Dr. Basem Hameed

As-salāmu ʿalaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh. I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah. We ask Allah to bestow His blessings, peace and mercy upon His Beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, his household, his companions, and all of his followers and the believers till the end of time.

My dear respected brothers and sisters, fear Allah, and do know that Allah has warned you in the Qur'an by saying, O people, fear Allah, and be prepared for a day when no parents would suffice for their children, nor children would suffice for their parents. Do know that the promise of Allah is the truth, and do not be swayed by the worldly matters, and do not be swayed by the Shaytan.

The Importance of Remembering Allah's Days

My dear respected brothers and sisters, Allah has asked His Prophet Musa in the Qur'an:

And do remind them, educate them about the events that Allah has allowed to happen on Earth and make it serve to them as a reminder. And these days are signs of Allah. These events are signs of Allah that a person should reflect upon, analyze, examine, and observe the manifestations of the greatness of Allah in these events.

And some of these major events, what the companions and the salaf, the tabi'een, used to say:

(Narrated by the companions and early generations)

It was the habit of the companions and the tabi'een, their followers and the followers of the followers, to teach the events of the life of the Prophet ﷺ, his biography and particularly his battalions, to their children like they would teach them the verses and the surahs of the Qur'an.

This is how serious they took it. And this is how significant it was for them. Because when you feed them that history of the best person that walked this earth, the history of the best people after the Prophet that walked this earth, these are the companions and the salaf as-salih, رضي الله عنهم ورضاهم.

This is the role model they need to look up to. And this is the love of whom they need to be infiltrated with. And this is the example that they need to grow up, putting up in front of their eyes to follow a step by step.

This is the glory they have to achieve and this is the path they have to take. And one of these major events and battalions that happened to be today, that's the dhikra of Ma'arakati Badr, the battalion of Badr that occurred on the 17th of Ramadan, coinciding with today's date of Ramadan. May Allah bless us all, accept us, release us from the hell fires, inspire our hearts and our souls with his light, with his guidance, with his mercy and with his love and the love to his Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

The Battle of Badr: A Divine Confrontation

And the significance of the battle of Badr, my dear respected brothers and sisters, is tremendous. It's beyond something that we can cover in half hour or less than that. It is the first significant battle where the believers and the non-believers had confrontation face to face. A confrontation that was not planned by either party, but by Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.

A confrontation that followed an attempt of the pagans, the non-believers, to exterminate all the Muslims at that time. Similar like to a genocide. They were already cleansed, displaced out of Mecca. If you're talking about modern history, ethnic cleansing, religious cleansing, apartheid, extermination, this is exactly what your Prophet ﷺ and his early companions went through.

The Prophet's Peaceful Approach

And what was the attitude of the Prophet ﷺ? Always to resort to what is peaceful and avoid bloodshed. And someone can argue that this was in the early days of Islam, when Islam was young, weak, Muslims did not have a state.

The answer to them, the climax and the peak of the power and might of the Prophet ﷺ and his companions was at the time of Fatih Mecca. And not a single person was killed. And the Prophet ﷺ had the choice to pay back and exterminate them when they were non-believers and did not do that.

And he said:

You are free because the sanctity of the human beings, as Allah guided his Prophet ﷺ, is something above everything and cannot be compromised. And this is exactly what the Prophet ﷺ demonstrated throughout his entire life. During the military weakness or the military power. During economic weakness and economic power. When the Muslims were few and when they were abundant. In the time of peace and the time of war, it was one and one message.

The sacredness and sanctity of the human souls that Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala has made sacred and forbade to kill or exterminate except for a valid reason. As he mentioned subhanahu wa ta'ala in his book.

The Path to Confrontation

For that matter, the Prophet ﷺ has faced the constant plotting of the pagans to exterminate the existence of faith with less confrontational measures. And he resorted to what could be translated in our time as economic sanctions. As the people of Quraysh used to have their caravans between Yemen and Mecca and then the north coming from Syria down to Mecca and Medina. The Prophet ﷺ in order to limit their danger and their threat to the existence of the Islamic State.

He wanted to impose economic threat. And he did not intend to fight. And that's why he asked the companions to come out with him so they can show Quraysh that this young state cannot be threatened. And it's a matter of existence and they cannot be subject to the constant threats and danger of the pagans of Mecca.

And of course, Abu Sufyan at that time was one of the leaders of Quraysh in his evasive and manipulative way. He changed the route of the caravan and survived. So it wasn't a matter of just fighting back or being equal. The pagans wanted again to exterminate the Prophet ﷺ and his companions and insisted on coming back and fighting till they kill every single believer.

And that's when 313, 414, maybe more, maybe less, but approximately 300 companions along with the Prophet ﷺ has had that confrontation with over a thousand of the pagans of Mecca. Where the now army that was not intended to be army of the Prophet ﷺ had 2 horses, the pagans had 100 horses. Imagine 2 armies facing one another, one with 2 tanks and the other one with 100 tanks. Fully equipped, coming out with the intention to fight when the Prophet ﷺ was not prepared for that fight.

When the companions did not know where they were going. They did not know the destination where they were going. And that's when Allah allowed that to happen.

Reliance on Allah's Decree

And this is what a Muslim does. You do your best and allow Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala or leave everything up to the Qadar of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to occur the way He planned it subhanahu wa ta'ala. For the planning of Allah and the plotting of Allah is better than your planning and better than your plotting.

And if you think it is your intelligence, it is your effort that makes things happen right, then that's truly a sign of your failure. That's a defect in your Iman. And that's when the results you long for will not happen the way you want them.

It is only when you leave things to the Qadar of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala as the Prophet and his companions did, would the result become optimal. The way Allah wants it and not the way you want it.

Allah made you prevail. He didn't say you defeated them, you prevailed over them. It is Allah that made you prevail over them. وَأَنْتُمْ أَذِلَّةٌ When you are in a state of weakness, humility, in number, in finances, in military power, and that shows you:

And truthfully, the victory can come only from Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. When you rely on Allah and not when you rely on yourself. It is the victory that depends on the strength and power of faith. And does not depend on the power of money or numbers or equipment or weapons or this and that.

And this is the principle that Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala has willed for his believers. And whenever they deviate from that principle, then the outcome is not going to be optimal. And whenever you want to have something in your life, whether it's a worldly matter or something related to the akhira, make sure that you follow that principle.

It is Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala that makes things happen.

If there was no special aid and help from Allah to a person, then the first thing that would compromise that person and lead him to failure, it's his own efforts and his own intelligence. That is the principle that we need to remind ourselves of and to live by day in and day out, my brothers and sisters.

The Prophet's Consultation (Shura)

When the Prophet ﷺ wanted to choose a location, a site for that war, he chose a certain location. But one of the companions asked him, Is this a revelation from Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala that made you pick this particular site? The Prophet ﷺ said, No, it's just part of my own planning, my personal opinion. And that's when the companion said, In that case, I think that other site would be better.

The Prophet ﷺ said, It is the opinion, it is part of the war plot, it's part of the fight planning. And that companion said, Since it's not a revelation from Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, then a better planning would be to go to a different site.

And that shows you, my dear respected brothers and sisters, The Prophet ﷺ was not a dictator. Was open to opinions of his companions. Anything he did was based on Shura. And anything that did not relate directly to matters of Sharia, in which he is the supported by revelation person, the one that knows best, the one who taught us the religion.

When it is based on experience, then you resort to the opinion of experience. And the Prophet ﷺ was not shy and was not egotistic to say, No, this is the right thing. He followed that opinion and that was a lesson from Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala Islamic state is not a theocratic state.

It's not a one person who knows it all and everyone has to follow. It is divided. The matters of Sharia are already illustrated and made clear by Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. And yes, scholars may have different opinions, but every single opinion lay within the boundaries of Sharia. And that goes to the experts of the Sharia. But when it comes to matter of expertise, to matters of Dunya, then you have to resort and you have to follow the opinion of these experts.

It's not a matter who is better and who is worse in religion, because that is a matter that is only known to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, especially after the Prophet ﷺ has departed this world.

Excellence in All Affairs

And this is a lesson for us. To follow the means. To follow the steps. In everything you do, whether it's small or big, always follow the best. A plan that would make you reach your goal.

For that matter, the Prophet, as narrated in a Hadith that probably not as authentic, but the meaning is very good, that says:

In each job, for any task you want to do, make sure you assign it to the best of people. Make sure you hire the best. There is no mediocrity in religion. There is no mediocrity in Islam. Everything has to be to the best of standards. The moment you wake up in the morning, the way you dress, the way you eat, the way you talk, the way you do your job, everything has to be done in the best manner.

That is the Ihsan that Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala wanted us to serve Him and worship Him on. And this is what the Prophet ﷺ and his companions have followed. I ask Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to make us among those who listen to the advice and follow the best of it.

Teaching Our Children Islamic History

My dear respected brothers and sisters, as I mentioned before, we cannot do this segment of Badr its justice in 20 minutes or 30 minutes or even more than that. It requires hours and hours of reflection. It's just a reminder for us to realize how important that is to go back and read the biography of the Prophet ﷺ his life, his story, to go tonight and remind every single child that today is the 17th of Ramadan and today was the great battle of Badr and tell him what Badr is and when you go for Umrah or Hajj take your children to Badr so they live that.

Abdullah ibn Sa'd ibn Abi Waqas used to say رضي الله عنهما My father would hold my hands meaning our great beloved companion Sa'd ibn Abi Waqas the one of the 10 Mubasharim in Jannah he would hold the hands of his children and grandchildren and take him from one side to another this is where the Prophet ﷺ did this and this is where he did that this is where he sat this is where he stood this is where this and that this is how you grow that attachment to the Prophet ﷺ this is how you grow that love this is where you live life and there is nothing in your mind but how did the Prophet ﷺ did it this is something that we have to breathe the love of the Prophet ﷺ something that has to become our second nature we think about it more than anything we do or care about in our lives.

So make sure when you are going for Iftar tonight spend your time talking about something more important than the rockets losing the game talk about the battle of Badr talk about Fath Makkah which was on the 10th of Ramadan talk about Ain Jalut talk about all the great events that happened in Ramadan this is how you entertain your children make Islam, make the life of the Prophet ﷺ is the entertainment make it the air you breathe make it even the jokes your kids joke about this is something they can grow up with Inshallah.

The Prophet's Profound Du'a

One of the major segments my brothers and sisters that I am asked to summarize in three minutes is an important clip from the Du'a of the Prophet ﷺ where he was in his ultimate humility and humbleness to Allah making Du'a to Allah to make him prevail and he says:

He said Oh Allah if these people if this group of companions that are with me now are perished, are exterminated then you're never going to be worshipped on this earth ever after today with that sense of making the truth prevail with that concern over the survival of the message with that realization of what these great companions and pioneers have done to Islam with the appreciation of the dangers they marched through with the blood, sweat and tears they have put forth the Prophet ﷺ directed his heart and soul to Allah asking Du'a by these people.

And truthfully my brothers and sisters this is something we have to remind ourselves every day we are Muslims by the grace of Allah first and foremost but it is for the blood and tears and sweats of these people that you and I have become Muslims and if these people did not carry the message did not support the Prophet ﷺ the way they did Islam would not have survived.

A Question for Self-Reflection

But the question that every and each of us my brothers and sisters have to ask if something similar happened today and the Prophet ﷺ had to make that Du'a or any of us had to make that Du'a would you be amongst those who would be considered if this group is perished then you are never going to be perished never going to be worshipped can you be considered one of those people who are carrying the message of Islam and the Islam survival is dependent on you are you taking your fair share of spreading the Islam and carrying the message of Allah are you fulfilling your obligations towards Allah towards the Prophet ﷺ towards his companions towards this amanah that Allah has trusted humans with or are you just concerned about yourself your survival of the family and then the rest of the nation of Islam is up to Allah?

Ask yourself that question and make sure whenever there is an opportunity to contribute to supporting this message do today Alhamdulillah you have this opportunity where this blessed institution will take contributions Inshallah every single person please take a pledge card upon your departure and contribute no matter how little that amount for you never know how Allah blesses this you never know what Allah is going to accept from you make sure that you've done something make sure that you have contributed and make sure that you support the noble message of this masjid may Allah increase its blessings and increase its profits and increase its fruits in this community.

I ask Allah to forgive us to forgive our sins accept us in Ramadan accept our fasting and worship.