This khutbah, delivered on 22 March 2019 in Masjid Sendai, Japan, is a reflection for what has happened to our brothers and sisters who passed away in New Zealand by terrorist attacks during two Friday prayers on 15 March 2019. The contents of this khutbah are taken from the following sources:
(1) A sermon delivered by Imam Mohammed Mahmoud on 15 March 2019 in East London Mosque, and
(2) an article written by Sheikh Saalih Al-Munajjid in islamqa.info website, article no. 10903.
First Khutbah
إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ لِلهِ نَحْمَدُهُ وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ ونَسْتَغْفِرُهُ وَنَعُوْذُ بِاللهِ مِنْ شُرُوْرِ أَنْفُسِنَا وَمِنْ سَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا. مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللهُ فَلَا مُضِلَّ لَهُ، وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلَا هَادِيَ لَهُ. أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُه. يَاأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُون. يَاأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُوا رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ مِنْ نَفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ وَخَلَقَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا وَبَثَّ مِنْهُمَا رِجَالا كَثِيرًا وَنِسَاءً وَاتَّقُوا اللهَ الَّذِي تَسَاءَلُونَ بِهِ وَالأَرْحَامَ إِنَّ اللهَ كَانَ عَلَيْكُمْ رَقِيبًا. يَاأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللهَ وَقُولُوا قَوْلا سَدِيدًا يُصْلِحْ لَكُمْ أَعْمَالَكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَمَنْ يُطِعِ اللهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَقَدْ فَازَ فَوْزًا عَظِيمًا. أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فإنَّ أَصْدَقَ الْحَدِيثِ كِتَابُ اللهِ تَعَالَى وَخَيْرَ الْهَدْيِ هَدْيُ مُحَمَّدٍ صلى الله عليه وسلم، وَشَرَّ الأُمُورِ مُحْدَثَاتُهَا وَكُلَّ مُحْدَثَةٍ بِدْعَةٌ، وَكُلَّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلالَةٌ وَكُلَّ ضَلالَةٍ فِي النَّارِ
All thanks and praise is due to Allaah Ta’ala, we seek His help and forgiveness. We seek refuge to Allaah from the evil within ourselves and from the consequences of our evil deeds. Whosoever Allaah guides will never be led astray, and whosoever Allaah leads astray will never find guidance. We bear witness that there is no God to be worshipped except Allaah, alone without any partners, and we bear witness that Muhammad ﷺ is His servant and His Messenger.
***
In the human history, the trials faced by the people of truth, the people of God, are not something new. Rather they are the Sunnah or the universal law of God, which He enacts to purify, to elevate, and to select elite believers, knowing well that they will endure patiently throughout these trials, whereby they will be purified, whereby they will attain Allaah’s pleasure. Allaah tells us,
الم. أَحَسِبَ النَّاسُ أَن يُتْرَكُوا أَن يَقُولُوا آمَنَّا وَهُمْ لَا يُفْتَنُونَ
“Alif, Lam, Meem. Do the people think that they will be left to say, “We believe” and they will not be tried?” [al-Ankabuut: 1-2]
وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۖ فَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ اللَّـهُ الَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ الْكَاذِبِينَ
“But We have certainly tried those before them, and Allaah will surely make evident those who are truthful, and He will surely make evident the liars.” [al-Ankabuut: 3]
All of the proponents of faith and monotheism throughout human history have been tried, and their trial has been commensurate to their level of faith. If their faith is high, it is of high possibility Allaah tries them with severe tests, knowing well that they will pass such tests and trials.
For example, Allaah Subhanaahu wa Ta’ala tells us of our father, Ibrahiim ‘alaihissalam, who was commanded to leave his faith or be cast into the fire by the ruler at his time. We know that Ibrahiim ‘alaihissalam refused to leave his fiath and was catapulted into the fire, and there Allaah caused the fire to be cold and peaceful for Ibrahiim.
Another history, Allaah tells us about Ashaabul Ukhduud, the people of trench, monotheistic Christians in the Yemen before the advent of Islam, who were cast into a fiery trench to leave their religion, but none of them wavered, none of them substituted their religion.
Last week, the attack to two mosques in New Zealand might take all of us by surprise. It took us by surprise for the savagery and the sadism of the attack. But let us not so be surprised, for those who are enemies of mankind, the enemies of faith, the enemies of justice, the enemies of monotheism, they have adopted the same manners throughout the ages. They do not observe any sympathy or humanity with the innocent. Allaah actually has told us in Surah at-Taubah that those people do not observe concern of any pact of kinship or covenant of protection. So nothing prevents them. No rule, no law, and no decency stop them from taking the lives of the innocent. They even innovate various methods to take the lives of the innocent.
What we do find solace in our respected brothers and sisters, and what this catastrophe, this calamity, and this massacre have in terms of silver lining, is the condition in which our brothers and our sisters and our young children met their fate in the last week’s incident in New Zealand, for the Messenger sallallaahu’alaihi wa sallam has said there is no over believer who dies on Friday except that he will be resurrected with Allaah having expiated his sins. And they died in wudhu, in a state of physical and ritual and spiritual purity, and they died while in the state of worship, observing the Friday prayer. They died in Allaah’s house.
They were murdered in the cause of Allaah, for shahaadah, for martyrdom. Allaah gathered for them all of the means to attain his pleasure, to attain his countenance, to attain his forgiveness, and to attain his Mercy. This is solace for them, for their families, for their loved ones and for their friends. This is Allaah’s promise and we have no doubt as to the fulfillment of His promise. May Allaah grant them all jannah, and elevate their ranks among the shuhaada, the martyrs. Aamiin.
This incident is a good reflection for all of us. First, about how a Muslim should behave in hardship. We have seen that having hardship does not mean we have to complain so and so. We do not actually need to be angry to some news media that reported the perpetrators as simply a “white psychopath” or whatsoever rather than terrorists.
We see that although the terrorists expected to burn hatred of everyone toward Muslims, yet our brothers and sisters in New Zealand remain calm and patient. They did not respond with the same violence. Rather, they responded with peace; some of the victims’ families even publicly forgave the terrorist.
As a result, Allaah has allowed our brothers and sisters in New Zealand to obtain more sympathy from all over the world. Allaah has also allowed Muslims in the world to get more coverage for our peaceful message.
وَمَكَرُوا وَمَكَرَ اللَّـهُ ۖ وَاللَّـهُ خَيْرُ الْمَاكِرِينَ
“And the disbelievers planned, but Allaah planned. And Allaah is the best of planners.” [aali ‘Imraan: 54]
Next, as a reminder for myself and all of us, what I want to take as the main topic of today’s khutbah is about the good end, as our brothers and sisters got in New Zealand. Of course, it does not mean we have to die in the same manner.
A good end means when a person was guided before his death to keep away from that which angers the Lord and to repent from sin, and to focus on doing acts of worship and good deeds, and then he died in this good state. One of the indications of this is the saheeh hadeeth narrated from Anas ibn Maalik radiyallaahu’anhu who said: The Messenger of Allaah sallallaahu’alaihi wa sallam said:
إذا أراد الله بعبده خيراً استعمله. قالوا : كيف يستعمله ؟ قال : يوفقه لعمل صالح قبل موته
“When Allaah wills good for His slave, He uses him.” They (the companions) said, “How does He use him?” He said, “He guides him to do good deeds before he dies.” [Narrated by Imam Ahmad and at-Tirmidhi]
وقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا أَرَادَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بِعَبْدٍ خَيْرًا عَسَلَهُ. قِيلَ وَمَا عَسَلُهُ؟ قَالَ يَفْتَحُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَهُ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا قَبْلَ مَوْتِهِ ثُمَّ يَقْبِضُهُ عَلَيْهِ
The Messenger of Allaah sallallaahu’alaihi wa sallam also said: “When Allaah wills good for His slave, He sweetens him.” He was asked, “What is this sweetening?” He said, “Allaah guides him to do righteous deeds before he dies, then He takes his soul while he is in that state.” [Narrated by Ahmad]
There are signs of a good end, some of which are seen by the dying person as he is dying, and some which may be visible to other people. With regard to the signs of a good end that appear to the dying person, these are things that give him the glad tidings, as he is dying, that Allaah is pleased with him, as Allaah says
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا رَبُّنَا اللَّـهُ ثُمَّ اسْتَقَامُوا تَتَنَزَّلُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ أَلَّا تَخَافُوا وَلَا تَحْزَنُوا وَأَبْشِرُوا بِالْجَنَّةِ الَّتِي كُنتُمْ تُوعَدُونَ
“Verily, those who say: ‘Our Lord is Allaah (Alone),’ and then they stand firm, on them the angels will descend (at the time of their death) (saying): ‘Fear not, nor grieve! But receive the glad tidings of Paradise which you have been promised!’” [Fussilat: 30]
Here we will mention some signs of a good end, which the scholars have derived from the texts speaking of that. These signs include, but are not limited to, the following:
1. Saying the shaahadah (testimony of faith) when dying, because the Prophet sallallaahu’alaihi wa sallam said,
من كان آخر كلامه لا إله إلا الله دخل الجنة
“A person whose last words are Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah [there is no god but Allaah] will enter Paradise.” [Narrated by Abu Dawood]
2. Dying with sweat on the forehead, because al-Buraydah ibn al-Husayb radiyallaahu’anhu said: I heard Rasulullaah sallallaahu’alaihi wa sallam says,
موت المؤمن بعرق الجبين
“The believer dies with sweat on his forehead.” [Narrated by Ahmad, at-Tirmidhi, and an-Nasaa’i]
3. Dying on the night or day of Friday, because Rasulullah sallallaahu’alaihi wa sallam said:
ما من مسلم يموت يوم الجمعة أو ليلة الجمعة إلا وقاه الله فتنة القبر
“There s no Muslim who dies on the day of Friday or the night of Friday, but Allaah will protect him from the trial (fitnah) of the grave.” [Narrated by Ahmad and at-Tirmidhi]
4. Dying as a fighter for the sake of Allaah, because Allaah says:
وَلَا تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ قُتِلُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّـهِ أَمْوَاتًا ۚ بَلْ أَحْيَاءٌ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ يُرْزَقُونَ
“Think not of those as dead who are killed in the way of Allaah. Nay, they are alive, with their Lord, and they have provision.” [aali ‘Imraan 3:169]
They rejoice in what Allaah has bestowed upon them of His Bounty and rejoice for the sake of those who have not yet joined them, but are left behind (not yet martyred) that on them no fear shall come, nor shall they grieve.
They rejoice in a grace and a bounty from Allaah, and that Allaah will not waste the reward of the believers.
And the Prophet sallallaahu’alaihi wa sallam also said:
من قتل في سبيل الله فهو شهيد ، ومن مات في سبيل الله فهو شهيد
“Whoever is killed for the sake of Allaah is a martyr, and whoever dies for the sake of Allaah is a martyr.” [Narrated by Muslim]
أَقُوْلُ قَوْلِي هَذَا وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ لِيْ وَلَكُمْ ، فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
Second Khutbah
الحَمْدُ لِلهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ، وَبِهِ نَسْتَعِيْنُ عَلَى أُمُورِ الدُّنْيَا وَالدِّينِ وَالصَّلاَةُ وَالسَّلاَمُ عَلىَ نبينا محمد وَعَلىَ آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ أَجْـمَـعِينَ، أَمَّا بَعْدُ
I will continue mentioning some signs of a good end.
5. Dying of the plague, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
الطاعون شهادة كل مسلم
“The plague is martyrdom for every Muslim.” [Narrated by al-Bukhaari and Muslim]
It was narrated also by Imam al-Bukhaari that ‘Aa’ishah radiyallaahu’anha said: I asked the Messenger of Allaah sallallaahu’alaihi wa sallam about the plague, and he told me that it is a punishment that Allaah sends upon whomsoever He will, but Allaah has made it a mercy for the believers, for there is no one who stays in his land at the time of a plague, bearing that with patience and seeking Allaah’s reward, knowing that nothing will befall him but that which Allaah has decreed for him, but he will be given a reward like that of a martyr.
6. Dying because of being crushed by a falling wall or by drowning, because the Prophet sallallaahu’alaihi wa sallam said:
الشهداء خمسة: المطعون، والمبطون، والغرق، وصاحب الهدم، والشهيد في سبيل الله
“The martyrs are five: the one who dies of plague, the one who dies of a stomach disease, the one who drowns, the one who is crushed by a falling wall, and the one who is martyred for the sake of Allaah.” [Narrated by al-Bukhaari and Muslim]
7. Specific for women, one sign of a good end is if a woman dies as a result of childbirth, or when she is pregnant. The evidence for that includes the hadeeth narrated by Abu Dawood, according to which the Prophet sallallaahu’alaihi wa sallam said,
والمرأة تموت بجُمع شهيد
“A woman who dies with child is a martyr.” This includes a woman who dies in her pregnancy as well as a woman who dies after giving birth due to the delivery.
8. Dying to defend one’s religion, one’s wealth, or one’s life, because the Prophet sallallaahu’alaihi wa sallam said:
من قتل دون ما له فهو شهيد ، ومن قتل دون دينه فهو شهيد ، ومن قتل دون دمه فهو شهيد
“Whoever is killed defending his wealth is a martyr; whoever is killed defending his religion is a martyr; whoever is killed in self-defence is a martyr.” [Narrated by at-Tirmidhi]
9. Dying guarding the borders of Islam for the sake of Allaah. Imam Muslim narrated that a companion, Salmaan al-Faarisi radiyallahu’anhu, said: The Messenger of Allaah sallallaahu’alaihi wa sallam said:
رباط يوم وليلة خير من صيام شهر وقيامه ، وإن مات جرى عليه عمله الذي كان يعمله ، وأجري عليه رزقه ، وأُمن الفتان
“Guarding the borders of Islam for one day and one night is better than fasting and praying at night for a whole month, and if he dies (whist performing this duty), he will go on receiving the reward for this great deed and his provision (continually), and he will be spared the questioning in the grave. ”
10. Finally, one of the best signs of a good end is dying while doing a righteous deed, because the Prophet sallallaahu’alaihi wa sallam said:
من قال لا إله إلا الله ابتغاء وجه الله ختم له بها دخل الجنة ، ومن تصدق بصدقة ختم له بها دخل الجنة
“Whoever says Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, seeking the Countenance of Allaah thereby, and that is the last of his deeds, will enter Paradise. Whoever gives charity and that is the last of his deeds will enter Paradise.” [Narrated by Imam Ahmad]
We have listed some of the good signs which point to a good end. However, despite of that, we cannot be certain that a specific person is one of the people of Paradise unless the Prophet sallallaahu’alaihi wa sallam testified that he will go to Paradise, such as for some of his companions.
That’s why we pray for our brothers and sisters who died in New Zealand to be among the shuhadaa, the martyrs. May Allaah also allows us to achieve a good end, to be among the people of Paradise. Let’s always strive for good deeds so that we will get a good end.
***
إِنَّ اللهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ. يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيماً. اَللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِلْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ وَالْمُسْلِمِيْنَ وَالْمُسْلِمَاتِ. الأَحْيَاءِ مِنْهُمْ وَاْلأَمْوَاتِ. إِنَّكَ سَمِيْعٌ قَرِيْبٌ مُجِيْبُ الدَّعَوَاتِ. رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلِإِخْوَانِنَا الَّذِيْنَ سَبَقُوْنَا بِالْإِيْمَانِ وَلَا تَجْعَلْ فِيْ قُلُوْبِنَا غِلًّا لِلَّذِيْنَ آمَنُوا رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ رَءُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ. رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوْبَنَا وَإِسْرَافَنَا فِيْ أَمْرِنَا وَثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَنَا وَانْصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِيْنَ. رَبَّنَا لاَ تُزِغْ قُلُوبَنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَنَا وَهَبْ لَنَا مِن لَّدُنْكَ رَحْمَةً إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْوَهَّابُ. رَبّنَا لاَتُؤَاخِذْنَا إِنْ نَسِيْنَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا رَبّنَا وَلاَ تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَا إِصْرًا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُ عَلَى اّلذِيْنَ مِنْ قَبْلِنَا. رَبّنَا وَلاَ تُحَمّلْنَا مَالاَ طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِ. وَاعْفُ عَنّا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا. أَنْتَ مَوْلاَنَا فَانْصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِيْنَ. رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ
سُبْحَانَ رَبِّكَ رَبِّ الْعِزَّةِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ وَسَلَامٌ عَلَى الْمُرْسَلِينَ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ