Title of Sermon: "And That You Might Glorify Allah": Eid al-Fitr Sermon
Elements of Sermon:
1. Allah is the Greatest.
2. The meaning of glorifying Allah.
3. What if we glorify Allah with true glorification.
4. Glorifying fills what is between the heavens and the earth.
All praise is due to Allah, the Most High, the Great, the Supreme in Might, whose belt is honor, whose cloak is majesty. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the servant of Allah and His messenger. May Allah send peace and many blessings upon him.
To proceed:
Fear Allah, O servants of Allah, with the true fear due to Him, and be mindful of Him in private and in secret,
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]." (Alu Imran:102)
Allah is the greatest, Allah is the greatest, Allah is the greatest, there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and Allah is the greatest, Allah is the greatest, and to Allah belongs all praise.
Allah is the greatest, greatly, Allah is the greatest, greatly, Allah is greater and more glorious, Allah is the greatest and to Allah belongs all praise.
Allah Almighty said:
وَلِتُكْمِلُوا الْعِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُوا اللَّهَ عَلَى مَا هَدَاكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
"And that you complete the period and glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you, and perhaps you will be grateful." (al-Baqarah:185)
Allah is the greatest for what He has guided us to.
O servants of Allah:
Allah is the Most High, the Great, there is none greater, nor more majestic, nor higher than Him. Glorified be He, to Him belongs all majesty, greatness, and pride in its entirety.
Allah said:
ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْحَقُّ وَأَنَّ مَا يَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِهِ الْبَاطِلُ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْكَبِيرُ
"That is because Allah is the Truth, and that which they call upon besides Him is falsehood, and because Allah is the Most High, the Grand." (Luqman:30)
He is the Great in His essence, in His attributes, and in His actions.
There is none greater nor more majestic than Him in His essence, for all creation is within His grasp as if a mustard seed in a human's hand.
Abdullah bin Masud, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "A Jewish priest came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said, 'O Muhammad, we find that Allah places the heavens on a finger, the earths on a finger, the trees on a finger, the water and the soil on a finger, and the rest of creation on a finger, then He says, 'I am the King.' The Prophet laughed in affirmation of the priest's words until his back teeth were visible, then the Messenger of Allah recited:
وَمَا قَدَرُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ قَدْرِهِ وَالْأَرْضُ جَمِيعًا قَبْضَتُهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَالسَّمَاوَاتُ مَطْوِيَّاتٌ بِيَمِينِهِ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ﴾
{They have not appraised Allah with true appraisal, while the earth entirely will be [within] His grip on the Day of Resurrection, and the heavens will be folded in His right hand. Exalted is He and high above what they associate with Him." (al-Zumar:67). Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim.
And He, glorified be He, is greater and more majestic in His attributes and actions. There is nothing greater than Him in His dominion and wealth, in His knowledge and comprehension, in His power and strength, in His justice and His decree, in His hearing and sight, in His generosity and benevolence, in His mercy, forgiveness, and pardon.
To Him belongs, glorified be He, every aspect of perfection, greatness, and vastness. And He alone is unique in majesty, greatness, and complete and perfect dignity from every aspect. Allah said:
وَلَهُ الْكِبْرِيَاءُ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ
"And to Him belongs grandeur in the heavens and the earth, and He is the Mighty, the Wise." (al-Jathiyah:37).
And the Prophet ﷺ said, "Allah the Exalted and Glorious said: 'Might is My garment, and majesty is My cloak, so whoever contends with Me regarding them, I shall punish him.'" Narrated by Muslim.
O servants of Allah:
Indeed, Allah has commanded His servants to always glorify Him, as He said:
وَرَبَّكَ فَكَبِّرْ
"So declare the greatness of your Lord." (al-Mudathir:3)
And He, exalted be He, emphasized the obligation of glorifying Him after mentioning the obligation of fasting, as He said:
وَلِتُكْمِلُوا الْعِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُوا اللَّهَ عَلَى مَا هَدَاكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
"And that you complete the period and glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you, and perhaps you will be grateful." (al-Baqarah:185).
That is, to magnify Allah in your hearts, for your hearts to recognize the majesty of Allah, and to magnify Him with your tongues, by declaring His greatness on the day of Eid and to resound with the glorification that fills the corners of the earth, proclaiming that there is nothing greater than Him, glorified be He, and that all besides Him are beneath Him.
We glorify Him alone for He has guided us to Islam and to His perfect, guiding law. He guided us to fasting, through which souls are purified, and hearts fear the Lord of the worlds.
O servants of Allah:
What if we were to glorify Allah with true glorification?
Indeed, if the believer's heart is filled with the majesty of Allah, he will single out Allah alone, seeing no true deity except the Lord of the worlds.
Those who ascribe partners to Allah, or a son, or an equal, or a likeness, have not glorified Allah. Allah said:
وَقُلِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي لَمْ يَتَّخِذْ وَلَدًا وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ شَرِيكٌ فِي الْمُلْكِ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ وَلِيٌّ مِنَ الذُّلِّ وَكَبِّرْهُ تَكْبِيرًا
"And say, 'Praise be to Allah, who has not taken a son and has had no partner in [His] dominion and has no [need of a] protector out of weakness; and glorify Him with [great] glorification.'" (al-Isra:111).
In truth, they have not seen anyone greater or more majestic than Allah, but as Allah said:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُجَادِلُونَ فِي آيَاتِ اللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ سُلْطَانٍ أَتَاهُمْ إِنْ فِي صُدُورِهِمْ إِلَّا كِبْرٌ مَا هُمْ بِبَالِغِيهِ
"Indeed, those who dispute concerning the verses of Allah without [any] authority having come to them, there is nothing in their breasts except pride, [the extent of] which they cannot reach." (Ghafir:56).
The Prophet ﷺ met Adi ibn Hatim before he embraced Islam, while he was still a Christian, and said to him, "What prevents you from saying there is no deity except Allah. Do you know of any god other than Allah?" He replied, "No." Then the Prophet spoke for a while and said, "Do you flee from saying Allah is the greatest, knowing anything greater than Allah?" He replied, "No." Narrated by Tirmidhi.
When a believer truly magnifies the majesty of Allah in his heart and glorifies Allah rightfully, he will not submit in obedience to anyone but Allah alone, will not be humble or led except by Allah alone, and will not prioritize the judgment of anyone over Him, regardless of the creations’ claims of greatness. He will place them in their proper position, acknowledging them as minor and subjugated, whereas the sole arbiter is Allah, the Most High, the Great, who said:
فَالْحُكْمُ لِلَّهِ الْعَلِيِّ الْكَبِيرِ
"So the judgment is with Allah, the Most High, the Grand." (Ghafir:12).
How intense are the regrets of those who obeyed their masters and leaders instead of Allah! Those who placed their orders above His, and their judgment over His, how intense will be their regret when they are led into the fire! What a terrible place to arrive at. Then they will bite on their hands in remorse, saying:
وَقَالُوا رَبَّنَا إِنَّا أَطَعْنَا سَادَتَنَا وَكُبَرَاءَنَا فَأَضَلُّونَا السَّبِيلَا * رَبَّنَا آتِهِمْ ضِعْفَيْنِ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ وَالْعَنْهُمْ لَعْنًا كَبِيرًا
"Our Lord, indeed we obeyed our masters and our great ones, and they led us astray from the [right] way. Our Lord, give them double the punishment and curse them with a great curse." (al-Ahzab: 67-68).
A believer who has glorified Allah in his heart and magnified His majesty in his chest cannot be arrogant or bear to act superior over Allah’s servants. Instead, you will always find him broken before his Lord, imploring, submissive, and humble. And how could he not be when he has heard the saying of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: "Allah the Almighty will fold the heavens on the Day of Resurrection and take them in His right hand and say, 'I am the King; where are the tyrants? Where are the arrogant?' Then He will fold the earths in His left hand and say, 'I am the King; where are the tyrants? Where are the arrogant?'" Narrated by Muslim.
That believer, humbled and submissive before the majesty of Allah, is seen fearful, not transgressing against the creation, not seeing himself as superior over them, but seeing Allah as greater than every great one.
Here is the Lord of the Worlds reminding husbands, whom He has made guardians over women, that He is the Most High, the Great, so that their guardianship does not lead them to injustice. Allah said:
الرِّجَالُ قَوَّامُونَ عَلَى النِّسَاءِ بِمَا فَضَّلَ اللَّهُ بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ وَبِمَا أَنْفَقُوا مِنْ أَمْوَالِهِمْ فَالصَّالِحَاتُ قَانِتَاتٌ حَافِظَاتٌ لِلْغَيْبِ بِمَا حَفِظَ اللَّهُ وَاللَّاتِي تَخَافُونَ نُشُوزَهُنَّ فَعِظُوهُنَّ وَاهْجُرُوهُنَّ فِي الْمَضَاجِعِ وَاضْرِبُوهُنَّ فَإِنْ أَطَعْنَكُمْ فَلَا تَبْغُوا عَلَيْهِنَّ سَبِيلًا إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيًّا كَبِيرًا
"Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, as Allah has given one of them more strength than the other, and because they spend to support them from their means. Therefore, the righteous women are devoutly obedient, and guard in the husband's absence what Allah would have them guard. And those [wives] whose disobedience you fear, advise them; [then if they persist], forsake them in bed; and [finally], strike them. But if they obey you [once more], seek no means against them. Indeed, Allah is ever Exalted and Grand." (al-Nisa:34)
Thus, Allah concluded the verse, and what a significant admonition it is for everyone who might forget themselves in their dealings with creation, becoming arrogant and overlooking that their Lord is above them, higher and greater:
فَإِنْ أَطَعْنَكُمْ فَلَا تَبْغُوا عَلَيْهِنَّ سَبِيلًا إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيًّا كَبِيرًا
"But if they obey you [once more], seek no means against them. Indeed, Allah is ever Exalted and Grand."
May Allah bless me and you with the great Quran and benefit me and you with the verses and the Wise Reminder. I ask Allah's forgiveness for me and for you, so ask Him for forgiveness. Indeed, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.
Second sermon
All praise is to Allah, and may Allah exalt and send peace to the Messenger of Allah, his family, his companions, and those who follow him.
To proceed:
Allah is the greatest, Allah is the greatest, there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and Allah is the greatest, Allah is the greatest, and to Allah belongs all praise.
O servants of Allah:
Glorifying Allah is a grand epic, a flood of life that washes away the foam of falsehood which people have fabricated out of delusion and fabrication.
Allah has mandated the call to prayer (Adhan) and the prayer (Salah) five times a day and night, in which you see a roaring stream of glorifying Allah, uprooting falsehood from its roots and tearing out false illusions from their bases, so that the servant emerges from his prayer humbled before his Lord, trampling underfoot the idols of ignorance that creation has falsely and unjustly exalted.
Verily, glorifying Allah is an act of worship that fills the space between the heavens and the earth with reward and grace.
The Prophet ﷺ said: "And saying 'Allahu Akbar (Allah is the greatest)' fills what is between the heavens and the earth." Narrated by An-Nasa'i.
Brothers in Islam:
Blessed Eid to you, and may Allah accept your obedience.
Live your joy with the great blessing of Allah, and do not forget in your joy the needy and the poor.
Make your families happy, honor your parents, maintain your kinship ties and your relations, and in all of that, do not be heedless of your Lord. Do not commit sins that erase your rewards, do not fall into misdeeds that corrupt your hearts, and do not forget that Allah is the greatest.
Do not forget your brothers who suffer hardship and distress, pray for them, and hope for victory and relief for them.
O Allah, accept our fasting, and seal our deeds with righteous deeds.
O Allah, support Your servants who strive in Your way, destroy the murderous, criminal Jews, and save Your weak servants with Your mercy.
O Allah, guide our leader to what You love and are pleased with, lead him 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.
O servants of Allah: Remember Allah with much remembrance, and glorify Him in the morning and the evening, and our final call is that all praise is due to Allah, Lord of the Worlds.
