Shaykh Senad Introducing Shaykh Hisham

It is wonderful to be here in the presence of all these honorable guests, especially our beloved Shaykh Hisham Kabbani.

We are here to honor my father who passed away exactly 40 days ago. He was born in 1935 in a village near Sarajevo. And he dedicated all his life to teaching Muslim children and promoting Islam. And he served 2 jama`ats one in a valley for 5 year and then he moved to Rastitac where he served Islam for the rest of his life. 43 years for his life.

My mother said, "I don’t know if he is going to heaven, because he devoted his life to islam and that is why I believe that Allah made him to pass away on the first day of Ramadan when the gates of paradise are open. And he made the niyyah of taraweeh for first day loudly and said I am making this niyyah for the whole of the month and loudly . and he never did that before. The next day he had a stroke and he never was unconscious and he was making dhikr the whole time and he passed away on 14^th of Ramadan.

He used to stress that what he learned of Islam is not what he learned from madrasas and professors when he studied in Ghazikhusro Bey, but that he learned all his Islam from his shaykh, a Naqshbandi shaykh … and he moved there to be with his shaykh and when his Shaykh passed away he was with Shaykh Nazim

And that is probably why Shaykh Hisham is here tonight because we planned to have the arba`een and we didn’t invite Shaykh Hisham because I know he is so busy and he only visited here once in two years. And then I was so surprised to get a call from Shaykh Abdul Haqq and he called and said, "Shaykh Hisham is coming to visit you.” And I was so surprised and I asked when? And he said on October 23 on the arba`een [40^th day after his passing].

And my brother used to say, "I have a dream. And everyone needs to have a dream. My father’s dream was that I want to be in Allah’s heaven with the awliyaullah.”

I just want you to k now how much I appreciate the coming Mawlana Shaykh Hisham, this is my dream this is my earthly dream, to have people like Mawlana Shaykh Hisham.

Some people say, "I have a dream that former President Izetbegovic would come to my house or that I could shake his hands and take a picture with him.” But what better dream than to be with awliyaullah. And who could be better to introduce Shaykh Hisham than Mawlana Shaykh Nazim. He said:

Mawlana

Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani

Audhu billah min ash-shaytan ir-rajeem

Bismillahi 'r-Rahmani 'r-Raheem

Nawaytu'l-arba`een, nawaytu'l-`itikaaf, nawaytu'l-khalwah, nawaytu'l-riyaada, nawaytu's-salook, nawaytu'l-`uzlah lillahi ta`ala fee hadha'l-masjid

I don’t think I am that person that Shaykh Imam Senad has described. Might be someone else. [you] I am the worst and the lowest. We ask Allah swt to forgive us and for him to keep us in the company of Sayyidina Muhammad (s) and in the company of His sincere servants.

First my condolences and condolences of Mawlana Shaykh Nazim for the death of his father. But that is not a loss, he is in a better company and he is in company of Sayyidina Muhammad (s) and in the company of awliyaullah.

This dunya is finishing and going. This masjid how many doors. 1,2,3. and look here one door, exit. There are many doors to come and one exit. So we are exiting. One day Allah calls us. Why does Allah call us? Because He loves us. People think Allah calls us to punish us. How is He going to punish us when He said to Sayyidina Muhammad (s), “O my beloved! I have given you an Ummah that never tires of making sins and I never get tired of forgiving them.”

And I am not going to be long but I want to mention how Allah honored us. Allah honored us by making us from ummat an-Nabi (s). One day in Isra and Mi’raj, it is mentioned that in the night of al-Isra and the night of ascension, Mi’raj, Grandshaykh may Allah bless his soul, was relating this story. He said that Sayyidina Musa , asked the Prophet (s) that you said in the hadith “`ulama Ummatee ka-anbiya Bani Isra'eel - The scholars of my Ummah are like the prophets of Bani Israeel.” They are not like them in rank because no one can be like prophets in rank, but they are like them in knowledge. They are like the prophets of the people of Israel. He said, "how is that possible.” Sayyidina Musa is asking the Prophet (s) in the Night of Ascension. How is that possible that they know like us? Show me one. And the Prophet (s), he is Sayyidina Muhammad (s), Allah gave him everything. He gave him the whole creation.

Sayyidina Muhammad (s) at that moment called one of the Ummah, one sincere person, that is very well known between people today through his books. He called him and said, "come, Sayyidina Musa wants to see you. I am showing you Sayyidina Musa and let him see one wali. He showed him before he came to dunya even, through his soul. And Sayyidina Musa said, what is your name. He said my name is Muhammad bin Muhammad bin Muhammad bin Muhammad bin Muhammad bin Muhammad (s) seven times bin Muhammad (s) Hamid al-Ghazali. So when he asked him his name what did he say? He said, " "my name is Muhammad bin Muhammad bin Muhammad bin Muhammad bin Muhammad bin Muhammad seven times bin Muhammad Hamid al-Ghazali.” Very slowly. And Sayyidina Musa became agitated - you know he is like fire. So Sayyidina Musa looked at him and looked at the Prophet (s) and looking at Abu Hamid al-Ghazali and said, “I thought you are a scholar. But you are not a scholar.” And he said, " why?” he said, “I asked you your name and you said, " Muhammad bin Muhammad bin Muhammad bin Muhammad bin Muhammad bin Muhammad (s) seven times bin Muhammad  Hamid al-Ghazali.” Why you mentioned Muhammad bin Muhammad bin Muhammad bin Muhammad bin Muhammad…” you could have said Muhammad bin Muhammad al-Ghazali. He said, "O Ya Musa. Can I ask you a question to answer you back that question with a question?” He said, Yes.” He said, "Why when Allah asked you in Holy Qur'an what Is in your right hand, what you have to say? Hiya `asaya - It is my cane. But what did Sayyidina Musa say ? He said, "hiya `asaya atawka’u alayhi wa ahusha biha `ala ghanami wa liya feeha ma`ariba ukhra…- it is my cane, I lean on it and I move my flocks and keep them in straight lines and keep them moving and I have many other uses for it.” You are complaining that I stretched my name Muhammad bin Muhammad bin Muhammad bin Muhammad bin Muhammad bin Muhammad seven times bin Muhammad Hamid al-Ghazali but you stretched it also. I am in presence of Sayyidina Muhammad (s), that is the station of honoring, maqam at-tashreef. When I try to extend my time in presence of the Prophet (s) that is honor for me like you extended the time in presence of Allah as honor for you.”

So Sayyidina Musa said, “sadaqt.” One scholar was giving answer to Sayyidina Musa . So this Ummah is a blessed Ummah. This Ummah, Allah swt gave to them what He did not give anyone.

What He gave to them? He gave them the Holy Qur'an. Awliyaullah, when they read Quran they go into oceans of knowledge inside the Holy Qur'an. They don’t read it like we read it passing through the verses quickly. For them every letter has a meaning, ever verse has a meaning, every word ahs a meaning. That is why the Prophet (s) said,

قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم(اقرءوا يس على موتاكم) عن أم الدرداء

"iqra Yasin ala mawtaakum –read (or recite) Yasin on your dead (or dying).” [Abu Dawud and Ibn Hibban]

 Yasin qalb al-Qur’an.

فقد روى الطبراني وغيره أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: قلب القرآن يس لا يقرؤها رجل يريد الله والدار الآخرة إلا غفر الله له، اقرؤوها على موتاكم

The Prophet (s) said, "Yasin is the heart of the Holy Qur'an, no man reads it desiring Allah and the after life except that Allah forgives him, read Yasin on your dead.”

And who is Yasin? Sayyidina Muhammad (s). He is qalb al-Qur’an means Allah gave him the secret of the Holy Qur'an. What will the Prophet (s) do with the secret of Holy Qur'an? He will give it to his Ummah. The Prophet (s) ordered his people to share knowledge if you have knowledge share it with people. But to a limit. You cannot give everything, then people will not be able to understand.

Sayyidina Abu Hurayrah said,

‏ ‏حَدَّثَنَا ‏ ‏إِسْمَاعِيلُ ‏ ‏قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي ‏ ‏أَخِي ‏ ‏عَنْ ‏ ‏ابْنِ أَبِي ذِئْبٍ ‏ ‏عَنْ ‏ ‏سَعِيدٍ الْمَقْبُرِيِّ ‏ ‏عَنْ ‏ ‏أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ‏ ‏قَالَ ‏
‏حَفِظْتُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ‏ ‏صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ‏ ‏وِعَاءَيْنِ فَأَمَّا أَحَدُهُمَا فَبَثَثْتُهُ وَأَمَّا الْآخَرُ فَلَوْ بَثَثْتُهُ قُطِعَ هَذَا الْبُلْعُومُ ‏

"hafizhtu min Rasulullah wia`ayn…I learned from the Prophet (s) two kinds of knowledge one I shared with everyone and one if I share it they will cut my neck.”

Some scholars say it is knowledge about the Last Days. He didn’t want to give what will happen in the Last Days and other scholars say the Prophet (s) gave him from the secrets of the Holy Qur'an.

O Muslims, I don’t want to say [what I am about to say] on the blessed night of Friday and it is night of dhikrullah and we recited Qur'an for the father of Shaykh Senad, may Allah give him high levels in Paradise.

But, I like to quote one hadith of the Prophet (s) to show us what is happening today.

Don’t let signs pass by without understanding. What is happening today? There is “breaking news” coming on TV. Also there is “breaking news” on heavenly TV. Did you see heavenly TV? Not yet. There is “breaking news” there. Awliyaullah they can see that. Allah gives that to their heart.

أَلا إِنَّ أَوْلِيَاء اللّهِ لاَ خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ

Ala awliyaullahi la khawfan `alayhim wa lahum yahzanoon. Behold! verily on the friends of Allah there is no fear, nor shall they grieve; [10:62]

What is breaking news now?

[Obama]

Regarding the stock market. When it happened, what happened the whole system crashed. One mistake when Allah’s order comes it is like a snowball. Everyone is asking how it happened, how it tumbled like that and Allah wants to give a sign to show how quickly it can go down. When Allah said

اقْتَرَبَتِ السَّاعَةُ وَانشَقَّ الْقَمَرُ

“iqtarabata’s-sa`at w’anshaq al-qamr - the day of judgment approached and the moon split.” Al-Qamar [54:1]

And Allah said:

 إِذَا زُلْزِلَتِ الْأَرْضُ زِلْزَالَهَا وَأَخْرَجَتِ الْأَرْضُ أَثْقَالَهَا وَقَالَ الْإِنسَانُ مَا لَهَا

 "idha zulzilat al-ardu zilzalaha wa akhrajati al-ardu athqaalaha wa qaala’l-insaanu ma laha”When the earth is shaken to her (utmost) convulsion, and the earth throws up her burdens (from within), And man cries (distressed): 'What is the matter with her?' -99:1

And what is inside will come out and what is inside goes out. This is a sign - the stock market how it tumbled also this earth is going to tumble a great tumbling.

يَوْمَ تُبَدَّلُ الأَرْضُ غَيْرَ الأَرْضِ وَالسَّمَاوَاتُ وَبَرَزُواْ للّهِ الْوَاحِدِ الْقَهَّارِ

Yawma tubaddalu alardu ghayra alardi waalssamawatu wabarazoo lillahi alwahidi alqahhari

One day the earth will be changed to a different earth, and so will be the heavens, and (men) will be marshalled forth, before Allah, the One, the Irresistible. Surah Ibrahim [14:48] 

The day this earth is going to be changed to another earth. That means the earth will disappear complete and Allah brings another and the skies will be changed to another one.

People don’t change. They don’t think about akhira. They think only about the stock market. I learned about 401K on Tuesday I thought is was a gun. I need ak47. I thought 401k is also the same it turns out not to be that machine gun. But it is like that machine gun it make all the system to go down. When Allah wants to make the whole system to go down this universe, count how much you have stock market for akhira.

In authentic hadith the Prophet (s) asked the Sahaba who is the bankrupt one. They said, "the one who has no wealth.” He said, "No the one who has no `amal.” “Wa in sama wa in salla?” He said, "even if he prays and fasts he has no `amal.” Everyone prays and fasts today. So there is a big question mark.

So it means when you backbite and when you create confusion and whey you send false rumors, then your fasting and praying are gone. So today I am sorry to say that today we all backbite people. Don’t we speak behind their backs? Prophet said, "this is the one who is bankrupted.”

O people this dunya is not lasting forever. You don’t know when Allah will take it.

He sent the stock market crash, that is a sign. He sent the tsunami; that was a sign.

Go and read from Sahih Bukhari of the signs of the Last Days.

وحديث عبد الله بن عمرو “ لا تقوم الساعة حتى يتسافد في الطريق تسافد الحمير “ أخرجه البزار والطبراني وصححه ابن حبان والحاكم

“L? taq?m us-s?‘atu hatta yatas?fadoo fit-tar?qi tas?fud il-ham?r. Qult inna dh?lika la k?’in? Q?la na‘m layak?nanna.”

“The Hour will not come until there are men and women in the streets having sexual relations with each other like donkeys do.”

He sign of the Last Days is that they tasafaadoo they jump on each other. You are going to see men and women in the streets and parks jumping on each other not feeling shy, kissing each other, like donkeys they do it in the streets as they don’t feel shy. Shaykh Idris is laughing now. Is it not Shaykh Idris that you see that everywhere? [yes]

The Prophet (s) predicted that 1400 years ago and he said, "be careful they are going to make it on the streets, and you will see it. Like donkeys,” which means also like horses, dogs, cats anything.

And now it is worse than that - it is even in our homes. You don’t see it in your homes on TV? Don’t you see it Idris? [yes]

عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: “والذي نفسي بيده لا تفنى هذه الأمة حتى يقوم الرجل إلى المرأة فيفترسها في الطريق فيكون خيارهم يومئذ من يقول: لو واريتها وراء هذا الحائط. (مسلم في كتاب الفتن و الهيْثمي في الزّوائد، رواه أبو يعلى ورجاله رجال الصحيح)

And from Abu Hurayrah, another hadith, “Walladh? nafs? bi yadihi la tafn? h?dhihil-ummah hatta yaq?m ur-rajulu ilal-mar’ati fayaftarishuh? fi-tar?q fa yak?nu khiy?r?hum yawma’idhin man yaq?l law ra’aytah? war? h?dha al-h?’it.

So he said, “the best among you would wish”, continuing the hadith, “khiyarakum would wish to be behind that wall, when they see that lady to take that lady behind that wall.” This is what is happening. These TVs are everywhere. And we are looking and saying, “O why I am not with her doing it the same?” This is what the Prophet (s) predicted 1400 years ago.

So why do we have to say the signs of Last Days are far? No it is not true.

But that doesn’t mean don’t work for dunya. Allah said:

رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ

Wa minhum man yaqoolu rabbana atina fi’d-d-nya hasanatan wa fi’l-akhirati hasanatan wa qina `adhaaba an-naar

And there are men who say: "Our Lord! Give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and defend us from the torment of the Fire!" Al-Baqara [2:201]

So our duty is to balance between dunya and akhira. Especially young people they must balance between their lives in dunya and lives in akhira. We are finished we are old. They must if they want to be successful and not lose what we lost. Teach your children to be pious. Don’t teach them to ... cheat you and take your money and they don’t go to prison. And under the name of...I don’t know what. What is our duty?  It is to do our Islamic obligations and not to be afraid only from police. We are afraid from police but not afraid from Allah. We are worried that police will give us ticket, which is good, but we are not worried that Allah will send us to jahannam with a ticket.

So what kind of tickets we need? We need ticket that is written on it:

وَقَدِمْنَا إِلَى مَا عَمِلُوا مِنْ عَمَلٍ فَجَعَلْنَاهُ هَبَاء مَّنثُورًا

Waqadimna ila ma `amiloo min `amalin faja`alnahu habaa’an manthoora

And We shall turn to whatever deeds they did (in this life), and We shall make such deeds as floating dust scattered about. Al-Furqan [25:23]

We don’t need ticket that says “We throw away whatever you have done”, we need a ticket of mercy.

And Allah said,

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا رَحْمَةً لِّلْعَالَمِينَ

Wa maa arsalnaaka illa rahmatan li’l-`alameen

We sent thee not, but as a Mercy for all creatures. Al-Anbiya [21:107]

When we say, "Ya sayyidee, Ya Rasulullah!” He is seeing us hearing us. “We are helpless, and weak servants of Allah. Ask on our behalf!” Allah said:

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلاَّ لِيُطَاعَ بِإِذْنِ اللّهِ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ إِذ ظَّلَمُواْ أَنفُسَهُمْ جَآؤُوكَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُواْ اللّهَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمُ الرَّسُولُ لَوَجَدُو