WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.720 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. 00:00:24.359 --> 00:00:26.359 The Imam of the prayer hall. 00:00:26.359 --> 00:00:34.750 Where did Ibrahim, peace be upon him, migrate to? 00:00:34.750 --> 00:00:43.060 Bayt al-Maqdis holds a position of immense significance in the lives of the prophets and messengers. 00:00:43.060 --> 00:00:48.060 It is their qibla and the beacon of the call to the oneness of Allah, the Almighty and Majestic. 00:00:48.060 --> 00:00:54.060 For it is a place where a prophet either arrived, passed by, died, or was buried. 00:00:54.060 --> 00:01:00.060 Or he prayed and drew near to Allah, or sought refuge and migrated for His sake, or lived [a life of devotion]. 00:01:00.060 --> 00:01:05.250 Ibrahim, peace be upon him, the intimate friend of the Most Merciful, grew up in an environment 00:01:05.250 --> 00:01:10.250 In it were gathered all the foundations and various forms of disbelief and associating partners with Allah. 00:01:10.250 --> 00:01:14.250 from the worship of idols and the worship of the stars. 00:01:14.250 --> 00:01:19.250 And the servitude of the ruler to the tyrannical, oppressive Nimrod. 00:01:19.250 --> 00:01:23.250 Among the Chaldeans in the land of Babylon in Iraq. 00:01:23.250 --> 00:01:27.250 Until he remained steadfast, persevered, was tried, and was tested. 00:01:27.250 --> 00:01:30.250 He did not despair, nor did he lose heart. 00:01:30.250 --> 00:01:34.250 He continued to call his people to the oneness of Allah, the Almighty and Majestic. 00:01:34.250 --> 00:01:40.500 Yet no one responded to him except for his nephew Lot and his wife Sarah. 00:01:40.500 --> 00:01:44.500 And he was the first to migrate in the path of Allah for the sake of the religion. 00:01:44.500 --> 00:01:46.500 He is Ibrahim, peace be upon him. 00:01:46.500 --> 00:01:51.500 He departed from Iraq for Harran, and then traveled on to Egypt. 00:01:51.500 --> 00:01:54.500 And he was accompanied by his wife, Sarah. 00:01:54.500 --> 00:01:57.500 The well-known story involving the tyrannical king of Egypt. 00:01:57.500 --> 00:02:00.500 The one who intended to violate her. 00:02:00.500 --> 00:02:04.500 So Allah averted it from her through her supplication and her sincerity. 00:02:04.500 --> 00:02:08.500 Then he gifted her to the Coptic nation, Hajar. 00:02:08.500 --> 00:02:13.500 Then, Ibrahim, peace be upon him, and Sarah migrated to Palestine. 00:02:13.500 --> 00:02:16.500 And Lut, peace be upon him, migrated to Sodom. 00:02:16.500 --> 00:02:20.500 In the Jordan Valley, between Jordan and Palestine. 00:02:20.500 --> 00:02:22.629 Allah the Exalted says: 00:02:22.629 --> 00:02:31.860 “And We rescued him and Lot (and brought them) to the land which We have blessed for (all) peoples.” (21:71) 00:02:31.860 --> 00:02:35.860 “And We bestowed upon him Isaac, and Jacob as a grandson. Each of them We made righteous.” (21:72) 00:02:35.860 --> 00:02:40.860 And We made each of them righteous. 00:02:40.860 --> 00:02:45.370 Meaning that He, the Exalted, perfected His favor upon him. 00:02:45.370 --> 00:02:48.370 So He saved him, and He saved Lut, peace be upon him, along with him. 00:02:48.370 --> 00:02:51.370 To the land which He has blessed. 00:02:51.370 --> 00:02:54.370 Due to the sheer number of prophets who were sent within it. 00:02:54.370 --> 00:02:58.370 Those whose laws and teachings have spread to the furthest corners of the earth. 00:02:58.370 --> 00:03:02.370 It is the foundation of all religious and worldly virtues. 00:03:02.370 --> 00:03:05.370 Due to the abundance of its vegetation and trees. 00:03:05.370 --> 00:03:08.370 And its fruits and its rivers. 00:03:08.370 --> 00:03:11.460 And migration for the sake of Allah, the Almighty and Majestic. 00:03:11.460 --> 00:03:16.460 In search of a safe place where the rituals of Allah, the Almighty and Majestic, may be performed. 00:03:16.460 --> 00:03:19.460 And through it, servitude to Allah is realized. 00:03:19.460 --> 00:03:22.460 Just as Allah, Glorified be He, intended. 00:03:22.460 --> 00:03:27.460 It can only occur from a place of lesser virtue to a place of greater virtue according to the Shari'ah. 00:03:27.460 --> 00:03:31.460 And from an environment far removed from monotheism and righteousness 00:03:31.460 --> 00:03:34.460 toward a unified and pious environment. 00:03:34.460 --> 00:03:37.719 Pure and free from the impurities of polytheism. 00:03:37.719 --> 00:03:40.719 And migration for the sake of Allah the Exalted. 00:03:40.719 --> 00:03:44.719 It is an act of worship that ranks among the greatest of deeds of obedience and the most sublime of means of drawing near to Allah. 00:03:44.719 --> 00:03:48.719 For this reason, Allah, glorified and exalted be He, has linked it with jihad. 00:03:48.719 --> 00:03:51.330 Then He, glory be to Him, said: 00:03:51.330 --> 00:03:58.330 “Lo! those who believe, and those who emigrate (to escape the persecution) and strive in the way of Allah, these have hope of Allah's mercy. Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.” (2:218) 00:03:58.330 --> 00:04:06.330 They are the ones who hope for the mercy of Allah. 00:04:06.330 --> 00:04:10.330 And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. 00:04:10.330 --> 00:04:13.580 And He, the Almighty and Majestic, said: 00:04:13.580 --> 00:04:20.579 “Whoso migrateth for the cause of Allah will find much refuge and abundance in the earth, and whoso forsaketh his home, a fugitive unto Allah and His messenger, and death overtaketh him, his reward is then incumbent on Allah. Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful.” (4:100) 00:04:20.579 --> 00:04:27.579 He will find on earth many places of refuge and abundance. 00:04:27.579 --> 00:04:30.259 Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him, said: 00:04:30.259 --> 00:04:34.259 clarifying the significance of migration for the sake of Allah 00:04:34.259 --> 00:04:39.379 His servitude therein is the servitude of the elite among those who truly know Allah. 00:04:39.379 --> 00:04:42.379 This is known as the servitude of defiance. 00:04:42.379 --> 00:04:46.379 And none perceive this except those possessed of complete spiritual insight. 00:04:46.379 --> 00:04:53.379 There is nothing more beloved to Allah than a believer’s defiance of His enemy and the provocation of his wrath. 00:04:53.379 --> 00:04:56.639 The status of that holy land was elevated. 00:04:56.639 --> 00:04:59.639 After the Friend of the Most Merciful had paved the way for it. 00:04:59.639 --> 00:05:04.639 Then, this attachment and connection to the heavenly message grew even stronger. 00:05:04.639 --> 00:05:09.639 After He, glory be to Him, had granted him Ishaq and Ya'qub, peace be upon them both. 00:05:09.639 --> 00:05:12.639 As an increase and a bounty, without having been asked for it. 00:05:12.639 --> 00:05:19.639 Then he indicated that the source of blessing in both of them is righteousness, by saying: 00:05:19.639 --> 00:05:25.639 And We made them all righteous through steadfastness and being firmly established in guidance. 00:05:25.639 --> 00:05:28.829 Shaykh al-Islam, may Allah have mercy on him, says: 00:05:28.829 --> 00:05:35.829 It is well known that Allah saved Ibrahim and Lut, peace be upon them both, by leading them to the land of the Levant. 00:05:35.829 --> 00:05:38.829 From the lands of the Arabian Peninsula and the Euphrates. 00:05:38.829 --> 00:05:45.829 After Allah, glorified and exalted be He, bestowed His favor upon Moses, peace be upon him, and his people among the Children of Israel. 00:05:45.829 --> 00:05:49.829 In that He saved them from Pharaoh and his soldiers. 00:05:49.829 --> 00:05:53.829 They intended to migrate to the blessed land of Bayt al-Maqdis. 00:05:53.829 --> 00:05:56.829 And when they drew near to arriving 00:05:56.829 --> 00:06:02.829 Moses, peace be upon him, reminded them of the blessings Allah had bestowed upon them, both religious and worldly. 00:06:02.829 --> 00:06:06.829 He urged them to strive against the pagan tyrants. 00:06:06.829 --> 00:06:11.829 They abandoned their duty and were punished with forty years of wandering. 00:06:11.829 --> 00:06:17.860 The land of the Isra' shall remain a place of migration for the followers of the prophets until the end of time. 00:06:17.860 --> 00:06:20.860 Especially when tribulations and trials emerge. 00:06:20.860 --> 00:06:27.860 Thus, the people of faith and righteousness migrate to it, fleeing with their religion from tribulations and the weakening of the faith. 00:06:27.860 --> 00:06:30.959 He, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: 00:06:30.959 --> 00:06:33.959 There will be one migration after another. 00:06:33.959 --> 00:06:38.959 The best of the people on earth are those who most strictly adhere to the land to which Ibrahim—peace be upon him—migrated. 00:06:38.959 --> 00:06:41.959 And the most wicked of people will remain upon the earth. 00:06:41.959 --> 00:06:43.959 Their land will reject them. 00:06:43.959 --> 00:06:46.959 They are held in high esteem by Allah. 00:06:46.959 --> 00:06:51.060 And the Fire shall gather them together with the monkeys and the swine. 00:06:51.060 --> 00:06:53.060 The commentators stated 00:06:53.060 --> 00:06:58.060 This means he moves away from the lands that have been seized by the disbelievers. 00:06:58.060 --> 00:07:00.060 The best of its people. 00:07:00.060 --> 00:07:03.060 And there remains a remnant who lagged behind the Emigrants. 00:07:03.060 --> 00:07:07.060 A desire for worldly gain and a fear of engaging in battle. 00:07:07.060 --> 00:07:14.060 And out of their concern for what they possessed therein, such as estates, livestock, and other worldly goods. 00:07:14.060 --> 00:07:18.060 Because of the baseness of their souls and the weakness of their faith. 00:07:18.060 --> 00:07:23.060 Like something deemed repulsive and contemptible by pure souls. 00:07:23.060 --> 00:07:27.060 It is as if the earth itself finds them repulsive and casts them out. 00:07:27.060 --> 00:07:30.060 And Allah, glory be to Him, dislikes them. 00:07:30.060 --> 00:07:35.060 Thus, He distances them from the places of His mercy and the stations of His honor. 00:07:35.060 --> 00:07:39.060 Distancing oneself from that which one’s nature finds repulsive and naturally recoils from. 00:07:39.060 --> 00:07:42.060 For that reason, he forbade them from going out. 00:07:42.060 --> 00:07:47.060 And he discouraged them, leaving them to sit idly with the enemies of the religion. 00:07:47.060 --> 00:07:50.060 What an excellent place of prayer. 00:07:50.060 --> 00:07:53.060 We are a sun that never sets. 00:07:53.060 --> 00:07:56.060 If the caller calls, we shall respond. 00:07:56.060 --> 00:07:59.060 We return to the sound truth. 00:07:59.060 --> 00:08:02.060 Supporting the beloved Al-Aqsa. 00:08:02.060 --> 00:08:05.060 In him is the best of creation, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. 00:08:05.060 --> 00:08:08.060 He is indeed an excellent person to pray behind. 00:08:08.060 --> 00:08:11.060 The site where the Trustworthy Spirit descended with revelation. 00:08:11.060 --> 00:08:15.060 A mission for the messengers. 00:08:15.060 --> 00:08:18.060 A qibla for the Muslims. 00:08:18.060 --> 00:08:21.060 The path of the conquerors. 00:08:21.060 --> 00:08:24.060 In him is the best of creation, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. 00:08:24.060 --> 00:08:27.060 He is indeed the best of those who pray. 00:08:27.060 --> 00:08:30.060 It is indeed an excellent place of prayer.