Hujjatul Islam Ustad Syed Jawad Naqvi
(Principal Jamia Orwatul Wuthqa – Lahore)
Delivered at: Masjid Baitul ul Ateeq
Lahore – Pakistan
Friday Sermon – 29th March, 2024
Sermon 1: Laylatul Qadr- Descend of Angels on man
Sermon 2: On Qods , march in cities and then to Palestine
Allah has made special arrangements for man to acquire Taqwa amongst which is the month of Ramadan. The arrangement made in Ramadan is enough for man to develop Taqwa in this life. Then in this same month further arrangements are made that is Sawm. Imam Sajjad (a) in his Dua mentions about this blessing whereby he has presented this in a comprehensive manner thus providing Maarifat of this month to believers.
فَأَبَانَ فَضِيْلَتَهُ عَلَى سَائِرِ الشُّهُورِ
He clarified its excellence over other months
بِمَا جَعَلَ لَهُ مِنَ الْحُرُمَاتِ الْمَوْفُورَةِ وَالْفَضَائِلِ الْمَشْهُورَةِ،
by the many sacred things and well-known excellencies which He placed therein,
فَحَرَّمَ فِيْهِ ما أَحَلَّ فِي غَيْرِهِ إعْظَاماً،
for He made unlawful in it what He declared lawful in others to magnify it,
وَحَجَرَ فِيْهِ الْمَطَاعِمَ وَالْمَشَارِبَ إكْرَاماً،
He prohibited foods and drinks in it to honour it,
وَجَعَلَ لَهُ وَقْتاً بَيِّناً لاَ يُجِيزُ جَلَّ وَعَزَّ أَنْ يُقَدَّمَ قَبْلَهُ،
and He appointed for it a clear time which He (majestic and mighty is He) allows not to be set forward
وَلا يَقْبَـلُ أَنْ يُؤَخَّرَ عَنْهُ،
and accepts not to be placed behind.
ثُمَّ فَضَّلَ لَيْلَةً وَاحِدَةً مِنْ لَيَالِيهِ عَلَى لَيَالِي أَلْفِ شَهْر،
Then He made one of its nights surpass the nights of a thousand months
وَسَمَّاهَا لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ،
and named it the Night of Decree;
تَنَزَّلُ الْمَلائِكَةُ وَالرُّوحُ فِيهَا بِإذْنِ رَبِّهِمْ مِنْ كُلِّ أَمْر،
“in it the angels and the Spirit descend by the leave of their Lord upon every command,
سَلاَمٌ دَائِمُ الْبَرَكَةِ إلَى طُلُوعِ الْفَجْرِ،
a peace” (97:4-5) constant in blessings until the rising of the dawn
In this month, Allah has made it clear the virtue of this month over other months which could be seen by everyone clearly. What are those signs by which we find this? They are those abundant sacred things ordained for this month. Hurmat, Haram, Ahtaram, Mohurrum come from one root word whereby the actual meaning remains preserve and only specifics change. There are certain etiquettes specified for this month which makes this month sacred.
Allah has kept well known excellencies for this month. The things that were permissible in other months were made prohibited in this month. If man does any such prohibited act than it is not just sin but also sacrilege of the sanctity of this month. For the sake of nobility of this month Allah has stopped us from eating and drinking from dawn to dusk within the days that start from crescent sighting of Ramadan till end of month. Ramadan is an opportunity time and not an act. Sawm is the act of Allah for which Allah has specified time. Allah does not permit to increase or decrease the duration of this month. There are many acts which are conditional for a specific time. There are certain obligations that can be done at any time and they get delivered like returning loan to someone unless you have agreed to a certain agreement. There are certain obligations which are required to be done in a specific time as the time also has specialization. Scholars say man has to do things at a specific time and here time only is an element where you deliver the act, but in certain things the time has certain reasoning whereby if the act is not done in that specific time the act also looses its essence. In Ramadan the time becomes a subject and has an effect. Allah wants this time in which you have to do this. Like daily Salaat need to be done in specified time.
Then Allah gave one more excellence to Ramadan whereby one specific night of this month has been excelled over 1000 months. If we take average duration of night as ten to twelve hours is more virtuous then 1000 months. The title of this night is Laylatul Qadr, the night of decree in which Malaika and Ruhul Quds descend with the permission of Allah with all the affairs related to man. This night is of peace till dawn. These angels descend with the decree of Allah on those whom Allah desires amongst his servants. This is the peak of excellence in this month. One thousand months are equal to eighty-three years which is good life span. If we do accountability then how much time we waste. Our students say we don’t get time. I did a working and explained them how much time you have. Like when you wake up, you spend some time in bed due to laziness and this time is wasted. We should count where all we are wasting this asset of time? We are wasting so much time in routine acts of eating, talking and like on mobile phone how much you have talked which was not of any use. If you count then even the busiest person wastes 8 to 10 hours daily. Today as per news 40% of food is wasted while cooking or eating. Then as per statistics 2 billion do not get appropriate food. During Hajj there is a big company which just collects in big trucks the food wasted by Haji’s. We should count the waste that is time, means, age, food, water, electricity, etc. There is an alert given across the world for water shortage. Today in many places there are no or less rains and water are being take down from earth. We waste so much water while doing ablution. The biggest thing we waste is age. We have a long life of 83 years as per this criterion then see how many years we have wasted? If man works for full day and night in 83 years then also, he cannot achieve what he can do in this one night of Ramadan. Allah has given you such unique opportunity to do the journey of 83 years in one night. This is the night of decree, measures. The Angels descend and night remains peaceful and secure till dawn. The Angels do not land on runaway. In Quran man has been specified has having most deep relationship with Angels. The Angels have all the functions of universe but not Jinn’s. Without Angels no work of man can be done on his own. With such relationship with Angels how much cognizance we have of Angels. Have you ever encountered an Angel in entire life? Whereby they are present at every step and every work. Why are you so stranger to this creation? The Angels are the working staff who deliver the intention of Allah. The Angels are connected to every human being irrespective of religion, sects. And even for non-humans. The drops of rains come down through Angels. The creation who is so much involved with us, we are so much distanced that we do not even know, remember or thank them. In this night special Angels come from Allah to fulfill what you have demanded. And amongst Angels the Ruhul Quds, the leader of Angels come down on specific servants of Allah. He comes with blessings, peace, safety and the decision, decree which Allah has ordered are executed by Allah. The Angels were involved in the creation of man and they were first informed about creation of man and then Angels objected as well. This is because they had deep relationship and your work will increase. Man will do corruption, bloodshed which we have to resolve. Then Allah made them aware about the reality of man after which they submitted to man. The Angels are delivering all the affairs of man. If you have relationship with the staff which Allah has kept then all the daily difficulties would get resolved. The Angels are the staff that run the affairs of man. These Angels descend on Laylatul Qadr that is tonight. So, we should prepare to receive the Angels and we should meet someone so that the difficult thing becomes easy. In this night Allah has to decide and Angels need to execute. This is your Taufeeq whether you waste Laylatul Qadr or make it part of your destiny.
Sermon 2
For Taqwa Allah has made the arrangement of Ramadan in which biggest source is Sawm. The Sawm has deep and strong relationship with Taqwa. Sawm means to stop with intention from things which were permissible. This is done by Allah to develop and strengthen an ability, remove a weakness that is the will power. You should stop from all things which Allah has asked you to stop from dawn to dusk and then do this for entire month. When man practices something for three to six weeks continuously that becomes an innate faculty for man. Allah has kept these four weeks to strengthen your intention. The biggest thing is to stop from something against desires. The desires are strong activator which creates an urge and to stop from this urge you need will power. In religion and hereafter everything gets done by man through will power. We have to strengthen your will power specifically for this month.
This year’s Ramadan is very important because everyone has seen and is going on how much weak we Muslims are. The war of Gaza has exposed Muslims and entire humanity as such. Despite of all claim world has seen how weak the Muslim rulers, scholars, people and the passionate Muslims of Pakistan. We are famous for our passion and get aroused on small things. The Pakistani burn out everything if someone insults Quran but entire Palestine burnt but they did not do anything. This is because will power is weak. We have not developed the essence of fasting which is the will power. The battle of Badr took place on 17th Ramadan. This was the battle which created the plan for all other battles. Quran has appreciated the most the companions of Badr and even asked to stand and give place to the companions of Badr out of respect. They have fought decisive battle when they had only two swords and two horses. They were in total 313 and many were old people who had to confront a big army of warriors. They had come to finish the Muslims but they won the battle through the will power. The Muslims got upset when they saw the enemies. Allah helped these Muslims through Angels. The Angels strengthened the will power of Muslims and they fought. Today Muslims are two billion with many powerful countries and a bunch of Zionists have insulted the Muslims which will remain in history. We have to remove this stain and disgrace from Muslims and the best opportunity is Ramadan. If 313 can do this then we can also do this. One commander of Palestine has said by taking name of Pakistan to march across your borders towards Palestine. They have asked Pakistan army and organizations to take decisive step.
The next Friday is Yaum ul Qods where we have to prepare from now. We should do a decisive thing on this Yaum ul Qods. The UNSC has announced a ceasefire to which America did not vote. Israel is not accepting this. The day of Qods is of believers, who will express their will power on this day. The atmosphere has to be made across the country and not just media. We have to give a message to the Palestinian brothers that the way Allah has sent Angels in Badr, the believers of Pakistan will come to your help. The way Israel is claiming that we will finish Hamas and Palestine and with will power of believers of Pakistan, Israel will get terminated. We have to deliver the rights of Qods this year.
Wherever you are, you should ask your neighbors to attend Qods rally. The people are not aware and you should make them aware. If we march in every city of Pakistan then Allah will accept your intention and then next step would be to march towards Palestine. All believers should remain prepared and ask Allah for this destiny that either we should present our life or our services to save the Palestinians.
