Title of the Sermon: The Tranquility of the Believer
Elements of the Sermon:
How the people of the world rely on material causes.
How the believer finds peace amid fears.
Taking the means to attain strength.
All praise is due to Allah—the Almighty, the All-Powerful—who sends tranquility upon those who believe in Him and fear Him, and who casts terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve in Him and oppose Him. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone, without partner. And I bear witness that Muḥammad is His servant and Messenger. May Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him in abundance.
To proceed: Fear Allah, O servants of Allah, with true mindfulness, and be conscious of Him in private and in public:
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.” (Sūrat Āl ʿImrān: 102)
“O Allah, I ask You for security on the Day of Fear…” This was one of the supplications of the Prophet ﷺ.
One of the blessings in this worldly life is that Allah grants peace to your heart when fear descends—that your soul remains calm while the hearts of others tremble in panic.
That’s why the Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever among you wakes up secure in his home, healthy in his body, and has food for his day—it is as if the whole world has been gathered for him.” (Reported by al-Tirmidhī)
In the flood of scattered news and the furnace of successive events, as rumors abound and speculation spreads, people are gripped by anxiety and unrest. Fear has snatched away their sense of safety, and overthinking has worn down their minds.
Panic and dread. Confusion and despair. Pessimism and hopelessness. Eyes that see only a dark image and a gloomy future.
Where is the believer amid this sea of darkness? What is his source of security, and his path to salvation?
The heedless in this world find comfort in worldly means—they cling to them, chasing after them with desperation, as Allah said:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ لَا يَرْجُونَ لِقَاءَنَا وَرَضُوا بِالْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَاطْمَأَنُّوا بِهَا وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ عَنْ آيَاتِنَا غَافِلُونَ * أُولَئِكَ مَأْوَاهُمُ النَّارُ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ
“Indeed, those who do not expect to meet Us, who are content with the worldly life and feel secure in it, and those who are heedless of Our signs—those, their refuge will be the Fire for what they used to earn.” (Sūrat Yūnus: 7–8)
Yet they gain nothing from those means but weakness. You see them fearful, anxious, restless—except those who believe in Allah and place their trust in Him.
Allah says:
إِنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ خُلِقَ هَلُوعًا * إِذَا مَسَّهُ الشَّرُّ جَزُوعًا * وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ الْخَيْرُ مَنُوعًا * إِلَّا الْمُصَلِّينَ * الَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَى صَلَاتِهِمْ دَائِمُونَ
“Indeed, mankind was created anxious. When touched by evil, he is distressed. And when touched by good, he is withholding. Except those who pray—those who are constant in their prayer.” (Sūrat al-Maʿārij: 19–23)
So how does a believer remain calm in this world, amidst the flood of fears?
It is through faith in Allah. The hearts of the believers find peace in Him and through Him.
The believer is at ease with Allah because he is certain that all matters belong to Him alone. Allah administers the affairs of His creation with His knowledge, wisdom, justice, and mercy. Nothing moves or stands still, no leaf falls, except by His permission and will. Allah says:
وَلِلَّهِ غَيْبُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَإِلَيْهِ يُرْجَعُ الْأَمْرُ كُلُّهُ فَاعْبُدْهُ وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَيْهِ وَمَا رَبُّكَ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ
“To Allah belongs the unseen of the heavens and the earth, and to Him all matters return. So worship Him and put your trust in Him. And your Lord is not unaware of what you do.” (Sūrat Hūd: 123)
The believer knows that nothing happens except what Allah wills—and that whatever He does not will, does not occur. As He said about Himself:
وَاللَّهُ غَالِبٌ عَلَى أَمْرِهِ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
“Allah is predominant over His affair, but most people do not know.” (Sūrat Yūsuf: 21)
He is certain that mercy, benefit, and all goodness lie in Allah’s hand alone. No one has power over benefit or harm, life or death, or resurrection—not for themselves, nor for anyone else. This verse is engraved in his heart:
مَا يَفْتَحِ اللَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ مِنْ رَحْمَةٍ فَلَا مُمْسِكَ لَهَا وَمَا يُمْسِكْ فَلَا مُرْسِلَ لَهُ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ
“Whatever mercy Allah opens for people—none can withhold it. And whatever He withholds—none can release it thereafter. And He is the Almighty, the All-Wise.” (Sūrat Fāṭir: 2)
So his trust is firmly placed in his Lord and Master.
He knows that if all of creation gathered to benefit or harm him, they could do nothing but what Allah had already decreed. As Allah said:
قُلْ لَنْ يُصِيبَنَا إِلَّا مَا كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَنَا هُوَ مَوْلَانَا وَعَلَى اللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ
“Say: Nothing will ever touch us except what Allah has written for us. He is our Protector. And upon Allah let the believers rely.” (Sūrat al-Tawbah: 51)
He is certain that no one can lift a harm that has struck him except Allah. For He said:
وَإِنْ يَمْسَسْكَ اللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ فَلَا كَاشِفَ لَهُ إِلَّا هُوَ وَإِنْ يَمْسَسْكَ بِخَيْرٍ فَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
“And if Allah touches you with harm, none can remove it except Him. And if He touches you with good, He is over all things capable.” (Sūrat al-Anʿām: 17)
He is content with Allah—the Provider, the All-Strong, the Firm—who has guaranteed his sustenance, and the provision of his dependents. So he is pleased with Him as his Sustainer and Maintainer. Did not Allah say:
وَمَا مِنْ دَابَّةٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ إِلَّا عَلَى اللَّهِ رِزْقُهَا وَيَعْلَمُ مُسْتَقَرَّهَا وَمُسْتَوْدَعَهَا كُلٌّ فِي كِتَابٍ مُبِينٍ
“There is no creature on earth except that its provision is upon Allah. He knows its place of dwelling and its place of storage. All is in a clear record.” (Sūrat Hūd: 6)
And did He not say:
وَكَأَيِّنْ مِنْ دَابَّةٍ لَا تَحْمِلُ رِزْقَهَا اللَّهُ يَرْزُقُهَا وَإِيَّاكُمْ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ
“How many a creature does not carry its provision—Allah provides for them and for you. And He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.” (Sūrat al-ʿAnkabūt: 60)
Did not our Prophet ﷺ say: “O people! Fear Allah and be moderate in seeking your provision. For no soul will die until it has received its full provision—even if it is delayed. So, fear Allah and be moderate in seeking it: take what is lawful, and leave what is forbidden.” (Reported by Ibn Mājah)
Indeed, the believer is certain that it is Allah alone who manages all affairs. He alone has decreed all matters. He alone gives life and causes death. He grants power to whom He wills and removes it from whom He wills. He honors whom He wills and humiliates whom He wills. He withholds and gives, lowers and raises. He owns all of creation and everything they possess. He controls their hearts, their hearing, and their sight. He gives authority to whomever He wills, over whom He wills, by whatever means He wills. And He restrains whomever He wills from whomever He wills, in whatever way He wills. He is the Irresistible over His servants—exalted and sanctified is He.
He said in His Book:
قُلْ مَنْ يَرْزُقُكُمْ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ أَمَّنْ يَمْلِكُ السَّمْعَ وَالْأَبْصَارَ وَمَنْ يُخْرِجُ الْحَيَّ مِنَ الْمَيِّتِ وَيُخْرِجُ الْمَيِّتَ مِنَ الْحَيِّ وَمَنْ يُدَبِّرُ الْأَمْرَ فَسَيَقُولُونَ اللَّهُ فَقُلْ أَفَلَا تَتَّقُونَ
“Say, ‘Who provides for you from the heavens and the earth? Who controls hearing and sight? Who brings forth the living from the dead and brings forth the dead from the living? And who arranges all affairs?” They will say, “Allah.” Say, “Then will you not fear Him?’”(Sūrat Yūnus: 31)
And He said:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اذْكُرُوا نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ هَمَّ قَوْمٌ أَنْ يَبْسُطُوا إِلَيْكُمْ أَيْدِيَهُمْ فَكَفَّ أَيْدِيَهُمْ عَنْكُمْ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَعَلَى اللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ
“O you who believe, remember the favor of Allah upon you when a people intended to stretch out their hands against you, but He withheld their hands from you. And fear Allah. And upon Allah let the believers rely.” (Sūrat al-Māʾidah: 11)
And He, the Exalted, said:
وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَسَلَّطَهُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ فَلَقَاتَلُوكُمْ
“And if Allah had willed, He would have empowered them over you, and they would have fought you.” (Sūrat al-Nisāʾ: 90)
The believer is certain that Allah encompasses all things—His knowledge and power surround every detail. For He is the One who says:
وَلِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ مُحِيطًا
“To Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth, and Allah is ever-encompassing of all things.” (Sūrat al-Nisāʾ: 126)
He encompasses the people, their deeds, and their plots and plans.
Did He not say to His Prophet ﷺ:
وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لَكَ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ أَحَاطَ بِالنَّاسِ
“And [remember] when We said to you, ‘Indeed, your Lord has encompassed the people.’” (Sūrat al-Isrāʾ: 60)
A nation may display its tyranny with armies that fill the land, sea, and air—but Allah said:
هَلْ أَتَاكَ حَدِيثُ الْجُنُودِ * فِرْعَوْنَ وَثَمُودَ * بَلِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فِي تَكْذِيبٍ * وَاللَّهُ مِنْ وَرَائِهِمْ مُحِيطٌ
“Has the story reached you of the soldiers—of Pharaoh and Thamūd? But those who disbelieve are in denial. And Allah encompasses them from behind.” (Sūrat al-Burūj: 17–20)
This belief is what makes the servant of Allah rely solely upon Him, trust only in Him, and find peace only with Him. He alone is the Protector and the Helper. He, Exalted is He, said:
أَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ لَهُ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا لَكُمْ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مِنْ وَلِيٍّ وَلَا نَصِيرٍ
“Do you not know that to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and you have no protector or helper besides Allah?” (Sūrat al-Baqarah: 107)
The believer looks at his children and their future and knows: if they are in the care of Allah, then they are in protection and safety. And that Allah never abandons His own. So he fears Allah, who said:
وَلْيَخْشَ الَّذِينَ لَوْ تَرَكُوا مِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّةً ضِعَافًا خَافُوا عَلَيْهِمْ فَلْيَتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَلْيَقُولُوا قَوْلًا سَدِيدًا
“And let those fear [for their children], who, if they were to leave behind weak offspring, would be concerned for them—so let them fear Allah and speak words of appropriate justice.” (Sūrat al-Nisāʾ: 9)
He sees the disbelievers and hypocrites plotting and waging war to hinder people from the path of Allah. He sees that they possess means of strength and dominance not held by the believers. But he does not despair or give in to sadness. Rather, he works diligently in his role, certain that the word of Allah is supreme. He knows that world maps are not drawn in secret chambers, nor are people’s destinies decided by members of dark conspiracies. Rather, everything only occurs by the decree and will of Allah.
Did Allah not promise us, saying:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا يُنْفِقُونَ أَمْوَالَهُمْ لِيَصُدُّوا عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَسَيُنْفِقُونَهَا ثُمَّ تَكُونُ عَلَيْهِمْ حَسْرَةً ثُمَّ يُغْلَبُونَ وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا إِلَى جَهَنَّمَ يُحْشَرُونَ
“Indeed, those who disbelieve spend their wealth to hinder others from the path of Allah. So they will spend it, then it will become a regret for them, then they will be overcome. And those who disbelieve will be gathered into Hell.” (Sūrat al-Anfāl: 36)
Did He not also say:
يُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يُطْفِئُوا نُورَ اللَّهِ بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَيَأْبَى اللَّهُ إِلَّا أَنْ يُتِمَّ نُورَهُ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْكَافِرُونَ * هُوَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلَ رَسُولَهُ بِالْهُدَى وَدِينِ الْحَقِّ لِيُظْهِرَهُ عَلَى الدِّينِ كُلِّهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ
“They want to extinguish the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah refuses except to perfect His light, even if the disbelievers hate it. It is He who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth to make it prevail over all religions, even if the polytheists dislike it.” (Sūrat al-Tawbah: 32–33)
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ gave us glad tidings that Islām would spread, saying:
“There will not remain a house made of clay or of fur, except that Allah will cause the word of Islām to enter it—either by honoring someone who accepts it or by humiliating someone who resists it. Allah will either honor them and make them of its people, or He will disgrace them and they will submit to it.” (Reported by Aḥmad)
The believer never despairs of the mercy of Allah, never loses hope, and does not know hopelessness. He is always thinking well of his Lord and Master—for Allah is capable of all good.
Ibn ʿAbbās, may Allah be pleased with them both, reported that a man said:
“O Messenger of Allah, what are the major sins?”
He ﷺ replied: “Associating partners with Allah, despairing of the mercy of Allah, and losing hope in the relief from Allah.” (Reported by al-Bazzār)
May Allah bless me and you through the Noble Qur’ān, and benefit us all from its verses and wise reminders. I seek forgiveness from Allah for myself and for you—so seek His forgiveness. Indeed, He is the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
The Second Sermon
All praise is due to Allah, and may blessings and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah, his family, his companions, and all who follow him. To proceed:
Servants of Allah,
The tranquility and trust that the believer places in Allah is not a call to passivity or abandoning effort. Rather, the believer acts in accordance with the Book of his Lord, who said:
وَأَعِدُّوا لَهُمْ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ مِنْ قُوَّةٍ وَمِنْ رِبَاطِ الْخَيْلِ تُرْهِبُونَ بِهِ عَدُوَّ اللَّهِ وَعَدُوَّكُمْ وَآخَرِينَ مِنْ دُونِهِمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَهُمُ اللَّهُ يَعْلَمُهُمْ
“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 Allah knows them.” (Sūrat al-Anfāl: 60)
He takes precaution, just as Allah said:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا خُذُوا حِذْرَكُمْ فَانْفِرُوا ثُبَاتٍ أَوِ انْفِرُوا جَمِيعًا
“O you who believe, take your precaution, then go forth in groups or go forth all together.” (Sūrat al-Nisāʾ: 71)
Indeed, Allah sent down His tranquility upon His Messenger ﷺ on the day of the migration after he had taken the means of escape. He also sent it down upon him and the believers on the Day of Ḥunayn and the Day of the Pledge of Riḍwān, when they stood firm before the masses of disbelief.
Faith in Allah and uprightness upon His command is the path to safety and serenity in this life and the Hereafter. He said:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا رَبُّنَا اللَّهُ ثُمَّ اسْتَقَامُوا تَتَنَزَّلُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ أَلَّا تَخَافُوا وَلَا تَحْزَنُوا وَأَبْشِرُوا بِالْجَنَّةِ الَّتِي كُنْتُمْ تُوعَدُونَ
“Indeed, those who say, ‘Our Lord is Allah,’ and then remain steadfast—upon them the angels will descend [saying], “‘Do not fear and do not grieve, but receive glad tidings of Paradise which you were promised.’” (Sūrat Fuṣṣilat: 30)
O Allah, grant victory to Islam and honor to the Muslims. Destroy the criminal disbelievers. O Allah, place tranquility in the hearts of those striving in Your cause, deliver Your oppressed servants, and raise the banner of the religion by Your might, O Mighty, O Firm.
O Allah, grant us safety in our lands, rectify our leaders and those in authority over us, and place our leadership in the hands of those who fear You, are mindful of You, and seek Your pleasure.
Our Lord, grant us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.
