Merits of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)

Merits of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)

Juma'a Khutba in UAE masajid, 03-02-2012

First Sermon
All due praise is to Allah, Who  has conferred upon us the bliss of Islam and selected for us the best of all Mankind: our Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). He came with the Divine message to wipe out ignorance and  clear clouds of darkness. May Allah, The Most Glorified is He,  grant His blessings upon our Prophet (pbuh).  All grace is due to Allah as is befitting to His glorious presence and His great sovereignty and virtues. I bear witness there is no deity except Him.

I also bear witness that Muhammad (pbuh) is the Messenger of Allah and His Servant. I pray to Allah, The Most Gracious, to grant His blessings upon our Guide Muhammad (pbuh), his family, his companions and all those who will follow them in righteousness until the Day of Judgment.

O Servants of Allah! I urge you and myself to be ever God-conscious and to construct our lives in the shadow of divine obedience, for Allah, The Almighty says, "O you who have believed, fear Allah and believe in His Messenger; He will [then] give you a double portion of His mercy and make for you a light by which you will walk and forgive you; and Allah is Forgiving and Merciful." (Al Hadid:28).

Dear Muslims,

We are celebrating these days the birth anniversary of  our Guide, the Messenger of Allah Muhammad (pbuh). Allah, The Most Gracious, chose him from the greatest, most generous and most noble family, as Muhammad (pbuh) said, "Indeed Allah Chose the tribe of Kinanah over other tribes from the children of Ismail. He chose the Quraish over other tribes of Kinanah. He chose Banu Hashim over the other families of the Quraish, and He chose me from Banu Hashim. So I am the best of you in terms of family and the best of you as an individual."

Truly he was the best for his Umma and for the whole of humanity. He never failed to guide us to any good that will bring us closer  to Paradise, and likewise warned us against anything that will draw us nearer to Hellfire. Let us today shed light on some of his praiseworthy merits in order to embrace them as a model for us.

Muhamamd (pbuh) was very dedicated to Salat (prayer), regularly performing Tahajjud (night vigil) and  entreating his Creator, The Exalted is He, with a beautiful voice. Reporting on this, Al Baraa Ibn Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated , "I heard the Prophet (pbuh) reciting Surat Al Tin (the Fig) in the Isha prayer and I have never heard anybody with a better voice or recitation than his."

Muhamamd (pbuh) was friendly with his family and was gentle to deal with. Once  in the house, he served his family, and  kindly treated his sons and grandsons. It was reported that Allah's Apostle (pbuh) was once praying and he was carrying the daughter of Zainab, the daughter of Allah's Apostle. When he prostrated, he put her down and when he stood, he carried her (on his neck).

O Servants of Allah,

Muhammad (pbuh) was also modest and affectionate to other children. Jabir bin Samura reported: saying, "I prayed along with Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) the first prayer. He then went to his family and I also went along with him when they met some children (on the way). He began to pat the cheeks of each one of them. He also patted my cheek and I experienced a coolness or a fragrance of his hand as if it had been brought out from the scent bag of a perfumer."

Furthermore, his company was enjoyable for he was a caring and generous man. He was known for being very shy and  considerate, as well. He gave to those who asked and forgave those who did wrong things to him . Anas ibn Malik narrated: "I was walking with the messenger of Allah (pbuh) and he was wearing a mantle of Najran with a thick border. A Bedouin met him and pulled the mantle so violently that I saw this violent pulling had left marks from its border on the skin of the neck of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). And he (the Bedouin) said: Muhammad!, command that I should be given out of the wealth of Allah which is at your disposal. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) turned to him and smiled, and then he ordered for him a provision."

In congregations, his  tongue was moist with Allah's remembrance and when he joined a gathering, he sat at the very next available spot. He was thoughtful of others in encounters as he gave each of his interlocutors time to speak and discuss. Our Master Muhammad (pbuh) was kindhearted and willing to give an attentive ear to anyone who came to seek his counsel. He was always keen to offer help, but when it was beyond him to do this he politely expressed his apology.

Throughout his life, our Master Muhammad (pbuh) touched people's heart with generosity and his  good character. He used to be a father for them in many ways, treating  them fairly and evenly. His gatherings were for purposeful pursuits where the community conversed about matters of their religion and mould themselves in light of principles of compassion, modesty, patience and honesty.

He was all the time cheerful, lenient, and  very approachable. He was neither rude in speech nor harsh in heart . Rather he was tolerant and giving. He sympatised with the agony of his Umma either in this life or in the Hereafter. Allah, The Most High,  says, "There has certainly come to you a Messenger from among yourselves. Grievous to him is what you suffer; [he is] concerned over you and to the believers is kind and merciful." (Al Tawbah :128).

He even saved his accepted supplication for his Umma for the Day of Resurrection, saying, "Every prophet was bestowed with one special prayer  that is granted acceptance from Allah. All Prophets have utilised their privileged prayers in this world whereas I have saved it for the Hereafter- and that is my Intercession for my Umma on the Day of Judgment."

May Allah help us to follow our Guide Muhammad's (pbuh) merits and attributes and grant us his Intercession. We also supplicate to Allah, the Almighty, to help us obey Him and  those He ordained us to obey, as the Almighty says: "O ye who believe! Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger, and those charged with authority among you." (Annisaa:59).

May Allah bless you and me with the ability to implement the Holy Quran and the Sunna of His Messenger Muhammad (pbuh). I say this and pray to Allah, the Almighty, to grant us forgiveness. Supplicate to Allah for forgiveness for He is the Most Forgiving and the Most Merciful.

Second Sermon

Praise be to Allah. I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah, the only God who has no partner, and I bear witness that our Master Muhammad is His servant and messenger. May the peace and the  blessings of Allah be upon our master Muhammad, his family, his companions and all those who will follow them in righteousness till the Day of Judgment.

Dear Believers,

It is so rewarding to obey the Messenger of Allah and follow his Sunna (sayings and acts) in all aspects of our life. It is equally rewarding to educate our children according to our Prophet's (pbuh)morals, and duly love him, his family and companions (may Allah be pleased with them). One way to do this is by praying and sending as much blessings on our Prophet (pbuh).

It was narrated that Ubayy ibn Kaab said, "I said: O Messenger of Allah, I send blessings upon you a great deal; how much of my prayer (duaa) should be for you? He said: "whatever you wish." I said: one quarter? He said: "whatever you wish, and if you do more it is better for you." I said: Half? He said: "whatever you wish, and if you do more it is better for you."  I said Two thirds? He said:"whatever you wish, and if you do more it is better for you." I said: should I make all my Duaa for you? He said: "then your concerns will be taken care of and your sins will be forgiven."

O servants of Allah,

Allah has commanded you an order to which He and His angels are both committed, when He says, "Allah and His angels send blessings on the Prophet: O ye that believe! Send ye blessings on him, and salute him with all respect." (Al-Ahzab:56). The Prophet (pbuh) said, "for everyone who invokes a blessing on me will receive ten blessings from Allah."

May the peace and the  blessings of Allah be upon our master Muhammad (pbuh), his family, and all his companions. May Allah be pleased with the Rightly Guided Caliphs and all those who will follow them in righteousness till the Day of Judgment.

May Allah grant our Master Muhammad (pbuh) the best reward as is befitting to him. We supplicate to you, the Almighty, to accept our Duaa, grant us repentance unto You and guide us to fulfill actions to earn Your mercy, forgiveness and spells. We also beseech You to confer on us safety from every sin, and booty of all righteousness, and to win paradise and deliverance from the Fire.

 O Allah, we implore You at this instant not to let a sin unforgiven, a distress unrelieved, an illness unhealed or a handicapped without relief, a dead without mercy or a debt unsettled. O Allah, give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Hellfire.

May Allah grant our leader HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and his Deputy, HH Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, success and provide strength and support to his brothers, Their Highness the Rulers of the Emirates, and his trustworthy Crown Prince HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

O Allah, forgive all of the Muslims, men and women, living and dead, and make blessings follow us and them. May Allah have mercy on Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Maktoum and all their brothers, the late UAE Sheikhs. O Lord, forgive and show mercy, You are the Ever Merciful and there is no strength nor power save with Allah, the High, the Great.

O Allah, send upon us helpful, wholesome and healthy rain. O Allah, give us rain and do not make us among the despondent. O Allah, relieve us, O Allah, relieve us, O Allah, relieve us. Give us from the blessings of the sky and grow for us from the blessings of the earth, You are the Ever Providing.

 We pray to Allah, the most gracious, to continue blessing the UAE and all Muslim countries with safety and security.

O Servants of Allah, Remember Allah and He will Remember You. Be grateful for His benevolence He will increase His blessings to you. Allah, the Most High, says, "and establish regular Prayer: for Prayer restrains from shameful and unjust deeds; and remembrance of Allah is the greatest (thing in life) without doubt. And Allah knows the (deeds) that ye do." (Al Ankaboot:45)