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Do Not Waste!

Mawlana Shaykh Hisham Kabbani

16 September 2011 Burton, Michigan

Jumu`ah Khutbah at As-Siddiq Mosque

Allah (swt) granted us everything and He granted us something regarding which nothing is above that honor, to be from the nation of Sayyidina Muhammad (s), and He made us to be Muslim! It is a big honor to be called “Muslim,” and as a Muslim we always have to keep our tongues clean.

قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم : في حجة الوداع الا أخبركم بالمؤمن من أمنه الناس على أموالهم وأنفسهم والمسلم من سلم الناس من لسانه ويده والمجاهد من جاهد نفسه في طاعة الله والمهاجر من هجر الخطايا والذنوب

Qaala rasoolullahi (s) fee hujjat al-wada`: alaa ukhbirukum bi’l-mu’min man aamanhu’n-naasu `alaa amwaalihim wa anfusihim wa’l-muslim man sallima an-naasa min lisaanihi wa yadihi wa’l-mujaahid man jaahad nafsihi fee ta`atillahi wa’l-muhaajir man hajara’l-khatiyaa wa’dh-dhunoob.

The Prophet (s) said in the Farewell Pilgrimage: Shall I not inform you that the mu’min (believer) is the one whom the people trust with their wealth and their own selves, and the Muslim (safe one) is the one from whom the people are safe from his tongue and his hands, and the mujaahid (fighter in the Way of Alah) is the one who fights his own lower self to obey Allah, and the emigrant is the one who emigrated from mistakes and sins. (an-Nisa’ee; sahih)

Al-muslimo man sallima an-naasu min lisaani, “A Muslim is one from whom everyone is safe from his tongue,” from his hand and in every way possible. It is to show gratitude to Allah (swt). It means a Muslim has no right to speak against anyone that makes fitna or confusion. It means at times we have sharp tongues and we speak in a rude way; sometimes people become angry and they have a rude way of talking with no discipline.

Allah (swt) described Prophet (s):

وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلى خُلُقٍ عَظِي

wa innaka la `alaa khuluqin `azheem.

You are of the most exalted character. (al-Qalam, 68:4)

It means the Prophet (s) never said the word “no.” The Sahaabah (r) said whenever they asked the Prophet (s) something, he never said “no”;, he would always respond. How many times a day do we say “no,” to ourselves, to our children, our wives and families? We want to dictate everything and it might not even be good!

لَن تَنَالُواْ الْبِرَّ حَتَّى تُنفِقُواْ مِمَّا تُحِبُّونَ وَمَا تُنفِقُواْ مِن شَيْءٍ فَإِنَّ اللّهَ بِهِ عَلِيمٌ

lan tanaal al-birru hatta tunfiqoo mimma tuhiboona wa tunfiqoo min shay’in wa inna Allah bihi `aleem.

By no means shall you attain al-birr (piety, righteousness) unless you spend what you love (in Allah's Cause), and whatever of good you spend Allah knows it well. (Aali-`Imraan, 3:92)

Allah said in that in the Holy Qur’an, and it means for taqwa or innocence, you will never be described as a clean or perfect person until you give in Allah’s Way from what you like. And what you like most is for people to respect you and not to use hard or rude speech towards you. You see many poor people for whom Allah (swt) provides in many ways, and even they do not like anyone to swear at or be angry with them. For example, Allah (swt) gave a janitor a form and a soul, just as He gave to us all (and therefore, the janitor is not beneath us).

Prophet (s) said annasu sawasiyatun “People are equal.” It means a king is equal to a homeless person as body and soul there is no difference between them. If a king walks through the streets dressed in normal dress and without bodyguards, you might think he is a normal citizen. Allah (swt) looks at us equally, He does not say, “This is a king and this is a poor person.” A poor person has izza, honor and dignity and he does not like anyone to disrespect him, as Allah (swt) said in Holy Qur’an:

وَلِلَّهِ الْعِزَّةُ وَلِرَسُولِهِ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

wa lillahi 'l-`izzatu wa li-rasoolihi wa li 'l-mumineen.

But honor belongs to Allah and His Messenger, and to the Believers. (63:8)

As Allah gave us that honor and dignity, it means He also wants us to keep the dignity of everyone and control our tongue so as not to attack people!

Allah (swt) said, “By no means shall you attain piety until you give of what you like.” If you don’t like anyone to speak bad about you, then don't speak ill of them; don’t backbite. People think that verse means to spend from your wealth, but there are interpretations, for example: you love yourself more than anything else, so you have to give up your life for Allah (swt) just as the Sahaabah (r) gave up their lives for Prophet (s) and Allah.

وَمَا تُنفِقُواْ مِنْ خَيْرٍ يُوَفَّ إِلَيْكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ لاَ تُظْلَمُونَ

wa maa tunfiqoo min khayrin yuwaffa ilaykum wa antum laa tuzhlamoon.

Whatever good you give (in My Way) will be rendered back to you, and you shall not be dealt with unjustly. (al-Baqara, 2:272)

It means, “Give khayr in My way until I am happy with you.” Whatever you spend of good, whatever you give, it does not only mean money; even a smile is good in the face of your brother.

افضل الاعمال ادخال السرور على المؤمن

Afdal al-`amaal idkhaal as-suroor `ala al-mu'min .

The best of deeds is to cause happiness to enter the heart of a believer. (ibn Hibban)

Allah (swt) likes you to give khayr in many ways: to bring a candle to a homeless person so he sees in the dark is khayr; to make someone smile is khayr; to visit the sick or help someone on the street is khayr; to help yourself against your ego is khayr, because the ego only likes itself! If you give to Allah (swt) by disciplining your ego, you get khayr and innocence from Hellfire.

Don’t think you give and it goes unnoticed! If you smile, Allah will smile back at you; if you are happy with your family, Allah will be happy with you. Don't criticise too much. Allah (swt) is saying in the Holy Qur’an, “Do khayr in My Way; I will give you khayr in your way and you will never be oppressed as I will give you so much you will be content." So open your hands for everything around you, be good with everyone, and don't harm anyone with your tongue.

الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلاةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ والَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَا أُنزِلَ مِن قَبْلِكَ وَبِالآخِرَةِ هُمْ يُوقِنُونَ أُوْلَـئِكَ عَلَى هُدًى مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ

Alladheena yuminoona bi ‘l-ghaybi wa yuqeemoona ’s-salaata wa mimmaa razaqnaahum yunfiqoona w ’alladheena yuminoona bimaa unzila ilayka wa maa unzila min qablika wa bi ‘l-aakhirati hum yooqinoona oolaa’ika `alaa hudan min rabbihim wa oolaa’ika humu ’l-muflihoon.

Who believe in the Unseen, are steadfast in prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them, and who believe in the Revelation sent to you, and sent before your time, and who (in their hearts) have the assurance of the Hereafter, they are on (true) guidance from their Lord, and it is these who will prosper. (al-Baqara, 2:2-5)

They will succeed, those are being guided by Allah (swt) will succeed: who believe in the Unseen and pray and open their hands, those are on guidance, `oolaa’ika humu ’l-muflihoon.

O Muslims! Let us show our good manners to people, not bad manners! And don't waste, as Allah (swt) does not like any kind of waste. We observe at Muslim dinners how much food is being wasted and mothers and fathers don’t take care of their children; they allow them waste. No, discipline them and think, “Perhaps there is someone behind me in the queue who might not get anything to eat.” But instead, everyone wants to pile food on his plate in such a way that he has to balance it or something will fall off, and at the end they cannot finish all of it and they throw it in the garbage, while in Somalia they are dying for lack of food!

What Prophet (s) said will give lot of meaning.

ن عمرو بن العاص رضي الله عنه أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم مر بسعد وهو يتوضأ، فقال: "ما هذا السرف يا سعد؟ قال: أفي الوضوء سرف؟ قال: نعم، وإن كنت على نهر جار"

When Prophet (s) was passing by Sa`ad who was making wudu, Sa`ad (r) took the pitcher and poured the water and Prophet (s) shouted, maa hadha ’l-israaf, “What is this wasting of water!” Sa`ad (r) asked, qaala afee wudu saarafun? “Is there israaf, wasting of water, in ablution? Qaala na`m. He (Prophet) said, “Yes, in everything there is israaf, wa in kunta nahri ’l-jari, even if you are taking wudu from a strong flowing river, and there is water dripping from your face and hands on the rocks, that is israaf.”

The Prophet (s) used to take wudu and not one drop fell from his hand or elbow or face or from cleaning his holy feet! Today we open the tap full and make wudu with the water running, and we talk with someone and the water is still running. That is israaf and Allah does not like it, Prophet (s) does not like that, because al-israaf haraamu, “To waste is forbidden.”

When we were young, scholars taught us how to open the tap and fill our hand, stop the tap and rub the water from your hand, and there is no water dripping because it dried by wiping the handful across our skin, and also between the rubbing we closed the tap, so there was no waste. Today they keep the water, electricity and hot water running, and that is israaf. Today to see a movie in the cinema is waste because you spend unnecessarily and others are in famine, so what is the benefit of your movie? May Allah keep us from waste.

Astagfirullah... (du`a).

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