His Eminence Sheikh Osama Ibn Abdullah Khayyat  – May Allah protect him –  delivered this Friday’s khutbah titled “The Virtues and Merits of Islam.” He spoke about Islam as the genuine religion Allah revealed to His Prophets and Messengers to be propagated (in human society) and as the sole path leading to divine satisfaction. The Sheikh mentioned some of its virtues and merits, heralding some of the prophecies about the prevalence promised to Islam and its followers throughout history, notwithstanding the diverse and successive afflictions and predicaments which might befall them.

Praise be to Allah Who has accepted Islam for us as our faith. I do praise His profuse favours and blessings (Glory be to Him). I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone with no associate; to Him belong the Most Beautiful Names and the Most Sublime Attributes; He is not accessible to ocular perception, nor can human intellect grasp His essence. I equally bear witness that our Master and Prophet, Muhammad, is Allah’s Servant, Messenger, Select Creature, and Master of all Humankind. O Allah, send Your Salat and Peace upon Your Servant and Messenger, Muhammad, his family, his Companions  –  the pious leaders and eminent Muslim personalities, his tabi'?n (the contemporaries of the Companions of the Prophet [Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him] after his death), and all those who follow them in righteousness as long as days and nights keep alternating (till Doomsday).

Observe Taqwa vis-à-vis Allah and fear the instant you shall appear before Him (to account for your deeds), the Day whereon neither wealth nor sons will avail, except him who brings to Allâh a clean heart.  

O Muslims!

In their pursuit of happiness in the herein  – and in their tracking of the avenues leading thereto –  people in general adopt diverse ways which they strongly champion and adhere to, judicious minds have the certitude that there is only one way which is conducive to gaining divine satisfaction, realising people’s objectives, combining worldly happiness with eternal bliss in the hereafter, and experiencing the joy of mundane life together with that of the afterlife. We are here talking about the genuine and exclusive religion which Allah can accept from His creatures. Allah has never ordained, nor will He ordain, any other faith except Islam: "Truly, the religion with Allâh is Islâm…" [al-Imran: 19]

Allah (May He be extolled) has made of Islam the religion of all His Prophets and Messengers, along with their respective followers. N?? (Noah, Peace be upon him), the first prophet on earth, said: ""But if you turn away [from accepting my doctrine of Islâmic Monotheism, i.e. to worship none but Allâh], then no reward have I asked of you, my reward is only from Allâh, and I have been commanded to be one of the Muslims (those who submit to Allâh's Will)."" [Y?nus: 72]

In the same vein, Ibrahim Al-Khal?l (i.e. Allah’s close companion, Abraham) and his son Isma’?l (Ishmael, Peace be upon both of them) said: "Our Lord! And make us submissive unto You and of our offspring a nation submissive unto You, …" [Al-Baqarah: 128] Allah further added: "And this (submission to Allâh, Islâm) was enjoined by Ibrâhim (Abraham) upon his sons and by Ya'qûb (Jacob), (saying), "O my sons! Allâh has chosen for you the (true) religion, then die not except in the Faith of Islâm (as Muslims – Islâmic Monotheism)." [Al- Baqarah: 132]

M?sa (Moses, Peace be upon him) said to his people: "… “O my people! If you have believed in Allâh, then put your trust in Him if you are Muslims (those who submit to Allâh's Will)." " [Y?nus: 84] Allah (the Great and Almighty) said about His prophet ‘?sa (Jesus, Peace be upon him): "Then when 'Iesa (Jesus) came to know of their disbelief, he said: "Who will be my helpers in Allâh's Cause?" Al-Hawâriûn (the disciples) said: "We are the helpers of Allâh; we believe in Allâh, and bear witness that we are Muslims (i.e. we submit to Allâh)."" [al-Imran: 52]

The Queen of Saba’ (Sheba) said: ""My Lord! Verily, I have wronged myself, and I submit (in Islâm, together with Sulaimân (Solomon), to Allâh, the Lord of the 'Alamîn (mankind, jinns and all that exists)."" [Al-Naml: 44]

Islam is then the religion which Allah (the Great and Almighty) ordained for His creatures. This is how He addressed the ummah of Prophet Muhammad [May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him]:  "This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islâm as your religion. " [Al-Maedah: 3] Allah (Glory be to Him) has equally proclaimed His unfailing and truthful vow to make this religion prevail over the rest of religions: "It is He Who has sent His Messenger (Muhammad SAW) with guidance and the religion of truth (Islâm), to make it superior over all religions even though the Mushrikûn (polytheists, pagans, idolaters, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allâh) hate (it). " [Al-Taubah: 33]
 
There is definitely no other religion which is as precious as Islam. It is the faith ordained by Allah for His creatures as the sole path leading to His satisfaction and the only way to attain glorious ranks, reach a distinguished status, and achieve victory as well as prevalence. This is confirmed in the hadith reported by Imam Ahmed in his Musnad, Ibn ?ibban in his Sahih, and Al-Hakim in his Mustadrak  – via an authentic chain of narration on the authority of Ubey Ibn Ka’b (May Allah be pleased with him) who narrated, “The Messenger of Allah [May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him] said, ‘Herald to this Ummah grandeur, faith, and supremacy on earth; whoever performs deeds which are normally intended to guarantee the hereafter but diverts them towards mundane purposes will have no share in the afterlife.’” In the Sahih by Imam Muslim, along with other hadith books, Prophet Muhammad [May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him] was reported to have said, “Allah compacted for me the East and the West of the earth; and the dominion of my Ummah will reach as far as what was unfolded to me.”

Islam is surrender, submission, and amenability to Allah’s command and the teachings of His Prophet Muhammad’s [May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him]. Islam requires singling out the adored Lord for worship (Glory be to Him). He is the sole deity to Whom all acts of worship shall be piously and faithfully addressed and His Prophet Muhammad [May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him] shall be accordingly followed. That is the true prerequisite for the exoneration from polytheism and polytheists.

Polytheism is an aggression against the perfection of divinity (Be he extolled and remote from human-like attributes). Unlike monotheism, which elevates the status of its followers, refines their values through devoutness, and endows them with the honour of servitude to the Lord of the Universe, polytheism leads its followers to total psychological and spiritual degradation: "… and whoever assigns partners to Allâh, it is as if he had fallen from the sky, and the birds had snatched him, or the wind had thrown him to a far off place." [Al-Hajj: 31] Polytheism is the unpardonable sin which Allah never expiates if its performer does not repent before his/her death: "Verily, Allâh forgives not that partners should be set up with him in worship, but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He pleases…" [Al-Nissa’: 48]

Islam, O servants of Allah, is the true religion which is conformable to human nature. Thanks to this religion, Allah lifted the constraints and fetters that restricted the life of preceding generations. This alleviation is meant to be a sign of divine mercy, grace, and good treatment. This is echoed in Allah’s verses (Glory be to Him): "Those who follow the Messenger, the Prophet who can neither read nor write (i.e.Muhammad SAW) whom they find written with them in the Taurât (Torah) (Deut, xviii, 15) and the Injeel (Gospel) (John xiv, 16), – he commands them for Al-Ma'rûf (i.e. Islâmic Monotheism and all that Islâm has ordained); and forbids them from Al-Munkar (i.e. disbelief, polytheism of all kinds, and all that Islâm has forbidden); he allows them as lawful At-Taiyibât [(i.e. all good and lawful) as regards things, deeds, beliefs, persons, foods, etc.], and prohibits them as unlawful Al-Khabâ'ith (i.e. all evil and unlawful as regards things, deeds, beliefs, persons, foods, etc.), he releases them from their heavy burdens (of Allâh's Covenant), and from the fetters (bindings) that were upon them. So those who believe in him (Muhammad SAW), honour him, help him, and follow the light (the Qur'ân) which has been sent down with him, it is they who will be successful." [Al-A’raf: 157]

Islam is also the religion with which Allah established the foundations of a social order based on solidarity, just like the building blocks which support each other. This is confirmed in the hadith reported by Imam Muslim and Imam Bukhari in their respective Sahih Books where Al-Nu’man Ibn Basheer (May Allah be pleased with both of them) reported that Prophet Muhammad [May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him] said, “The believers’ solidarity and mutual love is analogous to the concord found in the human body: whenever an organ is affected, the rest of the organs will consequently respond via symptoms of sleeplessness and fever.” In the two Sahih Books, Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari (May Allah be pleased with him) narrated that Prophet Muhammad [May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him] said, “The believer is to the believer like building blocks; they interlace to support each other.”

It is a religion whereby Allah has meant to safeguard people’s lives, souls, material possessions and minds. Hence, He has decreed as haram (forbidden) such acts, like taking someone’s life, unless rightfully, committing offenses involving moral turpitude, committing adultery, taking anything that would endanger the sobriety of the human mind including alcohol, narcotics, and sedatives as well as the unlawful taking of others’ property by any means or form.

It is a religion that purports to uphold for every human being his rights and show him his obligations in such a lawful and unique enactment that has set precedence for all other legislations and surpassed all the man-made laws that are designed to safeguard human rights. In fact, it is a religion that is geared to raise man’s status and sustain his dignity.
 
It is a religion whereby Allah has determined so indiscriminately to set up the principles of justice among all the peoples He has created, Muslims and non-Muslims, Arabs and non-Arabs, blacks and whites, males and females, and young and old. He has made Taqwa (fear of Allah’s punishment) the sole criterion for superiority among them: "O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the most honourable of you with Allah is that (believer) who has At-Taqwa [i.e. one of the Muttaqun ]. Verily, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware." [Al-?ujurat: 13]

Therefore, it is not surprising that a religion encompassing such virtues and merits would certainly be vested with greatness, loftiness, prominence and prevalence in this world. Indeed, it behooves all Muslims to observe integrity vis-à-vis their religion for the sake of Allah alone, to execute His commands and those of His Messenger whenever they are called upon to carry out that which would warrant to secure their prevalence, to hold fast, all of them together, to the Rope of Allah (i.e. the Qur'an), and not to be divided among themselves. Only then will they ensure the kind of sovereignty, leadership, and glory that Allah (May He be extolled) has promised those true believers among His servants: "But honour, power and glory belong to Allah, His Messenger (Muhammad), and to the believers, but the hypocrites know not." [Al-Munafiq?n: 8]

May Allah benefit you and me with His Holy Book's guidance, the Sunnah of His Prophet (May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him).  I say this and I ask Allah, the Almighty, the Exalted to forgive my sins, yours and those of all Muslims; He is truly the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.