Do you not see that Allah
has cited the example of the good word as a good tree whose root is firmly
fixed, and its branches are high in the sky?
It produces its crop every
season, as designed by its Lord. Allah thus cites the examples for the people,
that they may take heed.
And the example of the bad
word is that of a bad tree chopped at the soil level; it has no roots to keep
it standing.
The verse of the Quran
which I just read before you today, in a way or another is indicating to the
Kalima Tayyeba, in an indirect way without the words “Laa Ilaaha Illallah” are
being mentioned. In this verse, Allah (swt) “cited the example of the
good word as a good tree”.
The good word which has
been mentioned in this verse has been compared to a tree and the roots of this
tree, is the proclamation of faith (Iman) which comes from within the depth of
the heart of a believer; and its branches reaches the sky, and by this means,
the good actions of a believer reaches the sky.
Like Allah (swt) says in
the Holy Quran (Ch. 35; v.11): “Anyone seeking dignity should know
that to Allah belongs all dignity. To Him ascends the good words, and He exalts
the righteous works.”
“Good words” which Allah
mentions in several verses of the Holy Quran refers to “Laa Ilaaha Illallah”.
If you reflect deeply on “Laa Ilaaha Illallah” which Allah has established as
the first statement of principles in Islam, you will see that Allah has placed
it even before the daily prayers, fasting etc.
In Surah Al Imran, v.111: Allah says: “You
are the best community ever raised among the people: you advocate
righteousness…” The word “Taa’muruuna bil Ma’ruf” (you
advocate righteousness), means that you ordain people to testify that
there is no God except Allah (that is, belief in “Laa Ilaaha Illallah”,
obedience to the command of Allah and affirmation that “Laa Ilaaha Illallah” is
far more the best and the most profitable of all good things which may exist.
When you study the Hadiths, you will see that the Messenger of Allah (peace be
upon him) advised his companions more than one time concerning good actions, he
said that good actions remove evil actions.
Once, Abu Zar (May Allah
be pleased with him) asked the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) to give
him some advise. Thus, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) told him:
“Always fear Allah, if ever you commit a sin, replace it at once by a good
action to cancel the bad one”. Abu Zar said also that he asked the Messenger of
Allah (peace be upon him) if the recitation of “Laa Ilaaha Illallah” is counted
among these virtues. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) replied that
this is indeed the best among virtues.
Anas (May Allah be pleased
with him) also related that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) as
saying: “One who recites “Laa Ilaaha Illallah” in any part of the day or night,
his sins disappears from his Book of Actions.”
In Surah An-Nahl Ch. 16, v.
91: “Allah advocates justice, charity, and…”
Here, the word “Adl”
(justice) can also be interpreted that the belief in “Laa Ilaaha Illallah” and
“Ihsan” (charity) is our obligation (Farz) towards Allah and that we must
fulfil it.
In a Hadith reported by
Jabir (May Allah be pleased with him), the Messenger of Allah has said: “The
best Zikr is the recitation of “Laa Ilaaha Illallah” and the best supplication
is “Alhamdolillah” (Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah)
It is clear that “Laa
Ilaaha Illallah” is the best among all Zikr and moreover, lots of Hadith
confirmed that. Reflect deeply on that, and you will see that the religion of
Islam as a whole rests on “Laa Ilaaha Illallah”; thus what doubt can we
have about its superiority over all other Zikr and the fact that
“Alhamdolillah” (All praise is for Allah) is considered as the best
supplication? Their superiority rests on the fact that we are doing the praises
of a Being who is really and, absolutely generous. Thus, you are really praying
Allah and glorifying Him.
When you are studying the
Holy Quran (not by reading it like a parrot but by reading it in a way and
concentration in which you will come to know what Allah has told us). Thus, the
one who recites “Laa Ilaaha Illallah” must recite also “Alhamdolillah” because
after the verse “Fad’uuhu Mukhliswiina Lahuddin” (Ask of Allah
with a sincere heart), Allah mentions “Alhamdolillahi Rabbil Aalamin” (All
praise to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds) – Ch. 40; v. 66.
There is no doubt that
“Laa Ilaaha Illallah” is the most virtuous and best of all Zikr (remembrance of
Allah) because it is the basic foundation of the religion of Islam and all the
teachings of Islam is centred on “Laa Ilaaha Illallah”. It is for this reason
that I have put a lot of emphasis on “Laa Ilaaha Illallah”. If you are a true
and sincere believer in Islam, you must have love for “Laa Ilaaha Illallah” and
you must have a preference for “Laa Ilaaha Illallah” over other Zikr.
It is necessary that each
member of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam and the other Muslims recite “Laa Ilaaha
Illallah” in abundance, and to implore Allah to protect one’s faith from
unbelief and to stay far away from sins because lots of people lose faith
because of their own evil actions and they die in infidelity.
Is there a greater misfortune for someone who turned his back to the Muslim faith and thus finding his name figuring on the list of evildoers on the Day of Judgement? Verily, there cannot be a more atrocious calamity than this! We would not be that sad if we see that a person who have for all times been indulged in idol worship, and evil practices to be condemned on the list of infidels on the Day of Judgement! There are those who even make actors and actresses or their chiefs become their idols. Not only do they pray idols, but the give other things more importance than Allah. This is pure Shirk.
Is there a greater misfortune for someone who turned his back to the Muslim faith and thus finding his name figuring on the list of evildoers on the Day of Judgement? Verily, there cannot be a more atrocious calamity than this! We would not be that sad if we see that a person who have for all times been indulged in idol worship, and evil practices to be condemned on the list of infidels on the Day of Judgement! There are those who even make actors and actresses or their chiefs become their idols. Not only do they pray idols, but the give other things more importance than Allah. This is pure Shirk.
It is really saddening and
painful to see people whose whole lives have been spent in going to the Mosque,
being inscribed as infidel in the Next World. This is so, because of the
consequences of their bad actions which they have committed in great quantity
in secret, and which is forbidden in Islam. Thus, each of us must regularly
recite this dua, Alhamdolillah where Allah on the spot puts
this prayer on my tongue: “Allahoumma Fazaa Minhu” – O
Allah! Protect us from this (these sins).
Thus, the one who recite
“Laa Ilaaha Illallah” in such a way that he does not gives importance to
another thing more than Allah, and he turns with repentance and sincerity to
Allah for all his sins, then replace those bad actions with good ones, and
afterwards recites sincerely “Laa Ilaaha Illallah”, then definitely Paradise
becomes incumbent (obligatory) upon him.
Never recite “Laa Ilaaha
Illallah” only on the lips, while your heart is attached to the love of this
world, and the greed to achieve it. Recite “Laa Ilaaha Illallah” with a
pure heart, devoid of the greed of this world. Your inside must match with your
actions, and vice-versa. Lots of people usually hold great discourses in such a
way as if they would automatically break the microphone before them. They take
themselves to be great “Ulemah” whose talks one must listen to, but whereas if
one looks at them closely, onr would realise that they are nothing but arrogant
and dictators.
There is a Hadith reported
on the authority of Abu Huraira who related that the Messenger of Allah (peace
be upon him) has said: “For all servant who recites “Laa Ilaaha Illallah”, the
doors of the heavens open till this Kalima reaches directly the Throne of
Allah, but on condition that the person remain far away from grievous sins.”
And according to another
Hadith, there is two Kalima, one of which does not stop till it reaches the
Throne of Allah and the other one embellish the Heavens and Earth with its
light (or reward). The first one is “Laa Ilaaha Illallah”, and the other one is
“Allah O Akbar”.
According to some Hadith,
it has been reported that there were circumstances that the Messenger of Allah
(peace be upon him) made his companions (Sahaba) recite the Zikr “Laa Ilaaha
Illallah” in group and also individually and this proves that Zikr can also be
done in group. In these cases, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used
to ask someone to shut the door so that those present in the group of people
can concentrate themselves totally in their Zikr, so that no stranger can come
and either disturb the Prophet or those people doing Zikr in group.
The Renewal of Faith
The following is a very
beautiful Hadith, but we must understand it well. I will try to comment on this
Hadith: “Faith is like used old clothes (that is) it becomes weak; pray Allah
to renew your faith.”
Here “used” means
“weakened”; that is, faith loses its strength and its light due to committing
sins. In a Hadith, Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him) said that when a person
commit a sin, a dark spot appears on his heart. If he repents sincerely, this
dark spot disappears, but if he continues to sin one after the other, these
dark spots becomes larger and larger till his heart becomes completely dark and
rusted as described in Ch. 83 V. 14, where Allah says: “Indeed,
their hearts have become shielded (rusted) by their sins.”
Let us pray Almighty Allah
to give us the necessary strength so that with each second, each minute, each
hour, each day, each week, each month and year that comes to pass, our heart is
filled with “Laa Ilaaha Illallah” and “Allah O Akbar”. Ameen
-Friday Sermon of 23 January 2009 delivered by the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius.