Hujjatul Islam Ustad Syed Jawad Naqvi
(Principal Jamia Orwatul Wuthqa – Lahore)
Delivered at: Masjid Baitul ul Ateeq
Lahore – Pakistan
Friday Sermon – 28th July, 2023
Sermon 1 : Breaking senselessness of Ummah is first step of salvation
Taqwa from Allah is the protection mechanism for security of human life and through this stratagem the humanity, honor, dignity, world and hereafter all become secure. Human being without Taqwa remains human physically but from inside becomes a beast.
For the sake of establishing Taqwa Allah has descended heavenly books, aroused Prophets and Imams of guidance. The best ideals of Taqwa presented by Quran are in two form’s; one is Prophet Ibrahim (a) and in his progeny is another role model is Imam Hussain (a). Prophet Ibrahim (a) was made Imam for guidance of human beings. Man should be given sense and made to reach purpose of life. A senseless man can only consider himself as human but cannot build the wall of humanity on the foundations of senselessness. The first step towards guidance is sense and when humanity gets established on the basis of sense then Taqwa becomes effective as strategy of protection.
Prophet Ibrahim (a) when developed maturity saw around him his relatives and family who were nurturing him. He saw that they do not possess human sense and biggest sign was that they were unaware and senseless about their creation. The biggest sign of senselessness was that they believed in idols as Lord and were worshipping. They were considering their rulers as Lord like Nimrod. Ibrahim (a) witnessed that they have deviated from their Fitrat and a stage came where it was a question on how to make them realize. Then Ibrahim (a) took a step for which Allah presented him as a role model. Ibrahim did not attack their temple or neither did he attack their worshippers and nor were they fiddling with Ibrahim. But Ibrahim saw that their life is inhuman and senseless, he took this step of breaking their idols. When Ibrahim was called and questioned that you broke our idols. Ibrahim (a) asked them to ask these idols. He did not break the idols out of anger, fury, passion but instead he did with proper sense and planning as the purpose was to awaken their senses. Ibrahim left the big idol and hanged the axe on the shoulder of the big idol. Ibrahim asked them to ask this big idol who broke the others. Everyone was shocked that how can this big idol give orders to others because they don’t speak, listen or do anything. So what are you talking? And Ibrahim wanted to break this sense and negligence. When you know these are stone idols who are motionless then why you have made them as God? Why are you worshipping them and consider them as means for seeking needs of life? The entire objective from this breaking of idol was this only and Ibrahim was successful. Those who were stubborn also thought that how can these idols become passionate and there was a minority who got convinced and their sense got awakened, and they disassociated from idols thus coming on the path of Ibrahim. This was a great act of wisdom which he took and for these steps Allah declared Ibrahim as the Imam of people. You are worthy for the position of Imamat to get people out of misguidance. The mother of all misguidance is senselessness.
When a person with knowledge blindfolds and just follows their elites. So did these people not knew before that these idols do not speak or listen? They knew all this but had placed curtains on their minds because when elites, kings like Nimrud, Azar and other elites were doing this then others consider to even think idol worship as incorrect as sin. Ibrahim broke their myths and shook their conscience. The obligations of Imam becomes clear in this incident and also the foundation of misguidance becomes clear. Allah said to Ibrahim you have done what was expected and Imamat would be in your progeny. And also for the sacrifice of Ismael which Ibrahim took step Allah promised that this would get accomplished in your progeny.
In the era of Imam Hussain (a) the Ummah had become more senseless. To believe in stone idols is senselessness but on the other hand if these idols cannot give any benefit to human beings then they do not cause any harm as well. The stone idols are not corrupt, indecent or sinful. If it is senseless and crime to believe in stone idols then bigger senselessness and lowliness is that people accept the most corrupt person of their era as their ruler. One who is lowest in all regards in terms of thinking and action. Yazid is much disgraceful then idols. When a person refers to idol for worship then the idol has not done anything wrong because it has not told people to come to it and seek their desires. But when a person becomes abased, his character is in front of people and such person becomes Hakim that is big lowliness of people. Idol worship started from commercial perspective for trading then later they took the attire of religion. Like today if you see many things are commercial but give color of religion. They do many things in Azadari for the sake of earning and there are no beliefs involved in it. Such things make a person think when human being becomes corrupt, and that too a person who has drowned entire nation into corruption gets accepted as ruler. Such community is more senseless than that community who has submitted to idols. When a lowly, abased, filthy person like Yazid becomes ruler and people accept , submit to him then these people more senseless.
At times one incident breaks the layer of senselessness, like what Ibrahim did with one incident and cracked it. There were some stubborn who for personal gains despite of realizing did not leave the path and step back. When a tough layer of senselessness comes up then that needs to be broken. At times by breaking idols this layer breaks, but at times you have to break the corrupt system. Ibrahim did not kill anyone , neither Nimrud or Azar. He did not kill Azar who was close to him, because the purpose was to awaken sense.
The community of Imam Hussain (a) was worst in senselessness because they have accepted a worse person like Yazid as ruler. When Imam Hussain (a) denied allegiance he told people of Medina to deny him but no one came forward. Then after Karbala the era of Abdullah ibn Zubair started with his movement. At that time a delegation of elderly people, elites from Medina was sent to Syria to see how is Yazid to testify what Ibn Zubair is saying. The delegation returned back and revealed the lowliness of Yazid. They said that not just we have seen a useless ruler but what we have seen a person who is openly breaking the limits of Islam, he is not concerned about anything, then this made them realize. After this the people of Medina started uprising, after which Yazid sent his forces and for three days there was extreme atrocities done on the people of Medina. And before the people of Medina were not realizing what Imam Hussain (a) was saying about Yazid.
When such a corrupt person who was known for his licentiousness by everyone and he somehow became Caliph and people accepted him. If we see the senselessness of people then they are more senseless and corrupt then the idol worshippers. Why should someone submit to something made by own hands of man. It is not that today this is not applicable, if the people of that era made idols and worshipped was wrong then today also if we make something by our own hands, place in mosques and start to worship is wrong. When a person like Yazid comes to power, become rules then entire nation would become corrupt.
Today world has reached the space, gone down deep into ocean, they show big scientific miracles, but from sense if you see these educated people are doing the most oppression on people. Here also we need an act like of Ibrahim and that kind of step is taken by progeny of Ibrahim (a) that is Imam Hussain (a) who took this step. He took a step which becomes a formula for every era to awaken senseless communities. This is a tragedy that the way Ibrahim broke idol to break senselessness, but if the same is made a business and people are told that we will tell you what Ibrahim did after you pay us this much money. Imam Hussain (a) shook the sense of humanity. The Kufis were the most senseless.
Qazi Shuray was a senseless person who gave the verdict for killing Imam Hussain (a). The doyen of martyrs did this uprising to awaken their senses. The only path of salvation of senselessness people is only to develop sense in them. No one can take senseless people into Jannah unless they develop sense. The maximum energy of Prophets was spent to awaken the senses of people. Mecca got conquered without battle but to awaken Mecca took a lot of time. Similarly Sayadus Shohada (a) for the sake of awakening people and every generation of human being did this uprising and established this Seerat (character). Today if we are followers of Imam Hussain (a) then just by mourning and beating chest we say we have established hussainiayt and our Azadar is not having sense to rise against oppression then this has nothing to do with Hussainiyat. It would get related to Imam Hussain (a) only when this Azadari brings people out in field against tyrants.
Today in Pakistan we are going on every door of IMF, Saudi, America and several times our PM has said that we have been disgraced by IMF. Why have you been disgraced in front of oppressors? Is your book Quran not presenting an example of dignity. Imam Hussain (a) is the standard bearer of dignity, so walk on his path of dignity. We do one Majalis in a year and think that we have made arrangement for our salvation? Imam Hussain (a) says go to the extreme possible to end humiliation and disgrace and then Allah will grant you Dignity.
May Allah grant us Taufeeq to understand the teachings of Quran and the progeny of Prophet (s)
SECOND SERMON
Sermon 2: Ashura on two days by followers of different Mujtahid is a Fitnah
If there are all bounties present but there is no Taqwa then these bounties become a wrath. We have everything today but there is no Taqwa hence or lives are miserable today. We have left protection and trying to act deceitfully. If religion comes without Taqwa then that religion becomes commercial.
During Mohurrum the news comes about maintaining peace. This year there are forces, rangers and police across Punjab. Certain announcements they have done from which we can realize that there is high alert danger in these two days and we can see from their statements as to from where the threat is? Who is going to attack the Mohurrum activities? Its from Muslims. Imam Hussain (a) was not killed by Hindus, Christians, Chinese but those who were taking the name of Allah. When Taqwa is not there then people turn into Umar ibn Saad, Shimr, Kholi. Umar ibn Saad was the son of Saad ibn Abi Waqas the conqueror of Rome, Persia but his son became the killer of Imam Hussain (a). Taqwa ended and the desire for power of the governance of Rey come on top of his head.
As Iqbal says there is no Hussain in the Ummah of Prophet (a). All other characters are seen but only the character of Imam Hussain (a) is not seen. Shimr is moving around in every street with sword but he cannot find Hussain (a). If today someone gets some post he will do any form of corruption. People become blind for status and positions if Taqwa is not there. The situation of country is like this due to lack of Taqwa. Our government should be appreciated that they have made extra ordinary arrangements, but this does not become a justification that believers should become negligent. The content which is present in the uprising of Imam Hussain (a) is never ending so why we bring traders on pulpits to narrate stories and waste such precious time and cause sectarianism. This is a big tragedy to wase this opportunity. If these Majalis present its message in a right manner then the actual purpose can be achieved.
A letter from a lady from UK has come that we used to fight on Two Eid’s but this year we have two Ashura in England by followers of two Mujtahid. For Eid there is an issue of Halal, Haram. In West they get permission for Ashura procession on Sunday. You can do Ashura on any day, but when the name of Imam Hussain (a) is used for personal gains, trading then such kind of discords are created. The believers should develop sense and even if there is moon sighting issue, still they should do on one day only.
The Supreme Leader has pointed that this British Shiism is a fitnah in this Ummah. This starts from England, and will move to Iraq, Iran and Pakistan so that everyone will open their shop. They are burning Quran there because they are infidels. But believers should not allow to do Fitnah’s. On what we should cry? On what happened on Ashura? Or on what is happening today?
There was so much oppression on Ashura. Imam e Asr (a.t.f.s) when he remembers Ashura, he says Salutations on these bare headed ladies when the news of martyrdom of Hussain (a) reached the tents, who mourned. I salute those ladies who came out of burning tents. Was this less oppression, which we listen but still our hearts do not become tender. Imam e Zaman (a) says when you recite the eulogy of my grandfather then do recite the farewell of Imam Hussain (a). When all got martyred and got ready to go for battlefield. He saluted the ladies and mounted the horse, but the horse was not willing to go forward. Imam Hussain (a) said to horse, that I know you are also thirsty and since morning you are with me carrying martyrs bodies. I know you are tired and I am giving you last trouble to take me to the battlefield after which I will not return. When Imam (a) looked at the feet of horse, Imam left the saddle and came on ground. This was a heart rendering scene, the three years old daughter of Imam (A) was telling the horse do not take my father to the field, as I see since morning no one came back. So please do not take my father. O the horse of my father, if you take him then first take him to the river as my father is thirsty. When the time comes to come down, then land my father on soft land as my father is tired. Imam Hussain (a) took her daughter that this is not the time to cry as you have to cry more later. Then he handed the child to Lady Zainab (a), and as he was going Lady Zainab was walking behind. He said no go back to the camp till I am alive. Then from the tent Lady Zainab was mourning, O the son of my mother, go slow, go slow, please keep on showing your face.
