Where Is Allah

Where Is Allah?

Imam Zaid Shakir

Opening Sermon

(إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ لِلَّهِ نَحْمَدُهُ وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ وَنَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ وَنَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ شُرُورِ أَنْفُسِنَا وَمِنْ سَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا -

May Allah guide him, there is no guide for him, and whoever is misguided, there is no guide for him. And I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, there is no partner for Him. And I bear witness that our master 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 mankind, fear your Lord, who created you from one soul and created from it its mate and dispersed from both of them many men and women. And fear Allah, through whom you ask one another, and the wombs."

"O you who have believed, fear Allah and speak words of appropriate justice. He will [then] amend for you your deeds and forgive you your sins. And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has certainly attained a great attainment."

(أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنَّ أَصْدَقَ الْحَدِيثِ كِتَابُ اللَّهِ وَخَيْرَ الْهَدْيِ هَدْيُ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَشَرُّ الْأُمُورِ مُحْدَثَاتُهَا فَكُلُّ مُحْدَثَةٍ بِدْعَةٌ وَكُلُّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلَالَةٌ وَكُلُّ ضَلَالَةٍ فِي النَّارِ. الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ، الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَنْزَلَ عَلَى عَبْدِهِ الْكِتَابَ وَلَمْ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ عِوَجًا. الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي هَدَانَا لِهَذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لِنَهْتَدِيَ لَوْلَا أَنْ هَدَانَا اللَّهُ -

(الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ - All praises are due to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds.

The Story of the Shepherd and Umar

We want to start this khutbah, this sermon, by mentioning a story that's related by Imam al-Tabarani, al-Bayhaqi, fi shu'ad al-iman, and in other sources. Usually on Ibn Umar, but more popularly narrated amongst the people on his father Umar bin al-Khattab radiyallahu anhu.

So the story goes that Umar, or Ibn Umar, was entering Mecca, coming towards the sacred precincts of Mecca. And he saw a shepherd descending from the mountains with a flock of sheep. And he said to the shepherd, sell me one of the sheep. And the shepherd replied, I'm a servant, I don't have the authority to sell you one of the sheep. I don't have my master's permission to sell you one of the sheep.

So Ibn Umar radiyallahu anhu, he said, well just sell it to me and then tell your master that a wolf ate it. And the servant, he looked towards the sky and he said, where is Allah? (فَأَيْنَ اللَّهُ؟ - He said, my master might not see me, but Allah sees me. My master might not be aware of what really happened to the sheep, but Allah sees all and is aware of all things. So where is Allah?

Where Is Allah in Our Lives Today?

So why do we start with this story? Brothers and sisters, we recently passed the milestone commemoration of the events of September 11, 2001. It serves as a watershed event of sorts in the history of Islam and Muslims in this country. And things have progressed to such an extent that many Muslims feel so shaken or weakened in terms of our worldly position. And so compromised in terms of the narrative that's been constructed about Islam and Muslims. That some people will do almost anything to get by. To almost disappear. Not to rock the boat. To accept anything that's presented as portraying or representing Islam and Muslims.

So we present the question that the shepherd presented to Ibn Umar (فَأَيْنَ اللَّهُ - . Where is Allah in all of this? We compromise and apologize Islam almost into an unrecognizable form. Where is Allah? Where is Allah?

This World: Prison or Paradise?

Sometimes we engage with the world as if the world is Jannah. As if we're in the position of the people Allah, or the messenger of Allah rather, deny belief to. When he said:

(الدُّنْيَا سِجْنُ الْمُؤْمِنِ وَجَنَّةُ الْكَافِرِ -

(Sahih Muslim 2956)

So it's a prison for the believer. A place that a person looks forward to being released from. To go home, to leave and to go home to their loved ones. To go home to home cooking. To go home to a comfortable bed. To go home with those things that are pleasing to one's soul. That one doesn't find in prison.

But sometimes we act like this is our Jannah. When it's not the Jannah for the believers. (الدُّنْيَا سِجْنُ الْمُؤْمِنِ وَجَنَّةُ الْكَافِرِ - . As if this is it. This is our final destination. There's nothing beyond this. So all of our pleasures must be attained in this world. All of our happiness must be attained in this world. Even perfect justice must be attained in this world. So we get riled up about everything.

The True Delights of Paradise

And basic concepts which Allah Ta'ala has revealed in his scripture. And the Messenger of Allah have instructed us as means to attain to a higher station in Jannah. Become lost because we're seeking to maximize everything we can possibly maximize in this lower station of the dunya. Which is literally its name (الدُّنْيَا - that which is low. (دَانِيَةً قُطُوفُهَا - The clusters are hanging low, they're accessible.

This dunya is accessible. We can see it. We can smell it. We can touch it. We can feel it. We can taste it. We can smell it. And we can't do any of that with Jannah. And so because it's so accessible, for some people it becomes everything. And there's nothing beyond it. And because there's nothing beyond it, we need to get everything here. We need the ultimate house here. We need the ultimate car here. We need the ultimate worldly, the ultimate job. The ultimate this, that or the other. Here.

As if the delights of paradise which our Prophet has described as being indescribably, incomparably greater than anything here:

(قَالَ اللَّهُ أَعْدَدْتُ لِعِبَادِي الصَّالِحِينَ مَا لَا عَيْنٌ رَأَتْ وَلَا أُذُنٌ سَمِعَتْ وَلَا خَطَرَ عَلَى قَلْبٍ بَشَرٍ -

(Sahih Bukhari 7498, Sahih Muslim 2825)

Allah has prepared for His righteous servants in paradise, that which no eye has beheld. You think you've seen a house here. You haven't seen a house compared to the house of Jannah. That which no ear has heard. You think

you heard some beautiful nasheeds or some beautiful singing or some classical Turkish music. This is, what's in Jannah is incomparably greater than that. You think you've imagined and dreamed of something so incredible. You didn't want the dream to end. That which is in Jannah cannot even be encompassed in a dream. But we forget.

Allah Is in Control

And most importantly we forget that Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is in charge. That Allah is in control. That all of these events, they're just tests and tribulations and trials that Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala has created to test us. That's all it is. It's no more, it's no less. But we make it more. And we make Jannah less.

The Parable of Worldly Life Like Water

Allah ta'ala reminds us beautifully in the Qur'an:

(وَاضْرِبْ لَهُم مَّثَلَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا - Set forth for them the parable of the worldly life. It's like water which Allah ta'ala sends down from the sky. (كَمَاءٍ أَنزَلْنَاهُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ - Which we send down from the sky. So Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala compares the world to water.

And the ulema they say one of the reasons for this parable or this simile rather is that like water the world it has no permanent shape or form. It's constantly changing or permanent place. Water is constantly flowing. It's constantly if it's sitting still it's evaporating. It's being absorbed into the earth. It has no permanence. And if it's flowing it definitely has no permanence. This world has no permanence. It's constantly moving. It has no stability.

The World Cannot Give Stability

That which has no stability cannot give stability. People attach their hearts to the world and wonder why they're miserable. They wonder why they have no contentment. (فَاقِدُ الشَّيْءِ لَا يُعْطِيهِ - That which lacks something can't give it to others. The world which lacks stability which lacks permanence cannot be a source of stability to others. It's not in its nature. It's not in the nature of the world. It's shifting. It's changing. The tides come in. They go out. The waves they form. They crest. They break against the shore. They disappear. This is the world.

Moderation in Taking from the Dunya

And another reason they say is water when it's taken moderately it provides benefit. So we need water. We can't live without water. But when it is taken in overabundance it becomes harmful. If water flows, if it flows moderately and gently from the sky it's ideal for cultivation. For the cultivation of crops. But when it comes down in a gushing torrent it floods. It washes away the crops. It washes away the topsoil. It's of no benefit. If we drink moderate amounts of water it replenishes our bodies. If we overindulge and drink too much it can become harmful for us. And we have various medical conditions.

Likewise the dunya. If we take the dunya in reasonable portions it's of benefit for us. But if we overindulge in the dunya it becomes harmful like the water. The moderate portions of dunya that can cultivate our spirituality. That can provide a foundation for our flourishing as families, as societies. When overindulged it becomes like the destructive flood that destroys individuals. And destroys character. And destroys families. And destroys societies.

We were recently in a part of the country where you see many many houses for sale. One of the main reasons is divorce. Both couples are working to pay the mortgages. They get a divorce one paycheck can't pay the mortgage. They put the house up for sale or they foreclose. Too much dunya. Too much dunya.

The Lifecycle of Vegetation - A Reminder

So Allah Ta'ala says:

(فَاخْتَلَطَ بِهِ نَبَاتُ الْأَرْضِ -

So the water comes down from the sky. And it nurtures the vegetation. And it becomes so lush. That the branches and the plants and the leaves become intertwined and entangled with each other. But then what happens?

(فَأَصْبَحَ هَشِيمًا تَذْرُوهُ الرِّيَاحُ -

And so we look at the beautiful lush orchards and groves and vegetation. We can find them here in California. You go in before the harvest. The field is green and lush and beautiful. You come after the harvest. What happens? They stop the irrigation. It dries up. It decomposes. And then the wind blows it about. And this is the lightness of the world. It can become deceptive. We look at it. But we don't realize it's limited. It has a time span. It has a life span. Like those crops. Like the vegetation. Like the tree. It has a life span. And when it's life span is up, it's of no use any longer. (فَأَصْبَحَ هَشِيمًا تَذْرُوهُ الرِّيَاحُ - It becomes decomposes. And it breaks up. And it shatters. It dries out. It's lushness is gone. And then the wind just blows it to and fro.

(وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ مُّقْتَدِرًا - And Allah has power over all things.

Wealth and Children: Adornments, Not the Essence

People chasing wealth. Which is like that vegetation. Which has no permanence. They give their life. They return to haram. They compromise their principles. For what? (الْمَالُ وَالْبَنُونَ - Wealth and children. (زِينَةُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا - These are just adornments of this worldly life. They are not the essence of this life. The icing is an adornment for the cake. It's not the cake. It's not a substitute for the cake. It's an adornment for the cake. It beautifies the cake. But very few people would eat the icing without the cake. It's too sweet. It's too sugary. I know it's harmful. There's nothing to balance it out.

Wealth and children are not the essence of this worldly life. The essence of this worldly life is worshiping Allah. If our wealth, if our children assist us and help us to worship Allah, it's a good thing. And if our wealth and our children turn us away from the worship of Allah. Then there are bad things and they are harmful.

We Are Created to Worship Allah

Allah says, I've only created the jinn and the humans that they worship me. We're here to worship Allah, brothers and sisters. This is why we're in this world. And the worship of Allah transcends the vicissitudes of the world. Whether there was a 9-11 or no 9-11, we have to worship Allah. Whether people love Muslims or hate Muslims, we have to worship Allah. Whether we have power and influence in our society or we're despised. And look down on, we have to worship Allah. Whether we're rich or poor, we have to worship Allah. Whether we live in suburban communities or ghettos or barrios, we have to worship Allah. If we're human beings, we were put on this earth to worship Allah.

(وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ - I've only created jinn and humans that they worship me.

(يَا عِبَادِي إِنِّي خَلَقْتُكَ لِعِبَادَتِي فَلَا تَلْعَبْ -

O my servants, as Allah mentions in the hadith Qudsi, I've created you for my worship, don't play around. (فَلَا تَلْعَبْ - Don't play around. Don't play around chasing the world. That's sport and amusement. Don't play around trying to please this or that politician. We have to be strong in our worship.

Islam Outlives All Political Systems

Why? Because politicians come and go. How many political regimes has Islam outlived? It's outlived monarchies. It's outlived potentates, sultanates. It's outlived Arab nationalism or this, that or the other nationalism. It will outlive jihadism. All of these things that we see today, they come and they go. Islam will be here. And it will be here because Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, He raises up believers whose hearts are attached to this religion. Whose hearts are filled with the love of the messenger of Allah, salallahu alayhi wa sallam. Whose hearts are filled with the love of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. And they hold on to this religion. They hold on to the Qur'an.

And they keep it alive. And if a generation or people come, who are overwhelmed by the world, and they're so caught up with the world, and they're so concerned with the world, that that becomes their greatest concern. And it can happen. And the fact that it can happen is testified to by the fact that our Prophet salallahu alayhi wa sallam taught us to pray:

اللَّهُمَّ لَا تَجْعَلِ الدُّنْيَا أَكْبَرَ هَمِّنَا وَلَا مَبْلَغَ عِلْمِنَا

Oh Allah, don't make this world our greatest concern nor the extent of our knowledge. Why are we taught that du'a from the tongue of the messenger of Allah, salallahu alayhi wa sallam, if it were not possible for the world to become our greatest concern. And to become the extent of our knowledge.

Allah Will Replace Those Who Turn Away

And when there's people who that is their state, what does Allah say?

And if you turn back, if you become so obsessed with the world, so wrapped up with the here and now, that you can't look beyond it to the akhira, to the hereafter. The here and now blinds you to the hereafter. Allah says, He will bring another people. (يَسْتَبْدِلْ قَوْمًا غَيْرَكُمْ - He will substitute another people in your place. (ثُمَّ لَا يَكُونُوا أَمْثَالَكُمْ - And then they won't be like you. They won't be like you. What would they be like?

O you who believe, whoever of you turns back from his religion, Allah will bring a people whom He loves and who love Him, humble toward the believers, firm toward the disbelievers, striving in the cause of Allah and not fearing the blame of any critic. This is the favor of Allah which He bestows upon whom He wills. And Allah is All-Encompassing, All-Knowing.

The khutbah concludes here as the document provided ends at this point.