Mother & Family
| Khatib : | Sadullah Khan |
| Khutbah No: | 275 |
| Khutbah Date: | 05/09/08 |
The human being as a social being has the responsibility of being most beneficial and least problematic to society. A person who is true mu’min/believer, who has effectively harmonized the positive elements of both the physical and the spiritual dimensions of the self; is expected to harbor good intentions, have a clean heart, a positive attitude, an endearing personality; while always displaying exemplary behavior; for these Allah promises …
مَنْ عَمِلَ صَالِحًا مِّن ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنثَى وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَلَنُحْيِيَنَّهُ حَيَاةً طَيِّبَةً
وَلَنَجْزِيَنَّهُمْ أَجْرَهُم بِأَحْسَنِ مَا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ
“Whoever does good, whether male or female, and is a believer, We shall certainly make him live a good life, and shall certainly give them their reward for the best of what they did." [Q 16:97]
Muslim on Muslim killing (as being witnessed in Lebanon at present) borders on heresy. As our Prophet (pbuh) said, "Slander of a Muslim is depravity and killing him is heresy". Infighting that causes our power to be weakened and dissipate our resolve.
Muslim on Muslim killing (as being witnessed in Lebanon at present) borders on heresy. As our Prophet (pbuh) said, "Slander of a Muslim is depravity and killing him is heresy". Infighting that causes our power to be weakened and dissipate our resolve.
وَأَطِيعُواْ اللّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَلاَ تَنَازَعُواْ فَتَفْشَلُواْ وَتَذْهَبَ رِيحُكُمْ وَاصْبِرُواْ إِنَّ اللّهَ مَعَ الصَّابِرِينَ
"And pay heed unto God and His Apostle, and do not [allow yourselves to] be at variance with one another, lest you lose heart and your moral strength desert you. And be patient in adversity: for, verily, God is with those who are patient in adversity." [Q 8:46]
We seem not to have learnt to strengthen ourselves sufficiently to overcome internal splits from becoming major cracks that destroy the community end emboldens the enemies of Faith.
Mayanmar Tragedy
Tens of thousands of people have been killed in the devastating cyclone that struck Myanmar/Burma the past week. Over 1million people have been displaced and relief is urgently required for the displaced, the injured and the sick.
Tens of thousands of people have been killed in the devastating cyclone that struck Myanmar/Burma the past week. Over 1million people have been displaced and relief is urgently required for the displaced, the injured and the sick.
From these tragedies we learn that the world is anything but serene, all too vulnerable to natural threats; both earthly (earthquakes, cyclones, tsunamis…) and celestial (meteors…). Any of these hazards may strike at any time and can cause considerable loss to life and property. What is common to all these threats is that in just moments they can reduce a city, with all its inhabitants, to ruin.
- These outbursts of nature serves as proof that we have no control over the planet we inhabit. Each disaster serves the purpose of reminding humankind of its inherent weaknesses, reminds us of our enduring vulnerability in the face of nature; making us realize that neither wealth nor authority, neither science nor technology has any power to resist the forces greater than ourselves.
- Suddenly we know the frailty of our place in the universe, just like those millions of people for whom frailty is all-too-familiar. The hope is that our newfound sense of vulnerability will lead to a kind of international empathy and solidarity, which could be the cornerstone of a new spirit of global cooperation --- a cooperation that provides a way to ensure a better world.
- Allah did not make this world a permanent place. This is a temporary world and everything here is finite and all things have a time limit. Neither are the good things of this world forever nor are the bad things eternal.
Personal Responsibility
This responsibility begins in the closest circle of the community, the building block of society - the family. From there it extends to relatives, neighbors, friends and the rest of society.
Of all the bonds of relationships, the mother holds a unique position. We are asked to reflect on and appreciate the selfless nature of the mother.
وَوَصَّيْنَا الْإِنسَانَ بِوَالِدَيْهِ حَمَلَتْهُ أُمُّهُ وَهْنًا عَلَى وَهْنٍ وَفِصَالُهُ فِي عَامَيْنِ
أَنِ اشْكُرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيْكَ إِلَيَّ الْمَصِيرُ
أَنِ اشْكُرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيْكَ إِلَيَّ الْمَصِيرُ
"And We have enjoined upon the human being concerning his parents ? His mother bears him in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning is in two years ? Give thanks unto Me and unto your parents. Unto Me is the return." [Q 31:14] The Prophet said that the womb of the mother is attached to the throne of Allah; so whosoever cuts their ties with their mother, cuts off their relationship with Allah.
Prophetic Examples:
In the relationship between the Prophets (peace be upon them), respect, care and love was visible and real…
Essentials for successful relationship between parent and child are …
In the relationship between the Prophets (peace be upon them), respect, care and love was visible and real…
- Prophet ‘Isa/Jesus with Maryam/Mary [chapter 19]
- Prophets Ya’qub/Jacob with Yusuf/Joseph [chapter 12]
- Prophets Ibrahim/Abraham and Ismai’l/Ishmael [Q37:100-102]
- Prophet Muhammad with his daughter Fatimah and her children and his other grand-children
- The Prophet said of his daughter, Fatima (his only child to survive him)
و دمها كدمي لحمها كلحمي
“her flesh is my flesh, her blood is my blood” - Prophet Muhammad said of his grandchildren, Hasan and Husayn;
اللهم اني احبهما فحبهما و حب من يحبهما
“O Allah! I love them. O Allah, do love them and love those who love them” - Such was the affection of the Prophet for his near ones that Allah [Q42:23] instructs Prophet Muhammad to say;
قُل لَّا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِي الْقُرْبَى
Say: I ask no reward of you, except love for the relatives/dear ones - We can take a great lesson from the fact that Allah documents, as part of divine revelation, the naseehah/advice of Luqman ‘the Wise’ to his sons [Q31:12-19] and makes that parental advice the central theme of the 31st chapter, titled Luqman.
Essentials for successful relationship between parent and child are …
- Presence: an absent parent is merely a bread-winner/visitor
- Communion: if there is no mutual feeling of goodwill, there is an emotional imbalance which is the breeding ground for psychological and emotional imbalance
- Communication: if there is no honest, open conversation/discussion in the house, that is a recipe for disaster
- Respect: Between spouses and in the household
- Compassion: if there is no love and affection, what do you have?
Many families, especially children, are deprived of true love, coming from homes where the important adults lack either emotional depth or emotional expressiveness.
Honoring Motherhood
- if you are a mother, realize your status and live up to that unique standard
- if you are father, realize that the most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother
- if you had a mother and she has passed on, value the memories, pray for her and respect her friends who are still alive.