By Sh Saud – Al-Shuraim – 18 Thul Hijjah 1436

His Eminence Sheikh Saudal-Shuraim –May Allah protect him– delivered this Friday Khutbah titled “The Ummah’s Reality in Light of a Verse from Surat Al-Ma’idah” in which he talked about the reality the Ummah is going through these days. To this end, he quoted a verse fromsurat Al-Ma’idah: “This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islâm as your religion” [Al-Ma’idah: 3]. He showed that religion was perfected and replied to those who are sowing confusion and disturbance alleging that Islam is incapable of addressing and resolving certain problems in modern times. He also explained that Islam is confronting the most sinister defamation campaign, and underlined the plots against Muslim countries and particularly the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Praise be to Allah! We praise Him, ask for His Help, and repent unto Him. We seek refuge in Almighty Allah against the evils of ourselves and our bad deeds. If one is guided by Allah, no one can lead him astray; if Allah chooses to deprive someone from guidance, there will be no one to guide him. I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah alone with no associate, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger.

“O You who Believe! Fear Allâh (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 Islâm (as Muslims) with complete submission to Allâh.”[Al Imran: 102]

“O Humankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person (Adam), and from him (Adam) He created his wife [Hawwa (Eve)], and from them both He created many men and women and fear Allâh through Whom you demand your mutual (rights), and (do not cut the relations of) the wombs (kinship). Surely, Allâh is Ever an All Watcher over you.”[An-Nisa: 1]

“O You who Believe! Keep your duty to Allâh and fear Him, and speak (always) the truth. He will direct you to do righteous good deeds and will forgive you your sins. And whosoever obeys Allâh and His Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) he has indeed achieved a great achievement (i.e. he will be saved from the Hell-fire and made to enter Paradise).”[Al-Ahzab: 70-71]

Now then,

O People! Allah has completed for his servants the fifth pillar of Islam. They have stood at the holy sites, ended their untidiness and performed circumambulation around the Ancient House. To Him alone –May He be extolled– belong the grace and favour of facilitating and completing Hajj as He did with our predecessors. This blessed completion – O Servants of Allah – kindles in our hearts the thought of completing this religion to His Prophet ‒ May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ at the Farewell Hajj during which the demise of the Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ was hinted at. Allah ‒ Glorified be He ‒ said:

“When comes the Help of Allâh (to you, O Muhammad (Peace be upon him) against your enemies) and the conquest (of Makkah), And you see that the people enter Allâh’s religion (Islâm) in crowds, So glorify the Praises of your Lord, and ask for His Forgiveness. Verily, He is the One Who accepts the repentance and forgives.”[Al- Nasr: 1-3]

During that Hajj, two things were revealed to the Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him: First, an indication that his death time was drawing near, a fact that the Prophet alluded to in the Farewell Hajj as he addressed Muslims: “Hear my words! I am not sure that I will meet again after this year.” Second, the perfection and completion of this religion were announced. It was not possible for the Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ to die before delivering the full Message of His Lord lest some might allege that the religion is incomplete.

Hence, Sufiane Al-Thawri –May Allah bless his soul– said: “He who introduces an innovation into Islam thinking that it was good, he, in fact, claims that Muhammad had betrayed the Trust because Allah says: “This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islâm as your religion.” [Al-Ma’idah: 3]

Qur’an chief interpreters have agreed that this Verse was revealed during the Farewell Hajj. Yet, it is a shame –O Servants of Allah– that the truth of this Verse should slip the minds of some Muslims intentionally or unintentionally that they would allow their tongues or pens to entertain dubious notions. They misconstrue untruth for truth and misguide nascent minds and timeservers who venture to discuss what they do not know, and embrace only what suits their own desires claiming that Islam is incapable of adapting to new realities and the unfolding events of modern civilization. They are impertinent enough to say that Islamic discourse should be altered as it is not suitable for all times and places.

In fact –O Servants of Allah– it is a shame on Muslims to see that non-Muslims are more abreast with the meaning of that Verse than those who were born and raised in Islam! Omar Ibn Al-Khattab is quoted in the two Sahih books as saying that a Jew told him: “Some Verse that you (Muslims) read, had it been revealed to us –We the Jews– we would have made that day a Eid.” “Which Verse,” Omar asked the Jew.” The Jew answered: “This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islâm as your religion” [Al-Ma’idah: 3] Omar RA said: “We have known that day, and the place where it was revealed to the Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒when he was standing at Arafah on Friday.”

We –O Servants of Allah– are not calling for celebrating the revelation of that Verse, as is the want of those who value the form more than the content. Instead, we call to take that Verse as a beacon and conclusive evidence in order to rebut the riots of those impetuous people who purport to sneak out of religion claiming that it is incapable of solving certain problems.

These verbal or written falsehoods that lack Allah-fearing conscience are but some of the issues against which the Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ had warned at the end of time. He ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ said: “He who is given longevity will witness enormous differences. You must adhere to my Sunnah and that of the guided and righteous Caliphs. Hold on firmly to it.” [Narrated by Abu Dawud and Al- Termidhi]

The best guidance is that of the Prophet‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him. But alas! It is impossible for the successors to surpass the Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ or to outdo him and his Companions –May Allah be pleased with them.

What show that religion has been estranged are the innovations that deface its beauty and efface its traditions. Religion is a call for perfection among all these innovations. Should one hesitate between two routes, religion steps in to guide him to the better route. If one hesitates between right and wrong, religion calls him to follow what is right.

Islam is the more difficult route and the more decisive choice as far as people’s desires are concerned. It is easy to follow one’s desires, unlike ascending the summit with all the ardour and efforts it requires.

“And if the truth had been in accordance with their desires, verily, the heavens and the earth, and whosoever is therein would have been corrupted! Nay, We have brought them their reminder, but they turn away from their reminder.” [Al-Mu’minun: 71]

When Allah‒Exalted and Most High be He‒ perfected and completed for this Ummah its religion.He made clear to it all the paths leading to good and all those leading to evil. Allah ‒Exalted be He‒ has encompassed the Ummah’s necessities, needs, and potentials for improvement with an impervious fence so that it remains firmly established on the conviction that Allah is the Lord, Islam the religion, and Muhammad ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ a Prophet and Messenger.

Hence nothing may be able to inflict harm on it; the ‘fangs’ of the lurking enemies will not bite it, neither will the ‘claws’ of the plotters be able to scathe it so long as the spirit of brotherhood, justice, fairness, altruism, compassion, and humility to Allah, His religion, and his creatures manage to maintain prevalence.

Once the Ummah‒O Servants of Allah‒ensures this, it will survive the cunning of its enemies and its word will be united in defending itself, since Muslims are united by the Word of Tawheed, “there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah”, which cannot be matched by unity on the basis of language, race, land, or colour.

When the symptoms of fever and anxiety are detected amongst the individuals of the Ummah under the effect of calamities, hardships, and aggressions by its enemies, then this is ample evidence that the Ummah is one body which cannot be torn apart by the ailments of dissention or the illnesses of whims. Allah truthfully says:

“O You who Believe! Enter perfectly in Islâm (by obeying all the rules and regulations of the Islâmic religion) and follow not the footsteps of Shaitân (Satan). Verily! He is to you a plain enemy.”[Al- Baqarah: 208]

May Allah bless you and me by the Noble Qur’an and make its verses beneficial to you and me. This is what I have said. If it is correct, it is so thanks to Allah, but if it is wrong it is my own fault and Satan’s. I ask Almighty Allah to forgive my sins and wrong-doings as well as yours, and those of all Muslims.We ask Him for forgiveness and repent unto Him, for our Lord is Forgiving and Merciful.