https://www.khutbah.info/longing-for-allah/ There is no bliss in this world greater than the bliss of knowing Allah Almighty, loving Him, and obeying Him. And there is no misery more severe than the misery of being ignorant of Him Almighty and turning away from Him. This is because true bliss is the bliss of the heart, and true misery is the misery of the heart. The heart is in the Hand of the One who turns it. If the heart becomes attached to Him, the Mighty and Majestic, it finds bliss, joy, and delight. But if it becomes attached to other than Him, it becomes miserable, sad, and sorrowful. There are those whose hearts are attached to Allah Almighty, and are filled with love for Him and longing for Him. Thus, they are in a constant connection with Him, the Mighty and Majestic.
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:
There is no bliss in this world greater than the bliss of knowing Allah Almighty, loving Him, and obeying Him. And there is no misery more severe than the misery of being ignorant of Him Almighty and turning away from Him. This is because true bliss is the bliss of the heart, and true misery is the misery of the heart. The heart is in the Hand of the One who turns it. If the heart becomes attached to Him, the Mighty and Majestic, it finds bliss, joy, and delight. But if it becomes attached to other than Him, it becomes miserable, sad, and sorrowful. There are those whose hearts are attached to Allah Almighty, and are filled with love for Him and longing for Him. Thus, they are in a constant connection with Him, the Mighty and Majestic.
Loving Allah Almighty and longing for Him, has signs that the believer should know in order to realize them, and learn in order to practice them, so that their heart may ascend from the lowliness of this world to the desire for what is with Allah Almighty and the Home of the Hereafter.
Among the signs of those who long for Allah the Almighty is that their love for Him is more intense than the love of the polytheists for their objects of worship.
وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَتَّخِذُ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ أَنْدَادًا يُحِبُّونَهُمْ كَحُبِّ اللَّهِ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَشَدُّ حُبًّا لِلَّهِ
Al-Baqarah (2) 165: And [yet], among the people are those who take other than Allah as equals [to Him]. They love them as they [should] love Allah. But those who believe are stronger in love for Allah.
Qatadah said: “And those who believe are stronger in love for Allah than the disbelievers are for their idols.”
Another sign of those who long for Allah Almighty is that, out of their longing for Him, they contemplate His Names, His Attributes, His Actions, and His creations. Through this contemplation, they perceive something of His Greatness, Wisdom, Mercy, and Justice.
إِنَّ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَاخْتِلَافِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ لَآيَاتٍ لِأُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ * الَّذِينَ يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ قِيَامًا وَقُعُودًا وَعَلَى جُنُوبِهِمْ وَيَتَفَكَّرُونَ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقْتَ هَذَا بَاطِلًا سُبْحَانَكَ فَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ
Al-Imran (3) 190-191: (190) Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are signs for those of understanding. (191) Who remember Allah while standing or sitting or [lying] on their sides and give thought to the creation of the heavens and the earth, [saying], “Our Lord, You did not create this aimlessly; exalted are You [above such a thing]; then protect us from the punishment of the Fire.”
Their constant remembrance of Allah Almighty while standing, sitting, and lying down is only because Allah Almighty is present in their minds, and their hearts are filled with His remembrance. So when they reflect on His creation, they remember Him, and become certain that He did not create what He created in vain. Thus, their hearts turn to Him in hope and fear, and their tongues are constantly busy with His remembrance and supplication.
Among the signs of those who long for Allah Almighty is their close attachment to the Book of Allah Almighty. For whoever loves someone loves their speech. How then if the Beloved is Allah Almighty, and His speech is His Book? There is no doubt then that everyone who longs for Allah Almighty longs for His speech. This is among the clearest signs of longing for Allah Almighty. Let us reflect upon the longing of the Prophet ﷺ to hear the speech of Allah Almighty in the Hadith of Ibn Mas’ud, may Allah be pleased with him, who said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
اقْرَأْ عَلَيَّ، قُلْتُ: أَقْرَأُ عَلَيْكَ وَعَلَيْكَ أُنْزِلَ؟ قَالَ: إِنِّي أَشْتَهِي أَنْ أَسْمَعَهُ مِنْ غَيْرِي، قَالَ: فَقَرَأْتُ النِّسَاءَ حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغْتُ: (فَكَيْفَ إِذَا جِئْنَا مِنْ كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ بِشَهِيدٍ وَجِئْنَا بِكَ عَلَى هَؤُلَاءِ شَهِيدًا)، قَالَ لِي: كُفَّ -أَوْ أَمْسِكْ- فَرَأَيْتُ عَيْنَيْهِ تَذْرِفَانِ
“Recite to me.” I said, “Shall I recite to you while it was revealed to you?” He said, “I desire to hear it from someone other than myself.” He said: So I recited Surah An-Nisa until I reached: [So how [will it be] when We bring from every nation a witness and we bring you, [O Muhammad] against these [people] as a witness?] [An-Nisa: 4:41]. He said to me, “Stop”—or “Hold”—and I saw his eyes shedding tears. [Al-Bukhari 5050 and Muslim 800a]
This was not the only incident where the Prophet ﷺ desired to hear the Qur’an from others out of longing for the speech of Allah the Almighty. In the Hadith of Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari, may Allah be pleased with him, he said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
لَوْ رَأَيْتَنِي وَأَنَا أَسْتَمِعُ لِقِرَاءَتِكَ الْبَارِحَةَ، لَقَدْ أُوتِيتَ مِزْمَارًا مِنْ مَزَامِيرِ آلِ دَاوُدَ
If you had seen me while I was listening to your recitation last night; you have surely been given a flute [beautiful voice] from the flutes of the family of David. [Muslim 793e]
Among the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, there was a longing for the speech of Allah Almighty, and that was only due to their longing for Him, the Glorified. It was narrated that Ibn Abi Mulaykah said: “Ikrimah bin Abi Jahl used to take the Quran and place it on his face and weep, saying: ‘The speech of my Lord, the Book of my Lord.'” (Narrated by Al-Hakim). And Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “If your hearts were pure, they would never have enough of the speech of Allah the Mighty and Majestic.”
Another sign of those who long for Allah Almighty is their frequent remembrance of Allah Almighty through seeking forgiveness, glorifying Him, praising Him, declaring His oneness, proclaiming His greatness, and declaring that there is no power nor strength except in Allah. This is because of their knowledge that Allah Almighty is Greater than everything, so His remembrance is greater than all speech.
وَلَذِكْرُ اللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ
Al-Ankabut (29) 45: And the remembrance of Allah is greater.
And because of their knowledge that Allah Almighty remembers them if they remember Him. Thus, out of their longing for Allah Almighty, they remember Him at every moment; and out of their longing for Allah Almighty to mention them in the Highest Assembly, they remember Him in every state.
فَاذْكُرُونِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ
Al-Baqarah (2) 152: So remember Me; I will remember you.
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, who said that the Prophet ﷺ said:
يَقُولُ اللَّهُ -تَعَالَى-: أَنَا عِنْدَ ظَنِّ عَبْدِي بِي، وَأَنَا مَعَهُ إِذَا ذَكَرَنِي، فَإِنْ ذَكَرَنِي فِي نَفْسِهِ ذَكَرْتُهُ فِي نَفْسِي، وَإِنْ ذَكَرَنِي فِي مَلَإٍ ذَكَرْتُهُ فِي مَلَإٍ خَيْرٍ مِنْهُمْ
Allah the Almighty says: ‘I am as My servant thinks I am, and I am with him when he remembers Me. If he remembers Me in himself, I remember him in Myself; and if he remembers Me in a gathering, I remember him in a gathering better than them…’ [Al-Bukhari 7405 and Muslim 2675]
And Malik bin Dinar said: “The seekers of pleasure have not enjoyed anything like the remembrance of Allah the Mighty and Majestic.”
Among the signs of those who long for Allah the Almighty is the abundance of righteous deeds. This is due to their knowledge that Allah Almighty loves righteous deeds. So, out of their longing for their Lord, the Glorified and Exalted, they long for righteous deeds, compete in them, and race towards them.
أُولَئِكَ يُسَارِعُونَ فِي الْخَيْرَاتِ وَهُمْ لَهَا سَابِقُونَ
Al-Mu’minun (23) 61: It is those who hasten to good deeds, and they outstrip [others] therein.
فَمَنْ كَانَ يَرْجُو لِقَاءَ رَبِّهِ فَلْيَعْمَلْ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا وَلَا يُشْرِكْ بِعِبَادَةِ رَبِّهِ أَحَدًا
Al-Kahf (18) 110: So whoever would hope for the meeting with his Lord – let him do righteous work and not associate in the worship of his Lord anyone.
وَالسَّابِقُونَ السَّابِقُونَ * أُولَئِكَ الْمُقَرَّبُونَ
Al-Waqi’ah (56)10-11: (10) And the forerunners, the forerunners – (11) Those are the ones brought near [to Allah].
Also, it is due to their knowledge that Allah Almighty draws near to them through their drawing near to Him. They long for Him and love His nearness. On the authority of Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, from the Prophet ﷺ, narrating from his Lord, who said:
إِذَا تَقَرَّبَ الْعَبْدُ إِلَيَّ شِبْرًا تَقَرَّبْتُ إِلَيْهِ ذِرَاعًا، وَإِذَا تَقَرَّبَ مِنِّي ذِرَاعًا تَقَرَّبْتُ مِنْهُ بَاعًا، وَإِذَا أَتَانِي مَشْيًا أَتَيْتُهُ هَرْوَلَةً
If the servant draws near to Me a handspan, I draw near to him an arm’s length; and if he draws near to Me an arm’s length, I draw near to him a fathom’s length; and if he comes to Me walking, I go to him running. [Al-Bukhari 7536 and Muslim 2675h]
Another sign of those who long for Allah the Almighty is their humility in their prayer. It is their happiness, as it is the private conversation with their Lord. Whoever longs for their Lord, the Mighty and Majestic, longs for prayer, perfects it, lengthens it, and is humble within it, for it is their connection to Allah Almighty in this world.
وَاسْتَعِينُوا بِالصَّبْرِ وَالصَّلَاةِ وَإِنَّهَا لَكَبِيرَةٌ إِلَّا عَلَى الْخَاشِعِينَ * الَّذِينَ يَظُنُّونَ أَنَّهُمْ مُلَاقُو رَبِّهِمْ وَأَنَّهُمْ إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ
Al-Baqarah (2) 45-46: (45) And seek help through patience and prayer, and indeed, it is difficult except for the humbly submissive [to Allah], (46) Who are certain that they will meet their Lord and that they will return to Him.
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:
It has been reported from a group of the predecessors that they used to weep out of their longing for Allah Almighty. In the Hadith of the seven whom Allah the Almighty will shade under His Shade on the Day when there is no shade but His Shade:
رَجُلٌ ذَكَرَ اللَّهَ فَفَاضَتْ عَيْنَاهُ
A man who remembered Allah and his eyes overflowed [with tears]. [Al-Bukhari 6479]
His eyes overflow in solitude out of longing for Allah Almighty, for the state of solitude is a state of longing. Mutahhar bin Abdullah Al-Sa’di was among the worshippers and reciters of Basra, and it was reported that he wept out of longing for Allah Almighty for sixty years.
Among the signs of those who long for Allah Almighty is minimizing worldly pleasures and limiting oneself to what enables them to reach the Home of the Hereafter. This is because Allah Almighty criticized those who immersed themselves in this worldly life and live for its sake, and He named it the Abode of Delusion. Those who long for Allah Almighty are a people whose longing for Allah Almighty and for the Abode of Eternity has diverted them from the Abode of Delusion.
Another sign of those who long for Allah Almighty is that in times of calamity, they proclaim their return to Allah Almighty. Bringing to mind the return to Allah Almighty during calamities and crises is a proof of longing for Him, the Glorified.
الَّذِينَ إِذَا أَصَابَتْهُمْ مُصِيبَةٌ قَالُوا إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ
Al-Baqarah (2) 156: Who, when disaster strikes them, say, “Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return.
This is because whoever knows that they are returning to his Lord, while recalling His Names, His Attributes, and His beautiful actions in His creation, longs for Him. And if one remembers Allah’s favors upon them, they long for Him. In any case, we will all return to our Lord, the Glorified.
إِنَّ إِلَى رَبِّكَ الرُّجْعَى
Al-‘Alaq (96) 8: Indeed, to your Lord is the return.
So, to return to Him while longing for Him is better than to return to Him while not longing for Him. And whoever loves to meet Allah, Allah loves to meet them, and whoever hates to meet Allah, Allah hates to meet them.
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.
Click here to download a ready to deliver Khutbah transcript in pdf format