Sermon Title: Frustrating the Enemies of Allah.
Themes of the Sermon:
1- The love of Allah is the foundation of faith.
2- Disassociation from the infidels is an essential requirement of faith.
3- Frustrating the enemies of Allah through Jihād for His sake.
4- Examples of frustrating the enemies include systematically, ideologically, and economically boycotting the disbelievers.
Praise be to Allah, who has honored the believers with servitude to Him alone and submission to Him, and has bound their hearts with the bond of allegiance to Him, and has made it obligatory upon them to show mercy to each other and to support one another for His sake. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone, with no partner, and I bear witness that Muḥammad is His servant and messenger, who conveyed the Message, fulfilled the mission with which he had been entrusted, and strived in the way of Allah as is His due. May Allah bless him, his family, and his Companions. To proceed:
So fear Allah, O servants of Allah, and know that whoever fears Allah, He will protect him from evil in this world and the Hereafter, and He will provide for him a way out of every hardship and grant him relief from every distress.
O Servants of Allah:
Have you heard about the devil of Quraysh?
Indeed, it was ʿUmayr ibn Wahb al-Jumaḥiyy. He was a disbeliever who fought against the Muslims during the Battle of Badr, and his son was taken captive in the hands of the Muslims. Later, he conspired with Ṣafwān ibn Umayyah to go to Medina with the intention of deceitfully assassinating the Prophet (ﷺ).
When ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb, may Allah be pleased with him, saw ʿUmayr brandishing his sword, he was alarmed and shouted, “This is the enemy of Allah who provoked us on the Day of Badr and incited the people against us.” He then ordered the Companions to be vigilant and cautious of him, ensuring that he would not harm or plot against the Prophet (ﷺ).
When ʿUmayr entered the presence of the Prophet (ﷺ), the Prophet (ﷺ) informed him of the true reason for his visit and the agreement with Ṣafwān to kill him (ﷺ). At that very moment, ʿUmayr realized that the Prophet (ﷺ) was a truthful Messenger who received revelation from Allah, and as a result, ʿUmayr declared his faith in Allah.
When ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb, may Allah be pleased with him, saw him embracing Islam, he was delighted and exclaimed, “By the One in whose hand is my soul, I hated ʿUmayr more than I hated a pig, when he came to us intending to kill the Prophet (ﷺ). But now. I love him more than I love some of my own children.” (Narrated by Aṭ-Ṭabarāniyy).
What is the secret behind this shift in the stance of ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb regarding ʿUmayr, and how would an enemy become a beloved ally merely by embracing faith?
One finds no expression to describe the relationship between a sincere servant and his Lord, as Allah, the Most High, eloquently describes it in His verse:
قال تعالى:
يُحِبُّهُمْ وَيُحِبُّونَهُ
(المائدة: 54)
“He loves them, and they love Him.” (Qurʾān 5:54)
The love of Allah is the foundation and essence of faith. A true believer is one who recognizes Allah and acknowledges His perfection, beauty, and majesty. A true believer is one whose heart is filled with love, reverence, and devoted servitude to Him. This profound love inspires obedience to His commands and wholehearted submission to His divine will.
The love of Allah is not a claim uttered with the tongue; rather, it is a feeling and a consciousness that captivates the heart, allowing the believer to savor the taste of happiness through faith, as the Prophet (ﷺ) said, “There are three qualities which, if they are found in any person, shall cause him to experience the sweetness of faith: that Allah and His Messenger are more beloved to him than anything else; that he loves a person only for Allah’s sake; and that he would hate to return to disbelief after Allah had saved him from, just as he would hate to be thrown into fire.” (Agreed upon by Al-Bukhāriyy and Muslim)
Indeed, these are the three components of happiness: love of Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ), love for the sake of Allah, and loathing disbelief in Allah. True love of Allah cannot be attained without these components.
It is a fundamental principle of reason, nature, and custom that one who loves a beloved also loves his allies and supports them, and hates his enemies and opposes them.
For this reason, Jihād in the way of Allah is a great sign of love for Allah, and it signifies His selective choice of whom He wills from His servants, as He, Glorified and Exalted, says:
قال تعالى:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَنْ يَرْتَدَّ مِنْكُمْ عَنْ دِينِهِ فَسَوْفَ يَأْتِي اللَّهُ بِقَوْمٍ يُحِبُّهُمْ وَيُحِبُّونَهُ أَذِلَّةٍ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَعِزَّةٍ عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ يُجَاهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَلَا يَخَافُونَ لَوْمَةَ لَائِمٍ ذَلِكَ فَضْلُ اللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَاللَّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ
(المائدة: 54)
“O you who have believed, whoever of you should revert from his religion - Allah will bring forth [in place of them] a people He will love and who will love Him [who are] humble toward the believers, powerful against the disbelievers; they strive in the cause of Allah and do not fear the blame of a critic. That is the favor of Allah; He bestows it upon whom He wills. And Allah is all-Encompassing and Knowing.” (Qurʾān 5:54)
Indeed, among the various forms of striving against the enemies of Allah is to displease them, irritate them, and compel them with everything they detest. This is a great act of worship, which the scholars call “the worship of frustrating the enemies of Allah.”
Allah has made the migration of the emigrant in the way of Allah a means of frustrating the enemy— an action that is commendable and pleasing to Him. Allah, Exalted is He, says:
قال تعالى:
وَمَنْ يُهَاجِرْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ يَجِدْ فِي الْأَرْضِ مُرَاغَمًا كَثِيرًا وَسَعَةً
(النساء: 100)
“And whoever emigrates for the cause of Allah will find on the earth many safe havens [to frustrate the enemies] and bountiful resources.” (Quran 4:100)
Allah named the place to which a person emigrates to establish the religion of Allah “a place of frustrating the enemy,” because within it, he compels and frustrates the enemy of Allah.
Our Prophet (ﷺ) clarified that the act of irritating Satan, the enemy of Allah and mankind, is a legislated matter. Satan is irritated and vexed by the prostration of a servant to his Lord, as Allah commanded him to prostrate (to Adam), but he refused. For this reason, the Prophet (ﷺ) legislated for the one who errs in his prayer to perform two additional prostrations and said, “If his prayer was complete, they (i.e., two prostrations) will be a means to irritate Satan.” (Reported by Muslim). He (ﷺ) referred to them as “the two prostrations of forgetfulness irritating Satan.” (Reported by Abū Dāwūd).
Among the characteristics of the followers of the Prophet (ﷺ), which Allah mentioned in the previous scriptures, is that they are a cause for the rage of the disbelievers. Allah, may He be exalted, says:
قال تعالى:
وَمَثَلُهُمْ فِي الْإِنْجِيلِ كَزَرْعٍ أَخْرَجَ شَطْأَهُ فَآزَرَهُ فَاسْتَغْلَظَ فَاسْتَوَى عَلَى سُوقِهِ يُعْجِبُ الزُّرَّاعَ لِيَغِيظَ بِهِمُ الْكُفَّارَ
(الفتح: 29)
“And their description in the Gospel is as a plant which produces its offshoots and strengthens them so they grow firm and stand upon their stalks, delighting the sowers - so that Allah may enrage by them the disbelievers.” (Qurʾān 48:29)
Allah Almighty designated the act of irritating His enemies as a type of Jihād (struggle in the way of Allah), through which He records righteous deeds for the believers, ensuring they receive their deserved reward. Allah, Glorified and Exalted, says:
قال تعالى:
ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ لَا يُصِيبُهُمْ ظَمَأٌ وَلَا نَصَبٌ وَلَا مَخْمَصَةٌ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَلَا يَطَئُونَ مَوْطِئًا يَغِيظُ الْكُفَّارَ وَلَا يَنَالُونَ مِنْ عَدُوٍّ نَيْلًا إِلَّا كُتِبَ لَهُمْ بِهِ عَمَلٌ صَالِحٌ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ
(التوبة: 120)
“That is because they are not afflicted by thirst or fatigue or hunger in the cause of Allah, nor do they tread on any ground that enrages the disbelievers, nor do they inflict upon an enemy any infliction but that is registered for them as a righteous deed. Indeed, Allah does not allow to be lost the reward of the doers of good.” (Qurʾān 9:120)
This is a noble act of worship that indicates the sincerity of the servant in his love for Allah and his pursuit of His pleasure. Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him, stated, “The portion of the servant in this act of irritating enemies is directly proportional to his love for his Lord, his loyalty to Him, and his hostility towards His enemy.”
O Servants of Allah,
Irritating the enemies of Allah Almighty and provoking their anger takes many forms.
One such form is to vex them by exhibiting endurance and patience, preventing them from gloating over the believers. An example is the conduct of Khubayb ibn ʿAdiyy, may Allah be pleased with him, when the polytheists brought him forth for execution. He prayed two light Rakʿahs (units of prayer) and remarked, “Hadn’t I been afraid that you would think that I was afraid (of being killed), I would have prolonged the prayer.” (Reported by Al-Bukhāriyy).
Another form of irritating the enemies of Allah is to demonstrate superiority over them in the battlegrounds. Even though arrogance is reprehensible, it is commendable when it displays strength in the context of Jihād. As the Prophet ﷺ said, “The kind of pride that Allah loves is when a man shows his pride when fighting.” (Reported by Abū Dāwūd).
Another form of irritating the enemies of Allah is to disseminate information that they find detestable and infuriating, such as news of their defeats, humiliations, and disgraces, as well as all that weakens their strength, undermines their resolve, instills fear in their hearts, and shatter their arrogance and pride.
Yet another form of irritating the enemies of Allah is to undermine their ability to wage war by boycotting the companies that support them. When Imām Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, may Allah have mercy on him, was asked, “Can a man buy something from the enemy?”, he responded, “Nothing should be bought from those who gain power against the Muslims.”
This is exemplified by Thumāmah ibn Uthāl, may Allah be pleased with him, who was the leader of Yamāmah. When he converted to Islam and went to Mecca for ʿUmrah (minor pilgrimage), he stood among the polytheists and declared, “By Allah, not a grain of wheat will come to you from Yamāmah until the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) permits it.” (Agreed upon by Al-Bukhāriyy and Muslim)
Nevertheless, those who have become slaves to their desires, surrendered their stomachs, and became enthralled by the allure of their products and offerings will never comprehend this concept and strategy of irritating the enemies of Allah by boycotting them.
May Allah bless you and me with the Glorious Qurʾān, and may He help us benefit from its verses wise reminders. I ask Allah to forgive my sins and yours; so seek His forgiveness. Indeed, He is All-Forgiving and All-Merciful.
Second Sermon
Praise be to Allah. May peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah, his family, his Companions, and those who follow him.
Be mindful of Allah, O servants of Allah, and fear Him as He should be feared, and know that He watches you in private and in public.
Brothers in Islam,
Among the most crucial elements of irritating the enemies of Allah is adhering steadfastly to the religion of Allah, holding fast to the Sunnah of the Prophet (ﷺ), maintaining a strong commitment to Islam, spreading its Message among people, and inviting them to it. The enemies detest and resist these efforts as much as they can, as Allah the Exalted says:
قال تعالى:
يُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يُطْفِئُوا نُورَ اللَّهِ بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَيَأْبَى اللَّهُ إِلَّا أَنْ يُتِمَّ نُورَهُ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْكَافِرُونَ * هُوَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلَ رَسُولَهُ بِالْهُدَى وَدِينِ الْحَقِّ لِيُظْهِرَهُ عَلَى الدِّينِ كُلِّهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ﴾
(التوبة: 32-33)
“They want to extinguish the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah refuses except to perfect His light, although the disbelievers dislike it. It is He who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth to manifest it over all religion, although those who associate others with Allah dislike it.” (Qurʾān 9:32-33)
Among the obligatory forms of irritating the enemies of Allah is to distance oneself from Western ideologies and to declare a complete disassociation from their media content. They broadcast their series and films to us, and impose their channels and media on us with the aim of conditioning our minds to admire and unquestionably follow them.
This pervasive influence of Westernization has infiltrated most aspects of life, leading many to fall into the trap of moral and intellectual distortion, so much so that they begin to perceive matters through the Western lens, where their version of truth is accepted as true, and what they deem false is seen as false.
The believer has a unique character that resists assimilation and remains uncolored by falsehood. The believer derives his beliefs, methodologies, thoughts, and morals from the infallible revelation. Allah has commanded the believer to declare this openly, as He says:
قال تعالى:
قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْكَافِرُونَ * لَا أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ * وَلَا أَنْتُمْ عَابِدُونَ مَا أَعْبُدُ * وَلَا أَنَا عَابِدٌ مَا عَبَدْتُمْ * وَلَا أَنْتُمْ عَابِدُونَ مَا أَعْبُدُ * لَكُمْ دِينُكُمْ وَلِيَ دِينِ
(الكافرون: 1-6)
“Say, O disbelievers, I do not worship what you worship. Nor are you worshippers of what I worship. Nor will I be a worshipper of what you worship. Nor will you be worshippers of what I worship. For you is your religion, and for me is my religion.” (Qurʾān 109:1-6)
Allah Almighty has unequivocally condemned those who incline their ears to their enemies, succumb to their influence, obey them, and follow their whims, as He says:
قال تعالى:
َيا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنْ تُطِيعُوا فَرِيقًا مِنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ يَرُدُّوكُمْ بَعْدَ إِيمَانِكُمْ كَافِرِينَ * وَكَيْفَ تَكْفُرُونَ وَأَنْتُمْ تُتْلَى عَلَيْكُمْ آيَاتُ اللَّهِ وَفِيكُمْ رَسُولُهُ وَمَنْ يَعْتَصِمْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدْ هُدِيَ إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ
(الكافرون: 1-6)
“O you who have believed, if you obey a party from those who were given the Scripture, they would turn you back, after your belief, [to being] unbelievers. And how could you disbelieve while to you are being recited the verses of Allah and among you is His Messenger? And whoever holds firmly to Allah has [indeed] been guided to a straight path.” (Qurʾān 3:100-101)
So, O you who have believed in Allah, to the best of your ability, reject the enemies of Allah, stand against them, and irritate them. All of this is encompassed within the framework of the prescribed Jihād, which can manifest through personal effort, financial contributions, and verbal engagement, as the Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Strive against the disbelievers with your wealth, your lives, and your tongues.” (Reported by Aḥmad, Abū Dāwūd, and An-Nasāʾiyy).
O Allah, honor Islam and its people and humiliate disbelief and its people. O Allah, support Your servants who strive for Your Cause and for the elevation of Your religion. O Allah, save the weak and oppressed people in Gaza, show compassion to them, empower them, and envelop them in Your mercy. O Allah, defeat the transgressing Jews, destroy them one by one, eliminate them entirely, leave none of them behind, and grant us victory over them with Your Mighty strength. Indeed, You are the Powerful, the Exalted in Might.
O Allah, grant success to the leader of our affair in what You love and are pleased with. Guide him towards righteousness and piety. Our Lord, grant us the good of this world and good of the Hereafter and protect us from the torment of the Fire.
O Servants of Allah: Remember Allah frequently and glorify Him in the morning and evening, and let our final supplication be: All praise is to Allah, Lord of the worlds.
