Title of the Sermon: A Pure Soul and a Wicked One
Elements of the Sermon:
The Pure and the Wicked.
How Some Souls Became Pure While Others Became Corrupt.
Faith as the Secret to Purity of Hearts and Deeds.
The Pure-hearted Enjoy a Blessed Life in Both This World and the Hereafter.
All praise be to Allah, to Whom all pure things belong. He is the Most Holy, the Pure, and He accepts only what is pure. To Him ascends pure speech, and He has made lawful the good and forbidden the impure. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah alone, without partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. May Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, his family, and companions in abundance.
As for what follows, fear Allah as He should be feared, O servants of Allah, and remain conscious of Him in both private and public, as He 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-e-Imran: 102]
سَلَامٌ عَلَيْكُمْ طِبْتُمْ فَادْخُلُوهَا خَالِدِينَ
"Peace be upon you. You have done well, so enter it, to abide eternally." [az-Zumar: 73]
Such is the greeting the angels give to the believers at the gates of Paradise.
You have lived well in this world, and so your abode in the Hereafter is also blessed.
It is a journey of pure life for the righteous servants of Allah, those whose hearts, deeds, and bodies are pure. They lived in this state, departed the world upon it, and will be resurrected in the same manner, until their final abode is Paradise, the dwelling of the pure.
O servants of Allah,
At the moment of death, there are only two calls that a person will hear—no third. The Prophet ﷺ said: "Indeed, when the dying person is attended by angels, if he is a righteous man, they say, ‘O good soul that was in a good body, come out praiseworthy and rejoice in rest, provision, and a Lord who is not angry.’ They continue to say this until the soul departs, then it is taken up to the heavens, and the gatekeepers ask, ‘Who is this?’ It will be said, ‘So-and-so.’ They will say, ‘Welcome, O good soul that was in a good body! Enter praiseworthy and rejoice in rest, provision, and a Lord who is not angry.’ This continues until it reaches the heaven where Allah resides. As for the wicked person, the angels say, ‘O wicked soul that was in a wicked body, come out blameworthy and rejoice in boiling water, scalding fluid, and other forms of punishment of its kind.’ They continue to say this until it departs, and it is taken up to the heavens. When it asks for entry, it is said, ‘Who is this?’ It will be said, ‘So-and-so.’ The response will be, ‘No welcome for this wicked soul that was in a wicked body! Return dishonored, for the gates of heaven will not open for you.’ Then it is cast down and returned to its grave.” (Reported by Ahmad)
A pure soul resided in a pure body, while a wicked soul resided in a wicked body.
How, then, does a soul or body become pure or impure? Allah says:
أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ ضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلًا كَلِمَةً طَيِّبَةً كَشَجَرَةٍ طَيِّبَةٍ أَصْلُهَا ثَابِتٌ وَفَرْعُهَا فِي السَّمَاءِ * تُؤْتِي أُكُلَهَا كُلَّ حِينٍ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهَا وَيَضْرِبُ اللَّهُ الْأَمْثَالَ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ * وَمَثَلُ كَلِمَةٍ خَبِيثَةٍ كَشَجَرَةٍ خَبِيثَةٍ اجْتُثَّتْ مِنْ فَوْقِ الْأَرْضِ مَا لَهَا مِنْ قَرَارٍ * يُثَبِّتُ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِالْقَوْلِ الثَّابِتِ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ وَيُضِلُّ اللَّهُ الظَّالِمِينَ وَيَفْعَلُ اللَّهُ مَا يَشَاءُ
"Have you not considered how Allah presents an example, [making] a good word like a good tree, whose root is firmly fixed, and its branches [high] in the sky? It produces its fruit all the time, by permission of its Lord. And Allah presents examples for the people that perhaps they will be reminded. And the example of a bad word is like a bad tree, uprooted from the surface of the earth, having no stability. Allah keeps firm those who believe with the firm word in worldly life and in the Hereafter. And Allah sends astray the wrongdoers. And Allah does what He wills." [Ibrahim: 24–27]
The secret to the purity of hearts, souls, and deeds lies in the pure word—the testimony of faith: "There is no deity worthy of worship but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah."
Faith in Allah as the Lord, Islam as the religion, and Muhammad ﷺ as the Prophet and Messenger is like a good tree planted in the heart. It bears all that is good and pure while repelling all that is vile and corrupt.
This is the believer, the pure one, whose heart is purified by belief in Allah, surrendering to Him and His laws. He loves Allah and His religion, humbly submitting with reverence to all that his Lord commands. His limbs engage in righteous deeds, his words are filled with purity, and his sustenance is lawful and wholesome, consuming only what is good and permissible.
He is like fertile soil: when its seeds and water are pure, it yields good crops by its Lord’s permission. Allah says:
أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ ضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلًا كَلِمَةً طَيِّبَةً كَشَجَرَةٍ طَيِّبَةٍ أَصْلُهَا ثَابِتٌ وَفَرْعُهَا فِي السَّمَاءِ * تُؤْتِي أُكُلَهَا كُلَّ حِينٍ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهَا وَيَضْرِبُ اللَّهُ الْأَمْثَالَ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ * وَمَثَلُ كَلِمَةٍ خَبِيثَةٍ كَشَجَرَةٍ خَبِيثَةٍ اجْتُثَّتْ مِنْ فَوْقِ الْأَرْضِ مَا لَهَا مِنْ قَرَارٍ * يُثَبِّتُ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِالْقَوْلِ الثَّابِتِ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ وَيُضِلُّ اللَّهُ الظَّالِمِينَ وَيَفْعَلُ اللَّهُ مَا يَشَاءُ
"And the good land—its vegetation emerges by the permission of its Lord; but that which is bad—nothing emerges except sparsely. Thus do We diversify the signs for a people who are grateful." [Al-A‘raf: 58]
The Prophet ﷺ said: "The example of the believer is like that of a bee: it eats what is good, produces what is good, and whenever it lands on something, it neither breaks it nor spoils it." (Reported by Ahmad)
Thus, the believer is like a vessel; its top cannot be pure unless its base is pure.
The Prophet ﷺ said: "The example of one’s deeds is like a vessel. If the base is pure, the top will be pure, and if the base is impure, the top will be impure." (Reported by Ahmad)
The believer loves his Lord, one of whose most beautiful names is At-Tayyib (the Pure), the One who commands only what is pure and accepts only what is pure in word and deed. Allah says:
يَسْأَلُونَكَ مَاذَا أُحِلَّ لَهُمْ قُلْ أُحِلَّ لَكُمُ الطَّيِّبَاتُ
"They ask you, [O Muhammad], what has been made lawful for them. Say, 'Lawful for you are [all] good foods…'" [Al-Ma'idah: 4]
The Prophet ﷺ said: "O people, Allah is Tayyib (Pure) and accepts only that which is pure. Allah has commanded the believers as He commanded the messengers, saying, 'O messengers, eat from the good things and act righteously. Indeed, I, of what you do, am Knowing.' [Al-Mu’minun: 51] And He said, 'O you who have believed, eat from the good things which We have provided for you.' [Al-Baqarah: 172] Then, he mentioned a man on a long journey, disheveled and dusty, raising his hands to the sky, saying, 'O Lord, O Lord,' while his food is unlawful, his drink is unlawful, his clothing is unlawful, and he is nourished unlawfully—so how can he be answered?” (Reported by Muslim)
Allah, the Pure, has made lawful all that is pure and forbidden all that is impure.
Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) expressed amazement, saying:
"Who would eat a crow, which the Prophet ﷺ has labeled as a sinner? By Allah, it is not among the good foods." (Reported by Ibn Majah)
This faith, which nurtures piety and reverence for the Lord of the worlds, purifies words and deeds. Allah says:
وَقِيلَ لِلَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا مَاذَا أَنْزَلَ رَبُّكُمْ قَالُوا خَيْرًا لِلَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا فِي هَذِهِ الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةٌ وَلَدَارُ الْآخِرَةِ خَيْرٌ وَلَنِعْمَ دَارُ الْمُتَّقِينَ * جَنَّاتُ عَدْنٍ يَدْخُلُونَهَا تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ لَهُمْ فِيهَا مَا يَشَاءُونَ كَذَلِكَ يَجْزِي اللَّهُ الْمُتَّقِينَ * الَّذِينَ تَتَوَفَّاهُمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ طَيِّبِينَ يَقُولُونَ سَلَامٌ عَلَيْكُمُ ادْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ
"And it will be said to those who feared Allah, 'What did your Lord send down?' They will say, 'That which is good.' For those who do good in this world is good, and the home of the Hereafter is better. And how excellent is the home of the righteous—Gardens of perpetual residence; they will enter them with rivers flowing beneath. They will have therein whatever they wish. Thus does Allah reward the righteous—those whose souls the angels take while they are doing good. They [the angels] will say, 'Peace be upon you. Enter Paradise for what you used to do.'" [An-Nahl: 30–32]
As for the impure, their souls became corrupted because of the corruption in their hearts. This is why the most corrupt of all creation is Satan, the accursed, whom the believer seeks refuge from when entering the bathroom, saying:
"O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the male and female devils." (Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
Satan, the impure, arrogantly refused to submit to Allah’s command. Likewise, his allies, who reject Allah’s law, have corrupted souls that love impurities, spreading them among people and encouraging them in every possible way.
Have you not heard what Ja‘far ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) said to the Negus? Standing before the Negus, he declared:
"O King, we were a people of ignorance, worshiping idols, eating carrion, committing shameful acts, severing ties of kinship, mistreating neighbors, and the strong among us would exploit the weak. We remained in this state until Allah sent us a Messenger from among us, whose lineage, truthfulness, trustworthiness, and chastity we knew. He invited us to worship Allah alone, to abandon what we and our fathers had worshiped besides Him, of stones and idols. He commanded us to speak the truth, fulfill trusts, maintain ties of kinship, be good to neighbors, and refrain from the unlawful and bloodshed. He forbade us from shameful acts, false testimony, consuming the wealth of orphans, and slandering chaste women. He commanded us to worship Allah alone without associating anything with Him. He commanded us to pray, give zakah, and fast.” (Reported by Ahmad)
Reflect on his words: “And [they wanted us] to make lawful what we had previously made lawful of impurities!” This is how the corrupt have always sought to make the impure in speech, action, and behavior acceptable and normalized, so that no soul finds it repulsive and no space is left for the pure among them. The people of Lot did the same when they said:
أَخْرِجُوا آلَ لُوطٍ مِنْ قَرْيَتِكُمْ إِنَّهُمْ أُنَاسٌ يَتَطَهَّرُونَ
"Expel the family of Lot from your city. Indeed, they are people who keep themselves pure." [An-Naml: 56]
But Allah saved Lot, saying:
وَنَجَّيْنَاهُ مِنَ الْقَرْيَةِ الَّتِي كَانَتْ تَعْمَلُ الْخَبَائِثَ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا قَوْمَ سَوْءٍ فَاسِقِينَ
"And We delivered him from the city that was committing wicked deeds. Indeed, they were an evil, defiantly disobedient people." [Al-Anbiya: 74]
You see the corrupt trivializing impurities, marketing them under the guise of freedom and diversity of opinion, while our Lord says:
قُلْ لَا يَسْتَوِي الْخَبِيثُ وَالطَّيِّبُ وَلَوْ أَعْجَبَكَ كَثْرَةُ الْخَبِيثِ فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ يَا أُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ
"Say, 'Not equal are the evil and the good, although the abundance of evil might impress you.' So fear Allah, O you of understanding, that you may be successful." [Al-Ma'idah: 100]
These immoralities are filth and impurities, rejected by every pure soul. Only those whose hearts and souls are corrupted accept them.
This is why even in marriage, the pure seeks only the pure, as Allah says:
الْخَبِيثَاتُ لِلْخَبِيثِينَ وَالْخَبِيثُونَ لِلْخَبِيثَاتِ وَالطَّيِّبَاتُ لِلطَّيِّبِينَ وَالطَّيِّبُونَ لِلطَّيِّبَاتِ
"Evil women are for evil men, and evil men are for evil women. Good women are for good men, and good men are for good women." [An-Nur: 26]
May Allah bless me and you through 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, for He is the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
Bottom of Form
Second Sermon
All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah, his family, his companions, and those who follow him.
Allah has promised the believing, God-conscious, and pure-hearted people a good life in both this world and the Hereafter. He says:
مَنْ عَمِلَ صَالِحًا مِنْ ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنْثَى وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَلَنُحْيِيَنَّهُ حَيَاةً طَيِّبَةً
"Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer—We will surely cause him to live a good life." [An-Nahl: 97]
A good life, even if one’s worldly provisions are not as abundant as those of others, is made sweet by Allah, who suffices them with what is pure and good.
The Prophet ﷺ said: "Glad tidings to the one who is guided to Islam, whose livelihood is sufficient, and who is content." (Reported by At-Tirmidhi)
O servant of Allah! Let not the abundance of the impure deceive you, for Allah says:
وَلَا تَتَبَدَّلُوا الْخَبِيثَ بِالطَّيِّبِ
"And do not exchange the impure for the pure." [An-Nisa: 2]
Be content with your faith, be content with the Sunnah of your Prophet ﷺ, and be content with the laws of your Islam. This contentment will bring sweetness to your life in this world and ensure a blissful end in the Hereafter.
O Allah, grant victory to Islam and honor the Muslims. Destroy the Jewish criminals and oppressors. Instill tranquility in the hearts of those striving in Your cause. Save Your oppressed servants and raise the banner of the religion with Your might, O Strong, O Almighty.
O Allah, grant us security in our homelands. Rectify our leaders and those in authority over us, and place our leadership in the hands of those who fear You, follow Your guidance, and seek Your pleasure.
Our Lord, grant us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and protect us from the torment of the Fire.
