https://www.khutbah.info/attaining-barakah/ We live in a time in which material advancements have reached a level previously unimaginable. There are vast opportunities for earning, a high standard of living, lavish amenities, and unprecedented advancements in essentials, necessities, and luxuries, as well as varied means of attaining them. The contemporary fast-paced life bewilders the minds and dazzles the eyes. In the blink of an eye, you see inventions and new ways of making livings. Yet, people in these times are not happier than those in previous times, nor has it made them more content, more secure, or more relaxed than those who have passed.
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:
We live in a time in which material advancements have reached a level previously unimaginable. There are vast opportunities for earning, a high standard of living, lavish amenities, and unprecedented advancements in essentials, necessities, and luxuries, as well as varied means of attaining them. The contemporary fast-paced life bewilders the minds and dazzles the eyes. In the blink of an eye, you see inventions and new ways of making livings. Yet, people in these times are not happier than those in previous times, nor has it made them more content, more secure, or more relaxed than those who have passed.
And that only because of the absence of something extremely important, without which life has no meaning, neither in earning, nor in knowledge, nor in food, nor in drink, nor in life as a whole. So, what is this absent element that deserves such praise and commendation?
It is barakah (blessing) being present in all of that. Barakah (blessing) is an essential element in the complete existence of a person, without which their life would be meaningless. What is the value of earning that has no barakah (blessing)? What is the value of time that is deprived of barakah (blessing)? What is the benefit of knowledge, if its existence or absence is the same? What is the value of food that neither nourishes nor satisfies hunger? What is the value of a drink that neither quenches thirst nor relieves parched throats?
Barakah (blessing), is not in the abundance of wealth, the power of influence, the multitude of children, or in tangible knowledge. It is an element that cannot be seen with the eye, cannot be measured in quantity, and cannot be contained in stores and vaults. Rather, it is a positive feeling felt within a person, resulting in the clarity of soul, peace of heart, relaxed chest, visible contentment, and solid satisfaction.
Barakah (blessing), is increase and growth. Regarding time, barakah (blessing) is its lengthening and being able to use it fully. In lifespan, barakah (blessing) is longevity and performing good deeds within it. In knowledge, barakah (blessing) is understanding knowledge and acting according to it and calling to it. In wealth, barakah (blessing) is its abundance with being content. In food, barakah (blessing) is that it satisfies. And in beverages, barakah (blessing) is that it quenches thirst. And in health, barakah (blessing) is in its completeness and being free from ailments. And so on in all aspects of life.
In these times, the majority of people suffer from a lack of general and personal barakah (blessing). Wealth comes and food is eaten, offspring are born, but they dissipate without barakah (blessing). A person may have a large salary, but without barakah (blessing) in it. A person may have many children, but without barakah (blessing) in them. A person may have extensive knowledge, but without barakah (blessing) in it, and therefore there is no benefit.
And if we look back, we see many examples of barakah (blessing) at the time of the Prophet ﷺ, the era of his companions, may Allah be pleased with them all, and the eras after them until a time not too distant from us. The Prophet ﷺ found barakah (blessing) in a loaf or two of bread, and at times he and his companions were satisfied with a single plate of food.
Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him, equipped the army of difficulty, whereby Allah blessed his spending in His way. Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him, had palm trees that yielded two hundred thousand or more fruits,.
And Zubair ibn al-Awam, may Allah be pleased with him and his son Abdullah, left a debt amounting to two million and two hundred thousand. Then his son Abdullah paid off his father’s debt in a remarkable narrative reported in Sahih al-Bukhari, whereby Allah blessed Zubair’s estate and settled his debt, leaving a considerable amount of wealth for his heirs.
Imam Ahmad narrated that within the treasuries of the Umayyads was a wheat grain as large as a date seed enclosed in a pouch that bore the inscription:
This used to grow in times of justice.
Notice, how the barakah (blessing) at that time was tied to equity, justice, and abandoning injustices.
Abu Dawud, said about himself:
I measured a cucumber in Egypt to be thirteen spans long (about 3 meters !!!), and I saw a citron carried by a camel in two pieces (due to its large size and heavy weight).
And Mu’ammar ibn Rashid, the hadith scholar, said:
I saw in Yemen a single bunch of grapes, that was the full load of a mule.
These are some glimpses of the barakah (blessing) that the predecessors had over these turbulent times in which barakah (blessing) is scarce, placing us between two blessed times: a time before us and a time after us. As reported in Sahih Muslim, the Prophet ﷺ said:
لَا تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ حَتَّى يَكْثُرَ الْمَالُ وَيَفِيضَ، حَتَّى يَخْرُجَ الرَّجُلُ بِزَكَاةِ مَالِهِ فَلَا يَجِدُ أَحَدًا يَقْبَلُهَا مِنْهُ، وَحَتَّى تَعُودَ أَرْضُ الْعَرَبِ مُرُوجًا وَأَنْهَارًا
The Hour will not begin until wealth becomes abundant and overflowing, so much so that a man will go out with his Zakat and will not find anyone to accept it from him, and until the land of the Arabia reverts to being meadows and rivers.[Muslim 157c]
And reported in Sahih Muslim, the Prophet ﷺ said:
ثُمَّ يُرْسِلُ اللهُ مَطَرًا لَا يَكُنُّ مِنْهُ بَيْتُ مَدَرٍ وَلَا وَبَرٍ، (وهو الطِّينُ الصُّلْبُ، والوَبَرُ لِلْإِبِلِ) فَيَغْسِلُ الْأَرْضَ حَتَّى يَتْرُكَهَا كَالزَّلَفَةِ، (المِرْآةُ، والمرادُ: أنَّ الماءَ يَعُمُّ جميعَ الأرضِ بحيث يَرى الرَّائي وجْهَه فيه) ثُمَّ يُقَالُ لِلْأَرْضِ: أَنْبِتِي ثَمَرَتَكِ، وَرُدِّي بَرَكَتَكِ، فَيَوْمَئِذٍ تَأْكُلُ الْعِصَابَةُ مِنَ الرُّمَّانَةِ، وَيَسْتَظِلُّونَ بِقِحْفِهَا، (يأكل الجماعةُ مِن النَّاسِ، مِنَ ثَمرةِ الرُّمَّانَةِ الواحدةِ ويَشْبَعون منها، «ويَسْتَظِلُّونَ» مِن حَرِّ الشَّمسِ «بِقِحْفِها»، أي: بقِشْرِها) وَيُبَارَكُ فِي الرِّسْلِ، حَتَّى أَنَّ اللِّقْحَةَ مِنَ الْإِبِلِ لَتَكْفِي الْفِئَامَ مِنَ النَّاسِ (فيُنزِلُ اللهُ البركةَ في اللَّبَنُ، حتَّى أنَّ النَّاقَةَ ذاتَ اللَّبَنِ، لَيَكْفِي لَبَنُها الجماعةَ الكبيرةَ، وهي أكثرُ مِن القَبيلةِ).
Then Allah will send rain which no house of clay or tent made from camel’s hair will keep out, (meaning it will penetrate every dwelling made of clay and camel hair), and the earth will be washed until it leaves it like a mirror, (meaning water will cover all the earth to the extent that a person can see his reflection in it) then it will be said to the earth: ‘Produce your fruit and restore your blessing.’ On that day, a group will eat from a single pomegranate and take shade under its skin, and there will be blessing in the stalk, to the extent that a single camel will suffice a large group of people (meaning Allah will send blessing in milk, so much so that the milk of a single camel will suffice a large group of people, larger than a tribe). [Muslim 2937]
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:
Know that there are ordained means of attaining barakah (blessing).
Among the reasons for attaining barakah (blessing) is consciousness of Allah Almighty and reliance upon Him.
Allah Almighty says:
وَمَنْ يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مَخْرَجًا * وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ وَمَنْ يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ-الطلاق2-3
At-Talaq (65) 2-3: (2) And whoever is conscious of Allah – He will make for him a way out (3) And will provide for him from where he does not expect. And whoever relies upon Allah – then He is sufficient for him.
And among the reasons for attaining barakah (blessing) is seeking forgiveness.
Allah Almighty says:
فَقُلْتُ اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفَّارًا * يُرْسِلِ السَّمَاءَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِدْرَارًا * وَيُمْدِدْكُمْ بِأَمْوَالٍ وَبَنِينَ وَيَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ وَيَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ أَنْهَارًا-نوح 10 -12
Nuh (71) 10-12: (10) And said, ‘Ask forgiveness of your Lord. Indeed, He is ever a Perpetual Forgiver. (11) He will send [rain from] the sky upon you in [continuing] showers (12) And give you increase in wealth and children and provide for you gardens and provide for you rivers.
And among the reasons for attaining barakah (blessing) is supplicating Allah Almighty for it. Undoubtedly, supplicating is one of the closest paths to obtain good from the Lord Most Exalted.
And among the reasons for attaining barakah (blessing) is seeking lawful sustenance, refraining from the prohibited and doubtful matters. For whoever follows the path of Allah, then blessing will descend in their earnings, their sustenance, and their entire life.
And among the reasons for attaining barakah (blessing) are righteousness, maintaining ties of kinship, and good treatment of others. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
مَنْ أَحَبَّ أَنْ يُبْسَطَ لَهُ فِي رِزْقِهِ وَيُنْسَأَ لَهُ فِي أَثَرِهِ فَلْيَصِلْ رَحِمَهُ
Whoever would like his provision to be increased and his life span to be extended, should maintain the ties of kinship. [Bukhari 5986, Muslim 2557b]
And the Prophet ﷺ said:
صلةُ الرحمِ، و حسنُ الخلقِ، و حسنُ الجوارِ، يَعْمُرْنَ الدِّيارَ، و يَزِدْنَ في الأَعْمَارِ
Maintaining ties of kinship, good character and good neighborliness blesses the dwellings and extends the life span. [Ahmad 25259, Grade: Hassan (Albani)]
And among the reasons for attaining barakah (blessing) is good time management and making the most of it. Indeed time is the capital of a Muslim. For the Prophet ﷺ supplicated that his community have barakah (blessing) in the early morning:
اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ لأُمَّتِي فِي بُكُورِهَا
O Allah, bless the early mornings of my community. [Sahih Abu Dawood 2606, Grade: Sahih (Albani)]
Therefore a Muslim should be keen to manage their time and make the most of the early morning.
And among the reasons for attaining barakah (blessing) are kindness and generosity. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
طَعَامُ الْوَاحِدِ يَكْفِى الاِثْنَيْنِ وَطَعَامُ الاِثْنَيْنِ يَكْفِى الأَرْبَعَةَ
The food of one is sufficient for two, and the food of two is sufficient for four.[Muslim 2059]
And in Musnad Ahmad and others it was narrated that a man said to the Prophet ﷺ:
إِنَّا نَأْكُلُ وَمَا نَشْبَعُ. قَالَ «فَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَأْكُلُونَ مُفْتَرِقِينَ اجْتَمِعُوا عَلَى طَعَامِكُمْ وَاذْكُروا اسْمَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ يُبَارَكْ لَكُمْ فِيهِ
We eat but we are not satisfied. He ﷺ said, Perhaps you eat separately. Eat your food together and mention the name of Allah, it will be blessed for you. [Sahih Ibn Majah 2674, Grade: Hassan (Albani)]
And one should be mindful of the barriers to barakah (blessing). They include the love of this worldly life and the hatred of death, and the abundance of sins.
So be conscious Allah, and seek the means for barakah (blessing) in your lives and reflect and search within yourselves for the reasons of its loss. Indeed, Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change what is within themselves: Allah Almighty said:
ولَوْ أَنَّ أَهْلَ الْقُرَى آمَنُواْ وَاتَّقَواْ لَفَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِم بَرَكَاتٍ مِّنَ السَّمَاء وَالأَرْضِ وَلَكِن كَذَّبُواْ فَأَخَذْنَاهُم بِمَا كَانُواْ يَكْسِبُونَ-الأعراف 96
Al-A’raf (7) 96: And if only the people of the cities had believed and feared Allāh, We would have opened [i.e., bestowed] upon them blessings from the heaven and the earth; but they denied [the messengers], so We seized them for what they were earning.
O Allah, employ us in Your obedience, and grant us success in utilizing our time to worship You, and bless us in our lives, and grant us health and well-being. Indeed Allah is the All-Hearing, All-Knowing.
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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