A beneficial reminder by Ustaadh Rayaan about the destroyer of pleasures – Death!
Many have neglected preparing for the moment of death, knowing it’s reality a what comes after it. It is a moment you will be returned to your Lord, so fear it.
Allaah ‘azza wa jal says in Surah al-‘Ankabut in ayah 57:
“Everyone shall taste the death. Then unto Us you shall be returned.”
Death will no doubt reach us so we need to prepare for it.
Ustaadh mentions a heart-warming hadeeth describing the moment of death of a believing slave. The moment of the shrouding by the angels and moment the soul is brought out from the soul.
In this Khutbah Ustaadh Rayaan mentions a few points regarding the high station of the scholars.
The true scholars are those that return the people back to the Quraan, the Sunnah and the understanding of the early pious generations. They are upon goodness and they are the inheritors of the Prophets.
The scholars have a virtue above all of the other believers, in every time period. Allaah has raised them in terms of their knowledge.
We preserve their status with love & respect and with our tongue by praising their knowledge & goodness.
In this Khutbah Ustaadh Rayaan gives us a stark reminder that we need to remain steadfast, even after the month of Ramadhaan has passed.
We must realise that Ramadhaan has left but we are still here.
Do not make false hopes in yourself that something external will automatically change you, that it will make you good without any effort. Don’t be of those that are dragged along by the dunya.
Allaah has blessed us with a whole month where it is easy for us to change, for us to rectify ourselves, to sink in a firmly rooted intention. We should strive to make a plan of action of what to do after Ramadhaan.
Let us continue our good deeds after Ramadhaan and let us not let the passing of Ramadhaan cause the decrease of our deeds.
Let us protect ourselves from what takes us away from the good deeds and let us take the means to self rectification.
Abu Hurairah (radi-Allaahu ‘anhu) reported that the Messenger of Allaah (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) said:
“Whoever performs the night prayer on the night of Al-Qadr with Eemaan (firm belief) and seeking reward will have all his past sins forgiven.” – Al-Bukhaaree (4/2550) and Muslim (759).
This hadeeth is evidence for the virtue of the night of Al-Qadr as well as performing qiyaam (night prayer) during it. And it indicates that it is a grand night, which Allaah has honored and made better than a thousand months, with regard to its blessing and the blessings found in the righteous deeds that are performed in it. Thus it is better than the worship of a thousand months and that is equivalent to eighty-three years and four months. Due to this, whoever performs qiyaam (night prayer) with true faith and while seeking reward in it, will be forgiven his past sins.
Taken from Ahadeeth As- Siyaam: Ahkaam wal Adaab (pg. 141-143) by Shaykh ‘Abdillah ibn Saalih Al- Fawzaan
The person who fasts and performs all other obligatory actions is from the best servants of Allah. And those who are negligent in fulfilling their obligations and do not give Allah His full due, then woe be to them. If the individual who deals unjustly with the scales (Mutaffif) in this worldly life is warned of a terrible punishment, then what is the case with the individual who deals unjustly with the scales of the hereafter!
The Salaf worked diligently in perfecting their actions and making them faultless, then after that, they showed great concern for acceptance of their actions. They did this because they feared that their actions would be rejected. They are those who gave what was incumbent upon them while their hearts were in a state of fear. It is reported that Ali bin Abi Taleb said: Be more concerned that your actions are accepted than your concern of performing the action itself. Did you not hear the statement of Allah:
Verily Allah only accepts the actions of the Muttaqeen (pious) – Surah Al-Ma’idah [5:27]
The above are excerpts from Ibn Rajabýs book: Lataif al Maaýrif.
It is possible that due to the things in our hearts or due to the actions of our limbs that Allah rejects our du’a. So it is imperative for us as Muslims to know the means for our du’as to be accepted, for indeed du’a has a high status in Islam.
Ustaadh Rayaan mentions various narrations by the Messenger of Allah (Sallallaahu ‘alahi wa salam) regarding the types of people whose du’a is accepted. He also discusses the explanations of the scholars related to these narrations and the things that create barriers to our du’as being accepted.
Do not hasten to expect your du’as to be answered, for indeed Allah is near and responds to the du’a of the supplicant.
A highly beneficial khutba in which Ustaadh Rayaan discusses the importance of striving to perform virtuous actions throughout Ramadhaan including recitation of the Qur’aan, giving Sadaqah, contemplating over the Qur’aan, perfecting our manners and more. It is upon us to to leave Ramadhaan in a better state than we entered it.
In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy
Narrated Ibn Abbaas (radiyallaahu-anhumaa): The Prophet [sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam] was the most generous amongst the people, and he used to be more so in the month of Ramadaan when Jibreel visited him, and Jibreel used to meet him on every night of Ramadaan till the end of the month. The Prophet [sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam] used to recite the Noble Qur’aan to Jibreel, and when Jibreel met him, he used to be more generous than the fair wind [sent by Allaah with glad tidings (rain) in readiness and haste to do charitable deeds].
Few Reminders from This Hadeeth by Shaikh Bin Baaz [rahimahullaah]
[1] The Prophet [sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam] was the most generous person.
[2] Being generous in times when [people] are in need and in Ramadaan is something a person should be keen to accomplish.
[3] In the final year [of his life], Jibreel met the Prophet twice and he finished the recitation of the [Qur’aan] twice.
[4] And from the benefits of [this hadeeth] is that it is more virtuous to study and recite the Qur’aan at night.
[5] And [from the benefits of this hadeeth] is a person’s study of the Qur’aan with the righteous people and the scholars.
