Shaykh Alee Ibn Abdur Rahman Al-Hudhayfee (Imam Madina Munawwarah)

All praise is due to Allaah, Lord of all the worlds. May peace and blessings of Allaah, be upon the Messenger, his households and Companions.

Fellow Muslims! Repentance and acknowledging the favours of Allaah are among things that reform the hearts and purify the deeds. Allaah commands His servants to always remember His blessings in order to give thanks to Him. This will make the blessings remain with them forever and will earn them more blessings. Allaah says,

"O mankind! Remember the Grace of Allaah upon you! Is there any creator other than Allaah who provides for you from the sky and from the earth? None has the right to be worshipped but Him. How then are you turning away (from Him)?"? (Faatir 35:3)

Allaah also says, "O you who believe! Remember the Favour of Allaah unto you when some people desired (made a plan) to stretch out their hands against you, but (Allaah) held back their hands from you. So fear Allaah. And in Allaah let believers put their trust."? (Al-Maaidah 5:11)

Allaah also says, "And (remember) when your Lord proclaimed: "If you give thanks (by accepting Faith and worshipping none but Allaah), I will give you more (of My Blessings); but if you are thankless (i.e. disbelievers), verily My Punishment is indeed severe."? (Ibraaheem 14:7)

Brethren in faith! The greatest blessing that Allaah bestowed on His servants is belief in His Oneness. For Allaah honours man with this favour in the world and the Hereafter. Allaah says,

"Is then he who is a believer like him who is Faasiq (disbeliever and disobedient to Allaah)? Not equal are they. As for those who believe and do righteous good deeds, for them are Gardens (Paradise) as an entertainment for what they used to do. And as for those who are disbelievers an disobedient (to Allaah), their abode will be the Fire, every time they wish to get away therefrom, they will be put back thereto, and it will be said to them: "Taste you the torment of the Fire which you used to deny."? (As-Sajdah 32:18-20)

It is this eemaan that inspire all noble qualities like mercy, compassion, justice, truthfulness, altruism, patience, humility, courage, generosity, piety and all other commendable qualities. It also purifies man from shirk, murder, eating from unlawful means, usury, adultery, fornication, malice, arrogance and all other traits that Allaah and His Messenger forbids. Allaah says,

"Or do those who earn evil deeds think that We shall hold them equal with those who believe and do righteous good deeds, in their present life and after their death? Worst is the judgement that they make. And Allaah has created the heavens and the earth with truth, in order that each person may be recompensed what he has earned, and they will not be wronged. Have you seen him who takes his own lust (vain desires) as his god, and Allaah knowing (him as such), left him astray, and sealed his hearing and his heart, and put a cover on his sight? Who then will guide him after Allaah? Will you not then remember?"? (Al-Jaathiyah 45:21-23)

Among the greatest blessings of Allaah is security and peace. The Muslim enjoys security in matters of his religion so that he fears no persecution and he worships Allaah freely without associating any partner with Him. He enjoys security on his person where no one commits aggression against him and he enjoys security on his property and life and he enjoys security in his journeys. We should therefore thank Allaah for all this. We should worship Him and abstain from sins. Allaah says,

"So let them worship (Allaah) the Lord of this House (the Ka'bah). (He) Who has fed them against hunger, and has made them safe from fear."? (Quraysh 106:3-4)

The Messenger of Allaah said, "Whoever wakes up in the morning feeling secured in his life, sound in his body and has his daily bread, he is like the one in whose possession is this world and all that it contains."? (At-Tirmidhee)

It is through security that life can be worth living. People become ambitious and earn their livelihood only when they have security. Developments, knowledge, justice, stability and expansion of wealth all go hand in hand with security. It is in the time of security that people sleep soundly and humans and animals alike enjoy their lives. Security is therefore one of the greatest blessings of Allaah on His slaves. That is why Allaah makes it one of the enjoyments of Paradise. Allaah says, "(It will be said to them): 'Enter therein (Paradise), in peace and security."? (Al-Hijr 15:46)

The opposite of security is fear. It is in times of fear that lives and properties are wasted, that religion becomes weak, that businesses and social welfare become threatened, the developments become stalled, that evil people control the society, that evil prevails and life becomes unbearable.

Brethren in faith! Real security cannot be achieved except under the shade of Islaam and eemaan. Allaah says, "It is those who believe (in the Oneness of Allaah and worship none but Him Alone) and confuse not their belief with wrong (i.e. by worshipping others besides Allaah), for them (only) there is security and they are the guided."? (Al-An'aam 6:82)

The Muslim, in the cause of following the teachings of his religion, preserves the security of his society and the interests of his fellow Muslims. The Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam said, "The fornicator does not commit his fornication while he is in the complete state of eemaan, the thief does not commit his theft while he is in his perfect state of eemaan and the alcohol drinker does not drink alcohol while he is the perfect state of eemaan."? The acts of looting and killing, and the spread of anarchy happen only at the hands of infidels and evil people. Tragedies and catastrophes do not afflict nations except during the rein of falsehood and in the absence of justice and reasonableness. History testifies to this. Allaah says,

"As for those who disbelieve, their deeds are like a mirage in a desert. The thirsty one thinks it to be water, until he comes up to it, he finds it to be nothing, but he finds Allaah with him, Who will pay him his due (Hell). And Allaah is Swift in taking account. Or (the state of a disbeliever) is like the darkness in a vast deep sea, overwhelmed with waves topped by waves, topped by dark clouds, (layers of) darkness upon darkness: if a man stretches out his hand, he can hardly see it! And he for whom Allaah has not appointed light, for him there is no light."? (An-Noor 24:39-40)

Allaah also says, "Those who disbelieved and hinder (men) from the Path of Allaah, for them We will add torment over the torment because they used to spread corruption (by disobeying Allaah themselves, as well as ordering others (mankind) to do so)."? (An-Nahl 16:88)

Dear Muslims! Follow the teachings of your religion. That is your refuge in times of hardship, your security in times of fear, your strength during weakness and your protection against all errors. Thank Allaah for all His blessings on you and always obey His commandments. Allaah says,

"Therefore remember Me (by praying, glorifying), I will remember you, and be grateful to Me (for My countless Favours on you) and never be ungrateful to Me."? (Al-Baqarah 2:152)

Fellow Muslims! Thank Allaah for His apparent and hidden favours upon you. He has bestowed blessings on you by making you worshipping Him alone and surrendering to His will. He also made it easy for you to seek for His pleasures and abstain from things that He has forbidden. Call yourselves to account before you are called to account and do not treat any favour from Allaah with contempt. For all favours from Allaah are great.

Know that Allaah is watching over you and nothing of your deeds and intentions is hidden from Him. All that is accurately recorded in a book with Him and on the Day of Resurrection, He will tell every man:

"Read your book. You yourself are sufficient as a reckoner against you this Day."? (Al-Israa 17:14)

You should also know that no enjoyment of this world will be of any avail to one who enters Hell and no pain or hardship of this world can harm anyone who enters Paradise. Allaah says, "Tell Me, (even) if We do let them enjoy for years and afterwards comes to them that (punishment) which they had been promised. All that with which they used to enjoy shall not avail them."? (Ash-Shu"˜araa 26:205-207)

The Messenger of Allaah said, "The one who enjoyed the pleasure of this world most among the dwellers of Hell will be asked: "Have you ever enjoyed any pleasure in your life?" He will say: "No, by Allaah! I have never enjoyed any pleasure." And the most wretched person in the life of this world among the dwellers of Paradise will be asked: "Have you ever experienced any hardship?" He will answer: "No, by Allaah! I have never experienced any hardship."

Beware of Hell and keep away from ways that lead to it. Seek the Paradise whose breadth is as wide as the heavens and the earth. Its pleasure is never finite and Allaah renews therein enjoyment for its dwellers. Allaah says, "There they will have all that they desire – and We have more (for them, i.e. a glance at the All-Mighty, All-Majestic (glorified and exalted be He))."? (Qaaf 50:35)

The hadeeth indicates that if a Muslim commits a sin, he is not in the proper state of eemaan at that very moment in which he is committing that sin. Had he been in the proper state of eemaan, it would have prevented him from committing the sin.