https://www.khutbah.info/harmful-thinking/ The mind is the basis of accountability and it is the seat of thought. And it has a deep connection with the heart. If one directs their thinking towards lofty matters and noble topics, their condition will be rectified, their lives will be upright, and they draw nearer to their Lord – Glorified and Exalted be He. But if one directs their thoughts towards base matters and occupies it with lowly desires, their condition will be corrupted, their intellect diminishes, and their only concern becomes their desires.
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:
The mind is the basis of accountability and it is the seat of thought. And it has a deep connection with the heart. If one directs their thinking towards lofty matters and noble topics, their condition will be rectified, their lives will be upright, and they draw nearer to their Lord – Glorified and Exalted be He. But if one directs their thoughts towards base matters and occupies it with lowly desires, their condition will be corrupted, their intellect diminishes, and their only concern becomes their desires.
And all people think, whether they are believers or disbelievers, righteous or wicked, decent or indecent. Each one thinks according to their caliber, drive, and concerns. Due to weakness of faith, most of people’s thinking is superfluous, purposeless, bad or vile, bringing no benefit now or later.
Among the prohibited superfluous thinking is occupying the mind with what has been veiled, such as thinking about the Essence of Allah – Exalted is He – and other matters of the unseen, and attempting to know them. There is no way to know any essence except by directly seeing or by an exact description of that essence. Allah – Exalted is He – has veiled glancing at Him in this world to make it an honor and a reward for the believers in the Hereafter.
Regarding the impossibility of seeing Allah Almighty, Allah Exalted said:
وَلَمَّا جَاءَ مُوسَى لِمِيقَاتِنَا وَكَلَّمَهُ رَبُّهُ قَالَ رَبِّ أَرِنِي أَنْظُرْ إِلَيْكَ قَالَ لَنْ تَرَانِي
Al-A‘raf (7) 143: And when Moses arrived at Our appointed time and his Lord spoke to him, he said, ‘My Lord, show me [Yourself] that I may look at You.’ Allah said, ‘You will not see Me’
And as for seeing Allah Almighty in the Hereafter, the Prophet ﷺ said:
إِنَّكُمْ سَتَرَوْنَ رَبَّكُمْ كَمَا تَرَوْنَ هَذَا الْقَمَرَ لَا تُضَامُّونَ فِي رُؤْيَتِهِ
You will see your Lord just as you see this moon; you will have no difficulty in seeing Him. [Bukhārī 7434 and Muslim 633a]
And among the prohibited excesses in thinking is attempting to uncover the secret of the Divine Decree. The believer is commanded to believe in Divine Decree, its good and its bad, and is not commanded to attempt to uncover it. Even if someone tries to uncover it, they will not succeed. Rather, they will drown in a sea of misguidance. For this reason, it has been narrated in the hadith:
وَإِذَا ذُكِرَ الْقَدَرُ فَأَمْسِكُوا
And when qadar (divine decree) is mentioned, withhold. [At Tabarani 10448, Grade: Sahih (Albani)]
And Imām al-Ṭaḥāwī – may Allah have mercy upon him – said:
Fundamentally the Divine Will and Decree is the secret of Allah – Exalted is He – in His creation. Neither a near angel nor a messenger prophet has been informed of it. To delve deeply into it and to look into it is a cause of abandonment, a ladder to deprivation, and a path towards transgression. Therefore, beware, be extremely cautious, of engaging in it, whether by examining, reflecting, or entertaining whisperings about it. For indeed Allah the Exalted has concealed the knowledge of the Divine Will and Decree from His creation and has forbidden them from pursuing it. As He Exalted said in His Book:
لَا يُسْأَلُ عَمَّا يَفْعَلُ وَهُمْ يُسْأَلُونَ
Al-Anbiya (21) 23: He is not questioned about what He does, but they will be questioned.
So whoever says, Why did He do this? has rejected the ruling of the Book, and whoever rejects the ruling of the Book is among the disbelievers.
And among the evil superfluous thoughts is thinking about forbidden desires, such as sins and immoralities. That is because thinking about the forbidden and indulging in those thoughts usually leads to committing the forbidden. One moves from thought to determination and then planning, and then to committing the forbidden. Allah Exalted says:
وَلَا تَقْرَبُوا الزِّنَا إِنَّهُ كَانَ فَاحِشَةً وَسَاءَ سَبِيلًا
Al-Isra (17) 32: And do not approach unlawful sexual intercourse. Indeed, it is ever an immorality and is evil as a way.
The prohibition of approaching it necessitates protecting the mind from thinking about it, and protecting the heart from longing for it. If a thought crosses one’s mind but they repel it, and guard their thinking from the forbidden, then they will be safe, by the permission of Allah Exalted, and will not be held accountable for what merely came across their mind. The Prophet ﷺ said:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَجَاوَزَ لِأُمَّتِي مَا حَدَّثَتْ بِهِ أَنْفُسَهَا مَا لَمْ يَتَكَلَّمُوا أَوْ يَعْمَلُوا بِهِ
Indeed, Allah has pardoned for my nation what their souls whisper to them, so long as they do not speak of it or act upon it. [Bukhārī 5269 and Muslim 127a]
Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:
Repel the passing thought. If you do not, it becomes an idea. Repel the idea. If you do not, it becomes a desire. Fight the desire. If you do not, it becomes determination and resolve. If you do not resist it, it becomes an action. And if you do not counter it with its opposite, it becomes a habit – and then it becomes difficult for you to turn away from it.
And among the evil superfluous thoughts is thinking that discourages one from performing righteous deeds. It is the weapon of Iblīs against people. He gives them false hopes so that they do not act, and he promises him so that they sit back and become lazy. One whose condition is like this, will say to themselves: “I will repent from such-and-such a sin,” but they do not repent. “I will maintain the prayer, and go early to the mosque, and pray in the first row,” yet years pass by while they only wish and make promises, but do not act. They find comfort and an excuse in wishful thinking. Allah Exalted says:
لَيْسَ بِأَمَانِيِّكُمْ وَلَا أَمَانِيِّ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ مَنْ يَعْمَلْ سُوءًا يُجْزَ بِهِ وَلَا يَجِدْ لَهُ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ وَلِيًّا وَلَا نَصِيرًا * وَمَنْ يَعْمَلْ مِنَ الصَّالِحَاتِ مِنْ ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنْثَى وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَأُولَئِكَ يَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ وَلَا يُظْلَمُونَ نَقِيرًا
An-Nisa (4) 123-124: (123) It will not be in accordance with your desires or the desires of the People of the Scripture. Whoever does evil will be recompensed for it and will not find besides Allah a protector or a helper. (124) And whoever does righteous deeds, whether male or female, while being a believer – those will enter Paradise and will not be wronged, [even as much as] the speck on a date seed.
What truly matters is righteous deeds, not simply wishing or making promises to oneself.
And Allah Exalted said:
بَلْ يُرِيدُ الْإِنْسَانُ لِيَفْجُرَ أَمَامَهُ
Al-Qiyamah (75) 5: But man desires to continue in sin.
Saʿīd ibn Jubayr said: “He says: ‘I will repent later.’”
And Anas ibn Mālik – may Allah be pleased with him – said: “Procrastination is a great army from the armies of Iblīs, by which he has long deceived.”
And al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī – may Allah have mercy upon him – said: “O assembly of youth, beware of procrastination: ‘I will do, I will do.’”
And among the blameworthy excesses of thought is indulging in fanciful illusions and vain hopes concerning worldly matters. Just as the wishful thinking that prevents one from striving for the Hereafter is blameworthy, likewise is the wishful thinking that diverts one from pursuing the interests of this world, or that consume one’s time. Such that they move from one fantasy to another all the time. This kind of thinking becomes common when people face stress, problems, and difficulties in earning a living. It often comes with feelings of despair, hopelessness, inactivity and laziness, as a person drifts into daydreams, imagining sudden wealth, extraordinary heroic deeds, great fame, or even exacting revenge against an adversary.
A person may become so absorbed in daydreams that they talk to themselves and even act out what is in their imagination. Over time, they can become addicted to this habit, like an addiction to drugs, because it disconnects them from their harsh reality and offers them a false world of comfort. Yet it brings no benefit. Eventually, they awaken to the same miserable reality, unchanged, since they chose fantasies over the real effort needed to improve their condition.
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:
So fear Allah, your Lord, and submit your hearts to Him, and perform your deeds sincere for His sake. And do not let the worldly life deceive you, for it is destined to vanish.
وَفَرِحُوا بِالْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا فِي الْآخِرَةِ إِلَّا مَتَاعٌ
Ar-Ra‘d (13) 26: And they rejoice in the worldly life, while the worldly life is not, compared to the Hereafter, except [a brief] enjoyment.
Among the greatest blessings is the blessing of thought. By it people deduce, invent, and derive. And through it realize the interests of this world and the Hereafter. Nothing threatens this great blessing more than directing it toward worthless pursuits that bring harm instead of benefit.
And in the Noble Qur’an there is guidance for the believers towards beneficial thinking, such as reflecting upon the creation of Allah – Exalted is He – that indicate His greatness. Among them is His signs in the universe. And likewise reflection upon His revealed verses and rulings, for the purpose of compliance and deriving lessons. Allah Almighty said:
كَذَلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمُ الْآيَاتِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَفَكَّرُونَ
Al-Baqarah (2) 219: Thus Allah makes clear to you the verses [of revelation] that you might give thought.
And Almighty said:
فَاقْصُصِ الْقَصَصَ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
Al-A‘raf (7) 176: So relate the stories that perhaps they will give thought.
And He Almighty said:
وَتِلْكَ الْأَمْثَالُ نَضْرِبُهَا لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
Al-Hashr (59) 21: And these examples We present to the people that perhaps they will give thought.
And likewise, reflection upon the blessings of Allah Almighty and His favors, in order to praise Him, be grateful to Him, be content with Him, and to employ those blessings in what pleases Him – Mighty and Majestic. Allah Almighty said:
وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمْ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا مِنْهُ إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
Al-Jathiyah (45) 13: And He has subjected to you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth – all from Him. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought.
And likewise, reflection upon death, the reckoning, and the recompense for deeds, so that one may perform righteous deeds that will save them on that great Day. And likewise reflection upon Paradise, so as to long for it and to be energized to strive for it, and reflection upon Hellfire, so as to fear being cast into it, thus leading one to perform acts of obedience and avoid prohibitions.
Ibrāhīm al-Taymī, may Allah have mercy on him, said:
I pictured myself in Paradise, eating from its fruits, drinking from its rivers, and embracing its maidens. Then I pictured myself in the Fire, eating from its tree of Zaqqūm, and drinking from its pus, and struggling with its chains and shackles. So I said to myself: O my soul, what do you desire? It said: I desire to be returned to the world so that I may do righteous deeds. So I said: You are now in that wish, so do good deeds.
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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