Sermon Title: The Day of Ashura and the Commemoration of Moses' Salvation
Praise be to Allah, the supporter of His faithful allies and the destroyer of His disbelieving enemies.
I testify that there is no god but Allah alone, without any partner, the protector of the righteous, and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and His truthful and trustworthy messenger. May Allah's peace be upon him and his family and companions, all together.
To proceed,
O Muslims:
God has related to us in His book the best of stories, and informed us of narratives that are a lesson for the wise and a reminder for the understanding ones. Among the greatest stories of the Quran is the story of Moses and Pharaoh. God has repeated it and brought it back to our ears in many parts of His book, so that we may draw lessons from it and benefit from its teachings.
Indeed, God revealed to Moses, peace be upon him, to go to Pharaoh and invite him to worship God and to stop tormenting the Children of Israel. God gave Moses, peace be upon him, signs that indicate his truthfulness, his prophecy, and his message. He gave him the miracle of the staff and its transformation into a running serpent, and the emergence of his hand as white when he put it into his pocket, among nine other signs to Pharaoh and his people. But Pharaoh, the stubborn rebel, refused and was arrogant. God said regarding him,
(فَكَذَّبَ وَعَصَى * ثُمَّ أَدْبَرَ يَسْعَى * فَحَشَرَ فَنَادَى * فَقَالَ أَنَا رَبُّكُمُ الْأَعْلَى)
“But Pharaoh denied and disobeyed. Then he turned his back, striving. And he gathered [his people] and called out. And said, "I am your most exalted lord.” (79:21-24)
and claimed that what Moses brought was magic, and that he had magic that could nullify it. He gathered the magicians of his kingdom and promised Moses a festival day for them, so that people would gather and see Moses' defeat. The magicians presented their magic and tricks, God said,
(فَأَلْقَوْا حِبَالَهُمْ وَعِصِيَّهُمْ وَقَالُوا بِعِزَّةِ فِرْعَوْنَ إِنَّا لَنَحْنُ الْغَالِبُونَ)
“So they threw their ropes and their staffs and said, "By the might of Pharaoh, indeed it is we who are predominant.” (26:44)
Moses demonstrated the clear signs that he had. God Almighty said:
(وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَى مُوسَى أَنْ أَلْقِ عَصَاكَ فَإِذَا هِيَ تَلْقَفُ مَا يَأْفِكُونَ * فَوَقَعَ الْحَقُّ وَبَطَلَ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ * فَغُلِبُوا هُنَالِكَ وَانْقَلَبُوا صَاغِرِينَ * وَأُلْقِيَ السَّحَرَةُ سَاجِدِينَ * قَالُوا آمَنَّا بِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ * رَبِّ مُوسَى وَهَارُونَ)
“And We inspired to Moses, "Throw your staff," and at once it devoured what they were falsifying. So the truth was established, and abolished was what they were doing. And Pharaoh and his people were overcome right there and became debased. And the magicians fell down in prostration [to Allah]. They said, "We have believed in the Lord of the worlds, The Lord of Moses and Aaron.” (7:117-122)
O servants of Allah:
Reflect on the state of these magicians, when they saw the signs of Allah Most High, they believed with a certain, steadfast faith, despite Pharaoh's threat to cut them and crucify them. Yet they said,
(قَالُوا لَا ضَيْرَ إِنَّا إِلَى رَبِّنَا مُنْقَلِبُونَ * إِنَّا نَطْمَعُ أَنْ يَغْفِرَ لَنَا رَبُّنَا خَطَايَانَا أَنْ كُنَّا أَوَّلَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ)
“They said, "No harm. Indeed, to our Lord we will return. Indeed, we aspire that our Lord will forgive us our sins because we were the first of the believers.” (26:51-52)
After Moses's victory, Pharaoh resorted to force and tyranny, he thundered and foamed, threatened, and warned. This is the state of those on the side of falsehood when they run out of argument. So Allah revealed to Moses to leave with the believers and head towards where Allah commanded him. At that point, Pharaoh mobilized his army, gathered his strength, and set out after them. He pursued them, intending to wipe them out completely, God said,
﴿فَأَرْسَلَ فِرْعَوْنُ فِي الْمَدَائِنِ حَاشِرِينَ * إِنَّ هَؤُلَاءِ لَشِرْذِمَةٌ قَلِيلُونَ * وَإِنَّهُمْ لَنَا لَغَائِظُونَ * وَإِنَّا لَجَمِيعٌ حَاذِرُونَ﴾
"Then Pharaoh sent among the cities gatherers. [And said], "Indeed, those are but a small band, And indeed, they are enraging us, And indeed, we are a cautious society" (26:53-56)
Moses and his followers found themselves at the sea, and Pharaoh and his army caught up with them. The fears of the believers increased, with the sea in front of them and the enemy behind them.
God Almighty said,
﴿فَلَمَّا تَرَاءَى الْجَمْعَانِ قَالَ أَصْحَابُ مُوسَى إِنَّا لَمُدْرَكُونَ﴾
"And when the two companies saw one another, the companions of Moses said, "Indeed, we are to be overtaken!" (26:61)
That's how the outcome appeared based on the circumstances and conditions. But the answer of the believer who trusted in his Lord and believed in His promise was:
﴿كَلَّا إِنَّ مَعِيَ رَبِّي سَيَهْدِينِ﴾
"[Moses] said, "No! Indeed, with me is my Lord; He will guide me." (26:62)
Moses did not know how Allah would save him from Pharaoh, but his strong faith overcame what he saw of the overwhelming threats against him. Then came the relief and victory from the Powerful, the Praiseworthy, the one who is sufficient for those who rely on Him, and the trustee of those who depend on Him. Allah commanded Moses to strike the raging sea with his staff, and when he did, it split into dry paths wide enough for the people. Moses and his people walked through it, fearing neither pursuit nor danger.
Pharaoh and his army entered after them. When all of Moses's people had left the sea and all of Pharaoh's people had entered it, Allah commanded the sea, and it closed over them, drowning them all. Allah said,
﴿فَقُطِعَ دَابِرُ الْقَوْمِ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ﴾
“So the people that committed wrong were eliminated. And praise to Allah, Lord of the worlds.” (6:45)
In this way, O servants of Allah, truth triumphed over falsehood, and Allah fulfilled His promise, honored His troops, and what Moses had told his people came to pass:
﴿قَالَ عَسَى رَبُّكُمْ أَنْ يُهْلِكَ عَدُوَّكُمْ وَيَسْتَخْلِفَكُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَيَنْظُرَ كَيْفَ تَعْمَلُونَ﴾
"He said, "Perhaps your Lord will destroy your enemy and grant you succession in the land and see how you will do." (7:129)
And Allah's will, as He informed us, was fulfilled, as He said:
﴿وَنُرِيدُ أَنْ نَمُنَّ عَلَى الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَنَجْعَلَهُمْ أَئِمَّةً وَنَجْعَلَهُمُ الْوَارِثِينَ *وَنُمَكِّنَ لَهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَنُرِيَ فِرْعَوْنَ وَهَامَانَ وَجُنُودَهُمَا مِنْهُمْ مَا كَانُوا يَحْذَرُونَ﴾
" And We wanted to confer favor upon those who were oppressed in the land and make them leaders and make them inheritors. And establish them in the land and show Pharaoh and [his minister] Haman and their soldiers through them that which they had feared." (28:5-6)
May Allah bless me and you in the Great Quran, and may we benefit from the verses and wise remembrance within it. I say these words and seek Allah's forgiveness for me and you, so seek His forgiveness. Indeed, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.
Second Sermon
Praise be to Allah alone, and prayers and peace be upon those who have no prophet after him.
To proceed,
O servants of Allah: How many signs for the believers are there in the story of Moses and Pharaoh! Indeed, Allah's promise is true, and His victory is true for the people of truth. However, Allah has set a term for everything and has wisdom in His decrees, glory be to Him.
And indeed, all affairs belong to Allah. He is the One who manages the affairs and controls destiny. No matter how oppression, tyrants, and the people of disbelief persist, and no matter how arrogant they are with their worldly capabilities, experiences, scholars, and allies, they are nothing. Indeed, all affairs belong to Allah. He rules as He wills, and He decrees as He pleases.
And no matter how high falsehood rises, it is bound to collapse and disappear. However, it is incumbent upon the believers to trust in Allah's promise, seek His help, and be patient. Indeed, the end is for the righteous.
"Whoever fears Allah, obeys Him, complies with His commands, trusts in Him, and seeks His help, they are indeed victorious. Allah says,
﴿إِنَّا لَنَنْصُرُ رُسُلَنَا وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَيَوْمَ يَقُومُ الْأَشْهَادُ﴾
“Indeed, We will support Our messengers and those who believe during the life of this world and on the Day when the witnesses will stand” (40:51)
Allah, the Exalted, also said:
﴿إِنَّهُ مَنْ يَتَّقِ وَيَصْبِرْ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ﴾
“Indeed, Allah does not allow to be lost the reward of those who do good.” (11:115)
O servants of Allah: since our nation was the first to receive the Prophets, we have more right to Moses, peace be upon him, than the disbelieving Jews, and more right to Jesus, peace be upon him, than the disbelieving Christians. Allah has prescribed for the believers to fast on the day when Allah saved Moses and those with him from our believing brethren, which is the day of 'Ashura. It was narrated in Sahih Bukhari from Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: 'The Prophet (ﷺ) arrived in Medina and saw the Jews fasting on the day of Ashura. He asked, "What is this?" They replied, "This is a righteous day; it is the day when Allah saved the Children of Israel from their enemy, so Moses fasted this day in gratitude to Allah, and we also fast it in honor." He said, "I have more right to Moses than you," so he fasted and ordered the fasting of that day.'
When asked about the virtue of fasting on the day of Ashura, he said: 'I hope that Allah will expiate (the sins of) the year that came before it.' This was narrated by Muslim. It is also recommended to fast the ninth day along with it, to be different from the Jews. This indicates that differing from the disbelievers is intended in our legislation, even in obedience, as the Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'If I live until next year, I will certainly fast the ninth.' This was narrated by Muslim.
Indeed, this entire month - the month of Muharram, which is Allah’s month - it is recommended to increase fasting in it. It was narrated by Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'The best fasting after Ramadan is the month of Allah, Muharram.' This was narrated by Muslim.
Then exalt and send peace to the one sent as a mercy to the worlds. O Allah, exalt and send peace to our Prophet Muhammad and upon his family and companions, all together."
"O Lord, aid us and do not aid against us, support us and do not support against us, plan for us and do not plan against us, guide us and make guidance easy for us, and help us against those who transgress against us. O Allah, bring relief to the oppressed among the believers everywhere, and bestow Your victory upon Your monotheistic servants. O Allah, guide the guardian of our affairs to what You love and are pleased with, and lead him by the forelock to righteousness and piety. Our Lord, give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and protect us from the torment of the Fire.
O servants of Allah: remember Allah with abundant remembrance, and glorify Him morning and evening. And our final call is that all praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds."
