Your Support Is Needed
Alhamdulillah, we were able to raise funds thanks to those of you who attended our fundraiser, however, the amount we raised is significantly less than last year. As you can see around you when you visit ICOI, we have been serving about 3,000 of you at Taraweeh, especially since many of you have come from far to hear the Sh. Mishary recite. You are all more than welcome, and we hope your experience at ICOI has been a pleasant one. Honestly, this whole program and our masjid has operating costs that exceed what we collected at our fundraiser.
We are addressing those of you that didn't have a chance to come to the fundraiser and those of you that have come from far, we need your help specifically. Insha'Allah, we are doing a fundraising drive starting now and culminating in a fundraising night on the night of 23rd, Saturday before Isha. Insha'Allah, we will be collecting funds and passing out pledge forms for a few minutes before Isha. PLEASE, bring your checkbooks. If you haven't donated yet to ICOI, please bring your checkbooks next Saturday and don't forget. Next Saturday we need your help, bring your checkbooks to help out this place that you have enjoyed during Ramadan and the year. Insha'Allah, may Allah SWT allow your reward to multiply during one of the last odd nights of Ramadan.
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Sacrifices
| Khatib : |
Arif Shaikh |
| Khutbah No: |
235 |
| Khutbah Date: |
04/14/07 |
He sent a Messenger (pbuh) from among themselves to both Arabs and non-Arabs, who was the most noble of them, the purest of them in nature and upbringing, the greatest of them in intelligence and forbearance, the most abundant in knowledge and understanding, the strongest in certainty and resolution, the one with the greatest compassion and mercy for them.Allah purified him in both spirit and body and kept him free from all faults and blemishes and bestowed wisdom and judgment upon him. By means of him Allah opened eyes that were blind, hearts that were covered and ears that were deaf, and He made people believe in him.
[b]قُلْ إِنَّ صَلاَتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ[/b][i]“Say, my prayer, my sacrifice, my living and dying – all belong to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.”[/i][Qur'an 6:162][b]What is sacrifice?[/b]It is giving up things which are valued or desired. Those things may be tangible, like time, wealth, or life, or intangible, immeasurable like feelings, attitudes, opinions, or aspirations. Sacrifices are given up for something which is way more important or urgent. Sacrifice in our daily lives, is the only success. We sacrifice sleep for studying and we sacrifice money and time for our family. Can a person be a “good Muslim” without involving himself in a struggle that necessarily requires sacrifices? NO. You enter Islam by saying the Shahdah…but you can only live in Islam by constantly doing the Shahadah…this requires a non-stop striving to reshape yourself and society as to attest to your WITNESSING. Becoming Muslim is a two-fold process: to summon yourself and to summon all of mankind to live under the sovereignty of One God alone.
اللَّهُ يَجْتَبِي إِلَيْهِ مَن يَشَاء وَيَهْدِي إِلَيْهِ مَن يُنِيبُ[i]“Allah guides unto himself who turns to him.”[/i][Qur'an 42:13]Turning towards Allah requires will and effort, and also requires turning away from all that which displeases Allah. Remember the gifts which Allah has given us…the eyes we see with, ears we hear with, hands and feet we work with…In order to derive full benefit from them we must put forth our best efforts.[b]Islam: the GREATEST gift[/b]
[b]أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُواْ الْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَعْلَمِ اللّهُ الَّذِينَ جَاهَدُواْ مِنكُمْ وَيَعْلَمَ الصَّابِرِينَ[/b][i]“Do you think you should enter Paradise unless God establishes who among you have struggled hard and who are patient?”[/i][Qur'an 3:142][b]Sacrifices strengthen our inner spiritual and moral resources[/b]Every act of sacrifice nourishes and increases your
iman; for it transforms a verbal confession and a mental conviction into a living reality. It confirms, and thus increases your love for Allah; for at every step you give up something for the sake of this love. It reinforces your loyalty and fidelity to Allah; for all other loyalties become secondary as they are sacrificed for the sake of this loyalty. Sacrifices bring you nearer to Allah. The process is mutually interactive: the stronger the faith, the greater the will and capacity to sacrifice; the greater the sacrifices, the more internalized and deeper the faith.[b]Tangible Sacrifices[/b]
Time[list][*]Most precious commodity – nothing we covet and desire in life can be obtained except by spending time[/*][*]Time is the first thing that Allah demands of us: it takes time to fight in the way of Allah, it takes time to pray…it takes time to read the Qur’an, it takes time to visit the sick. Every moment should be spent in seeking His pleasure[/*][*]What you are really required to sacrifice is not your time, but it is the things in whose pursuit your time is being spent[/*][*]How can you bring yourself to sacrifice these things and devote your time to Allah[/*][/list] [u]Worldly possessions and money[/u][list][*]love and desire for worldly things is not a bad thing…in fact, it is called the khayr[/*][*]what makes this world evil, is when we forget that all this has been placed at our disposal for the duration of this world only, as a means to real and eternal goals…when means become ends, they bring misery by diverting us away from what is of real value to us[/*][/list] Remeber...1. Nothing belongs to you2. Whatever great value you place on worldly things, will be worthless with your last breath3. Only by giving it away for Allah can you receive it back, increased manifold
[b]مَا عِندَكُمْ يَنفَدُ وَمَا عِندَ اللّهِ بَاقٍ وَلَنَجْزِيَنَّ الَّذِينَ صَبَرُواْ أَجْرَهُم بِأَحْسَنِ مَا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ[/b]“All that is with you comes to an end; but what is with Allah is everlasting.”[Qur'an 16:96].[u]Life[/u]A time may come when you will be required to sacrifice your life for the sake of Allah. To so lay down your life is highest act of doing shahadah, you then deserve to be called SHAHID. Speaking of the Shahid, Allah says:
[b]وَلاَ تَقُولُواْ لِمَنْ يُقْتَلُ فِي سَبيلِ اللّهِ أَمْوَاتٌ بَلْ أَحْيَاء وَلَكِن لاَّ تَشْعُرُونَ[/b]“And say not of those who are slain in the way of Allah. “They are dead.” Rather, they are living, though you perceive (it) not."[Qur'an 2:154] At times we may need to sacrifice our family, friendships, views and opinions, ego, and even our lifestyles. On a Societal level, we have to sacrifice our own cultural biases for the sake of Allah. How many of us don’t even have close friends of people from other cultures or ethnicities, and the thought of marrying outside of our culture is unimaginable. Even during the time of the Prophet(saw), sacrifices of pride and social status were made and a brotherhood developed between the Ansar and the Muhajirun.
The example of Ibrahim (as) He was tried and tested in every conceivable way. His father, his family, the political powers were all opposed to him, and he forsook them for the sake of Allah. He was banished from his home. He wandered through the deserts and forests. And, ultimately, he put a knife on the throat of his son. Pleasing Allah was the objective, and objective which he fulfilled.
[b]وَإِذِ ابْتَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ رَبُّهُ بِكَلِمَاتٍ فَأَتَمَّهُنَّ قَالَ إِنِّي جَاعِلُكَ لِلنَّاسِ إِمَامًا[/b] “And remember that Abraham was tried by his Lord with certain commands, which he fulfilled: He said: "I will make you a leader of mankind.” [Qur'an 2:124]In these times, how can we NOT sacrifice?
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