From all the blessings, the greatest blessing Allah has given us is the month of Ramadan. Alhamdulillah Allah has allowed us to pass through the days of Ramadan with peace, prosperity and well-being. The first Ashara were the 10 days of Mercy. The second Ashara were the 10 days of Forgiveness and the third Asharah were the days for His special rewards. The final Asharah that we are in now is the summary and result of Ramadan. Allah has taken some work from us and gave us the permission to carry out good deeds. We can't fulfil the right which is due to Allah for these beautiful nights of Ramadan but alhamdulillah even then, Allah gave us the ability to continue passing through this month.
The actual thing is, whenever a person advances towards doing good deeds, then the one who becomes most distressed is Shaytan. This is his mission to prevent human beings from engaging in any good deeds. With difficulty and effort a man resolves to perform a good deed and the unique attack of Shaytan to prevent us from it, is to fill our minds with Waswasah. Whispers from Shaytan. Waswasah is a great attack from shaytan. A man does a good deed and then how does the whisper of shaytaan affect him? “Your deed is useless. Wasted. What have you done? What will Allah grant you when you have defects and deficiencies within you. What benefit did this deed bring to you? He continuously feeds him with whispers. Then he would come again and try to put him in to calamity. Those who are weak become impacted by the attack of the whispers and due to this they abandon the good deeds. Shaytan doesn't leave him then. He makes wrong words come out of their mouth, "leave it. What are you doing? It’s nothing. There is no benefit in this. What is in this action? You go for dhikr, you do dhikr but what benefit do you receive? You do such and such thing, You've been doing this deed all this time but what have you got from it? Have you received benefit yet?" He compels a person to think negatively. "You are just wasting your time. He was saying that this will happen to you and that will happen to you but nothing has happened. Nothing has happened yet." He puts very ajeeb thoughts in the head. He breaks a person and then takes him to the next step, and then he destroys him and makes others destroyed through him."
So my brothers, to prevent floods, from beforehand, one should seal off those areas where there is risk of leak. Seal it from beforehand. So when you get Waswasah, and you've come for dhikr, not just dhikr, but any form of worship like salaah, then shaytan will definitely give whispers.
May we give our all to Hadhrat Abu Bakr As-Siddiq Radhiyallahu Anhu.
I'll share a hadith with you and I'm giving you the meaning of it. This happens. Shaytan is going to do his job and he wants to get expel you. But do one thing. Who is saying this? Hadhrat Abu Bakr As-Siddiq Radhiyallahu Anhu. Do one thing. Whenever you do a good thing, then say 2 things, "Alhamdulillah, Astaghfirullah." And what are the words of the hadith. It is stated that when you do these 2 things it will break shaytans back and after you recite this, your deed will get accepted. What a great cure we have been given. Never think that the deed you are doing is due to your own ability and power and you'll come again and do it again. Shaytan is accursed and wretched and knows how to deviate man. He knows how to trick man. This is my experience of life. People who I have seen were going about in a good way, practicing, then they become weak and they disappear. Who makes them weak? Where do they go? This is the strength of shaytan and he destroys and ruins a person. So many people come and they are good, they are passionate, they are strong, they want to practice and then the breaks are put on. They slow down, slowly slowly, and not just that, they begin to oppose and speak against and what is this? All the hadith are the truth. So what a great cure that we have been prescribed. Whenever you do a good deed, whether waswasah comes or not, whether you enjoy it or no, don’t fall into this trap that, "I’m okay, I don't need to do this wazeefah. I don’t need to recite anything. I don’t need to safeguard myself. Even 50 years later, you can develop negative feelings remember this. Shaytan's mission is that he will not leave you until you are delivered to the grave. You say, "I’m strong, I've been practicing for 40 years, I can't be deviated." No. Never say that. After every action, tie the knot on that action and grab hold of this statement with steadfastness, and do this action because if not now, someday he may deviate me. Say "Alhamdulillah, Astaghfirullah." What a great solution we have been given. When you say "Alhamdulillah", then what does it mean? "All praise is due to you Allah that today its been 40 years or 50 years, and I know well that I don’t have the capacity nor strength, nor the intellect to pray salaah or go for salaah, there were thousands of barriers, so it is your Grace that you gave me the ability to perform sajdah." So you're being thankful for that. What are you being thankful for? Not for the action itself, but for the ability. Forget the deed, we are not even doing that yet, its not that, ',we prayed salaah, rather, "you allowed us to pray salaah. Allah you brought us, you seated us, you could've caused me to be occupied in sleep or distracted by a hurdle on the way. And this is the reality because before we came maybe waswasah came in the heart that, "leave it. What's the point going today?" A man seeks a way out. When you go towards a good deed, then barriers are present and they make you fed up or bored and it creates the feeling of not wanting to preform the action. But you should never succumb to these things. Whether you are enjoying the action or feeling bored, the ability is from Allah. So when we say alhamdulillah, in reality we are being thankful and grateful to Allah that out of His grace, He gave us the ability to perform such and such worship. And when you implement, that's a separate issue. And then after you perform the deed, we speak about that. So what does that come into? "Astaghfirullah." What does that mean? I'm useless Allah. What a great month you gave me. You gave us the first Asharah of Mercy and I didn't attain any Mercy. I didn't implement anything. And then you gave us the second Asharah. What a great phase of Forgiveness from sins and we couldn't even attain that. I was weak and useless and my deeds were at the lowest rate. How will I show my face with this salaah, or with this Quran that I recited? Is this the way to read Quran? Is this the way to keep the fast? How will I show my face to Allah? Then what is the response to this ? Astaghfirullah. Despite you giving me the ability to do this deed which I did, I seek your forgiveness that I was not able to fulfil it properly, so both things we need to present in Allah's Court. Alhamdulillah and Astaghfirullah. Then Allah says, "he is a very beloved servant of mine. Yes so every time we say this then Allah says He is assigning everything to me and he is leaving it to me so I accept his deed and I forgive him. I am his Lord. SubhaanAllah. So this is the point that for Ramadan it is necessary that we travel with ‘Alhamdulillah’ and ‘Astaghfirullah’ in parallel. So Allah ta'ala has given us His Grace and Blessings, that today we are in the final Asharah where the rewards are being distributed. You know usually when rewards are being distributed, you get the first, second or third and then there's someone who is stood right at the back who is last and he also stands in line saying "oh at least I'll get something if I'm in the line." So we are like him. We spread out our cloth and ask Allah for rewards. We are stood, we are sat and the rewards have started to get distributed. One night has gone. Yes. Because for reward, Allah hasn't set the entire Asharah. When did Allah say? Allah says in these 5 nights I give the reward and SubhaanAllah, Allah has not selected the day, He has selected the night for giving the reward. And Allah says which night? In isolation when you are alone. Thats why i'tikaaf represents being alone and when you're in the darkness and hidden, you ask Allah from the depths of your heart and Allah says I’ll give him the reward. There are 5 nights. 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th, 29th. Different Sahabah mention different days in a different way. Like I said that once the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said that I was given the hint at that time. From the hadith it is proven that every year it is not just one night, sometimes it is the 21st night. Sometimes its the 23rd night. Sometimes it could be the 25th, 27th or 29th. Its not compulsory that it is always on that same night, so every odd night we need to present ourselves to Allah for what? For the rewards. "Oh Allah grant me some rewards. Oh Allah splash some reward upon me from your treasure chest." There’s a few different narrations of the Sahabah, so regarding the 23rd night, Abu Marwah Radiyallahu Anhu, a great sahabi said, "I say that the 23rd night is the night of Laylatul Qadr." And Allah ta'ala allowed him to see the benefit on that night. So what is the night tonight? 23rd night. So the night has come and people ask, "which deed shall we do?" This is what happens isn't it. It’s a valuable night and people are distressed about to do. "What shall we do? What worship shall we engage in? How should I spend the night? Shall I pray salaah? Shall I recite the Quraan?" These are the things people do isn't it? They pray salaah, recite Quran, perform Salaat-ut-Tasbih, give in charity and seek forgiveness. This is it isn't it? They ask for forgiveness from Allah. And that is not the end of the story. The real statement I'd like to share with you which is better than all these actions but nobody does that. What is that? You pray salaah and recite Quran. You perform sajdah, make dua and give in charity. You also seek forgiveness but the statement is coming which no one does and we must to do it today. We seek forgiveness but we must also forgive others. This is the greatest worship on this night. The greatest worship. And this is where we get stuck. We pray this many salaah, this much Quran but the real worship is to raise your hands and say "oh Allah whoever has wronged me and oppressed me, I have forgiven him." This is worship. If you're praying salah and reciting Quran, would it cause your nafs to shake? No. Because there's no difficulty upon the nafs. But when you think about your enemy who oppressed you, caused you pain, spoke ill against you, he swore at you, he dishonoured you, he laid his hands on your honour, when you raise your hands and you say, "oh Allah, whoever has wronged me, I have forgiven them," that’s the real worship. If we take the scene of Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam where stones were being thrown at him and his shoes were drenched in blood from top to bottom, and the entire universe is shaking, the angels are saying, "give us the order, oh Rasulullah and we will destroy the universe around them, how can they dare oppress the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam." The angels said, "please just raise your hands and they'll be destroyed." He replied,
اللهم اغفر لقومي فإنهم لا يعلمون
“Oh Allah forgive my people for they do not know.”
They have a lack of understanding. This is the level of forgiveness. Look at this fantastic example of forgiveness that rocks were being hurled at him, severe oppression was done against him, there was no one to save him, no one who was sympathetic to him, he went to a garden of a slave and sought refuge. Consider this situation.
Who would've had oppression against them like this. Maybe someone has said to you, “you are this, you are that,” in your house or outside. How much can a person oppress someone else? Maybe just swearing or speaking bad against you. But look at this example. You will only receive the entire blessings of Laylatul Qadr if you were to forgive. "I have forgiven." Is this worship or not? And with this worship, your nafs will shake. "Oh what an action you have done."
And there's no one who hasn't received oppression from anyone. Whether it is in your house, from family, from outside from relatives, from people you know. We live in a society.
So Allah shows us these incidents so he can reward us, and so we can understand what we are in reality. And he says I have forgiven you. "So people will be praying, doing dhikr, reciting Quran, performing I'tikaaf, but how many would there be who raise their hands saying, "oh Allah forgive them." How many people do this worship? Tell me.
Hadhrat Abu Dardah Radhiyallahu anhu was a lovely companion of Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and great hadith have been narrated by him. Another great hadith of his has been mentioned which I will also share with you after.
It was the era of Hadrat Muaawiyyah Radiyallahu and a man approached him and said, "Oh Ameer ul Mu'mineen, this person has broke my teeth, I have a lot of anger, give me the order so that I can take revenge from him." It is permissible to take revenge with the same amount with which someone has oppressed you. "He's broke my tooth and give me the order."
Imagine how angry he must have been that he was in a rage. This is a hadith in Tirmidhi. So Abu Dardah Radhiyallahu anhu was sat there and he said to Ameer Muaawiyyah Radiyallahu who was the leader, "can I have a moment to speak to you?" He replied, "yes, speak." He gave the reference and said "I heard Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, the Master of the 2 worlds, the Master of Madinah, he who wrapped himself in a black cloak, say, "if a man oppresses another person and the oppressed forgives him, then not only does Allah forgive that person, but he also raises his ranks." They were the Sahabah, not like us were they?" Imagine his condition, he wanted to take revenge for his broken tooth, but when he heard this hadith he said, "I have forgiven him, I have forgiven him, I have forgiven him!
So here, upon one action of forgiveness, what do we get? The night of power! That was that generation, SubhaanAllah what a great generation and today we are in a generation where no one even thinks about forgiving other people. There's no context of forgiving others. We have so many sins that's we don’t even know how we will be forgiven. Look at our deeds, they are a waste. Our Quran reading has no value and is done with ostentation. There’s a complexity with every worship. So here Allah says if you do this one deed you will receive the entire night of Laylatul Qadr. So Abu Dardah Radhiyallahu anhu was sat there and this is to do with his love for Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and belief. Will anyone do it? If I say to you now, perform this many nafil rak'ah, you will do it. If I say to you complete the Quran, you will do it. If I say give Sadaqah you will do it. You will do everything. But if I say to you, go and forgive your wife or your child and embrace them and tell them "I have forgiven you", no one would have the determination or courage to do this. I remember an incident, I was sat in the khankah, this was a very long time, it was Laylatul Qadr and people had come to meet me. One man came to me, he had taken bay’ah with me and he was elderly, close to the age of 70. He was weak I used to respect him a lot and he was a good man. When he came in, he was crying and shrieking a lot and he came to me and sat down and i was also afraid at that time. He said, "may Allah forgive me, ask Allah to forgive me." I said, "what happened? What have you done? He said “I have committed great oppression. I oppressed my wife a lot."
And it is very easy to oppress a person who is in your control, for example, "I can do this to you." "I'll divorce you. I'll finish you off."
And this is the oppression we do against the womenfolk in our society such that you can't even imagine. All lifelong she perseveres through that oppression, saying, "I don’t want to tell my mother, I don’t want to tell my brother that there is wrong being done to me."
There will be such a great reckoning between the husband and the wife in the Hereafter. Great rights have been given to a husband but because he is stronger at the time, maybe this cannot happen in this country, the woman is actually stronger than the man here, because here you can't use the sticks or force. But in our country and in our society, no one is there to protect the woman. If she speaks out or complains to others they will say, "its your fault, it's not his fault." Then he will give divorce. "Oh man, why are you giving divorce?" "Because she doesn't do what I want her to do." So you're giving her divorce? "Whatever I say to her she doesn't do it immediately and I don't like giving her a divorce." Imagine. Is this a reason to give divorce? These are true stories I am telling you.
"Can you give a real valid reason, some principle of the deen that she has done wrong?" "Because she does whatever I say, so I’m giving her divorce. I don’t like her." He is not happy with this. If she doesn't listen, he is not happy with that either! And then he gives a divorce and he is oppressing openly. She is compelled to the corner. But no. Some womenfolk know that my life is only a few years and I'll have to put up with his pestering, but I have many rewards assigned for me. It is only given to those women who say, "go I have forgiven you." She will receive it based on forgiving. She won't receive the rewards after taking revenge. "Let him come to me, I'll do this and that to his face." No.
So that man came and said, "I have oppressed my wife a lot." And every man thinks I am the controller, I can do what I want with my wife, "do this, do that." He said, "I've done so much oppression," because this is the light of the khankah and the company of the Wali Allah so a person one day eventually wakes up and says, "my eyes have opened after 70 years and If I left this world in this state, I don’t know what would've happened to me." Look at his wife's achievement mashaaAllah. He said, "Hadhrat I'm crying because she has never stopped in her service to me. I would receive food from her, she would iron my clothes, the more I oppressed her, the more she served me. I don’t even know when she would cry." What a great story this is. He was crying. I started to scream when I heard this story that "you did this much oppression against your wife? This is a ajeeb situation. So this is how you lived your life with your wife." This happens. But okay, maybe it came late, but at least it came. Allah ta'ala said okay, the company of khankah, the light has come into him and he's come on to the right path. He has understood. And then he asked for forgiveness. So this is the oppression in our society. Regarding the worship we engage in, Allah subhaanahu wa ta'ala says I want this worship in these blessed nights. And where do you receive such? In the khankah. In the company of the Wali Allah. Over there, the style isn't to pray this much Quran, this much nafil salaah, and that's it, you're forgiven. No. First you have to purify yourself and present yourself in Allah's Court and then you'll get the rewards. So the greatest reward in this night is to go and forgive your enemies and Allah will be happy with you. Let me share the hadith of Abu Dardah Radhiyallahu anhu with you, he said, "Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was present and there was a gathering, and it was the city of Madinah and the beautiful fragrance of Madinah, the Master sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and the Sahabah were present and a man came and said, "I keep requesting my neighbour that you have a few dates," you know the branch of the dates which has cut off. You have the whole tree and then you have the branch which has been cut off, it is called Tan'aa in Urdu. In English you can say 'part of the tree,' what else can you say? So he said, I am asking for that branch from him so I can make some sort of beam from my house or I will put a cloth over it, so that I will be safe from the heat. But he's not listening and he's not giving me that branch which has been cut off." The Sahabah would approach Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam with beautiful things. So he said, "please explain to my neighbour." So Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, "call your neighbour here," SubhaanAllah. So he didn't say , "go away, is this something to address? We are currently praying salaah." No SubhaanAllah. Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam didn't send him away.
The greatest worship of Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was that he would listen to the requests of the people.
There was one woman, mashaAllah she was mad, what did she used to do? She used to say, "oh Prophet of Allah, listen to my problems, listen!" And she would sit him down on the road in such intense heat for so many hours. And she was mad so what stories was she telling Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam? He was sat there and imagine the condition of the sahabah. They were in the heat and they couldn't dare to interfere in this situation. Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, "leave her to me, I’m listening to what she is saying." It was the severe heat in the afternoon and she was mad. What was she going to say, that "he said this to me, he's done this to me. You know this is going to happen." And there are people like this. You're put into situations like this. People become afraid but Sheikh's don’t. They don’t say, "he hasn't left yet, I need to eat, my time is going. I need to go to the shop. Why do you come to get me then I say?" But don't worry and don't shake. Because my lions are lions too mashaaAllah. They say, sit down more and we'll serve you. We are not running impatient. What work? They say it with happiness mashaaAllah that there is plenty of them. Allah has given me lions mashaaAllah. Good workers. Other people think negatively. But he says no no, I’m not in a rush. I'm not hungry, I'm not busy. You sit nicely and speak whatever you want to say. Sometimes it takes one hour, one and a half hours and the brothers are stood there, there is rain, heat, but they don't have any negativity in their mind. I don’t look at their mind, I look at their hearts. They have got patience. And one day If I see something in their heart, then you'll never see them again. The question doesn't arise that I will call them again. But as long as their hearts are clean, then the Sheikh goes. When there is a hair in the heart, then the Sheikh says, "be gone with you." Remember this. He looks at the heart. So Allah ta'ala elevates the ranks. This is the service. The Khaadim says, no problem, doesn't matter if it is day or night, no issues. I am waiting. I am patient. No food. No no I'm not hungry. I had a nice breakfast in the morning no problem. No no im fasting and I ate so much, I have no need to break the fast." SubhaanAllah what a great heart Allah ta'ala gives to the Khaadim. He is the khaadim who is determined and patient. This is the patience. This is the service. You'll reward so much reward for khidmat that you cannot even imagine! So what was I saying to you? Abu Dardah Radhiyallahu anhu's story. I like it and he mentions nice things regarding dhikr. So he was watching. The Sahabah watch the whole event. So he said, "call your neighbour." Remember that story that I told you. You haven't forgotten have you. What was I saying to you? When I speak then other issues come out as well. There was a man and he came with a complaint about his neighbour. "Oh Prophet of Allah, he is not giving this thing to me, I need it, he's got no problem if he gives it to me." What a great request! For example if there's something outside your garden and I say, "give this to me." And you say, "no no i need it , I'm not going to give it to you." "You have no need for it. Its been sitting there for 3 weeks and you're not using it. Can I not utilise it? Can you not give it to me." And he says, "you touch it, how dare you, I'll call the police."
Even today a brother was telling me that he went to meet someone and at the door of his house, not inside, he said my car was covering a little bit near to the door and he came and knocked on the door and said "have you got a guest? He said, "why is his car parked in front of my drive?" Is this even a problem, its just next to your house!? He said, everyone is fed up with this man on the street and he is rude. He said, "I’ll call the police." And he said, "no need, I just need to reverse it one inch, I'll reverse it one inch no problem." There are people like this. Rigid people. They have no desire to sacrifice. Look at their salaah and their words. Look at their claim. "Oh I’m a lover of the prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam." Look at their sujood, their Umrah and Hajj. But no compromise. Look at their Takbir which they shout out loudly. So this is not that night, I'm telling you, what do we do on this night of power? What statement did I say to you? Forgiveness. Don't ask for forgiveness. Forgive others! What does Allah say in the Quran?
وَلْيَعْفُوا وَلْيَصْفَحُوا ۗ أَلَا تُحِبُّونَ أَن يَغْفِرَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ
SubhaanAllah Allah's words. Forgive this person and look for excuses to forgive that person. Overlook his issues. Allah says don’t you like it that I forgive you? Will you not like it when you come to me in the Hereafter in my court and you are stood there and I know about your salaah, your status, I know who you are Allah says. I know you're reality and when you come to me in jannah and you are begging me for jannah and you are hopeful for jannah, then I do your account. And If I were to do your account at that time, then would you be able to reply at that time? Your hands and feet will be shaking and you will see the scenes of Hellfire and in your heart will only be one thing. "Oh Allah forgive me." At that time, will you like that I order you? I'm reading the Quran in front of you.
أَلَا تُحِبُّونَ أَن يَغْفِرَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ
How will you feel at that time when I say, "go I have forgiven you?" I'll make one statement and with this one moment Jannah will be prepared for you. There will be no one to save you. All your deeds would be evaporated. All your relatives are not there to help you. There is no one there who will love you at the time. There will only be one Allah and His judgement, His law and justice. Will you be able to give justice there?
أَلَا تُحِبُّونَ
The most beloved statement you would want to here from me at that time would be the statement, "go my servant, I have forgiven you." Would you desire this? Would you require this?
Allah says if you like to be forgiven on that day in the Hereafter, then come I'll give you life, I’ll give you the night of power, Laylatul Qadr, someone oppressed you and you continue forgiving the oppressors.
وَلْيَعْفُوا وَلْيَصْفَحُوا ۗ أَلَا تُحِبُّونَ أَن يَغْفِرَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ
What a great verse of the Quran!? Forgive people. Look over their defects and their wrongdoings. What has happened to you? "Oh you get so angry." The anger is at the tip of the nose. "You have a lot of anger eh?" "I don’t know, everyone says, you're a man of anger." "You're a woman of anger. You keep getting angry. She does this. There’s always a storm inside you. You never forgive anyone. People are always scared of you. So you are now defining yourself. People say this now don’t they with happiness? Dont come near to me, dont mess with me, you don't want to see my anger. You don't know how strong I am. You see my anger. You see what I do and this is where Allah ta'ala says is the definition for the person. Allah says, will you like it that that anger is also inflicted upon you. My son the time is going to come." So Allah ta'ala do this worship today," Allah ta'ala said. People say, "pray salah, pray Tahajjud, pray Salaat-ut-Tasbih, and ask for forgiveness," but you're still empty, rather your deeds are hanging in the balance. I'm not saying this, the hadith says that. That everyone will be forgiven on the night of Qadr but for one who has malice and hatred in his heart, he won't be forgiven, despite his lap being full of deeds, umrah, quran, salaah, and his treasure chest is full of deeds, and Allah says, "get back, I am the one who forgives. I wont give forgiveness to that person. Get back Allah says, ill forgive that person who had nothing to his name and he said to Allah, "I have no deeds to my name but I forgive this person." Allah says you have done the greatest Ibaadah by forgiving people for their wrongdoings. This is the night of power. This is Laylatul Qadr. Say SubhaanAllah. Do you like what I'm saying? This is the night of Qadr. So what did Abu Dardah Radhiyallahu anhu say? The story of the hadith continues. Do you remember what I said? Yes. So he thought what is this drama going on? So Allah's Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam ordered for the neighbour to come so the matter could be decided. So the neighbour came and Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam asked him "what is the matter? He is asking for the branch of the tree so give it to him?" He replied, "No I wont give it. I will sell it."
Allah's Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said give it to him so he can use it, he hasn't got any money." He said, "no I won't give it, I will sell it."
Allah's Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, said it again, "will you not give it to him!?" He said, "no im going to sell it." Abu Dardah Radhiyallahu anhu was looking at this scene from behind someone said, look at the lovers, those who know about paradise, they know there's a place called paradise. The Sahabah would look for opportunities, we have been given the night of power but we've forgotten and don't know how to attain it. We engage in worship due to our nafs. On 27th night the drums are hanging, the Quran has finished, this and that. Allah ta'ala says "its straight forward. Do those things which make me pleased." Say SubhaanAllah
So look at the scene now. I'm not sure which hadith this is in. The first hadith was in Tirmidhi, im not sure about the narrator. Its not me who is this. More than reading the hadith myself, rather, I have heard these hadith from the Wali of Allah, the Mashaikh, so it is Mustanid. There may be something incorrect in my education or studies, but when a Wali Allah is delivering the hadith, then I know that this is the correct report and the correct narration. So I present it with happiness.
I don’t present a narration which is sometimes written in the books or not written in the book, so I don't present from the book. Rather, It has come out from his heart and I heard the hadith. SubhaanAllah. So look at the scene now.
Abu Dardah Radhiyallahu anhu came out from the back and went to the garden. There were 500 trees of dates. He said "does anyone want to buy this garden? Quickly. Who wants to buy this? " I'm telling you the whole story and the meaning of the hadith, not all the words of the hadith. Because in front of me is the sketch, the scene of what was happening at that time and the condition. So he said, "is there anyone who wants to buy this garden? Sale sale sale!" He put the garden on for sale. They asked, "how much?"
"This much." He said "okay here i’ll give it to you for this much." "Okay here go its yours." And he took the money and he threw the money and the garden was sold. The story continues, that in this much, it was sold, then he came to Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and said, "oh Prophet of Allah." "Yes what is it?" "There is a problem. I heard just now while I was sat at that back that you said to this person that whoever gives this person the branch of tree, then he will get a tree of dates or any fruit in jannah."
This is a great thing. We don’t need this do we? We don't need a branch of tree? We don’t need jannah do we? Why should we forgive someone on Laylatul Qadr? There's no value for Jannah. Only if it was said, "you'll receive a first class car or a Mercedes," then maybe we'd work hard for it. This is our situation in this world. But this sahabi could not see paradise. He cannot see the Hur's, could he? But he sold all of his goods! This is certainty and belief. He sold all of his assets without thinking, "what will my wife and children eat. How will I live?" No. Because there was a transaction going on. Not just for Jannah but for a branch in Jannah. It was just a transaction for a tree in Jannah. Is there any believer like this? I say to you "come and sit in dhikr in the morning and you'll get the reward for hajj and Umrah," but no one comes. No one knows what they are going to get. There’s no value, no desire, no value. You have to beg the people and plead to them with 2 hands, "come." "Okay if you can't come physically, then at least listen to it online," you have to say it in this way. I plead with my hands together, bring your children, for the sake of God, bring your children, The light of dhikr definitely rubs on to the children. The children don’t feel like it, there is shaytan within, come and pray salaah and do dhikr. Where is their Tarbiyyah taking place? All day long you leave them in the dunya, they are made into animals during the day. Why can't you do this much, that Allah ta'ala's river is flowing, you can allow them to jump into the river so their impurities can be removed. I announce for you to come and bring your children with you. However they are, bring them, hit them on the back, whether they like it or not, don’t go according to their desires, push them and make dua, "oh Allah allow the dhikr to have effect on them." There is no resource which will save us in this country. I’m telling you this statement clearly and please don't take it badly. Maybe people will take this negatively. Remember this what I'm saying today. These things are temporary and they won't save you in this society. There is such a strong poison here. These Madrassah, these Darul uloom, they won't save your children, I’m telling you the truth. They won't save them. There is such a strong force. Alhamdulillah you are trying your best. Its a good effort whatever you are striving for and you should strive. But understand the reality of the forces around us.
With Allah ta'ala's grace and these things in parallel, if Allah ta'ala gives you a Khankah, then run to the Khankah. I'll guarantee you. Take refuge with these things. Take refuge from Darul ulooms, masjids, Madaaris, Tabligh, but I tell you again and I reinforce this message that there is very severe fitna around us. It is too strong. This is the dajjal's fitna around us. I'm telling you the open truth and in this nothing can save us besides one thing. Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, "Qiyamah can't come until dhikr disappear", and until that time Allah says Qiyamah cannot come. Why is dhikr remaining until the end? Because Allah ta'ala says, "I want to save the people via dhikr of Allah." So my brothers, why do you make your children animals? This is not love for children. Do not release them into the wilderness. Allah has given you a chance. This is not love for your children. Push them in every way or form to come and sit in the Dhikr of Allah. If they don't understand, they don’t come. Do you understand or not? Allah has opened a hospital for you. A hospital of protection. Allah has granted you, Ulamah, Darul ulooms, Quran. All good things. But you won't be saved from these thing. Thieves will graduate from these places. There will be banditry, women without purdah will come out from the darul ulooms, rather, they'll commit more sins than the other women who don't go there and study and then they see them, they say, "we are ashamed, how can these be aalimah who graduated from there!?" They wear such fashionable attire. I tell you the truth openly and they've studied Bukhari and Tirmidhi and they're graduated Aalimah's. Its not wrong that you try this. You're right to do this but Allah says only that can give you the cure in which thing Allah has placed the cure and the cure for this is the khankah. The friends of Allah. The Awliyah Allah.
Today who could think that 50 years ago Allah would make a khankah here in this country. Go back 50 years, 5 decades and imagine the dirt and there is more dirt here now. Ask a brother who was here 50 years ago, how it was when he came to the Khankah, and how it was after. Since 50 years he is safe from those sins if he implemented. Imagine that man who has been saved and his generations after him, have the Quran in their hearts and hands. We see that surely Allah said the right thing.
الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُم بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ ۗ أَلَا بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ
الْقُلُوبُ
Generations and decades can recieve peace and contentment from where? From the dhikr of Allah and the places of Dhikr is where you find contentment and peace. So if this silsila has arrived in Bolton and in your houses you have animals. From morning until evening there is banditry and gangster style and sins and all day long you leave them like donkeys and cows in institutions where animals are graduating, then at least in the morning and evening, come and sit in the rivers of light so they can wash themselves. Maybe a splash of Allah's mercy will fall on to them at least.
Anyway, let's go back to the hadith. What was I saying to you. Look at the great message of the hadith and look at the great way the hadith is being shared and the explanation of the hadith. So what did Abu Dardah Radhiyallahu anhu sell? 500 date trees from his garden. And what was he getting in return? Something he hasn't even seen, he hasn't even heard, but from the blessed tongue, he had so much certainty in Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallams blessed tongue, he kmew that a lie cannot emanate from the blessed mouth of nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. It is said, "grow you beard," and if you don't then you'll be punished. A hundred percent. We don’t believe. Why should we grow the beard?
We have no certainty. We pray and recite but we have no certainty. What do we call ourselves? Proper believers? We want to celebrate eid, Qurbani, we will sacrifice the goats and eat the meat and we eat sewiyan on eid, but we don’t practice upon the words of Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and we have no conviction that this will happen. So conviction like the Sahabah that one word and the third man came in between. The neighbours began complaining, but Abu Dardah Radhiyallahu anhu heard this at the back and he ran and sold his garden and he said, "here i present it." This was his passion.
"Oh Abu Dardah, why are you coming in between, I did say that I will give the tree in paradise."
So Abu Dardah Radhiyallahu anhu said, "okay fine, I have come." He said, "okay what do you need." He said, "I have sold my good for this benefit." SubhaanAllah. "He was speaking to you and I have sold and I have given the money and I have brought the branch and presented it in your service." SubhaanAllah. 500 trees in his garden and he brought the branch in his neighbours garden! And he presented it to Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam knew what this man did, he knew what he sold and what he wanted to earn. It wasn't the case that he didn't know. He said, "what is it?" He said, "here is that branch which you were asking and give it to that neighbour of his. He wants that tree and please give me that tree to me in paradise." SubhaanAllah he had conviction.
Abu Dardah Radhiyallahu anhu, your sajdah, your blessed face. Just by looking at your face, jannah would open for you. You are a sahabi and you gaze at Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam's blessed face everyday. Is there any lacking of trees for you in jannah!?
But look at the hadith. He sold everything he had for the tree in jannh. Say SubhaanAllah. Do you understand now? What is this thing? Laylatul Qadr. This is called sacrificing, giving for others. So what happened now? Allah's nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam immediately raised his hands and he said, "I swear by Allah in whos hands is my life." Now his passion was aroused. "Oh Abu Dardah, you are speaking about one tree. With with my eyes I can see right now that 100,000 such trees in jannah, all of them bearing fruits and fragrance are waiting for you." So my brothers, imaan belief. We have Quran and statements of Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. Why does shaytan stop us in the path? So we should engage in which worship tonight? Yes. Forgive others so that Allah will forgive you. Is this a small guarantee? We don't even need to engage in any worship, Allah says just bring one deed. You heard the hadith of the prophet, that if you forgive them, then Allah will forgive you. And Allah ta'ala has said it in the Quran. Say SubhaanAllah. So that's it. The night is here. Laylatul Qadr. I have told you the methodology. I will also do this. You also do this ibaadah.
May Allah ta'ala grant us all the ability to do this worship. Ameen. Come let's do a little bit of dhikr. MashaaAllah, keep the dates and water next to you, sometimes I get a bit late, don't be distressed. Keep them from the first Ramadan. Keep looking at the dates and continue doing the dhikr of Allah. Yes I don’t know how long. Maybe I'll keep speaking until taraweeh maybe.
Breaking the fast doesn't mean that. Just break it when you break the fast. Eat.
Its your choice.
From all the blessings, the greatest blessing Allah has given us is the month of Ramadan. Alhamdulillah Allah has allowed us to pass through the days of Ramadan with peace, prosperity and well-being. The first Ashara were the 10 days of Mercy. The second Ashara were the 10 days of Forgiveness and the third Asharah were the days for His special rewards. The final Asharah that we are in now is the summary and result of Ramadan. Allah has taken some work from us and gave us the permission to carry out good deeds. We can't fulfil the right which is due to Allah for these beautiful nights of Ramadan but alhamdulillah even then, Allah gave us the ability to continue passing through this month.
The actual thing is, whenever a person advances towards doing good deeds, then the one who becomes most distressed is Shaytan. This is his mission to prevent human beings from engaging in any good deeds. With difficulty and effort a man resolves to perform a good deed and the unique attack of Shaytan to prevent us from it, is to fill our minds with Waswasah. Whispers from Shaytan. Waswasah is a great attack from shaytan. A man does a good deed and then how does the whisper of shaytaan affect him? “Your deed is useless. Wasted. What have you done? What will Allah grant you when you have defects and deficiencies within you. What benefit did this deed bring to you? He continuously feeds him with whispers. Then he would come again and try to put him in to calamity. Those who are weak become impacted by the attack of the whispers and due to this they abandon the good deeds. Shaytan doesn't leave him then. He makes wrong words come out of their mouth, "leave it. What are you doing? It’s nothing. There is no benefit in this. What is in this action? You go for dhikr, you do dhikr but what benefit do you receive? You do such and such thing, You've been doing this deed all this time but what have you got from it? Have you received benefit yet?" He compels a person to think negatively. "You are just wasting your time. He was saying that this will happen to you and that will happen to you but nothing has happened. Nothing has happened yet." He puts very ajeeb thoughts in the head. He breaks a person and then takes him to the next step, and then he destroys him and makes others destroyed through him."
So my brothers, to prevent floods, from beforehand, one should seal off those areas where there is risk of leak. Seal it from beforehand. So when you get Waswasah, and you've come for dhikr, not just dhikr, but any form of worship like salaah, then shaytan will definitely give whispers.
May we give our all to Hadhrat Abu Bakr As-Siddiq Radhiyallahu Anhu.
I'll share a hadith with you and I'm giving you the meaning of it. This happens. Shaytan is going to do his job and he wants to get expel you. But do one thing. Who is saying this? Hadhrat Abu Bakr As-Siddiq Radhiyallahu Anhu. Do one thing. Whenever you do a good thing, then say 2 things, "Alhamdulillah, Astaghfirullah." And what are the words of the hadith. It is stated that when you do these 2 things it will break shaytans back and after you recite this, your deed will get accepted. What a great cure we have been given. Never think that the deed you are doing is due to your own ability and power and you'll come again and do it again. Shaytan is accursed and wretched and knows how to deviate man. He knows how to trick man. This is my experience of life. People who I have seen were going about in a good way, practicing, then they become weak and they disappear. Who makes them weak? Where do they go? This is the strength of shaytan and he destroys and ruins a person. So many people come and they are good, they are passionate, they are strong, they want to practice and then the breaks are put on. They slow down, slowly slowly, and not just that, they begin to oppose and speak against and what is this? All the hadith are the truth. So what a great cure that we have been prescribed. Whenever you do a good deed, whether waswasah comes or not, whether you enjoy it or no, don’t fall into this trap that, "I’m okay, I don't need to do this wazeefah. I don’t need to recite anything. I don’t need to safeguard myself. Even 50 years later, you can develop negative feelings remember this. Shaytan's mission is that he will not leave you until you are delivered to the grave. You say, "I’m strong, I've been practicing for 40 years, I can't be deviated." No. Never say that. After every action, tie the knot on that action and grab hold of this statement with steadfastness, and do this action because if not now, someday he may deviate me. Say "Alhamdulillah, Astaghfirullah." What a great solution we have been given. When you say "Alhamdulillah", then what does it mean? "All praise is due to you Allah that today its been 40 years or 50 years, and I know well that I don’t have the capacity nor strength, nor the intellect to pray salaah or go for salaah, there were thousands of barriers, so it is your Grace that you gave me the ability to perform sajdah." So you're being thankful for that. What are you being thankful for? Not for the action itself, but for the ability. Forget the deed, we are not even doing that yet, its not that, ',we prayed salaah, rather, "you allowed us to pray salaah. Allah you brought us, you seated us, you could've caused me to be occupied in sleep or distracted by a hurdle on the way. And this is the reality because before we came maybe waswasah came in the heart that, "leave it. What's the point going today?" A man seeks a way out. When you go towards a good deed, then barriers are present and they make you fed up or bored and it creates the feeling of not wanting to preform the action. But you should never succumb to these things. Whether you are enjoying the action or feeling bored, the ability is from Allah. So when we say alhamdulillah, in reality we are being thankful and grateful to Allah that out of His grace, He gave us the ability to perform such and such worship. And when you implement, that's a separate issue. And then after you perform the deed, we speak about that. So what does that come into? "Astaghfirullah." What does that mean? I'm useless Allah. What a great month you gave me. You gave us the first Asharah of Mercy and I didn't attain any Mercy. I didn't implement anything. And then you gave us the second Asharah. What a great phase of Forgiveness from sins and we couldn't even attain that. I was weak and useless and my deeds were at the lowest rate. How will I show my face with this salaah, or with this Quran that I recited? Is this the way to read Quran? Is this the way to keep the fast? How will I show my face to Allah? Then what is the response to this ? Astaghfirullah. Despite you giving me the ability to do this deed which I did, I seek your forgiveness that I was not able to fulfil it properly, so both things we need to present in Allah's Court. Alhamdulillah and Astaghfirullah. Then Allah says, "he is a very beloved servant of mine. Yes so every time we say this then Allah says He is assigning everything to me and he is leaving it to me so I accept his deed and I forgive him. I am his Lord. SubhaanAllah. So this is the point that for Ramadan it is necessary that we travel with ‘Alhamdulillah’ and ‘Astaghfirullah’ in parallel. So Allah ta'ala has given us His Grace and Blessings, that today we are in the final Asharah where the rewards are being distributed. You know usually when rewards are being distributed, you get the first, second or third and then there's someone who is stood right at the back who is last and he also stands in line saying "oh at least I'll get something if I'm in the line." So we are like him. We spread out our cloth and ask Allah for rewards. We are stood, we are sat and the rewards have started to get distributed. One night has gone. Yes. Because for reward, Allah hasn't set the entire Asharah. When did Allah say? Allah says in these 5 nights I give the reward and SubhaanAllah, Allah has not selected the day, He has selected the night for giving the reward. And Allah says which night? In isolation when you are alone. Thats why i'tikaaf represents being alone and when you're in the darkness and hidden, you ask Allah from the depths of your heart and Allah says I’ll give him the reward. There are 5 nights. 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th, 29th. Different Sahabah mention different days in a different way. Like I said that once the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said that I was given the hint at that time. From the hadith it is proven that every year it is not just one night, sometimes it is the 21st night. Sometimes its the 23rd night. Sometimes it could be the 25th, 27th or 29th. Its not compulsory that it is always on that same night, so every odd night we need to present ourselves to Allah for what? For the rewards. "Oh Allah grant me some rewards. Oh Allah splash some reward upon me from your treasure chest." There’s a few different narrations of the Sahabah, so regarding the 23rd night, Abu Marwah Radiyallahu Anhu, a great sahabi said, "I say that the 23rd night is the night of Laylatul Qadr." And Allah ta'ala allowed him to see the benefit on that night. So what is the night tonight? 23rd night. So the night has come and people ask, "which deed shall we do?" This is what happens isn't it. It’s a valuable night and people are distressed about to do. "What shall we do? What worship shall we engage in? How should I spend the night? Shall I pray salaah? Shall I recite the Quraan?" These are the things people do isn't it? They pray salaah, recite Quran, perform Salaat-ut-Tasbih, give in charity and seek forgiveness. This is it isn't it? They ask for forgiveness from Allah. And that is not the end of the story. The real statement I'd like to share with you which is better than all these actions but nobody does that. What is that? You pray salaah and recite Quran. You perform sajdah, make dua and give in charity. You also seek forgiveness but the statement is coming which no one does and we must to do it today. We seek forgiveness but we must also forgive others. This is the greatest worship on this night. The greatest worship. And this is where we get stuck. We pray this many salaah, this much Quran but the real worship is to raise your hands and say "oh Allah whoever has wronged me and oppressed me, I have forgiven him." This is worship. If you're praying salah and reciting Quran, would it cause your nafs to shake? No. Because there's no difficulty upon the nafs. But when you think about your enemy who oppressed you, caused you pain, spoke ill against you, he swore at you, he dishonoured you, he laid his hands on your honour, when you raise your hands and you say, "oh Allah, whoever has wronged me, I have forgiven them," that’s the real worship. If we take the scene of Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam where stones were being thrown at him and his shoes were drenched in blood from top to bottom, and the entire universe is shaking, the angels are saying, "give us the order, oh Rasulullah and we will destroy the universe around them, how can they dare oppress the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam." The angels said, "please just raise your hands and they'll be destroyed." He replied,
اللهم اغفر لقومي فإنهم لا يعلمون
“Oh Allah forgive my people for they do not know.”
They have a lack of understanding. This is the level of forgiveness. Look at this fantastic example of forgiveness that rocks were being hurled at him, severe oppression was done against him, there was no one to save him, no one who was sympathetic to him, he went to a garden of a slave and sought refuge. Consider this situation.
Who would've had oppression against them like this. Maybe someone has said to you, “you are this, you are that,” in your house or outside. How much can a person oppress someone else? Maybe just swearing or speaking bad against you. But look at this example. You will only receive the entire blessings of Laylatul Qadr if you were to forgive. "I have forgiven." Is this worship or not? And with this worship, your nafs will shake. "Oh what an action you have done."
And there's no one who hasn't received oppression from anyone. Whether it is in your house, from family, from outside from relatives, from people you know. We live in a society.
So Allah shows us these incidents so he can reward us, and so we can understand what we are in reality. And he says I have forgiven you. "So people will be praying, doing dhikr, reciting Quran, performing I'tikaaf, but how many would there be who raise their hands saying, "oh Allah forgive them." How many people do this worship? Tell me.
Hadhrat Abu Dardah Radhiyallahu anhu was a lovely companion of Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and great hadith have been narrated by him. Another great hadith of his has been mentioned which I will also share with you after.
It was the era of Hadrat Muaawiyyah Radiyallahu and a man approached him and said, "Oh Ameer ul Mu'mineen, this person has broke my teeth, I have a lot of anger, give me the order so that I can take revenge from him." It is permissible to take revenge with the same amount with which someone has oppressed you. "He's broke my tooth and give me the order."
Imagine how angry he must have been that he was in a rage. This is a hadith in Tirmidhi. So Abu Dardah Radhiyallahu anhu was sat there and he said to Ameer Muaawiyyah Radiyallahu who was the leader, "can I have a moment to speak to you?" He replied, "yes, speak." He gave the reference and said "I heard Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, the Master of the 2 worlds, the Master of Madinah, he who wrapped himself in a black cloak, say, "if a man oppresses another person and the oppressed forgives him, then not only does Allah forgive that person, but he also raises his ranks." They were the Sahabah, not like us were they?" Imagine his condition, he wanted to take revenge for his broken tooth, but when he heard this hadith he said, "I have forgiven him, I have forgiven him, I have forgiven him!
So here, upon one action of forgiveness, what do we get? The night of power! That was that generation, SubhaanAllah what a great generation and today we are in a generation where no one even thinks about forgiving other people. There's no context of forgiving others. We have so many sins that's we don’t even know how we will be forgiven. Look at our deeds, they are a waste. Our Quran reading has no value and is done with ostentation. There’s a complexity with every worship. So here Allah says if you do this one deed you will receive the entire night of Laylatul Qadr. So Abu Dardah Radhiyallahu anhu was sat there and this is to do with his love for Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and belief. Will anyone do it? If I say to you now, perform this many nafil rak'ah, you will do it. If I say to you complete the Quran, you will do it. If I say give Sadaqah you will do it. You will do everything. But if I say to you, go and forgive your wife or your child and embrace them and tell them "I have forgiven you", no one would have the determination or courage to do this. I remember an incident, I was sat in the khankah, this was a very long time, it was Laylatul Qadr and people had come to meet me. One man came to me, he had taken bay’ah with me and he was elderly, close to the age of 70. He was weak I used to respect him a lot and he was a good man. When he came in, he was crying and shrieking a lot and he came to me and sat down and i was also afraid at that time. He said, "may Allah forgive me, ask Allah to forgive me." I said, "what happened? What have you done? He said “I have committed great oppression. I oppressed my wife a lot."
And it is very easy to oppress a person who is in your control, for example, "I can do this to you." "I'll divorce you. I'll finish you off."
And this is the oppression we do against the womenfolk in our society such that you can't even imagine. All lifelong she perseveres through that oppression, saying, "I don’t want to tell my mother, I don’t want to tell my brother that there is wrong being done to me."
There will be such a great reckoning between the husband and the wife in the Hereafter. Great rights have been given to a husband but because he is stronger at the time, maybe this cannot happen in this country, the woman is actually stronger than the man here, because here you can't use the sticks or force. But in our country and in our society, no one is there to protect the woman. If she speaks out or complains to others they will say, "its your fault, it's not his fault." Then he will give divorce. "Oh man, why are you giving divorce?" "Because she doesn't do what I want her to do." So you're giving her divorce? "Whatever I say to her she doesn't do it immediately and I don't like giving her a divorce." Imagine. Is this a reason to give divorce? These are true stories I am telling you.
"Can you give a real valid reason, some principle of the deen that she has done wrong?" "Because she does whatever I say, so I’m giving her divorce. I don’t like her." He is not happy with this. If she doesn't listen, he is not happy with that either! And then he gives a divorce and he is oppressing openly. She is compelled to the corner. But no. Some womenfolk know that my life is only a few years and I'll have to put up with his pestering, but I have many rewards assigned for me. It is only given to those women who say, "go I have forgiven you." She will receive it based on forgiving. She won't receive the rewards after taking revenge. "Let him come to me, I'll do this and that to his face." No.
So that man came and said, "I have oppressed my wife a lot." And every man thinks I am the controller, I can do what I want with my wife, "do this, do that." He said, "I've done so much oppression," because this is the light of the khankah and the company of the Wali Allah so a person one day eventually wakes up and says, "my eyes have opened after 70 years and If I left this world in this state, I don’t know what would've happened to me." Look at his wife's achievement mashaaAllah. He said, "Hadhrat I'm crying because she has never stopped in her service to me. I would receive food from her, she would iron my clothes, the more I oppressed her, the more she served me. I don’t even know when she would cry." What a great story this is. He was crying. I started to scream when I heard this story that "you did this much oppression against your wife? This is a ajeeb situation. So this is how you lived your life with your wife." This happens. But okay, maybe it came late, but at least it came. Allah ta'ala said okay, the company of khankah, the light has come into him and he's come on to the right path. He has understood. And then he asked for forgiveness. So this is the oppression in our society. Regarding the worship we engage in, Allah subhaanahu wa ta'ala says I want this worship in these blessed nights. And where do you receive such? In the khankah. In the company of the Wali Allah. Over there, the style isn't to pray this much Quran, this much nafil salaah, and that's it, you're forgiven. No. First you have to purify yourself and present yourself in Allah's Court and then you'll get the rewards. So the greatest reward in this night is to go and forgive your enemies and Allah will be happy with you. Let me share the hadith of Abu Dardah Radhiyallahu anhu with you, he said, "Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was present and there was a gathering, and it was the city of Madinah and the beautiful fragrance of Madinah, the Master sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and the Sahabah were present and a man came and said, "I keep requesting my neighbour that you have a few dates," you know the branch of the dates which has cut off. You have the whole tree and then you have the branch which has been cut off, it is called Tan'aa in Urdu. In English you can say 'part of the tree,' what else can you say? So he said, I am asking for that branch from him so I can make some sort of beam from my house or I will put a cloth over it, so that I will be safe from the heat. But he's not listening and he's not giving me that branch which has been cut off." The Sahabah would approach Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam with beautiful things. So he said, "please explain to my neighbour." So Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, "call your neighbour here," SubhaanAllah. So he didn't say , "go away, is this something to address? We are currently praying salaah." No SubhaanAllah. Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam didn't send him away.
The greatest worship of Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was that he would listen to the requests of the people.
There was one woman, mashaAllah she was mad, what did she used to do? She used to say, "oh Prophet of Allah, listen to my problems, listen!" And she would sit him down on the road in such intense heat for so many hours. And she was mad so what stories was she telling Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam? He was sat there and imagine the condition of the sahabah. They were in the heat and they couldn't dare to interfere in this situation. Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, "leave her to me, I’m listening to what she is saying." It was the severe heat in the afternoon and she was mad. What was she going to say, that "he said this to me, he's done this to me. You know this is going to happen." And there are people like this. You're put into situations like this. People become afraid but Sheikh's don’t. They don’t say, "he hasn't left yet, I need to eat, my time is going. I need to go to the shop. Why do you come to get me then I say?" But don't worry and don't shake. Because my lions are lions too mashaaAllah. They say, sit down more and we'll serve you. We are not running impatient. What work? They say it with happiness mashaaAllah that there is plenty of them. Allah has given me lions mashaaAllah. Good workers. Other people think negatively. But he says no no, I’m not in a rush. I'm not hungry, I'm not busy. You sit nicely and speak whatever you want to say. Sometimes it takes one hour, one and a half hours and the brothers are stood there, there is rain, heat, but they don't have any negativity in their mind. I don’t look at their mind, I look at their hearts. They have got patience. And one day If I see something in their heart, then you'll never see them again. The question doesn't arise that I will call them again. But as long as their hearts are clean, then the Sheikh goes. When there is a hair in the heart, then the Sheikh says, "be gone with you." Remember this. He looks at the heart. So Allah ta'ala elevates the ranks. This is the service. The Khaadim says, no problem, doesn't matter if it is day or night, no issues. I am waiting. I am patient. No food. No no I'm not hungry. I had a nice breakfast in the morning no problem. No no im fasting and I ate so much, I have no need to break the fast." SubhaanAllah what a great heart Allah ta'ala gives to the Khaadim. He is the khaadim who is determined and patient. This is the patience. This is the service. You'll reward so much reward for khidmat that you cannot even imagine! So what was I saying to you? Abu Dardah Radhiyallahu anhu's story. I like it and he mentions nice things regarding dhikr. So he was watching. The Sahabah watch the whole event. So he said, "call your neighbour." Remember that story that I told you. You haven't forgotten have you. What was I saying to you? When I speak then other issues come out as well. There was a man and he came with a complaint about his neighbour. "Oh Prophet of Allah, he is not giving this thing to me, I need it, he's got no problem if he gives it to me." What a great request! For example if there's something outside your garden and I say, "give this to me." And you say, "no no i need it , I'm not going to give it to you." "You have no need for it. Its been sitting there for 3 weeks and you're not using it. Can I not utilise it? Can you not give it to me." And he says, "you touch it, how dare you, I'll call the police."
Even today a brother was telling me that he went to meet someone and at the door of his house, not inside, he said my car was covering a little bit near to the door and he came and knocked on the door and said "have you got a guest? He said, "why is his car parked in front of my drive?" Is this even a problem, its just next to your house!? He said, everyone is fed up with this man on the street and he is rude. He said, "I’ll call the police." And he said, "no need, I just need to reverse it one inch, I'll reverse it one inch no problem." There are people like this. Rigid people. They have no desire to sacrifice. Look at their salaah and their words. Look at their claim. "Oh I’m a lover of the prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam." Look at their sujood, their Umrah and Hajj. But no compromise. Look at their Takbir which they shout out loudly. So this is not that night, I'm telling you, what do we do on this night of power? What statement did I say to you? Forgiveness. Don't ask for forgiveness. Forgive others! What does Allah say in the Quran?
وَلْيَعْفُوا وَلْيَصْفَحُوا ۗ أَلَا تُحِبُّونَ أَن يَغْفِرَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ
SubhaanAllah Allah's words. Forgive this person and look for excuses to forgive that person. Overlook his issues. Allah says don’t you like it that I forgive you? Will you not like it when you come to me in the Hereafter in my court and you are stood there and I know about your salaah, your status, I know who you are Allah says. I know you're reality and when you come to me in jannah and you are begging me for jannah and you are hopeful for jannah, then I do your account. And If I were to do your account at that time, then would you be able to reply at that time? Your hands and feet will be shaking and you will see the scenes of Hellfire and in your heart will only be one thing. "Oh Allah forgive me." At that time, will you like that I order you? I'm reading the Quran in front of you.
أَلَا تُحِبُّونَ أَن يَغْفِرَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ
How will you feel at that time when I say, "go I have forgiven you?" I'll make one statement and with this one moment Jannah will be prepared for you. There will be no one to save you. All your deeds would be evaporated. All your relatives are not there to help you. There is no one there who will love you at the time. There will only be one Allah and His judgement, His law and justice. Will you be able to give justice there?
أَلَا تُحِبُّونَ
The most beloved statement you would want to here from me at that time would be the statement, "go my servant, I have forgiven you." Would you desire this? Would you require this?
Allah says if you like to be forgiven on that day in the Hereafter, then come I'll give you life, I’ll give you the night of power, Laylatul Qadr, someone oppressed you and you continue forgiving the oppressors.
وَلْيَعْفُوا وَلْيَصْفَحُوا ۗ أَلَا تُحِبُّونَ أَن يَغْفِرَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ
What a great verse of the Quran!? Forgive people. Look over their defects and their wrongdoings. What has happened to you? "Oh you get so angry." The anger is at the tip of the nose. "You have a lot of anger eh?" "I don’t know, everyone says, you're a man of anger." "You're a woman of anger. You keep getting angry. She does this. There’s always a storm inside you. You never forgive anyone. People are always scared of you. So you are now defining yourself. People say this now don’t they with happiness? Dont come near to me, dont mess with me, you don't want to see my anger. You don't know how strong I am. You see my anger. You see what I do and this is where Allah ta'ala says is the definition for the person. Allah says, will you like it that that anger is also inflicted upon you. My son the time is going to come." So Allah ta'ala do this worship today," Allah ta'ala said. People say, "pray salah, pray Tahajjud, pray Salaat-ut-Tasbih, and ask for forgiveness," but you're still empty, rather your deeds are hanging in the balance. I'm not saying this, the hadith says that. That everyone will be forgiven on the night of Qadr but for one who has malice and hatred in his heart, he won't be forgiven, despite his lap being full of deeds, umrah, quran, salaah, and his treasure chest is full of deeds, and Allah says, "get back, I am the one who forgives. I wont give forgiveness to that person. Get back Allah says, ill forgive that person who had nothing to his name and he said to Allah, "I have no deeds to my name but I forgive this person." Allah says you have done the greatest Ibaadah by forgiving people for their wrongdoings. This is the night of power. This is Laylatul Qadr. Say SubhaanAllah. Do you like what I'm saying? This is the night of Qadr. So what did Abu Dardah Radhiyallahu anhu say? The story of the hadith continues. Do you remember what I said? Yes. So he thought what is this drama going on? So Allah's Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam ordered for the neighbour to come so the matter could be decided. So the neighbour came and Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam asked him "what is the matter? He is asking for the branch of the tree so give it to him?" He replied, "No I wont give it. I will sell it."
Allah's Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said give it to him so he can use it, he hasn't got any money." He said, "no I won't give it, I will sell it."
Allah's Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, said it again, "will you not give it to him!?" He said, "no im going to sell it." Abu Dardah Radhiyallahu anhu was looking at this scene from behind someone said, look at the lovers, those who know about paradise, they know there's a place called paradise. The Sahabah would look for opportunities, we have been given the night of power but we've forgotten and don't know how to attain it. We engage in worship due to our nafs. On 27th night the drums are hanging, the Quran has finished, this and that. Allah ta'ala says "its straight forward. Do those things which make me pleased." Say SubhaanAllah
So look at the scene now. I'm not sure which hadith this is in. The first hadith was in Tirmidhi, im not sure about the narrator. Its not me who is this. More than reading the hadith myself, rather, I have heard these hadith from the Wali of Allah, the Mashaikh, so it is Mustanid. There may be something incorrect in my education or studies, but when a Wali Allah is delivering the hadith, then I know that this is the correct report and the correct narration. So I present it with happiness.
I don’t present a narration which is sometimes written in the books or not written in the book, so I don't present from the book. Rather, It has come out from his heart and I heard the hadith. SubhaanAllah. So look at the scene now.
Abu Dardah Radhiyallahu anhu came out from the back and went to the garden. There were 500 trees of dates. He said "does anyone want to buy this garden? Quickly. Who wants to buy this? " I'm telling you the whole story and the meaning of the hadith, not all the words of the hadith. Because in front of me is the sketch, the scene of what was happening at that time and the condition. So he said, "is there anyone who wants to buy this garden? Sale sale sale!" He put the garden on for sale. They asked, "how much?"
"This much." He said "okay here i’ll give it to you for this much." "Okay here go its yours." And he took the money and he threw the money and the garden was sold. The story continues, that in this much, it was sold, then he came to Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and said, "oh Prophet of Allah." "Yes what is it?" "There is a problem. I heard just now while I was sat at that back that you said to this person that whoever gives this person the branch of tree, then he will get a tree of dates or any fruit in jannah."
This is a great thing. We don’t need this do we? We don't need a branch of tree? We don’t need jannah do we? Why should we forgive someone on Laylatul Qadr? There's no value for Jannah. Only if it was said, "you'll receive a first class car or a Mercedes," then maybe we'd work hard for it. This is our situation in this world. But this sahabi could not see paradise. He cannot see the Hur's, could he? But he sold all of his goods! This is certainty and belief. He sold all of his assets without thinking, "what will my wife and children eat. How will I live?" No. Because there was a transaction going on. Not just for Jannah but for a branch in Jannah. It was just a transaction for a tree in Jannah. Is there any believer like this? I say to you "come and sit in dhikr in the morning and you'll get the reward for hajj and Umrah," but no one comes. No one knows what they are going to get. There’s no value, no desire, no value. You have to beg the people and plead to them with 2 hands, "come." "Okay if you can't come physically, then at least listen to it online," you have to say it in this way. I plead with my hands together, bring your children, for the sake of God, bring your children, The light of dhikr definitely rubs on to the children. The children don’t feel like it, there is shaytan within, come and pray salaah and do dhikr. Where is their Tarbiyyah taking place? All day long you leave them in the dunya, they are made into animals during the day. Why can't you do this much, that Allah ta'ala's river is flowing, you can allow them to jump into the river so their impurities can be removed. I announce for you to come and bring your children with you. However they are, bring them, hit them on the back, whether they like it or not, don’t go according to their desires, push them and make dua, "oh Allah allow the dhikr to have effect on them." There is no resource which will save us in this country. I’m telling you this statement clearly and please don't take it badly. Maybe people will take this negatively. Remember this what I'm saying today. These things are temporary and they won't save you in this society. There is such a strong poison here. These Madrassah, these Darul uloom, they won't save your children, I’m telling you the truth. They won't save them. There is such a strong force. Alhamdulillah you are trying your best. Its a good effort whatever you are striving for and you should strive. But understand the reality of the forces around us.
With Allah ta'ala's grace and these things in parallel, if Allah ta'ala gives you a Khankah, then run to the Khankah. I'll guarantee you. Take refuge with these things. Take refuge from Darul ulooms, masjids, Madaaris, Tabligh, but I tell you again and I reinforce this message that there is very severe fitna around us. It is too strong. This is the dajjal's fitna around us. I'm telling you the open truth and in this nothing can save us besides one thing. Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, "Qiyamah can't come until dhikr disappear", and until that time Allah says Qiyamah cannot come. Why is dhikr remaining until the end? Because Allah ta'ala says, "I want to save the people via dhikr of Allah." So my brothers, why do you make your children animals? This is not love for children. Do not release them into the wilderness. Allah has given you a chance. This is not love for your children. Push them in every way or form to come and sit in the Dhikr of Allah. If they don't understand, they don’t come. Do you understand or not? Allah has opened a hospital for you. A hospital of protection. Allah has granted you, Ulamah, Darul ulooms, Quran. All good things. But you won't be saved from these thing. Thieves will graduate from these places. There will be banditry, women without purdah will come out from the darul ulooms, rather, they'll commit more sins than the other women who don't go there and study and then they see them, they say, "we are ashamed, how can these be aalimah who graduated from there!?" They wear such fashionable attire. I tell you the truth openly and they've studied Bukhari and Tirmidhi and they're graduated Aalimah's. Its not wrong that you try this. You're right to do this but Allah says only that can give you the cure in which thing Allah has placed the cure and the cure for this is the khankah. The friends of Allah. The Awliyah Allah.
Today who could think that 50 years ago Allah would make a khankah here in this country. Go back 50 years, 5 decades and imagine the dirt and there is more dirt here now. Ask a brother who was here 50 years ago, how it was when he came to the Khankah, and how it was after. Since 50 years he is safe from those sins if he implemented. Imagine that man who has been saved and his generations after him, have the Quran in their hearts and hands. We see that surely Allah said the right thing.
الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُم بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ ۗ أَلَا بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ
الْقُلُوبُ
Generations and decades can recieve peace and contentment from where? From the dhikr of Allah and the places of Dhikr is where you find contentment and peace. So if this silsila has arrived in Bolton and in your houses you have animals. From morning until evening there is banditry and gangster style and sins and all day long you leave them like donkeys and cows in institutions where animals are graduating, then at least in the morning and evening, come and sit in the rivers of light so they can wash themselves. Maybe a splash of Allah's mercy will fall on to them at least.
Anyway, let's go back to the hadith. What was I saying to you. Look at the great message of the hadith and look at the great way the hadith is being shared and the explanation of the hadith. So what did Abu Dardah Radhiyallahu anhu sell? 500 date trees from his garden. And what was he getting in return? Something he hasn't even seen, he hasn't even heard, but from the blessed tongue, he had so much certainty in Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallams blessed tongue, he kmew that a lie cannot emanate from the blessed mouth of nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. It is said, "grow you beard," and if you don't then you'll be punished. A hundred percent. We don’t believe. Why should we grow the beard?
We have no certainty. We pray and recite but we have no certainty. What do we call ourselves? Proper believers? We want to celebrate eid, Qurbani, we will sacrifice the goats and eat the meat and we eat sewiyan on eid, but we don’t practice upon the words of Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and we have no conviction that this will happen. So conviction like the Sahabah that one word and the third man came in between. The neighbours began complaining, but Abu Dardah Radhiyallahu anhu heard this at the back and he ran and sold his garden and he said, "here i present it." This was his passion.
"Oh Abu Dardah, why are you coming in between, I did say that I will give the tree in paradise."
So Abu Dardah Radhiyallahu anhu said, "okay fine, I have come." He said, "okay what do you need." He said, "I have sold my good for this benefit." SubhaanAllah. "He was speaking to you and I have sold and I have given the money and I have brought the branch and presented it in your service." SubhaanAllah. 500 trees in his garden and he brought the branch in his neighbours garden! And he presented it to Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam knew what this man did, he knew what he sold and what he wanted to earn. It wasn't the case that he didn't know. He said, "what is it?" He said, "here is that branch which you were asking and give it to that neighbour of his. He wants that tree and please give me that tree to me in paradise." SubhaanAllah he had conviction.
Abu Dardah Radhiyallahu anhu, your sajdah, your blessed face. Just by looking at your face, jannah would open for you. You are a sahabi and you gaze at Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam's blessed face everyday. Is there any lacking of trees for you in jannah!?
But look at the hadith. He sold everything he had for the tree in jannh. Say SubhaanAllah. Do you understand now? What is this thing? Laylatul Qadr. This is called sacrificing, giving for others. So what happened now? Allah's nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam immediately raised his hands and he said, "I swear by Allah in whos hands is my life." Now his passion was aroused. "Oh Abu Dardah, you are speaking about one tree. With with my eyes I can see right now that 100,000 such trees in jannah, all of them bearing fruits and fragrance are waiting for you." So my brothers, imaan belief. We have Quran and statements of Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. Why does shaytan stop us in the path? So we should engage in which worship tonight? Yes. Forgive others so that Allah will forgive you. Is this a small guarantee? We don't even need to engage in any worship, Allah says just bring one deed. You heard the hadith of the prophet, that if you forgive them, then Allah will forgive you. And Allah ta'ala has said it in the Quran. Say SubhaanAllah. So that's it. The night is here. Laylatul Qadr. I have told you the methodology. I will also do this. You also do this ibaadah.
May Allah ta'ala grant us all the ability to do this worship. Ameen. Come let's do a little bit of dhikr. MashaaAllah, keep the dates and water next to you, sometimes I get a bit late, don't be distressed. Keep them from the first Ramadan. Keep looking at the dates and continue doing the dhikr of Allah. Yes I don’t know how long. Maybe I'll keep speaking until taraweeh maybe.
Breaking the fast doesn't mean that. Just break it when you break the fast. Eat.
Its your choice.