In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
We are pleased at the Sheikh Hasa Islamic Center
to present to our esteemed listeners
a reading of the book
The Muslim’s Treasure
on the Virtue of Calling to Allah
by its author, John Yar Bamarni.
The misconception of being infallible.
How many people love to offer much for their religion,
yet they think that the caller to Allah, the one who enjoins good, and the one who forbids evil
must be infallible,
acting upon everything they command,
and refraining from everything they forbid.
This is a difficult station
that only the Messengers attain.
Consequently, no one would enjoin good,
no one would forbid evil,
and no one would introduce Islam to non-Muslims after the Messengers.
This is a deception of Satan,
so beware.
It is no excuse that some people offer,
claiming they are falling short;
how can they call others when they are falling short themselves?
This is from the deceptions of Iblis.
For if only the perfect among people were to call others,
no one would have called to the path after the Prophets.
Indeed.
It is unsightly for a caller to have their actions contradict their words.
Allah the Almighty said:
﴾ O you who have believed, why do you say what you do not do? * Great is hatred in the sight of Allah that you say what you do not do. ﴿
“O ye who believe! Why say ye that which ye do not?” (61:2)
[See line 29].
“It is most hateful in the sight of Allah that ye say that which ye do not.” (61:3)
However, the solution is not for the Muslim to withdraw from calling to Allah,
but rather, it is their duty to strive against their own self to adhere to what they say,
to repent from sins,
and to continue on the path of calling to Allah.
For calling to Allah is not the exclusive domain of any one person or segment of society.
The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
"Convey from me, even if it be a single verse."
This command is general for every Muslim man and woman,
and each according to their capacity.
The scholar has duties that others do not have;
callers vary in their knowledge and abilities,
but each does what they can.
This religion is a trust upon the neck of every Muslim, the righteous and the sinful alike.
The sin of Abu Mihjan, may Allah be pleased with him,
was not a barrier to supporting the religion.
Likewise, my dear brother,
do not let your shortcomings prevent you from calling to Allah.
The misconception of "I do not have knowledge."
Some people say:
"I should not call to Allah
because I am not among the people of knowledge who are qualified for that,
and I do not grasp it,
and I lack the method or knowledge for calling to Allah."
Despite that,
I do not want to deprive myself of the ritual of accountability and calling to Allah.
We say there are many things you can do,
such as distributing dawah materials to Muslims and non-Muslims
through various means,
like modern methods via the internet,
social media sites,
participating in printing,
spreading clips of callers and scholars,
financial contribution,
and serving callers and caring for new Muslims.
Everyone can distribute the books and lectures of the people of knowledge.
For example,
if you see someone who has abandoned prayer,
does your encouraging them to perform prayer require much knowledge?
No.
Rather, it is enough for you to know that prayer is one of the pillars of Islam,
and Islam cannot stand without it.
Some of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
as soon as they embraced Islam and learned from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
the essential matters,
he, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, would command them
to call their people,
and to enjoin and forbid them.
Among these is the story of the conversion of Abu Dharr,
may Allah be pleased with him,
when the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said to him:
"Will you convey from me to your people?
Perhaps Allah will benefit them through you and reward you for them."
So I came to Unays, and he said:
"What have you done?"
I said:
"I have done that I have embraced Islam and believed."
He said:
"I have no aversion to your religion;
I have embraced Islam and believed."
Then we came to our mother,
and she said:
"I have no aversion to your religion;
I have embraced Islam and believed."
So we traveled until we came to our people, Ghifar,
and half of them embraced Islam.
Sahih Muslim.
So Abu Dharr, may Allah be pleased with him,
did not stay with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
until he learned many things from him;
rather, as soon as he embraced Islam
and learned the essential matters—
he learned prayer and ablution from him,
as in the second narration—
he called his brother and his mother,
then he called his people after he returned to them,
and the result was that half of them embraced Islam.
The other half embraced Islam after the migration of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, to Medina,
as in the remainder of the mentioned hadith.
Also in this category
is the story of Malik Ibn al-Huwayrith and the young men with him,
whom the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, commanded
to return to their families,
to teach them and command them.
As Malik Ibn al-Huwayrith, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates,
he says:
"We came to the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
and we were young men of similar age.
We stayed with him for twenty days and nights.
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, was merciful and kind.
When he thought that we missed our families,
or that we longed for them,
he asked us about those we left behind,
and we informed him.
He said:
'Return to your families,
stay among them, teach them, and command them'—
and he mentioned things I remember or do not remember—
'and pray as you have seen me pray.
When the time for prayer arrives,
let one of you call the adhan for you,
and let the oldest of you lead you in prayer.'"
Reported by al-Bukhari.
If no one were to call to Allah
except the scholars and students of knowledge,
this noble work would be paralyzed,
because scholars and students of knowledge are few in society.
Consequently,
enjoining good and forbidding evil in society,
and calling non-Muslims,
would remain in a narrow circle.
So, one who does not have knowledge
calls people to follow the Messenger and the scholars
by using the many available means,
as Allah the Almighty said
about the man from Yasin:
“And there came from the uttermost part of the city a man running. He cried: O my people! Follow those who have been sent!” (36:20)
"And there came from the farthest end of the city a man, running.
He said, 'O my people, follow the messengers.
“Follow those who ask of you no fee, and who are rightly guided.” (36:21)
and they are [rightly] guided.'"
Each of us offers to spread goodness
according to what they have of knowledge, time,
effort, and wealth.
The misconception that most people are lost.
Al-Fudayl Ibn Iyad, may Allah have mercy on him, said:
"Do not feel lonely on the paths of guidance because of the fewness of those who travel them,
and do not be deceived by the multitude of those who are perishing."
What the caller says if they are not followed.
Allah the Almighty said:
“Now, if they turn away (O Muhammad) say: Allah sufficeth me. There is no Allah save Him. In Him have I put my trust, and He is Lord of the Tremendous Throne.” (9:129)
“Now, if they turn away (O Muhammad) say: Allah sufficeth me. There is no Allah save Him. In Him have I put my trust, and He is Lord of the Tremendous Throne.” (9:129)
What the caller does if their heart becomes distressed.
Allah the Almighty said:
“Well know We that thy bosom is oppressed by what they say,” (15:97)
“But hymn the praise of thy Lord, and be of those who make prostration (unto Him).” (15:98)
[See line 167].
Sufyan al-Thawri, may Allah have mercy on him, was asked:
"Should a man command someone who he knows will not accept it from him?"
He said: "Yes, so that it may be an excuse for him before Allah the Almighty."
And if people do not embrace Islam,
the solution is more supplication, self-reflection,
perfection in performance, increasing skills,
willpower, perseverance,
steadfastness, and high ambition.
High ambition
is one of the strongest causes of success.
High ambition, not despairing, and not giving up.
There are two types of people;
let us see which one you are.
The first is one who is overcome by despair, hopelessness, and lethargy,
so their strength collapses and they become sad;
this type are those of weak ambition,
and failure is always their ally.
The second category
is one who, if they encounter failure at the beginning of the matter,
tries again, once and many times,
and this failure gives them more strength and insistence on continuing the path.
They overcome all stumbling blocks,
and shatter all obstacles with patience and determination.
These are the people of high ambition.
So, my brother, the caller,
contemplate the verse:
“Even so have We appointed unto every prophet an opponent from among the guilty; but Allah sufficeth for a Guide and Helper.” (25:31)
"Indeed, Allah is with the patient." Victory is your ally as long as Allah is with you,
for He is your Guide and your Helper.
So why the sadness and distress?
And why the coldness and laziness?
Do not be incapable.
Beware of the disease of incapacity,
for it is a destroyer.
The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, says:
"Be eager for what benefits you,
seek help from Allah, and do not be incapable."
And he, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
He would seek refuge in Allah from incapacity and laziness.
Observe how Allah has sternly rebuked
those who desired the worldly life and its fleeting glitter,
and turned away from the Hereafter and its eternal bliss.
O you who have believed,
“O ye who believe! What aileth you that when it is said unto you: Go forth in the way of Allah, ye are bowed down to the ground with heaviness. Take ye pleasure in the life of the world rather than in the Hereafter? The comfort of the life of the world is but little in the Hereafter.” (9:38)
“O ye who believe! What aileth you that when it is said unto you: Go forth in the way of Allah, ye are bowed down to the ground with heaviness. Take ye pleasure in the life of the world rather than in the Hereafter? The comfort of the life of the world is but little in the Hereafter.” (9:38)
why are you so heavily inclined toward the earth?
“O ye who believe! What aileth you that when it is said unto you: Go forth in the way of Allah, ye are bowed down to the ground with heaviness. Take ye pleasure in the life of the world rather than in the Hereafter? The comfort of the life of the world is but little in the Hereafter.” (9:38)
“O ye who believe! What aileth you that when it is said unto you: Go forth in the way of Allah, ye are bowed down to the ground with heaviness. Take ye pleasure in the life of the world rather than in the Hereafter? The comfort of the life of the world is but little in the Hereafter.” (9:38)
except for a few.
“If ye go not forth He will afflict you with a painful doom, and will choose instead of you a folk other than you. Ye cannot harm Him at all. Allah is Able to do all things.” (9:39)
He will replace you with another people,
and you will not harm Him in the least.
And Allah is over all things competent.
“If ye help him not, still Allah helped him when those who disbelieve drove him forth, the second of two; when they two were in the cave, when he said unto his comrade: Grieve not. Lo! Allah is with us. Then Allah caused His peace of reassurance to descend upon him and supported him with hosts ye cannot see, and made the word of those who disbelieved the nethermost, while Allah's Word it was that became the uppermost. Allah is Mighty, Wise.” (9:40)
A person of high aspiration
does not accept that their good deeds should die with them.
A person of high aspiration is never satisfied with the mediocre,
and accepts nothing less than the most noble of pursuits.
Therefore, do not accept to live anywhere but at the highest of peaks.