Hujjatul Islam Ustad Syed Jawad Naqvi
(Principal Jamia Orwatul Wuthqa – Lahore)
Delivered at: Masjid Baitul ul Ateeq
Lahore – Pakistan
Friday Sermon – 19th April, 2024
Sermon 1: Quranic meaning of Tawakkal
Sermon 2: Historic achievement by Iran and people should prepare President Raesi’s visit to Pakistan
One field of Taqwa is the field of defense where believer has to confront enemies. The path of belief has this definite demand that on every step he will have to confront enemies. The faith does not make anyone enemy, but the unbelievers cannot tolerate the believers hence enmity comes up. The Quran says that the kings, rulers, elites always had enmity towards Prophets. The biggest enmity which Quran has mentioned is of Satan which is a symbolic representation and in reality, it is the enmity of man versus man. Apart from man there are Jinn’s who are not well identified. The Angels are not enemies of man. Then there are other illusions like witches, ghosts and fairies who do not have any existence. The enmity of man is with man is utmost which is due to faith. If man is not a believer enmity will end. In this field of enmity at times believer dominate enemies and sometimes the enemies succumb believers. Today if we see on the basis of Quranic criteria the number of believers is less but if we just in general consider all the titled Muslims as believers then they are all collectively dominated by others. Those who are real believers as per Quranic criteria are more victim to enmity. And it is not essential that just being on right path you will have dominance because Quran has expressed the conditions and criteria’s which if you meet then you will have dominance.
If believer becomes dominating then as per Surah Maida the criteria is of Tawakkal and Taqwa
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اذْكُرُوا نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ هَمَّ قَوْمٌ أَنْ يَبْسُطُوا إِلَيْكُمْ أَيْدِيَهُمْ فَكَفَّ أَيْدِيَهُمْ عَنْكُمْ ۖ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ ۚ وَعَلَى اللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ {11}
O you who believe! remember Allah’s favor on you when a people had determined to stretch forth their hands towards you, but He withheld their hands from you, and be careful of (your duty to) Allah; and on Allah let the believers rely
O believers remember when enemies stretched their hands towards you, Allah withhold their hands and they were not successful in eradicating you. So now you acquire Taqwa and have Tawakkul on Allah because a believer adopts these two policies for social life. This Taqwa and Tawakkul should be from the Quranic science and not defined from other fields like ethics and Sufism. The science of Sufism is different from the Sufi’s who are seen around today who have just made a picture of ascetism to mislead people. The intellectual ascetism is Gnostics which is cognizance of Allah and acquisition of proximity of man with Allah. Those who have studied the science of ascetism, Sufism is very rare. Those who have studied that these two topics of Tawakkal and Taqwa are discussed more in depth as compared to ethical science. The scholars of ethical science talk on surface and not in depth but the philosophers go deep down to study the subject. When you are not aware from both then you cannot distinguish.
Tawakkal has been discussed by Sufism, Ethics and also Quran. The concept of Tawakkal, Taqwa which is generally present in our minds is from ethics hence we have to study these from Quran. This is because Quran has not taken this concept from science but instead the intellectual sciences have taken these from Quran. We think that it is opposite because we can see that interpretation of Quran is done based on Fiqh and ethics. The sciences have taken these concepts from Quran and they have made their own terminologies over it which is the rights of every science to do.
Allah has ordained Taqwa and Tawakkal in our daily affairs whereby it is not set for certain times like prayers but in every affair of life. The worships are set for certain times is for exercises but the actual values are continuous and perpetual set as the foundations of human life. It is not that you should acquire Taqwa or Tawakkal for five or ten times a day because is the policy and foundation of human life. The generic understanding of Tawakkal which is present in our minds is that something which seems to be impossible to be done, where others are also not helping then you should trust Allah and then wait for the thing to be done by Allah. So, for us Tawakkal means to just have trust on Allah in our minds. Like we do with other people in certain matters where we deliver the work to someone else and just wait by having trust on him. This is not the policy of Tawakkal.
In terminologies Tawakkal comes from Tawkeel which means handing over some thing or affair to someone else. And it is not trust because when you hand over then trust is essential attribute of handing over. When you solicit something to someone then it does not mean you are cut off and that work is now that persons work. The authority of that work has been given to that other person like we hand over our cases to lawyers to present on our behalf in court and defend us. But still the case belongs to claimant. To have Tawakkul on Allah means to make Allah as Solicitor (Wakeel). The way we do this in judicial courts is not the meaning of Tawakkal. What happens in court is sort of contracting you have done with your lawyer. This was something which you could have also done if you had knowledge but you have kept a contractor who presents himself instead of you. And we get many things done on paid basis like driving, washing things at home and done by us. Getting your work done by someone else with compensation is different.
Tawakkal means you have to hand over your task, act to someone not on the basis of compensation. Tawakkal is an attribute for common man but the scholars have gone into highly complex arguments on this. When a common man is asked to acquire Tawakkal then it should be understandable by common man as well. Let us try to understand Tawakkal with an example. We see ships sailing in sea which everyone has witnessed. You can see that these ships are very heavy in tons. This ship sails on sea but does not sink and Allah also says that these ships are signs from Allah. This is worth pondering that a pebble, nail sinks in water but this heavy ship does not sink in water. There is a law which was discovered by a Greek scientist Archimedes. For a sea there are two things one is that it is a material (mass) and second is it has dimension (three dimensions of any object i.e. length, width, height (or depth). Like the size or dimension of something could be too big but the mass could be very less, like you see a structure made of wood, it has less weight even in big size. If the material has low mass as compared to its dimension and you keep on that water, then its dimension covers the water. The dimension or size of the ship covers a certain portion of water. When ships are made the walls of ship are made such that there two layers with hollow inside. The base of Ship also has gap with the body. The size of the ship seems big but its walls are of low mass but still it is in thousand of tons. There is no weight for dimension but weight is for mass. The weight of mass is less as compared to its dimension. When the ship goes in water its base size touches the water, the base goes a little down and some water moves out towards the sides. This the law of Archimedes that the weight that you put on water and same goes and spreads out across the sides then this ship will not sink. This is because the weight puts pressure on water and there is an upper force that comes from water towards the base of ship and it moves across the sides and this allows the ship to not sink in water.
This is the example which I have given for Tawakkal. Allah has made water and law for it. Anything that goes in water, if the dimension of the object covers the same dimension of water but if the mass, weight of the object is less than mass of the water under that dimension then it will not sink. If the object has high weight like a wet wood it will sink. You make ships on dry land in workshop and then move this ship inside water. This placing the ship inside water is Tawakkal means handing over the ship to water and the water has received it. The ship has been made by you, you have to drive it as well and the destination is also yours. You should be aware of the laws of building ship and the law of water as well. If you make ship as per laws of water then you wont sail that in dessert but you have to hand over to water. The water has a system from Allah and you have handed over ship which you made as per law and handed over to water. You have handed the law of ship to the law of water and it takes it forward. Allah has made the system and we have been asked to understand these laws and take benefit from it. We made ships, handed over to water and ship will sail till the time law remains intact.
Allah created man, established laws, duties for man and educated man. And did not say that now I have handed over this universe to you and you are the owner. You are man with certain limits within which you have certain authorities and as per that you have to deliver those affairs. Whatever you are doing in the society is as per the law of universe. The universe is water and the society is the ship. You have to make society, governance, economics but you should know that the rights that have been given to me for making anything has to be within that macro system. Now you have made a system and say that I will do everything myself is not incorrect. You have to do things per the system ordained for you and then hand it over to the system of Allah. If you have made the ship as per the laws and hand over to the water, it will never sink. But if you ignore the laws of Allah and hand over to Allah then it will sink.
The ethical scholars have said when you become weak in doing things hand over to Allah. If you have become weak then you have not done your part. You have to do your part, that is make the ship yourself. You have to make the system because that is handed over to you. The mighty, weak all have to rely on Allah but they have to do their part first then it should be aligned with the system of Allah handing over to the Sunnat of Allah and that is long lasting. Those things that are made with Tawakkal on Allah they remain forever. If you make something by ignoring the law of Allah and then hand over to Allah then it will sink, communities will get destroyed. You have to make the ship yourself as per the law of Allah and then hand over to Allah then Allah will make it reach its destination. This is the Quranic meaning of Tawakkal.
As Allah says in Surah Maida, when you had Tawakkal on Allah then Allah withhold the hands of enemies. You need to have Taqwa first, means make your own protection system and then hand over to Allah. If you live your lives in accordance with divine laws of making it protected, then hand it over to Allah, it will reach its purpose.
SERMON 2
If man acquires Tawakkal then Allah will cut off the hands of enemies stretching towards you. Today all hands are after believers and they want to destroy the generations. Foremost is Gaza, then Kashmir, India, Yemen and in all other lands the Muslims are besieged and these hands are not cutting of as per promise of Allah. This is because Allah has said you have to acquire Taqwa means implement those divine plans and then after make those affairs then hand over to Allah. Make your armies, ammunitions, forces and then hand over to Allah after which Allah will not allow your enemies to approach you.
Allah when he is ordering us for Taqwa and Tawakkal. Allah has made this law then the Quranic law is to gather to all possible forces to the best of your capabilities, gather your Rabatul Khail, the war tanks, battalions and reach your fronts, then hand over to Allah then no hands will reach you. If you sit inside homes and just trust that Allah will help and protect you is against the laws of Allah. Those who do not deliver their duties, act upon their responsibilities then the opposite happens that Allah hands over you to enemies. One group in Quran and also Amirul Momineen (a) has said is most disliked is one whom Allah has handed over to their own self, they can do whatever they want. These are the people who do sins and nothing happens. There is one group who leaves Allah and relies on people and for them Allah hands over them to people and takes away his own refuge and wilayat from him. Allah does not guide him. Then there are some whom Allah hands over them to Taghoot, tyrants, rulers present in traditions due to their crimes. The tyrants then need to have mercy on them. There are some who have Tawakkal on Allah. They deliver their roles, duties and hand over to Muslims.
Today the hands of enemies have reached Muslims and the Muslims are disgraced. Only one country has shown courage. And this is the law of Allah that not every lowly, disgraced, filthy person will confront Allah and there is only one progeny of Ibrahim that will stand against enemy’s rest all are going to disgrace. This was pre decided that whenever the Fitnah of Jews raised their heads, the progeny of Ibrahim will rise. Today 58 countries who have terrorists, ISIS, Taliban, Al Qaida and many other forces present in them with a big part in Pakistan but Allah did not keep in their fate that their hands will rise for the protection of Muslims. Whenever they have to kill, they will kill Muslims only. One ISIS commander said in an interview that we will do Jihad against Jews only when they become Shias. They have continued with the ISIS thinking is there on all Muslim rulers, scholars and people. The nation whom Allah has blessed the bounty of the system of Wilayat. Today people should see the worth of the system of Wilayat and assess the difference between those who are following the democratic calf of Samari they cannot even raise their voices. But the community on the axis of Wilayat has done this and did an historic act in front of enemies. They did such an attack the enemies had to confess that till the time of our birth not such a big stroke has been given to us. The Arabs who fought before with Israel and then handed over their own lands to Israel. The neighbors of Israel are all living a life of disgrace. Allah has written this for Ahle Wilayat that Khyber will be taken over by Haidar and today also it is by the son of Haidar. That son has come out in field. Even though some news of retaliation has come from Israel which people have heard explosions. This is a war which is always two sided. Iran has said that we were not replying till date due to certain reasons and strategy but that era has ended and will reply with force even if you do a small fault. They have demonstrated their power by attacking with 300 drones and missiles and not from the borders of Syria and Lebanon. To do this from Iran when missiles, drones landed in Israel in such volumes that they did not even get the time to stabilize. This was to demonstrate that you are mistaken about our power. You were thinking that sanctions have weakened us but instead it has strengthened us. This was witnessed by everyone in the world and Muslims, non-Muslims hearts got pleased. The celebrations were done by Palestinians that some Muslim nation has given them reply but others are sitting with heads down in disgrace with no step to be taken.
The way the announcements were done but in wars the policies change. As per the news before on 22nd April Iran President Raesi is visiting Pakistan. After striking Israel, pleasing the hearts of Muslims the President of a resistance nation is visiting Pakistan which has made the heart of Pakistani’s pleased. We pray that his trip should be secure. The Paksitani government should give opportunity to the Pakistanis people to express their heart feelings toward those who have pleased the hearts of Muslims. The Shias and Sunnis should be given the opportunity to welcome this personality and allow him to give public speech. We have news that they are not going to allow this. This is further disgrace. You should give opportunity because your respect will not go down because you don’t have any respect that can be reduced. Let the Pakistani Muslims express their feelings towards their hero and provide opportunity to provide solidarity with the oppressed. I remember when the Leader came from Iran at the time of Zia ul Haqq there was a historic welcome given to him. I am sure if the people are given opportunity today as well the people will do themselves. The government if they cannot do anything for Palestine but at least give this opportunity to people to give them a warm welcome. The Zionists enemies will get this message that you are disgraced and the leadership of Iran is dear to us and Pakistanis are standing with dignity ad not disgrace. Our people do not go toward disgrace, we cannot guarantee our rulers and scholars who can accept any humiliating but the Pakistani people can give their lives for dignity. The power-hungry people’s Imams are Muawiya and Yazid but the leader of righteous is Hussain ibn Ali and all Pakistani’s are followers of Hussain except for those takfirist and ISIS who make noise only on media trying to misguide the people. These guests are coming and we are welcoming them before time and requesting the Pakistani government to give opportunity for welcoming. You should also demand from government and if government does not create obstacle and then prepare yourself. If they would have visited Pakistan without the attack on Israel then there was no need to make arrangement for welcome as it would have been a diplomatic visit. But the achievement which they have done and then after this attack they have decided to visit Pakistan then it is on us to give a worthy respect for this honored person. We can understand that there are serious threats of security and Iranians are not secure anywhere. Hence the security reservations are in their place but the government can arrange security and also provide opportunity to people to express their feelings. This will raise the height of Pakistan and will compensate the shortcomings for Palestine. The people should also prepare themselves for a historic welcome and deliver a message to America, Zionists that the voice rising for Palestine is not just inside Pakistan and throughout the world the voices are there and only the corrupt people are governing the Muslims who are not allowing them to raise their voices. This is the time when Allah will protect everyone.
