By Sheikh Abdul-Bari ibn Awwad al-Thubaiti – 10 JUmaadal Ula 1437

His Eminence Sheikh Abdul-Bari ibn Awwad al-Thubaiti, may Allah preserve him, delivered the Friday khutbah entitled, “The Muslim’s Mission in This Life,” in which he talked about man’s vicegerency of Allah on earth and the honour that Allah has bestowed on him, stating that a Muslim is entrusted with a sublime mission and has a noble goal in this life. He shed some light on the mission of every member of the Muslim Ummah and the mission of the Muslim society as a whole.

Praise be to Allah. Praise be to Allah, Who has honoured man and placed mankind generations after generations on earth. I praise Him, Glorified be He, and I thank Him for the blessing of faith and virtue. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone, Who has no partners, and Who created the creation only to worship Him alone. I bear witness that our master and prophet, Muhammad, is His servant and messenger, whose guidance has cleansed our hearts from rancour and envy. May Allah bestow His peace and blessings upon him and upon his family and Companions, who had the best moral character.

Now then,
I advise you and advise myself to fear Allah. Allah, Exalted be He, says:
“O you who believe! Fear Allah (by doing all that He has ordered and by abstaining from all that He has forbidden) as He should be feared. [Obey Him, be thankful to Him, and remember Him always], and die not except in a state of Islam [as Muslims (with complete submission to Allah)].” (Al ‘Imran: 102)‎

Allah, Exalted be He, also says:
“And (remember) when your Lord said to the angels: “Verily, I am going to place (mankind) generations after generations on earth.” …” (Al-Baqarah: 30)

Part of the wisdom of Allah, Who has given each thing its form and nature and then guided it aright, is that He made man His vicegerent on earth in order to act on His laws and reveal the wonders of His work, the secrets of His creation, the marvels of His wisdom, and the benefits of the rules He has set. Is there, then, any sign of the perfection of Allah, Exalted be He, and His vast knowledge clearer than man, whom He created in the best of stature?

It is by Allah’s mercy and in accordance with His ways with regard to His creation that He gives succession on the earth to whoever He wills from among His servants: “… Verily, the earth is Allah’s. He gives it as a heritage to whom He wills of his slaves …” (Al-A‘raf: 128)

Indeed, people’s succession of one another on the earth is a test and a trial. Allah, Exalted be He, says:
“… “It may be that your Lord will destroy your enemy and make you successors on the earth, so that He may see how you act.”” (Al-A‘raf: 129)

Those who are entitled to inherit the land are the ones who perform the duties of vicegerency to the best of their ability.
“And indeed We have written in the Az-Zabur [i.e. all the revealed holy Books – the Taurat (Torah), the Injeel (Gospel), the Psalms, the Qur’an,] after (We have already written in) Adh-dhikr [Al-Lauh Al-Mahfuz (the Book that is in the heaven with Allah)], that My righteous slaves shall inherit the land (i.e. the land of Paradise).” (Al-Anbiya’: 105)

Vicegerency requires worshipping Allah, following the path He has set for people, observing righteousness, making reforms, developing the earth, and building life. This can be achieved through words, deeds, production, teaching, and learning. Allah, Exalted be He, says:

“Allah has promised those among you who believe and do righteous good deeds, that He will certainly grant them succession to (the present rulers) in the land …” (An-Nur: 55)

Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, once likened the believer, who is naturally good in every way, to a date palm tree, of which each part has benefits. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, once said, “Every Muslim must give charity.” It was said, “What if he cannot find anything to give?” He said, “Let him work with his hands and benefit himself and give in charity.” It was said, “What if he cannot do that?” He said, “Let him help someone who is in desperate need.” It was said, “What if he cannot do that?” He said, “Let him enjoin good.” It was said, “What if he cannot even do that?” He said, “Let him keep away from doing evil, for that is an act of charity.”

The mission of a Muslim who is content with Islam as his religion is to adhere to this religion, call others to it, and provide benefit to humankind. In this way, he becomes a useful member of the community in which he lives, doing good and devoting himself to acts of virtue and righteousness. He thus becomes a source of light and blessings, with a heart replete with tenderness, a tongue given to affection, and hands that extend Allah’s favours to others. He is always ready to provide benefit for whoever he meets.

A Muslim lives for a sublime mission and has a noble goal that he strives hard to achieve. He realises the common good and provides security for others. He devotes all his endeavours to this mission and serves his religion from the position he occupies. You might see a healthy, able-bodied person who, in spite of this, leads a troubled life, with no aim to achieve, no work to take up his time, and no mission to pride himself on and faithfully adhere to. Imam al-Shafi‘i, may Allah have mercy on his soul, said, “If you do not preoccupy yourself with the truth, your lower self will preoccupy you with falsehood.” Indeed, idleness breeds vice.

A person with a mission in this world starts with bettering himself and bringing himself to account. A Muslim’s mission extends to others as well, by providing benefit to them, amending their affairs, and caring about them. At the same time, he has a sublime goal and high resolve to safeguard his religion and serve his Ummah. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Indeed, Allah loves the highest and the most dignified of things and hates inferior things.”

The mission of a Muslim who is in a position of responsibility is to realise the interests of those under his charge by establishing justice and championing the truth. He should spare no effort to do all that is beneficial to them and avert anything that is bound to harm them in their religion and their life. He should also take the foolish and the wicked to task and deter them from sins, oppression, and disorder.

Muslim scholars have a vital mission in this life. They are the successors of messengers and the heirs of prophets. It is their duty to protect society against the bane of ignorance and against corrupt beliefs and to enlighten the paths for people through dispelling misconceptions about Islam and teaching Muslims about their religion. A Muslim scholar should set right any mischief that people may make. He should enjoin good, forbid evil, and patiently endure harm.

A Muslim educator’s responsibility is to set the right example of a good Muslim by setting things right, bringing up generations, and embodying the best of manners so that the message of Islam can reach everyone’s heart, refine thought, and give life a sense of meaning and purpose. The teacher’s behaviour is seen as an example to be followed. Therefore, his acts should reflect justice and wisdom, and his attitudes should represent virtue.

A Muslim woman’s mission in life is to nurture virtue in society by maintaining and protecting it and to build a good society in her capacity as wife and mother. As a wife, she should provide peace, calm, and tranquillity for her husband. She should turn her home into a refuge of happiness and an abode of affection and mercy and should protect it with her kindness and compassion. She should bring up her children to the principles of Islam by relating to them stories of the prophets and the great figures of Islam, helping them gain sound understanding of religion, and making clear to them the guidance of the Imam of Messengers, peace and blessings be upon him.

The mission of a Muslim young man in this life is take pride in his religion, strengthen his faith, understand his religion and act upon its teachings, protect his mind, and seek to improve himself. He should also maintain the safety and security of his society by mending its defects, understanding its reality, and acquiring knowledge in all disciplines.

The mission of a Muslim in a non-Muslim country is to represent the virtues and morals of Islam and abide by its rules. He should present the right positive image of Islam and its guiding tolerance in faith and manners. Muslims are indeed the best people to other people and the most merciful towards them.

The Muslim media has a great mission due to its massive influence and far-reaching effect in disseminating the message of Islam, clarifying its guidance, and defending it. Allah, Exalted be He, says:

“O Messenger (Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him)! Proclaim (the Message) which has been sent down to you from your Lord. And if you do not, then you have not conveyed His Message. Allah will protect you from mankind. Verily, Allah guides not the people who disbelieve.” (Al-Ma’idah: 67)

The Muslim media should serve Islam by words and deeds and by standing up against atheism and vice. It should seek to fortify people’s minds, hearts, and souls against the temptations of vice, the filth of immorality, and the misguidance of deviant thought.

As for the message of the Muslim society and Ummah to the world, it is one of peace and mercy. The Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, was sent with peace and mercy to bring people out from darkness into the light and elevate them to the highest ranks of moral character, such as fulfilling promises, preventing aggression, establishing justice, and repelling oppression.

The Muslim Ummah will not be able to carry out its mission if it inclines to extravagance, excessive comfort, and amusements and indulges in lustful desires and pleasures. Allah, Exalted be He, says:

“That has been the Way of Allah already with those who passed away before. And you will not find any change in the Way of Allah.” (Al-Fath: 23)

May Allah bless you and me with the Great Qur’an and make us benefit from its verses and wise words. I have said what you have heard and I ask forgiveness of Allah, the Most Great, for myself and for you. Ask Allah for forgiveness. He is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.