the Almighty, has commanded kindness (Ihsan)—which includes compassion, benevolence, and maintaining ties with those under your care, as well as assisting those in need, whether with your status, knowledge, wealth, or whatever means of goodness you can offer. It also includes being gentle in all matters, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
“Indeed, Allah has prescribed excellence (Ihsan) in all things.”
Allah has also informed us of His love for those who practice kindness:
“And do good; indeed, Allah loves the doers of good.”
(Surah Al-Baqarah 2:195)
And Allah, the Exalted, has commanded the giving of due rights to relatives, meaning to maintain ties with them, visit them, and assist them with what they need from you. Allah has emphasized the rights of kinship in multiple verses of His Book, as He says:
“And fear Allah, through whom you ask one another, and [maintain] the ties of kinship.”
“وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ الَّذِي تَسَاءَلُونَ بِهِ وَالْأَرْحَامَ” (Surah An-Nisa 4:1)
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) also said:
“Whoever wishes for his provision to be increased and his lifespan to be extended, let him maintain ties of kinship.”
The phrase “his lifespan to be extended” means that his life and time on earth will be prolonged. Among the closest relatives deserving of kindness and righteousness are the parents, followed by the next of kin, in order of closeness.
Allah, the Almighty, has forbidden immorality (Fahsha’), which includes all acts of obscenity and indecency that the Shari’ah has prohibited and warned against. He has also forbidden evil (Munkar)—all that is rejected by the Shari’ah and condemned. Among the greatest of these evils are associating partners with Allah (Shirk), unlawful killing, fornication and adultery (Zina), disobedience to parents, and other major sins that Allah and His Messenger have prohibited.
Allah has also forbidden oppression and transgression (Baghy)—which refers to unjustly elevating oneself over others through tyranny, arrogance, belittling others, harboring hatred, and envy. The consequences of oppression are disastrous, as it leads to punishment in this world and the Hereafter, and its harm ultimately falls upon the oppressor himself. Allah says:
“Your transgression is only against yourselves.”
“إِنَّمَا بَغْيُكُمْ عَلَى أَنْفُسِكُمْ” (Surah Yunus 10:23)
O noble servants of Allah, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) warned against arrogance and injustice, saying:
“Indeed, Allah has revealed to me that you should humble yourselves so that no one oppresses another, and no one boasts over another.”
O Muslims! These are divine commands and prohibitions, which every Muslim must adhere to. They are Quranic admonitions that should be remembered at all times and should be acted upon to the best of one’s ability. These teachings of our noble religion are essential for a Muslim to embody in order to perfect his Islam, complete his faith, and be among the true servants of Allah, whom He has promised forgiveness and a great reward.
Among the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) guidance in this matter is the well-known hadith of Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), who reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
“A Muslim is the one from whose tongue and hand the Muslims are safe, and a Muhajir (true emigrant) is the one who abandons what Allah has forbidden.” (Agreed upon)
In another narration by At-Tirmidhi and An-Nasa’i, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
“A believer is the one whom people trust with their lives and wealth.”
And according to Al-Bayhaqi, he said:
“A true Mujahid is the one who strives against his own self in obedience to Allah.”
When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about Islam, he replied:
“It is that your heart submits to Allah, and that Muslims are safe from your tongue and your hand.”
O noble servants of Allah! In this noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), you have a perfect example of obedience to Allah for those who hope in Allah and the Last Day.
One of the key aspects of his obedience was delivering the message of Islam. Allah, the Almighty, says:
“O Messenger, convey what has been revealed to you from your Lord. And if you do not, then you have not conveyed His message. And Allah will protect you from the people. Indeed, Allah does not guide the disbelieving people.”
“يَا أَيُّهَا الرَّسُولُ بَلِّغْ مَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَبِّكَ وَإِنْ لَمْ تَفْعَلْ فَمَا بَلَّغْتَ رِسَالَتَهُ وَاللَّهُ يَعْصِمُكَ مِنَ النَّاسِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْكَافِرِينَ” (Surah Al-Ma’idah 5:67)
Imam Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) commented on this verse:
“Allah, the Exalted, is addressing His servant and Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) by the title of ‘Messenger’ and commanding him to deliver all that has been revealed to him by Allah. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) fully obeyed this command and carried it out in the most complete manner.” (Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Vol. 3, p. 150)
1. The Prophet’s Farewell Sermon and His Legacy
Muslim narrated from Jabir ibn Abdullah (while describing the Farewell Pilgrimage) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
“I have left among you that which, if you hold fast to it, you will never go astray: the Book of Allah. And you will be asked about me, so what will you say?”
They replied: “We testify that you have conveyed (the message), fulfilled (your mission), and advised (the Ummah).”
Then, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) raised his index finger toward the sky and then pointed toward the people, saying:
“O Allah, bear witness! O Allah, bear witness! O Allah, bear witness!” (Muslim, Hadith 1218)
2. His Mercy Toward the Ummah
Allah, the Almighty, says:
“There has certainly come to you a Messenger from among yourselves. Grievous to him is what you suffer; he is concerned over you and to the believers is kind and merciful.”
“لَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِنْ أَنْفُسِكُمْ عَزِيزٌ عَلَيْهِ مَا عَنِتُّمْ حَرِيصٌ عَلَيْكُمْ بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَءُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ” (Surah At-Tawbah 9:128)
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) fulfilled Allah’s command by showing mercy to his Ummah, as evident in his words and actions.
Al-Bukhari and Muslim narrated from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that she said:
“The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was never given a choice between two matters except that he chose the easier one, so long as it was not sinful. If it was sinful, he was the furthest of people from it.” (Al-Bukhari, Hadith 3560 / Muslim, Hadith 2327)
3. His Patience for the Sake of Allah
Allah commanded our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) to be patient in the face of harm from the disbelievers and hypocrites, saying:
“And be patient over what they say and avoid them with gracious avoidance.”
“وَاصْبِرْ عَلَى مَا يَقُولُونَ وَاهْجُرْهُمْ هَجْرًا جَمِيلًا” (Surah Al-Muzzammil 73:10)
And He also said:
“So be patient, [O Muhammad], as were those of determination among the messengers.”
“فَاصْبِرْ كَمَا صَبَرَ أُولُو الْعَزْمِ مِنَ الرُّسُلِ” (Surah Al-Ahqaf 46:35)
The disbelievers accused the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) of being a sorcerer, a soothsayer, and a madman. The hypocrites even slandered his wife, Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), accusing her of immorality. Yet, he endured all these hardships until Allah revealed her innocence in a Quranic revelation that will be recited until the Day of Judgment.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) suffered hardships that no human could bear, but he remained steadfast in his mission.
4. His Justice Among the People
Allah, the Almighty, says:
“Indeed, Allah commands you to render trusts to whom they are due and when you judge between people to judge with justice. Excellent is that which Allah instructs you. Indeed, Allah is ever Hearing and Seeing.”
“إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَنْ تُؤَدُّوا الْأَمَانَاتِ إِلَى أَهْلِهَا وَإِذَا حَكَمْتُمْ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ أَنْ تَحْكُمُوا بِالْعَدْلِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ نِعِمَّا يَعِظُكُمْ بِهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ سَمِيعًا بَصِيرًا” (Surah An-Nisa 4:58)
Al-Bukhari and Muslim narrated from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Quraysh were deeply concerned about the case of a noble woman from Banu Makhzum who had stolen.
They said: “Who will speak to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) about her?”
They suggested: “No one would dare except Usama ibn Zayd, the beloved of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).”
So Usama spoke to him, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
“Are you interceding regarding one of the legal punishments of Allah?”
Then, he stood up and delivered a sermon, saying:
“Indeed, what destroyed the people before you was that when a noble person among them stole, they let him go, but when a weak person stole, they applied the punishment upon him. By Allah! If Fatimah, the daughter of Muhammad, were to steal, I would cut off her hand.” (Al-Bukhari, Hadith 3475 / Muslim, Hadith 1688)
5. His Call to Islam with Wisdom and Good Preaching
Allah, the Almighty, says:
“Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best.”
“ادْعُ إِلَى سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَالْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ وَجَادِلْهُمْ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ” (Surah An-Nahl 16:125)
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) followed this divine command, debating with the disbelievers and the People of the Book with wisdom and good preaching, until people entered Islam in large numbers.
Ahmad narrated from Anas (may Allah be pleased with him):
A Jewish boy used to serve the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and he fell ill. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) went to visit him while he was dying and invited him to Islam. The boy looked at his father, who was beside him. His father said: “Obey Abu al-Qasim!” So the boy accepted Islam and then passed away.
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) then left, saying:
“Praise be to Allah, who has saved him from the Hellfire through me.” (Authenticated Hadith, Musnad Ahmad, Vol. 21, Hadith 13375)
May Allah grant us all benefit from the Holy Quran and the guidance of the leader of the Messengers.
I say these words of mine, and I seek forgiveness from Allah for myself and for you, and for all the Muslims, from every sin. So seek His forgiveness, for indeed, He is the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
THE SECOND SERMON
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all worlds. May Allah’s blessings and peace be upon our master Muhammad, his family, and all his companions.
Dear Servants of Allah, the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) were the chosen elite among humanity after the prophets and messengers. Allah has praised them in numerous places in His noble Book, and the Prophet (peace be upon him) commended them in many of his noble hadiths. They were distinguished by their complete submission to the commands of Allah and their swift obedience and devotion to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), particularly in matters such as spending in the way of Allah.
Abu Bakr al-Siddiq and Umar ibn al-Khattab
Abu Dawud narrated from Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said:
“The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) commanded us one day to give charity. At that time, I had some wealth, so I thought, ‘Today I will surpass Abu Bakr, if I can ever surpass him.’ I brought half of my wealth and presented it to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). He asked, ‘What have you left for your family?’ I said, ‘The same amount.’ Then Abu Bakr came with everything he had. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) asked him, ‘What have you left for your family?’ He replied, ‘I have left them with Allah and His Messenger.’ I said, ‘I will never be able to surpass you in anything.’” (Authentic Hadith – Sunan Abu Dawud, Hadith 1472)
Uthman ibn Affan
Ahmad narrated from Abdur-Rahman ibn Samurah that Uthman ibn Affan (may Allah be pleased with him) came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) with a thousand gold dinars in his garment when the Prophet (peace be upon him) was preparing the army of hardship (Tabuk). He poured them into the lap of the Prophet (peace be upon him), who kept turning them over with his hand and said repeatedly:
“Nothing will harm Ibn Affan after today.”
(Authentic Hadith – Musnad Ahmad, Vol. 34, p. 232, Hadith 20630)
Abu Talhah al-Ansari
Al-Bukhari and Muslim narrated from Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that Abu Talhah (may Allah be pleased with him) was one of the wealthiest of the Ansar in Madinah. The most beloved of his wealth was a garden called Bayruha, which was in front of the mosque. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) would enter it and drink from its fresh water. When the following verse was revealed:
“لَنْ تَنَالُوا الْبِرَّ حَتَّى تُنْفِقُوا مِمَّا تُحِبُّونَ”
“You will never attain righteousness until you spend from that which you love.” (Surah Aal-e-Imran: 92)
Abu Talhah came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and said:
“O Messenger of Allah, Allah has revealed in His Book:
“لَنْ تَنَالُوا الْبِرَّ حَتَّى تُنْفِقُوا مِمَّا تُحِبُّونَ”
“You will never attain righteousness until you spend from that which you love.” (Surah Aal-e-Imran: 92)
And the most beloved of my wealth to me is Bayruha. I give it in charity for the sake of Allah, hoping for its reward and treasure with Allah. O Messenger of Allah, use it as you see fit.” The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
“Excellent! That is a profitable investment, that is a profitable investment. I have heard what you said, and I suggest you distribute it among your relatives.”
Abu Talhah said, “I will do so, O Messenger of Allah,” and he distributed it among his relatives and cousins. (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
Dear Muslims,
This kind of charity was the way of the prophets, the messengers, the righteous, and the pious, who generously gave from what Allah had bestowed upon them, seeking the rewards and blessings from Allah. Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported:
“The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was never asked for something in Islam except that he gave it. A man once came to him, and he gave him a flock of sheep spread between two mountains. The man returned to his people and said, ‘O people, embrace Islam! For Muhammad gives as if he does not fear poverty at all.’ The Prophet (peace be upon him) was the most generous, and in Ramadan, his generosity would be like a swift wind.”
Supplication (Du’a):
O Allah, grant us from Your fear that which will serve as a barrier between us and disobedience to You. Grant us from Your obedience that which will lead us to Your Paradise. Grant us from certainty that which will make the trials of this world easy for us.
O Allah, bless us with our hearing, sight, and strength for as long as we live. Make them last until our final moments. Make our revenge only against those who wrong us. Help us against those who are our enemies. Make us among those whose supplications are accepted, O Lord of the worlds.
O Allah, make our hearts and actions righteous, both outwardly and inwardly, so that we may be worthy of having our prayers answered.
O Allah, heal our sick, have mercy on our deceased, and deal with our adversaries. Grant us what pleases You and make our final deeds righteous. Ameen.