My dear brothers and sisters in Islam! InshaAllah, in today’s khutbah, I intend to discuss four important Islamic terms that can be understood in a traditional way as well as in a non-traditional way. These terms are: Islam, iman, hijrah and jihad. The traditional understanding of these four terms are respectively: Islam meaning the pillars of Islam; iman meaning the articles of faith; hijrah meaning leaving one’s home to migrate to another land; and jihad meaning striving in the path of Allah.
The Prophet (SAW) also explained these four terms in the non-traditional way whereby he informed us about the spirit of Islam and the means to live the faith. Beginning with a question, the Prophet (SAW) asked, “Shall I not tell who a muslim is?” He then continued, “A muslim is one from whose tongue and hands muslims are safe; a mu’min is one whom people trust with their wealth and lives; a muhajir (i.e., an emigrant) is one who migrates from sins and vices; and a mujahid (i.e., the one who does jihad) is one who strives against his own soul in order to obey Allah, the Mighty and Majestic.”
Who is a muslim? The common answer is, “A muslim is one who testifies that there is no god except Allah (SWT) and that Muhammad (SAW) is His slave and messenger.” Although the answer is correct, the Prophet (SAW) answered differently. He said, “A muslim is one from whose tongue and hands muslims are safe.” This added dimension will help us improve ourselves toward achieving a good and healthy community.
The tongue is used to speak, and to verbally express one’s feelings, emotions, and thoughts; whereas, hands are used for actions. Preserving the tongue from lying, backbiting, cursing, etc., will naturally make others feel safe. The psychological
and emotional trauma and damage that can occur due to using the tongue in the wrong way is enormous. Allah (SWT) forbade us from using our tongue in this manner when He commanded us in Surat al-Hujurat,
“O you who believe let not a group mock at another group, it may be that the latter are better than the former. Nor let (some) women scoff at other women, it may be that the latter are better than the former. Nor defame yourselves, nor insult one another by nicknames. Evil is the name of wickedness after faith. And whoever does not repent, then such are indeed wrongdoers” (al- Hujurat, 49:11).
Unfortunately there are people, who have a tendency to mock, backbite, slander, ridicule, and defame others. Such acts are now commonplace in our society as television shows, magazines and blogs are created specifically for gossiping, and for slandering, ridiculing and belittling others. Technology, when put to wrong use makes it easier to use the tongue in wicked ways as people are masked or concealed behind a phone or computer screen. The Prophet (SAW) said, “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should speak a good word or remain silent.”
Another sad reality in our society is the tendency to stereotype, mock and belittle others of different ethnic backgrounds. The diversity of mankind is a blessing from Allah (SWT). Our ummah consists of people from different ethnic backgrounds, skin colors and races. The purpose of this diversity is to honor and live with one another in peace and harmony.
The Prophet (SAW) also warned against using the hands in unlawful ways. There are people who use their hands to physically harm others, to kill, steal, rob, and do other evil acts. Muslims and people in general should be safe from our hands. So muslims are those with whose tongues and hands, others feel safe. This gives way to a community in which everyone is a brother and sister in faith or in humanity. The Prophet (SAW) also said, “A muslim is a brother of a Muslim, he does not wrong him nor does he abandon him.”
Next, the Prophet (SAW) describes who a believer or mu’min is. A believer according to the common understanding is one who believes in Allah, His Angels, Scriptures, Prophets, the Last Day and the Divine Decree. According to the hadith, a mu’min is one who is trustworthy and can be trusted by all people with their wealth and persons. How many muslims have betrayed the trusts of other people or have fallen victim to betrayal of trusts? Are we a community that can be trusted with others’ wealth, property and persons? The Qur’an describes the true believers as “those who are faithful to their trusts and to their pledges.” (al-Mu’minun, 23:8) وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ لأَمَانَاتِهِمْ وَعَهْدِهِمْ رَاعُونَ
A hadith tells us: “The example of the believers in their kindness, mercy and compassion they have for each other is like the body; when an organ of it aches, the rest of the body reacts with fever and wakefulness.” Another hadith tells us: “A believer to another believer is like a building, each brick enforces the other.” Islam and iman are two essential terms of our faith that define our religious practices as well as our belief system.
Next, the Prophet (SAW) described who an emigrant or a muhajir is. The traditional understanding of an emigrant is one who leaves his country for another land as the early converts to Islam emigrated to Ethiopia. The Prophet (SAW), however, described a muhajir as one who migrates from sins and vices. Indeed, this is the supreme hijrah.
Similarly, our understanding of jihad is commonly fighting, when in fact, the supreme jihad, according to the hadith is to strive against our own soul in order to obey Allah (SWT). Therefore, one has to migrate from vices and sins while simultaneously struggling to obey the commands of Allah (SWT). This process is called jihad al-nafs, the struggle of the soul. This process of self-purification is not easy, rather it is very difficult. It requires real jihad.
Hence, a mujahid is one who struggles against his ego and lower self. The powerful urges and desires are blind in nature and demand total satisfaction by any means possible be they lawful or unlawful. This is one level of the struggle of the soul. Another level is to struggle against the wrong trends of the society and finally one must struggle against Satan and his whisperings and temptations.
At the first level, one must strive hard against his own evil inclinations and lusts be it illicit sex, drugs, drinking, gambling, lying or cheating. One must struggle against the soul that commands evil, “al-Nafs al-Ammarah bil-Su’, according to the Qur’anic terminology, and lean toward the reproaching soul or, “al-nafs al-Lawwamah”, another term of the Qur’an. The two souls may be represented by the satanic and angelic voices.
The satanic voice will entice one to commit vices while the angelic voice admonishes the person and reminds him of the devastating consequences of evil actions. Therefore, one finds himself in this tug of war between the two souls, “al-Nafs al-Ammarah bil-Su”, and “al-nafs al-Lawwamah.”
أَقُولُ قَوْلِي هَذَا وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ لِي وَلَكُمْ وَلِسَائِرِ المُسْلِمينَ وَالمُسْلِمَاتْ فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهْ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
الحمد لله رب العالمين والصلاة والسلام على سيد المرسلين وعلى آله وأصحابه أجمعين
My dear brothers and sisters! We must exert all of our efforts and spiritual strength to migrate away from sins and vices. It is not an easy process as one might imagine but we must try our best. If there is a will there is a way. According to the Qur’an,
وَمَنْ يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ يُسْرًا
“Allah makes things easy for those who are mindful of Him.” (al-Talaq, 65:4).
At the second level, a genuine believer has no choice but to struggle against the wrong trends of the society. It is in the best interest of corporations and industries to promote gambling, drinking, pornography, unlawful entertainment etc. to endorse evil and encourage members of society to consume such vices in order to profit from them. They aren’t concerned with people’s morality, spirituality, and their wellbeing in general. They neither believe in Allah nor in the last day, but we do. Those external forces are extremely potent and harmful.
Naturally, one needs to be strong enough to walk away from such environment, reject the evil temptations and choose the company of good and righteous people. Keeping company of Allah (SWT) and His Messenger Muhammad (SAW) through the Qur’an and the Sunnah will definitely increase one’s motivation toward battling the evil of the soul and the society.
Finally, at the third level, one must struggle against Satan and his ploys. We must always be reminded that Iblis, the accursed and avowed enemy who recognizes our weak spots, is hard at work with his agents from jinn and men devising plans to trap us into becoming slaves to our lusts and eventually to himself, rather than being submissive to Allah (SWT). We should always keep in mind that Satan and his army can in no way harm the true believers.
إِنَّ كَيْدَ الشَّيْطَانِ كَانَ ضَعِيفًا
“Verily, the evil plans of satan are truly weak” (al-Nisa’, 4:76).
Islam and iman are two inseparable entities; one cannot have Islam without iman, nor can one have iman without Islam. Similarly, hijrah and jihad are two inseparable entities. One will not be able to struggle in the path of Allah (SWT) without migrating from sins and vices and the opposite is also true. One cannot migrate from sins and vices without struggling against his own soul for the purpose of obeying Allah. This is the real jihad, without this basic jihad and groundwork we will not be able to succeed in achieving our higher goals and mission.
Unless we come together as one united community where we honor, respect, love and help one another, we will not be able to rise above the mere rituals and fulfill these higher objectives. If we are sincere and committed to the cause, Allah (SWT) will certainly help us in every step we take toward Him, for Allah (SWT) promises,
وَالَّذِينَ جَاهَدُوا فِينَا لَنَهْدِيَنَّهُمْ سُبُلَنَا وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَمَعَ الْمُحْسِنِين
“And those who strive hard in our cause, We shall surely guide them in our ways. Surely, Allah is with the righteous.”(al-‘Ankabout, 29:69)
