Dr. Basem Hameed 8-25-17

All praise be to Allah, our Creator, Sustainer and Cherisher. We bear witness there is no deity worthy of worship save Allah. And we bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and last messenger.

We ask Allah to bestow His blessings, peace and mercy upon His beloved Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم, His household, His companions and all of His followers till the end of time. My dear respected brothers and sisters, fear Allah, be God conscious, be prepared for a day when no one should suffice for another except what Allah has allowed. Allah has warned you in the Qur'an by saying, O people, fear Allah and be prepared for a day when no child should suffice for their parents, nor a parent should suffice for their children.

Do know the promise of Allah is the truth and do not be swayed by this world and do not be swirled by the shaitan.

The Prophet's Night Prayer and Reflection

My dear respected brothers and sisters, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم in one of the most brilliant examples of his closeness, his nearness to Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى as narrated by our mother Aisha رضي الله عنها when she was asked, "Tell us about one of the most unique events or the most unique segments that occurred to you with the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم" She cried رضي الله عنها and said, "Once we were in bed at night" - imagine that's the most intimate time for a husband and wife - and at that moment he صلى الله عليه وسلم told her, "Could you leave me so I could pray" دعيني أتعبد ربي.

Aisha رضي الله عنها answered that "as much as I would like to be close to you I still prefer your desire over mine" أُحِبُّ قُرْبَكَ وَلَكِنِّي أُوثِرُ هَوَاكَ. Whatever the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم wanted was her preference. That shows you how much love to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. How much true love, where his thoughts, his desires became what she truly loved as opposed to her personal desires.

She goes on رضي الله عنها and said that then he got up, made wudu, started praying and started crying till the water shed wet his beard صلى الله عليه وسلم and it flowed and went down to his chest till even made the ground wet. Imagine the abundance of tears that came out from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم during that time. She asked him صلى الله عليه وسلم, "Why are you crying? Why are you so concerned and fearful? When Allah has already promised you the forgiveness and the pardon of everything that you've done when the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم by the will of Allah سبحانه وتعالى immune to sins and immune to commit any sin minor or major صلى الله عليه وسلم."

Then he answered, "Shall I not be a thankful servant, a slave to Allah سبحانه وتعالى?" And then he went on and said, "Today, tonight, this moment I have been given, Jibreel revealed upon me the two famous ayahs in the end of Surah Ali Imran:"

Then, he said ﷺ that these verses have been revealed to me. "Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and earth, the night and the day are signs for those who have solid minds, those who contemplate, meditate, reflect upon the creation of Allah, and then say, 'glorified you are and exalted. This creation is not frivolous.' So, after they believe in that, they say, 'O Allah, forgive us and protect us from the torment of the hellfire.'"

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 4570)

The Prophet ﷺ said, "Woe, perished, he who recites these verses and does not reflect upon their meanings, does not contemplate, meditate the meanings, the marvelous meanings they contain in their words."

The Forgotten Worship of Contemplation

And throughout the Qur'an, my brothers and sisters, Allah ﷻ sends you these ayahs and say they are signs for who reflect upon solid minds, those who meditate. يَتَفَكَّرُونَ يَعْقِلُونَ And this incident, imagine Allah ﷻ has chosen a very unique time, very unique place, very unique situation to reveal these two ayahs, so it can leave a certain impression in your mind, a very special meaning. When Allah ﷻ took the Prophet out of his bed, in a special night when he was close to his wife, and showed you now this is a time for reflection, this is a time for meditation, this is a time to get close to Allah ﷻ, and then He revealed to him the importance of tafakkur, the importance of tadabbur, which is a ibadah, an act of worship that we would observe the sunnah if we would do.

The worship of the tafakkur, the contemplation, the meditation, is an ignored and neglected act of ibadah. Despite the importance, despite the great honor as Allah ﷻ mentioned, it is only those who have yatafakkarun. لَآيَاتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ

As a matter of fact, Umm Ad-Darda, رضي الله عنها, one of the greatest companions of the Prophet ﷺ, and the greatest honorable woman of Islam in history, was asked what was the greatest ibadah that Abu Ad-Darda would have. People, the salaf, would always be curious and try to copy their companions. So they would try to say, what was their salah, what was their qira'ah, their recitation of the Qur'an. Here, Umm Ad-Darda is asked, what is the greatest act of ibadah or ritual that Abu Ad-Darda would have? She said, at-tafakkur.

He would spend hours and hours, days not leaving his home, doing what? At-tafakkur. Sitting, reflecting upon the meanings of the Qur'an. Reflecting upon the creation of Allah ﷻ. And that's a ibadah that was considered by them, more important than what you would think recitation of Qur'an without understanding its meanings, obviously. Or just the praying.

One of the salaf used to say, Ka'b al-Qurazi used to say, it is better for me to pray two rak'ahs, read in them, إِذَا زُلْزِلَتْ وَالْقَارِعَةَ and keep repeating them, and reflecting upon their meanings, that's better for me than reciting the entire Qur'an, without هَذِّهِ هَذًّا meaning, just as if you're throwing something fast, without pausing upon the meanings, without pondering the great impressions that Allah ﷻ has instilled in these greatest ayahs.

That's why salah without a tadabbur, prayer without meditation, without being observant to Allah ﷻ, وَقِرَاءَةٌ مِنْ غَيْرِ تَدَبُّرٍ and recitation of the Qur'an without comprehension of the meanings, وَحَيَاةٌ مِنْ غَيْرِ تَذَكُّرٍ and life without the remembrance of Allah ﷻ is nothing but an act of futility. It's frivolous, does not get you the full benefit that is intended from that ibadah.

As a matter of fact, the Prophet ﷺ was described as whenever he spoke, his words would be reminders. And whenever he's silent, كَانَ صَمْتُهُ فِكْرَةً. Whenever he's silent, then even that pause, that quiet time, was an ibadah, meaning reflecting upon the creation of Allah ﷻ.

One of the salaf, as narrated by Dhun al-Masri was asked, what is the way to reach to Allah ﷻ? To know Allah ﷻ? He answered, عَرَفْتُ رَبِّي بِرَبِّي وَلَوْلَا رَبِّي مَا عَرَفْتُ رَبِّي. Said, the easiest way to keep thinking about the creation of Allah. This is what he says, بِرَبِّي meaning, thinking about the greatness of Allah ﷻ through His creation and through His Qur'an. And without that, you would not reach.

As such, my brothers and sisters, again, the ibadah of tafakkur, tadabbur, tadhakkur, has so much impact on your heart, on your soul, on your ibadah, on your connection to Allah ﷻ, and you should revive it in your life, give it a few times.

Contemplating Natural Phenomena

One of the important aspects of tafakkur, the contemplation, the meditation, is to think, as Allah ﷻ guided us in the Qur'an, about His natural phenomenon, what happens in the universe, the cosmic events that keep happening. Only a few days ago, we observed the phenomenon of the solar eclipse. And this weekend, the coming few days, we have possibly a hurricane.

And a wise person would not let just these events pass by without digging deep and understanding what's in them. What's the lessons and the morals that we could derive from them. Allah ﷻ has addressed this in the Qur'an. And this is the concept of what scholars have said, al-muqayarah. If you want to think about anything, how great it is, think how it would be if it was designed otherwise. Contrast it with the opposite example.

Allah ﷻ gave you this example in the Qur'an. And He said, سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ in Surah Al-Qasas:

Allah is giving you a great example with the simplest things you observe every day and asking you to contemplate, meditate, and see what it would be otherwise. And He says, "Suppose that Allah ﷻ willed that the daylight prevail, become perpetual, and last forever. Who would it be besides Allah capable of bringing you a night where you seek your tranquility? Can't you see? Can't you see the signs of Allah ﷻ?"

And in the previous ayah He said, "And imagine that Allah ﷻ made the night prevail and last till the end of time. Who would bring you the daylight? Despite all the might, the power, the advancement of the humanity, the peak of civilization that we have reached, Allah is giving you simple examples in your life and He challenges you to change it. And He says, 'Who would do it?'"

That is the weakness of a human being no matter how powerful, how mighty, how advanced you are. You are a slave and nothing more than a slave to Allah ﷻ. And if you don't believe it, wait till Allah ﷻ sends you one of the signs of a natural phenomenon and see how weak you are. When you try to prepare in advance, when the stores run out of water, when the stores run out of supplies, that's what you are. Allah is telling you, this is what you are.

A slave to your needs, a slave to your desires, a slave to the very basic instincts that He has instilled in you. And if you really want to know who you are, think about anything in the universe, what it would be if Allah willed it otherwise.

And He said, in the most challenging verse in the Qur'an, "Are you making those who cannot make anything, cannot create anything, equal to the One Who creates, equal to the One Who willed everything out of nothing? أَفَمَن يَبْدَأُ الْخَلْقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُ He's the One Who started things from nothing and He's capable of recreating that again in the Day of Judgment. قُلْ هَلْ مِن شُرَكَآئِكُم مَّن يَبْدَأُ الْخَلْقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُ Is there any of your partners, your knowledge, your technology, your might and power that could allow you to do that?"

That is the meditation, the reflection that would get you to understand exactly the greatness of Allah. And any event, any day that comes by, think about, start your day by what if Allah took my eyesight today? Just close your eyes for a brief moment and see what it would be like. So you would appreciate the blessings of Allah. And you would appreciate the power of Allah.

Divine Laws and Natural Consequences

When a hurricane comes, causes physical disruption, physical destruction of everything. If Allah sends you some mental hurricane, some social hurricane, and causes the disruption and the destruction of your personal life, what would it be like? And then, who else besides Allah who would allow things to settle? It's not your power. It's not your money. It's not your wealth. It's not status. It is Allah.

And then Allah laid down clearly His law in this universe. How things work at an individual level, at a societal level, and at a state level. And He says, Subhanahu wa ta'ala in Surah Al-Isra:

"And if we want to allow a community, a nation, a town, a country, whatever level you can think of, then we would command its wealthiest, the affluent, the people who have the riches. So they become corrupted. They become corrupted." Everything that is the law of Allah. When they reach that level of corruption, spreading injustice, inequality, then the decree of Allah commences and the destruction happens. At a natural level, at a societal level, at an entire world level.

Does a natural phenomenon have something to do with that? Yes. When the greed becomes the driving engine for a state, and making a profit is the only law that dictates the behaviors of people. When the environment is neglected, and when global warming becomes prevalent, yes, natural phenomenon occur. For over the last few decades, the strength of hurricanes have become worse. And that is directly related to global warming. How did that happen? That is a direct result of the corruption of mankind.

When the greed, and when money, when the dollar value became the most important factor in decision making. That is one of the things that Allah has warned you. أَمَرْنَا مُتْرَفِيهَا فَفَسَقُوا فِيهَا فَحَقَّ عَلَيْهَا الْقَوْلُ When the gap between classes widen, when the conflict of different classes widen, based on wealth, on status, on respect, and different factors of societal factors, yes, that does create chaos. And that does create certain people to revolt. And that's what's happening in many countries of this world. And that's a direct result of the violation of the law of Allah.

I ask Allah to protect us, preserve us all, and guide us to His word, and guide us to the sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ. أَقُولُ قَوْلِي هَذَا وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ لِي وَلَكُمْ فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ Astaghfirullah. Astaghfirullah.

Observing the Days of Dhul Hijjah

My dear respected brothers and sisters, we're obviously observing the great 10 days of Dhul Hijjah. I ask Allah ﷻ to make us among those who fulfill their sunnahs and get the honor from Allah ﷻ. For those who were not given the honor of performing hajj be mentally with the pilgrims, be with them in dhikr, in recitation, in longing to the Ka'bah, to the Prophet ﷺ and Allah will give you the same honor and the same blessing inshallah.

Do observe the sunnahs of Dhul Hijjah if you can fast. That's one of the most important rituals you can do. The dhikr of Allah ﷻ was recommended by the Prophet ﷺ and do observe the Udhiyah sunnah if you can, obviously, during the Eid.

Alhamdulillah, we're blessed that we're going to have the day of Eid on the day of Jum'ah. For those who observe the Salat al-Eid in jama'ah if you want to skip that Friday, that is okay that was permitted by the Prophet ﷺ. Many sunnahs that the time does not allow us since we're given the time to finish the khutbah.