https://www.khutbah.info/mohammad-our-role-model-and-the-virtue-of-shaban/ When we reflect on the biography of the Prophet ﷺ we realize that he set the highest example for his community in all matters. Allah Almighty made it the excellent role model that each Muslim must follow. For Allah Almighty said: Al Ahzab (33) 21: There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allāh an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allāh and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allāh often. And the aspects of greatness in the personality of the Messenger ﷺ are too numerous to be contained or to be grasped by one mind or one heart. Therefore, we see that everyone who had the honor of writing about the beloved Prophet ﷺ, in any aspect of his splendid and unique biography, has been guided to a new facet that was not previously revealed to anyone before them. And this is due to the richness of his magnificent personality with all his great qualities. Allah took an oath that his Prophet ﷺ , in all his affairs, is on the straight path. 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:
When we reflect on the biography of the Prophet ﷺ we realize that he set the highest example for his community in all matters. Allah Almighty made it the excellent role model that each Muslim must follow. For Allah Almighty said:
لَّقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِّمَن كَانَ يَرْجُو اللَّهَ وَالْيَوْمَ الْآخِرَ وَذَكَرَ اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا-الأحزاب 21
Al Ahzab (33) 21: There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allāh an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allāh and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allāh often.
And the aspects of greatness in the personality of the Messenger ﷺ are too numerous to be contained or to be grasped by one mind or one heart. Therefore, we see that everyone who had the honor of writing about the beloved Prophet ﷺ, in any aspect of his splendid and unique biography, has been guided to a new facet that was not previously revealed to anyone before them. And this is due to the richness of his magnificent personality with all his great qualities.
Allah took an oath that his Prophet ﷺ , in all his affairs, is on the straight path. Allah Almighty said:
يس * وَالْقُرْآنِ الْحَكِيمِ * إِنَّكَ لَمِنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ * عَلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ-يس 1- 4
Ya-sin (36) 1-4: (1) Yā, Seen. (2) By the wise Qur’ān, (3) Indeed you, [O Muḥammad], are from among the messengers, (4) On a straight path.
And Allah Almighty said:
إِنَّا فَتَحْنَا لَكَ فَتْحًا مُبِينًا * لِيَغْفِرَ لَكَ اللَّهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِكَ وَمَا تَأَخَّرَ وَيُتِمَّ نِعْمَتَهُ عَلَيْكَ وَيَهْدِيَكَ صِرَاطًا مُسْتَقِيمًا-الفتح 1- 2
Al Fath (48) 1-2: (1) Indeed, We have given you, [O Muḥammad], a clear conquest (2) That Allāh may forgive for you what preceded of your sin [i.e., errors] and what will follow and complete His favor upon you and guide you to a straight path
So Allah Almighty’s description of His Prophet Mohammad ﷺ being on the straight path, is a comprehensive description of good and noble qualities. And it is a testimony from Allah Almighty that His Messenger ﷺ is absolved from defects and shortcomings.
And when the believer hears about the guidance of the noble Prophet ﷺ and his authentic sunnah, they are keen to pursue it to attain good deeds and triumph with the reward. And whoever is not eager for that, and does not perform the Sunnah, misses out on the reward. As it is a calamity to be indifferent to the Sunnah and turn away from it and to neglect acting on it and to fall short in it while, at the same time, holding tight to and magnifying the innovated matters having no basis in the religion of Allah Almighty or guidance of His Prophet ﷺ. Such a person’s condition is perilous due to them turning away from the sunnah and not desiring it along with their intense desire for the newly invented matters that have no basis in Allah’s religion. And when the Prophet ﷺ delivered a khutbah he would say:
أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنَّ خَيْرَ الْحَدِيثِ كِتَابُ اللَّهِ وَخَيْرَ الْهَدْيِ هَدْيُ مُحَمَّدٍ وَشَرَّ الْأُمُورِ مُحْدَثَاتُهَا وَكُلَّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلَالَةٌ
To proceed, the best speech is the Book of Allah and the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad ﷺ, the worst matter is the introduction of new practices in Islam and every Bid’ah is a misguidance. [Muslim 867]
Allah Almighty linked His Name and obedience to Him with obedience to our Prophet ﷺ in more than 25 places in His Book. Allah Almighty said:
أَطِيعُوا اللّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرّسُولَ
Al Maidah (5) 92: And obey Allāh and obey the Messenger
And Allah Almighty said:
وَأَطِيعُواْ اللّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ
Al Anfaal (8) 1: And obey Allāh and His Messenger
And Allah Almighty said:
وَمَن يُطِعِ اللّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ
An Nisaa (4) 13: And whoever obeys Allāh and His Messenger.
Allah Almighty even made following the Messenger ﷺ a sign of obeying, following and loving Him the Almighty. Allah Almighty said upon the tongue of His Prophet ﷺ:
فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ-آل عمران 31
Al Imran 31: If you should love Allāh, then follow me, [so] Allāh will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.
And among what one following the example of the Prophet ﷺ attains is the aim of every Muslim; triumphing with paradise, which is promised by the Lord of the worlds and is the reward of those conscious of Allah. Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
كُلُّ أُمَّتِي يَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ إِلَّا مَنْ أَبَى. قِيلَ: وَمَنْ أَبَى قَالَ: مَنْ أَطَاعَنِي دَخَلَ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَنْ عَصَانِي فقد أَبى
Everyone of my Ummah will enter Paradise except those who refuse. He was asked: Who will refuse? He (ﷺ) said, Whoever obeys me, shall enter Paradise, and whosoever disobeys me, refuses to (enter Paradise). [Bukhari 7280]
So let us be conscious of Allah and adhere to the sunnah and beware of the innovations and newly introduced matters in religion in spite of the ignorant promoting them. And the Prophet’s disavowing those who turn away from his sunnah, his guidance and his way is sufficient for any rational believer to hate innovations in religion and those practicing them and to avoid them. The Prophet ﷺ said:
فَمَن رَغِبَ عَن سُنَّتِي فَلَيسَ مِنِّي-رَوَاهُ البُخَارِيُّ وَمُسلِمٌ
Whoever turns away from my Sunnah is not of me. [Bukhari 5063, Muslim 1401]
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:
Recently the month of Rajab concluded and it is from the sacred months. And today we are well into the month of Shabaan and then afterwards we will enter into the blessed month of Ramadan. And between the sacred month and the blessed month is a month that people are inattentive to. And perhaps they slacken in worship in the month of Shabaan.
And there is a deed authenticated from the Prophet ﷺ in the month of Shabaan and that is to fast most of it. And people, of past and present, introduced new practices that are not found in the Book of Allah or the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ.
And fasting most of Shabaan was authenticated from the Prophet ﷺ. Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said:
كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- يَصُومُ حَتَّى نَقُولَ: لَا يُفْطِرُ، وَيُفْطِرُ حَتَّى نَقُولَ: لَا يَصُومُ، فَمَا رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- اسْتَكْمَلَ صِيَامَ شَهْرٍ إِلَّا رَمَضَانَ، وَمَا رَأَيْتُهُ أَكْثَرَ صِيَامًا مِنْهُ فِي شَعْبَانَ” رَوَاهُ الشَّيْخَانِ. وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ لِمُسْلِمٍ: «كَانَ يَصُومُ شَعْبَانَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا – البخاري 1868 ومسلم 1156
Allah’s messenger used to fast to the extent that we said he will not stop fasting, and he would go without fasting to an extent that we said: he will not fast. I never saw Allah’s messenger fast a complete month except Ramadan, and I never saw him fast more in any month than in Shabaan. And in a narration for Muslim: He used to fast Shabaan except for a little of it. [Bukhari 1868, Muslim 1156]
And the Prophet ﷺ clarified the wisdom of fasting the majority of Shabaan in a hadith narrated by Osama bin Zaid, may Allah be pleased with them, who said:
قُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، لَمْ أَرَكَ تَصُومُ شَهْرًا مِنَ الشُّهُورِ مَا تَصُومُ مِنْ شَعْبَانَ، قَالَ: “ذَلِكَ شَهْرٌ يَغْفُلُ النَّاسُ عَنْهُ بَيْنَ رَجَبٍ وَرَمَضَانَ، وَهُوَ شَهْرٌ تُرْفَعُ فِيهِ الْأَعْمَالُ لِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ؛ فَأُحِبُّ أَنْ يُرْفَعَ عَمَلِي وَأَنَا صَائِمٌ”.
I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, I do not see you fasting any month as much as Shaban.’ He said: ‘That is a month to which people do not pay much attention, between Rajab and Ramadan. It is a month in which the deeds are taken up to the Lord of the worlds, and I like that my deeds be taken up when I am fasting.” [Sunan an-Nasa’i 2357, Grade: Hasan]
And this presentation of the deeds is the annual presentation. For the deeds are presented daily, weekly and annually. The deeds of the night are presented to Allah in the day and the deeds of the day are presented in the night. And the weekly deeds are presented to Him the Almighty on Mondays and Thursdays. And for that reason the Prophet ﷺ regularly fasted them. And the annual presentation of deeds is in Shabaan. So it is recommended to fast most of it. Thus, he ﷺ used to fast most of it. For fasting in this month is like an established Sunnah before Ramadan. Just as fasting six days in the month of Shawwal is like an established Sunnah after Ramadan. Ibn Rajab, may Allah have mercy on him, said, fasting in the month of Shabaan is better than fasting in the sacred months. And the best voluntary fasts is what is close to Ramadan either before or after it.
And whoever has missed days to make up from the previous Ramadan should hasten to fast them, because delaying making up the missed fasts until after Ramadan without a valid excuse is not permitted. And the debt of Allah Almighty has most right to be repaid.
So let us strive within ourselves to follow the example of our Prophet ﷺ and make all our affairs upon his Sunnah. And let us make the effort and expend energy to perform deeds according to his guidance and learn his blessed biography to follow his way. Allah Almighty said:
قُلْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ–آل عمران 31
Al Imran (3) 31: Say, [O Muḥammad], “If you should love Allāh, then follow me, [so] Allāh will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.”
And let us hold on to what the companions, may Allah be pleased with them, were upon. For whoever opposes them has lost and strayed from the right way. Allah Almighty said:
وَمَنْ يُشَاقِقِ الرَّسُولَ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ الْهُدَى وَيَتَّبِعْ غَيْرَ سَبِيلِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ نُوَلِّهِ مَا تَوَلَّى وَنُصْلِهِ جَهَنَّمَ وَسَاءَتْ مَصِيرًا–النساء 115
An Nisa (4) 115: And whoever opposes the Messenger after guidance has become clear to him and follows other than the way of the believers – We will give him what he has taken and drive him into Hell, and evil it is as a destination.
We ask Allah Almighty to make us among those who adhere to the sunnah of His beloved Prophet and make the most of the month of Shabaan. Indeed Allah is All Hearing, Answering.
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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