IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MOST GRACIOUS, THE MOST MERCIFUL
THE SECOND SERMON OF THE MONTH OF JUMĀDĀ AL-ĀKHIRAH DATED: 14/6/1447 AH (5 DECEMBER 2025 CE)
THE RULING ON THOSE WHO DENY RESURRECTION, AND ACCOUNTABILITY
THE FIRST SERMON
All praise is due to Allah, the One deserving of all praise. He rewards the truthful for their truthfulness out of His mercy and bounty, and He recompenses the liars—punishing them if He wills—out of His wisdom and justice. He gathers mankind for a Day about which there is no doubt; surely, He does not fail in His promise. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone, without partner—a testimony through which we hope for salvation on the Day of Calling. And I bear witness that our Prophet Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. May Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, his family, his companions, and all those who follow them in righteousness—in word, deed, and belief.
To proceed:
O people, fear Allah the Exalted. Allah says:
{وَٱتَّقُواْ يَوْمًا تُرْجَعُونَ فِيهِ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ ثُمَّ تُوَفَّىٰ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ مَّا كَسَبَتْ وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ} (البقرة: 281)
“And fear a Day when you will be returned to Allah. Then every soul will be compensated for what it earned, and they will not be wronged.” (Surah al-Baqarah: 281)
And work for a Day when no soul will avail another in anything. Allah says:
{يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ ٱتَّقُواْ رَبَّكُمْ وَٱخْشَوْاْ يَوْمًا لَّا يَجْزِي وَالِدٌ عَن وَلَدِهِۦ وَلَا مَوْلُودٌ هُوَ جَازٍ عَن وَالِدِهِۦ شَيْـًٔاۚ إِنَّ وَعْدَ ٱللَّهِ حَقٌّ فَلَا تَغُرَّنَّكُمُ ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَلَا يَغُرَّنَّكُم بِٱللَّهِ ٱلْغَرُورُ} (لقمان: 33)
“O mankind, fear your Lord and fear a Day when no father will avail his son, nor will a son avail his father in the least. Indeed, the promise of Allah is true, so let not the worldly life delude you, nor let the Deceiver delude you about Allah.” (Surah Luqmān: 33)
Dear believers: Those who deny resurrection and revival are the disbelievers. They believe that whoever dies is gone forever—no return, no resurrection, and no gathering. Their Satan has made this belief appealing to them. But Allah refuted their falsehood when He said:
{زَعَمَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ أَنْ لَّنْ يُبْعَثُواْۚ قُلْ بَلَىٰ وَرَبِّي لَتُبْعَثُنَّ ثُمَّ لَتُنَبَّؤُنَّ بِمَا عَمِلْتُمْۚ وَذَٰلِكَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ يَسِيرٌ} (التغابن: 7)
“Those who disbelieve claim that they will never be resurrected. Say, ‘Yes, by my Lord, you will surely be resurrected; then you will surely be informed of what you used to do. And that is easy for Allah.’” (Surah al-Taghābun: 7)
And He said:
{وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لَا تَأْتِينَا ٱلسَّاعَةُۖ قُلْ بَلَىٰ وَرَبِّي لَتَأْتِيَنَّكُمْۚ عَالِمِ ٱلْغَيْبِۖ لَا يَعْزُبُ عَنْهُ مِثْقَالُ ذَرَّةٍ فِي ٱلسَّمَاوَاتِ وَلَا فِي ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَآ أَصْغَرُ مِن ذَٰلِكَ وَلَآ أَكْبَرُ إِلَّا فِي كِتَٰبٍ مُّبِينٍ} (سبأ: 3)
“And those who disbelieve say, ‘The Hour will not come to us.’ Say, ‘Yes, by my Lord, it will surely come to you—[Allah is] the Knower of the unseen; not absent from Him is an atom’s weight in the heavens or within the earth, nor anything smaller than that or greater, but that it is in a clear register.’” (Surah Saba’: 3)
And He said:
{وَأَقْسَمُواْ بِٱللَّهِ جَهْدَ أَيْمَانِهِمْ لَا يَبْعَثُ ٱللَّهُ مَن يَمُوتُۚ بَلَىٰ وَعْدًا عَلَيْهِ حَقًّا وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ * لِيُبَيِّنَ لَهُمُ ٱلَّذِي يَخْتَلِفُونَ فِيهِ وَلِيَعْلَمَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ أَنَّهُمْ كَانُواْ كَاذِبِينَ} (النحل: 38–39)
“And they swear by Allah their strongest oaths that Allah will not resurrect one who dies. But yes—[it is] a true promise binding upon Him; but most of the people do not know. [It is] so that He may make clear to them that wherein they differ, and so that those who disbelieved may know that they were liars.” (Surah al-Naḥl: 38–39)
And He said:
{وَقَالُواْ أَءِذَا كُنَّا عِظَامًا وَرُفَاتًا أَءِنَّا لَمَبْعُوثُونَ خَلْقًا جَدِيدًا * قُلْ كُونُواْ حِجَارَةً أَوْ حَدِيدًا * أَوْ خَلْقًا مِّمَّا يَكْبُرُ فِي صُدُورِكُمْۚ فَسَيَقُولُونَ مَن يُعِيدُنَاۖ قُلِ ٱلَّذِي فَطَرَكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ فَسَيُنْغِضُونَ إِلَيْكَ رُءُوسَهُمْ وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَىٰ هُوَۖ قُلْ عَسَىٰٓ أَن يَكُونَ قَرِيبًا * يَوْمَ يَدْعُوكُمْ فَتَسْتَجِيبُونَ بِحَمْدِهِۦ وَتَظُنُّونَ إِن لَّبِثْتُمْ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا} (الإسراء: 49–52)
“And they say, ‘When we have become bones and dust, will we indeed be recreated as a new creation?’ Say, ‘Be you stones or iron, or any creation of that which you consider impossible in your hearts.’ They will say, ‘Who will restore us?’ Say, ‘He who created you the first time.’ Then they will shake their heads at you and say, ‘When will that be?’ Say, ‘Perhaps it is soon— on the Day He calls you and you will respond with His praise, and you will think that you remained [in the world] only for a little while.’” (Surah al-Isrā’: 49–52)
And He said:
{وَيَقُولُ ٱلْإِنسَانُ أَءِذَا مَا مِتُّ لَسَوْفَ أُخْرَجُ حَيًّا * أَوَلَا يَذْكُرُ ٱلْإِنسَانُ أَنَّا خَلَقْنَٰهُ مِن قَبْلُ وَلَمْ يَكُ شَيْـًٔا * فَوَرَبِّكَ لَنَحْشُرَنَّهُمْ وَٱلشَّيَٰطِينَ ثُمَّ لَنُحْضِرَنَّهُمْ حَوْلَ جَهَنَّمَ جِثِيًّا} (مريم: 66–68)
“And man says, ‘When I have died, will I be brought forth alive?’ Does man not remember that We created him before, while he was nothing? So by your Lord, We will surely gather them and the devils; then We will bring them to be present around Hell on their knees.” (Surah Maryam: 66–68)
O Muslims: Belief in resurrection and recompense is among the greatest foundations of faith. For Allah, by His power, will gather what has been dispersed from the bodies of the dead after they have decomposed, then restore them as they once were, then return the souls to them, then cause the earth to split open from above them, then drive them to the place of gathering so that judgment may be passed between them in truth, and so that the righteous may be rewarded for their righteousness, and the wrongdoers for their deeds—or forgiven if He wills.
Indeed, Allah the Exalted has established proofs and evidences for the truth of resurrection and its certainty, and He has refuted its deniers from multiple angles:
Sometimes by explicit statement, such as His Saying:
{وَالْمَوْتَىٰ يَبْعَثُهُمُ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ يُرْجَعُونَ} (الأنعام: 36)
“And the dead—Allah will resurrect them; then to Him they will be returned.” (Surah Al-An‘am, 6:36)
And at times by reminding man of his first creation, such as His Saying:
{فَلْيَنظُرِ الْإِنسَانُ مِمَّ خُلِقَ * خُلِقَ مِن مَّاءٍ دَافِقٍ * يَخْرُجُ مِنۢ بَيْنِ الصُّلْبِ وَالتَّرَائِبِ * إِنَّهُۥ عَلَىٰ رَجْعِهِۦ لَقَادِرٌ} (الطارق: 5-8)
“So let man observe from what he was created. He was created from a fluid, ejected,
Emerging from between the backbone and the ribs. Indeed, Allah is Able to return him [to life].” (Surah At-Tariq, 86:5–8)
And at times by using the revival of the earth as evidence for reviving the dead, such as His Saying:
{فَٱنظُرْ إِلَىٰٓ آثَارِ رَحْمَتِ ٱللَّهِ كَيْفَ يُحْيِ ٱلْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَآ ۚ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ لَمُحْيِ ٱلْمَوْتَىٰ ۖ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ} (الروم: 50)
“So observe the effects of the mercy of Allah—how He gives life to the earth after its death. Indeed, that same One will surely bring the dead to life, and He is over all things competent.” (Surah Ar-Rum, 30:50)
And at times by pointing to and inviting reflection upon the creation of the heavens and the earth, such as His Saying:
{أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ وَلَمْ يَعْيَ بِخَلْقِهِنَّ بِقَـٰدِرٍ عَلَىٰٓ أَن يُحْـِۧىَ ٱلْمَوْتَىٰ ۚ بَلَىٰٓ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ} (الأحقاف: 33)
“Do they not see that Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth and did not tire in their creation, is Able to give life to the dead? Yes indeed—He is over all things competent.” (Surah Al-Ahqaf, 46:33)
And at times by declaring Allah’s transcendence above frivolity—for if there were no resurrection, then commands, prohibitions, and recompense would be meaningless. Allah says:
{أَفَحَسِبْتُمْ أَنَّمَا خَلَقْنَاكُمْ عَبَثًا وَأَنَّكُمْ إِلَيْنَا لَا تُرْجَعُونَ * فَتَعَالَى اللَّهُ ٱلْمَلِكُ ٱلْحَقُّۖ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ رَبُّ ٱلْعَرْشِ ٱلْكَرِيمِ} (المؤمنون: 115–116)
“Did you think that We created you aimlessly and that you would not be returned to Us?
So exalted is Allah, the True King; there is no god besides Him, Lord of the Noble Throne.” (Surah Al-Mu’minun, 23:115–116)
The Sunnah also affirms resurrection. Jābir ibn ‘Abdillah reported that he heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) say:
“Every servant will be resurrected upon what he died upon.” (Muslim)
Sufyān al-Thawrī said: “The believer will be raised upon his faith, and the disbeliever upon his disbelief.”
In the Sacred Hadith, Ibn ‘Abbās narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
“Allah says: The son of Adam denies Me, yet he has no right to do so; and he insults Me, though he has no right to do so. His denial of Me is his claim that I cannot recreate him as he was; and his insult to Me is his saying: ‘Allah has taken a son,’ though I am the One, the Self-Sufficient, Who neither begets nor is begotten, and none is comparable to Me.” (Al-Bukhari; also in Musnad al-Shāmiyyīn)
O Muslims: Wisdom itself necessitates resurrection after death, so that every soul may be recompensed for what it earned. Without it, the creation of humankind would be meaningless and purposeless, and there would be no distinction between humans and animals in this life. Allah says:
{إِنَّ ٱلسَّاعَةَ ءَاتِيَةٌ أَكَادُ أُخْفِيهَا لِتُجْزَىٰ كُلُّ نَفْسٍۭ بِمَا تَسْعَىٰ} (طه: 15)
“Indeed, the Hour is coming—I nearly conceal it—so that every soul may be recompensed for what it strives for.” (Surah Ta-Ha, 20:15)
May Allah bless me and you with the Noble Qur’an. I say what you hear, and I seek forgiveness from Allah for myself and for you, so seek His forgiveness—for He is the Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.
THE SECOND SERMON
We praise Allah, the Exalted, for His generosity and His success, and we thank Him for His countless blessings. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and I bear witness that our Prophet Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. O Allah, send Your blessings and peace upon him, his family, and his companions in abundance.
To proceed: Fear Allah, O servants of Allah, at all times, and remember the statement of the Truth in His Noble Book:
{إِنَّمَا يَتَقَبَّلُ اللَّهُ مِنَ الْمُتَّقِينَ}
“Indeed, Allah accepts only from the righteous.” (Surah al-Mā’idah 5:27)
O servants of Allah, among the greatest blessings of Allah upon His creation is that they live secure in their lives, protected in their honor, without fear of oppression, injustice, or betrayal. Our Prophet ﷺ indicated that whoever attains security in his dwelling, good health in his body, and possesses his day’s provision, then the world has been gathered entirely for him and nothing has escaped him. He ﷺ said:
“Whoever among you wakes up secure in his dwelling, healthy in his body, possessing his food for the day, it is as though the whole world has been gathered for him.” (Reported by al-Tirmidhī from Salamah ibn ‘Ubaydullah)
To preserve security in the society, Islam declared war against everything that threatens this security. It prohibited hirābah (armed robbery, banditry), which is one of the most harmful crimes against individuals and communities and which threatens people’s lives and safety. Thus, Islamic law prescribed the severest punishments for those who wage war against society. The Prophet ﷺ disassociated himself from them, and the Muslims have agreed upon the evil of their actions and the obligation of applying the prescribed punishment on them.
Allah the Exalted says:
{إِنَّمَا جَزَاءُ ٱلَّذِينَ يُحَارِبُونَ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ وَيَسۡعَوۡنَ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ فَسَادًا أَن يُقَتَّلُواْ أَوۡ يُصَلَّبُواْ أَوۡ تُقَطَّعَ أَيۡدِيهِمۡ وَأَرۡجُلُهُم مِّنۡ خِلَافٍ أَوۡ يُنفَوۡاْ مِنَ ٱلۡأَرۡضِۚ ذَٰلِكَ لَهُمۡ خِزۡيٞ فِي ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَلَهُمۡ فِي ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ * إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ تَابُواْ مِن قَبۡلِ أَن تَقۡدِرُواْ عَلَيۡهِمۡۖ فَٱعۡلَمُوٓاْ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ}
“The recompense of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and strive upon earth to cause corruption is none but that they be killed or crucified or that their hands and feet be cut off from opposite sides or that they be exiled from the land. That is their disgrace in this world, and for them in the Hereafter is a great punishment. Except for those who repent before you apprehend them; and know that Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.” (Surah al-Mā’idah 5:33–34)
Dear servants of Allah, Allah Most High says:
{كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَائِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ}
“Every soul shall taste death.” (Al-‘Imran: 185)
And the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Allah does not seize knowledge by stripping it away from the people, rather He takes knowledge by taking the scholars (in death).” (Agreed upon)
O believers, we are today struck by a great calamity with the passing of one of the senior scholars of this country, the eminent scholar and educator Shaykh Tahir ‘Uthmān Bauchi. He passed away at dawn on Thursday, 27 November 2025, corresponding to 7 Jumada al-Akhirah 1447 AH, at nearly one hundred years of age, in the city of Bauchi in northern Nigeria.
The Shaykh—may Allah have mercy on him—was a firmly grounded scholar, a sincere educator, and a faithful advisor. He was known for his purity of heart, gentleness, and sincere devotion to Allah. People testified to his good character, high resolve, patience in calling to Allah, and his love for goodness for all people.
Among the most notable contributions of the Shaykh—may Allah have mercy on him—were:
- His great service to the Noble Qur’an: He produced thousands of memorizers (ḥuffāẓ) in Nigeria and beyond, and he established Qur’anic schools renowned for quality, discipline, and sound training.
- His efforts in promoting social harmony: He was among those who worked to unite people, reconcile hearts, and settle disputes.
- His active participation in religious enlightenment: Through sermons, lessons, and lectures covering Qur’anic exegesis, Hadith, jurisprudence, and spiritual refinement, he contributed immensely to raising religious awareness.
- His propagation of the methodology of moderation in religion: He called people away from extremism and urged adherence to the Qur’an and the Sunnah with firm understanding and clarity of insight.
- His service to the Nigerian society: Especially in matters of education, humanitarian relief, and raising children upon Islamic values.
The Shaykh—may Allah have mercy on him—lived for nearly a century, all of it spent in service to the religion. His life was a blessing, and his death is a calamity and a loss for the Ummah. We ask Allah to honor his resting place, elevate his ranks, and place all that he offered on the scale of his good deeds.
O servants of Allah, indeed the death of scholars is among the greatest of calamities, and the passing of the educator, Shaykh Ṭāhir ‘Uthmān Bauchi—may Allah have mercy on him—reminds us of the need to preserve knowledge, uphold the legacy left behind by righteous scholars, follow their path in sincerity, patience, spreading goodness, serving society, and raising our children to respect them, pray for them, and walk upon their footsteps.
O Allah, forgive Shaykh Ṭāhir ‘Uthmān Bauchi, envelop him in Your vast mercy, reward him abundantly for what he did for Islam and the Muslims, grant the Ummah someone better in his place, do not test us after him, and do not deprive us of his reward.
Supplication:
O Allah, forgive our sins, our mistakes, and our transgressions against ourselves. You know our sins better than we do, and none forgives sins except You. O Allah, grant us a good ending, make us among the people of Paradise, and save us from the Fire, by Your mercy, O Most Merciful of the merciful.
O Allah, strengthen Islam and the Muslims, and humiliate disbelief and the disbelievers. O Allah, we seek Your protection against their harm, and we seek refuge in You from their evil. O Allah, unite the hearts of the Muslims upon the truth.
O Allah, grant the people of Palestine victory, honor, strength, dominance, and instill fear into the hearts of their enemies and ours. O Allah, heal their wounded, free their captives, and relieve them from siege. O Allah, remove their hardship and lift their suffering. O Allah, support their defenders with Your power and Your armies, O Lord of the Worlds.
O Allah, grant victory to the Muslims in Sudan and in every land. O Allah, grant us safety in our countries, rectify our leaders, and guide them to what You love and are pleased with. O Allah, forgive our deceased and the deceased among the Muslims. O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the Worlds.