PRESERVE KINSHIP, LIVE ON LAWFUL MEANS, MUSLIMS TOLD.

The Imams and Khateebs of the holy Mosques in Makkah and Madina called on Muslims to be pious, and avoid God's wrath by obeying His commands.

The Imam of the Grand Mosque, in Makkah Sheikh Dr. Salih bin Abdullah Bin Hemeid, in his Friday (January 15, 2001) sermon this week advised the worshipers that they should beware of God's displeasure and maintain regular prayers, preserve kinship, avoid slander and calumny.

He said there are many ways of doing good works, and the doors to devotion are wide open, and people's spiritual and temporal life can be improved through good education and counseling.

A person's first and foremost obligation is to put right his religious faith and creed by obeying God's commands by performing regular prayers, beware of ambiguous feelings, maintain kinship ties, help the poor and needy and be dutiful to parents, he said.

Sheikh Hemeid said doing wrong to the weak ones is one of the gravest of misdeeds, as a person should do to others what he would like to be done to himself and should be good to those who do good to others.

He said religious scholars and men of good learning and wisdom guide people to righteousness through their advice. They are the one who dedicate their knowledge and learning to teaching people and guiding them to the path of righteousness. Their religious knowledge is blessed by God as they communicate and spread their learning to people in the best manner.

For his part, the Imam and Khateeb of the Prophet's Mosque in Madina Sheikh Hassan Bin Abdul Aziz-Sheikh, in his Friday sermon, advised Muslims to do good and say the right thing in line with what Allah Almighty commands and Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) teaches.

He said a Muslim is supposed to be good and pure in his heart, body and manners, conduct, abode and in all thoughts and actions.

Islam strongly emphasizes that a gain must be lawful and free from any impurities, and the essence of Prophet Muhammad's (peace be upon him) mission was to make the good things lawful and the bad thing unlawful. So, seeking th2 lawful gains is essential for happiness in this world an the Hereafter, he pointed

Al-Sheikh warned against wealth obtained through unlawful means, by such methods as cheating, and said unlawful gain is a cause for severance of God' blessings and denial of answer to prayers. It entails grave consequences, the most severe of which is God's wrath and a destiny to hell fire

He urged Muslims to deliver rights to those who are entitled to without delay, and God shall recompense those who do so.

Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that Allah's Messenger (Sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) said: “Indeed, Allah likes sneezing and dislikes yawning. So if anyone of you sneezes and says Al-hamdulillah, it becomes obligatory upon every Muslim who hears him to say to him Yarhamukallah. Yawing is from the devil. When one of you is about to yawn, he should restrain it (i.e., his yawn) as best he can, for if you yawn and say “ah”, the devil laughs at you. ( Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) also narrated that Allah's Messenger (Sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) said: “Yawning is from the devil. SO if anyone of you starts yawning, let him restrain it as best he can.” (Muslim)

Abu Sa'id AL-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that Allah's Messenger (Sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) said: “When you yawn, you should cover your mouth with your hand, or else the devil will enter therein.” (Muslim)

Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet Sallallaahu alaihi wasallam used to supplicate thus:

O Allah, make my religion easy for me by virtue of which my affairs are protected, set right for me my life where my subsistence exists, make good for me my Hereafter which is the place to which I will return, make my life (an opportunity for me to) increase the righteous deeds, and make death a rest for me from every evil. (Muslim)

Oh Allah, You are Peace and from You comes peace. Blessed are You, O owner of glory and honor. There is no God worthy of worship but Allah. He is One and Unique. He has no partners. His is the dominion and to Him Alone is the praise, and He has power over all things. O Allah, none can prevent what You have given, and none may give what You have prohibited; and no wealth or majesty can avail a wealthy person against Your Will and Decisions, as from You is all wealth and majesty. There is no might and no power except by Allah. None has the right to be worshipped except Allah. His is favor, grace and praise abundant. There is none to be worshipped except Allah, and we are sincere in faith and devotion to Him even though the disbelievers detest it. AMEN.