Let’s Change for the Better
| Khatib : |
Sadullah Khan |
| Khutbah No: |
223 |
| Khutbah Date: |
01/12/07 |
[b]ِانَّ اللهَ لا يُغيِّرُ مَا ِبقّوم ٍ حَتَّى يُغَيِّرُوا مَا ِبأنفُسهِم[/b][i]“Allah will not change the condition of people until they change themselves.”[/i][b] [Qur’an 13:11] [/b][b]A New Year Begins[/b]Another year has passed in our lives, a new year has begun in the Gregorian solar calendar and is about to begin according to the Islamic lunar calendar. It has not been an painless politically, economically; and the global situation seems quite bleak. That is the reality. Being a Muslim has not become any easier. We are often defined by the negative imagery of a heavily biased, corporate-sponsored, profit-driven, sensationalist media; by images of violence that does not reflect our faith, by circumstances not by our design; yet assumed somewhat guilty by association due to our connection to the faith of Islam. [b]The Holiday Season[/b]It was quite an experience to have that ‘Eid coinciding with the holiday season; (though ‘Eid is not recognized as an American religious holiday likeChristmas or even Kwanza or Channukah, despite the over 8 million Muslims in the US celebrating this global holiday commemorated by over 1.3 billion people annually.) The spirit and atmosphere of holidaying the “holy” days was uplifting. [b]The ‘Eid Execution[/b]The ‘Eid, however, was tarnished by the news of the execution on that day of the Iraqi dictator which has turned that murdering monster into a man of mythical proportions. The man responsible for the death, torture and imprisonment of tens of thousands, should have been remembered for those crimes. Instead, future generations of people may embrace his memory as an epitome of defiantce, fearlessness, courage and resistance; sent to the gallows on the day over a billion Muslims were commemorating the patriarch Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son ~ ‘Eid-ul-Adha ~ adding a quasi-religious texture to Saddam's legacy. The question that remains unanswered and is a mystery to many is, why was there such haste in executing Saddam? Saddam had yet to face a second trial where the charges of gassing the people in Halbja were of a far more serious nature and which had international implications. He takes his secrets to the grave, and international complicity dies with him. [b]
Hujjaaj have Returned[/b]With the return of the pilgrims from Makkah; a new spirit is breathed into our communities. A spirit of change, of improvement and enhancement… of hope. Having treaded in the footsteps of Ibrahim, Hajirah and Isma’il; being in the environment where the final Prophet was born, lived and taught; they come back “as new born babies”; they come back to a fresh start. The hajis who have returned; and all of us entering the new year, should reflect on the fact that … Allah has entrusted me with myself. What am I doing with that trust / amaanah? How will I make my life count? Where do I begin and what do I change? ‘Allamah Iqbal echoed that question in his poetry when he reminded us that [i]Allah has never changed the condition of people who themselves have never considered changing themselves. [/i]He was echoing the Qur’anic verse
[b]انَّ اللهَ لا يُغيِّرُ مَا ِبقّوم ٍ حَتَّى يُغَيِّرُوا مَا ِبأنفُسهِم[/b][i]“Allah will not change the condition of people until they change themselves.”[/i][b][Q 13:11] [/b]Are we
accepting conditions as they exist, or are we willing to take the responsibility for changing them; because ultimately we have to be the change we want to see. As Iqbal said;
Ghulami main na kaam aati hain shamsheerain, na tadbeerainJo ho shok-e-yaqeen paida tou cut jaati hain zanjeerainKoi andaza ker sakta hai iss kay zor-e-bazu ka?Nigha-e-mard-e-momin say badal jati hain taqdeerainWhen enslaved; neither arms nor reflection by itself is of real use,But if you have a sense of dignified determination, then you can break off all shackles;Can anyone really know the strength of a principled Believer?Destiny can be changed by the glance of a determined Believer.
The Parable of the PencilThe Pencil Maker took the pencil aside, just before putting it into the box.
There are 5 things you need to know, he told the pencil,[i]before I send you out into the world. [/i][i]Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best pencil you can be.[list][*]You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in someone's hand. [/*][*]You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but you'll need it to become a better pencil. [/*][*]You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make. [/*][*]The most important part of you will always be what's inside. [/*][*]On every surface you are used on, you must leave your mark. [/*][/list] If we activate the Parable of the Pencil in our lives, we’ll be aware …[list][*]of our potential and the opportunities we have as
‘ibad-u-Rahman and
khalifatullah worshippers of Allah and His vicegerents in the world [/*][*]that we learn from the lessons of life through joys and even sorrows [/*][*]that we are human and though we err, we learn from those mistakes and improve [/*][*]that the inner dimension of ourselves is the essence of who we really are[/*][/list] [b]Time Moves On; Do We Move Up[/b]Remember,Our attitude towards time indicates our attitude towards life; for what we do with time we do with our life. In the Qur'an, Allah swears by the token of time /
Wal 'Asr as testimony to certain realities.
Time is a witness ... ~ to life and death~ to what has passed in human history ~ to success and failure, to the rise and fall of individuals and communities The global situation seems quite bleak; I said, and that is the reality; but that does not mean we must be pessimistic. Let’s reflect and realize …[list][*]Another year has passed;months => into years - seemingly faster than ever; yet every moment is a precious component of life and every moment counts. [/*][*]Without a clear sense of your personal principles and priorities, it is most difficult; if not improbable, for you to make your life really count[/*][*]The right thing to do is always the best thing to do, provided you do it with propriety = doing the right thing – at the right time – in the right manner.[b]اذا سرتك حسنتك و سائتك سيئتك فأنت مؤمن[/b][i]If doing right pleases you and doing wrong displeases you, then you are trulya Believer.[/i][b][Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)][/b][*]Our attitude towards the future influences our mind-set towards the rest of life.Being positive about life ahead is among life's greatest motivators. Hope is the best attitude one can harbor towards the future; this realistic expectation that something good or better could/will happen if only we continue doing the best we can. [/*][/list]
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