Ramadan- Service to the Community
By AbdulBary Yahya | 2026-01-15T11:16:39.176696+00:00 | Topic: Ramadan
25 Ramadan: Service to the Community
Sh. AbdulBary Yahya
Opening Praise and Testimony
Alhamdulillah, we praise Him, seek His help, and seek His forgiveness. And we seek refuge in Allah from the evil of our souls and the evil of our actions. Whomsoever Allah guides, none can misguide him. And whosoever He misguides, there is no guide for him. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, alone, with no partner. And I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.
O you who have believed, fear Allah as He should be feared, and do not die except as Muslims.
O you people, fear your Lord, Who created you from one soul, and created from it its mate, and spread from them many men and women.
O you who have believed, fear Allah and speak a just word. He will correct your deeds and forgive your sins. And whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has certainly attained a great victory.
As for what follows, the best 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 newly invented matters, and every innovation is misguidance, and every misguidance is in the Fire.
The Reality of This Life: We Are Travelers
What would people say if you left everything behind without taking anything with you at all? What would people say? Immediately, if people found out, they would say you're crazy. If you already have a couch that's still nice, why would you need a new one? If you already have a bed that's still usable, why would you need a new one? Why would you waste your money?
In this life we're living in, we're travelers. And thus, we're moving. But with the Akhirah, with the Hereafter, you cannot bring anything with you unless you spend it. Whatever you want to take with you in the Hereafter, then you give it.
True Piety: Spending from What You Love
True piety comes in giving from that which you love the most. As Allah says in Surah Ali Imran:
You will never achieve righteousness until you spend from that which you love. And whatever you spend, indeed Allah is Knowing of it.
Abdullah ibn Umar رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا whenever he would come across this ayah, he would think and reflect upon all of the things that he loved more than anything else. Because this is how the companions were. Whenever they came across an ayah, they would apply it immediately. And so, he would reflect upon what he loved the most. And every single time he would give it. Every time he would give it.
The Example of Abdullah ibn Umar
One day, he was reflecting upon what he loved more than anything else. And he had just bought a slave girl that he was planning to marry. He loved her very much. So, he thought about it. And then he gave her to his freed slave, whom he married her to, who was Salim, Mawla ibn Umar.
Abdullah ibn Umar رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا also came across this ayah another time. He always reflected upon this ayah. One day, he was sick and they were traveling next to the coast. And he really wanted some fish to eat. He craved it so much that he asked the people around him if they could get him some fish. So, they made a great effort to go to the ocean and get him some fish. When they brought it to him, a man came right in front of him. And so, he looked at him. And the man was very poor and he was hungry. And the fish had just been prepared for him by his wife. And so, he saw that man and he gave the fish that he craved so much to the man.
And thus, he gave up that which he wanted the most at that time. And then, his wife said, "Well, we have so much other food. Why couldn't you just give him that?" He said:
You will never achieve piety until you spend from that which you love.
The Mindset of the Companions: What Can I Do for Islam?
When we see the time of the companions, they always thought, they always had the concern for Islam. It wasn't what Islam could do for them, but what they could do for Islam. You might think this is John F. Kennedy, but no, it's the mindset of the companions رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُم . John F. Kennedy borrowed it from them. Ask not what Islam can do for you, but what you can do for Islam.
And so, in this month, the month of Ramadan, this is the month in which we should hold hands and we should help each other. Those who are in need, we help the people who are in need in our community first. We look at everyone who is in need. And this is where the zakat, first of all, should go. It should go to the people whom you see every day. It should go to your closest relatives, if it's permissible to give them, as long as they're not your parents or your children and so forth. But look for the people around us first before you send it overseas, unless you have parents or you have cousins and so forth overseas that need help also. But otherwise, check the community. This is the time in which we bring everyone together. And there shouldn't be anyone in the community who is in need whatsoever. This is how we all should be as Muslims during this month.
The Minimum Requirement: Love for Your Brother What You Love for Yourself
We should love for our brothers what we love for ourselves, as a minimum requirement. We all know the hadith in which the Prophet صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم said:
(Sahih al-Bukhari 13, Sahih Muslim 45)
None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.
A lot of times, people think this is a high position to achieve. You know what? As a Muslim, it's a minimum requirement. Every Muslim has to love for his brother what he loves for himself. This is not a praiseworthy position. This is the minimum requirement.
The praiseworthy position is:
They prefer others over themselves, even if they are in dire need.
Even if they're poor and in dire need, they still prefer others over themselves. And so this is the month in which we should think about the community, and we should think about others who are in need, and we should think about Islam and our concern for spreading and conveying this religion.
The Story of At-Tufayl ibn Amr Ad-Dawsi
During the time of the Prophet صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم this is the first concern that the companions had. At-Tufayl ibn Amr Ad-Dawsi came from Yemen, from the tribe of Daws. He came to the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم in Mecca, and before he reached Mecca, the Meccans around him warned him about the Prophet صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم . They said, "This man is crazy, this man is a poet, this man is a magician." They said all kinds of things to scare him.
And he was so scared to the point where when he entered Mecca, he covered up his ears, he put cotton in his ears, so he wouldn't hear the Prophet صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم . And they told him to avoid the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم at all cost. And so when At-Tufayl was making tawaf around the Ka'bah, he saw the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم sitting reading the Qur'an. And he was reflecting and thinking about what he was doing.
He said to himself, "O Tufayl, you know, you're a very smart person. You can distinguish right from wrong. You're not a fool. You know what's good and what's bad. And if it's good, you take it. And if it's bad, you reject it. You don't have to act like this."
So he started to reflect on himself that what he was doing was foolish. Like, he could distinguish. Why does he have to put something to block this out? He could distinguish it, if it's bad. And so he decided to take off his earplugs, the cotton that he had in his ears. And then he heard the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم reading the Qur'an. And it struck right into his heart.
And he said to himself, "You know what? O Tufayl, you're a smart person. You know good from bad. This is not the word of a crazy person. These are not the words of any poet." He said, "I'm a poet, and I'm saying, I can't even compose half the things I hear."
And so, immediately, he tried to find the house of the Prophet صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم . He didn't want to let the other people know because they had warned him so much. So he waited until he found out where the Prophet صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم lived. And then later on, in the time when it was quiet, he approached the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم. And when he knocked at the door, he asked him, "What was that that you were reading?"
And the Prophet صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم told him, "This is the Qur'an. I am a messenger sent from Allah to guide mankind, to tell people to worship none except Allah."
At-Tufayl's Immediate Concern for His People
After hearing him read the Qur'an, after listening to him, At-Tufayl ibn Amr accepted Islam. Afterwards, he stayed for a few days with the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم . Immediately, he said to the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم before going back home, he said, "Ya Rasulullah, the people of Daws are idol worshippers, they commit zina and they do all kinds of things. They're very hard-headed. I want to go back and teach them. I want to go back and tell them about Islam. Make du'a for Allah to give me a sign."
So Allah جَلَّ جَلَالُهُ gave him a sign. And in another narration, he made du'a, and Allah جَلَّ جَلَالُهُ made light come from his forehead. At night time, he had light coming from his forehead. And so, when that happened, he said, "You know what, people are going to think there's something wrong with me." And so, he made du'a to Allah to move it to his whip. You know, so this is a miracle. Every time he would take out his whip, there would be light. It would be bright.
But you know, At-Tufayl ibn Amr had just accepted Islam a few days prior. For only a few days. Immediately, his concern was for the ummah. To convey this message, to improve the ummah, to help people know this deen. Just a few days.
How long have you been Muslims? How long have you been Muslims? For them, immediately, their concern was that. But with us, we've been Muslims, most of us, all our lives. But we don't even have this concern. And so, especially during this month, start thinking about it. To improve yourself. But one way to do it, the best way to do it, is to improve others also. And so, this also builds the love amongst us.
Building the Foundations of Community
In order to build a community, we have to love each other. And let me give you a few steps of what to do. You know, when the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم came to Medina from Mecca, when he made his hijrah, what was the first thing that he said to the people of Medina? He said:
O people, spread the salaam, feed the people, pray at night while people are sleeping, and you will enter Paradise in peace.
Now, when you're coming to a new city, you have to build the foundations of brotherhood, the foundations of a community. Listen to what the Prophet صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم says. He said the first thing he said was, spread the salaams. There are secrets, hidden blessings in the salaams. There's a bond that's built when you say, "Assalaamu alaikum."
The Sign of the Day of Judgment: Selective Salaams
When it's near the Day of Judgment, people don't give salaams freely. But if they do give salaams, like the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم said amongst the signs of the Day of Judgment:
You give salaams only to those you know.
So, for example, when you need somebody, you say, "Assalaamu alaikum, brother. Do you know where the closest halal restaurant is?" Now, you wouldn't have given salaams to him if you didn't need that. Or you say, "Assalaamu alaikum, brother. Did you see the keys that I put here?" Now, when you pass them, if you didn't forget those keys, you wouldn't have asked. And that's what the salaam has become.
I was in one Muslim country before, and every time I would pass by somebody, I would give salaams to them. And every time they would stop, they would say, "Yes, what do you want? Assalaamu alaikum, brother. Yes, what do you want?" La ilaha illa Allah. I don't want anything. I just want to give salaams. Why? Because they're so used to it. If you give salaams, it's because you want something.
Spreading Salaams Builds Love
And so the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said, "Spread the salaam." And this is the beginning of building our love. You know why? Because the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:
(Sahih Muslim 54)
You will not enter Paradise until you believe. And you will not truly believe until you love each other. Would you like me to show you something that if you were to do it, you would love each other? Spread the salaams amongst yourselves.
Say, "Assalaamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu. Assalaamu alaikum." Even if he's not from your country. Even if he doesn't speak your language. Even if, when you give salaams, the next time you see him, for example, you give him salaams. If you didn't give him salaams and you saw him at Walmart like three days later, there would be no effect whatsoever. But if you gave him salaams, immediately there's a connection. When you see him again at Walmart or wherever you may be, outside in public, immediately, "Oh that's the brother that gave salaams to me. Oh that's the brother that gave salaams to me." The connection right there starts right away. And that's how you start building love.
Love Each Other to Worship Allah Peacefully
And then afterwards, we have to love each other. Because if we don't love each other, we cannot have true iman. And you cannot worship Allah peacefully until you love each other. Because when you come to the masjid and we don't love each other, you have this person disputing about this, this
person disputing about that, this person saying this and saying that, you know, later on people say, "I don't want to go to the masjid anymore. All you see is fights. That's all you see. I don't want to help in that program, because I don't like that brother."
And so once, and then what happens? Your children go astray because you can't put together a weekend school. You can't put together a masjid. You can't put together programs. Why? Because you don't love each other. And that's why we have to start to love each other. Not only just loving what we want for ourselves, but taking another step: love for your brother more than what you even want for yourself. Prefer your brothers over yourselves.
Take Responsibility and Stop Blaming
And also when it's time for us to help out, we have to feel the responsibility. We have to show the responsibility to the ummah. We have to stop blaming other people. We always blame the times that we're living in. We say this and we say that:
We always blame the times that we're living in. But there's nothing wrong with the time we're living in. The only thing that's wrong with the time we're living in is us. Nothing else.
So quit blaming the times that we're living in. Quit blaming the community. And start being proactive and joining the community. Build this love and then work together. Help each other. And it starts, of course, with this month. Allah has given us this great blessing that we are alive during this month to worship Allah during this month.
Is It Better to Be Poor and Patient or Rich and Thankful?
And if you're able to help, then this is something that is a higher status than just, you know, there's an issue amongst the scholars. They discuss the issue: whether it's better to be poor and patient or be rich and thankful. Is it better to be poor and patient?
Some of the scholars said, you know what? It's better to be poor and patient because the poor people, as in the hadith of the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم)the poor people will enter paradise 500 years before the rich people. They'll enter 500 years before the rich people. If they're poor and they're very patient, it's good. But is that true? They will go 500 years earlier. But does that mean they're better than the rich person who helps in the community and so forth and others, and he's thankful that Allah has given such blessings?
The stronger of the two opinions, as mentioned by some of the scholars, is the rich person is better. Why? Because when a person is poor and he's patient, he only benefits himself. But when you're rich and you're thankful to Allah, you benefit yourself and you benefit others also. And so, that's why wealth in the hands of a righteous person:
(Musnad Ahmad 17074)
Excellent is righteous wealth in the hands of a righteous person.
Ramadan: The Time to Work Together
And so, this month, we have to try to help and work with each other with many programs and so forth and we have to contribute all that we can to bring the community together. Because this is the time in which if we cannot bring the community together, then when do you think you can? If you can't help and contribute to the community during this time, when do you think you can?
You know the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم)he said:
(Sahih al-Bukhari 1899, Sahih Muslim 1079)
When Ramadan comes, Allah opens the doors of Paradise and closes the doors of the Hellfire, and the shayateen are shackled.
The shayateen, the shaytan are shackled to make it easier for you to work, to do the good deeds. Do you think you can get together and do good deeds and so forth if you don't do it now? After the shaytan comes out, when he's shackled now, this is an opportunity for us to work. And this is an opportunity for us to change ourselves and change the community and stop blaming other people.
Second Khutbah
The Generosity of the Prophet During Ramadan
The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was very gracious and very generous. But during this month, he was even more generous. He was more generous than a continuous breeze. This is how Ibn
Abbas described the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and his generosity in the narration found in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim.
And this is the month in which if you want to change, if you want Jannah, work and put out the extra effort and then hope that Allah (جل جلاله) may accept your du'a to Him that you'll be amongst those in Paradise, amongst the highest level in Paradise. But you know what? If we want to be like them, then we have to imitate them and copy them.
The Rivalry Between Abu Bakr and Umar in Doing Good
Then let me give you an example from the time of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) of the rivalry between Abu Bakr and Umar. You know, rivalry in doing good. They always tried to strive to beat each other in doing good.
Umar ibn al-Khattab (رضي الله عنه) he said, "I'm going to beat Abu Bakr today." The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was calling people to help and contribute and give in charity for the campaign they're about to start. And so the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was asking people to donate. Umar ibn al-Khattab (رضي الله عنه) said, "Today I'm going to beat Abu Bakr. Today I'm going to do it."
So he came with half of his wealth. With half of his wealth he came. So guess what Abu Bakr (رضي الله عنه) did? He came with everything. He brought everything. Everything that he had, he gave it for the sake of Allah. And then when he was asked, "What did you leave for your family?" Because you have to think about your family also. He said, "I left Allah and His Messenger. I left Allah and His Messenger for my family."
Now you might say, well if somebody's going to do this, it's not permissible. It isn't permissible to give everything in charity and then leave your family to starve. But you know what? Abu Bakr (كَانَ أَنْجَرَ قُرَيْش) as the scholars said, he was the best merchant among the Quraish. People knew him all over because of his skills in business and so forth. And so he could afford to give all without neglecting his family.
The People of Jannah: You Can Be Like Them
And you know what? These are the people of Jannah. And we can do the same thing. Believe it or not, living in the United States you can. There's a possibility of that. You think people can't give everything? Yes. You know how? You give everything that you have. Everything you have. You still got your salary next month. Just go to work. When your salary comes back, build it up again. And Allah will give you even more and more and more all the time.
You know, we hear these stories, SubhanAllah. If these things didn't come from authentic chains, we'd say they're fairy tales. These are real stories of true men, not males, true men during the time of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) who gave all that they had for the sake of Allah. Why? Because they knew that the true life is the life that they get after. This is not the real life. You're just traveling.
What Is the True Life?
And you know, when the people, the sinners and so forth, when they are brought forth in front of Allah, SubhanAllah, what do they say?
What are they talking about when they say this? They say, "Oh, woe is to me if I only brought forth something for my life." What is the true life? If only I brought something for my life. If only I left something for my life. Because of their sorrow.
So, you know, whatever you have in this life, when you die, it doesn't matter how many years from now, what car you drive. It doesn't matter how many years from now, what house you live in. It won't matter how much money you have in the bank. Nobody will care after 100 years, 200 years from now. Whether you're driving a Mercedes or you're driving a clunker, nobody will care. What will really matter is what you left for the deen and what you left as your deeds and that's what you bring with you to the Hereafter.
Taking Your Wealth to the Hereafter
And you know what? You can take everything, anything that you want with you to the Hereafter. Anything that you have right now, you can take it to the Hereafter. And it will be improved millions and millions of times. How do you take it to the Hereafter? The only way to take what you have in this life to the Hereafter is give it for the sake of Allah.
You're going to move to the next life. Eventually, everybody's going to move. But you decide which neighborhood you're going to live in. Either Jannah or not. What neighborhood do you want? You want the ghetto? And you know, it's not like the ghettos here. It's not like the ghettos in this world. Or you want the highest area, the highest level with the prophets and messengers? You look at them, you imitate their deeds and copy them and follow their ways.
Continue Your Good Deeds After Ramadan
And this month is the month in which we should start to think about this change. And you know, when we finish this month off, we should be continuous also. So don't do good deeds all at once and then stop. Don't be a Ramadan Muslim only. Continue. Because that's the most beloved deed in the sight of Allah.
When the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was asked by Aisha in the narration from Bukhari and Muslim, رضي الله عنها "Ya Rasulullah, what are the most beloved deeds to Allah?" And the Messenger of Allah :said صلى الله عليه وسلم
(Sahih al-Bukhari 6465, Sahih Muslim 782)
The best deeds are those which are consistent, even if they are little.
So be consistent in your deeds. Make your intention now to be consistent. To come to the masjid consistently, for example. InshaAllah, every single day, you try to come as much as possible. Don't let a day go by unless you go at least one time or two times, or whatever you're able to do. But be consistent. Even if you're tired, make your minimum requirements. Set it as a minimum requirement for you. And be consistent in giving charity. Be consistent with recitation of the Qur'an. Be consistent with helping others and visiting the sick and so forth. There are so many things that we can do in this month.
And then we can start everything rolling and then when Ramadan is over, we continue with those deeds. But we have to start now. Because if you don't start now, when the shayateen are shackled, when are you going to start? Do you think you're going to start when he comes back? This is it. This is the time to change, brothers. This is the time that Allah has given to us that we should be thankful and take advantage of. Because maybe next year, you will not be alive. So every single day, take it as if it's your last day. And work for Allah's sake and think of the community.
Think Globally, Work Locally
Think globally, but work locally. As a Muslim, we always think globally. You think about the ummah. You think about the Muslims. But you know, you start locally. And then whenever you can, you go to the next level. And that's why the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم even with the zakat, you should help the people around you. Make sure everybody around you is taken care of first.
And that's why when he sent Mu'adh ibn Jabal to Yemen, what did he say? He told him to tell the people to pray, to believe in Allah, to pray, and then to give zakat:
(Sahih al-Bukhari 1395, Sahih Muslim 19)
To take from their rich and give to their poor.
He didn't say, "Collect the money and send it to Medina." Take care of the people around you because this is how you build love amongst you. When you see the brothers, you know these are the brothers whom you help. And then afterwards, if you have anything left and so forth, if everyone is taken care of, then send it over. Send it overseas. But take care of your community and help out around the community before you go anywhere else. Because that's where you live. But we also have to think globally, yes. But we start locally first.
Make the Intention to Change
And so, in this month, everyone should have the intention to change. Everyone should have the intention to have this concern for the deen and to help Islam.
O Allah, show us the truth as truth and grant us the ability to follow it. And show us falsehood as falsehood and grant us the ability to avoid it.
Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves, and if You do not forgive us and have mercy upon us, we will surely be among the losers.
And we seek refuge in You from the trials of life and death, and from the evil of the trial of the False Messiah.