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A Beautiful Sermon

Khutbatul Haajah (The Sermon of Need)- Shorter Version

You’ve probably heard this short du’aa at the beginning of lectures and

halaqaat.  Well, now’s a good time to memorize it if you haven’t already

done so, and to reflect on what it means.  One of the people in the time

of the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam actually became Muslim

after hearing it, so it is indeed powerful, and a powerful way to begin

any lesson.

“Innalhamdulillah, nahmaduhu wa nasta’eenuh wa nastaghfiruh, wa

na’uthubillaahi min shuroori anfusinaa wa min sayyi`aati a’maalinaa”

Verily, all praise is for Allah, we praise Him, seek His aid and

forgiveness, and we seek refuge in Allah from the evil of ourselves and

the sins of our deeds.

-> This shows the best way to begin anything is to remember Allah, and

if all you get out of a gathering is to praise Allah, you have

accomplished much.  We also remember that we need Allah’s forgiveness

and we acknowledge our own shortcomings and sins before we begin.  We

know that sins can actually block us from advancing spiritually, so we

ask Allah to help us overcome those obstacles to understanding and

purify us before we begin, so that we may receive the message properly.

“Man yahdihillaahu falaa mudhilla lah, wa man yudhlil falaa haadiya lah,

wa ash-hadu an laa ilaaha illallaah wa ash-hadu anna muhammadan ‘abduhu

wa rasuluh”

Whomever is guided by Allah, none can misguide him, and whomever is led

astray then there is no guide for him, and I testify none has the right

to be worshipped but Allah, and that Muhammad is his slave and

messenger.

-> We acknowledge that indeed guidance is in Allah’s Hands.  That if

someone is pure and meant to be guided, no one will prevent guidance

from him, and that if someone’s heart is corrupt, nothing can guide him.

So before the lecture or talk begins, we remember that it will only

benefit those whom Allah guides.  We also begin with our testimony of

faith, may Allah guide us further.

“Inna asdaqal hadeeth kitaaballaah, wa khayral hadi hadyu muhammad

sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam.  Wa inna sharral umoori muhdathaatuhaa wa

kulla muhdathatin bid’ah wa kulla bid’atin dhalaala, wa kulla

dhalaalatin fin-naar.”

Verily the truest speech is the Book of Allah, and the best guidance is

the guidance of Muhammad peace and blessings be upon him.  And the worst

of affairs are the new things, and every new thing is an innovation

(heresy) and every innovation is a misguidance, and every misguidance is

in the Fire.

-> And finally, there are some ground rules before beginning any lecture

or khutbah- that the best speech is Allah’s revelation to us, and the

best way of understanding it is through the way laid out to us by our

Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam in his Sunnah.  And contrary to

that is the worst of affairs in relation to religious matters- they are

the newly invented things- because they are manmade, they are not from

the religion, and if people take them,they will leave what Allah sent

down through His Prophet, and they will corrupt the religion and follow

men instead.  Therefore, all new inventions in religion are a

misguidance to mankind and belong in the Fire.

If we understand and reflect on this short sermon, we see that our

religion is perfect, rational, well thought out, and has what it takes

to lead our hearts and teach us, if indeed we are pure of intention. 

From IslamicNetwork.com