In the name of Allah
The All Compassionate, the All Merciful
17th Muharram 1445 (4th August 2023)
Islamic Universal Association
20 Penzance Place, Holland Park
London, W11 4 PG
Jihad An-Nafs – Part 143
Purification of the heart-Part 85
The message on charity in Ayahs 7 to 11 of Surah Al-Hadid are provided below:
- The inevitable demand of the Islamic faith is that one should not shirk spending one’s wealth charitably for the sake of Allah (s.w.t.). This would not only be contrary to the faith but also wrong realistically, for wealth indeed belongs to Allah (s.w.t.) and man has been given proprietary rights only as His vicegerent. “So believe in God and His Messenger (Muhammad) and spend (in charity) of that which He has made you trustees. Whosoever among you believes and spends (charitably in God’s Way), for them is a great reward” (Ayah 7).Therefore, the sincere upholders of the truth in the sight of Allah (s.w.t.) are those who spend their wealth in His way sincerely and they will be greatly rewarded.
- According to Ayah 8 of the Surah under reference, Allah (s.w.t.) has taken a covenant of service from man before his creation and hence man has an innate ability to recognize the truth and to serve and obey Allah (s.w.t.) through his intellect. Moreover, signs and revelations have been sent through messengers to remind him of this solemn covenant. “What reason do you have that you do not believe in God, while the Messenger invites you to believe in your Lord, and He has indeed taken a covenant from you, if you are believers?”
- ‘Manifest signs’ mentioned in Ayah 9 of the said Surah, refer to the Holy Quran and signs and miracles of the messengers of Allah (s.w.t.), which help man to escape from the darkness of sins, heedlessness and ignorance and enter into the light of repentance, wakefulness and knowledge.
- As provided in Ayah 10, “God is the heritage of the heavens and the earth,” which implies that all things return to Allah (s.w.t.) and nothing should prevent one from spending what belongs to Him in the first place.
Ayah 10 provides further: “Not equal among you are those you spent before the victory and fought and those who did so later. They are more exalted in rank than those who spent and fought afterwards.” ‘The victory’ refers to the conquest of Mecca after which Islam spread throughout Arabia and it became politically advantageous to donate to its cause, whereas before the victory, the need for donation was far greater. Although donations during both times are entitled to a reward, yet the believers who donated before the victory were higher in rank, for they spent their wealth at a time when there appeared no remote chance of victory that would compensate for their expenditure, and they fought the disbelievers at a critical time when there was an ever present apprehension that the enemy might overpower and crush them completely.
At the inception of Islam, Khadijah, the wife of the Holy Prophet (s.a.), spent all her wealth in the cause of Allah (s.w.t.), which pleased Him greatly.
- How generous is Allah (s.w.t.) that if man spends the wealth granted by Him in His way, He calls it a loan. Allah (s.w.t.) promises to repay it increasingly and He will also give him the best reward for it. “Who is he that would loan God a goodly loan so that He may double it for him, and for him shall be a noble recompense?” (Ayah 11) To be continued
Second Sermon
Divine movement of Imam Hussain (a.s.)
It has always been in our minds as to why the divine movement of Karbala continues to live in the hearts of people after almost fourteen centuries, and why do we reflect on Imam Hussain (a.s.)’s aims and thoughts especially during this month. In order to understand this, it is highly imperative for us to study the following:
- The divine movement of Karbala.
- Aspects of social life which create peace and harmony.
- The personality of a leader
I would like to emphasize that the movement of Karbala was based on the principles of Islam; the Holy Quran and the teachings of the Holy Prophet (s.a.). In many of Imam Hussain (a.s.)’s talks, sermons and letters he asserted the importance of fulfilling the divine duties of Islam. He addressed a large group of scholars in a long and powerful speech and reminded them that it was their duty to inculcate Islamic principles and not to mislead the masses who trusted them. He criticized them for not addressing the issues of oppression and prevention of vile and corrupt acts by ignoring the principles of amr bil ma’ruf and nahya anil munkar.. He said: “O people, take lesson from the counsel Allah gave to His friends when He rebuked the rabbis by saying:
“Why do the scholars and rabbis not forbid them from uttering what is sinful and their eating of what is forbidden? Evil is indeed what they do.” (Surah Al-Ma’ida, Ayah 63). And Allah says: “Cursed were those among the children of Israel who did not believe in David and Jesus, son of Mary, for they persisted in their excesses. They did not forbid each other from committing vile and corrupt acts; indeed how evil was that which they were doing.” (Surah Al-Ma’ida, Ayahs 78-79).
Allah mentions the duty of enjoining good and forbidding evil before all other duties, because He knows that if they are performed and established in the society all other duties will also become established. The reason is that amr bil ma’ruf and nahya anil munkar resist against injustice, oppose and struggle against oppressors and they endeavor to ensure that public wealth and income derived from war are distributed in accordance with the just laws of Islam and that taxes are collected, levied and expended in due and proper form.”
The Imam also exhorted the scholars not to pander to the rulers who bribed them to keep away from the truth. O Scholars! You are therefore required to assist us to win back our rights from those powers who have considered it appropriate to wrong us and who have attempted to put out the light kindled by our Holy Prophet. God suffices for us – upon Him we rely; to Him we turn for help and to Him we shall all return. “ To be continued
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