This topic was delivered by Habib Muhammad Abdur-Rahman as-Saqqaf in Birmingham on 28^th November 2012.

In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate

All praise to Allah, Lord of the Worlds. And salutations and greetings upon our Master Muhammad and upon his family and companions.

I intend to study and teach, take and give a reminder, take and give benefit, take and give advantage, to encourage the holding fast to the book of Allah and the way of his messenger, and calling to guidance and directing towards good hoping for the countenance of Allah and His pleasure, proximity and reward, transcendent is He.

Praise be to God whose mercy encompasses all things and knowledge encompasses all things. The One who created creation with wisdom and coloured them with different bounties and He manages and disperses by His omnipotence and will. He sent the messenger as a mercy to the worlds. Mercy in everything he did; speech, action and faith. Everything was mercy. Peace and blessings be upon him.

His occupation is life was what was beneficial. He seeks forgiveness in his grave and will seek intercession on the Day of Judgement for those who sinned. No one has a heart like his. His only concern was one thing, how to let them see that he was the messenger of God. Peace and blessings be upon him.

The more hatred they showed him, the more compassion and mercy he showed them. The more they cursed him, the more he prayed for their guidance. He would catch blood in his palm to stop it reaching the ground. The Companions (May Allah be pleased with them all) said, “O Messenger of Allah pray against them.” He prayed, “O God guide my people for they know not.” He blamed himself for their shortcomings. He ensured blood was caught in fear of God’s punishment. Endless peace and blessings be upon him.

Sayyidah Fatima az-Zahra (alayha-salam) was young and out once and she saw dirt on his blessed back whilst he was in prostration. They were stomping on his back and she started crying and he took her home crying. She was trying to take the dirt out of his blessed hair. She cursed them and spoke badly of them. He wiped her tears and said, “O my daughter, don’t cry. The faith of your father will enter every house even if you think they won’t answer it will spread everywhere.” This is God’s promise. This is why we’re speaking about it in this land. Peace and blessings be upon him.

He was concerned that people learn from him everything. There was an obese man who couldn’t move. The Prophet (peace be upon him) visited him and prayed in his house and said this is your mosque. His friends and neighbours prayed there. He was able to hear and learn from them. Peace and blessings be upon him.

Umm Waraqah couldn’t leave her house so she requested the Prophet to come round and he went. He spoke well to her and called her a shaheeda (martyr). She asked for permission to pray at home and the Prophet gave her a caller to pray outside her house five times a day so the neighbourhood prayed and studied together. He was concerned that the light should reach all of creation. He wasn’t concerned with anything more than teaching others. Endless peace and blessings be upon him.

One of his manners (peace and blessings be upon him) is that he didn’t like to specifically point when he spoke.

He (peace and blessings be upon him) worked so tirelessly to let religion reach you to the point Imam Ali (May Allah ennoble his face) said he would only spent a short period at home which was divided into three. A third was for receiving/hosting people to learn and ask questions. A third was for his family so they have each other’s company and he helped with the household work. And a final third for his own rest which was divided into two for worship too. A lot of his worship was for us. He only rested for a short period of time and even this was divided into two as he saw people’s need. Endless peace and blessings be upon him.

Whenever a man/woman would become Muslim, he (peace and blessings be upon him) would teach them and send them to teach their people. He would even free up his own companions to teach them so this light and mercy was spread.

He liked socialising with people. He hated sectarianism, tribalism, things that brought division. He liked people coming together. Peace and blessings be upon him.

When much wealth came his way, he divided it all. Most of it was on those who had newly embraced Islam and the children of Ansar were upset about this. They made remarks such as, “just recently they were fighting us and know they get wealth.” News reached the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and he said, “Let the Ansar come and no one else with them.” They came. He said to them, “O Ansar, didn’t I come to you when you were misguided and I guided you?”  They replied in the affirmative. “O Ansar, didn’t I come to you when you were divided and God brought you together through me?” They replied, “O Yes O Messenger of God!” He told them to repeat what he said. They fell silent. He told them again to repeat it. “Say you came to us poor and we gave you wealth.” They said, “Gift is from God and His Messenger. Gift is from God and His Messenger. “The Prophet therefore said, “O Ansar! Are you so saddened by something worldly I’m using to bring those newly embraced closer to Islam? By Allah, if I didn’t come from exodus I would’ve come from you. My life is with you and my death is with you. Are you not happy that you’ll go with the Messenger of Allah and people with wealth will go failed? The Ansar responded, “Radeena Ya RasulAllah. We’re pleased O Messenger of God.”

He (peace and blessings be upon him) hated people getting one over the other. People were only put forward due to their knowledge and God-consciousness.

The thing that made the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) the happiest was when people were guided. When someone joined the ranks of the faithful and became Muslim. If you want good news from you to reach him, teach people. Our works are shown to him. Think how will our actions be shown and how our relationship will be shown to him?

We have a huge trust in this land. This was carried by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in all earnestness and sincerity. He passed it to the Companions (may Allah be well-pleased with them) for this trust and light to be transferred from one to the next. Now it has reached us. What will we do? God will ask us and the Messenger of God will ask us. How many of our fellow creatures did we teach and educate? How many non-Muslims came to Islam? How much light did we spread?

The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) had 120,000 companions by the time he took flight unto God. Only 10,000 of them are buried in Madinah. Where did more than 110,000 of them go? They moved to spread that light. They couldn’t sit still as they felt a huge trust on their shoulders. Some went to China, Russia, close to Andalusia. None of them went to trade, marry or gain power. They ran from positions of power to the point Sayyidina Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) would seek them out for positions of governance and they would run. They behaved like this as they spent time in the company of the Messenger of God. They didn’t know languages, the language of compassion was in their heart and everyone would see and sense it. May God be pleased with them and us.

Today, Muslims here and around the world, we have a trust.

How can we bring people to worship the One when we can’t even bring ourselves together? We become partial to ourselves and forget the others. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was good to everyone hence people benefitted. We have to mix with the rest of society. We speak with the words of God with all love and compassion.

Do we sleep at night praying that the rest of our brothers are guided? Have we cried at night for guidance? Has this tear fallen or do we just not care? This is how the Messenger of God lived. We need these attributes (in order) to be with him in paradise.

This is a trust and message he lived to the last breaths of his life. He would ransom you for his soul even in his last moments, peace and blessings be upon him. What have we sacrificed? What have we presented?

Our deaf brothers and sisters have asked to be taught. Have our hearts moved? The one who moves a lot in the service of this faith is the closest to God.

He understands the language of every one of you. He hears your heart and its calling.

May Allah render us successful in the service of the faith of the Mercy to the Worlds; Muhammad.
Allahumma Amin

 

Any mistakes, errors or misinterpretations of words are from me. Please correct me when you spot any mistakes.