Sermon's Title: (“That We May Strengthen Your Heart Thereby”): The Strengtheners of the Qur’ān
Themes of the Sermon:
1- The Qur’ān as the strengthener of hearts.
2- How we remain firm through the Qur’ān.
3- What are the Qur’ānic factors that grant firmness to the hearts?
Praise be to Allah, who made His religion manifest among the worlds, made firm the hearts of His believing allies, and saved them from the plots of the wrongdoing people. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone, without partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. May Allah send His peace and many blessings upon him.
To proceed: Fear Allah, O servants of Allah, as He should be feared, and be mindful of Him in private and in public.
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].” [Sūrat Āl ʿImrān: 102].
Servants of Allah:
One day, the Prophet ﷺ mentioned the Dajjāl (the Antichrist) and the greatness of his trial (fitnah). He then advised his Ummah, saying: “Whoever among you sees him, let him recite the opening verses of Sūrat al-Kahf,” then he said: “O servants of Allah! Remain firm!”(Narrated by al-Tirmidhī). .
Our Prophet ﷺ calls out to you to remain firm upon your religion. Do not let any deceiver who lies against Allah tempt you. He advises you with the greatest means of remaining firm in the face of the most powerful trials: the Noble Qur’ān.
He ﷺ advises you with the opening verses of Sūrat al-Kahf, where you remember those youths who believed in their Lord, were patient upon their religion, remained firm in the Oneness (Tawḥīd) of their Lord, and chose a dark cave to escape with their faith. They were not deceived by the worldly life of kings. Thus, if you see the Dajjāl—who brings forth the treasures of the earth to call you to worship him—remember the firmness of the youths who believed in their Lord, so He increased them in guidance.
Brothers in Islam:
Consider the advice of the Prophet ﷺ to Ḥudhayfah, may Allah be pleased with him, when he asked: “O Messenger of Allah! Is there any evil after this good that we are in which we should beware of?” He said to him: “O Ḥudhayfah! Hold fast to the Book of Allah, learn it, and follow what is in it; that is better for you.”.(Narrated by Abū Dāwūd and Ibn Ḥibbān).
The Qur’ān is the way out of trials and the greatest cause for remaining firm upon the truth when the waves of falsehood surge. We uphold it through faith, recitation, understanding, action, and seeking its judgment.
Did our Lord, the Glorified, not say:
قُلْ نَزَّلَهُ رُوحُ الْقُدُسِ مِنْ رَبِّكَ بِالْحَقِّ لِيُثَبِّتَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَهُدًى وَبُشْرَى لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ
“Say, [O Muhammad], ‘The Pure Spirit has brought it down from your Lord in truth to make firm those who believe and as guidance and good tidings for the Muslims.’” [Sūrat al-Naḥl: 102]?
Indeed, the Muslim needs the "strengtheners" of the Qur’ān at all times. For this reason, the Qur’ān was revealed to our Prophet ﷺ throughout his life after his mission began. Whenever he faced trials and calamities, the verses of the Qur’ān descended like rain, through which Allah would make the hearts firm.
Allah, the Glorified, said:
وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَوْلَا نُزِّلَ عَلَيْهِ الْقُرْآنُ جُمْلَةً وَاحِدَةً كَذَلِكَ لِنُثَبِّتَ بِهِ فُؤَادَكَ وَرَتَّلْنَاهُ تَرْتِيلًا
“And those who disbelieve say, ‘Why was the Qur’ān not revealed to him all at once?’ Thus [it is] that We may strengthen thereby your heart. And We have spaced it distinctly.” [Sūrat al-Furqān: 32].
You may ask: What are the Qur’ānic factors that grant firmness to the hearts during trials, hardships, and calamities?
The foundation of firmness during hardships is your knowledge that firmness comes from Allah alone. He is the One who guides, grants success, and makes firm the hearts of the believers, just as He abandons, misguides, and causes the hearts of the wrongdoers to deviate. Therefore, your faith and your clinging to Him and His revelation are the keys to steadfastness and correctness. Allah the Exalted said:
وَإِنْ كَادُوا لَيَفْتِنُونَكَ عَنِ الَّذِي أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ لِتَفْتَرِيَ عَلَيْنَا غَيْرَهُ وَإِذًا لَاتَّخَذُوكَ خَلِيلًا * وَلَوْلَا أَنْ ثَبَّتْنَاكَ لَقَدْ كِدْتَ تَرْكَنُ إِلَيْهِمْ شَيْئًا قَلِيلًا
“And indeed, they were about to tempt you away from that which We revealed to you in order to [make] you invent about Us something else; and then they would have taken you as a friend. And if We had not strengthened you, you would have almost inclined to them a little.” [Sūrat al-Isrāʾ: 73-74].
And He, the Glorified, said:
يُثَبِّتُ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِالْقَوْلِ الثَّابِتِ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ وَيُضِلُّ اللَّهُ الظَّالِمِينَ وَيَفْعَلُ اللَّهُ مَا يَشَاءُ
“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.” [Sūrat Ibrāhīm: 27].
The believer remains firm through Allah when he believes in Him and is certain that He is the One who disposes of all affairs. The entire universe is in His Hand; He is the Predominant over His affairs. No good occurs except by His grace, and no harm happens except by His permission.
He knows the plotting of the disbelievers and the schemes of the wrongdoers, and He, the Glorified, is the best of planners, and His plan is firm. He has an established law regarding His allies and His enemies: He decrees salvation and the final outcome for the believers, and He destroys His disbelieving enemies. The Qur’ān informs you of this and relates to you reports that increase you in certainty.
Allah the Exalted said to His Prophet ﷺ:
وَكُلًّا نَقُصُّ عَلَيْكَ مِنْ أَنْبَاءِ الرُّسُلِ مَا نُثَبِّتُ بِهِ فُؤَادَكَ
“And each [story] We relate to you from the news of the messengers is that by which We make firm your heart.” [Sūrat Hūd: 120].
Among the greatest strengtheners of the heart is to maintain good expectations and hope in Allah. Thus, you see ease alongside hardship, and good hidden within evil. You see Allah’s relief and His near victory, and that He protects His believing servants. For He is the One who accepted the repentance of Ādam, and gave victory to Nūḥ, Hūd, Ṣāliḥ, and Shuʿayb over the wrongdoing people. He saved Ibrāhīm from the fire and made his enemies the greatest losers.
He saved Lūṭ and his family, brought Yūsuf out of the well and the prison, dried the seabed for Mūsā, saved Yūnus from distress, healed Ayyūb from his illness, answered the prayer of Zakariyyā by granting him a child, raised ʿĪsā up alive and honored from among the criminal Jews, and gave victory and honor to His Prophet Muhammad ﷺ over the polytheists. This is His prevailing decree, the Glorified, as He said:
وَلَقَدْ سَبَقَتْ كَلِمَتُنَا لِعِبَادِنَا الْمُرْسَلِينَ * إِنَّهُمْ لَهُمُ الْمَنْصُورُونَ * وَإِنَّ جُنْدَنَا لَهُمُ الْغَالِبُونَ
“And Our word has already preceded for Our servants, the messengers, [that] indeed, they would be those given victory and [that] indeed, Our soldiers will be the victors.” [Sūrat al-Ṣāffāt: 171-173].
When you read the Qur’ān, you find within it Allah’s sufficiency for whoever believes in Him and relies upon Him—that He is enough for the servant and his protector. The extent of Allah’s protection and support is based on the level of one's servitude (ʿubūdiyyah) to Him. Have you not heard the report of our Prophet ﷺ and his companions in the words of the Glorified:
الَّذِينَ اسْتَجَابُوا لِلَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا أَصَابَهُمُ الْقَرْحُ لِلَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا مِنْهُمْ وَاتَّقَوْا أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ * الَّذِينَ قَالَ لَهُمُ النَّاسُ إِنَّ النَّاسَ قَدْ جَمَعُوا لَكُمْ فَاخْشَوْهُمْ فَزَادَهُمْ إِيمَانًا وَقَالُوا حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ * فَانْقَلَبُوا بِنِعْمَةٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَفَضْلٍ لَمْ يَمْسَسْهُمْ سُوءٌ وَاتَّبَعُوا رِضْوَانَ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ ذُو فَضْلٍ عَظِيمٍ
“Those [believers] who responded to Allah and the Messenger after injury had struck them. For those who did good among them and feared Allah is a great reward—those to whom the people said, ‘Indeed, the people have gathered against you, so fear them.’ But it [only] increased them in faith, and they said, ‘Sufficient for us is Allah, and [He is] the best Disposer of affairs.’ So they returned with favor from Allah and bounty, no harm having touched them. And they pursued the pleasure of Allah, and Allah is the possessor of great bounty.” [Sūrat Āl ʿImrān: 172-174].
Indeed, among the greatest strengtheners of the heart is faith in the Last Day—and that it is a day surely coming, in which Allah will judge between the creation. Every soul will be compensated for what its hands have earned; the criminal oppressors will not escape His punishment, and the deeds of the believers will not be lost without reward. When you are certain of a Paradise whose width is like the heavens and the earth, a single dip into it will make you forget all the misery of this world.
Consider the magicians of Pharaoh; they came to fight the religion of Allah seeking wealth. Pharaoh gave them glad tidings and promised them power and status, and they were eager for it. They entered the round of falsehood, priding themselves on Pharaoh’s power. But when Allah showed them the Truth, they fell in prostration to the Lord of the worlds. Pharaoh then turned their worldly luxury into a living hell, yet they remained firm only because they preferred Allah and the Gardens of Delight. Allah the Exalted said:
فَأُلْقِيَ السَّحَرَةُ سُجَّدًا قَالُوا آمَنَّا بِرَبِّ هَارُونَ وَمُوسَى * قَالَ آمَنْتُمْ لَهُ قَبْلَ أَنْ آذَنَ لَكُمْ إِنَّهُ لَكَبِيرُكُمُ الَّذِي عَلَّمَكُمُ السِّحْرَ فَلَأُقَطِّعَنَّ أَيْدِيَكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُمْ مِنْ خِلَافٍ وَلَأُصَلِّبَنَّكُمْ فِي جُذُوعِ النَّخْلِ وَلَتَعْلَمُنَّ أَيُّنَا أَشَدُّ عَذَابًا وَأَبْقَى * قَالُوا لَنْ نُؤْثِرَكَ عَلَى مَا جَاءَنَا مِنَ الْبَيِّنَاتِ وَالَّذِي فَطَرَنَا فَاقْضِ مَا أَنْتَ قَاضٍ إِنَّمَا تَقْضِي هَذِهِ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا * إِنَّا آمَنَّا بِرَبِّنَا لِيَغْفِرَ لَنَا خَطَايَانَا وَمَا أَكْرَهْتَنَا عَلَيْهِ مِنَ السِّحْرِ وَاللَّهُ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَى * إِنَّهُ مَنْ يَأْتِ رَبَّهُ مُجْرِمًا فَإِنَّ لَهُ جَهَنَّمَ لَا يَمُوتُ فِيهَا وَلَا يَحْيَى * وَمَنْ يَأْتِهِ مُؤْمِنًا قَدْ عَمِلَ الصَّالِحَاتِ فَأُولَئِكَ لَهُمُ الدَّرَجَاتُ الْعُلَى * جَنَّاتُ عَدْنٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا وَذَلِكَ جَزَاءُ مَنْ تَزَكَّى
“So the magicians fell down in prostration. They said, ‘We have believed in the Lord of Hārūn and Mūsā.’ [Pharaoh] said, ‘You believed him before I gave you permission. Indeed, he is your leader who has taught you magic. So I will surely cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides, and I will surely crucify you on the trunks of palm trees, and you will surely know which of us is more severe in [giving] punishment and more enduring.’ They said, ‘Never will we prefer you over what has come to us of clear proofs and [over] He who created us. So decree whatever you are to decree. You can only decree for this worldly life. Indeed, we have believed in our Lord that He may forgive us our sins and what you compelled us to of magic. And Allah is better and more enduring.’ Indeed, whoever comes to his Lord as a criminal—indeed, for him is Hell; he will neither die therein nor live. But whoever comes to Him as a believer having done righteous deeds—for those will be the highest degrees, Gardens of perpetual residence beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally. And that is the reward of him who purifies himself.” [Sūrat Ṭāhā: 70-76].
Among the greatest strengtheners of the heart is feeling a sense of honor and superiority through the guidance Allah has revealed. Most people are driven by a sense of tyranny; they are impressed by their own intellects, ideas, and philosophies, thinking they can do without Allah’s revelation and believing they are upon something significant. Then they go astray and become lost. However, the moment the darkness of ignorance and whims approaches the believer, he shines the lights of the Qur’ān upon them until they vanish, and Allah wipes away all falsehoods.
It is your right, O believer, not to be overtaken by the fears of destruction, for you are superior by your faith. This is what Allah advised Mūsā, peace be upon him, as He said:
فَأَوْجَسَ فِي نَفْسِهِ خِيفَةً مُوسَى * قُلْنَا لَا تَخَفْ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْأَعْلَى
“And Mūsā sensed within himself apprehension. We said, ‘Fear not. Indeed, it is you who are superior.’” [Sūrat Ṭāhā: 67-68].
Allah also advised the believers with this, saying:
وَلَا تَهِنُوا وَلَا تَحْزَنُوا وَأَنْتُمُ الْأَعْلَوْنَ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ
“So do not weaken and do not grieve, and you are superior if you are [true] believers.” [Sūrat Āl ʿImrān: 139].
The Qur’ān strengthens you by erasing ignorance from you. It informs you of the causes of victory, introduces you to your enemies, and clarifies their goals and plans. In fact, it reveals to you their motives and secrets, explains their psychological impulses and what their chests conceal, and beyond that, it guides you to the path of salvation from their evils. Allah the Exalted said:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَتَّخِذُوا بِطَانَةً مِنْ دُونِكُمْ لَا يَأْلُونَكُمْ خَبَالًا وَدُّوا مَا عَنِتُّمْ قَدْ بَدَتِ الْبَغْضَاءُ مِنْ أَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَمَا تُخْفِي صُدُورُهُمْ أَكْبَرُ قَدْ بَيَّنَّا لَكُمُ الْآيَاتِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ * هَا أَنْتُمْ أُولَاءِ تُحِبُّونَهُمْ وَلَا يُحِبُّونَكُمْ وَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْكِتَابِ كُلِّهِ وَإِذَا لَقُوكُمْ قَالُوا آمَنَّا وَإِذَا خَلَوْا عَضُّوا عَلَيْكُمُ الْأَنَامِلَ مِنَ الْغَيْظِ قُلْ مُوتُوا بِغَيْظِكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ * إِنْ تَمْسَسْكُمْ حَسَنَةٌ تَسُؤْهُمْ وَإِنْ تُصِبْكُمْ سَيِّئَةٌ يَفْرَحُوا بِهَا وَإِنْ تَصْبِرُوا وَتَتَّقُوا لَا يَضُرُّكُمْ كَيْدُهُمْ شَيْئًا إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ مُحِيطٌ
“O you who believe, do not take as intimates those other than yourselves, for they will not spare you [any] ruin. They wish for that which fatigues you. Hatred has already appeared from their mouths, and what their breasts conceal is greater. We have certainly made clear to you the signs, if you will use reason. Here you are loving them but they do not love you, and you believe in all of the Scripture. And when they meet you, they say, ‘We believe.’ But when they are alone, they bite their fingertips at you in rage. Say, ‘Die in your rage. Indeed, Allah is Knowing of that within the breasts.’ If good touches you, it distresses them; but if harm strikes you, they rejoice at it. And if you are patient and fear Allah, their plot will not harm you at all. Indeed, Allah is encompassing of what they do.” [Sūrat Āl ʿImrān: 118-120].
May Allah bless me and you through the Great Qur’ān and benefit me and you through the verses and the Wise Remembrance within it. I seek forgiveness from Allah for me and for you, so seek His forgiveness; indeed, He is the Forgiving, the 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:
Indeed, among the greatest strengtheners of the heart during trials is that the Qur’ān gives you insight into the path of the Prophets and those who followed them until Allah gave victory to His religion through them. It tells you about taking precautions and preparing strength; it pulls you out of the clutches of helplessness and the illusions of weakness.
It tells you how Nūḥ built the Ark of salvation just before the Flood, how Yūsuf prepared a plan of safety during the years of drought, how Dāwūd made coats of mail and measured the links, how Dhū al-Qarnayn built the dam against Gog and Magog, and how the believers migrated from the oppression of the disbelievers and secluded themselves for their religion—so Allah spread out His mercy for them, strengthened them, and gave them victory.
This is the path that the Qur’ān has outlined in the words of the Exalted:
وَلَا يَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا سَبَقُوا إِنَّهُمْ لَا يُعْجِزُونَ * 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 let not those who disbelieve think they will escape. Indeed, they will not cause failure [to Allah]. 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.” [Sūrat al-Anfāl: 59-60].
O Allah, assist us and do not assist against us; grant us victory and do not grant victory over us; plan for us and do not plan against us; and grant us victory over those who transgress against us.
O Allah, grant us security in our homelands, and rectify our leaders and those in authority over us. Place our leadership under those who fear You, are mindful 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.
