Dr Hamid Ghazali 9 15 17

As-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu. As-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu. حيّ على السلام.

حيّ على السلام. Your prayers and my prayers make it a credit for all of us, inshallah. I pray to Allah to bring peace to everyone, especially the Muslims in Burma and other hot spots in the Muslim world.

May Allah provide them with his victory and his safety, inshallah. I would like to explore with you today the concept of help, the concept of providing a peaceful environment for everyone. Imagine yourself living in a world where you live at peace.

The Islamic Model of Peace

Within yourself, you feel safe. You feel secure against all the people next to you. You live in peace within yourself and with others.

And your country lives in peace within itself and with other countries. That's the model Islam wants. And then puts everything around it to achieve that model.

People work together. There is a system in place that helps implement that. And in a way or another, that system, alhamdulillah, worked at the time of the Prophet, and after him, during al-Khilafah al-Rashidah, and for some time, during episodes, ups and downs.

It's up to us, up to the world, up to the people, to really live to that standard. Imagine what stops people in the world from living in peace with each other. O My servants, My earth is vast.

As Allah said, My land is so wide, so big. It would be enough for everybody. There are enough resources in the world for everybody.

The Problem of Self-Interest

What stops people from living in peace with each other? That's where the interest, the self-interest, that's where the conflict between what you want for yourself and what you want for others. Whether this is in the individual level, or in the society level, or in the country level, or in the world level. Why wouldn't people help one another? Why won't people stand for justice? Why wouldn't they stand for justice? And stop the aggressor.

Here comes the self-interest. Here comes, I'm going to be hurt. Here comes the thoughts about my own interest, before I go to the interest of others.

All of that is cancelled in Islam. All of that does not hold water in Islam. Allah wants you to give, wants you to share.

The Prophet said the example, you live for others, you don't live for yourself. That's the model that Islam stands for. System, up to us and to the world, to accept that or to reject that.

But this is how we teach ourselves and how we teach our children. And I would like to explore with you a few ideas about that. Let's take some examples.

The Example of Prophet Musa

Musa, Allah teaches us in the Quran, gives us stories, gives us examples of Tarbiyah that is given to the Prophet, and to every Muslim that comes after him. And one of these examples is the example of Musa, in Surah Al-Qasas. Qasas means the stories.

When he went to the father of the two ladies, and told them his stories, Musa's stories. Not the stories of all the Prophets, we're talking about the story. Al-Qasas here is referring to the stories of Musa.

There are many parts of it, unlike what many of us sometimes think. Al-Qasas means the Qasas of the Prophets. Only here referring to Prophet Musa.

When he came to him and he told him his stories, meaning the stories of Musa. So in there, we all read the famous story of Musa and the people of Madyan.

When he reached the city of Madyan, and that should remember the background, after killing somebody by mistake, after an announcement was made to get him dead or alive, he fled the city.

As he was told by someone who advised him.

They are really gathering and plotting to kill you, so leave. And he left.

Lessons from Musa's Actions

And under these circumstances, you try to hide. You try to just care about your own safety. The minute he landed in Madyan, the two ladies were there.

And people were not caring for them. And everyone comes in and they take care of themselves, ignoring the two ladies, who were standing until everybody finishes. Musa went and helped her.

So what is the lesson that Allah wants us to learn? Notice here, Musa alayhis salam did not ask them, what religion you are? What color you are? Who are you? Or why should I help you? Immediately help them. And that's the position of any Muslim. You stand to help, regardless of who you are going to help.

You don't ask questions when people need help. You offer the help. Second lesson, Musa, by helping them, challenging the people, he's exposing himself now.

He's in confrontation with them. Wouldn't he be scared they find out who he was, and they arrest him and send him back to Egypt to the Pharaoh? Yeah, possible. But he didn't care about that.

He cared about standing for what is right. And that's very important. Now we had a whole khutbah about

So all human beings are in loss except those who believed and did righteous deeds and then, وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْحَقِّ. Stand for what is right. Join what is right. Very important concept over here.

And Musa applied that. And every one of us should apply the same. Then we stand for what is right.

That's what characterizes us. Not only that, وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِ We'll be patient in doing this. Meaning we'll be consistent in doing this.

It's not only doing it one time or two times. It's going to be a lifestyle. That's what Allah wants from us.

The Example of Prophet Ibrahim

Important lessons that we learn from the short surahs. Very short, but very precise. Have a strong message in them.

In Hud and other places. In Hud. We see Ibrahim alayhis salam. Strange people coming to him.

Didn't know who those people are. What's the religion? Who are they? Big strangers coming to the city. Coming to town.

Immediately he went and helped them. Immediately he asked his wife to cook for them. A big cow.

Was very generous with them. Did not offer them a sandwich. He just went and got a whole cow and slaughtered it for them.

And when he saw that their hands are not reaching the food, started to, who are these? Not before that. What a concept for us. To emphasize what we said about Musa.

You rush to do the goodness regardless of who you're doing it to. Didn't ask names. Didn't ask what's your religion or what's your nationality or what color you are.

You rush to help. Like Musa said,

You rush. I rush to you so that I please you. We do it for the sake of Allah.

Important concepts that come to us over here.

Those are the ones who rush to do the goodness and they compete in it. That verse comes in the heart.

In the middle of a surah that describes the best of the best. Describes the believers. وَأُولَٰئِكَ يُسَارِعُونَ Rush.

فِي الْخَيْرَاتِ In goodness. وَهُمْ لَهَا سَابِقُونَ And they in it compete. What a concept that comes in the surah that describes the best of the best.

Which is surah Al-Mu'minun. Heart of it. Very important for us to learn about our religion, our Quran, and how it addresses things.

When Allah described the best models for us, the anbiya' in surah Al-Anbiya'. Allah described some of them. Allah said,

After Allah talked about Zakariyya. Said, they were rushing to do the goodness. And they were raising their hands asking us for help. What a model for all of us.

The Reality of Today's World

Important concepts. It is very important for us to realize how valuable it is. You live in a world, 2017.

And Wallahi, myself, I thought, we are so much advanced. The level of civilization is going up, up, up. We became so sophisticated.

Technology have broken the barriers. But what happened? See the example of Syria. And we see hundreds of thousands of people killed.

Chemical weapons are being used. Where is the world? Where is that sophisticated world? What happened to the powers in the world? What happened to all these crimes that are committed? Everybody watches. Nobody is rushing to help.

Everybody cares about his or her own security and safety. Nobody wants to rush to help others. Same thing we see nowadays in Burma.

The Rohingya Muslims. And how much they are suffering. And how much the world is upside down but with the tongue.

No action. And the helpless Muslims are being burned. Burned alive.

Killed. With children, adults, women.

As Allah described the actions of those who are doing these actions. How when they have the upper hand on you, they will take care of no laws or anything. They'll do whatever they want to do.

The Islamic Solution

That's what's happening. And that's where the concept of Islam comes in. Islamic concepts come in.

It's got to be a power to protect the rights of the weak. Whether that power is the United Nations or something else or the Muslims build it themselves. That's what Islam believes in.

And that's what we as Muslims believe in. It's got to be a power to guard the rights of the people to live in peace. The model that I talked at the outset of this khutbah.

It's got to be a power to protect these rights and protect people to worship and do whatever they want to do. With no discrimination at all. And no wonder the first verses that came ordering the Muslims to carry arms or allowing the Muslims to carry arms to protect themselves.

It indicated that also you protect the places of worship of others. In Surah Al-Hajj that talks about the ibadah. And there in the middle of the ibadah, in addition to the hajj, it puts to us another ibadah.

Which is the protection of the places of worship. Protection by ammunitions, by guards, by weapons. You protect it.

If Allah didn't stop the corruption of people by other people who stand for what is right, we would have seen the places of worship destroyed. And what are these places of worship? Four places of worship. The fourth one is the masajid.

The first three ones are not the places of worship of the Muslims. I want you to think, reflect. We have a tendency to read here and there and hear what people are saying.

But we got to go back to our textbook, Al-Quran, and understand what it's saying, where it's saying it, under what circumstances. Important for us to learn that. And that's where we have the protection of the weak and the oppressed.

Regardless of their religion, as I said at the beginning. Regardless of their color. Regardless of their status.

All these things are very, very important for us. And inshallah, one day we'll see that implemented. Maybe we're not able to see it now.

The Lesson of Patience and Confidence

And here comes the lessons of patience that Allah taught us. And taught Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. He wasn't able to do what I said at the beginning. He was hoping to do it, as I'm hoping that it happens.

The only difference was he was confident. Very confident that this would happen. And it did happen.

He was very confident that Allah will bring his victory. Allah told him, it's difficult. It's hard.

You're going to suffer so much. And he will even think that the victory will not come. And oppression will continue.

And we read when the suffering was reaching close to its peak in Mecca. In the 10th year, Amul Huzn. The year of sorrow where the Prophet ﷺ uncle and wife died.

We read during that time the Qur'an coming in the series of the Alif-Lam-Ra. And you read in Yusuf, that starts with Alif-Lam-Ra.

Until the messengers think that there is no way out. Everything is closed. There is no way out. And it seems the case is closed.

Hope is not there. Then the victory comes in. So as the curve of suffering goes up.

But with that, the confidence in Allah's victory is there. Then the victory will come. May Allah bring us all the victory inshallah.

And help us understand the model of Islam.

أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ

Examples from Hurricane Harvey

Dear brothers and sisters. We have seen a good spirit here in Houston during the hurricane season.

We have seen people coming together, helping one another. She was a good model. I was trying to reach my daughter.

Her husband went to Hajj. And I couldn't. There was too much water.

And here comes somebody rushing with his truck, asking me if I need help. He said, yes. Didn't ask me anything other than, do you need help? I said, yeah.

Who are you? Nothing. No charge, nothing. People want to help.

That's the spirit that I was talking about. A non-Muslim came in and gave me a ride. And alhamdulillah, my daughter was safe and everything was fine.

It's an example. Came back home. And somebody was knocking on my door.

My neighbor was not a Muslim, asking about me. An hour later or some time later, another knock on the door. And this time, a lady with a hijab asking if I need help.

And she's going around helping other people. We all suffered. The daily masjid got flooded.

Our school got flooded. Almost our daycare building is totaled. No insurance, nothing.

Here comes people walk together, stand together to help one another. And I'm sure many of my dear brothers over here suffered. And they're still suffering.

And it's very important that we go and find out who needs help. As many of the Islamic centers here did. IHGH masjids.

Open their doors for people to come in. Open the masjids for them. And you know what happened in the city and in the news.

And alhamdulillah, that was a word. That action is better than thousands of words. That showed the concept of ma'oon.

Ma'oon meaning the help. Surah al-Ma'oon.

Describing those who don't believe in religion. Or those who really got the wrong concept of religion. Describing them at the end with وَيَمْنَعُونَ الْمَاعُونَ.

They don't give the ma'oon. The little help that people need. But alhamdulillah, we did.

We still do it. And we still need to do it. And every one of us should go out of his way to help others.

As the different masjids did for the non-Muslims. I want to share with you a few stories. We feel so sad for what's happening to the Muslims in Burma.

We stand helpless. As the Prophet at one time stood helpless. But he got the confidence that Allah is going to bring victory.

And we read,

The people of the Ukhdood were killed. To give us an example that this happens. And their destiny will be Jannah inshallah.

Historical Examples of Islamic Justice

But look at the Prophet. There was someone he sent to the Roman king. Came back from there in the north of Saudi Arabia.

In a city called Hesma. And he... There was somebody who's tribe there. A city, that city.

And Hunayd and his son. The leaders of the city. They robbed him.

They assaulted him. And he comes, he's a guest. Coming, passing by.

عَابِرْ سَبِيل But they didn't really respect that right. It happens. They always... Shaytan is always there.

And people will commit crimes. So that happens. So that some Muslims around, in the cities around, heard about it.

And they came and they really got all the belongings back. To Dihya, the name of the Sahab. And gave him all what he lost.

And he went back to the Prophet. Now look at what the Prophet did. The 5th, 6th year in Medina.

After he started to get some breath. To breathe naturally and gain his strength. Zayd Ibn Harithah.

With an army, a big army. Hundreds of soldiers with him. To discipline the one who assaulted a Muslim.

And they went there. And they killed Al-Hunayd and his son. Who committed the crime.

And he got lots of spoils of war. And then they gave it back to the people. Didn't take anything.

Just an example. Of when the Muslims have, Inshallah, the power. Will stand for what is right.

And will discipline those who are, you know, spreading corruption. And will forgive those who need to be forgiven. As the Prophet did.

Important lessons for us. We don't lose hope.

Don't ever think that Allah is not aware of what the wrongdoers are doing.

At the end of Surah Ibrahim. That talks about those aggressors who don't acknowledge the ni'mah of Allah. And commit the crimes.

Allah says, don't worry about them. Allah is aware of what they do. Even though their plotting would dissolve the mountains.

Destroy the mountains.

But yeah, Allah is aware of that. And will take care of them.

The Story of Al-Mu'tasim

In the city of Amuriyah. At one time. A lady was assaulted.

And she shouted. وَمُعْتَصِمَاهُ You all know the story. And the news came to Al-Mu'tasim.

And he launched an army. To save that lady. And he did.

It's a long story. But the spirit of the story is. When Inshallah Allah gives us the power.

We'll stand for what is right. We'll help those who are oppressed. Whether they are Muslims or non-Muslims.

It doesn't matter dear brothers and sisters. Umar ibn al-Khattab. You know.

Sends a request. To Amr ibn al-As in Egypt. Tells him we are facing a famine here.

People are hungry. Can't find water. Can't find anything.

Amr ibn al-As replies. I'm sending you caravans of help. The beginning of it in Egypt.

And the end of it is in Medina. What a way to think about. How people rush.

Good example here. Rush to do the goodness. And how wealthy Egypt was at that time.

And how healthy Egypt was at that time. As it happened in the time of Umar ibn al-Aziz. When there was not a single Muslim or non-Muslim.

Who needed zakah. And people were living in peace with each other. Think of minorities that live with the Muslims.

And how Islam takes care of these minorities. And how the Prophet shallallahu alaihi wa sallam tells his companions. Whosoever attacks a Jew or a Christian.

Or anybody who is not a Muslim. As if he is attacking me. What a way to look at things.

And the world peace. And how Islam cares about others. Very important that we understand this.

And we live to this standard. Dear brothers and sisters. It is absolutely necessary to trust Allah.

Put our confidence in Allah. When you cut all the ropes. And only you keep the rope of Allah.

Only then the help of Allah will come to us inshallah.