Title of the Sermon: Truly Devoted to Allah
Elements of the Sermon:
1- The Monotheist, Zaid ibn Amr ibn Nufail.
2- Monotheism, the religion of Abraham.
3- Who is the Monotheist?
4- The gracious monotheistic religion is the most beloved to Allah.
All praise be to Allah, who created all His servants as monotheists, and who is exalted above having any equals or partners. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the servant of Allah and His Messenger. May Allah exalt him and send blessings to him and his family abundantly.
To proceed:
Fear Allah, O servants of Allah, with true piety, and be conscious of Him in secret and in confidence,
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" (Alu ‘Imran:102).
O servants of Allah,
Have you heard about Zaid ibn Amr ibn Nufail?
He was a man from Mecca, who died before the prophethood of Muhammad ﷺ, yet he saw the idolatry and misguidance of the people of ignorance and instinctively knew their ways were false. He set out in search for the true religion, and some Jewish and Christian scholars told him that he could not escape the wrath and curse of Allah unless he adhered to the religion of Abraham, the monotheist.
Here is his story:
Zaid ibn Amr ibn Nufail went to the Levant seeking the religion to follow. He met a scholar from among the Jews and asked him about their religion. The scholar said, "You cannot be of our religion until you accept your share of Allah's wrath." Zaid replied, "I am fleeing from Allah's wrath, and I cannot bear any of it at all. How could I possibly accept it? Can you guide me to something else?" The scholar responded, "I only know of being a monotheist (Hanif)." Zaid asked, "What is a Hanif?" The scholar explained, "The religion of Abraham. He was neither a Jew nor a Christian, and he worshipped only Allah." Zaid then met a scholar from the Christians who essentially said the same. He declared, "I flee from Allah's curse and His wrath, and I cannot bear any of it at all. How could I possibly accept it? Can you guide me to something else?" The response was, "I only know of being a Hanif." Zaid confirmed, "And what is a Hanif?" He was told, "The religion of Abraham, who was neither a Jew nor a Christian but a monotheist who worshipped only Allah." When Zaid heard their statements about Abraham, he left, raised his hands, and proclaimed, "O Allah, I bear witness that I am on the religion of Abraham." This narrative is reported by Bukhari.
Zaid ibn Amr rejected the beliefs, religions, and morals of the people of ignorance. Asma bint Abi Bakr (may Allah be pleased with her) said, "I saw Zaid ibn Amr leaning his back against the Kaaba, proclaiming: 'O people of Quraysh! By Allah, none of you are on the religion of Abraham except me.' He would also save the lives of daughters condemned to be buried alive by their fathers, telling the man, 'Do not kill her; I will take care of her needs.' He would take the girl, and when she grew up, he would say to her father, 'If you wish, I will return her to you, and if you wish, I will continue to provide for her.' This is also reported by Bukhari.
Therefore, the Prophet ﷺ said about him: 'He will be raised as a nation by himself on the Day of Resurrection.' This is reported by Abu Ya'la.
This is the blessed monotheism, the religion of Abraham, peace be upon him.
Abraham, the monotheist, who is claimed by nations—Jews, Christians, and a group of pagans—all falsely and unjustly trying to associate themselves with him, while they surely know that he was never a Jew, a Christian, or a polytheist, but as Allah Almighty said:
مَا كَانَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ يَهُودِيًّا وَلَا نَصْرَانِيًّا وَلَكِنْ كَانَ حَنِيفًا مُسْلِمًا وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ
"Abraham was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was a monotheist Muslim, and he was not of the polytheists" (Alu ‘Imran: 67).
Allah has denied the claims of the Jews and the Christians who argue that guidance lies in Judaism and Christianity. He said:
وَقَالُوا كُونُوا هُودًا أَوْ نَصَارَى تَهْتَدُوا قُلْ بَلْ مِلَّةَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ حَنِيفًا وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ
"And they say, 'Be Jews or Christians [so] you will be guided.' Say, 'Rather, [we follow] the religion of Abraham, inclining toward truth, and he was not of the polytheists'" (Quran 2:135).
Indeed, Allah commanded His Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to follow the religion of Abraham the monotheist, as He said:
ثُمَّ أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ أَنِ اتَّبِعْ مِلَّةَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ حَنِيفًا وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ
"Then We revealed to you, [O Muhammad], to follow the religion of Abraham, inclining toward truth; and he was not of the polytheists" (Al-Nahl: 123).
The religion of Abraham the monotheist is the religion of innate nature which Allah has created in people. Allah Almighty said:
فَأَقِمْ وَجْهَكَ لِلدِّينِ حَنِيفًا فِطْرَتَ اللَّهِ الَّتِي فَطَرَ النَّاسَ عَلَيْهَا لَا تَبْدِيلَ لِخَلْقِ اللَّهِ ذَلِكَ الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
"So direct your face toward the religion, inclining to truth. [Adhere to] the fitrah of Allah upon which He has created [all] people. No change should there be in the creation of Allah. That is the correct religion, but most of the people do not know" (Al-Rum: 30).
And He said in a sacred hadith: "I have created My servants as monotheists, but the devils came to them, led them astray from their religion, made unlawful for them what I had made lawful, and commanded them to associate with Me that for which I had sent down no authority." This is reported by Muslim.
Indeed, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would announce every morning that he followed the religion of Abraham the Monotheist, saying: "We have entered the morning on the natural disposition of Islam, the word of devotion, the religion of our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and the faith of our father Abraham, a devout Monotheist, and I am not of the polytheists." Narrated by al-Nasa'i.
And indeed, Allah has commanded His servants to be entirely devoted to Him, not associating others with Him, as He, the Exalted, said:
فَاجْتَنِبُوا الرِّجْسَ مِنَ الْأَوْثَانِ وَاجْتَنِبُوا قَوْلَ الزُّورِ * حُنَفَاءَ لِلَّهِ غَيْرَ مُشْرِكِينَ بِهِ
"So avoid the impurity of idols and avoid false statements * [Be] devoted to Allah, not associating [others] with Him" [Al-Hajj: 30-31].
Once we know this, who is the Monotheist? What is the Monotheistic religion? And who are the Monotheists?
Abraham, peace be upon him, grew up among his people and saw his father and his people in clear misguidance, worshiping idols other than Allah, the Exalted. He abandoned what they were upon and turned to Allah alone, having no partners, and he turned away from all other false deities.
Thus, the Monotheist is one who is rightly directed to his Lord alone, turning to Him, submitting to Him, dedicated to Him alone, deliberately abandoning all false religions and deities, all this with insight, light, and guidance, without the slightest deviation or corruption.
Indeed, the Monotheist must have two things:
The first: Belief in Allah alone, with no partner, turning to Him, and submitting to His command, with sincerity and truth.
The second: Complete disassociation and absolute innocence from all deities other than Allah, and from every false religion and law other than the religion of Allah, which He has ordained and commanded.
Then, to stand by this for Allah in speech, action, and state, and to declare it without hesitation, falsification, or dilution, even if people dislike it.
Abraham the true servant, the Monotheist, declared this to his father and his people, saying:
يَا قَوْمِ إِنِّي بَرِيءٌ مِمَّا تُشْرِكُونَ * إِنِّي وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِيَ لِلَّذِي فَطَرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ حَنِيفًا وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ
"O my people, I am free from what you associate [with Allah] * I have turned my face towards He who created the heavens and the earth, inclining toward truth, and I am not of the polytheists" [Al-An'am: 78-79].
At a time when it was desired of Abraham, peace be upon him, to go along with the current, bow before the storm, agree with the masses, follow the national and popular traditions, and not to deviate from the prevailing opinion, he stood as a Monotheist; to oppose all of this, purely for his true Lord.
The Monotheist is innocent of paganism and irreligion, innocent of Judaism and Christianity, innocent of human methodologies and ideas that contradict the path of Allah, innocent of all the deeds, morals, and ideas of ignorance, he is upright for Allah alone, with no partner, in servitude and compliance, in action and thought, in methodology and life.
May Allah bless me and you with the great Quran, and benefit me and you with what it contains of verses and wise remembrance, and I seek Allah’s forgiveness for me and for you, so seek His forgiveness; indeed, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.
Second Sermon
All praise be to Allah, and may Allah exalt and send peace to the Messenger of Allah, his family, his companions, and those who align with him.
To proceed:
Allah, the Exalted, commanded His Prophet ﷺ and likewise commanded us to follow the religion of Abraham the Monotheist, in beliefs and laws, submitting to Allah alone. This is the upright religion, as Allah Almighty said:
قُلْ إِنَّنِي هَدَانِي رَبِّي إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ دِينًا قِيَمًا مِلَّةَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ حَنِيفًا وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ
"Say, 'Indeed, my Lord has guided me to a straight path – a correct religion – the way of Abraham, inclining toward truth. And he was not among those who associated others with Allah'" [Al-An'am: 161].
In ancient times, the idolaters altered the religion of Abraham, peace be upon him. They corrupted the faith, worshipped idols, and used divination arrows, falsely depicting Abraham as engaging in such practices. When the Prophet ﷺ entered the Kaaba on the day of the conquest of Mecca and saw that false image attributed to Abraham, he said: "May Allah fight them; by Allah, they knew well that he never used divination arrows." Narrated by Bukhari.
They altered the religion of Abraham the Monotheist to the extent that women would circumambulate the Kaaba naked, worshipping Allah, so they would not circulate in garments they had sinned in, by their claim. All of this was misguidance and deviation from the religion of Abraham, who brought noble morals and the gracious monotheism.
The Monotheistic religion is the religion that Allah has chosen for His servants and is the most beloved religion to Him. It is the religion of innate nature, a religion entirely easygoing, gracious, without hardship or chains. The Prophet ﷺ was asked: "Which religions are most beloved to Allah?" He said, "Simple Monotheism." Narrated by Ahmad.
Today, efforts are made to alter the religion of Allah so that it conforms to the altered and false religions, falsely attributing it to Abraham the Monotheist, from which he is innocent. He was neither a Jew, nor a Christian, nor a polytheist, but was indeed a Monotheist, a Muslim.
The people closest to Abraham, as Allah said:
إِنَّ أَوْلَى النَّاسِ بِإِبْرَاهِيمَ لَلَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُ وَهَذَا النَّبِيُّ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَاللَّهُ وَلِيُّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
"Indeed, the most worthy of Abraham among the people are those who followed him [in submission to Allah] and this prophet, and those who believe [in his message]. And Allah is the ally of the believers" [Alu 'Imran: 68].
O Allah, make us Monotheists devoted to You, not associating others with You, turning to You, submitting to Your command.
O Allah, support Your weakened servants and destroy the Jewish criminals.
O Allah, grant us safety in our lands, reform our leaders and those in charge of our affairs, and place our governance in those who fear You, observe piety towards You, and follow Your pleasure.
O servants of Allah: Remember Allah frequently, and glorify Him morning and evening, and our final call is that all praise is due to Allah, Lord of the Worlds.
