Verse of al-Kursi

https://www.khutbah.info/verse-of-al-kursi/ Indeed Allah Almighty revealed this Quran and made it a source of guidance. And a path to success in this world and the afterlife for the one who believes in it, reads and reflects on its verses and acts according to it. Al Isra (17) 9: Indeed, this Qur’ān guides to that which is most suitable and gives good tidings to the believers who do righteous deeds that they will have a great reward. Let us pause briefly on a great verse form its verses and consider its meanings and virtue. And what should be learned about it. It is the best verse in the Book of Allah Almighty as was narrated by Abi bin Ka3b ( أبيُّ بن كعب  ), may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet ﷺ asked him:

إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ لِلَّهِ ,نَحْمَدُهُ  ,وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ  وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ ,  وَنَعُوذُ بِاللهِ مِنْ شُرُورِ أَنْفُسِنَا وَمِنْ سَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا  ,مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللهُ  فَلَا مُضِلَّ لَهُ ,  وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلَا هَادِيَ لَهُ ,  وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ   وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ    

Verily, all praise is for Allah. We praise Him, we seek His assistance and we ask for His forgiveness. And we seek refuge in Him from the evils of our selves. Whoever Allah guides, none can misguide. Whoever He misguides, none can guide. And I bear witness that there is no deity other than Allah and I bear witness that Mohammad is His slave and messenger.

 يَا أَيُّهَا الّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ – آل عمران:102 

Al Imran 102 : O you who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared, and die not except in a state of Islam.

Oh people:

Indeed Allah Almighty revealed this Quran and made it a source of guidance. And a path to success in this world and the afterlife for the one who believes in it, reads and reflects on its verses and acts according to it: 

إِنَّ هَذَا القُرْآَنَ يَهْدِي لِلَّتِي هِيَ أَقْوَمُ وَيُبَشِّرُ المُؤْمِنِينَ الَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ الصَّالِحَاتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ أَجْرًا كَبِيرًاالإسراء:9

Al Isra (17) 9: Indeed, this Qur’ān guides to that which is most suitable and gives good tidings to the believers who do righteous deeds that they will have a great reward

He did not say “guides to the proper path” but rather He the Almighty said: “guides to that which is most suitable”. That is in every matter, it guides to what is the best and most excellent. 

Let us pause briefly on a great verse form its verses and consider its meanings and virtue. And what should be learned about it. It is the best verse in the Book of Allah Almighty as was narrated by Abi bin Ka3b ( أبيُّ بن كعب  ), may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet ﷺ asked him:

أيُّ آية في كتاب الله أعظم !”  قال: اللهُ ورسولُه أعلم  قال: فردَّدها مرات  ثم قال أبيٌّ: آية الكُرْسِيّ   قال: “لِيَهْنِكَ العلم أبا المنذر  والذي نفسي بيده إنَّ لها لسانًا وَشَفَتَيْنِ تُقَدِّسُ الملِكَ عِنْدَ ساقِ العَرْشِ”. أَخْرَجَهُ مُسْلِمٌ وَأَحْمَدُ وَاللَّفْظُ لَهُ.

Which verse in the Book of Allah is the greatest?! He said: Allah and his messenger know best. He repeated it several times. Then Abi said: the verse of Al-Kursi (chair). The Prophet said: May knowledge be facilitated and pleasant for you Abu Munthar (Abi). By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, it has a tongue and two lips that sanctify the King at the foot of the Arsh (Throne). [Muslim 810]

اللهُ لا إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ

Allah – there is no deity except Him

has all the meanings of Godship. Nothing is worthy of Godship and Worship except He. Thus, worshipping other than him is shirk, misguidance, injustice and invalid.

الحَيُّ القَيُّومُ

The Ever-Living, the Self-Sustaining

He is characterized by all the complete meanings of life in a manner befitting His Majesty and Grandeur. He sustains Himself and is in no need for all of His creation. And He sustains everything that exists. He brought them in existence and sustained them. And provided them with everything needed for their existence and survival. Thus, they are in need of Him and He is in no need of them. And there is no subsistence for them without His command:

 وَمِنْ آَيَاتِهِ أَنْ تَقُومَ السَّمَاءُ وَالأَرْضُ بِأَمْرِهِ الرُّوم:25    

Ar-Room 25: And of His signs is that the heaven and earth stand [i.e., remain] by His command.  

And from His Ever-living and Self-Sustaining is that:

 لا تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلا نَوْمٌ

Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep.

Because drowsiness and sleep exhibit in the created as they are characterized by weakness, helplessness and deterioration. And they do not exhibit in the One of Glory, Greatness and Majesty. Thus, the Almighty does not experience shortcomings, negligence, or diversion from His creation. Rather He:

قَائِمٌ عَلَى كُلِّ نَفْسٍ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ الرعد:33

Ar-Rad (13) 33: The maintainer of every soul, [knowing] what it has earned

Witnessing everything. Nothing at all escapes Him. And no secret is hidden from Him. 

  لَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الأَرْضِ

To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth

He is the Owner and everything else is owned, and he is the Creator, Provider, the Master, and everything else is created, sustained and maintained creature who does not possess for himself or anyone else the weight of an atom in the heavens or the earth. And from His great dominion and great authority is that no one dares to intercede for anyone else except through His permission:

مَنْ ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِنْدَهُ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِهِ

Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission?

All of the notables and intercessors are slaves to Him. They do not set forth to intercession until He permits them:

 وَكَمْ مِنْ مَلَكٍ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ لا تُغْنِي شَفَاعَتُهُمْ شَيْئًا إِلاَّ مِنْ بَعْدِ أَنْ يَأْذَنَ اللهُ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ وَيَرْضَى  النَّجم:26

An-Najm (53) 26: And how many angels there are in the heavens whose intercession will not avail at all except [only] after Allah has permitted [it] to whom He wills and approves.

And Allah does not give permission to anyone to intercede except whom He approves. And He does not approve except those implementing Tawhid (Divine unity) and following His messengers. So whoever is not described by this will not have any share of intercession. 

 يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ

He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them

This is evidence that His knowledge encompasses all beings. Past, present and future. For He knows what is in front of the creatures of future matters without end. And the past matters behind them without any limitations. 

You can imagine how many events happen on Earth in a minute. Rather how many happen in one second. How many leaves fall. And the rain that falls. And the people that die. And the infants that are born. And what the wombs hold. And what creatures move. And what birds fly. And even the air that the people and animals breathe. And the steps that they take. And the water that they drink. And the food that they eat.  All of this does not happen except through the decree, knowledge and command of Allah the Almighty!!

In contrast to Allah’s great knowledge, He informed about His creation saying:

 وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيْءٍ مِنْ عِلْمِهِ

and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge  

And what He revealed to them of the religious and worldly matters. And it is a small imperceptible portion of the knowledge of Allah. As the most knowledgeable messengers and angels said:

قَالُوا سُبْحَانَكَ لا عِلْمَ لَنَا إِلاَّ مَا عَلَّمْتَنَا إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ العَلِيمُ الحَكِيمُ   البقرة:32

Al Baqarah (2) 32: They said, “Exalted are You; we have no knowledge except what You have taught us. Indeed, it is You who is the Knowing, the Wise.”

وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ

His Kursi (chair) extends over the heavens and the earth

If this is the state of the Kursi (chair), it encompasses the heavens and the earth with their greatness and the greatness of those in them-and the Kursi (chair) is not the biggest creation of Allah. Rather the Arsh (throne) is larger than it. And the thoughts get perplexed and dazed by the greatness of these creations. 

  وَلا يَئُودُهُ حِفْظُهُمَا

And their preservation tires Him not. 

He is not tired by preserving the heavens and the earth and what is in them and what is between them.

لا يثقله حفظ السماوات والأرض ومن فيهما ومن بينهما  

Then He concluded the verse with:

وَهُوَ العَلِيُّ العَظِيمُ

And He is the Most High, the Most Great.

High in His Self over all His creation. And He is supreme in His Great attributes. And He is the Most High, the One who prevails over the creation. And everything in existence subjugates to Him. And the difficult matters submit to Him. And the necks bow to Him. And He comprehensively has all the attributes of greatness, pride, glory and magnificence. The One Whom the hearts love. And the souls venerate. And the ones with knowledge knows that the greatness of everything vanishes next to the greatness of the Most High, Most Great.

أَقُولُ مَا تَسْمَعُونَ وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ  لِي وَلَكُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ ذَنْبٍ فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ  إِنَّهُ هُوَ الغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

I say what you have heard and I seek forgiveness from Allah for me and you from every sin. So seek forgives from Him, Verily He is Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

Second Khutbah

الحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ,  وَالصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ  , وَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَاْ إِلَهَ إِلَّاْ اَللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَاْشَرِيْكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدَاً عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُوْلُهُ

All praise is to Allah, and peace and blessings upon the Messenger of Allah, and I bear witness that there is no deity other than Allah and I bear witness that Mohammad is His slave and messenger.

Oh Muslims:

The verse of al-Kursi is the greatest verse in the Quran. From what it contains of great meanings in affirming the tawhid (Divine unity) of Allah Almighty and His description. For this reason it is a protection from the shaytan that the Muslim reads before he sleeps and it safeguards him by the permission of Allah Almighty. As came in the Hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah in al-Bukhari that the shaytan said to Abu Hurairah:

 إذا أويت إلى فراشك فاقرأ آية الكرسي  فإنك لن يزال معك من الله حافظ  ولا يقرَبُك شيطان حتى تصبح .

When you go to your bed, recite Ayat al-Kursi. Indeed, there will continue to be with you a guardian appointed over you from Allah (who will protect you during the night), and the shaytan will not come near you until morning.

And the Prophet ﷺ confirmed this. 

And it came in another Hadith that reading it will be a cause of entering paradise. As was related in the Hadith of Abu Umaamah (may Allah be pleased with him) who said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

 مَنْ قَرَأَ دُبُرَ كُلِّ صلاةٍ مكتوبة آية الكرسي لم يمنعه من دخول الجنة إلا أن يموت”. أخرجه النسائي وابن حبان.

Whoever recites Ayat al-Kursi at the end of every obligatory prayer, nothing but death will prevent him from entering Paradise. [An-Nasai reported it and Ibn Hibban graded it as authentic]

This was a brief glance at one verse from the Book of Allah Almighty. What about if we read the entire Quran with reflection and pondering. What would manifest to us regarding the greatness of Allah and His magnificent creation? And the precision of His fashioning. 

 اللهُ خَالِقُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَكِيلٌ   الزُّمر:62

Az-Zumar (39) 62: Allah is the Creator of all things, and He is, over all things, Disposer of affairs.Be conscious of Allah and read and reflect on His Book. And appraise Allah with His true appraisal. Ponder and appreciate the extent of His ability and wisdom. And worship Allah being sincere to Him in religion. 

 

هَذَا وَصَلُّوا وَسَلِّمُوا عَلَى نَبِيِّكُم كَمَا أَمَرَكُمْ بِذلِكَ رَبُّكُمْ , فَقَالَ

I conclude with this and send prayers of blessings and peace upon your Prophet as your Lord commanded:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ۚ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا

Al Ahzaab (33) 56: Indeed, Allah confers blessing upon the Prophet, and His angels [ask Him to do so]. O you who have believed, ask [ Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [ Allah to grant him] peace.

اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنا فِيمَنْ هَدَيْتَ وَعَافِنا فِيمَنْ عَافَيْتَ وَتَوَلَّنا فِيمَنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ وَبَارِكْ لنا فِيمَا أَعْطَيْتَ وَقِنا شَرَّ مَا قَضَيْتَ إِنَّكَ تَقْضِي وَلاَ يُقْضَى عَلَيْكَ وَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَذِلُّ مَنْ وَالَيْتَ تَبَارَكْتَ رَبَّنَا وَتَعَالَيْتَ

O Allah, guide us with those whom You have guided, grant us well-being among those You have granted well-being, be an ally to us along with those whom You are an ally to, and bless what You have bestowed upon us, and save us from the evil of what You have decreed.  For verily You decree and none can decree over You. He whom You support can never be humiliated. Glory is to You, our Lord, You are Blessed and Exalted.

اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ كُلِّهِ عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ مَا عَلِمْنا مِنْهُ وَمَا لَمْ نَعْلَمْ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الشَّرِّ كُلِّهِ عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ مَا عَلِمْنا مِنْهُ وَمَا لَمْ نَعْلَمْ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ خَيْرِ مَا سَأَلَكَ عَبْدُكَ وَنَبِيُّكَ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا عَاذَ بِهِ عَبْدُكَ وَنَبِيُّكَ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَا قَرَّبَ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ قَوْلٍ أَوْ عَمَلٍ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ النَّارِ وَمَا قَرَّبَ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ قَوْلٍ أَوْ عَمَلٍ وَنَسْأَلُكَ أَنْ تَجْعَلَ كُلَّ قَضَاءٍ قَضَيْتَهُ لَنا خَيْرًا

O Allah, We ask You for all that is good, in this world and in the Hereafter, what we know and what we do not know. O Allah, we seek refuge with You from all evil, in this world and in the Hereafter, what we know and what we do not know. O Allah, we ask You for the good that Your servant and Prophet has asked You for, and we seek refuge with You from the evil from which Your servant and Prophet sought refuge. O Allah, we ask You for Paradise and for that which brings one closer to it, in word and deed, and we seek refuge in You from Hell and from that which brings one closer to it, in word and deed. And we ask You to make every decree that You decree concerning us good

 عِبَادَ اللّهِ  إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالْإِحْسَانِ وَإِيتَاءِ ذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَيَنْهَىٰ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنكَرِ وَالْبَغْيِ  يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ

Servants of Allah. Indeed, Allah orders justice and good conduct and giving to relatives and forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will be reminded. 

اُذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ الْعَظِيمَ يَذْكُرْكُمْ واشْكُرُوهُ يَزِدْكُمْ واسْتَغْفِرُوهُ يَغْفِرْ لكُمْ واتّقُوهُ يَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ مِنْ أَمْرِكُمْ مَخْرَجًا   وَأَقِمِ الصّلَاة

Remember Allah, the Great – He will remember you. Thank Him for His favors – He will increase you therein.  And seek forgiveness from Him – He will forgive you. And be conscious of Him – He will provide you a way out of difficult matters. And, establish the prayer.  

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