Friday Khutbah of Masjid Otsuka

February, Friday 24. 2023

In the name of Allah Most Gracious and Most Merciful   

All praises are due to Allah. 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 Yunus: 

“Indeed, in the alternation of the night and the day and [in] what Allah has created in the heavens and the earth are signs for a people who fear Allah.”  (S.10  V.6)

Indeed, the Earth has been given to us a trust from our Lord, and a religious responsibility that He has commanded us to cultivate and construct and settle upon in a way that is demonstrates our concern for preserving its blessings.

Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah Hud and Surah ar-Rahman:

“…He has produced you from the earth and settled you in it. …”  (S.11  V.61)

“The earth He laid for the creatures.”  (S.55 V.10—11)

Similarly, Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, forbade us to deplete the resources of the earth, or to squander it, or waste its sources. Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah al-A’araf: 

“…But be not excessive. Indeed, He likes not those who commit excess.”  (S.7  V.31)

We have already mentioned how from our duty towards the earth, is to protect its resources and make good use of its main elements. The Prophet SAW ordered us to be conservative and economical in the consumption of water and to not waste it even if it appears to be a large amount and readily available such as a running river. Whether it be small or large, we should always seek to preserve it for future generations as water is the cause of life and the very source of our existence. Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah al-Anbiya:

“…And [We] made from water every living thing. …”  (S.21  V.30)

Just as we are tasked to preserve water, we are also tasked to maintain air and its purity, this means we should abstain from everything that pollutes it such as harmful emissions and other such substances.

O servants of Allah! In addition to air and water, the Prophet SAW tasked us to take care of the animal and plant life on earth, alluding to the reward in looking after them. The Prophet SAW said: “Never does a Muslim plant trees or cultivate land and birds or a man or an animal eat out of them but that is [recorded] as charity on his behalf.” [Bukhari and Muslim]  　Indeed this earth has been created by Allah as a manifestation of His omnipotent power (Qudra), and He has animated it and brought it into life through His wisdom (Hikmah). He has placed within it resources for mankind, such that their livelihoods can be supported and continue.

Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah al-A’araf and Surah al-Baqarah:

“And We have certainly established you upon the earth and made for you therein ways of livelihood. …”  (S.7  V.10)

“It is He who created for you all of that which is on the earth. …”  (S.2  V.29)  

Everything on earth has been put in a place of balance, with the proportioning and interconnected relationships established by His wisdom ensuring that everything has a purpose. If we examine creation we will see that everything brings about some benefit with a purpose in this interconnected balance, within which there is nothing that is excessive or lacking. Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah al-Hijr: 

“…And [We] caused to grow therein [something] of every well-balanced thing.”  (S.15  V.19)

Hence, part of our responsibility is to maintain this balance, set into place by our Lord, for He is the One who placed it for us on earth, whilst giving us the agency and responsibility to maintain it. The earth is our home, it is the cradle for future generations, what would you say to someone who destroys their home in pursuit of temporal pleasures?

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! Accept our prayers and all our ibada.  

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

O Allah! Guide us to the right path and accept all our worships

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

O Allah! Accept all of us Dawah worker in Japan

O Allah! Grant safety and security in Japan and all over the world. Aamin ya Rabbil Aalamin