The sermon's title: The Reality of Islam
Themes of the Sermon:
1- Islam is the religion of Allah with which He sent all His Messengers.
2- The reality of the religion of Islam.
3- The finality of the Islamic Law (Sharīʿah).
All praise is due to Allah, al-Quddūs (the All-Holy) and al-Salām (the Source of Peace). He sent all His Prophets with Islām—which means entire submission to His will—and He promised those who respond and turn to Him in repentance the Dār al-Salām (the Abode of Peace, Paradise). I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone, without any partner, and I bear witness that Muḥammad is His servant and Messenger. May Allah grant him, his family, and his companions abundant peace and blessings.
To proceed:
O servants of Allah, fear Allah with true Taqwā—which is to remain conscious of Him by obeying His commands and avoiding His prohibitions. Be mindful of Him in your private thoughts and your public speech. Allah says:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ
“O you who have believed, fear Allah as He should be feared and do not die except as Muslims [in submission to Him].” [SūratĀ l ʿImrān: 102]
O servants of Allah:
One day, the Prophet ﷺ had a vision in a dream and related it to his companions. He said:
“I saw in a dream as if Jibrīl was at my head and Mīkā’īl was at my feet. One of them said to the other: 'Set a parable for him.' He replied: 'Listen, may your ears hear; and understand, may your heart comprehend. The likeness of you and your nation is like that of a king who took a land and built a house within it. He then prepared a banquet table and sent a messenger to invite the people to his food. Some of them responded to the messenger, while others ignored him.
Allah is the King, the land is Islam, the house is al-Jannah, and you, O Muḥammad, are the Messenger. Whoever responds to you enters Islam; whoever enters Islam enters Paradise; and whoever enters Paradise eats from what is within it.” (Reported by al-Tirmidhī)
Allah has invited His servants to the religion He has chosen for them, which is Islam. He has made it the condition for entering Paradise, for none shall enter it except the Muslims. On one occasion, the Prophet ﷺ commanded Bilāl to announce to the people:
“Indeed, none shall enter Paradise except a Muslim soul.” (Reported by al-Bukhārī and Muslim)
O servants of Allah:
Allah the Almighty says:
إِنَّ الدِّينَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ الْإِسْلَامُ
“Indeed, the religion in the sight of Allah is Islam.” [Sūrat Āl ʿImrān: 19]
He, the Exalted, also says:
وَمَنْ يَبْتَغِ غَيْرَ الْإِسْلَامِ دِينًا فَلَنْ يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُ وَهُوَ فِي الْآخِرَةِ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ
“And whoever desires other than Islam as religion—never will it be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers.” [Sūrat Āl ʿImrān: 85]
These are clear, decisive verses in which our Lord informs us that the religion He is pleased with for His servants—and the only one He accepts—is Islam.
Islam is the religion with which Allah sent all His Prophets and Messengers. Every single Prophet was a Muslim, calling his people to Islam, and their true followers were also Muslims.
Here is Nūḥ, the first Messenger on Earth; Allah tells us of his words to his people:
إِنْ أَجْرِيَ إِلَّا عَلَى اللَّهِ وَأُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ
“My reward is only from Allah, and I have been commanded to be of the Muslims.” [Sūrat Yūnus: 71-72]
And here is the close friend of the Most Merciful, Ibrāhīm, the Ḥanīf—the upright monotheist who turned away from all false worship—and a Muslim. Allah said of him:
مَا كَانَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ يَهُودِيًّا وَلَا نَصْرَانِيًّا وَلَكِنْ كَانَ حَنِيفًا مُسْلِمًا وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ
“Ibrāhīm was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was one inclining toward truth, a Muslim [submitting to Allah], and he was not of the polytheists.” [Sūrat Āl ʿImrān: 67]
This was also his prayer along with his son Ismāʿīl as they were raising the foundations of the Kaʿbah:
رَبَّنَا وَاجْعَلْنَا مُسْلِمَيْنِ لَكَ وَمِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِنَا أُمَّةً مُسْلِمَةً لَكَ
“Our Lord, and make us Muslims [in submission] to You and from our descendants a Muslim nation [in submission] to You.” [Sūrat al-Baqarah: 128]
This was his final counsel to his children, and the counsel of his grandson Yaʿqūb to his children as well. The Qur’ān documented this despite the dislike of those who oppose the truth:
وَمَنْ يَرْغَبُ عَنْ مِلَّةِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِلَّا مَنْ سَفِهَ نَفْسَهُ وَلَقَدِ اصْطَفَيْنَاهُ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَإِنَّهُ فِي الْآخِرَةِ لَمِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ * إِذْ قَالَ لَهُ رَبُّهُ أَسْلِمْ قَالَ أَسْلَمْتُ لِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ * وَوَصَّى بِهَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بَنِيهِ وَيَعْقُوبُ يَا بَنِيَّ إِنَّ اللَّهَ اصْطَفَى لَكُمُ الدِّينَ فَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ * أَمْ كُنْتُمْ شُهَدَاءَ إِذْ حَضَرَ يَعْقُوبَ الْمَوْتُ إِذْ قَالَ لِبَنِيهِ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِنْ بَعْدِي قَالُوا نَعْبُدُ إِلَهَكَ وَإِلَهَ آبَائِكَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِسْحَاقَ إِلَهًا وَاحِدًا وَنَحْنُ لَهُ مُسْلِمُونَ
“And who would be averse to the religion of Ibrāhīm except one who makes a fool of himself? And We had chosen him in this world, and indeed he, in the Hereafter, will be among the righteous. When his Lord said to him, 'Submit,' he said, 'I have submitted to the Lord of the worlds.' And Ibrāhīm instructed his sons [to do the same] and [so did] Yaʿqūb, [saying], 'O my sons, indeed Allah has chosen for you this religion, so do not die except while you are Muslims.' Or were you witnesses when death approached Yaʿqūb, when he said to his sons, 'What will you worship after me?' They said, 'We will worship your God and the God of your fathers, Ibrāhīm and Ismāʿīl and Isḥāq—one God. And we are Muslims [in submission] to Him.'” [Sūrat al-Baqarah: 130-133]
And here is the Prophet of Allah, Lūṭ; when Allah sent punishment upon the criminals, none were saved except the Muslims:
فَأَخْرَجْنَا مَنْ كَانَ فِيهَا مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ * فَمَا وَجَدْنَا فِيهَا غَيْرَ بَيْتٍ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ
“So, We brought out whoever was in it of the believers. And We found within it not other than one house of Muslims.” [Sūrat al-Dhāriyāt: 35-36]
Yūsuf, the truthful one, lived as a Muslim calling to Islam and asked his Lord for steadfastness upon it, saying:
أَنْتَ وَلِيِّي فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ تَوَفَّنِي مُسْلِمًا وَأَلْحِقْنِي بِالصَّالِحِينَ
“You are my protector in this world and the Hereafter. Cause me to die a Muslim and join me with the righteous.” [Sūrat Yūsuf: 101]
And here is Mūsā, who spoke directly to the Most Merciful, commanding his followers to be patient because they were Muslims:
يَا قَوْمِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ آمَنْتُمْ بِاللَّهِ فَعَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلُوا إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُسْلِمِينَ
“O my people, if you have believed in Allah, then rely upon Him, if you should be Muslims.” [Sūrat Yūnus: 84]
Even the magicians of Firʿawn, when they believed in Allah, declared their Islam, indifferent to the threats of that sinful criminal, saying:
وَمَا تَنْقِمُ مِنَّا إِلَّا أَنْ آمَنَّا بِآيَاتِ رَبِّنَا لَمَّا جَاءَتْنَا رَبَّنَا أَفْرِغْ عَلَيْنَا صَبْرًا وَتَوَفَّنَا مُسْلِمِينَ
“And you do not resent us except because we believed in the signs of our Lord when they came to us. Our Lord, pour upon us patience and let us die as Muslims.” [Sūrat al-Aʿrāf: 126]
In fact, Firʿawn himself knew that the religion Mūsā brought was Islam. He said as he was drowning—at a time when his faith could no longer benefit him:
حَتَّى إِذَا أَدْرَكَهُ الْغَرَقُ قَالَ آمَنْتُ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا الَّذِي آمَنَتْ بِهِ بَنُو إِسْرَائِيلَ وَأَنَا مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ
“I believe that there is no deity except that in whom the Children of Israel believe, and I am of the Muslims.” [Sūrat Yūnus: 90]
Sulaymān sent a letter to the Queen of Saba’ inviting her to Islam, saying:
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ * أَلَّا تَعْلُوا عَلَيَّ وَأْتُونِي مُسْلِمِينَ
“In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. Be not haughty with me but come to me as Muslims.” [Sūrat al-Naml: 30-31]
When she believed, she said:
قَالَتْ رَبِّ إِنِّي ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي وَأَسْلَمْتُ مَعَ سُلَيْمَانَ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
“My Lord, indeed I have wronged myself, and I submit (as a Muslim) with Sulaymān to Allah, Lord of the worlds.” [Sūrat al-Naml: 44]
All the Prophets of the Children of Israel were upon Islam, as our Lord said:
إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَا التَّوْرَاةَ فِيهَا هُدًى وَنُورٌ يَحْكُمُ بِهَا النَّبِيُّونَ الَّذِينَ أَسْلَمُوا
“Indeed, We sent down the Torah, in which was guidance and light. The prophets who submitted [to Allah] judged by it.” [Sūrat al-Mā’idah: 44]
And ʿĪsā called the Children of Israel to Islam, and the Ḥawāriyyūn—his disciples and close companions—responded by saying:
نَحْنُ أَنْصَارُ اللَّهِ آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ وَاشْهَدْ بِأَنَّا مُسْلِمُونَ
“We are supporters for Allah. We have believed in Allah and testify that we are Muslims [submitting to Him].” [Sūrat Āl ʿImrān: 52]
Nay, even the Jinn—unseen beings created by Allah—when they heard the call of faith, they submitted as Muslims. Their speaker said:
وَأَنَّا مِنَّا الْمُسْلِمُونَ وَمِنَّا الْقَاسِطُونَ فَمَنْ أَسْلَمَ فَأُولَئِكَ تَحَرَّوْا رَشَدًا
“And among us are Muslims [in submission to Allah], and among us are the unjust. And whoever has become Muslim—those have sought out the right course.” [Sūrat al-Jinn: 14]
O servants of Allah:
Since the religion Allah is pleased with is Islam, and it is the religion of all the Messengers and those who followed them, what then is the true reality of the religion of Islam?
Religion is the necessary and constant obedience that becomes a person's constant habit and character. This absolute obedience is deserved by none except Allah alone, without any partner; this is why the religion recognized by Allah and the one He chose for His servants is Islam.
Islām means: the submission of hearts, tongues, and limbs to Allah the Exalted through ʿIbādah—worship and servitude—to Him alone, out of love and humility. It must be free from all arrogance, refusal, or the setting up of rivals and partners with Allah. This compliance and submission must follow the path brought by the Messengers, both inwardly in one's heart and outwardly in one's actions. Thus, it encompasses ʿAqīdah, rulings, laws, morals, and manners, while completely disassociating from Shirk and every false religion that contradicts Islam.
Whoever does not believe in Allah, His books, His messengers, the Last Day, and the rest of the pillars of faith, is not a Muslim.
Whoever is too arrogant to submit to Allah's command is not a Muslim.
Whoever associates partners with Allah and worships others besides Him is not a Muslim.
Whoever refuses to accept what the Messengers brought, whether in its entirety or any part of it, is not a Muslim.
Allah the Exalted says:
وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِكَ مِنْ رَسُولٍ إِلَّا نُوحِي إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنَا فَاعْبُدُونِ
“And We sent not before you any messenger except that We revealed to him that, 'There is no deity except Me, so worship Me.'” [Sūrat al-Anbiyā’: 25]
And He, the Perfect, says:
شَرَعَ لَكُمْ مِنَ الدِّينِ مَا وَصَّى بِهِ نُوحًا وَالَّذِي أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ وَمَا وَصَّيْنَا بِهِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمُوسَى وَعِيسَى أَنْ أَقِيمُوا الدِّينَ وَلَا تَتَفَرَّقُوا فِيهِ كَبُرَ عَلَى الْمُشْرِكِينَ مَا تَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَيْهِ اللَّهُ يَجْتَبِي إِلَيْهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَيَهْدِي إِلَيْهِ مَنْ يُنِيبُ
“He has ordained for you of religion what He enjoined upon Nūḥ and that which We have revealed to you, [O Muḥammad], and what We enjoined upon Ibrāhīm and Mūsā and ʿĪsā—to establish the religion and not be divided therein. Difficult for those who associate others with Allah is that to which you invite them. Allah chooses for Himself whom He wills and guides to Himself whoever turns back [to Him].” [Sūrat al-Shūrā: 13]
Based on this, the people of Islam—from the Messengers and those who believed in them—are truly one single nation because they follow one faith. Thus, our Lord said:
إِنَّ هَذِهِ أُمَّتُكُمْ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً وَأَنَا رَبُّكُمْ فَاعْبُدُونِ
“Indeed this, your nation, is one nation, and I am your Lord, so worship Me.” [Sūrat al-Anbiyā’: 92]
This is the upright religion that Allah has chosen for His creation; there is no crookedness in it, no injustice, and no following of whims. Allah the Exalted says:
وَمَا تَفَرَّقَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ إِلَّا مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَتْهُمُ الْبَيِّنَةُ * وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ حُنَفَاءَ وَيُقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَذَلِكَ دِينُ الْقَيِّمَةِ
“Nor did those who were given the Scripture become divided until after there had come to them clear evidence. And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth, and to establish prayer and to give Zakāh. And that is the correct religion.” [Sūrat al-Bayyinah: 4-5]
Know, O servants of Allah, that there is no such thing as "multiple divine religions," nor is there any truth to the invented "Abrahamic Religion." Rather, there is only the religion of Allah, which is Islam, and other false religions. The religion of Nūḥ, Ibrāhīm, Mūsā, ʿĪsā, Muḥammad, and all the Prophets (peace and blessings be upon them) is Islam—which is submission to Allah alone, as He revealed and ordained. Only through it can one enter Paradise and find salvation from the Fire.
May Allah bless me and you through the Great Qur’ān and benefit us through the verses and the Wise Remembrance. I seek Allah’s forgiveness for me and for you, so seek His forgiveness; indeed, He is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
The Second Sermon:
Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah, his family, his companions, and those who follow him. To proceed:
Islam, in its general sense, is what we have explained: the religion Allah chose for all His creation throughout time. As for Islam in its specific sense, it refers to the detailed Sharīʿah brought by our Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ regarding beliefs and legal rulings. His religion is Islam, and his law is the Law of Islam. Upon his being sent, it became mandatory for both mankind and Jinn to believe in him, trust him, and refer to his religion and law for judgment.
Allah the Exalted says:
وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا كَافَّةً لِلنَّاسِ بَشِيرًا وَنَذِيرًا وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
“And We have not sent you except comprehensively to mankind as a bringer of good tidings and a warner. But most of the people do not know.” [Sūrat Saba’: 28]
He ﷺ is the Seal of the Prophets, sent to all people, Arabs and non-Arabs alike. Whoever hears of him is obligated to affirm the Tawḥīd (Oneness) of Allah, believe in his prophethood and message, and submit to and accept what he brought. It will not benefit such a person to claim they were from the "People of the Book" (Jews or Christians) if they reject him.
The Prophet ﷺ said: “By Him in Whose hand is the soul of Muḥammad, there is no one of this nation—Jew or Christian—who hears of me and then dies without believing in that with which I was sent, except that he will be among the inhabitants of the Fire.” (Reported by Muslim)
O Allah, grant victory to Islam and honor the Muslims. Destroy the criminal disbelievers and the aggressive spreaders of falsehood. O Allah, send down tranquility into the hearts of the believers and raise the banner of the religion, by Your power, O All-Strong, O Almighty.
O Allah, withhold the hands of the oppressors from us, and appoint for us from Yourself a protector and appoint for us from Yourself a helper.
O Allah, grant us security in our homelands, rectify our leaders and those in authority over us, and place our leadership under those who fear You, remain conscious of You, and follow Your pleasure.
Our Lord, give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.
