https://www.khutbah.info/three-men-trapped-in-a-cave/ All praise is due to Allah Almighty who through righteous deeds performed sincerely for His seek relieves many distresses just as He the Glorified admits into paradise, spares from the fire and multiplies the rewards. In the news of previous people such as people of Noah, Hud and Saleh are lessons. And there are many Hadiths informing us of the previous people. And there are lessons for us to reflect on in the news of the three men from the people before us who took refuge in a cave due to rain at night as was related by ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab (May Allah be pleased with them) who narrated that He heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say:Three men, amongst those who came before you, set out until night came and they reached a cave, so they entered it. A boulder fell down from the mountain and blocked the entrance of the cave. They said: ‘Nothing will save you from this unless you supplicate to Allah by virtue of a righteous deed you have done.’
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:
All praise is due to Allah Almighty who through righteous deeds performed sincerely for His seek relieves many distresses just as He the Glorified admits into paradise, spares from the fire and multiplies the rewards.
Allah Almighty informed us that there are lessons in the narratives of the previous people:
لَقَدْ كَانَ فِي قَصَصِهِمْ عِبْرَةٌ لِأُوْلِي الأَلْبَابِ [يوسف:111
Yusuf 111: There was certainly in their stories a lesson for those of understanding.
In the news of previous people such as people of Noah, Hud and Saleh are lessons. And there are many Hadiths informing us of the previous people. And there are lessons for us to reflect on in the news of the three men from the people before us who took refuge in a cave due to rain at night as was related by ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab (May Allah be pleased with them) who narrated that He heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say:
انطلق ثلاثة نفر ممن كان قبلكم حتى آواهم المبيت إلى غار فدخلوه، فانحدرت صخرة من الجبل فسدت عليهم الغار، فقالوا: إنه لا ينجيكم من هذه الصخرة إلا أن تدعوا الله بصالح أعمالكم
Three men, amongst those who came before you, set out until night came and they reached a cave, so they entered it. A boulder fell down from the mountain and blocked the entrance of the cave. They said: ‘Nothing will save you from this unless you supplicate to Allah by virtue of a righteous deed you have done.’
Allah tested these three men with a huge boulder that fell from the mountain and blocked them from exiting the cave. Allah tested them through this and guided them to the means of relieving this distress:
قال رجل منهم: اللهم كان لي أبوان شيخان كبيران، وكنت لا أغبق قبلهما أهلاً ولا مالاً. فنأى بى طلب الشجر يوماً فلم أرح عليهما حتى ناما فحلبت لهما غبوقهما فوجدتهما نائمين فكرهت أن أوقظهما وأن أغبق قبلهما أهلاً أو مالاً، فلبثت- والقدح على يدى- أنتظر استيقاظهما حتى برق الفجر والصبية يتضاغون عند قدمى- فاستيقظا فشربا غبوقهما. اللهم إن كنت فعلت ذلك ابتغاء وجهك ففرج عنا ما نحن فيه من هذه الصخرة، فانفرجت شيئاً لا يستطيعون الخروج منه.
Thereupon, one of them said: ‘O Allah! I had parents who were old, and I used to offer them milk before any of my family and servants. One day, I went far away in search of grazing and could not come back until they had slept. When I milked as usual and brought the drink I found them both asleep. I hated to disturb them and also disliked to give milk to my family or servants before them. My children were crying out of hunger at my feet but I awaited with the bowl in my hand for them to wake up. When they awoke at dawn, they drank milk. O Allah! If I did so to seek Your Pleasure, then deliver us from the distress caused by the boulder’. The boulder moved slightly but they were unable to escape.
This shows the importance of dutifulness to parents. The man would make sure that they would be the first to be drink from the evening milk. He disliked that he would break his habit of serving them first. The man’s children were crying at his feet out of hunger. In spite of this, he preferred his parents. He could have easily quieted his children with some of the milk. But he was insistent in giving preference to his parents over his children and the rest of his family. He was mindful of Allah whose knowledge encompasses all. Allah recompensed his dutifulness to his parents in spite of the difficult circumstances.
The Hadith continues:
قال الآخر: اللهم إنه كانت لي ابنة عم كانت أحب الناس إلىّ ” وفى رواية: ”كنت أحبها كأشد ما يحب الرجال النساء، فأردتها على نفسها فامتنعت منى حتى ألمّت بها سنة من السنين فجاءتنى فأعطيتها عشرين ومائة دينار على أن تخلى بينى وبين نفسها ففعلت، حتى إذا قدرت عليها” وفى رواية: ”فلما قعدت بين رجليها، قالت: اتق الله ولا تفض الخاتم إلا بحقه، فانصرفت عنها وهى أحب الناس إلى وتركت الذهب الذى أعطيتها، اللهم إن كنت فعلت ذلك ابتغاء وجهك فافرج عنا ما نحن فيه، فانفرجت الصخرة غير أنهم لا يستطيعون الخروج منها
The next said: ‘O Allah! I had a cousin whom I loved more than anyone else (in another version he said: as a man can love a woman). I wanted to have an intimate relation with her but she refused. Hard pressed in a year of famine, she approached me. I gave her one hundred and twenty dinars on condition that she would yield herself to me. She agreed and when we got together (for an intimate relation), she said: Fear Allah and do not break the seal unlawfully. I moved away from her in spite of the fact that I loved her most passionately; and I let her keep the money I had given her. O Allah! If I did that to seek Your Pleasure, then, remove the distress in which we are.’ The boulder moved aside a bit further but they were still unable to get out.
This highlights the virtue of chastity, decency, modesty and purity. The second man attempted to take advantage of his cousin’s dire situation and offered her 120 dinars which is equivalent to about half a kilogram of gold. The man was driven by a blinding passion. He could have easily done what he wanted. He was alone with his cousin. Far from the sight of the people. But when he was reminded to fear Allah, it woke him up. He realized that he was not alone and that nothing escapes Allah. He backed off and left all the money with her.
The Hadith continues:
وقال الثالث: اللهم استأجرت أجراء وأعطيتهم أجرهم غير رجل واحد ترك الذى له وذهب، فثمرت أجره حتى كثرت منه الأموال، فجاءنى بعد حين فقال: يا عبد الله أدّ إلى أجرى، فقلت: كل ما ترى من أجرك: من الإبل والبقر والغنم والرقيق. فقال: يا عبد الله لا تستهزئ بى! فقلت: لا أستهزئ بك، فأخذه كله فاستاقه فلم يترك منه شيئاً، اللهم إن كنتُ فعلت ذلك ابتغاء وجهك فافرج عنا ما نحن فيه، فانفرجت الصخرة فخرجوا يمشون”
The third one said: ‘O Allah! I hired some laborers and paid them their wages except one of them departed without taking his due. I invested his money in business and the business prospered greatly. After a long time, he came to me and said: O servant of Allah! Pay me my dues. I said: All that you see is yours – camels, cattle, goats and servants. He said: O servant of Allah! Do not mock me. I assured him that I was not joking. So he took all the things and went away. He spared nothing. O Allah! If I did so seeking Your Pleasure, then relieve us of our distress.’ The boulder slipped aside and they got out walking freely. [Al-Bukhari 2333 and Muslim 2743a]
This shows the importance of doing good onto others without expecting anything in return. And the virtue of guarding the trust in the best possible fashion. The man dutifully looked after the money and invested and grew the wealth and did not take compensation for his time and efforts. In such a situation, the man could have easily mistreated the worker when he came to claim his wages. He could have easily told the worker that you have nothing with me. He could have easily returned the same exact amount of wealth that the worker was due. The worker would have not known. The worker did not know how much his wealth grew. The man could have easily kept most of it and the worker would not have known otherwise. However, the One Who is neither taken by slumber or rest knew. Nothing escapes His sight. The man acted sincerely seeking the pleasure of Allah Almighty.
After the three men implored Allah through their righteous deeds done sincerely for His sake they were able to exit which indicates the virtue of sincerity to Allah. Righteous deeds done sincerely for the sake of Allah are means for relieving distress in this world and the hereafter. So a person should strive to rectify his intention and perform his deeds solely for the sake of Allah Almighty.
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:
Allah assisted his dutiful servants even when all the worldly means were cut off. The boulder was huge and no match for the three man. But Allah is the All Powerful and All Mighty. All that we see is significant – whether it is The largest boulder, the largest mountain, the largest planet, the largest universe – are all insignificant to the Lord of the Worlds.
To put matters in perspective let us consider one creation of Allah.
The Prophet ﷺ said :
عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِالله رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُما عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ: «أُذِنَ لِي أَنْ أُحَدِّثَ عَنْ مَلَكٍ مِنْ مَلاَئِكَةِ الله مِنْ حَمَلَةِ العَرْشِ إِنَّ مَا بَيْنَ شَحْمَةِ أُذُنِهِ إِلَى عَاتِقِهِ مَسِيرَةُ سَبْعِ مِائَةِ عَامٍ» أخرجه أبو داود
I have been permitted to tell about one of Allah’s angels who bears the throne that the distance between the lobe of his ear and his shoulder is a journey of seven hundred years. [Sunan Abi Dawud 4727]
And if the distance from the ear to the shoulder is seven hundred years, what would be the distance from his head to his feet ..? What is the strength and power of this angel who carries the throne of which the heavens and the earth compared to this throne would be like a small ring in a large vast land?
And what is the magnitude of this throne that this angel is just one of the bearers?
And what is the Might, Power, Strength, Greatness of the One Who created the throne, and created its bearers and created the worlds?
So let us be mindful of Allah and strive for His everlasting paradise. Let us ask ourselves – What deeds do we have through which we can implore Allah? What have we saved for a rainy day?
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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