Friday Khutbah of Masjid Otsuka

JUN, Friday 12. 2024

All praises are due to Allah the Lord of all the worlds, who accepts from His slaves deeds that are intended sincerely for His sake. I testify that there is nothing worthy of worship except Allah the uniquely One, who has no partners in His one-ness. And I testify that the Prophet Muhammad is the slave of Allah and His Messenger.

O servants of Allah! Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah Naahl:

“Indeed, Allah is with those who fear Him and those who are doers of good.”  (S.16  V.128)

The Prophet SAW is reported to have said: “The most beloved of the people to Allah are the most beneficial to the people. The most beloved of deeds are those that give happiness to a believer or remove from them some hardship, [such as] settling from them their debts or to satisfy his hunger. That I walk with a brother in seeing to a need is more beloved to me than that I seclude myself in this masjid (i.e. the Masjid of Madinah) for a month.”  [Tabarani]

Indeed, seeing to the needs of people, doing what is good to them, extending a helping hand to them, and winning their heart is from great morals and good manners that Allah the Mighty and Sublime, loves and commands us to embody in His Book. Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah Baqarah:

“… So race to [all that is] good. …”  (S.2  V.148)

The Prophets SAW used to hasten to benefit the people and meet their needs. Indeed, from the best of people with Allah is one who has been accepted and blessed by Him to bring benefit to others. So he increases and includes them in goodness by blessings that he causes to reach them or hardship that he removes from them. The Messenger of Allah SAW said: “The best of you is the one whose goodness is hoped for, and people are safe from his evil.” [Ahmad]　And also the Prophet SAW is reported to have said: “The Muslim is the one from whose tongue and hand the people are safe.”  [Nasa’i]   O Allah make us from those who strive and give of themselves in pursuing good, being of benefit to other, by embodying the best of characters. And please accept all of us for Your obedience and bless us with obedience towards Your Messenger SAW, and obedience towards those whom You have ordered us to show obedience towards. Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah Nisaa:

“O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. …”  (S.4  V.59)

O servants of Allah! Investing what we have been given in the blessings of Allah in benefitting His creation are the means by which such blessings endure and are preserved. As the Messenger of Allah SAW said: “Indeed, Allah has a people who have been singled out with blessings so that they can benefit the slaves in turn, He acknowledges them for what they give of themselves.” [Tabarani]　 Helping others is what brings about their love and their affection.

Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah Maryam:

“Indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds –the Most Merciful will appoint for them affection.”  (S.19  V.96)

In such a way does love, compassion and mutual affection circulate amongst one another and goodness is made manifest in society. In this way is the attribute of the Prophet SAW made true. The Prophet SAW said: “The similitude of believers in regard to mutual love, affection, fellow-feeling is that of one body; when any limb of it aches, the whole body aches, because of sleeplessness and fever.” [Bukhari and Muslim]　　And from the blessings of Allah upon us is that He blessed us with a society wherein we can put forward good and service to others. Hastening therein to serve each other without looking at the race, religion, caste, creed or gender of the other. So let us hasten to sow the good and utilize the blessings we have been given to serve others and enter happiness into the hearts of others, both the elderly and young, the generation that preceded us, and the generation to come consisting of our children.

May the peace and the blessings of Allah be upon prophet Muhammad SAW, his family and all of his Companions. May Allah be pleased with the Rightly Guided Caliphs: Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali, and all those who will follow them in righteousness until the Day of Judgment.

O Allah! Guide us to the right path and make us of those on whom You bestows Your mercy.

O Allah! Accept our prayers and all our ibada.

O Allah! Accept all of our good deeds and forgive us for our sins.

O Allah! Accept us for Your service and for the service of Islam and Muslims

and

O Allah! Grant safety and security to everyone here in Japan as well as all over the world. Aamin ya Rabbil Aalamin.