Friday sermon on calling to Allah.
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The Shaykh : With abundant praise as He commanded, and I thank Him, for He has permitted increase to those who are grateful. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone, with no partner, even if those who associate partners with Him and disbelieve hate that. And I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and His Messenger, the master of mankind, the intercessor and the one who grants intercession on the Day of Resurrection. May Allah send blessings and peace upon him, upon his family, and upon his Companions, the best of companions and peers, and upon those who follow them with excellence until the dawn breaks and shines forth, and may He send abundant peace. As for what follows:
O servants of Allah, this is the first Friday of your year, the year 1417. I ask Allah the Exalted to make it a year of good, honor, and blessing for the Muslims in general. In His knowledge of this year, I hope that my brothers, the imams of the mosques, will strive to remind the people and call them to the truth. They should do this by arranging a lesson after every 'Asr prayer and a lesson after the 'Isha' adhan every night and every day, if they are able to do so. There is great good in this, and it raises people's awareness. It is well known that whoever guides to good has a reward like that of the doer, without anything being deducted from the doer's reward. Furthermore, mosques should not be a place for prayer only, but should be a place for prayer and guidance. Therefore, I advise my brothers, the imams of the mosques, to arrange lessons after the 'Asr prayer and between the adhan and the iqamah for the 'Isha' prayer. In my view, the best thing to read in the 'Asr prayer is *Riyad al-Salihin*, for it is a comprehensive book of noble manners and morals, and it also contains many hadiths with useful jurisprudential rulings. It is among the best things written for admonishing people in general. As for what is read between the 'Isha' adhan and the iqamah, the best for the general public is the tafsir of our Shaykh 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Sa'di (may Allah have mercy on him), because it is a clear tafsir that everyone understands. This will be a great good, either every day as we mentioned, or four days a week, so that people leave the mosque having understood something. Also, one should not prolong the lesson after the 'Asr prayer; rather, one should suffice with one or two hadiths, about half a page, so that the people do not get bored and so that most of them do not leave. When people get used to something, it becomes easy for them. But if they are not accustomed to listening, it may be difficult for them at first, and only a few will attend the 'Isha' prayer. However, be confident that they will increase in their desire for good, if Allah wills. Likewise, in the 'Asr prayer, many people may leave, but if they see that there is no prolongation, they will remain until they benefit from what Allah the Mighty and Majestic facilitates.
Finally, I repeat to my brothers, to my brothers the imams, that they should strive to do this. I ask Allah the Exalted to make our work sincere for His face and in accordance with His pleasure. The best of speech is the Book of Allah, and the best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). And the worst of matters are their innovations, and every innovation is a religious innovation, and every religious innovation is misguidance, and every misguidance is in the Fire. So gather together, may Allah have mercy on you, upon the religion of Allah, and do not divide in it. The religion is one, and our imam in the religion of Allah is one, he is the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). And our Lord who commands us and forbids us is one God. So let us be one community as Allah willed for us in His saying:[Ali 'Imran 3:103] May Allah guide you and us to agreement upon the truth, and make us and you among those who cooperate upon righteousness and piety. Indeed, He is capable of all things.
O brothers, increase in sending blessings and peace upon the Messenger of Allah, for whoever sends blessings upon him once, Allah sends blessings upon him ten times. Be pleased with the Rightly Guided Caliphs. O Allah, send blessings and peace upon Your slave and Your Messenger Muhammad, and be pleased, O Allah, with his Rightly Guided Caliphs, and with all the Companions, and with those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment. And be pleased, O Allah, with us along with them by Your grace and Your generosity, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, honor Islam and the Muslims. O Allah, unite their word upon the truth. O Allah, help them against those who oppose them, O Lord of the worlds. Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith, and put not in our hearts any resentment toward those who have believed. Our Lord, indeed You are Most Merciful, Most Compassionate. Be, O brothers, callers to Allah, as Allah commanded His Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) to do. And His command to His Prophet was a command for him and for his Ummah. Allah the Exalted says:[An-Nahl 16:125] And all praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. And may Allah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions.
O servants of Allah, this is the first Friday of your year, the year 1417. I ask Allah the Exalted to make it a year of good, honor, and blessing for the Muslims in general. In His knowledge of this year, I hope that my brothers, the imams of the mosques, will strive to remind the people and call them to the truth. They should do this by arranging a lesson after every 'Asr prayer and a lesson after the 'Isha' adhan every night and every day, if they are able to do so. There is great good in this, and it raises people's awareness. It is well known that whoever guides to good has a reward like that of the doer, without anything being deducted from the doer's reward. Furthermore, mosques should not be a place for prayer only, but should be a place for prayer and guidance. Therefore, I advise my brothers, the imams of the mosques, to arrange lessons after the 'Asr prayer and between the adhan and the iqamah for the 'Isha' prayer. In my view, the best thing to read in the 'Asr prayer is *Riyad al-Salihin*, for it is a comprehensive book of noble manners and morals, and it also contains many hadiths with useful jurisprudential rulings. It is among the best things written for admonishing people in general. As for what is read between the 'Isha' adhan and the iqamah, the best for the general public is the tafsir of our Shaykh 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Sa'di (may Allah have mercy on him), because it is a clear tafsir that everyone understands. This will be a great good, either every day as we mentioned, or four days a week, so that people leave the mosque having understood something. Also, one should not prolong the lesson after the 'Asr prayer; rather, one should suffice with one or two hadiths, about half a page, so that the people do not get bored and so that most of them do not leave. When people get used to something, it becomes easy for them. But if they are not accustomed to listening, it may be difficult for them at first, and only a few will attend the 'Isha' prayer. However, be confident that they will increase in their desire for good, if Allah wills. Likewise, in the 'Asr prayer, many people may leave, but if they see that there is no prolongation, they will remain until they benefit from what Allah the Mighty and Majestic facilitates.
Finally, I repeat to my brothers, to my brothers the imams, that they should strive to do this. I ask Allah the Exalted to make our work sincere for His face and in accordance with His pleasure. The best of speech is the Book of Allah, and the best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). And the worst of matters are their innovations, and every innovation is a religious innovation, and every religious innovation is misguidance, and every misguidance is in the Fire. So gather together, may Allah have mercy on you, upon the religion of Allah, and do not divide in it. The religion is one, and our imam in the religion of Allah is one, he is the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). And our Lord who commands us and forbids us is one God. So let us be one community as Allah willed for us in His saying:
And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided
واعتصموا بحبل الله جميعا ولا تفرقواO brothers, increase in sending blessings and peace upon the Messenger of Allah, for whoever sends blessings upon him once, Allah sends blessings upon him ten times. Be pleased with the Rightly Guided Caliphs. O Allah, send blessings and peace upon Your slave and Your Messenger Muhammad, and be pleased, O Allah, with his Rightly Guided Caliphs, and with all the Companions, and with those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment. And be pleased, O Allah, with us along with them by Your grace and Your generosity, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, honor Islam and the Muslims. O Allah, unite their word upon the truth. O Allah, help them against those who oppose them, O Lord of the worlds. Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith, and put not in our hearts any resentment toward those who have believed. Our Lord, indeed You are Most Merciful, Most Compassionate. Be, O brothers, callers to Allah, as Allah commanded His Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) to do. And His command to His Prophet was a command for him and for his Ummah. Allah the Exalted says: