https://www.khutbah.info/be-optimistic/ In adversity, some can only see obstacles and in calamities, some can only see darkness. However, Allah sent his Prophet ﷺ to elevate humanity from the darkness, confusion and chaos of disbelief to the light, clarity and harmony of Iman (faith). Optimism is one of the praiseworthy qualities that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ loved. Optimism is expecting good outcomes as a result of placing trust in Allah, thinking well of Him and having hope in Him. The Prophet ﷺ: There shall be no taking of omens, but the best type is the good omen. He was asked what a good omen was and replied, a good word that one of you hears[Al-Bukhari 5754 and Muslim 2223a]
إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ لِلَّهِ ,نَحْمَدُهُ ,وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ , وَنَعُوذُ بِاللهِ مِنْ شُرُورِ أَنْفُسِنَا وَمِنْ سَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا ,مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللهُ فَلَا مُضِلَّ لَهُ , وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلَا هَادِيَ لَهُ , وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
Verily, all praise is for Allah. We praise Him, we seek His assistance and we ask for His forgiveness. And we seek refuge in Him from the evils of our selves. Whoever Allah guides, none can misguide. Whoever He misguides, none can guide. And I bear witness that there is no deity other than Allah and I bear witness that Mohammad is His slave and messenger.
يَا أَيُّهَا الّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ – آل عمران:102
Al Imran 102 : O you who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared, and die not except in a state of Islam.
Oh people:
In adversity, some can only see obstacles and in calamities, some can only see darkness. However, Allah sent his Prophet ﷺ to elevate humanity from the darkness, confusion and chaos of disbelief to the light, clarity and harmony of Iman (faith). Optimism is one of the praiseworthy qualities that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ loved. Optimism is expecting good outcomes as a result of placing trust in Allah, thinking well of Him and having hope in Him. The Prophet ﷺ:
لاَ طِيَرَةَ؟ وَخَيْرُهَا الْفَأْلُ قَالُوا وَمَا الْفَأْلُ قَالَ الْكَلِمَةُ الصَّالِحَةُ يَسْمَعُهَا أَحَدُكُمْ
There shall be no taking of omens, but the best type is the good omen. He was asked what a good omen was and replied, a good word that one of you hears[Al-Bukhari 5754 and Muslim 2223a]
The Prophet ﷺ loved to be given glad tidings of good. He prohibited his followers from saying the word ‘if’ because it opens the door for Satan. This is clear from his guidance ﷺ:
اسْتَعِنْ بِاللَّهِ وَلاَ تَعْجَزْ، وَإِنْ أَصَابَكَ شَيْءٌ فَلاَ تَقُلْ: لَوْ أَنِّي فَعَلْتُ كَانَ كَذَا وَكَذَا. وَلَكِنْ قُلْ قَدَرُ اللَّهِ وَمَا شَاءَ فَعَلَ، فَإِنَّ لَوْ تَفْتَحُ عَمَلَ الشَّيْطَانِ
Seek the help of Allah, and do not feel helpless. And if anything befalls you, do not say, if only I had done such and such. Rather say, Allah has decreed and whatever he wills, He does. For (saying) ‘If’ opens (the door) to the deeds of Satan. [Muslim 2664]
Optimism has two pillars. The first is thinking well of Allah Almighty. A Muslim is commanded to always think positively of Allah Almighty in every situation and at all times. The second pillar is placing trust in Allah Almighty, which is one of the keys to success.
The highest degree of optimism is during times of crisis, moments of setbacks, and periods of adversity. Expecting good when you see nothing but evil, happiness when you see only sadness, expecting healing during illness, success from failure, victory out of defeat, and expecting relief after hardship. For optimism in these situations generates contentment, confidence, and hope.
And the greatest source of optimism is the Noble Quran, which grants us optimism, joy, and happiness, and hope.
How can a believer not be optimistic, even in the hardest of circumstances, when he recites Allah’s words:
سَيَجْعَلُ اللَّهُ بَعْدَ عُسْرٍ يُسْرًا
Al Talaaq (65) 7: Allāh will bring about, after hardship, ease [i.e., relief].
And His words:
فَإِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا (5) إِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا
Ash Sharh (94) 5-6: (5) For indeed, with hardship [will be] ease. (6) Indeed, with hardship [will be] ease.
How can believers not be optimistic about goodness from Allah, and they have entrusted their affairs to Him and relied upon Him. And Allah Almighty has said in five verses in His book:
وَكَفَىٰ بِاللَّهِ وَكِيلًا
An Nisa (4) 81, An Nisa (4) 132, An Nisa (4) 171, Al Ahzab (33) 3, Al Ahzab (33) 48: And sufficient is Allāh as Disposer of affairs.
Meaning, whoever places their trust in Allah, Allah will suffice them in everything. What do Muslims need more than that to be optimistic and think well of their Lord?!
Before Allah’s mercy and grace, all calamities and hardships diminish and vanish. Allah Almighty says:
الَّذِينَ إِذَا أَصَابَتْهُمْ مُصِيبَةٌ قَالُوا إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ * أُوْلَئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَلَوَاتٌ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ وَرَحْمَةٌ وَأُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ الْمُهْتَدُونَ -البقرة 156- 157
Al-Baqarah (2) 156-157: Who, when disaster strikes them, say, ‘Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him, we will return.’ Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy. And it is those who are the [rightly] guided.
These glad tidings are for the optimistic who are confident in Allah’s mercy.
And one is uplifted by reciting the words of Allah Almighty:
وَعَسى أَنْ تَكْرَهُوا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ وَعَسَى أَنْ تُحِبُّوا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ شَرٌّ لَكُمْ
Al Baqarah (2) 216: But perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you; and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you.
For ease may arise from adversity, and joy may emerge from sadness.
While reciting the Quran, reflect upon the narratives of Prophets, peace be upon them. For they were the most optimistic as shown by the way that they handled crises and trials.
Jacob (Yaqub), peace be upon him, set a wonderful example of optimism. His sons falsely claimed that a wolf ate Joseph (Yusuf), and they informed him that his other son was accused of theft and imprisoned. Despite the many years that passed, he never lost hope in Allah’s mercy. Ponder his reaction and what he commanded his sons:
يَا بَنِيَّ اذْهَبُوا فَتَحَسَّسُوا مِنْ يُوسُفَ وَأَخِيهِ وَلاَ تَيْئَسُوا مِنْ رَوْحِ اللَّهِ إِنَّهُ لاَ يَيْئَسُ مِنْ رَوْحِ اللَّهِ إِلاَّ الْقَوْمُ الكَافِرُونَ -يوسف 87
Yusuf (12) 87: O my sons, go and find out about Yusuf and his brother and despair not of relief from Allah. Indeed, no one despairs of relief from Allah except the disbelieving people.
And in Surah Al Buruj, Allah Almighty mentions the narrative of the wiping out of an entire community for no reason other than because of their faith. In this dire situation, a woman facing imminent and certain doom was inspired with rays of optimism from her young child:
يَا أُمَّهْ اصْبِرِي فَإِنَّكِ عَلَى الْحَقِّ
Oh mother, endure (this trial) for it is the Truth.[Muslim 3005]
That is, mother be optimistic and look forward to eternal Gardens of bliss that await you. Allah Almighty said:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتٌ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْكَبِيرُ
Al Buruj (85) 11:Indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds will have gardens beneath which rivers flow. That is the great attainment.
And when one contemplates upon the life of the Prophet ﷺ they find it filled with reliance on Allah and thinking well of Him- the two foundations of optimism. It is no wonder that he ﷺ is the leader of the optimistic. When he went out for the campaign of Khaybar, he ﷺ heard a phrase from one of his companions that he liked and said
أَخَذْنَا فَأْلَكَ مِنْ فِيكَ
We took your optimism from your mouth (words). [Sunan Abi Dawud 3917, Grade: Sahih (Albani)] .
Meaning, that we became optimistic due to your good and positive words.
Optimism was deeply rooted in the Prophet ﷺ and it was his constant manner. He used to be optimistic about good names due to their positive impact. When he came to Madinah, they used to call it ‘Yathrib’, a name which is not praiseworthy. He changed its name and called it ‘Taybah’ or named it ‘Madinah’. This is the essence of optimism.
And Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with both of them, narrated:
أَنَّ ابْنَةً لِعُمَرَ كَانَتْ يُقَالُ لَهَا عَاصِيَةُ. فَسَمَّاهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم جَمِيلَةَ
A daughter of Umar was named ‘Aasiya (disobedient). The Messenger of Allah ﷺ renamed her Jameelah (beautiful). [Muslim 2139b]
It was narrated by ‘Abbaad bin Tamim from his uncle who said:
خَرَجَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم إلى الْمُصَلَّى يَسْتَسْقِي، وَاسْتَقْبَلَ الْقِبْلَةَ، فَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ، وَقَلَبَ رِدَاءَهُ
The Prophet ﷺ went out to the place of prayer to offer the prayer for rain. He faced the Qibla, offered two Rak’ah of prayer, and turned his upper garment inside out. [Al-Bukhari 1026 and Muslim 894b]
The Prophet ﷺ changed his upper garment inside out and placed what was on his left shoulder on his right shoulder out of his optimism for a change in the situation from drought to rain and fertility, and from hardship to ease.
During the treaty of Hudaybiyyah, when Suhail bin Amr came to negotiate on behalf of Quraysh, the Prophet ﷺ was optimistic about his name, which means easy, and said:
لَقَدْ سَهُلَ لَكُمْ مِنْ أَمْرِكُمْ
Your matter has been made easy. [Al-Bukhari]
The Prophet ﷺ used to visit the sick and would give them hope for recovery and say to them:
طَهُورٌ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ
Purification, Allah willing. [Bukhari 3616]
Meaning that healing from your illness and forgiveness from your sins await you.
It was part of his guidance ﷺ, to reassure his companions with safety during times of fear, with wealth during times of poverty, and with victory and honor during times of defeat and weakness, to erase the darkness of pessimism with the light of optimism, and to close the doors of thinking negatively about Allah by opening the doors of thinking positively of Him the Almighty.
‘Adiyy bin Hatim, may Allah be pleased with him, was once sitting beside the Prophet ﷺ when a man came and complained to the Messenger of Allah ﷺabout poverty. Then another came and complained about fear and highway robbery. The Prophet ﷺ turned to ‘Adiyy and said:
و فَإِنْ طَالَتْ بِكَ حَيَاةٌ لَتَرَيَنَّ الظَّعِينَةَ تَرْتَحِلُ مِنَ الْحِيرَةِ، حَتَّى تَطُوفَ بِالْكَعْبَةِ، لاَ تَخَافُ أَحَدًا إِلاَّ اللَّهَ ” ـ قُلْتُ فِيمَا بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ نَفْسِي فَأَيْنَ دُعَّارُ طَيِّئٍ الَّذِينَ قَدْ سَعَّرُوا الْبِلاَدَ ” وَلَئِنْ طَالَتْ بِكَ حَيَاةٌ لَتُفْتَحَنَّ كُنُوزُ كِسْرَى ”. قُلْتُ كِسْرَى بْنِ هُرْمُزَ قَالَ ” كِسْرَى بْنِ هُرْمُزَ، وَلَئِنْ طَالَتْ بِكَ حَيَاةٌ، لَتَرَيَنَّ الرَّجُلَ يُخْرِجُ مِلْءَ كَفِّهِ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ أَوْ فِضَّةٍ، يَطْلُبُ مَنْ يَقْبَلُهُ مِنْهُ، فَلاَ يَجِدُ أَحَدًا يَقْبَلُهُ مِنْهُ،
If you live long enough, you will surely see a female traveler coming from Al-Hirah (meaning from Iraq) performing Tawaf around the Kaaba, fearing none but Allah. And if you live long enough, the treasures of Kisra (the Persian King) will surely be opened.’ I (Adiyy) asked, ‘Kisra son of Hormuz?’ He replied, ‘Kisra son of Hormuz. And if you live long enough, you will see a man coming out with a handful of gold or silver, seeking someone to accept it from him, but he will not find anyone to accept it from him. [Bukhari 3595]
Meaning that wealth would become so abundant.
Khabbab, may Allah be pleased with him, who was one of those severely persecuted in Mecca for having accepted Islam asked the Prophet ﷺ if He would supplicate for them. The Prophet ﷺ gave glad tidings:
وَلَيُتِمَّنَّ اللَّهُ هَذَا الأَمْرَ حَتَّى يَسِيرَ الرَّاكِبُ مِنْ صَنْعَاءَ إِلَى حَضْرَمَوْتَ مَا يَخَافُ إِلاَّ اللَّهَ
By Allah, this matter (Islam) will be completed, until the traveler will travel from Sana’a to Hadramaut, fearing none but Allah and the wolf for his sheep. [Bukhari 3852]
The Prophet ﷺ gave glad tidings to Khabbab and those with him, while they were in that severe state of fear and maltreatment, of the emergence of Islam and its spread across the horizons, so much so that a Muslim would travel from Sana’a to Hadramaut without fearing the aggression or harm of a polytheist.
The Prophet ﷺ went to Taif to invite them to eternal success. They met his invitation to mercy with harshness and cruelty throwing rocks at him as He ﷺ left. At the same time, Quraysh were determined to prevent him from returning to Mecca. Reflect on the situation of the Prophet ﷺ as he walked away bleeding and dusty. The Angel of the Mountains came offering to crush the insolent people between the mountains. The Prophet ﷺ was visionary, full of optimism, hope, patience, mercy and foresight, and, replied:
بَلْ أَرْجُو أَنْ يُخْرِجَ اللهُ مِنْ أَصْلاَبِهِمْ مَنْ يَعْبُدُ اللَّهَ وَحْدَهُ، لاَ يُشْرِكُ بِهِ شيئاً
No, I hope that Allah will bring forth from their progeny those who will worship Allah alone and not associate anything with Him. [Al-Bukhari 3231 and Muslim 1795]
For optimism to lead us to the shores of happiness and success, it shall be accompanied by seriousness, diligence, effort and striving. Otherwise, this optimism is merely wishes, dreams, and delusions. Rather, immersing oneself in optimism without action is unrealistic and an escape from reality.
أَقُولُ مَا تَسْمَعُونَ وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ لِي وَلَكُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ ذَنْبٍ فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
I say what you have heard and I seek forgiveness from Allah for me and you from every sin. So seek forgives from Him, Verily He is Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
Second Khutbah
الحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ, وَالصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ , وَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَاْ إِلَهَ إِلَّاْ اَللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَاْشَرِيْكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدَاً عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُوْلُهُ
All praise is to Allah, and peace and blessings upon the Messenger of Allah, and I bear witness that there is no deity other than Allah and I bear witness that Mohammad is His slave and messenger.
Oh Muslims:
An optimistic person has cheerful demeanor, a radiant face, an open heart, and a smiling countenance. Their vocabulary is filled with words like hope, success, happiness, victory, ascension, cooperation, love, reliance on Allah Almighty, and thinking positively of Him the Almighty.
Optimism built upon placing trust in our Lord and thinking well of Him drives away sorrows, worries, and pessimism. It revives hope, strengthens resolve, helps in overcoming tribulations and getting benefit from them so that they turn into blessings. Optimism is a branch of iman (faith). For believers rejoice in the grace and mercy of their Lord, and if they do not, their iman (faith) decreases.
Optimism built upon placing trust in our Lord and thinking well of Him gives us the ability to face the most difficult of situations. We must train ourselves to be optimistic in the harshest conditions and the most challenging situations. We must cultivate optimism within our children. So let us be beacons of optimism spreading its light to our family, friends and neighbors. Let us strive to inspire those around us towards goodness and spread the spirit of optimism.
We ask Allah Almighty to fill our hearts with optimism and uplift the state of the Muslim Ummah. Indeed Allah is All Hearing, Answering.
هَذَا وَصَلُّوا وَسَلِّمُوا عَلَى نَبِيِّكُم كَمَا أَمَرَكُمْ بِذلِكَ رَبُّكُمْ , فَقَالَ
I conclude with this and send prayers of blessings and peace upon your Prophet as your Lord commanded:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ۚ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا
Al Ahzaab (33) 56: Indeed, Allah confers blessing upon the Prophet, and His angels [ask Him to do so]. O you who have believed, ask [ Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [ Allah to grant him] peace.
اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنا فِيمَنْ هَدَيْتَ وَعَافِنا فِيمَنْ عَافَيْتَ وَتَوَلَّنا فِيمَنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ وَبَارِكْ لنا فِيمَا أَعْطَيْتَ وَقِنا شَرَّ مَا قَضَيْتَ إِنَّكَ تَقْضِي وَلاَ يُقْضَى عَلَيْكَ وَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَذِلُّ مَنْ وَالَيْتَ تَبَارَكْتَ رَبَّنَا وَتَعَالَيْتَ
O Allah, guide us with those whom You have guided, grant us well-being among those You have granted well-being, be an ally to us along with those whom You are an ally to, and bless what You have bestowed upon us, and save us from the evil of what You have decreed. For verily You decree and none can decree over You. He whom You support can never be humiliated. Glory is to You, our Lord, You are Blessed and Exalted.
اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ كُلِّهِ عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ مَا عَلِمْنا مِنْهُ وَمَا لَمْ نَعْلَمْ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الشَّرِّ كُلِّهِ عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ مَا عَلِمْنا مِنْهُ وَمَا لَمْ نَعْلَمْ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ خَيْرِ مَا سَأَلَكَ عَبْدُكَ وَنَبِيُّكَ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا عَاذَ بِهِ عَبْدُكَ وَنَبِيُّكَ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَا قَرَّبَ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ قَوْلٍ أَوْ عَمَلٍ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ النَّارِ وَمَا قَرَّبَ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ قَوْلٍ أَوْ عَمَلٍ وَنَسْأَلُكَ أَنْ تَجْعَلَ كُلَّ قَضَاءٍ قَضَيْتَهُ لَنا خَيْرًا
O Allah, We ask You for all that is good, in this world and in the Hereafter, what we know and what we do not know. O Allah, we seek refuge with You from all evil, in this world and in the Hereafter, what we know and what we do not know. O Allah, we ask You for the good that Your servant and Prophet has asked You for, and we seek refuge with You from the evil from which Your servant and Prophet sought refuge. O Allah, we ask You for Paradise and for that which brings one closer to it, in word and deed, and we seek refuge in You from Hell and from that which brings one closer to it, in word and deed. And we ask You to make every decree that You decree concerning us good
عِبَادَ اللّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالْإِحْسَانِ وَإِيتَاءِ ذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَيَنْهَىٰ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنكَرِ وَالْبَغْيِ يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ
Servants of Allah. Indeed, Allah orders justice and good conduct and giving to relatives and forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will be reminded.
اُذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ الْعَظِيمَ يَذْكُرْكُمْ واشْكُرُوهُ يَزِدْكُمْ واسْتَغْفِرُوهُ يَغْفِرْ لكُمْ واتّقُوهُ يَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ مِنْ أَمْرِكُمْ مَخْرَجًا وَأَقِمِ الصّلَاة
Remember Allah, the Great – He will remember you. Thank Him for His favors – He will increase you therein. And seek forgiveness from Him – He will forgive you. And be conscious of Him – He will provide you a way out of difficult matters. And, establish the prayer.
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