https://www.khutbah.info/the-obligation-of-mercy/ The delight of the believer’s eyes and the tranquility of their heart are clearly manifested through consciousness of Allah Almighty. For consciousness of Allah is the foundation of all righteousness and solace during every hardship. An-Nisa (4) 131: And We have certainly enjoined upon those who were given the Scripture before you and upon you to fear Allah. Good character is the foundation of communities and individuals. And communities remain as long as their morals remain. This is an indisputable truth, denied only by those lacking understanding. It is also established that the decline of morals is the result of a lack of religious restraint within souls. For it is the religious deterrent that prevents wrongdoing and grants salvation.
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 delight of the believer’s eyes and the tranquility of their heart are clearly manifested through consciousness of Allah Almighty. For consciousness of Allah is the foundation of all righteousness and solace during every hardship.
Allah Almighty said:
وَلَقَدْ وَصَّيْنَا الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ وَإِيَّاكُمْ أَنِ اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ
An-Nisa (4) 131: And We have certainly enjoined upon those who were given the Scripture before you and upon you to fear Allah.
Good character is the foundation of communities and individuals. And communities remain as long as their morals remain. This is an indisputable truth, denied only by those lacking understanding. It is also established that the decline of morals is the result of a lack of religious restraint within souls. For it is the religious deterrent that prevents wrongdoing and grants salvation.
Among the greatest virtuous morals and most sought-after traits is the virtue of mercy and mutual compassion among Muslims. This is no surprise, for it is the key to acceptance by others. Undoubtedly, the absence of mercy among people results in the loss of a pleasant life and the rise of ignorant arrogance and blind selfishness.
O believers, Allah Almighty has informed about those lacking mercy and violating it. They did not fulfill the rights of mothers or infants. Nor did they spare the old or young.
Allah Almighty said:
إِنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ عَلَا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَجَعَلَ أَهْلَهَا شِيَعًا يَسْتَضْعِفُ طَائِفَةً مِّنْهُمْ يُذَبِّحُ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ وَيَسْتَحْيِي نِسَاءَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّهُ كَانَ مِنَ الْمُفْسِدِينَ
Al-Qasas (28) 4: Indeed, Pharaoh exalted himself in the land and made its people into factions, oppressing a sector among them, slaughtering their [newborn] sons and keeping their females alive. Indeed, he was of the corrupters.
And Allah Almighty said:
وَفِرْعَوْنَ ذِي الْأَوْتَادِ * الَّذِينَ طَغَوْا فِي الْبِلَادِ * فَأَكْثَرُوا فِيهَا الْفَسَادَ * فَصَبَّ عَلَيْهِمْ رَبُّكَ سَوْطَ عَذَابٍ * إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَبِالْمِرْصَادِ
Al-Fajr (89) 10–14: And Pharaoh, owner of the stakes – those who oppressed within the lands and increased therein the corruption. So your Lord poured upon them a scourge of punishment. Indeed, your Lord is in observation.
Abu Raafi’ said that Pharaoh anchored his wife with four stakes, then he placed a huge millstone on her back until she passed.
Allah Almighty said:
فَالْتَقَطَهُ آلُ فِرْعَوْنَ لِيَكُونَ لَهُمْ عَدُوًّا وَحَزَنًا ۚ إِنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ وَهَامَانَ وَجُنُودَهُمَا كَانُوا خَاطِئِينَ
Al-Qasas (28) 8: And the family of Pharaoh picked him up [i.e., Moses] so that he would become to them an enemy and a [cause of] grief. Indeed, Pharaoh and Haman and their soldiers were deliberate sinners.
And Allah Almighty said:
وَجَعَلْنَاهُمْ أَئِمَّةً يَدْعُونَ إِلَى النَّارِ ۖ وَيَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ لَا يُنصَرُونَ
Al-Qasas (28) 41: And We made them leaders inviting to the Fire, and on the Day of Resurrection they will not be helped.
Indeed, Allah has informed in His Noble Book about deviant behaviors of the merciless and their vile plots. Those with hearts like solid stones, or even harder. Allah Almighty said:
ثُمَّ قَسَتْ قُلُوبُكُم مِّن بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ فَهِيَ كَالْحِجَارَةِ أَوْ أَشَدُّ قَسْوَةً
Al-Baqarah (2) 74: Then your hearts became hardened after that, being like stones or even harder.
So Allah exposed their depravity and rebelliousness. Allah Almighty said:
وَإِذْ قَتَلْتُمْ نَفْسًا فَادَّارَأْتُمْ فِيهَا ۖ وَاللَّهُ مُخْرِجٌ مَّا كُنتُمْ تَكْتُمُونَ
Al-Baqarah (2) 72: And [recall] when you slew a man and disputed over it, but Allah was to bring out that which you were concealing.
And as a result of their actions, Allah Almighty cursed them and deprived them of mercy:
فَبِمَا نَقْضِهِم مِّيثَاقَهُمْ لَعَنَّاهُمْ وَجَعَلْنَا قُلُوبَهُمْ قَاسِيَةً ۖ يُحَرِّفُونَ الْكَلِمَ عَن مَّوَاضِعِهِ وَنَسُوا حَظًّا مِّمَّا ذُكِّرُوا بِهِ ۚ وَلَا تَزَالُ تَطَّلِعُ عَلَىٰ خَائِنَةٍ مِّنْهُمْ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا مِّنْهُمْ
Surah Al-Ma’idah (5) 13: So for their breaking of the covenant, We cursed them and made their hearts hard. They distort words from their [proper] usages and have forgotten a portion of that of which they were reminded. And you will still observe deceit among them, except a few of them.
Verily, when Allah the Glorious and Exalted sent His messengers, He made the establishment of noble character in the hearts a foundational principle of their messages. And the seal of the prophets and messengers ﷺ is the one about whom his Lord said:
وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ
Al-Qalam (68) 4: And indeed, you are of a great moral character.
And Allah Almighty also said about him:
فَبِمَا رَحْمَةٍ مِّنَ اللَّهِ لِنتَ لَهُمْ ۖ وَلَوْ كُنتَ فَظّٗا غَلِيظَ ٱلْقَلْبِ لَٱنفَضُّوا مِنْ حَوْلِكَ
Aal ‘Imran (3) 159: So by mercy from Allah, [O Muhammad], you were lenient with them. And if you had been rude [in speech] and harsh in heart, they would have disbanded from about you.
And Allah Almighty also said about him:
لَقَدْ جَآءَكُمْ رَسُولٞ مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ عَزِيزٌ عَلَيْهِ مَا عَنِتُّمْ حَرِيصٌ عَلَيْكُم بِٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَءُوفٞ رَّحِيمٞ
At-Tawbah (9) 128: There has certainly come to you a Messenger from among yourselves. Grievous to him is what you suffer; [he is] concerned over you and to the believers is kind and merciful.
And the Prophet ﷺ said:
إنَّما بُعِثتُ لأُتَمِّمَ مَكارِمَ الأخلاقِ
Indeed, I was only sent to perfect noble character. [Bayhaqi 20819, Grade: Sahih (Albani)]
The mercy of the Prophet ﷺ was manifested in many aspects of his life; to the point that it became a prominent feature that was not hidden in any of his affairs. He was compassionate and merciful, sent to humanity by the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful, and he was nourished by his nursing mother Halima al-Sa’diya. And her name carries the meaning of gentles and joy and he ﷺ inherited both of these traits.
The mercy of the Prophet ﷺ was manifest. He taught the ignorant, guided the heedless, and comforted the children and young.
Usama bin Zaid, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated:
كُنَّا عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذْ جَاءَهُ رَسُولُ إِحْدَى بَنَاتِهِ يَدْعُوهُ إِلَى ابْنِهَا فِي الْمَوْتِ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ” ارْجِعْ فَأَخْبِرْهَا أَنَّ لِلَّهِ مَا أَخَذَ، وَلَهُ مَا أَعْطَى، وَكُلُّ شَىْءٍ عِنْدَهُ بِأَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى، فَمُرْهَا فَلْتَصْبِرْ وَلْتَحْتَسِبْ ”. فَأَعَادَتِ الرَّسُولَ أَنَّهَا أَقْسَمَتْ لَتَأْتِيَنَّهَا، فَقَامَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَقَامَ مَعَهُ سَعْدُ بْنُ عُبَادَةَ وَمُعَاذُ بْنُ جَبَلٍ، فَدُفِعَ الصَّبِيُّ إِلَيْهِ وَنَفْسُهُ تَقَعْقَعُ كَأَنَّهَا فِي شَنٍّ فَفَاضَتْ عَيْنَاهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ سَعْدٌ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ. قَالَ ” هَذِهِ رَحْمَةٌ جَعَلَهَا اللَّهُ فِي قُلُوبِ عِبَادِهِ، وَإِنَّمَا يَرْحَمُ اللَّهُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ الرُّحَمَاءَ
We were with the Prophet ﷺ when a messenger suddenly came to him from one of his daughters who was asking him to come and see her son who was dying. The Prophet ﷺ said (to the messenger), “Go back and tell her that whatever Allah takes is His, and whatever He gives is His, and everything with Him has a limited fixed term (in this world). So he commanded her to be patient and hope for Allah’s reward. But she sent the messenger to the Prophet ﷺagain, swearing that he should come to her. So the Prophet got up, and so did Sa`d bin ‘Ubada and Mu`adh bin Jabal (and went to her). When the child was brought to the Prophet ﷺ his breath was disturbed in his chest as if it were in a water skin. On that the eyes of the Prophet ﷺ became flooded with tears, whereupon Sa`d said to him, “O Allah’s Messenger ﷺ ! What is this?” The Prophet ﷺ said, This is mercy which Allah has placed in the heart of His servants, and Allah bestows His mercy only on those of His servants who are merciful (to others). [Bukhari 7377]
Indeed, the mercy of the Prophet ﷺ did not stop there; it encompassed all layers of society—widows and orphans, women and the needy, the young and old. This mercy was not limited to his actions but extended to his teachings He ﷺsaid:
الرَّاحِمُونَ يَرْحَمُهُمُ الرَّحْمَنُ ارْحَمُوا مَنْ فِي الأَرْضِ يَرْحَمْكُمْ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاءِ
The merciful are shown mercy by the Most Merciful. Show mercy to those on the earth, and the One above the heavens will show mercy to you. [Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1924, Grade: Hasan]
He ﷺ also said:
لاَ يَرْحَمُ اللَّهُ مَنْ لاَ يَرْحَمُ النَّاسَ
Allah will not be merciful to those who are not merciful to people. [Bukhari 7376]
And he ﷺ said in warning against causing hardship to people, depriving them of mercy, and making things difficult for them:
اللَّهُمَّ مَنْ وَلِيَ مِنْ أَمْرِ أُمَّتِي شَيْئًا فَشَقَّ عَلَيْهِمْ فَاشْقُقْ عَلَيْهِ وَمَنْ وَلِيَ مِنْ أَمْرِ أُمَّتِي شَيْئًا فَرَفَقَ بِهِمْ فَارْفُقْ بِهِ
O Allah, whoever is put in charge of the affairs of my ummah and is hard upon them, then be hard upon him; and whoever is put in charge of the affairs of my ummah and is gentle with them, then be gentle with him. [Muslim 1828a]
By the manifestation of mercy in the person of the Prophet ﷺ, he addressed ignorance and cut through its darkness with the lights of mercy and compassion. He curbed the whims of ignorance and the hardness of hearts, and established the pillars of society on the foundations of mercy, compassion, and good manners. This is one of the beauties of the Shari’ah. The perfection of knowledge lies in mercy. And gentle speech is the key to hearts. Through it, the Muslim can treat the diseases of the soul, with a reassured heart and a peaceful mind. Otherwise, people will turn away from them, and they will live in ignorance and die in ignorance. And that is the very essence of misery and its cause.
If a Muslim truly understood that their first duty towards other Muslims is to care about them more than themselves, they would realize that real greatness is not in being better than others or standing out, but in overcoming and purifying their own souls.
Indeed, people are truly free when they are driven by mercy, compassion, mutual love, and empathy under the expansive shade of Islam. The Prophet ﷺ said:
مَثَلُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فِي تَوَادِّهِمْ وَتَرَاحُمِهِمْ وَتَعَاطُفِهِمْ مَثَلُ الْجَسَدِ إِذَا اشْتَكَى مِنْهُ عُضْوٌ تَدَاعَى لَهُ سَائِرُ الْجَسَدِ بِالسَّهَرِ وَالْحُمَّى
The example of the believers in their mutual love, mercy, and compassion is that of a single body: when one part of it is afflicted, the rest of the body responds with sleeplessness and fever. [Muslim 2586a]
So be conscious of Allah and know that every Muslim is required to exhibit mercy and compassion to the extent of their abilities, with patience and self-restraint. They must be gentle first and foremost with their family, then with those under their care, their neighbors, fellow citizens, and employees. They should not assist their wife nor theirn children in disobedience of Allah Almighty, nor their neighbors in wrongdoing, nor anyone in severing ties or spreading hatred.
Act upon the words of the Prophet ﷺ:
إِنَّ مِنَ إِجْلاَلِ اللهِ إِكْرَامَ ذِي الشَّيْبَةِ الْمُسْلِمِ، وَحَامِلِ الْقُرْآنِ، غَيْرِ الْغَالِي فِيهِ، وَلاَ الْجَافِي عَنْهُ، وَإِكْرَامَ ذِي السُّلْطَانِ الْمُقْسِطِ.
Indeed, part of glorifying Allah is respecting an aged Muslim, and the one who commits the Qur’an to memory and does not exaggerate pronouncing its letters nor forgets it after memorizing, and to respect the just ruler“. [Sunan Abi Dawud 4843, Grade: Hasan (Albani)]
And beware of falling into what the Prophet ﷺ warned against when he said:
لَيْسَ مِنَّا مَنْ لَمْ يَرْحَمْ صَغِيرَنَا وَيَعْرِفْ شَرَفَ كَبِيرِنَا
He is not one of us who does not have mercy upon our young, nor knows the honor of our elders. [Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1920, Grade: Hasan]
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:
Indeed, the mercy of Allah Almighty was manifested to humanity in the month of Allah, al-Muharram, when Allah saved Musa (Moses), peace be upon him, from the plot of Pharaoh and his soldiers. For Allah cast Pharaoh, the blameworthy, into the sea.. This occurred on the tenth day of the month of Allah, al-Muharram. For it is a day of great virtue whose sanctity is ancient. The Prophet ﷺ ordained its fasting. Musa (peace be upon him) fasted on that day in gratitude to Allah Almighty, and our Prophet ﷺ fasted it and commanded its observance. He said:
صِيَامُ يَوْمِ عَاشُورَاءَ إِنِّي أَحْتَسِبُ عَلَى اللَّهِ أَنْ يُكَفِّرَ السَّنَةَ الَّتِي قَبْلَهُ
Fasting the day of ‘Ashura’, I hope, will expiate for the sins of the previous year . [Sunan Ibn Majah 1738, Grade: Sahih]
And in establishing one of the great principles of Islam, that is differentiating ourselves from other communities and to cut off every path leading to imitating them in any form, the Prophet ﷺ, toward the end of his life, resolved not to fast this day alone, but to fast a day along with it. He said:
فَإِذَا كَانَ الْعَامُ الْمُقْبِلُ – إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ – صُمْنَا الْيَوْمَ التَّاسِعَ ” . قَالَ فَلَمْ يَأْتِ الْعَامُ الْمُقْبِلُ حَتَّى تُوُفِّيَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم
If I live until the next year—if Allah wills—we will fast the ninth day. But the next year did not come before the Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed away. [Muslim 1134a]
Thus, it is recommended, to fast this day, and also a day before it or a day after it, in emulation of the Prophet ﷺ. Every good lies in following what he brought, and every evil lies in introducing matters that which he did not bring.
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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