FROM THE MIMBAR OF THE TWO HOLY MOSQUES IN MAKKAH AND MADINA

(Friday, December 13, 2002)

Remain grateful to Allah

IN MAKKAH
The Imam and Khateeb of the Grand Mosque in Makkah, Sheikh Dr Osama Abdullah
Khayyat,in his last Friday’s Sermon said,the pleasures and delights of this
world can never be a barrier between a man of faith and his Lord if the
person sincerely seeks His favour.

While some people are keenly involved in worldly affairs and comforts and
material possessions of this world, for the pious and the righteous, the
perfection of faith and piety to the highest degrees and purity in the
belief of One Allah, following the Sunnah of Prophet Mohammed (Sallallaaho
alai wa sallam) and doing good deeds are prime importance that guide them,
Sheikh Khayyat said.

The second most important thing, after the belief in the Oneness of Allah,is
the presence of sincere and truthful advisors (scholars and religions
leaders) in our community who would counsel their Muslim brethrens on the
ways to praise their Lord and how to avoid pitfalls and sources of ruin,
Sheikh Khayyat Added.

“Following their advice is a noble trait and (a sign of) good character.
Although human beings are fallible, their failures can only be mitigated by
the mercy and grace of Allah and with the help of sincere and dedicated
advisors,” he said

“And those who disregard their advice and never hearken to their counsel
(even the teaching of their Holy Qur’an) out of pride or self-conceit are
doomed to failure and torment,” he concluded.

IN MADINA

The Imam and Khateeb of the Prophet’s (Sallallaaho alai wa sallam)
Mosque,Sheikh Dr Ali Bin Abdul Rahman Al Hudhaifi, in his Sermon said,
thanking Allah for His countless blessings is one of the most important
duties of a Muslim.

“The opposite of not thanking Allah is disbelieving in Him. Thanking Him
entails deep belief in Him, carrying out the duties and obligations ordained
by Him and abstaining from committing what He has forbidden.” He added.

“One has to be grateful to Allah for all the bounties and blessings bestowed
on him by Allah,on the other hand,being ungrateful to him implies that a
person does not believe in the message of Allah, does not carry the duties
and obligations,commits sins and thus remains ungrateful to his Lord,” he
said.

Sheikh Al Hudhaifi added that the rewards of giving thanks to Allah are
great as Allah saves the person from torment and wards-off evil from
him.With offering thanks to Allah,His bounties increase and His blessings
become long-lasting.

“Being grateful also means showing gratitude to the Benefactor for his
favors and blessing by His remembrance and sincere love of the Benefactor
which should also be reflected in one’s deeds and acts that pleases Him” he
said.

“Even parts of one’s body that are involved in acts that earns Allah’s
pleasure and are done solely for His sake, involve thanking Him. Whereas, if
a person uses his body’s organs for committing acts of sins,then he is
ungrateful to Allah and is waging war against Him and denies the blessings
granted by Him” he added.

“If a Muslim spends his money in a religious cause or in ways permitted by
Allah, he or she stands to earn Allah’s reward, in other words he has
thanked Allah.Similarly if a person uses his wealth for committing sins and
for acts that are harmful,then he is ungrateful to Allah and he has spend
his money in ways that earn Allah’s wrath,” he said. “To be grateful to
Allah, a person should obey Him and abstain from acts that show disobedience
to Him.Good deeds must be followed by good deeds and he should thank Allah
in order to get His rewards multiplied,” he concluded.

With the very best of good wishes,
Musa Amadu Pembo
Glasgow,
Scotland
UK.
[log in to unmask]
Da’wah is to convey the message with wisdom and with good words. We should
give the noble and positive message of Islam. We should try to emphasize
more commonalities and explain the difference without getting into
theological arguments and without claiming the superiority of one position
over the other. There is a great interest among the people to know about
Islam and we should do our best to give the right message.
May Allah,Subhana Wa Ta'Ala,guide us all to His Sirat Al-Mustaqim (Righteous
Path).May He protect us from the evils of this life and the hereafter.May
Allah,Subhana Wa Ta'Ala,grant us entrance to paradise .
We ask Allaah the Most High, the All-Powerful, to teach us that which will
benefit us, and to benefit us by that which we learn. May Allaah Subhanahu
Wa Ta'ala grant blessings and peace to our Prophet Muhammad and his family
and
companions..Amen.




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