Title of Sermon: Futility and Fruitfulness: The Disease of Futility and Its Cure
Elements of Sermon:
1. The reality of futility.
2. The believer as a source of blessing.
3. The enemies of the Ummah are active.
4. The three categories of Muslims.
All praise be to Allah, the Forgiving and Appreciative, who loves noble deeds and grants the greatest rewards to those who act. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah, alone Allah exalt and send peace to him, continuously until the Day of Resurrection.
To proceed:
Fear Allah as He should be feared, O servants of Allah, and be mindful of Him in both private and public. Allah says:
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" [Aal Imran: 102].
Servants of Allah:
Can a believer be a trial for a disbeliever? The answer comes from the supplication of the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and those who believed with him, where they said:
رَبَّنَا لَا تَجْعَلْنَا فِتْنَةً لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا
"Our Lord, do not make us a trial for the disbelievers" [Al-Mumtahanah: 5].
Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and his companions asked their Lord not to make them a source of trial for the disbelievers. What does it mean for a believer to be a trial for a disbeliever?
It means: O our Lord, do not allow the disbelievers to prevail over us and overcome us, lest they be led to believe that their triumph is due to being on the right path while we are not.
Indeed, when the disbelievers gain victory over the believers and dominate them, it becomes a trial for them, for their souls and the devils deceive them into thinking that their victory is due to their being on the truth. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have been victorious.
O servants of Allah:
The Prophet ﷺ said: “The nations will soon summon one another to attack you as people invite others to share a dish of food.” Someone asked: “Will that be because we are few in number?” He replied: “No, you will be numerous on that day, but you will be like the foam of the sea, and Allah will remove fear of you from the hearts of your enemies and throw into your hearts wahan (weakness).” Someone asked: “O Messenger of Allah, what is wahan?” He replied: “Love of the world and dislike of death.” (Narrated by Abu Dawood).
The nations, from the east and west, Jews, Christians, atheists, Hindus, and Magians, have united from all corners of the earth against the Muslims. They agree on nothing except this. The Muslims have become an easy prey: their blood is spilled, their honor violated, their wealth stolen, and their lands seized.
Despite the fact that the number of Muslims today is close to two billion, making up a quarter of the world’s population, we have become like orphans at the tables of the greedy, neither feared nor given any worth.
The exact term that describes our current state is the one used by the truthful and trustworthy Prophet ﷺ: “ghuthaa’iyya.” What does ghuthaa’iyya mean?
Have you ever seen water flowing in a torrent, carrying on its surface those light, scattered bits of dry grass and straw, tossing them around to the right and left, having neither weight nor value?
That is the meaning of ghuthaa’iyya. It is a collection of attributes that reveal its true nature: A large number of people, but like dry straw—scattered, weak, and of little weight or value.
Thus, the torrent can easily carry them away and throw them onto its sides effortlessly, continuing its course, devouring everything in its path.
This is the ghuthaa’iyya we are experiencing: a divided nation, fragmented by nationalism, partisanship, sectarianism, and pre-Islamic tribalism.
Despite the overwhelming numbers and wasted wealth, our era is marked by lightness: lightness in thoughts and understanding, lightness in vision and concerns, lightness in minds and goals, and lightness in results and outcomes.
Such lightness allows others to intrude upon us without any fear or regard, while we were once the masters of the world and the decision-makers.
However, our love for this world and dislike of death have made us lose our value and weight, leading us to diminish and shrink until we floated to the surface, being carried away as rising scum by the torrent!
Servants of Allah:
Lamenting over ruins is not the behavior of real men; real men act.
Our Lord, the Possessor of Majesty, and our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, the leader of men, taught us that scales are weighed down by what is in the hearts —faith and certainty— and by being righteous and reforming.
The Prophet ﷺ said: "Allah does not look at your appearances or wealth, but He looks at your hearts and deeds." (Narrated by Muslim)
He ﷺ also said: “There are only two types of people: a pious, righteous person who is honored by his Lord, and a sinful, miserable person who is insignificant to his Lord.” (Narrated by Ibn Hibban)
There is a great difference between being like dry scum and being beneficial rain.
The believer is like the rain: carrying life within, through which Allah brings relief to the servants and revives the earth after its death, making its flowers bloom and its fruits flourish, because the believer is supported by the revelation—the spirit sent down from the Ever-Living, the Sustainer.
The believer’s triad is: belief in Allah, righteous action, and striving for reform, all crowned with determination and strength, not with weakness or feebleness. Didn’t Allah say:
خُذُوا مَا آتَيْنَاكُمْ بِقُوَّةٍ
"Hold firmly to what We have given you" [Al-Baqarah: 63]?
Didn’t He also say:
وَأَعِدُّوا لَهُمْ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ مِنْ قُوَّةٍ وَمِنْ رِبَاطِ الْخَيْلِ تُرْهِبُونَ بِهِ عَدُوَّ اللَّهِ وَعَدُوَّكُمْ وَآخَرِينَ مِنْ دُونِهِمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَهُمُ اللَّهُ يَعْلَمُهُمْ وَمَا تُنْفِقُوا مِنْ شَيْءٍ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ يُوَفَّ إِلَيْكُمْ وَأَنْتُمْ لَا تُظْلَمُونَ
"And prepare against them whatever you are able of power and of steeds of war by which you may terrify the enemy of Allah and your enemy and others besides them whom you do not know but whom Allah knows. And whatever you spend in the cause of Allah will be fully repaid to you, and you will not be wronged" [Al-Anfal: 60]?
The believer is not a burden or a liability, wandering aimlessly without bringing any good. Instead, the believer is active, productive, noble, and honorable. He does not settle for mediocrity, neither in thought nor action. He seeks the highest goals and soars with his aspirations like eagles.
Didn’t our Prophet ﷺ say: “If one of you were to go out in the morning and gather firewood on his back and give charity from it and become independent of people, it would be better for him than to beg from a man, whether he gives or withholds. Indeed, the upper hand is better than the lower hand and start with those you are responsible for.” (Narrated by Muslim)
The believer does not wait for others to act first. Rather, he hastens forward and comes from far places, striving with zeal kindled by his love for Allah and His Messenger ﷺ. He rushes to goodness out of fear of the trials of day and night.
Didn’t our Prophet ﷺ say: “Hasten to perform good deeds before six things happen: the rising of the sun from its west, the smoke, the Dajjal, the beast, the special matter of one of you (death), or the general matter (Day of Judgement).” (Narrated by Muslim)
The believer is not one who takes pride in his deeds, but neither does he belittle his own efforts. He relies on his Lord, striving to please Him, while having good thoughts of Him. He recalls the saying of the Prophet ﷺ: “There is nothing better than a thousand of its kind except the human being.” (Narrated by At-Tabarani)
The believer is always righteous and striving to reform, just as the Prophet Shu’ayb said:
إِنْ أُرِيدُ إِلَّا الْإِصْلَاحَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ
“I only intend to rectify as much as I can” [Hud: 88].
His righteousness lies in his servitude to Allah in all his affairs:
قُلْ إِنَّ صَلَاتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
“Say, ‘Indeed, my prayer, my rites of sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds’” [Al-An’am: 162].
His righteousness is in adhering to Allah’s Shari’ah in his words and actions, in his home and marketplace, in his mosque and gatherings, whether alone or with others, in politics and economics, in nurturing and teaching, in loyalty and disavowal. He is loyal to the believers and disavows the disbelievers, never deviating from Allah’s laws and His religion in anything:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ادْخُلُوا فِي السِّلْمِ كَافَّةً
“O you who believe, enter into submission completely” [Al-Baqarah: 208].
This is the believer who devotes his diligence, effort, positivity, and enthusiasm towards the path of proper reform. He is the rain of the heavens, not the scum and froth.
Servants of Allah:
How greatly does our Ummah need the beneficial rain that restores it to life and spirit, anchoring within its soil deep-rooted plants—righteous plants perfected in excellence—in every field of life: each in his position—the ruler and the ruled, the scholars and the students, the judges and the jurists, the fathers and mothers, the doctors and engineers, the builders and farmers, the manufacturers and sellers, in homes and dwellings, in kindergartens and nurseries, in schools and universities, in factories and companies, across every plain and valley.
The Prophet ﷺ said: “If the Day of Judgement comes while one of you has a sapling in his hand, then let him plant it.” (Narrated by Ahmad).
May Allah bless me and you in the Great Qur’an and benefit us with its verses and wise reminders. I seek Allah’s forgiveness for myself and for you, so seek His forgiveness. Indeed, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.
Second Sermon
All praise is due to Allah, and may Allah exalt and send peace to the Messenger of Allah, his family, and companions.
Servants of Allah:
Allah has informed us that disbelieving nations act, spend, plan, and plot against the truth, all while being patient in doing so. He, the Exalted, said:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا يُنْفِقُونَ أَمْوَالَهُمْ لِيَصُدُّوا عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ
“Indeed, those who disbelieve spend their wealth to avert people from the way of Allah.” [Al-Anfal: 36]
And He, the Exalted, said:
وَتَرَى كَثِيرًا مِنْهُمْ يُسَارِعُونَ فِي الْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ
“And you see many of them hastening into sin and aggression.” [Al-Ma'idah: 62]
Allah also said:
وَانْطَلَقَ الْمَلَأُ مِنْهُمْ أَنِ امْشُوا وَاصْبِرُوا عَلَى آلِهَتِكُمْ إِنَّ هَذَا لَشَيْءٌ يُرَادُ
“And the eminent among them went forth, [saying]: Continue, and be patient over [the defense of] your gods. Indeed, this is a thing intended.” [Sad: 6]
Allah has revealed their tireless efforts to plot against Islam:
وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا لِلَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُوا بَلْ مَكْرُ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ إِذْ تَأْمُرُونَنَا أَنْ نَكْفُرَ بِاللَّهِ وَنَجْعَلَ لَهُ أَنْدَادًا
“And those who were oppressed will say to those who were arrogant, ‘Rather, it was your conspiracy of night and day when you were ordering us to disbelieve in Allah and attribute to Him equals.’” [Saba’: 33]
So, should the confrontation be through idleness and surrender, or through diligent work paired with reliance upon the Almighty, the Merciful? Allah, the Exalted, said:
وَلَا تُطِعِ الْكَافِرِينَ وَالْمُنَافِقِينَ وَدَعْ أَذَاهُمْ وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَكَفَى بِاللَّهِ وَكِيلًا
“And do not obey the disbelievers and the hypocrites and disregard their harm, and rely upon Allah. And sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs.” [Al-Ahzab: 48]
Allah has informed us that Muslims are of three types:
1. True believers who never abandon striving and giving.
2. Believers with valid excuses, who exert their efforts while weeping over their inability.
3. Others who remain behind, content to be inactive, occupied by their wealth and concerned only with themselves. Allah, the Exalted, said:
إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَرْتَابُوا وَجَاهَدُوا بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنْفُسِهِمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أُولَئِكَ هُمُ الصَّادِقُونَ
“The believers are only the ones who have believed in Allah and His Messenger and then doubt not but strive with their properties and their lives in the cause of Allah. It is those who are the truthful.” [Al-Hujurat: 15]
And Allah, the Exalted, said:
لَيْسَ عَلَى الضُّعَفَاءِ وَلَا عَلَى الْمَرْضَى وَلَا عَلَى الَّذِينَ لَا يَجِدُونَ مَا يُنْفِقُونَ حَرَجٌ إِذَا نَصَحُوا لِلَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ مَا عَلَى الْمُحْسِنِينَ مِنْ سَبِيلٍ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ وَلَا عَلَى الَّذِينَ إِذَا مَا أَتَوْكَ لِتَحْمِلَهُمْ قُلْتَ لَا أَجِدُ مَا أَحْمِلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ تَوَلَّوْا وَأَعْيُنُهُمْ تَفِيضُ مِنَ الدَّمْعِ حَزَنًا أَلَّا يَجِدُوا مَا يُنْفِقُونَ إِنَّمَا السَّبِيلُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ يَسْتَأْذِنُونَكَ وَهُمْ أَغْنِيَاءُ رَضُوا بِأَنْ يَكُونُوا مَعَ الْخَوَالِفِ وَطَبَعَ اللَّهُ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ فَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
“There is no blame upon the weak or upon the ill or upon those who do not find anything to spend, [if] they are sincere to Allah and His Messenger. There is no cause [for blame] against the doers of good, and Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. Nor [is there blame] upon those who, when they came to you that you might give them mounts, you said, ‘I can find nothing for you to ride upon.’ They turned back while their eyes overflowed with tears out of grief that they could not find something to spend. The cause [for blame] is only against those who seek permission [to remain behind] while they are rich. They are satisfied to be with those who stay behind, and Allah has sealed over their hearts, so they do not know.” [At-Tawbah: 91-93]
So, choose your path, O servant of Allah, for Allah says:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَكُونُوا مَعَ الصَّادِقِينَ
“O you who believe, fear Allah and be with those who are true.” [At-Tawbah: 119]
O Allah, support Your religion, Your Book, the Sunnah of Your Prophet ﷺ, and Your righteous servants.
O Allah, grant relief to Your oppressed servants, and bring ease to the distressed among our believing brothers and sisters.
O Allah, grant us safety in our homelands, rectify our leaders and those in charge of our affairs, and make our leadership among those who fear You, seek Your pleasure, and follow Your guidance.
Our Lord, grant us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.
