https://www.khutbah.info/a-treasure-from-the-treasures-of-paradise/ Allah created humankind and fashioned them in the best form, making them in the finest stature. They go back forth through life’s paths and tasks either saving themselves (through righteous deeds) or destroying themselves (through sin). They strive to eat and toil to rest. Al-Inshiqaq (84) 6: O mankind, indeed you are laboring toward your Lord with [great] exertion and will meet it. And on top of this, without faith, humans are inherently weak. If harm touches them, they become impatient; if good touches them, they withhold. In both states, they are anxious and distressed—exhausted in body, broken in spirit, hopeless—except those upon whom my Lord has mercy. Allah Almighty said:
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:
Allah created humankind and fashioned them in the best form, making them in the finest stature. They go back forth through life’s paths and tasks either saving themselves (through righteous deeds) or destroying themselves (through sin). They strive to eat and toil to rest.
يَا أَيُّهَا الْإِنْسَانُ إِنَّكَ كَادِحٌ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ كَدْحًا فَمُلَاقِيهِ
Al-Inshiqaq (84) 6: O mankind, indeed you are laboring toward your Lord with [great] exertion and will meet it.
And on top of this, without faith, humans are inherently weak. If harm touches them, they become impatient; if good touches them, they withhold. In both states, they are anxious and distressed—exhausted in body, broken in spirit, hopeless—except those upon whom my Lord has mercy. Allah Almighty said:
وَخُلِقَ الْإِنْسَانُ ضَعِيفًا
Surah An-Nisa, 4:28: And mankind was created weak.
There isn’t anyone who doesn’t experience worries, sorrows, and difficulties. Life’s trials toss them left and right as they interact with our families, children, and peers. Afflictions befall them like clouds obscuring the sun and moon, veiling their light. They then strive desperately to escape what has befallen them, seeking refuge or hiding places to flee from their afflictions.
They knock on people’s closed doors but fail to knock on Allah’s ever-open door. They spend time sharing their worries and sorrows with people—despite their weakness and limited ability—instead of sharing them with the One from whom nothing is hidden, the One who is not hindered by anything in the heavens or the earth, the One who responds to the distressed when they call upon Him and removes evil, the One in Whose Hand is the dominion of all things, Who protects and none can protect against Him.
If such a person were to flee to their Lord, He would awaken their conscience, purify their soul, cleanse their heart, bestow upon them aid and success, and grant them insight into knowing Him along with abundant paths for drawing closer to Him – among which is guiding them to a treasure from the treasures of Paradise and a gate from the gates of Paradise, which they had neglected after this worldly life and alienation from their Lord distracted them from realizing it and its effects.
In the two Sahihs (authentic collections of Hadith), it is narrated that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said to Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari:
يَا عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ قَيْسٍ! قُلْ: لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ؛ فَإِنَّهَا كَنْزٌ مِنْ كُنُوزِ الْجَنَّةِ
O Abdullah ibn Qays, say: ‘There is no might nor power except with Allah,’ for it is a treasure from the treasures of Paradise. [Bukhari 7386 and Muslim 2704g]
And the Prophet ﷺ said:
أَلاَ أَدُلُّكَ عَلَى بَابٍ مِنْ أَبْوَابِ الْجَنَّةِ , قُلْتُ بَلَى , قَالَ , لاَ حَوْلَ وَلاَ قُوَّةَ إِلاَّ بِاللَّهِ
Should I not direct you to a gate from the gates of Paradise?’ I said: ‘Of course.’ He (ﷺ) said: ‘There is no might or power except with Allah. [Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3581, Grade: Hasan]
This phrase is the treasure that each of us needs. It is a magnificent treasure of minimal cost. It is a profound phrase filled with all of the meanings of Tawhid, seeking refuge with Allah, and disavowing one’s own might and power in favor of the might and power of the Almighty, the Compeller.
This phrase is the provision for those seeking righteousness; solace for the distressed and the relief for the sorrowful. Whoever adheres to it attains happiness and success; whoever neglects it becomes miserable and loses. How could it be otherwise when it is among the enduring righteous deeds (al-baqiyat al-salihat) about which the Prophet ﷺ said:
اسْتَكْثِرُوا مِنَ الْبَاقِيَاتِ الصَّالِحَاتِ
Increase in the enduring righteous deeds. (Narrated by Ahmad and Ibn Hibban)
It was asked, “And what are they, O Messenger of Allah?” He said:
التَّكْبِيرُ وَالتَّهْلِيلُ والتَّحميدُ وَالتَّسْبِيحُ وَلَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ
Saying: ‘Allahu Akbar’ (Allah is the Greatest), ‘La ilaha illa Allah’ (There is no deity except Allah), ‘Alhamdulillah’ (All praise is due to Allah),’Subhan Allah’ (Glory be to Allah), and ‘La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah’ (There is no might nor power except with Allah). [Ahmed 11731, Grade: Hasan]
This phrase is a shield and protection against the Satan.
Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:
إِذَا خَرَجَ مِنْ بَيْتِهِ فَقَالَ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللَّهِ لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ فَيُقَالُ لَهُ حَسْبُكَ قَدْ كُفِيتَ وَهُدِيتَ وَوُقِيتَ فَيَلْقَى الشَّيْطَانُ شَيْطَانًا آخَرَ فَيَقُولُ لَهُ كَيْفَ لَكَ بِرَجُلٍ قَدْ كُفِيَ وَهُدِيَ وَوُقِيَ؟
When a man leaves his house and says: ‘In the name of Allah, I place my trust in Allah, there is no might nor power except with Allah,’ it is said to him: ‘You are guided, sufficed, and protected.’ Then one devil meets another devil and says to him: ‘What can you do with a man who has been guided, sufficed, and protected? [Sunan Abi Dawud 5095, Grade: Sahih]
This phrase is a means for the acceptance of supplications and worship.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
مَنْ تَعَارَّ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَقَالَ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ وَسُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَلَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ وَلَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي أَوْ دَعَا اسْتُجِيبَ لَهُ فَإِنْ تَوَضَّأَ وَصَلَّى قُبِلَتْ صَلَاتُهُ
Whoever awakens during the night and says: ‘There is no deity except Allah alone, without partner; to Him belongs the dominion, and to Him belongs all praise, and He is over all things competent. All praise is due to Allah, and glory be to Allah, and there is no deity except Allah, and Allah is the Greatest, and there is no might nor power except with Allah.’ Then says: ‘O Allah, forgive me,’ or supplicates, his supplication will be answered. And if he performs ablution and prays, his prayer will be accepted. [Bukhari 1154]
If the wronged and the distressed were to repeat these words abundantly and with certainty, Allah would open for them gates of satisfaction before which every worry, sorrow, grief, and sadness would vanish. It is the key to faith and assistance, as stated by Shaykh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah and others. By saying ‘La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah’ (the Hawqala), one delegates their affairs to the All-Wise, the All-Aware.
It is as if the one saying ‘La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah’ declares: I have no movement or power, nor transformation from one state to another, except by Allah’s might and power.
So, O distressed one, pause for a moment and reflect upon the profound meanings contained in this phrase and the magnificent reliance upon Him Whose Right Hand is full, undiminished by anything, abundant day and night. Have you considered what He has expended since He created the heavens and the earth? It has not decreased what is in His Right Hand, as our Prophet ﷺ has informed us.
Allah, exalted is His Majesty, said in the Qudsi Hadith:
أَنَا عِنْدَ ظَنِّ عَبْدِي بِي وَأَنَا مَعَهُ حِينَ يَذْكُرُنِي…
I am as My servant thinks of Me, and I am with him when he remembers Me… [Sunan Ibn Majah 3822, Grade: Sahih]
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:
Each of us strives in this world to adorn and beautify our homes with the finest fruitful and most fragrant plants, no matter the effort, money, or thought that it requires.
However we should strive much greater for cultivating an abode that no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and that has not crossed the mind of any human—it is the cultivation of Paradise: ‘La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah’ (There is no might nor power except with Allah).
Our Prophet ﷺ, on the night of the Night Journey (Al-Isra’), passed by our father Ibrahim (peace be upon him). He said:
يَا مُحَمَّدُ! مُرْ أُمَّتَكَ أَنْ يُكْثِرُوا مِنْ غِرَاسِ الْجَنَّةِ
O Muhammad, command your Community to plant abundantly in Paradise.
He (the Prophet) said, “And what is its cultivation?”
He (Ibrahim) said:
لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ
Saying: ‘There is no might nor power except with Allah.’ [Sahih Ibn Hibban 821, Grade: Sahih]
Then know, that there are people who make two clear mistakes regarding this great phrase.
First, there are those who use this phrase during calamities and trials, where it is appropriate to say: “Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un” (Indeed, to Allah we belong, and to Him we will return). This is because the phrase ‘La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah’ is a phrase of seeking assistance, not a phrase of seeking consolation or expressing acceptance of fate.
Second, there are those who are neglectful or careless in pronouncing it, either out of ignorance or laziness, so they say: “La hawlillah!” (which incorrectly translates to “No might of Allah!”). This is deficient as it only carries the meaning of negation, which is a clear mistake. The correct phrase includes both negation and affirmation.
May Allah keep us and you steadfast in His obedience, and help us to remember Him, thank Him, and worship Him properly. There is no might nor power except with Allah; upon Him we rely, and to Him is the return.
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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