The Good Word

https://www.khutbah.info/the-good-word/ Indeed the greatest, most honored, loftiest and highest of all words, is the Word of Tawhid (Divine Oneness) La Illaha Illa Lah (There is no deity other than Allah). For the sake of this great Word, the heavens and the earth were established. And for its sake the creatures were created. For its sake, the Books of Allah Almighty were revealed. And for its sake the messengers were sent. And for its sake, paradise was created. So whomever is from the people of La Illaha Illa Lah, is from the people of paradise. And whoever turns away from it, is from the people of the fire. This great Word has numerous virtues and many benefits. That cannot be counted and are not easy to enumerate or detail. From the virtues of this great Word is that Allah Almighty extoled it with great attributes that indicate its grand and majestic esteem. Ibrahim (14) 24: Have you not considered how Allah presents an example, [making] a good word like a good tree, whose root is firmly fixed and its branches [high] in the sky? And the Good Word has requirements that must be met. Otherwise, it does not benefit the one saying it. For it is not simply a word that is uttered. And for this reason the polytheists did not say it because of their knowledge of its requirements and conditions. And if it was simply a word to be uttered, they would have uttered it. And they would not have resisted the Prophet ﷺ and would not have harmed his companions and would have not expelled them from their homes for its sake. 

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:

Indeed the greatest, most honored, loftiest and highest of all words, is the Word of Tawhid (Divine Oneness) La Illaha Illa Lah (There is no deity other than Allah). For the sake of this great Word, the heavens and the earth were established. And for its sake the creatures were created. For its sake, the Books of Allah Almighty were revealed. And for its sake the messengers were sent. And for its sake, paradise was created. So whomever is from the people of La Illaha Illa Lah, is from the people of paradise. And whoever turns away from it, is from the people of the fire. 

This great Word has numerous virtues and many benefits. That cannot be counted and are not easy to enumerate or detail. From the virtues of this great Word is that Allah Almighty extoled it with great attributes that indicate its grand and majestic esteem. 

And from them is that Allah Almighty described it as the Good Word. Allah Almighty said:

أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ ضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلًا كَلِمَةً طَيِّبَةً كَشَجَرَةٍ طَيِّبَةٍ أَصْلُهَا ثَابِتٌ وَفَرْعُهَا فِي السَّمَاءِ-إبراهيم: 24

Ibrahim (14) 24: Have you not considered how Allah presents an example, [making] a good word like a good tree, whose root is firmly fixed and its branches [high] in the sky?

And He the Almighty described it as the firm word. Allah Almighty said: 

يُثَبِّتُ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِالْقَوْلِ الثَّابِتِ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَفِي الْآَخِرَةِ-إبراهيم: 27

Ibrahim (14) 27: Allah keeps firm those who believe, with the firm word, in worldly life and in the Hereafter.

And Allah the Exalted described it as the word of taqwa (consciousness of Allah). Allah said: 

وَأَلْزَمَهُمْ كَلِمَةَ التَّقْوَى وَكَانُوا أَحَقَّ بِهَا وَأَهْلَهَا-الفتح: 26

Al Fath (48) 26: And imposed upon them the word of righteousness, and they were more deserving of it and worthy of it.  

And the Almighty described it as the supplication of truth. Allah said: 

لَهُ دَعْوَةُ الْحَقِّ وَالَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِهِ لَا يَسْتَجِيبُونَ لَهُمْ بِشَيْءٍ-الرعد: 14

Ar Rad (13) 14: To Him [alone] is the supplication of truth. And those they call upon besides Him do not respond to them with a thing

And the Most Glorified described it as the most trustworthy handhold. Allah said: 

فَمَنْ يَكْفُرْ بِالطَّاغُوتِ وَيُؤْمِنْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدِ اسْتَمْسَكَ بِالْعُرْوَةِ الْوُثْقَى لَا انْفِصَامَ لَهَا-البقرة: 256

AL Baqarah (2) 256: So whoever disbelieves in false deities and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy handhold with no break in it.  

And Allah described and extoled the Word of Tawhid, La illaaha ila Lah with other generous benefits, great qualities and blessed attributes.

And it was the first word that people heard from their prophets. The Prophets began with this great word in calling their people. For it is the essence of their message. 

And the Good Word has requirements that must be met. Otherwise, it does not benefit the one saying it. For it is not simply a word that is uttered. And for this reason the polytheists did not say it because of their knowledge of its requirements and conditions. And if it was simply a word to be uttered, they would have uttered it. And they would not have resisted the Prophet ﷺ and would not have harmed his companions and would have not expelled them from their homes for its sake. 

And it is the knowledge of its meaning that dispels ignorance. As Allah Almighty said: 

فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ-محمد: 19

Mohammad (47) 19: So know, [O Muḥammad], that there is no deity except Allah  

And firm belief in it, dispels doubt. As Allah Almighty said: 

إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَرْتَابُوا-الحجرات: 15

Al Hujuraat (49) 15: The believers are only the ones who have believed in Allah and His Messenger and then doubt not  

That is, they believed with certainty and did not doubt. With sincerity as Allah Almighty said: 

وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ-البيّنة: 5

Al Bayinah (98) 5: And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion

And the one saying it does so genuinely and says it with his heart and tongue. And the heart submits to the tongue.   And for this reason Allah said in reproaching the hypocrites: 

إِذَا جَاءَكَ الْمُنَافِقُونَ قَالُوا نَشْهَدُ إِنَّكَ لَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ إِنَّكَ لَرَسُولُهُ وَاللَّهُ يَشْهَدُ إِنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ لَكَاذِبُونَ-المنافقون: 1

Al Munafiqoon (63) 1: When the hypocrites come to you, [O Muḥammad], they say, “We testify that you are the Messenger of Allah.” And Allah knows that you are His Messenger, and Allah testifies that the hypocrites are liars.

They said it with their tongues and it was not firm or established in their hearts. 

And one must love Allah, love this Word, and love what Allah Almighty loves. And love Him more than all else that is beloved. Allah Almighty said: 

وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَتَّخِذُ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ أَنْدَادًا يُحِبُّونَهُمْ كَحُبِّ اللَّهِ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَشَدُّ حُبًّا لِلَّهِ-البقرة: 165

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. 

And this Word must be accepted, in contrast to whom Allah Almighty described: 

إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا إِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ * وَيَقُولُونَ أَئِنَّا لَتَارِكُو آلِهَتِنَا لِشَاعِرٍ مَجْنُونٍ-الصافات: 35-36

As Saffat (37) 35: (35) Indeed they, when it was said to them, “There is no deity but Allah,” were arrogant  (36) And were saying, “Are we to leave our gods for a mad poet?”

And it is necessary to comply with Allah’s commands and submit to His ordainments. Allah Almighty said: 

وَمَنْ يُسْلِمْ وَجْهَهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَهُوَ مُحْسِنٌ فَقَدِ اسْتَمْسَكَ بِالْعُرْوَةِ الْوُثْقَى

Luqman (31) 22:  And whoever submits his face [i.e., self] to Allah while he is a doer of good – then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold. And to Allah will be the outcome of [all] matters.

That is through the good word, La ilaaha illa Lah. And in the authentic hadith, the Prophet ﷺ said: 

لا يُؤمن أحدكم حتى يكون هواه تبعاً لما جِئت به

None of you believes until his desires are subservient to that which I have brought [Forty Hadith an-Nawawi, Hadith 41]

And this is the complete submission and its aim. 

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:

Be conscious of Allah and know that this great word is not beneficial to the one uttering it without fulfilling its requirements as detailed in the Book of Allah Almighty and the sunnah of His Prophet ﷺ. Wahb (may Allah have mercy upon him) was asked: 

Is not Laa Illaha Illa Laah the key to paradise? He responded: indeed, but there is no key that does not have teeth. So if you come with a key that has teeth, then it will open for you. Otherwise it will not open for you. This indicates the great position and the importance of the conditions, requirements of Laa Illaha Illa Laah as described in the Book of Allah and the sunnah of His Prophet ﷺ. 

And Hafith Al Hakamy (may Allah have mercy on him) summarized it in two verses of poetry: 

Knowledge, certainty of belief and acceptance

 And submission, so understand what I say

And honesty, sincerity and love

 and may Allah give you success for what He loves

We ask Allah Almighty to make us among the sincere and genuine people of Laa Illaha Illa Laah. 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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