By Sheikh Khalid ibn Ali al-Ghamdi – 03 Jumaadal Ulaa 1437

His Eminence Sheikh Khalid ibn Ali al-Ghamdi -May Allah protect him- delivered this Friday Khutbah titled “Characteristics and Merits of the Muhammadan Ummah” in which he talked about the state of despair, despondency, and psychological defeat which has crept into the hearts of many Muslims. The Sheikh gave them good prospect of a blissful destiny reserved for the pious who adhere to Taqwa (fear of violating Allah’s commands), and asserted that this Ummah will sooner or later be granted victory and empowerment, however avidly its enemies might rush upon it and concoct machinations against it. In the light of verses from the Holy Qur’an and Prophetic Hadiths, he outlined numerous traits and merits of our Ummah both in the Herein and the Hereafter.

Praise be to Allah! We praise Him and supplicate Him to come to our assistance and forgive our sins. We seek refuge in Allah from the vices of our inner selves and the evils of our misdeeds. None can misguide anybody whom Allah has guided (because they have chosen to follow His Guidance), and none can guide anybody whom Allah has misguided (He has left them to themselves because they have refused to follow His Guidance). I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah, alone with no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger. May Allah send profuse Salat (Graces, Honours, and Mercy) and Peace upon him, his family, his Companions, and all those who piously follow in their footsteps until the Day of Judgement!

Now then, O Servants of Allah! Adhere to Taqwa, and let it be known to you that people who observe Taqwa are the closest of mankind to Allah, the most endeared to Him, and the worthiest of victory, divine support, and heavenly blessing.

“…And whosoever fears Allâh and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine…” [Al-Talaq: 2-3]

O Muslims!

Nowadays, the Muslim Ummah is going through an unprecedented historical phase. A series of recent colossal events and rapid changes have enhanced the perplexity of even rational people, and conspiratorial schemes machinated by enemies have escalated. As a result, a feeling of despair mixed with disheartened surrender has crept into the hearts of many people amongst the Ummah, some of whom are experiencing now a sense of dejection, hopelessness and helplessness. They have been noticing the cunning ploys of powerful and persevering enemies, watching the pictures of homicidal acts, devastation, and displacement (of refugees), and observing the indoctrination of some people from the Islamic Ummah by the ideas of Kharijites, suicide bombers, and takfirists (those accusing others of kufr or unbelief). This has led a number of people to form a gloomy and dismal impression about the current state of affairs and the future of the Muslim Ummah. They have eventually been haunted by a vicious circle of illusions trapping them into a state of hopelessness and psychological retreat.

However, it is worth reminding here that Allah -to Whom be ascribed all Perfection and Majesty- did warn us in numerous verses against falling prey to such a state of feebleness and succumbing to despondency and sorrow. In this particular respect, Allah ‒May He be extolled- said:

“So do not become weak (against your enemy), nor be sad, and you will be superior (in victory) if you are indeed (true) believers.” [Al Imran: 139]

He -May He be extolled- also said: “And many a Prophet (i.e. many from amongst the Prophets) fought (in Allâh’s Cause) and along with him (fought) large bands of religious learned men. But they never lost heart for that which did befall them in Allâh’s Way, nor did they weaken nor degrade themselves…” [Al Imran: 146]

He -May He be extolled- also said:

“Let not the free disposal (and affluence) of the disbelievers throughout the land deceive you. A brief enjoyment; then, their ultimate abode is Hell; and worst indeed is that place for rest.” [Al Imran: 196-7]

He -May He be extolled- also said:

“… and never give up hope of Allâh’s Mercy. Certainly no one despairs of Allâh’s Mercy, except the people who disbelieve.” [Yusuf: 87]

Besides, Allah -to Whom be ascribed all Perfection and Majesty- reminds us that His unalterable law as well as irreversible principle of commanding the universe consists in inflicting ordeals and periodic cycles of weakness upon His believing servants in rotation so that, after taking their turn in afflictions, they will eventually be granted victory and empowerment, and Allah will eventually annihilate their enemies with His invincible might and humiliating torment. Otherwise, where are now the people of Ād, Thamūd, Ibrahim, Lut (Lot), Pharaoh, the dwellers of Aiykah, and all the adamant leaders of unbelief in Quraish? It was Allah -the All-Mighty, the Compeller- who annihilated them and granted victory to His believing servants, Prophets, and Messengers.

O Muslims!
We -the Ummah of Prophet Muhammad, May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him and his family, extending from east to west- are not entitled to lose hope or feel dejected; nor are we allowed to fall easy prey to the destructive feelings of despondency and desolation which paralyse the Ummah’s mind, disable its resources and assets, and induce it to lose hope and ambition. The Ummah might be amenable to such pitfalls due to the conspiratorial schemes machinated by tyrant aggressors as well as the daily scenes and news depicting aspects of misery, pain, and murder. A wide array of media, including the social media, have been instrumental in spreading such horrible scenes, just to add further suspicion, terror, and disintegration to existing Muslims’ sufferings.

Yes, indeed! The Ummah should not experience any sense of despair, especially if we know that Allah has already heralded upcoming glory, victory, and empowerment. He has equally privileged the Ummah with superb traits and great merits not bestowed upon any other nation in the world. Such favours from Allah should normally be a source of pride for the Ummah, who is supposed to proclaim its divine endowment and hold its head up high, because it is the Ummah which Allah Almighty selected and accordingly ordained that it should be duly honoured and accorded a prestigious position amongst nations.

In addition, it is extremely beneficial to speak publicly about these divine privileges and sublime traits in order to make them clear to all those who look suspiciously to the idea that Allah will grant victory to this Ummah or feel dejected and might therefore experience a sense of despair. Moreover, everybody should know that this Muhammadan Ummah is the one that Allah loves and whose status He will elevate to higher ranks. It is the Ummah that is preordained sooner or later to be victorious, both by religion and by divine decree. People should also keep in mind that the ordeals and tribulations inflicted on the Ummah, the incurred inimical aggressions, and the scarcity of sources and livelihood are all meant to be devices for testing the Ummah, elevating its status, and teaching it lessons so that it could accomplish the mission with which Allah -May He be glorified- has entrusted it.

“If a wound (and killing) has touched you, be sure a similar wound (and killing) has touched the others. And so are the days (good and not so good), We give to men by turns, that Allâh may test those who believe, and that He may take martyrs from among you…” [Al Imran: 140]

In the same vein, a recorded authentic hadith of Prophet Muhammad’s -May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him and his family- reported by Imam Ahmed in his (book titled) Musnad, says: “Announce glad tidings to this Ummah of splendour, faith, high status, victory, and empowerment.”

O the Ummah of Islam!

Texts in both the Holy Qur’an and the Noble Sunnah commending traits of the Muhammadan Ummah are numerous and diverse, but the most important and influential of which is the fact that Allah has selected Muhammad -May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him and his family- as its Prophet and Messenger. He is the greatest and the most revered messenger, and his Ummah is the highest in rank, standing, and power. In reality, even though this Ummah ranks last chronologically speaking (the 70th and last Ummah of mankind), it will however come first among the other nations on Resurrection Day, for it is the best nation and the most endeared one to Allah -Glory be to Him. This is confirmed by the hadith reported by Imam Ahmed and Al-Tabarani where Prophet Mohammad -May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him and his family- said: “Your Ummah will complete the total number of seventy ummahs; you are the best one and the most endeared to Allah.”

This blessed Muhammadan Ummah is the Ummah of moderation and uprightness. Allah decreed that it should act as witness over mankind and a judge thereof: “Thus We have made you [true Muslims – real believers of Islâmic Monotheism, true followers of Prophet Muhammad SAW and his Sunnah (legal ways)], a Wasat (just) (and the best) nation, that you be witnesses over mankind …” [Al-Baqarah: 143]

Thus, whichever nation (ummah) is praised by the Muhammadan Ummah will be recompensed with paradise and whichever one is dispraised will be duly chastised with hell. The Muslims within the Muhammadan Ummah are Allah’s witnesses on earth, just like angels are Allah’s witnesses in the heavens.

On Resurrection Day, every prophet will request the testimony of Prophet Muhammad’s Ummah -May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him and his family- who will attest that the prophet in question had actually transmitted the divine Message revealed to him. This is confirmed by the hadith narrated by Abi Said Al-Khudri -May Allah be pleased with him- in Imam Bukhari’s collection of Hadiths.

Allah chose for this blessed Ummah the faith of Islam and approved of it as its religion. It is the greatest religion in terms of ease of observances, tolerance, and merits. Allah -To Whom be ascribed all Perfection and Majesty- has privileged this Ummah by lifting all types of impediments which might otherwise hamper religious observances and social transactions.

“…He has chosen you (to convey His Message of Islâmic Monotheism to mankind by inviting them to His religion, Islâm), and has not laid upon you in religion any hardship, it is the religion of your father Ibrahim (Abraham) (Islâmic Monotheism). It is He (Allâh) Who has named you Muslims…” [Al-Hajj: 78]

Allah -May He be Glorified- has equally emancipated this Ummah by lifting the fetters, restrictions, and stringent monasticism which shackled bygone nations.

One further privilege offered by Allah -to Whom be ascribed all Perfection and Majesty- to this Ummah is its protection from being collectively induced into error. He therefore safeguarded its religion, its Qur’an, and the Sunnah of its Prophet -May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him and his family. This is why the Ummah showed amazing resistance when faced with all attempts of intellectual, cultural, and moral invasion. Throughout the ages, nobody has ever been able to distort neither the text nor the meaning of the Qur’an and the Prophet’s Sunnah. Thus, no sooner had anyone tried to do so than Allah exposed him and caused him to recoil in despair and grief.

Another sign of divine providence is that, at the turn of each century, Allah sends to this Ummah rulers, scholars, or reformers who will renew its faith and restore to its memory the expunged principles of the Islamic creed and its Sharia. Conversely, Allah does not impart to the other nations the same divine providence. This is why they fell into distortion, twisting, and misguidance.

O Ummah of Islam!

This Ummah has been predestined by Almighty Allah to have the shortest lifetime in this mundane existence, but it is the most blessed Ummah in terms of mind, common sense, and experience. For instance, Allah -to Whom be ascribed all Perfection and Majesty- keeps bestowing upon this Ummah, in quite a brief period, the truth of faith, science, and knowledge, which would take the other nations ages to acquire. This explains why the Islamic civilisation has become the greatest civilisation in terms of prosperity, abundance of resources, and constructive human activities. Besides, it is much purer and more beneficial to humanity than the civilisation of materialistic desires and spiritualistic void.

Thus, due to the short life expectancy in this Ummah -roughly ranging between sixty and seventy years of age- Allah accepts their scanty acts of worship in return for profuse recompense not obtained by the preceding nations who were endowed with longevity. This divine favour includes the extremely generous reward attributed to performers of prayer, hajj, and to those who recite the Qur’an, witness the Night of Decree (Al-Qadr), observe supererogatory fasting, pray at the Two Holy Mosques and at Al-Aqsa Mosque (in Al-Quds), etc.

A case of heightened divine providence reserved for this Ummah is noticeable in the fact that Allah -May He be Glorified- has protected it from collective annihilation through drowning or severe long-lasting drought. Besides, Allah has forbidden that any external enemy should be able to hold full control of this Ummah to the point of uprooting its origins or eradicating its very existence as a collective entity, even if those enemies join forces and besiege it from the four corners of the earth. Thus, Allah -to Whom be ascribed all Perfection and Majesty- has protected this Ummah from the torment of eradication and spared it the torment of the Hereafter (i.e. hellfire). Its torment is only in the Herein via afflictions, earthquakes, and calamities.

Allah ‒To Whom be ascribed all Perfection and Majesty‒ has ordained the Ka’abah, the Sacred House, a safe haven for Muslim worshippers and an inspiration of guidance for the Worlds. Likewise, He has made the Mosque of the Prophet -May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him and his family- a beacon of knowledge and enlightenment. He has assumed sponsorship of the Sham and its people. He, the Almighty, has rightfully bequeathed to this Ummah Al-Aqsa Mosque and Bayt Al-Maqdis (Jerusalem) and has opened up for it the treasures and resources of the earth, thus causing it to overflow with blessings outwardly and inwardly. It is indeed a blessed Ummah teeming with good, just as the celestial rain that is laden with goodness except that it is uncertain whether such goodness would show at the beginning or at the end.

O Muslims!

It was reported in Imam Ahmad’s Musnad that the Prophet -May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him and his family- said: “You are an Ummah for whom Allah has meant ease.” In Imam Bukhari’s Sahih, the hadith was reported thus: “This religion is easy.” According to Al-Tabarani, the hadith was thus: “Allah Almighty has meant ease for this Ummah and hated hardship for it.”

Such ease and magnanimity are manifested in the Munificence and Will of Allah ‒To Whom be ascribed all Perfection and Majesty‒ to overlook the evil whisperings of the Ummah’s selves, as long as such whisperings are not put into words or actions. He, the Almighty, has pardoned for this Ummah its stumbles, its inadvertence and all that has otherwise been imposed on it. He has made easy for it all matters pertaining to its purity and worshipping. He bestowed on this Ummah His unique favour of tayammum and has made for it the entire earth a place for prayer and purification. He has reduced the number of prayers, making them only five in practice, but fifty in reward. He has made the rows of Muslims performing Salat comparable to those of angels. Allah, the Almighty, has also bestowed on Muslims the unique favours of ta’min (saying ‘amen’) and salam while lined up for prayer behind the Imam, in addition to the Isha Prayer, as no nation on earth is ever known to have practiced it except us.

Of all other nations, Allah, the Almighty, has specially guided us, Muslims, to perform the Jumu’ah (Friday) Prayer. He honoured us with Suhur , a favour that sets us and the People of the Book apart when it comes to fasting. Unlike other nations, He has determined (war) booty as halal (legal) for our Ummah. He has granted support for it and its Prophet -May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him and his family- by throwing fear in the hearts of its enemies in such a way that present-day nations still fear and revere the Ummah of Muhammad -May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him and his family- due to its reverence and dread that Allah has placed in the hearts of mankind.

What a great Ummah, indeed! How great the merit of this blessed Ummah is! How noble it is to Allah!

May Allah bless you and me by the Glorious Qur’an and make its verses and wise sayings beneficial to you and me! Having said this, I ask Almighty Allah to forgive me, you, and all Muslims; so ask Him for forgiveness and repent unto Him, for our Lord is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful!