تواصل مع الله بامتنان

بَدَأَ اللهُ كِتَابَهُ بِإِظْهَارِ كَيْفَ نَبْدَأُ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ، كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ، وَكَيْفَ نُوَاجِهُ كُلَّ مَوْقِفٍ فِي الْحَيَاةِ، سَوَاءٌ كَانَ ذَلِكَ مِنَ السُّهُولَةِ أَوِ الصُّعُوبَةِ. لَقَدْ عَلَّمَنَا أَنْ نُرَكِّزَ عَلَيْهِ، وَأَنْ نَشْكُرَهُ عَلَى كُلِّ مَا أَعْطَانَا إِيَّاهُ

 قَالَ: ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ

إِعْتَادَ رَسُولُ الله صلى الله عليه وسلمَ يَقُولَ مَا يَلِيْ عِنْدَمَا يَسْتَيْقِظُ لتَهَجُّدْ:

 ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلمَ إِذَا قَامَ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ يَتَهَجَّدُ قَالَ ‏"‏ اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ قَيِّمُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ، لَكَ مُلْكُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ، وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ نُورُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ، وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ الْحَقُّ، وَوَعْدُكَ الْحَقُّ، وَلِقَاؤُكَ حَقٌّ، وَقَوْلُكَ حَقٌّ، وَالْجَنَّةُ حَقٌّ، وَالنَّارُ حَقٌّ، وَالنَّبِيُّونَ حَقٌّ، وَمُحَمَّدٌ صلى الله عليه وسلم حَقٌّ، وَالسَّاعَةُ حَقٌّ، اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ أَسْلَمْتُ، وَبِكَ آمَنْتُ وَعَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْتُ، وَإِلَيْكَ أَنَبْتُ، وَبِكَ خَاصَمْتُ، وَإِلَيْكَ حَاكَمْتُ، فَاغْفِرْ لِي مَا قَدَّمْتُ وَمَا أَخَّرْتُ، وَمَا أَسْرَرْتُ وَمَا أَعْلَنْتُ، أَنْتَ الْمُقَدِّمُ وَأَنْتَ الْمُؤَخِّرُ، لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ ]البخاري[

عَلَّمَنَا رَسُولُ الله صلى الله عليه وسلمَ أَنْ نَقٌولَ هَذَا (4 مَرَّاتٍ) عِنْدَمَا نَسْتَيقِظُ كُلَّ صَبَاحٍ. اللّهُـمَّ إِنِّـي أُشْـهِدُك، وَأُشْـهِدُ حَمَلَـةَ عَـرْشِـك، وَمَلائِكَتِك، وَجَمـيعَ خَلْـقِك، أَنَّـكَ أَنْـتَ اللهُ لا إلهَ إلاّ أَنْـتَ وَحْـدَكَ لا
شَريكَ لَـك، وَأَنَّ ُ مُحَمّـداً عَبْـدُكَ وَرَسـولُـك

 الْإِسْلَامُ هُوَ كُلُّ شَيْءٍ عَنْ مَعْرِفَةِ اللهِ وَحُبِّ اللهِ وَالتَّعْبِيرِ عَنِ امْتِنَانِنَا لله. مَنْ هُوَ الله؟ ذَكَّرَنَا اللهُ بِبَعْضِ بَرَكَاِتهِ وَقَاَل:

]نبأ 78: 6-16[ أَلَمْ نَجْعَلِ ٱلْأَرْضَ مِهَـٰدًا/ وَٱلْجِبَالَ أَوْتَادًا/ وَخَلَقْنَـٰكُمْ أَزْوَٰجًا/ وَجَعَلْنَا نَوْمَكُمْ سُبَاتًا/ وَجَعَلْنَا ٱلَّيْلَ لِبَاسًا/ وَجَعَلْنَا ٱلنَّهَارَ مَعَاشًا /وَبَنَيْنَا فَوْقَكُمْ سَبْعًا شِدَادًا/ وَجَعَلْنَا سِرَاجًا وَهَّاجًا/ وَأَنزَلْنَا مِنَ ٱلْمُعْصِرَٰتِ مَآءً ثَجَّاجًا/ لِّنُخْرِجَ بِهِۦ حَبًّا وَنَبَاتًا/ وَجَنَّـٰتٍ أَلْفَافًا

أذكر نفسي وأنت أن ننظر إِلَى أَنْفُسِنَا، وَعَاِئلاَتِنَا، وَمُعَلِّمِينَا، وَأَصْدِقَائِنَا، وَبِيئَتِنَا، وَالأَرْضَ التِي نَعِيشُ عَلَيْهَا وَنَتَجَاهَلُهَا، وَالمِياهُ التِي نَسْتَخْدِمُهَا دُونَ تَفْكِيرٍ. المهم لنا أن نفكر بكل هذه النعم ونحمد الله عليها. هَذَا مَا فَعَلَهُ أَولَئِكَ الذِينَ عَرَفُوا اللهَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ وَكَافَأوا عَلَيْهِ. 

قَالَ أَنَسٌ بْنُ مَالِكٍ أَنَّ رَسُولَ الله صَلّى الله عَلَيهِ وَسَلّمَ مَرَّ ذَاتَ مَرَّةٍ بِبَدَوِيِّ كَانَ يُؤَدِّي الدُّعَاءَ التَّالِي فِي صَلاَتِهِ:

يا مَنْ لا تَرَاهُ الْعيونْ، ولاَ تُخَالِطُهُ الظُّنوْنْ، ولا يَصِفُهُ الْوَاصِفُون، ولا تُغَيِّرُهُ الحَوادِثْ، ولا يَخْشَى الدَّوائِرْ، ويَعْلَمُ مَثَاقِيْلَ الجِبالْ، وَمَكَايِيْلَ البِحارْ، وعددَ قَطَرِ الأمطار، وعددَ وَرَقِ الأشجار، وعددَ ما أظْلَمَ عليهِ اللّيْلُ، وَأشْرَقَ عليه النّهار، ولا تُوَارِيْ منه سماءٌ سماءً، ولا أرضٌ أرضاً، ولا بحرٌ ما في قعرِه، ولا جبَلٌ ما في وَعْرِه، اِجْعَلْ خَيرَ عُمُرِي آخرَه، وخيرَ عمَلي خواتمَه، وخيرَ أيّامِي يومَ ألْقاكَ فيه

عَيَّنَ رَسُولُ الله شَخْصاً لِإحْضَارِ البَدَوِيِّ إِلَيْهِ بِمُجَرَّدِ أَنْ يُكْمِلَ صَلاَتَهُ.  كَانَ رَسُولُ الله صَلى اللهُ عَليهِ وَسلمَ قَدْ أَعْطَى بَعْضَ الذَّهَبِ مِنْ مَنْجَمٍ مُعَيَّنٍ، وَعِنْدَمَا جَاءَ البَدَوِيُّ أَمَامَهُ بَعْدَ أَنْ أَكْمَلَ صَلاَتَهُ، أَعْطَاهُ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم الذَّهَبَ وَسَأَلَهُ: “إِلَى أَيِّ قَبِيلَةٍ تَنْتَمِي؟”

قَالَ الّرُجُلُ إِنَّهُ مِنْ بَنِي عَامِرِ بن صعسة.  ثُمَّ سَأَلَهُ رَسُولَ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، “هَلْ تَعْرِفُ لِمَاذَا أَعْطَيْتُكَ هَذَا الذَّهَبَ كَهَدِيَّة؟” ” قَالَ بِسَبَبِ الرَّوَابِطِ الأُسَرِيَّةِ بَيْنَنَا، يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم – قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: “فِي حِينِ أَنَّ الرَّوَابِطَ الأُسَرِيَةَ لَهَا حَقْ، فَقَدْ أَعْطَيتُكَ الذَّهَبَ بِالْفِعْلِ بِسَبَبِ الطَّرِيقَةِ الجَمِيلَةِ التِي سَبَّحْتَ بِهَا اللهَ جَلَّجَلالُهُ”. (الطبراني).

دَعُونَا نَحْمَدُ اللهَ وَنَشْكُرُهْ. اَسْأَلُ اللهَ أَنْ اعطنا كَلِمَاتٍ تُسَبِّحُونهُ       وتشكرونه. 

أَخِيراً، فِيمَا يَتَعَلَّقُ بِالاِمْتِنَانِ، دَعُونَا نَتَذَكَّرُ مَا ذَكَّرَنَا بِهِ رَسُولُ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وَقَالَ: عَنْ أَبي هُرَيرَةَ (رضي الله عنه) قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: “مَن لاَ يَشْكُرِ النَّاسَ لَمْ يَشْكُرِ الله“. ]سنن أبي داود]

يُجَادِلُ بَعْضُ النَّاسِ بِأَنَّ أُولَئِكَ الذِينَ يُسَاعِدُونَنَا يَوْمِياً، سَوَاءً كَانُوا أَفْرَادَ عَائِلَتِنَا، أَوْ الخَوَادم بِصِفَاتٍ مُخْتَلِفَةٍ، أَوِ المُوَظَّفِينَ، يَعْرِفُونَ بِالْفِعْلِ مَا إِذَا كُنَّا مُمْتَنِّينَ أَمْ لاَ. فَلِمَاذَا نَشْكُرُهُمْ عَلىَ وَجْهِ التَّحْدِيدْ؟ أُذَكِّرُهُمْ أَنَّ اللهَ الذِي يَعْرِفُ كُلَّ شَيءٍ وَلَا يَحْتَاجُ إِلَى أَحَدٍ لِيُخْبَرَهُ بأي شيء أعلن:

]ابراهيم 14:7[ وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكُمْ لَئِن شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ وَلَئِن كَفَرْتُمْ إِنَّ عَذَابِى لَشَدِيدٌ

سُؤَالِي لِهَؤُلَاءِ النَّاسِ هُوَ: إِذَا كَانَ اللهُ، الذِي يَعْرِفُ كُلَّ شَيءٍ أَمَرَنَا بِالتَّعْبِيرِ عَنِ امْتِنَانِنَا، فَمَاذَا عَنْ أُولَئِكَ الذِينَ لاَ يَعْرِفُونَ كُلَّ شَيءْ؟ هَذَا لِأَنَّ الِامْتَنَانَ هُوَ حَالَةٌ ذِهْنِيةٌ وَهُوَ يَتَعَلَّقُ بِكْ، وَلَيْسَ عَنِ الشَّخْصِ الآخر. عِنْدَمَا تَشْكُرُ أُولَئِكَ الذِينَ كَانُوا جَيِّدِينَ مَعَكْ، فَأَنْتَ تَقُولُ شَيْئاً عَنْ نَوْعِ الشَّخْصِ الذِي أَنْتَ عَلَيهْ. عِنْدَمَا تَأْخُذُ النَّاسَ وَمَا يَفْعَلُونَهُ كأمر مسلم به وَلَا تُكَلِّفُ نَفْسَكَ عَنَاءَ شُكْرِ الآخَرِينْ، فَأَنْتَ تُخْبِرُهُمْ عَنْ نَوْعِ الشَّخْصِ الذِي أَنْتَ.

كَنَتِيجَةٍ لِهَذِهِ الخُطْبَةْ، اسْمَحُوا لِي أَنْ أَطْلبَ عِنْدَمَا نَنْتَهِي هُنَا، أَنْ تَشْكُرَ هَؤُلَاءِ الأشْخَاصِ فِي حَيَاتِنا الذِينَ فَعَلُوا كُلَّ أَنْواعِ الأَشْيَاءِ مِنْ أَجْلِنا، وَلَكِنَّنا لَمْ نشْكُرْهُمْ مُنْذُ فَتْرَةٍ طَوِيلَةٍ، أَو رُبَّمَا لَمْ نشْكُرْهُمْ أَبَدَا. افْعَلْ ذَلِكَ وَاجْعَلْ هَذِهِ عَادَةً لِلْمُضِيِّ قِدَماً وَشَاهِدْ كَيْفَ سَتَتَغَيَّرُ حَيَاتُكَ. الشكر، يُبْرِزُ أَفْضَلَ مَا فِي الآخَرِينَ وَسَوفَ يَمْشُونَ فِي وَهَجِ شُكْرِكَ فِي تِلْكَ اللَّحَظَاتِ الُمظْلِمَةِ التِي تَأْتِي فِي كُلِّ حَيَاتِنَا عِنْدَمَا نَحْتَاجُ إِلَى القَلِيلِ مِنَ الضَّوءِ وَالدِّفْءِ. كُنْ هَذَا النُّورَ وَالدِّفْءَ لِلآخَرِينَ وَسَتَكُونُ مَحْمِيّاً مِنَ البَرْدِ وَالظَّلَامِ عِنْدَمَا تَكُونُ فِي أَمَسِّ الحَاجَةِ إِلَيْهِم.

أُشْكُرِ اللهَ عَلَى كُلِّ مَا أَنْعَمَ عَلَيْنَا بِهِ وَاسْأَلْهُ رَحْمَتَهُ.

Connect to Allah with gratitude

Allah began His Book with showing us how to begin each day, each night, and how to face every situation in life, be it one of ease or difficulty. He taught us to focus on Him, to thank Him for all that He gave us and to remember that everything we know, including ourselves, belongs to Him. Rasoolullah (PBUH)used to say the following when he would awake for Tahajjud:

Ibn Abbas (R) narrated that when Rasoolullah (PBUH) used to awake for Tahajjud he would say: O Allah! All praise and all thanks for you, You are the Establisher of the Heavens and the Earth, And whatever is in them. All praises for You; You have the possession of the Heavens and the Earth And whatever is in them. All praises for You; You are the Light of the Heavens and the Earth. And all praises for You; You are the Truth. And Your Promise is the Truth, And the meeting with You is True. Your Word is the Truth, And Jannah is True, And the Fire is True. And all the Prophets (Peace be upon them) are True and Muhammad(PBUH), is True. And the Day of Resurrection is True. O Allah! I surrender (my will) to You; I believe in You and depend on You. And repent to You, And with Your help I argue (with my opponents). And I take You as a judge (to judge between us). Please forgive my previous and future sins; And whatever I concealed or revealed. And you are the One who raises some people to stations of honor and lower others. There is none to be worshiped but You. [Bukhari]

Rasoolullah(PBUH) taught us to say this (4 times) when we awake every morning.

O Allah! As morning dawns upon me, I bear testimony before You and before the angels who carry Your Throne and all Your angels and all of Your creation that truly, You are Allah, there is no god but You, The One and Only God without any partner, and that truly, Muhammad is Your slave and Your Prophetic Messenger.

Islam is all about knowing Allah, loving Allah and expressing our gratitude to Allah. Who is Allah?

Allah reminded us about some of His blessings and said:

Naba 78: 6-16   Have We not smoothed out the earth ˹like a bed˺. and ˹made˺ the mountains as ˹its˺ pegs, and created you in pairs, and made your sleep for rest, and made the night as a cover, and made the day for livelihood, and built above you seven mighty ˹heavens˺, and placed ˹in them˺ a shining lamp, and sent down from rainclouds pouring water, producing by it grain and ˹various˺ plants, and dense orchards?

Allah drew our attention to the millions of things that we take for granted. I remind myself and you to look at ourselves, our families, our teachers, our friends, our environment, the earth we live on and ignore, the water we use without a thought. Look at all these and more and thank Allah. This is what those who knew Allah in their hearts did and were rewarded for.

Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik reports that Rasoolullah(PBUH) once passed by a Bedouin who was making the following dua in his Salah:

“O The One Whom eyes cannot see, Who cannot be imagined, Who is beyond description, Who is unaffected by happenings, Who cannot be overwhelmed by the twists and turns of time, Who knows the weight of the mountains, the volume of the oceans, the number of falling raindrops, the number of leaves on the trees and everything upon which the night darkens and upon which the day brightens. No sky can hide another from Him, no surface of the earth can hide another from Him, no ocean can hide anything within its depths from Him and no mountain can conceal from Him anything within its rocks. Make the last part of my life the best, make the best of my deeds the last and make my best day be the one in which I meet You.”

Rasoolullah(PBUH) appointed someone to bring the Bedouin to him as soon as he completed his Salah. Rasoolullah(PBUH) had been given some gold from a certain mine and when the Bedouin came before him after he had completed his Salah, Rasoolullah (PBUH) gave him the gold and asked, “Which tribe do you belong to?”

The man said that he was from the Banu Aamir bin Sa’sa’ah. Rasoolullah(PBUH) then asked, “Do you know why I gave you this gold as a gift?” “Because of the family ties between us, Ya Rasoolullah(PBUH), he said. Rasoolullah(PBUH)said, “While family ties have a right, I actually gave you the gold because of the beautiful manner in which you praised Allah.” (Tabraani). Let us praise Allah and thank Him. I ask Allah to give us the words to praise and thank Him. Finally, about gratitude, let us remember what Rasoolullah(PBUH)reminded us about and said:

Abu Huraira (RA) reported: Rasoolullah (PBUH)  said, “Whoever does not thank people has not thanked Allah.” ]Sunan Abī Dāwūd]

Some people argue that especially those who help us daily, be those members of our family, servers in various capacities, or employees, already know if we are grateful or not. So why thank them specifically? I remind them that Allah, who knows everything and needs nobody to tell him anything declared:

Ibrahim 14: 7   And ˹remember˺ when your Lord proclaimed, If you are grateful, I will certainly give you more. But if you are ungrateful, surely My punishment is severe.’”

My question to those people is, ‘If Allah, who knows everything ordered us to express our gratitude, what about those who don’t know everything? That is because gratitude is a state of mind and is about you, not about the person you are expressing it to you. When you thank those who have been good to you, you are saying something about the kind of person you are. When you take people and what they do for granted and don’t bother to thank others, you are telling them what kind of person you are.

As an outcome from this Khutba, let me request that when we finish here, thank those people in your life who have done all kinds of things for you but who you have not thanked for a long time, or maybe never. Do that and make that a habit going forward and see how your life will change.

Thanks, brings out the best in others and they will walk in the glow of your thanks in those dark moments that come in all our lives when we need a little light and warmth. Be that light and warmth for others and you will be protected from the cold and darkness when you need it the most.

I thank Allah for all that He has blessed us with and ask Him for his Mercy.