The title of the sermon: Among You Are Those Who Desire this World.
Elements of the sermon:
Eagerness for this worldly life corrupts the religion.
Types of people who are doomed by preferring worldly life.
This world is a fleeting enjoyment.
Belief in the Hereafter reveals the true nature of the worldly life.
Praise be to Allah, who has enriched His allies with His grace and mercy, and has made His enemies miserable through His justice and wisdom. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah alone, without any partner, a testimony acknowledging His Oneness. And I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger, who has delivered the message of his Lord and advised his nation. May Allah's blessings be upon him, his family, his companions, and grant them peace abundantly until the Day of Judgment.
O servants of Allah, fear Allah as He should be feared, and remain conscious of Him in secret and in public.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ
"O you who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared, and die not except in a state of Islam."
O servants of Allah, have you heard about the ferocious wolves? Or seen their actions among the livestock when they ravage them? Our Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said, "Two hungry wolves sent among sheep are not more destructive to them than a person's craving for wealth and honor to his religion." (Reported by Ahmad).
When a person's efforts and toil are solely for the fleeting pleasures of this world, whether for wealth or status, striving and laboring for it, giving and withholding for its sake, pleased and saddened by it, it becomes his ultimate goal and purpose. Such a person loses his religion and is undoubtedly doomed. His greed for wealth and status will enslave him until he becomes a servant to them, corrupting his religion more than starving wolves corrupt domestic sheep.
The early companions of the Prophet, may Allah be pleased with them, abandoned worldly pleasures for the sake of Allah. The Migrants left their homes and wealth seeking Allah's pleasure, and the Helpers sold their souls to Allah, preferring their brothers over themselves, in support of Allah and His messenger (ﷺ). Allah supported them in the Battle of Badr. But during the Battle of Uhud, when the Prophet (ﷺ) placed some of his companions on a mountain to protect their rear and instructed them not to leave their positions until he sent for them, regardless of victory or defeat.
But when Allah caused the disbelievers to flee, some archers saw the spoils of war and said, "The spoils, O people, the spoils! Your companions have prevailed, what are you waiting for?" Their leader, Abdullah ibn Jubayr, reminded them of the Prophet's (ﷺ) command, but they insisted on joining the others for the spoils.
They left their posts for a share of the spoils, leading to a great calamity. Allah then revealed verses explaining the cause of their affliction, saying:
وَلَقَدْ صَدَقَكُمُ اللَّهُ وَعْدَهُ إِذْ تَحُسُّونَهُمْ بِإِذْنِهِ حَتَّى إِذَا فَشِلْتُمْ وَتَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي الْأَمْرِ وَعَصَيْتُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا أَرَاكُمْ مَا تُحِبُّونَ مِنْكُمْ مَنْ يُرِيدُ الدُّنْيَا وَمِنْكُمْ مَنْ يُرِيدُ الْآخِرَةَ ثُمَّ صَرَفَكُمْ عَنْهُمْ لِيَبْتَلِيَكُمْ وَلَقَدْ عَفَا عَنْكُمْ وَاللَّهُ ذُو فَضْلٍ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
" And Allah had certainly fulfilled His promise to you when you were killing the enemy by His permission until [the time] when you lost courage and fell to disputing about the order [given by the Prophet] and disobeyed after He had shown you that which you love. Among you are some who desire this world, and among you are some who desire the Hereafter. Then he turned you back from them [defeated] that He might test you. And He has already forgiven you, and Allah is the possessor of bounty for the believers."
What can the desire for this world do, and where can it lead its pursuer? The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Wretched is the slave of the dinar, dirham, and luxurious clothes. If he is given, he is pleased; if not, he is discontented. Wretched and inverted he is. If he is pricked, he cannot recover." (Reported by Bukhari).
The slave of dirhams and dinars, of clothes and possessions, of fame and authority, is never satisfied or enriched unless he acquires this world, whatever the cost, even if he must sell his religion for it.
The preference for this world is what led the disbelievers to choose disbelief over faith, neglecting the meeting with Allah and the bliss of the hereafter. They saw religion, faith, and adherence to the law as obstacles to their worldly pleasures, so they preferred them over Allah. Allah says:
مَنْ كَفَرَ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ بَعْدِ إِيمَانِهِ إِلَّا مَنْ أُكْرِهَ وَقَلْبُهُ مُطْمَئِنٌّ بِالْإِيمَانِ وَلَكِنْ مَنْ شَرَحَ بِالْكُفْرِ صَدْرًا فَعَلَيْهِمْ غَضَبٌ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ * ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمُ اسْتَحَبُّوا الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا عَلَى الْآخِرَةِ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْكَافِرِينَ
"Whoever disbelieves in Allah after his belief, except for one who is forced while his heart is secure in faith, but those who willingly open their hearts to disbelief, upon them is wrath from Allah, and for them is a great punishment. That is because they preferred the worldly life over the hereafter, and that Allah does not guide the disbelieving people."
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said, "Hasten to do good deeds before trials come like a piece of the dark night. A man will be a believer in the morning and turn to disbelief by evening, or he will be a believer in the evening and turn to disbelief by morning, selling his religion for some worldly gain." (Reported by Muslim).
The eagerness for worldly life and its preferences is what led the learned men of the People of the Book to distort their scriptures. It prompts similar people among the leaders of misguidance to alter the Shariah, out of love for money, honor, and leadership. Allah says:
وَإِذْ أَخَذَ اللَّهُ مِيثَاقَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ لَتُبَيِّنُنَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ وَلَا تَكْتُمُونَهُ فَنَبَذُوهُ وَرَاءَ ظُهُورِهِمْ وَاشْتَرَوْا بِهِ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلًا فَبِئْسَ مَا يَشْتَرُونَ
"And [mention, O Muhammad], when Allah took a covenant from those who were given the Scripture, [saying], "You must make it clear to the people and not conceal it." But they threw it away behind their backs and exchanged it for a small price. Wretched is what they bought."
This greed for this world and its preferential treatment is what drives criminals to assault lives, honor, and property, seeking wealth, fame, positions, and leadership, and indulging in pleasures and whims. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Beware of stinginess, for those before you were destroyed because of stinginess. It led them to shed blood and regard the unlawful as lawful." (Reported by Muslim).
Therefore, the Prophet (ﷺ) feared for his companions from this world, saying, "By Allah, I do not fear poverty for you, but I fear that this world will be expanded for you as it was for those before you. You will compete for it as they did, and it will destroy you as it destroyed them.' (Agreed upon).
The eagerness for this world and its preferential treatment is what leads people to engage in usury, bribery, theft, deception, and unfair trade practices. Did they not once say to Prophet Shu'aib (ﷺ) when he condemned their corrupt practices in their trade:
يَا شُعَيْبُ أَصَلَاتُكَ تَأْمُرُكَ أَنْ نَتْرُكَ مَا يَعْبُدُ آبَاؤُنَا أَوْ أَنْ نَفْعَلَ فِي أَمْوَالِنَا مَا نَشَاءُ
"O Shu'aib, does your prayer command you that we leave what our fathers worshiped or not do with our wealth as we please?"
They sought liberation from the constraints of Shariah that prevented them from oppressing and robbing people, desiring to indulge in impure wealth.
This eagerness for this world and its preference is what made those left behind fail to join the Jihad for the sake of Allah, being heavy towards the earth, letting down their brothers, and sometimes even conspiring with their enemies against them. Allah says:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَا لَكُمْ إِذَا قِيلَ لَكُمُ انْفِرُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ اثَّاقَلْتُمْ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ أَرَضِيتُمْ بِالْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا مِنَ الْآخِرَةِ فَمَا مَتَاعُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا فِي الْآخِرَةِ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌ * إِلَّا تَنْفِرُوا يُعَذِّبْكُمْ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا وَيَسْتَبْدِلْ قَوْمًا غَيْرَكُمْ وَلَا تَضُرُّوهُ شَيْئًا وَاللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
"O you who believe, what is [the matter] with you that, when you are told to go forth in the cause of Allah, you adhere heavily to the earth? Are you satisfied with the life of this world rather than the Hereafter? But what is the enjoyment of worldly life compared to the Hereafter except a [very] little. If you do not go forth, He will punish you with a painful punishment and will replace you with another people, and you will not harm Him at all. And Allah is over all things competent."
O servants of Allah, what is the reality of this world with its pleasures, positions, and delights? The Lord of the Worlds tells us about its reality, saying:
وَمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا إِلَّا مَتَاعُ الْغُرُور
"And what is the worldly life except the enjoyment of delusion."
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) tells us about its reality, saying, "If this world was worth a mosquito's wing in the sight of Allah, He would not have given a drink of water to a disbeliever." (Reported by Tirmidhi)
How insignificant is this world in the sight of Allah! Indeed, with all its pleasures and belongings, it does not equal the wing of a mosquito in His sight. So, what has he gained who sold the Hereafter for something less significant than a mosquito's wing?
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) passed by a market one day and saw a dead, scrawny goat. He picked it up by the ear and said, "Who among you would like to have this for a dirham?" The companions replied, "We would not like to have it for anything; what would we do with it?" He asked, "Would you like to have it?" They said, "By Allah, even if it were alive, it would be defective because it is scrawny, so how about now when it is dead?" He then said, "By Allah, this world is more insignificant in the sight of Allah than this is to you." (Reported by Muslim).
May Allah bless me and you with the great Quran, and may He make us benefit from the verses and the wise reminder it contains. I ask Allah's forgiveness for myself and for you, so seek His forgiveness. He is the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
Second sermon
Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah, his family, his companions, and those who follow him.
O servants of Allah, fear Allah and be conscious of Him. Obey Him and do not disobey Him.
O brothers in Islam, the one who is certain of meeting Allah and the great reward He has for His pious servants will prefer His pleasure over his desires and enjoyments. He does not sell his religion for this world and what it contains, believing that this world, with all its contents, is a trivial price, indeed nothing compared to the Hereafter. Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, describes the illness and its cure, saying:
زُيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ حُبُّ الشَّهَوَاتِ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ وَالْبَنِينَ وَالْقَنَاطِيرِ الْمُقَنْطَرَةِ مِنَ الذَّهَبِ وَالْفِضَّةِ وَالْخَيْلِ الْمُسَوَّمَةِ وَالْأَنْعَامِ وَالْحَرْثِ ذَلِكَ مَتَاعُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَاللَّهُ عِنْدَهُ حُسْنُ الْمَآبِ * قُلْ أَؤُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِخَيْرٍ مِنْ ذَلِكُمْ لِلَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ جَنَّاتٌ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا وَأَزْوَاجٌ مُطَهَّرَةٌ وَرِضْوَانٌ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ بَصِيرٌ بِالْعِبَادِ
"Beautified for people is the love of that which they desire - of women and sons, heaped-up sums of gold and silver, fine branded horses, and cattle and tilled land. That is the enjoyment of worldly life, but Allah has with Him the best return. Say, "Shall I inform you of [something] better than that? For those who fear Allah will be gardens in the presence of their Lord beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally, and purified spouses and approval from Allah. And Allah is Seeing of [His] servants.'"
How can Paradise not be better, greater, and more delightful when the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said, 'A place in Paradise as small as a bow or lash is better than all that the sun rises and sets over.' (Reported by Bukhari).
How can it not be when he said, "If a fingernail's worth of Paradise appeared, it would adorn everything between the heavens and the earth. And if a man of Paradise looked down, his bracelet would outshine the sun, just as the sun outshines the stars." (Reported by Ahmad)
How can it not be better and greater when a single dip in it makes the servant forget all the misery of the world? How can it not be better when the greatest bliss is to see the face of the Most Glorious, the Most Honorable?
When a servant knows this, he prefers the Hereafter over all the pleasures of this world and refuses to sell it for a fleeting, false gain. He then sees this world as his field for the Hereafter, and even the smallest acts of obedience become better to him than this world and all it contains. As the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The two Rak'ah before the dawn (Fajr) prayer are better than this world and all that it contains." (Agreed upon)
He also said, "A morning or an evening spent in the cause of Allah is better than this world and everything in it." (Agreed upon)
The Prophet (ﷺ) once passed by a recently filled grave and said, "Two light Rak'ah that you might think little of and perform voluntarily, which this person could add to his deeds, are more beloved to him than the rest of your worldly life." (Reported by Tabarani)
O Allah, rectify for us our religion, which is the safeguard of our affairs, and rectify for us our worldly life, wherein our livelihood lies. And rectify for us our Hereafter, which is our final destination. O Allah, do not make our calamity in our religion, and do not make this world our greatest concern or the limit of our knowledge.
O Allah, honor Your religion, elevate Your word, and help Your monotheist servants. O Allah, deal with the corrupting Jews and those who ally with them, scatter their union, and divide their gathering, and give us victory over them by Your strength, O Powerful, O Mighty.
O Allah, guide our leader to what You love and are pleased with, and lead him by his forelock to righteousness and piety. Our Lord, grant us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and save us from the torment of the Fire.
O servants of Allah, remember Allah abundantly, glorify Him morning and evening. Our last prayer is that all praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds.
