I m Muslim and I m Proud

I'm Muslim and I'm Proud - Navaid Aziz

Opening

(بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ - bismillahir-rahmanir-rahim)

(السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ - assalamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh)

My dear brothers and sisters, I would like to take you back into history. In fact, a very pivotal moment in our history as a civilization. And that was the day that the emir, the khalifa, Umar ibn al-Khattab (radiallahu anhu), he opened up al-Bayt al-Maqdis. Muslims, finally, after much time, had opened it up.

The Story of Umar ibn al-Khattab and the Meaning of Izzah

And as Amir al-Mu'mineen Umar ibn al-Khattab (radiallahu anhu), is on his way to Jerusalem. He has one of his close companions, Abu Ubaidah al-Jarrah (radiallahu anhu), with him. And Abu Ubaidah, he looks at Amir al-Mu'mineen, and he says, "Ya Amir al-Mu'mineen, I've met the rulers of Persia, the rulers of the Byzantine, the rulers of Rome. And I look at their clothing, and I find it so luxurious, so pompous. And then I look at you," and then you can imagine, Umar ibn al-Khattab (radiallahu anhu), with his humble clothing, with patches on it, perhaps even a few tears. And he says, "Ya Amir al-Mu'mineen, are you not more deserving of this luxury? Are you not more deserving of this magnificent lifestyle?"

And then Umar ibn al-Khattab (radiallahu anhu), there was a term that he had coined completely, this is his, anyone who says it is following his footsteps. He says, "Ya Abu Ubaidah, had anyone said this other than you, I would have chopped off their heads." He was such a merciful man, subhanAllah. He never actually implemented this. But just to scare the people, to show them who's the boss.

Now the point being, this is where the crux of our discussion will begin. Izzah. Umar ibn al-Khattab (radiallahu anhu), he went on to say and to share, something that needs to be written in gold, hung on the walls, hung in our hearts, remembered in our minds. He said:

"We are a people whom Allah has honored and given dignity and given respect through our Islam. And when we seek that honor, dignity and respect through other than Islam, that is when Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) humiliates us and disgraces us."

And this is where I would like to bring about our topic of discussion: I'm Muslim and I'm proud.

The State of the Muslim Ummah

In our day and age, if you look at the climate of the world and the state of the Muslim ummah, you would see that there are certain elements in it that make us so proud. That alhamdulillah there's a revival of Islam. People are turning back to their religion. People are going to the masjid. People are learning their deen.

But then you look at other elements of the Muslims, not of Islam but of the Muslims, that they are still some of the biggest criminals in the world. It is our countries that have the biggest oppressors. And then you try to figure out what is going wrong.

Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala), His Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), the khulafa ar-rashidun, they told us what went wrong. What went wrong was we became a nation that tried to seek respect through other than Islam. We became a people who sought money, we sought power and we sought greed. But we left our very fundamentals, we left our principles.

The Secret to Becoming a Proud Muslim

I want you to think about the first revelation and the second revelation that came to the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). And the reason why I ask you to reflect upon this is because what a daunting task it must have been for the Messenger of Allah to actually become a prophet. To go from just a regular man to become a prophet of Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) and call the people to Islam.

So how did Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) instill confidence, instill power inside the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) so that 1400 years later we can become proud of Him? And this is the secret to becoming a proud Muslim. Proud to be Muslim.

1. The First Command: Knowledge

The very first revelation Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) gave the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was what? What was the first revelation people? اقْرَأْ - Read, learn, educate yourself.

2. The Second Command: Action

And then look at the second revelation that Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) gave to the Messenger of Allah. It was Surah Al-Mudathir. And the second commandment is given to the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) says:

قُمْ فَأَنذِرْ

"Stand up and call the people."

So you see over here a strong correlation between learning and increasing in knowledge and educating oneself and then implementing that knowledge. And this in essence is the recipe for becoming a proud Muslim, to becoming an ummah that has respect, honor and dignity.

3. The Third Command: Spiritual Connection

Have you ever thought about how the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) gained that confidence? It was with these two concepts and then the third commandment he was given. The third commandment he was given by Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala):

قُمِ اللَّيْلَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا

"Stand up in the night and pray to Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala)."

So knowledge. Action upon that knowledge and building a relationship with your very creator. And you will see throughout history, the bright moments in our history have been when the leaders and the Muslims have encompassed all three of these elements. Knowledge, action and a good relationship with their very creator.

The Essence of Izzah

So now what is the essence of Izzah? What is the essence of power, might and respect? It is none other than Al-Aziz, Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) Himself. One of the most beloved names to Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) is Al-Aziz. And that is why you see it repeated throughout the Qur'an so many times.

And not only does Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) use this name so frequently, Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) says it explicitly, that if you desire Izzah:

"Izzah is for Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) alone."

So now us coming 1400 years later, how do we get this Izzah? How do we turn back to our golden age of Islam that we once had?

Two Types of Knowledge We Need

1. Knowledge of Our Deen

Let us talk about what are some of the fundamental principles of this religion. One of the most fundamental principles of our religion is that we can proudfully say that we are the only or at least one of the very very few religions that call to true monotheism. That not only do we believe in one creator and one sustainer, but in fact the crux of our religion is that we worship Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) alone.

And this is the most fundamental pillar of our faith. Something that we can be proud with. And this was the crux message of the Qur'an, the crux message of the prophethood of the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). In fact the scholars of Islam have said, if you were to choose just one theme throughout the sunnah and one theme throughout the Qur'an, you would see that both the Qur'an and the sunnah revolve around worshipping Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) alone.

Theme 1: Love

What is another theme we find in our beautiful religion? We find the theme of love. That we are commanded to love our creator, we are commanded to love our people. In fact we will not enter Jannah until we become people who love one another.

The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said:

"You will never enter paradise until you believe, and you will never believe until you love one another. So shall I not guide you to that thing which will increase you in love for one another? Spread the salams amongst yourselves."

And subhanAllah, I've been to many Muslim countries, but I have never felt love like I have here in Malaysia, subhanAllah. I remember coming to the Islamic University of Malaysia yesterday, delivering the Jum'ah khutbah. You know usually after the Jum'ah khutbah, you'll get two or three people coming to ask you a question.

But I had something yesterday that I've never experienced in my life before. And that was literally, without exaggeration, two to three hundred people coming up to me saying, can I take a picture with you? And I was like, this is the first experience. But for me what stuck out even the most was how polite the people were.

They were always come up, salamu alaykum, jazakallah khair. By the way, can I take a picture with you? But I love the fact that they gave salams. And then when I left the university, you have all of these students and all these future leaders inshaAllah. As you're walking through the university, everyone's saying, assalamu alaykum, assalamu alaykum, assalamu alaykum. And I thought to myself, subhanAllah, this is one of the great legacies of Islam that has been left behind. That we wish peace for one another as we walk by one another.

So one of the key elements of our religion, love for one another.

Theme 2: Mercy and Compassion

What is another key element of our faith? Mercy and compassion. For those of you who study hadith, you'll notice that when you study hadith, your shaykh, the first hadith he will usually teach you is:

"Have mercy upon the people of this earth and the one who is in the heavens, he shall have mercy upon you."

This was one of the fundamental components of our conduct with one another. In fact, if you look at what Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) sent the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) with, how does Allah define it?

"And we have not sent you, O Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) except as a mercy for all of mankind."

So where is that mercy today?

Theme 3: Forgiveness

A key element from our faith is forgiveness. You look at Yusuf (عليه السلام - alayhis salam). Yusuf (عليه السلام - alayhis salam) he was betrayed by his own brothers. He was treated unjustly, thrown into a well. In fact, originally they had thought, let us kill him. But then one of the brothers said, no, we'll just throw him into a well. He gets thrown into a well, he's picked up, taken into slavery, he's accused of something foul, and then he's imprisoned unjustly.

And then while he's imprisoned, the people he spoke to to help get him out, they forget about him. Think about what a difficult life that is. Now some years go by, and then he confronts his brothers again.

He's in a state of Izzah, he's in a state of power, he's a minister now. He can have them exiled, he can have them imprisoned, he can have them executed. But what does he do? He shows the epitome of forgiveness. He says:

"No reproach or blame be upon you today, may Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) forgive you, for He indeed, He is the most forgiving, the most merciful of all those that show mercy."

And when was this repeated? It was repeated by the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) when he entered Makkah. For 13 years he was persecuted, his companions killed, physically, mentally, emotionally abused.

And then he enters Makkah in a state of Izzah, doing what he could have done. Again, he humbles himself in front of the Ka'bah, and he tells the people:

"No blame or reproach be upon you today, may Allah forgive you."

And then all of Makkah entered into Islam on that day, subhanallah. Showing you the power of character, showing you the power of integrity, showing what wins the hearts of people, showing one of the key fundamentals of our beautiful religion, forgiveness.

Theme 4: Justice

And you can go on and on looking at the key themes in the Qur'an, and the key themes in the Sunnah, and key themes in the seerah of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). And this will increase you in being a proud Muslim.

Because how many religions can claim that their religion is so perfect, that it calls to the oneness of Allah and His worship alone. And then it calls to such good conduct and character. And then what else does it call to? It calls to justice. Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) says:

"Be just, for indeed it is the closest thing to taqwa."

And look at the example of the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). During the battle of Badr, one of the first confrontations the Muslims are having with the disbelievers at that time. There was a man who was not straight in line. In fact he was sticking out and his stomach was sticking out.

So the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), he took his staff and he hit his stomach so that he would stand up straight. Someone who is courageous, someone who is brave, someone who looks as if he's going out for battle. And at that time, that man, he took offense.

He said, "O Messenger of Allah, I want my retribution. You hit me unjustly, it was not called for." Now what does the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) do? Think about the situation.

They're about to go into their first battle. Everyone's on edge, everyone is nervous, they're anxious. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ could have told them, look, you know your place, get back in line, we'll deal with this later.

But he didn't do that. He showed us that even in such moments, when the odds are against you, you have to be just. Because it is with justice that Allah جل جلاله grants victory and izzah.

So what did the Messenger of Allah ﷺ do? He walks up to the man, he says, here is the staff, and he lifts up his shirt. He says, go ahead and hit it. Now what do you think this companion would do? Was he going to hit the Messenger of Allah? Who in his right mind would do that ﷺ The man, he bent down, and he kissed the stomach of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ And it shows you how even in times of war, they weren't afraid or ashamed of showing their love and affection for one another. Especially the Messenger of Allah ﷺ

So these are fundamental themes, fundamental characteristics that we need to live by. So this is the first element of knowledge, getting to know what our religion is truly about.

2. Knowledge of the Luminaries of Our Faith

Then you move to the second element of knowledge that I was speaking about. And that is getting to know the luminaries of our beautiful faith. People who have left behind great legacies.

Abdullah ibn Hudhafah: A Story of Perseverance

From the people who have left great legacies are Abdullah ibn Hudhafah, showing the effect of perseverance. During the time of Amir al-Mu'mineen, Umar ibn al-Khattab رضي الله عنهthe Muslims went out for an expedition to Rome. And during that time, a group of Muslims was captured at the head of which was Abdullah ibn Hudhafah. Abdullah ibn Hudhafah and his group, his legion, they're imprisoned.

Now the ruler of Rome at that time, he had heard about the companions. And he had heard how literally, they were like superheroes. That these were people who during the day were out on the battlefield fighting. And during the night, they're standing up in prayer, reciting the Quran. Barely sleeping, barely eating, barely needing anything from this world. And at that time he thought, you know what? I want some of these superheroes to join me, to be a part of my family, to create a greater legacy for Rome.

So once they're captured, the emperor, the ruler, he didn't kill them, he didn't persecute them. But rather he comes up to Abdullah ibn Hudhafah and he says, look, I will let every one of you go, every single one of you, just marry my daughter. Meaning have children. Let from the lineage of the companions become other superheroes. Abdullah ibn Hudhafah, he remembers who his leader is, Umar ibn Khattab radiyallahu anhu. The man who literally threatening to chop people's heads off.

So he's like, no way, you could be the ruler of Rome, I don't care who you are. Umar said, no, it's not happening, I can't marry the enemy of the daughter. The emperor, he's not used to hearing no. He was shocked,

he's infuriated, he's very upset. He goes back to his chamber, he contemplates and deliberates, take some time, a couple of hours, maybe a day goes by. And he comes back and he says, I'm not accustomed to hearing no.

But I can understand the situation that you are in. You are seeking protection. Not only will I give you the hand of my daughter, but I will give you half of my kingdom, half of Rome. This is one of the biggest empires at that time. He says, all you have to do is marry my daughter, and I will give you half of my empire, and I will let all of your companions go. Abdullah ibn Hudhafah, he does not even need to think about it, doesn't even contemplate it.

And you can imagine how difficult this is, because the two biggest desires for a man are women and wealth. And here he's getting the best of both of them. But he knows again, that this is the religion of Allah. Umar ibn Khattab is his leader. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ is his prophet. And there's a greater purpose to be lived, rather than just the luxuries and desires of this dunya.

He again says no to the emperor second time. So what does the emperor do this time? He goes back, and he invites all of the prisoners. And this time he brings a large cauldron of hot burning oil.

And I want you to imagine, if you fried something, once you put the oil on the hot pan, you hear that sizzling sound. The sound of boiling oil is even worse, because it's not sizzling anymore, you're just hearing bubbles popping. And that's what's happening in this large cauldron of oil.

So the emperor, he brings out all the prisoners with Abdullah ibn Hudhafah. And he says, I'll give you one more chance, marry my daughter, have half of the kingdom. Abdullah ibn Hudhafah, he says no again.

So what does the emperor do this time? He takes one of the prisoners, he lifts him up, and he throws him into this cauldron of boiling hot oil. All you hear is that frying sound. And then at the top of the cauldron, you see these floating bones without any flesh.

At that time, Abdullah ibn Hudhafah, he starts crying. The emperor, he rejoices. He thinks he's won Abdullah ibn Hudhafah over. But he lets Abdullah ibn Hudhafah and the rest of the prisoners go back to their prison. And then he comes to Abdullah ibn Hudhafah, and he says, look, I can destroy all of you like this. Just marry my daughter. Abdullah ibn Hudhafah, he says no. This is the fourth time, and this emperor has never heard no before. Now, the emperor is ready to give up.

At that very time, he says, look, Abdullah, just kiss me on the forehead, and I will let you go. What does Abdullah ibn Hudhafah say at this time? He still says no. It's not good enough for him to be let free. He says, let me and all of the companions go, and then I'll kiss your forehead. The king at that time, you know, he's upset. He's like, there's no way I'm going to win this battle over. Khalas, go ahead. Abdullah ibn Hudhafah, he kisses him on the forehead, and the Muslims are let free. The king knew he wasn't going to get anywhere with them.

A messenger from amongst them, he hurried back to Umar ibn Al-Khattab. And he told Umar ibn Al-Khattab that today one man freed a nation through a single kiss. Umar got up onto the minbar, and he repeated it to the people, that today one man freed a nation through a single kiss.

So as Abdullah ibn Hudhafah comes back into Medina, let each and every one of you kiss his forehead. So I want you to imagine that this legion of prisoners, of warriors is coming back into Medina. Who's standing on the minbar to welcome them? Umar ibn Al-Khattab. Who's in the masjid? The rest of the companions. And as Abdullah ibn Hudhafah is coming in, Umar ibn Al-Khattab radiallahu anhu, kisses his forehead. And each companion thereon kisses his forehead.

This is a lesson in perseverance. That we as a nation, we will go through trials, we will go through tribulations, but we will never break our backs, we will never subdue ourselves except to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. And that is the result of it, victory.

Now that man, that one companion who was killed, do you know why Abdullah ibn Hudhafah cried at that time? He was later asked about it. He didn't cry because of pain, he cried because of joy. He said, woe to me if I could be that companion, that I could go through a minute of pain to live in an eternity of paradise. In fact, if I could relive that moment with the amount of hair that I have on my head, meaning an enormous amount of times, I would do so. Because he realized that paradise is your ultimate abode.

'Irbad ibn Sariyah: A Story of Philanthropy

Let's go on to other luminaries. That was perseverance. Let's talk about luminaries in philanthropy. A noble companion by the name of 'Irbad ibn Sariyah radiallahu anhu.

He was from the poorest of companions. How poor was he? He owned nothing in this world except for two pieces of clothing, his upper garment and his lower garment. And one day the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is collecting money.

He's asking people to give in the way of Allah SWT. So 'Irbad ibn Sariyah, he comes to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and he says you know I only have these two clothings. And he gives his upper clothing.

And he sits next to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ Perhaps that someone would give 'Irbad charity so he could give it out in the way of Allah SWT. And he sees companion after companion coming, and they're giving money, they're giving whatever they have to Allah's Messenger ﷺ. Till a time comes where 'Irbad ibn Sariyah radiallahu anhu, he starts crying and he walks away.

Now why does he cry? Why does he walk away? Is he crying because he's asked to give and does not want to give? No, he's crying because he wants to give but he has nothing to give. He just has his lower garment, which if he gave away, he would be nude completely. It was so beautiful, Allah preserved it in the Qur'an:

Quran 9:92 - "Their eyes flooded with tears, not because they were asked to give and didn't want to, but because they were asked to give, and they had nothing to give."

Abu Bakr as-Siddiq: Generosity Personified

Then look at the likes of Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu, that when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ needed money, he brought everything that he had. He's asked, what did you leave behind for your family? He says, I've left behind Allah and His Messenger ﷺ. This was a generosity that was unknown before the companions and was unknown after the time of the companions. But it is a part of our great legacy that we can be proud of.

Al-Baraa' ibn Malik: A Story of Courage

And you look at the stories of the companions thereafter, and you will see that there are many, many other great examples. Take an example of courage of Al-Baraa' ibn Malik. The Muslims are in an expedition and they are outside a big fortress.

They can throw their arrows, nothing is penetrating. They can try hitting the door, nothing is penetrating it. The only way to defeat and win this expedition now is if someone is thrown over the fortress, defends himself and opens the door.

The companions are asked, which one of you would want to do this? Hands after hands are going up. But who was the first hand? It was the hand of Al-Baraa' ibn Malik. And I want you to imagine this, almost as if it is, you know, an image out of Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner.

You know how Wile E. Coyote is always doing like crazy things, pulling himself on slingshots and catapults and anything to catch the Road Runner. This is what Al-Baraa' ibn Malik did. He got onto a catapult. He got onto a catapult. They pulled it back and they threw him over the fence. They threw him over the gate.

Now you may think he's being thrown into the enemy. How is he going to survive? This is suicide. But look at the courage of Al-Baraa' ibn Malik. Not only is he thrown over, he defends himself, opens the door for the Muslims, and the Muslims win that expedition. I ask you my dear brothers and sisters, where is that courage? We're not in a time of war right now. Alhamdulillah, the Muslims are safe.

We're not fighting. But where is the courage of leadership? Where are the people who need to stand up for this religion? Everyone has become so busy in their lives, so busy with the affairs of this world. But what about the affairs of the hereafter? Who is going to do them for you if you do not do it yourselves? So this is all a part of our past.

How Do We Become a Powerful Nation Again?

This is theoretical knowledge. Let's get into our discussion of how do we as Muslims now become a powerful, mighty, respected, dignified nation once again. I would like to share a quote with you from the famous poet Al- Rumi.

He says, "Yesterday I was clever, so I thought I was going to change the world. Today I am wise, so I have decided to change myself." And this is how the ummah will change.

When each individual takes it upon themselves not to change the world, but changing the world through changing yourself first. Because this is what it is all about. This world, it consists of individuals. And up and until we fix the individuals, starting with ourselves, and starting with our family members, and our closest friends and neighbors, we will never truly be able to make a difference. So it always begins with yourself first. What do you need to change in yourselves and in ourselves?

1. Everything with Ihsan

We need to do everything with ihsan. Meaning that not only does it need to be for the sake of Allah SWT, it needs to be as the Messenger of Allah ﷺ responded when he was asked by Jibreel:

He said, al-ihsan, it is to worship Allah SWT as though you can see him. And know that even though you cannot see him, know that he sees you. Meaning that your ultimate goal is to one day stand in front of Allah SWT and to see his beautiful face.

The greatest luxury in paradise. How do you get to that state in this world? Knowing and realizing that Allah SWT himself is watching you. So everything that you do in this world, do it with proficiency, do it with excellence.

And this is why the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

"That indeed, ihsan, excellence and proficiency has been commanded in everything." Even in the way we sacrifice animals and we prepare them to eat. We do it with excellence, even though it is such a trivial matter. This is ihsan. So we live our lives with ihsan.

2. Living According to Our Ultimate Relationship

Number two is living according to the ultimate relationship we have in this world. And that ultimate relationship is with Allah SWT. That while you have the affairs of this world, there needs to be a counterbalance in remembering Allah SWT. That Allah SWT, He created you in this world for one sole purpose, and that is to worship Him.

Now when we think about worship, we think it's about restricting ourselves to the masajid. We think about the month of Ramadan. We think about hajj. These are just small components of our worship, small components of our ibadah. But ibadah is so much greater. Your sleep can become an act of ibadah if it's to grant you strength so that you can worship Allah.

The food that you eat becomes ibadah for you if you say bismillah and do it for gaining strength. Spending your time with your family becomes an act of ibadah because bringing a smile to the face of your fellow Muslim is an act of charity. So your whole life can become an act of ibadah.

And that is what you need to focus on.

If you look at the life of the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallallahu alayhi wasallam) where did he get his strength? He got his strength through praying in the middle of the night. Praying in the middle of the night so that he could change the world during the day.

The wife of Umar ibn Abdulaziz (رحمه الله - rahimahullah) she was asked, what was the secret of success for Umar ibn Abdulaziz? She said he divided his day and night into two. The night was spent in being in the service of his creator, seeking istighfar, reciting Quran, making dhikr, praying purely for the sake of Allah SWT. And then his days, they were spent in the service of the people.

So service in Allah at night, service for the people during the day. The key to success. Both of them have to go hand in hand.

So you while doing the affairs of this world, you need a strong relationship with Allah because your relationship with Allah SWT is going to be your source of strength.

3. Living by the Principles of Our Religion

And the last and third point I want to share before I conclude is that we will only become a respectful and dignified nation once again is if we live by the principles and code of conduct of our religion.

The Story of Abu Dharr al-Ghifari and True Justice

And I will share and conclude with this one story that I believe epitomizes it. During the time of Umar ibn Khattab (رضي الله عنه - radiyallahu anhu) there were two men who brought in a young boy dragging into the courthouse. So Umar ibn Khattab (رضي الله عنه - radiyallahu anhu) he asked him, what is this? What is going on? Why are you dragging him into the courthouse? They say, this boy, he killed our father. Umar ibn Khattab (رضي الله عنه - radiyallahu anhu) asks him, did you really kill their father? The boy says, yes, I did kill their father, but it was by accident.

My camel, it used to tread on their property. So one day their father took a rock and hit the camel in the eye. And I saw the camel suffering and it made me furious and aggravated. So I took a rock and I threw it at the father. It hit him in the head and he died. Umar ibn Khattab (رضي الله عنه - radiyallahu anhu) he asks the two brothers, will you forgive this young boy for this accident? They say, no, we want qisas, we want retribution.

Umar ibn Khattab (رضي الله عنه - radiyallahu anhu) he asks the young boy, do you have any last words, any last wishes, any last requests? And the young boy says, yes. My father passed away and I have a younger brother. And my father left some money behind for my younger brother. I would like three days to go and retrieve this wealth from a hidden place so that I can make sure my brother gets it when I die and pass away. So Umar ibn Khattab, he thinks this boy is making up the story. He's like, boy, what are you talking about? What wealth, what father, what young brother? The young boy, he says, trust me.

Umar ibn Khattab, he says, okay, I will trust you, but find a guarantor for you. Someone who will guarantee that you will come back. The young boy, he looks around, there's a packed courthouse. Will someone not help me today? And everyone, as the boy looks around, they turn their face away, they turn their faces down. No one wants to help this boy. Then from the back of the courthouse, a hand raises up.

Whose hand is it? Abu Dharr al-Ghifari (رضي الله عنه - radiyallahu anhu). The noble and illustrious companion who gave da'wah to so many of the tribes. He says, I will be the guarantor of this boy. Now understand what it means to be the guarantor. Meaning that if this boy does not come back, it is the head of Abu Dharr al-Ghifari (رضي الله عنه - radiyallahu anhu) that will be chopped off, that he will be killed. Abu Dharr al-Ghifari, he says, I will be the guarantor. So the boy goes away.

The first day goes by, the boy is nowhere to be seen. The second day goes by, the boy is still nowhere to be seen. Asr time comes on the third day. The two brothers go to Abu Dharr al-Ghifari (رضي الله عنه - radiyallahu anhu). And they say, come with us to the courthouse. It is time. Abu Dharr al-Ghifari (رضي الله عنه - radiyallahu anhu) says, I will come to the courthouse, but the day does not end until Maghrib.

So now Abu Dharr al-Ghifari is walking through Medina with these two brothers. They're going to the courthouse. And the people of Medina are following behind them. All getting to the courthouse to see what is going to happen. It is now the talk of the town. You can imagine, minutes are going by, the courthouse is filling up, the anxiety is building up.

Will Abu Dharr al-Ghifari have his life sacrificed for the mistake of a boy? And literally minutes before the adhan of Salat al-Maghrib, the boy rushes in. People are now shouting, they're happy, they're wondering what's going to happen. Will everyone be forgiven? Will everyone be happy? What's going to happen? So the boy comes in, the adhan for Maghrib hasn't gone.

Umar ibn al-Khattab (radiallahu anhu), he asks the boy, Oh boy, why did you come back? I did not send a spy behind you, I did not send anyone to follow you. What made you come back? He said, that I did not want anyone to say that a Muslim gave his word and did not fulfill it. So I came back.

Umar ibn al-Khattab, he turns to Abu Dharr, and he says, Oh Abu Dharr, what made you want to be the guarantor of this boy? He says, I saw a Muslim in need, and I did not want anyone to ever say that a Muslim was in need and no one was there to help him. So I raised my hand to be his guarantor. The two brothers, they say when we have people like this, how can a Muslim ask for forgiveness and no one be there to forgive him? So they forgave the boy, and the boy was forgiven.

This was the legacy of Islam. This was the code of conduct. This is why during the Khilafah of Umar ibn al-Khattab, they were able to reach the border of China all the way to the south of France, because they had strong relationships with Allah. They did things with Ihsan, and they lived with the code of conduct of Islam. And this is when Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala will restore the Izzah of this nation, and will make us once again proud of the great legacies that have been left behind, in hopes that one day we will be called a great legacy.

Closing

My dear brothers and sisters, it is a time where we need to stand up, and begin with changing ourselves, and becoming proud of who we are as Muslims. Believers in Allah, worshippers of Allah, followers of the

Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallallahu alayhi wasallam), reciters of the Qur'an, people who pray five times a day, and they do it with honor, dignity, and respect.

I pray that Allah purifies our hearts and cleanses them, and fills them with Iman, and restores our great legacy, starting with us today, that with this conference, we begin to change for the better, so that it can be said that in Malaysia, there was once a people who did things with Ihsan, they had a strong relationship with Allah, and they restored the great legacy of Izzah, beginning with Malaysia.

Allahumma Ameen.