Title of Sermon: "Fasting and its Effect on the Perfection of Submission"
Elements of Sermon:
1. The essence of Islam is submission to Allah.
2. Fasting as a practical lesson in submission.
3. Why we submit to Allah's command.
4. The Companions' submission to the Sharia.
All praise be to Allah, the Wise, the All-Knowing, whose mercy and knowledge encompass everything, and who reigns over every creature with majesty and decree. Blessed is Allah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone without any partner, and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and messenger. May Allah bless him, his family, his companions, and grant them peace in abundance.
To proceed:
Fear Allah, O servants of Allah, with the true fear that is due, and observe Him in private and in secrecy,
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 do not die except as Muslims [in submission to Him]."
Brothers in Islam:
"To my Lord, I listen and obey"... This is the motto of the believer’s life when he receives the command of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ.
This was stated by the companion Ma'qil ibn Yasar, may Allah be pleased with him, when he married his sister to a man among the Muslims during the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. The marriage went as it did, then he divorced her in such a manner that he did not take her back until her waiting period expired. He longed for her, and she for him, and then he proposed to marry her along with other suitors. Ma'qil said to him: "O Luk'a! I honored you with her and married her to you, then you divorced her. By Allah, she will never return to you; that's the last thing you'll have from me." Ma'qil said: "Allah knew his need for her and her need for her husband, so Allah revealed:
وَإِذَا طَلَّقْتُمُ النِّسَاءَ فَبَلَغْنَ أَجَلَهُنَّ فَلَا تَعْضُلُوهُنَّ أَنْ يَنْكِحْنَ أَزْوَاجَهُنَّ إِذَا تَرَاضَوْا بَيْنَهُمْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ ذَلِكَ يُوعَظُ بِهِ مَنْ كَانَ مِنْكُمْ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ ذَلِكُمْ أَزْكَى لَكُمْ وَأَطْهَرُ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنْتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
'And when you divorce women and they have fulfilled their term, do not prevent them from remarrying their [former] husbands if they agree among themselves on an acceptable basis. That is instructed to whoever of you believes in Allah and the Last Day. That is better for you and purer, and Allah knows and you know not'".
When Ma'qil heard it, he said: "I listen to my Lord and obey," then he called him and said: "I marry her to you and honor you." Narrated by Tirmidhi.
Servants of Allah:
The essence of Islam is total submission and complete obedience to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, and indeed, the entire universe has submitted to Him, willingly or unwillingly.
Allah the Almighty said:
أَفَغَيْرَ دِينِ اللَّهِ يَبْغُونَ وَلَهُ أَسْلَمَ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ طَوْعًا وَكَرْهًا وَإِلَيْهِ يُرْجَعُونَ
"So is it other than the religion of Allah they desire, while to Him have submitted [all] those within the heavens and earth, willingly or unwillingly, and to Him they will be returned" [Al-Imran: 83].
Islam to Allah is submission to His commands and His law, and to His decree and destiny. It is the submission of the heart, face, and limbs.
Allah the Almighty said:
وَمَنْ يُسْلِمْ وَجْهَهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَهُوَ مُحْسِنٌ فَقَدِ اسْتَمْسَكَ بِالْعُرْوَةِ الْوُثْقَى وَإِلَى اللَّهِ عَاقِبَةُ الْأُمُورِ
"And whoever submits his face to Allah while he is a doer of good - then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold. And to Allah will be the outcome of [all] matters" [Luqman: 22].
Muawiya ibn Haydah, may Allah be pleased with him, asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, "What is Islam?" He replied, ﷺ: "That your heart submits to Allah the Almighty, that you direct your face towards Allah the Almighty, that you perform the prescribed prayers, and that you pay the obligatory zakat." Narrated by Ahmad.
And indeed, He made acceptance of His command and submission to His law a sign of faith and a basis for its achievement. He said:
فَلَا وَرَبِّكَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّى يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيمَا شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ لَا يَجِدُوا فِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ حَرَجًا مِمَّا قَضَيْتَ وَيُسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا
"But no, by your Lord, they will not [truly] believe until they make you, [O Muhammad], judge concerning that over which they dispute among themselves and then find within themselves no discomfort from what you have judged and submit in [full, willing] submission" [An-Nisa: 65].
By fulfilling Islam, Allah praised His beloved servant Abraham, peace be upon him, saying:
وَلَقَدِ اصْطَفَيْنَاهُ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَإِنَّهُ فِي الْآخِرَةِ لَمِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ * إِذْ قَالَ لَهُ رَبُّهُ أَسْلِمْ قَالَ أَسْلَمْتُ لِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
"And indeed, we chose him in this world, and indeed he, in the Hereafter, will be among the righteous. When his Lord said to him, 'Submit,' he said, 'I have submitted [in Islam] to the Lord of the worlds'" [Al-Baqarah: 130-131].
Allah commanded His beloved servant Abraham, peace be upon him, to monotheism and obedience to His law. He complied and submitted to Allah in all commands without selection, opposition, doubt, hesitation, or delay. Therefore, he deserved to be a nation for the people, a leader of guidance and submission. Allah said:
وَإِذِ ابْتَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ رَبُّهُ بِكَلِمَاتٍ فَأَتَمَّهُنَّ قَالَ إِنِّي جَاعِلُكَ لِلنَّاسِ إِمَامًا
"And when his Lord tested Abraham with certain commands, and he fulfilled them. [Allah] said, 'Indeed, I will make you a leader for the people'" [Al-Baqarah: 124].
Servants of Allah:
The month of Ramadan has passed with the worship of fasting, in a practical lesson and real proof of the servant's submission to Allah the Almighty.
Before Ramadan, it was permissible for the Muslim to enjoy the good things from lawful provision, eating, drinking, and approaching his family, earning reward for that. Then, as soon as the crescent of Ramadan is sighted, fasting becomes obligatory on every Muslim. He leaves his food, drink, and desires, which were lawful yesterday have become forbidden today. He refrains from all of that from dawn until sunset, then with the call of Maghrib prayer, what was forbidden becomes lawful and good again. This continues until the arrival of Eid, when fasting on the day of Eid becomes forbidden. Instead, he draws closer to Allah the Almighty with his food and drink, and rejoices in Allah's favor upon him. This is a great lesson from the lessons of submission to Allah the Almighty.
It's a declaration to the entire world that the universe has one Lord, one Master, one Commander, He alone commands and forbids, He alone legalizes and prohibits, He alone deserves submission and obedience.
But the important question now is: Why do we submit to Allah alone without any partner?
We submit to Him because He is the Lord of the worlds, who alone has lordship over His creation. He alone is the Sovereign without any partner, who created, provided, and managed the affairs of all creation. No one besides Him has even an atom's weight of that authority.
Allah said:
إِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ اللَّهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ يُغْشِي اللَّيْلَ النَّهَارَ يَطْلُبُهُ حَثِيثًا وَالشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ وَالنُّجُومَ مُسَخَّرَاتٍ بِأَمْرِهِ أَلَا لَهُ الْخَلْقُ وَالْأَمْرُ تَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ
"Indeed, your Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and the earth in six days and then established Himself above the Throne, covering the night with the day, chasing it rapidly, and [He created] the sun, the moon, and the stars, subjected by His command. Surely, creation and command belong to Him. Blessed is Allah, the Lord of the worlds" [Al-A'raf: 54].
Just as none other than Him creates, none but He commands, glorified be He.
We submit to Him alone because He is unique in honor and benevolence, with blessings that are countless. He completed them on His creation so that they might submit to Him. He said:
كَذَلِكَ يُتِمُّ نِعْمَتَهُ عَلَيْكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُسْلِمُونَ
"Thus does He perfect His favor upon you that you might submit [to Him]."
We submit to Him alone because He is Allah, perfect in glory, majesty, and beauty, in His names, attributes, and actions. Thus, His command, prohibition, decree, and judgment all emanate from complete knowledge, profound wisdom, and vast mercy.
وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنْتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
"And Allah knows while you know not"
Thus, Allah concluded the verse that legislated jihad, knowing its hardship on souls, He said:
كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْقِتَالُ وَهُوَ كُرْهٌ لَكُمْ وَعَسَى أَنْ تَكْرَهُوا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ وَعَسَى أَنْ تُحِبُّوا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ شَرٌّ لَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنْتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
"Fighting has been prescribed for you while it is hateful to you. But perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you; and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you. And Allah knows, and you know not" [Al-Baqarah: 216].
If the servant is certain of Allah's vast knowledge, from which not an atom's weight in the heavens or on the earth escapes, he submits to Him in full submission.
Indeed, one of us might go to a doctor who prescribes a certain medicine at a specific dose and time, leaving no choice but to trust the doctor's knowledge, despite being human, whose knowledge is built on experiments, and who might succeed or fail, forget or be unaware. Yet, we accept his word and submit. So, where is the submission of the servant to the command of his Lord and Master, who knows everything as it truly is, for He is the Creator who said:
أَلَا يَعْلَمُ مَنْ خَلَقَ وَهُوَ اللَّطِيفُ الْخَبِيرُ
"Does He who created not know, while He is the Subtle, the Acquainted?" [Al-Mulk: 14].
We submit to Him because He is the absolute Truth and Justice, who speaks only the truth and commands only justice and kindness.
Because He is the Holy, the Peace, free from any imperfection or flaw, you will find no falsehood or ignorance, no injustice or tyranny, no desire or conjecture in His command, law, and decree.
We submit to Him because in responding to His law lies the good life, and in turning away from it lies constriction in this world and the Hereafter. He said:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اسْتَجِيبُوا لِلَّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذَا دَعَاكُمْ لِمَا يُحْيِيكُمْ
"O you who believe, respond to Allah and to the Messenger when he calls you to that which gives you life" [Al-Anfal: 24].
And He said:
فَإِمَّا يَأْتِيَنَّكُمْ مِنِّي هُدًى فَمَنِ اتَّبَعَ هُدَايَ فَلَا يَضِلُّ وَلَا يَشْقَى * وَمَنْ أَعْرَضَ عَنْ ذِكْرِي فَإِنَّ لَهُ مَعِيشَةً ضَنْكًا وَنَحْشُرُهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَعْمَى
"So, whoever follows My guidance will not go astray [nor] suffer. And whoever turns away from My remembrance - indeed, he will have a depressed life, and We will gather him on the Day of Resurrection blind" [Taha: 123-124].
Servants of Allah:
Indeed, the believer who has submitted to Allah and fasted for His sake, and refrained from his lawful desires in compliance with Allah’s command, is indeed worthy of submitting to Allah in everything, in his buying and selling, in his judgments and decrees, in his marriage and divorce, in his home and his work.
Is it logical for a Muslim to submit to Allah's command to fast, then when another command comes from Allah or His Messenger ﷺ, to reject it, or to hesitate about it? Or to say: I will not comply until I am convinced, or until I understand the wisdom and the purpose? Perhaps even rejecting Allah’s decree, claiming it contradicts benefit or opposes the contemporary reality.
All those have not submitted to Allah as He loves and is pleased.
Indeed, no one is more rightly guided, and no way is more correct, than a servant who has submitted and surrendered to Allah’s command, whose words are completed in truth, justice, right, mercy, and kindness.
Allah the Almighty said:
وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ دِينًا مِمَّنْ أَسْلَمَ وَجْهَهُ لِلَّهِ وَهُوَ مُحْسِنٌ وَاتَّبَعَ مِلَّةَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ حَنِيفًا وَاتَّخَذَ اللَّهُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ خَلِيلًا
"And who is better in religion than one who submits his face to Allah while being a doer of good and follows the religion of Abraham, inclining toward truth? And Allah took Abraham as an intimate friend" [An-Nisa: 125].
May Allah bless me and you with the great Quran and benefit me and you with the verses and wise remembrance within it, and I seek forgiveness from Allah for me and for you, so seek His forgiveness, for He is the Forgiving, the 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. After this introduction:
Brothers in Islam:
Submission to Allah is the essence of a believer’s life, in all aspects of their life, without selection or hardship.
Allah says:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ادْخُلُوا فِي السِّلْمِ كَافَّةً
"O you who believe, enter into Islam completely [and perfectly]" [Al-Baqarah: 208].
Meaning into Islam and all its laws entirely.
The Prophet ﷺ used to start his night prayer by saying: "O Allah, to You I have submitted." Reported by Bukhari and Muslim.
And he would end his day on his bed saying: "O Allah, into You I have submitted my soul.." Reported by Bukhari and Muslim.
The companions, may Allah be pleased with them, were the epitome of submission and surrender to the command of Allah the Almighty.
When the verses concerning the prohibition of alcohol were revealed, stating the wisdom behind it, Allah said:
إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَنْ يُوقِعَ بَيْنَكُمُ الْعَدَاوَةَ وَالْبَغْضَاءَ فِي الْخَمْرِ وَالْمَيْسِرِ وَيَصُدَّكُمْ عَنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَعَنِ الصَّلَاةِ فَهَلْ أَنْتُمْ مُنْتَهُونَ
"Satan only wants to cause between you animosity and hatred through intoxicants and gambling and to avert you from the remembrance of Allah and from prayer. So will you not desist?" [Al-Ma'idah: 91].
Upon its revelation, they said: "We have desisted, we have desisted." Reported by Tirmidhi.
And when the verses of hijab were revealed, the believing women hastened to comply without debate or hesitation.
Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, said: "May Allah have mercy on the early emigrant women. When Allah revealed:
وَلْيَضْرِبْنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَى جُيُوبِهِنَّ
'And let them draw their veils over their chests'
They tore their thick outer garments and covered themselves with them." Reported by Bukhari.
One of them would hear an advice from the Prophet ﷺ and adhere to it without fail.
Here is Jabir bin Sulaym saying to the Prophet ﷺ: "Advise me," and he said: "Do not curse anyone." He said: "I have not cursed a free person, nor a slave, nor a camel, nor a sheep since then." Reported by Abu Dawood.
Thus, they submitted, and Allah was pleased with them; thus, they humbled themselves and obeyed, so the mercy of their Lord and His forgiveness descended upon them. Thus, they dedicated themselves to their Lord, so He granted them dominion over the world and victory over their enemies. Then He made them kings in paradise, enjoying bliss and luxury.
O Allah, whoever among us You keep alive, keep them alive on Islam, and whoever among us You take in death, take them in faith.
O Allah, make us Muslims dedicated to You, mindful of You, grateful to You, humbly submissive to You, penitently turning back to You.
O Allah, give victory to Your servants who fight for Your cause, destroy the criminal Jewish killers, and with Your mercy, save Your weakened servants.
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 protect us from the punishment of the Fire.
Servants of Allah: remember Allah abundantly, and glorify Him in the morning and the evening. And our final call is that praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.
