Khutbah - With the Qur’an

Friday Khutbah (June 4, 2004) delivered by Shaykh Muhammad Taher

Allah revealed this Qur’an to His Slave and Messenger Mohammad, peace be upon him, to indicate Himself to the people, to open their hearts to Him:

“Allah has sent down the Best of Speech, a Book, its parts resembling one another and oft-repeated. The skins of those who fear their Lord shiver when they recite it or hear it. Then their skin and their heart soften to the remembrance of Allah. That is the guidance of Allah. He guides therewith whom He wills; and whomever Allah sends astray, for him there is no guide.” (al-Zumar: 23)

Allah has revealed this Great Qur’an. In it are His Attributes and Acts. In it are His Beautiful Names and His Exalted Attributes. In it are descriptions of the believers, and descriptions of the disbelievers and the hypocrites. In it is an explanation of the fates of these people and those people. In it there is mention of the next life, of Paradise and of Hellfire. In it are promises and threats, invitation and intimidation. In it are commands and prohibitions, wisdoms and parables, stories and exhortations. Allah spoke the truth when He said:

“ And We have sent down to you the Book as an exposition of everything, a guidance, a mercy, and glad tidings for those who have submitted themselves.” (an-Nahl: 89)

We must revive the relationship between Muslims and the Qur’an.

It is upon the believing person to open his heart to the Qur’an, and open his ears, and open his mind. He should not read it the way the hypocrites read it, or hear it the way the hypocrites hear it, those, who Allah says about them:

“ And among them are those who listen to you until, when they leave you, they say to those who have received knowledge: ‘What has he said just now? [They don’t understand and they don’t reason] Such are those whose hearts Allah has sealed, and they follow their lusts.” (Muhammad: 16)

It is upon the believer to open his heart to the Qur’an to benefit from the Qur’an.

Brother and Sisters in Islam!

There are three barriers that prevent one from understanding the Qur’an, and prevent one from being influenced by it.  The first barrier is heedlessness. Heedlessness is the most dangerous disease that veils the heart from the Lord, as Allah says:

“…and obey not him whose heart we have made heedless of Our Remembrance, and who follows his own lusts, and whose affair has been lost.” (al-Kahf: 28)

“…they are like cattle, nay, even more astray; those! They are the heedless ones.” (al-A‘raf: 179)

Those who are heedless of Allah! Heedless of the next life! Heedless of the final outcome! And heedless of the responsibility of the human being in this life.

The people know, as Allah says they know:

“They know the outward of the life of this world, and they are heedless of the Hereafter.” (ar-Rum: 7)

So how is it for the wretched heedless one, who is unable to benefit from this light? And how is it for the one who is awake and understands the affairs of this life, its benefits and adornments? How can the one who is heedless of the Hereafter, which is closer to him than his jugular vein, be influenced by the Speech of Allah? So wake up oh heedless one, and leave your neglect in order to be from those who remember!

The second barrier, after heedlessness, is desires and passions. Allah says:

“Then, there came after them a generation that neglected the prayer and followed their desires. So they will be thrown in Hell.” (Maryam: 59)

Whoever attaches himself to the to field of desires and shackles his neck with the chains of passions, and follows their paths, is far from reflecting on the Qur’an and far from benefiting from it and being influenced by it, as long as he does not treat his soul and rush to abstain from his passions and desires.

The third barrier is pride. When Allah said:

“I shall turn away from My ayaat [Allah will turn them away from understanding His verses and being influenced by them.] those who behave arrogantly on the earth, without a right, and even if they see all the signs they will not believe in them. And if they see the way of righteousness they will not follow it…” (al-A‘raf: 146)

Oh Muslims:
It is upon the believer, if he wants to read the Qur’an, to open his eyes, his ears and his heart. It is upon him to recite the Qur’an in a slow and pleasant style and try to understand and reflect on this divine speech, and then Allah will bestow on him its secrets and wisdoms. Allah says:

“This is a Book which We have sent down to you full of blessings that they may ponder over its verses and that men of understanding may remember.” (Saad: 29)

And Allah says:

“Do they not think deeply about the Qur’an, or are their hearts locked up.” (Muhammad: 24)

And Allah says:

“Do they not then consider the Qur’an carefully? Had it been from other than Allah they surely would have found therein many contradictions.” (Nisaa’: 82)

So reflect on the Qur’an O Muslims in order to be influenced by it because after reflection there is influence. Comply and interact with the speech of your Lord, as Allah says:

“Had We revealed this Qur’an on a mountain you would surely have seen it humbling itself and rent asunder by the fear of Allah.” (Hashr: 21)

If the mountain had an intellect, like human beings, it would humble itself and come apart because of this Qur’an. Are we complying with and responding to the book of Allah? Hasan al-Basri said: “The Companions used to recite the Qur’an at night and reflect on it, and during the day they would act according to it.” Think about your boss at work, or your teacher at the university. If they gave you a book and told you to read it and study it, in order to benefit in your work or your studies, you would do so. What about the Qur’an? Allah tells us that if we read it, study it, and apply it we will be successful in this life and the next. Indeed Allah will ask us about this book on the day of judgement and the Qur’an will be a witness either for us or against us.

Do you not fear O Muslim, that the Qur’an will say: O Lord! These people neglected me, these people learned the pronunciation of my words and letters and neglected my limits and failed to act by the rulings from my verses.

Do you not fear that the messenger will stand facing you on the day of judgement in front of Allah saying: O my Lord! Verily my people deserted this Qur’an (Furqaan: 30)

They have not neglected reading it altogether, rather, they read it in these days and they fail to apply it and they fail to act by it. They fail to follow its rulings and fail to be changed by its morals. Today the Qur’an is recited to the dead while Allah says:

“It is to give a warning to him who is living.” (Ya Sin: 70)

They recite it to the dead but did not use it to rule over the living!

2nd Khutbah:

It is necessary for the Muslim to make the Qur’an part of his day. One should spend some time with it, recite it, reflect on it, and try to memorise it. The Muslim is recommended to make three sittings with the Qur’an each day.

One of them should be spent reciting out loud, so that one can hear the Qur’an and benefit from it s beauty.

Another should be spent trying to remember a verse, or more, maybe a short surah or part of a longer one. Then one should recite it in prayer in order to make it firm in one’s memory.

In another sitting one should take one verse, no more, and reflect on it, seek to understand it, and by doing so gain a deeper understanding of the Book of Allah.

We ask Allah to give us success in this and open our hearts to the light of the Qur’an.

Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds, and Prayers and Peace be upon His final Messenger.

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