IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MOST GRACIOUS, THE MOST MERCIFUL
THE THIRD KHUTBAH FOR THE MONTH OF RABI’ AL-THANI ON 8/4/1446 AH (11/10/2024 CE)
TOPIC: PALESTINE: A YEAR OF RESILIENCE AND CLEAR PATIENCE
THE FIRST SERMON
All praise is due to Allah; we praise Him, seek His help, and ask for His forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from the evils of our own selves and the consequences of our actions. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, alone with no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger.
I advise you, as I advise myself, on taqwa (consciousness) of Allah Almighty and to strive to obey Him.
(يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ)
“O you who have believed, fear Allah as He should be feared and do not die except as Muslims.” [Qur’an 3:102].
(يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَقُولُوا قَوْلًا سَدِيدًا (70) يُصْلِحْ لَكُمْ أَعْمَالَكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ ۗ وَمَن يُطِعِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَقَدْ فَازَ فَوْزًا عَظِيمًا)
“O you who have believed, fear Allah and speak words of appropriate justice (70) He will [then] amend for you your deeds and forgive you your sins. And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has certainly attained a great attainment.” [Qur’an 33:70-71].
Indeed, Allah Almighty says: (يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اصْبِرُوا وَصَابِرُوا وَرَابِطُوا وَاتَّقُوا اللهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ) “O you who have believed, persevere and endure and remain stationed and fear Allah that you may succeed” [Qur’an 3:200].
A full year has passed, and Gaza remains steadfast and patient. Its people, as we have always known them, continue to endure with patience and faith despite the hardships showered upon them day and night, both the young and the old. Despite these overwhelming hardships and human tragedies, they remain firm.
This patience and perseverance are a visible lesson, an open book, and an inspiring model for all humanity. It reminds us of this noble trait, whose immense virtue has been highlighted in multiple places in the Qur’an, and emphasized by our Prophet (peace be upon him) in various situations.
Among the virtues of patience is that Allah Almighty has granted a special companionship and love to those who are patient. Allah says in Surat al-Baqarah: (إنّ اللهَ مَعَ الصَّابِرينَ) Indeed, Allah is with the patient. [Qur’an 2:153]. And in Surat Al ‘Imran: (وَاللّهُ يُحِبُّ الصّابِرِينَ) “And Allah loves the patient” [Qur’an 3:146].
What a great status it is, for a person to be in the company of Allah, the Exalted, and to be granted His love.
Allah has also given glad tidings to the patient, as He says: (وَبَشّرِ الصّابِرينَ * الّذِينَ إذا أصَابَتَهُم مُصِيَبَةٌ قَالُوا إنّا للهِ وَإنّا إلَيهِ راجِعُونَ * أُولئِكَ عَلَيهِم صَلَواتٌ مِن رّبِهِم وَرَحمَةٌ وَأولئِكَ هُمُ المُهتَدُونَ) “And give good tidings to the patient, (155) Who, when disaster strikes them, say, “Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return.” (156) Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy. And it is those who are the [rightly] guided” [Qur’an 2:155-157].
For those who endure with patience and seek Allah’s reward, there is a great success awaiting them. Allah says: (وَمَا يُلَقَّاهَا إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ صَبَرُوا وَمَا يُلَقَّاهَا إِلاَّ ذُو حَظٍّ عَظِيمٍ) ”But none is granted it except those who are patient, and none is granted it except one having a great portion [of good]” [Qur’an 41:35]. And He says: (إنَّمَا يُوَفَى الصَابِرُونَ أجْرَهُم بِغَيرٍ حِسابٍ) “Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without account” [Qur’an 39:10].
Patience has various types and forms:
– There is patience in performing acts of obedience and avoiding sins.
– There is patience in controlling anger or suppressing rage.
– There is patience in facing calamities and hardships.
– There is patience in enduring trials and tribulations.
– There is patience in seeking knowledge, working, and earning a living.
And the people of Gaza have been distinguished by their patience in the face of the most severe trials, tribulations, calamities, and hardships. They have endured the loss of family members, children, and loved ones, the destruction of homes, the severing of livelihoods, thirst, hunger, cold, and sickness, and the constant fear that haunts them every moment. They do not have even the slightest chance for physical rest or to close their eyes, as the roofs may collapse on their heads at any time, and the flames of bombardment may consume their bodies without warning.
Reflect, O servants of Allah, on the conditions of these patient and steadfast people. Some of them spend days and nights under the rubble without a sip of water or a morsel of food, with no way to rescue them. Their tongues and hearts continue to remember Allah until their souls, longing for the glad tidings from Allah, depart their exhausted bodies, seeking the great reward from their Creator.
When their remains are pulled from under the rubble, you find their families around them, patient with what has befallen them, seeking their reward with Allah Almighty. We regard the people of Gaza as among those who are patient in adversity, suffering, and during times of battle. These are the ones of whom Allah said: (أُولَئِكَ الّذَينَ صَدَقُوا وَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ المُتَقُونَ)) “They are the ones who have been true, and it is they who are the righteous” [Qur’an 2:177].
They are truthful because they remained patient through the hardships that befell them, the horrors poured upon them, and the harm that pursued them. They endured all of this and sought their reward with Allah Almighty. This is success in the test of tribulation, as Allah says: (وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُمْ حَتَّى نَعْلَمَ الْمُجَاهِدِينَ مِنْكُمْ وَالصَّابِرِين) ”And We will surely test you until We make evident those who strive among you [for the cause of Allah] and the patient” [Qur’an 47:31].
Part of the reward for the patient is mentioned in the Book of Allah in Surat al-Ra’d: (وَالملائكةُ يَدخُلُونَ عَلَيِهِم مِن كُلِ بَابٍ * سَلاَمٌ عَلَيكُم بِمَا صَبَرتُم فَنِعمَ عُقبَى الدّارِ) “The angels will enter upon them from every gate, [saying], “Peace be upon you for what you patiently endured. And excellent is the final home” [Qur’an 13:23-24].
One of the types of patience is the patience of the prophets, as Allah praised His Prophet Ayyub (Job), peace be upon him, saying: (إنّا وَجَدنَاهُ صَابِراً نِعمَ العَبدُ إنَهُ أوابٌ) “Indeed, We found him patient, an excellent servant. Indeed, he was one who repeatedly turned back [to Allah] [Qur’an 38:44].
If we contemplate the Book of Allah, we will find that patience is often mentioned alongside other great matters. Patience is paired with prayer, it is linked with taqwa (piety), it accompanies gratitude to Allah, it is associated with mercy, and it is mentioned alongside truthfulness. All of this emphasizes the high status of patience and that this trait is a practical embodiment of righteousness and uprightness.
When we witness this great patience from the people of Gaza, it inspires us and others to emulate them. We understand that their patience could not have been possible without deep faith and firm conviction. Their endurance of all the calamities and harm they face for the sake of Allah would not have been possible without the opening of their hearts and minds to the reality that this world is fleeting, not eternal, and that the Hereafter is better and everlasting.
THE SECOND KHUTBAH
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all worlds, and may peace and blessings be upon the truthful and trustworthy one. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, alone with no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger.
Servants of Allah,
O nation of brotherhood and mutual support, O nation of truth and cooperation, we have seen and witnessed the extent of those who have abandoned their responsibilities. And we have seen the soldiers of truth in Palestine. We have witnessed their patience, endurance, and sacrifices. Therefore, we must recognize our duty towards them. Our duty is to support them in their perseverance and steadfastness. We must strive to ease their burdens by providing them with whatever we can. We must raise our voices in support of truth and justice and in opposition to oppression and aggression. They must know they are not alone and that they have a nation standing by their side and free consciences rallying around their cause so that they do not feel the bitter sting of abandonment. Standing by Palestine and its people, supporting the wounded Gaza and its inhabitants, is one of the greatest duties in these times, after a full year of genocide, ethnic cleansing, and horrific atrocities.
O people of Gaza, O people of Palestine, do not lose heart, nor grieve, for you are superior in your faith.
O patient people of Gaza, your glad tidings today come from Allah Almighty. Did He not say in His Noble Book: (وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُم بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الْخَوْفِ وَالْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْأَنفُسِ وَالثَّمَرَاتِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِينَ) “And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient? [Qur’an 2:155]
O people of Gaza, if you are afflicted with injury, know that your enemies have also been afflicted with a similar wound. These are the days We alternate among the people, so that Allah may make evident those who have believed and that He may take martyrs from among you.
O people of Gaza, we ask Allah Almighty to accept your noble sacrifices, to strengthen your hearts, and to grant you the reward of this world and the best reward of the Hereafter.
O Allah, send peace and tranquility upon Gaza.
O Allah, send peace and tranquility upon the people of Gaza.
O Allah, send peace and tranquility upon the West Bank.
O Allah, send peace and tranquility upon Jerusalem.
O Allah, send peace and tranquility upon Palestine.
O Allah, thwart the plots of the aggressors and strengthen the hearts of the afflicted.
O Allah, have mercy on their martyrs, heal their wounded, and mend their broken hearts.
O Allah, we ask You to grant us a united prayer in the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, after the anguish has been lifted from Jerusalem and the calamity has passed from Palestine. Do not think that Allah is unaware of what the oppressors do.
O Allah, grant them the victory You have promised to Your oppressed servants everywhere.
O Allah, grant them the victory You promised to our oppressed brothers in Palestine and the people of Gaza.
O Allah, extend to them Your unceasing help.
O Allah, they are oppressed, so grant them victory and give them a mighty, glorious triumph.
(رَبَّنَا آَتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآَخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ) “Our Lord, give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter and protect us from the torment of the Fire” [Qur’an 2:201].
So, remember Allah the Almighty, and He will remember you.
Give thanks to Him for His blessings, and He will increase you.
Indeed, the remembrance of Allah is the greatest, and Allah knows what you do.