The Imams and Khateebs of the Two Holy Mosques in Makkah and Madina in their Friday Sermon this week (August 24, 2001) called on Muslims to be pious and seek God’s favor by worshiping Him and staying away from the forbidden things.

The Imam and Khateeb of the Grand Mosque in Makkah Sheikh Dr. Osama Bin Abdullah Khayat in his Friday Sermon advised Muslims to be close to God through devotions and urged them to do self-assessment in order to gain reward in this life and the Hereafter,

He said self-assessment by a Muslim has many benefits. It helps a person to identify points of good and bad conduct, and then draw up a plan of action. The vacation period which is about to come to an end soon is a good time for taking stock of what has been done, to see whether it was a period spent in performing good deeds or wasted in immoral activities.

Sheikh Khayat said a pause for soul searching is a must for any rational being after every action or at the end of every stage. This is necessary for everyone who wants to earn happiness in this world and in the Hereafter, he added.

The Imam and Khateeb of the Prophet’s Mosque in Madina Sheikh Ali Bin Abdul Rahman Al-Hedheifi in his Friday Sermon said the commitment of serious sins are the cause of evil and suffering in this life and in the Hereafter. The most evil and most serious sins are those that cause the greatest damage. These include backbiting and slander which are forbidden by Allah Almighty because they spoil hearts and alienate people from one another, and the slanderer himself then suffers for it.

He said backbiting is likened to eating the flesh of a living Muslim, and so Muslims are told to avoid slandering and defaming their brother Muslims.

Backbiting and slander have become common, and their evils have become widespread.

The slanders and backbiters think that by doing so they hide their own defects and hurt others.

In fact the evils of slandering revert to originator and on the Day of Judgment they are made to retribute for it.

They are deducted from the good deeds of wrongdoers and added to the good deeds of the wronged, he said advising the faithful to be on guard against the lapses of their tongues which lead one to doom.

In nal lazina ja_u_ bil ifki usbatum minkum la_ tahsabu_hu sar ral lakum bal huwa hairul lakum likul lim ri im minhum mak tasaba minal ismi wal lazi tawal la_ kibrahu_ minhum lahu_ aza_bun azim

Lau la_ iz samitumu_hu zan nal muminu_na wal mumina_tu bi anfusihim hairaw wa qa_lu_ ha_za_ ifkum mubin

Lau la_ ja_ u_ alaihi bi arbaati suhada_ fa iz lam yatu_ bis suhada_i fa ula_ ika indal la_hi humul ka_zibu_n

Wa lau la_ fadlul la_hi alaikum wa rahmatuhu_ fid dun ya_ wal a_hirati lamas sakum fi ma_ afadtum fihi aza_bun azim

Wa lau la_ iz samitumu_hu qultum ma_ yaku_nu lana_ an natakal lama biha_za_ subha_naka ha_za_ buhta_nun azim

Yaizhukumul la_hu an tau_du_ limislihi abadan in kuntum muminin

Wa yubay yinul la_hu lakumul a_ya_ti wal la_hu alimun hakim

n nal lazina yuhib bu_na an tasyial fa_hisatu fi lazina a_manu_ lahum aza_bun alimun fid dun ya_ wal a_khirah wal la_hu yalamu wa antum la_ talamu_n

Woe to every (kind of) scandal-monger and backbiter

Who pileth up wealth and layeth it by

Thinking that his wealth would make him last for ever!

By no means! He will be sure to be thrown into that which breaks to pieces.

And what will explain to thee That which Breaks to Pieces?

(it is) the fire of the wrath of) God kindled (to a blaze), 

The which doth mount (Right) to the Hearts:

It shall be made into a vault over them

In columns outstretched. (Surah(104):Al-Humaza, Ayah 1.2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9)

1.Three vices are here condemned in the strongest terms: (1)scandal-mongering,talking or suggesting evil of men or women by word or innuendo,or behaviour,or mimicry,or sarcasm,or insult;(2)detracting from their character behind their backs,even if the things suggested are true,where the motive is evil;(3) piling up wealth,not for use and service to those who need it,but in miserly hoards,as if such hoards can prolong the miser's life or give him immortality:miserliness is itself a kind of scandal.

2.Hutama:that which smashesor breaks to pieces:an apt description of the three anti-sicial vices condemned.For scandal-mongering and backing-biting make any sort of cohesion or mutual confidence impossible;and the miser's hoards block up the channel of economic service and charity,and the circulation of good-will among men.

3.This fire of punishment mounts right up the hearts and minds of such men,and shuts them out of the love of their fellows. "Heart" in Arabic means not only the seat of affection,pity,charity, etc.,but also of understanding and intelligent appreciation of things.

4.Those guilty of these vices will be choked and suffocated,for this Vault of fire will cover them all over,and its scorching columns will extend over a far wider area than they imagine.

(The wife of the Prophet) Whenever Allah's Apostle intended to go on a journey, he used to draw lots among his wives and would take with him the one on whom the lot had fallen. Once he drew lots when he wanted to carry out a Ghazwa, and the lot came upon me. So I proceeded with Allah's Apostle after Allah's order of veiling (the women) had been revealed and thus I was carried in my howdah (on a camel) and dismounted while still in it. We carried on our journey, and when Allah's Apostle had finished his Ghazwa and returned and we approached Medina, Allah's Apostle ordered to proceed at night. When the army was ordered to resume the homeward journey, I got up and walked on till I left the army (camp) behind. When I had answered the call of nature, I went towards my howdah, but behold ! A necklace of mine made of Jaz Azfar (a kind of black bead) was broken and I looked for it and my search for it detained me. The group of people who used to carry me, came and carried my howdah on to the back of my camel on which I was riding, considering that I was therein. At that time women were light in weight and were not fleshy for they used to eat little (food), so those people did not feel the lightness of the howdah while raising it up, and I was still a young lady. They drove away the camel and proceeded. Then I found my necklace after the army had gone. I came to their camp but found nobody therein so I went to the place where I used to stay, thinking that they would miss me and come back in my search. While I was sitting at my place, I felt sleepy and slept. Safwan bin Al-Mu'attil As-Sulami Adh-Dhakw-ani was behind the army. He had started in the last part of the night and reached my stationing place in the morning and saw the figure of a sleeping person. He came to me and recognized me on seeing me for he used to see me before veiling. I got up because of his saying: "Inna Lillahi wa inna ilaihi rajiun," which he uttered on recognizing me. I covered my face with my garment, and by Allah, he did not say to me a single word except, "Inna Lillahi wa inna ilaihi rajiun," till he made his she-camel kneel down whereupon he trod on its forelegs and I mounted it. Then Safwan set out, leading the she-camel that was carrying me, till we met the army while they were resting during the hot midday. Then whoever was meant for destruction, fell in destruction, and the leader of the Ifk (forged statement) was 'Abdullah bin Ubai bin Salul. After this we arrived at Medina and I became ill for one month while the people were spreading the forged statements of the people of the Ifk, and I was not aware of anything thereof. But what aroused my doubt while I was sick, was that I was no longer receiving from Allah's Apostle the same kindness as I used to receive when I fell sick. Allah's Apostle would enter upon me, say a greeting and add, "How is that (lady)?" and then depart.

That aroused my suspicion but I was not aware of the propagated evil till I recovered from my ailment. I went out with Um Mistah to answer the call of nature towards Al-Manasi, the place where we used to relieve ourselves, and used not to go out for this purpose except from night to night, and that was before we had lavatories close to our houses. And this habit of ours was similar to the habit of the old 'Arabs (in the deserts or in the tents) concerning the evacuation of the bowels, for we considered it troublesome and harmful to take lavatories in the houses. So I went out with Um Mistah who was the daughter of Abi Ruhm bin Abd Manaf, and her mother was daughter of Sakhr bin Amir who was the aunt of Abi Bakr As-Siddiq, and her son was Mistah bin Uthatha. When we had finished our affair, Um Mistah and I came back towards my house. Um Mistah stumbled over her robe whereupon she said, "Let Mistah be ruined ! " I said to her, "What a bad word you have said! Do you abuse a man who has taken part in the Battle of Badr?' She said, "O you there! Didn't you hear what he has said?" I said, "And what did he say?" She then told me the statement of the people of the Ifk (forged statement) which added to my ailment. When I returned home, Allah's Apostle came to me, and after greeting, he said, "How is that (lady)?" I said, "Will you allow me to go to my parents?" At that time I intended to be sure of the news through them. Allah's Apostle allowed me and I went to my parents and asked my mother, "O my mother! What are the people talking about?" My mother said, "O my daughter! Take it easy, for by Allah, there is no charming lady who is loved by her husband who has other wives as well, but that those wives would find fault with her." I said, "Subhan Allah! Did the people really talk about that?"

That night I kept on weeping the whole night till the morning. My tears never stopped, nor did I sleep, and morning broke while I was still weeping, Allah's Apostle called 'Ali bin Abi Talib and Usama bin Zaid when the Divine Inspiration delayed, in order to consult them as to the idea of divorcing his wife. Usama bin Zaid told Allah's Apostle of what he knew about the innocence of his wife and of his affection he kept for her. He said, "O Allah's Apostle! She is your wife, and we do not know anything about her except good." But 'Ali bin Abi Talib said, "O Allah's Apostle! Allah does not impose restrictions on you; and there are plenty of women other than her. If you however, ask (her) slave girl, she will tell you the truth." 'Aisha added: So Allah's Apostle called for Barira and said, "O Barira! Did you ever see anything which might have aroused your suspicion? (as regards Aisha). Barira said, "By Allah Who has sent you with the truth, I have never seen anything regarding Aisha which I would blame her for except that she is a girl of immature age who sometimes sleeps and leaves the dough of her family unprotected so that the domestic goats come and eat it." So Allah's Apostle got up (and addressed) the people an asked for somebody who would take revenge on 'Abdullah bin Ubai bin Salul then. Allah's Apostle, while on the pulpit, said, "O Muslims! Who will help me against a man who has hurt me by slandering my family? By Allah, I know nothing except good about my family, and people have blamed a man of whom I know nothing except good, and he never used to visit my family except with me," Sad bin Muadh Al-Ansari got up and said, "O Allah's Apostle! By Allah, I will relieve you from him. If he be from the tribe of (Bani) Al-Aus, then I will chop his head off; and if he be from our brethren, the Khazraj, then you give us your order and we will obey it." On that, Sad bin 'Ubada got up, and he was the chief of the Khazraj, and before this incident he had been a pious man but he was incited by his zeal for his tribe. He said to Sad (bin Muadh), "By Allah the Eternal, you have told a lie! You shall not kill him and you will never be able to kill him!" On that, Usaid bin Hudair, the cousin of Sad (bin Muadh) got up and said to Sad bin 'Ubada, "You are a liar! By Allah the Eternal, we will surely kill him; and you are a hypocrite defending the hypocrites!" So the two tribes of Al-Aus and Al-Khazraj got excited till they were on the point of fighting with each other while Allah's Apostle was standing on the pulpit. Allah's Apostle continued quietening them till they became silent whereupon he became silent too. On that day I kept on weeping so much that neither did my tears stop, nor could I sleep. In the morning my parents were with me, and I had wept for two nights and a day without sleeping and with incessant tears till they thought that my liver would burst with weeping. While they were with me and I was weeping, an Ansari woman asked permission to see me. I admitted her and she sat and started weeping with me. While I was in that state, Allah's Apostle came to us, greeted, and sat down,. He had never sat with me since the day what was said, was said. He had stayed a month without receiving any Divine Inspiration concerning my case. Allah's Apostle recited the Tashahhud after he had sat down, and then said, "Thereafter, O 'Aisha! I have been informed such and-such a thing about you; and if you are innocent, Allah will reveal your innocence, and if you have committed a sin, then ask for Allah's forgiveness and repent to Him, for when a slave confesses his sin and then repents to Allah, Allah accepts his repentance." When Allah's Apostle had finished his speech, my tears ceased completely so that I no longer felt even a drop thereof. Then I said to my father, "Reply to Allah's Apostle on my behalf as to what he said." He said, "By Allah, I do not know what to say to Allah's Apostle." Then I said to my mother, "Reply to Allah's Apostle."

She said, "I do not know what to say to Allah's Apostle." Still a young girl as I was and though I had little knowledge of Quran, I said, "By Allah, I know that you heard this story (of the Ifk) so much so that it has been planted in your minds and you have believed it. So now, if I tell you that I am innocent, and Allah knows that I am innocent, you will not believe me; and if I confess something, and Allah knows that I am innocent of it, you will believe me. By Allah, I cannot find of you an example except that of Joseph's father: "So (for me) patience is most fitting against that which you assert and it is Allah (Alone) Whose help can be sought. Then I turned away and lay on my bed, and at that time I knew that I was innocent and that Allah would reveal my innocence. But by Allah, I never thought that Allah would sent down about my affair, Divine Inspiration that would be recited (forever), as I considered myself too unworthy to be talked of by Allah with something that was to be recited: but I hoped that Allah's Apostle might have a vision in which Allah would prove my innocence. By Allah, Allah's Apostle had not left his seat and nobody had left the house when the Divine Inspiration came to Allah's Apostle . So there overtook him the same hard condition which used to overtake him (when he was Divinely Inspired) so that the drops of his sweat were running down, like pearls, though it was a (cold) winter day, and that was because of the heaviness of the Statement which was revealed to him. When that state of Allah's Apostle was over, and he was smiling when he was relieved, the first word he said was, "Aisha, Allah has declared your innocence." My mother said to me, "Get up and go to him." I said, "By Allah, I will not go to him and I will not thank anybody but Allah." So Allah revealed: "Verily! They who spread the Slander are a gang among you. Think it not...." (24.11-20).

When Allah revealed this to confirm my innocence, Abu Bakr As-Siddiq who used to provide for Mistah bin Uthatha because of the latter's kinship to him and his poverty, said, "By Allah, I will never provide for Mistah anything after what he has said about Aisha". So Allah revealed:

"Let not those among you who are good and are wealthy swear not to give (help) to their kinsmen, those in need, and those who have left their homes for Allah's Cause. Let them Pardon and forgive (i.e. do not punish them). Do you not love that should forgive you? Verily Allah is Oft-forgiving. Most Merciful." (24.22)

Abu Bakr said, "Yes, by Allah, I wish that Allah should forgive me." So he resumed giving Mistah the aid he used to give him before and said, "By Allah, I will never withold it from him at all." Aisha further said: Allah's Apostle also asked Zainab bint Jahsh about my case. He said, "O Zainab! What have you seen?" She replied, "O Allah's Apostle! I protect my hearing and my sight (by refraining from telling lies). I know nothing but good (about Aisha)." Of all the wives of Allah's Apostle, it was Zainab who aspired to receive from him the same favor as I used to receive, yet, Allah saved her (from telling lies) because of her piety. But her sister, Hamna, kept on fighting on her behalf so she was destroyed as were those who invented and spread the slander.

Choosing comprehensive words for supplication.

The Prophet, peace be upon him, loved comprehensive supplications but used other supplications as well. The Qur'anic supplication, "Our Lord, give us good in this world, and give us good in the hereafter," is just such a comprehensive supplication.

A man came to the Prophet, peace be upon him, and said, "O Messenger of Allah, which is the best supplication?" The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, "Supplicate to your Lord for forgiveness and security in this world and in the Hereafter." He came again the next day, and then again on the following (third) day and asked him the same thing. The Prophet, peace be upon him, gave him the same answer, and then said, "If you are given forgiveness and security in this world and in the Hereafter you have attained success." Another version says: "The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, 'No supplication made by a person is better than asking "O Allah, I ask You for security in this world and in the Hereafter"'." (Ibn Majah)

Men who celebrate the praises of Allah standing sitting and lying down on their sides and contemplate the (wonders of) creation in the heavens and the earth (with the thought): "Our Lord! not for naught hast thou created (all) this! Glory to thee! give us salvation from the penalty of the fire.

"Our Lord! any whom thou dost admit to the fire truly thou coverest with shame and never will wrong-doers find any helpers!.

"Our Lord! we have heard the call of one calling (us) to faith `Believe ye in the Lord' and we have believed. Our Lord! forgive us our sins blot out from us our iniquities and take to thyself our souls in the company of the righteous.

"Our Lord! grant us what Thou didst promise unto us through thine Apostles and save us from shame on the Day of Judgment: for thou never breakest Thy promise."

With the very best of good wishes,

Musa Amadu Pembo

Glasgow,

Scotland

UK.

[log in to unmask]

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 .. Ameen