Friday Sermon Archives Series, first delivered* on 29th September 2001 and edited, 28th October 2023
Introduction
Allah has informed us;
“It is He who has sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth, that he may make it prevail over all other religions, no matter how much the disbelievers detest it.” (Surah as-Saff – 61:9)
Sheikh al Albanee said, regarding this verse;
“We are given the good tidings in this verse that the future is for Islam, which will gain dominance, ascendancy and rule over all other religions. Some people may think that this was fulfilled in the time of the Prophet and the Rightly Guided Caliphs and the righteous kings – but that is not the case. Rather, only a part of this true promise was fulfilled then, as the Prophet indicated;
“Night and day will not pass away until al – Laat and al ‘Uzza are worshipped.” So Aaishah said; “O Messenger of Allah! I thought that when Allah sent down; “It is he who has sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth, that he may make it prevail over all other religions, no matter how much the disbelievers detest it” that it would be complete. He (s) said; “There will be that what Allah wishes.”” (Muslim)
In this hadeeth is a clarification that the prevalence and ascendancy mentioned in this Ayah has not yet happened – its establishment is yet to be fully realised… It will not be completed until Islam is established over the whole of this earth – and its realisation is certain.
The following hadeeths should strengthen the determination of those committed to their faith, but act as a deterrent for those who are indifferent:
First
Thawban narrated from the Messenger;
“Indeed Allah gathered up the earth for me so that I saw its east and its west; and indeed the dominion of my Ummah will reach what was gathered up for me from it.” (Muslim, Abu Dawood et al)
Second
“This affair will reach what is reached of the night and the day; and Allaah will not leave a dwelling of brick, nor fur, except that Allah will cause this deen to enter it – bringing honour or humiliation. Honour, which Allah gives to Islam and humiliation which Allah will give to disbelief.” (Saheeh – Ahmad & Ibn Hibban)
Sheikh al- Albanee said in relation to this narration; “Therefore it is upon the Muslims to prepare themselves, by turning to their Lord, holding on to His Book, following the Sunnah of His Prophet, turning away from all that Allah has made unlawful and uniting upon what He is pleased with.”
Sheikh Naasir continued;
“Indeed, there is no doubt that this fulfilment of this prevalence and domination necessitates that the Muslims return to spiritual, material and armed strength, so that they are able to overcome the might of disbelief and suppression.”
Third (in support of the above statement of sheikh Naasir):
From Abu Qabeel who said; “We were with Abu Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al ‘Aas and he was asked which city will be conquered first – Constantinople or Rome? so Abdullah called for a sealed trunk and he said; “Take out a book from it.” Then Abdullah said; “While we were with the Messenger of Allah writing, he was asked; “Which city will be conquered first, Constantinople or Rome?” So Allah’s Messenger said; “The city of Heraclius will be conquered first, meaning Constantinople.” (Saheeh – Ahmad & Ad Daarimee)
“The first conquest mentioned, occurred at the hands of Muhammad al – Fattah al – Uthmanee, as is well known – and it occurred more than 800 years after the Prophet foretold of the conquest. So the second conquest will take place, by the Permission of Allah and it is certain…” It necessitates the return of the rightly guide Khalifah to the Muslim Ummah, which the Prophet foretold.
Fourth
Nu’man ibn Bashir narrated from the Prophet;
“Prophethood will remain amongst you for as long as Allah wishes it to, then Allaah will raise it up. Then there will be Khilafah upon the manner of Prophethood and it will remain amongst you for as long as Allah wishes it to, then Allah will raise it up when He wishes to raise it up.
Then there will harsh kingship which will remain amongst you for as long as Allaah wishes it to, then Allah will raise it up when He wishes to raise it up.
Then there will be tyrannical kingship and it will remain amongst you for as long as Allah wishes it to, then Allah will raise it up when He wishes to raise it up.
Then there will be Khilafah upon the manner of Prophethood.” Then he was silent.” (Saheeh – Ahmad)
Fifth
Abu Hurayrah narrated from the Prophet; “The Hour will not be established until the land of the Arabs returns to being pastures and rivers.” (Muslim)
The first signs of the fulfilment of this hadeeth have begun in some parts of the Arab lands and, rest assured that, despite the trials and tribulations we are facing now and the weakness of the Muslims, the future is indeed for Islam:
“Indeed, no one despairs of Allah’s Mercy, except those who disbelieve.” (Surah Yusuf -12:87)
End of 1st part
2nd Part: The need to be balanced
Ibn al Qayyim said; “Whosoever considers the trials and discords that have come upon Islam – the small and the great of them – will realise that they were due to abandoning [the] principle of not being hasty, and having patience (sabr) upon that which is harmful, and seeking to remove the harm in a hasty manner. This in turn produces that which is greater and worse than the initial harm. (A’laamul Muwaqqi’een (3/4) of Ibn al Qayyim)
Imam Jamaludeen al – Qaasimee (d.1288H) said; “From what is well known about what occurs when people gather together upon some matter, is that any group which becomes strong and has many followers, you will definitely find in them the pure and the impure, the justly balanced and the imbalanced, the extreme and the moderate.
And a well established fact is that the extremists are more vocal and have greater acceptance, since the ones who are balanced follow a middle course. And those who seek this balanced approach are few in number, in every age and place.
As for extremism (excessiveness), then this is what most people thrive upon, and what the overwhelming majority incline towards…”
Imam Jamaludeen continued; “….They (the extremists) did not find any way to gain monopoly over the people except by extremism, which they achieve by degrading people and belittling them at every possible opportunity; either by their tongues, or other than that. And the first to open this door of unleashing their tongues against those who oppose them were the Kharawij….” (Taken from Al –jarh wat – Ta’deel pp4-5)
Dealing with those who make mistakes and deviate
Sheikhul Islam ibn Taymeeyah (d728) said; “The Imams of the Sunnah and Jama’aah, and the people of knowledge and eeman have in them justice, knowledge and mercy, and they know the truth which conforms to the Sunnah and which is free form innovations. They do justice to those who depart form the Sunnah and the Jama’aah, even if they have been wronged, just as Allah said;
“O you who believe! Stand out firmly for Allah and be witnesses, and do not let the hatred of others swerve you away from doing justice. But be just! That is closer to Taqwa.” Surah al – Maidah (5:8)
Sheikul Islam continued; “Likewise, they are merciful to the creation, desiring for them goodness, guidance and knowledge. They never intend for them any harm or evil. Rather, when they criticise them and explain to them their error, ignorance or wrong doing; their purpose in doing so is only to clarify the truth, and to be merciful to the creation, to enjoin the good and forbid the evil and to make the Word of Allaah uppermost….” (Radd ‘alal – Bakree p.256)
Remember, if we achieve this stature of being balanced, harm from our enemies will not befall us;
“O you will believe! Beware of your ownselves. No harm will come to you from those who are misled, if you are truly guided.” (Surah al Maidah – 5:105)
Additionally, Urwah ibn az Zubayr (d.94H) stated;
“When the people were equipped and ready to proceed to Mu’tah, he said to the Muslims; ‘May Allaah accompany you and defend you…’ Then they went on until they reached the land of Sham (Syria, Jordan & Palestine), where they were informed that Heraclius had arrived at Balqaa with 100,000 Romans, and added to them from the Arab tribes…another 100,000 men.
So the Muslims waited for two nights, considering what to do. So they said; “We will write to the Messenger of Allah and inform him of the number of the enemy.” He said but Abdullah ibn Rawaahah encouraged the people to bravery and said; “By Allah, o people! That which you hate is what you had come out for. You seek martyrdom. We do not fight the enemy merely with what we have prepared, nor with strength, nor with large numbers. We do not fight them except with this Deen that Allaah has blessed us with…” (Hilyatul Awliyaa [1/119)
Conclusion
We must be balanced, upon the Sunnah, avoiding the extremes and remembering what Allah’s Messenger said;
“O you people, beware of being extreme and exceeding the limits in the religion, for that which destroyed the people before you was none other than extremism in the religion.” He also said; “The extremists are destroyed, the extremists are destroyed, the extremists are destroyed.” (Taken from ibn Baz’s collection of fatawa re. Dawah).
We should be as Sheikul Islam Ibn Taymeeyah stated; “Ahl Us Sunnah wal-Jama’aah follow the book and the Sunnah, obey Allaah and His Messenger; they follow the truth and are merciful to the creation.” (Qaa’idah Ahl Us sunnah wal-Jama’aah fee Rahmati Ahlil-Bida’ wal Ma’aasee. p.5)
*Based upon the works of Shaykh Muhammad Naasirudeen al-Albanee
