https://www.khutbah.info/heedlessness/ There is no salvation except through a living heart, and the heart is sustained through remembrance of Allah Almighty and reflection, and dies through heedlessness and neglectfulness. Thus, heedlessness is what kills the heart, destroys people, and hinders them from good deeds. One of the most severe ways people are lured into sin is through blessings, and one of the greatest ways in which they are intoxicated by these blessings is heedlessness. When blessings abound and heedlessness takes hold, people are in danger. They are lured by blessings and, due to their heedlessness, they do not express gratitude, so they are seized in punishment without realizing it. Heedlessness brings worldly punishment before the punishment of the Hereafter:
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:
There is no salvation except through a living heart, and the heart is sustained through remembrance of Allah Almighty and reflection, and dies through heedlessness and neglectfulness. Thus, heedlessness is what kills the heart, destroys people, and hinders them from good deeds. One of the most severe ways people are lured into sin is through blessings, and one of the greatest ways in which they are intoxicated by these blessings is heedlessness. When blessings abound and heedlessness takes hold, people are in danger. They are lured by blessings and, due to their heedlessness, they do not express gratitude, so they are seized in punishment without realizing it. Heedlessness brings worldly punishment before the punishment of the Hereafter:
فَلَمَّا نَسُوا مَا ذُكِّرُوا بِهِ فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَبْوَابَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ حَتَّى إِذَا فَرِحُوا بِمَا أُوتُوا أَخَذْنَاهُمْ بَغْتَةً فَإِذَا هُمْ مُبْلِسُونَ-الْأَنْعَامِ 44
Al-An’am (6) 44: So when they forgot that by which they had been reminded, We opened to them the doors of every [good] thing until, when they rejoiced in that which they were given, We seized them suddenly, and they were [then] in despair.
And Allah said concerning Pharaoh and his people:
فَانْتَقَمْنَا مِنْهُمْ فَأَغْرَقْنَاهُمْ فِي الْيَمِّ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا وَكَانُوا عَنْهَا غَافِلِينَ-الْأَعْرَافِ 136
Al-A’raf (7) 136: So We took retribution from them, and We drowned them in the sea because they denied Our signs and were heedless of them.
They were heedless of Allah’s signs, so they denied them and were destroyed upon their disbelief and drowned. And the punishment of the Hereafter is more severe and more disgraceful.
Heedlessness is a cause of incapacitating the senses through which a person perceives the knowledge of Allah, reflects on His blessings and signs. Concerning the disbelievers, Allah said:
وَلَقَدْ ذَرَأْنَا لِجَهَنَّمَ كَثِيرًا مِنَ الْجِنِّ وَالْإِنْسِ لَهُمْ قُلُوبٌ لَا يَفْقَهُونَ بِهَا وَلَهُمْ أَعْيُنٌ لَا يُبْصِرُونَ بِهَا وَلَهُمْ آذَانٌ لَا يَسْمَعُونَ بِهَا أُولَئِكَ كَالْأَنْعَامِ بَلْ هُمْ أَضَلُّ أُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْغَافِلُونَ-الْأَعْرَافِ179
Al-A’raf (7) 179: And We have certainly created for Hell many of the jinn and mankind. They have hearts with which they do not understand, they have eyes with which they do not see, and they have ears with which they do not hear. Those are like livestock; rather, they are more astray. It is they who are the heedless.
Thus, Allah Almighty described them as heedless, and that heedlessness disabled the means of knowing the Lord, so they became more astray than livestock:
أَمْ تَحْسَبُ أَنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ يَسْمَعُونَ أَوْ يَعْقِلُونَ إِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا كَالْأَنْعَامِ بَلْ هُمْ أَضَلُّ سَبِيلًا-الْفُرْقَانِ44
Al-Furqan (25) 44: Or do you think that most of them hear or reason? They are not except like livestock. Rather, they are [even] more astray in [their] way.
Among the effects of heedlessness is the veiling the senses. Even if they hear the revelation, they do not follow it:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا سَوَاءٌ عَلَيْهِمْ أَأَنْذَرْتَهُمْ أَمْ لَمْ تُنْذِرْهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ * خَتَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ وَعَلَى سَمْعِهِمْ وَعَلَى أَبْصَارِهِمْ غِشَاوَةٌ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ-الْبَقَرَةِ 6-7
Al-Baqarah (2) 6-7: (6) Indeed, those who disbelieve – it is all the same for them whether you warn them or do not warn them – they will not believe. (7) Allah has set a seal upon their hearts and upon their hearing, and over their vision is a veil. And for them is a great punishment.
And in another verse:
أَفَرَأَيْتَ مَنِ اتَّخَذَ إِلَهَهُ هَوَاهُ وَأَضَلَّهُ اللَّهُ عَلَى عِلْمٍ وَخَتَمَ عَلَى سَمْعِهِ وَقَلْبِهِ وَجَعَلَ عَلَى بَصَرِهِ غِشَاوَةً فَمَنْ يَهْدِيهِ مِنْ بَعْدِ اللَّهِ أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ-الْجَاثِيَةِ 23
Al-Jathiyah (45) 23: Have you seen he who has taken as his god his [own] desire, and Allāh has sent him astray due to knowledge and has set a seal upon his hearing and his heart and put over his vision a veil? So who will guide him after Allāh? Then will you not be reminded?
Another effect of heedlessness is sealing the hearts of the heedless, as well as their hearing and vision, so they do not take heed of admonitions, do not remember when reminded, and do not benefit from revelation. As Allah said regarding the disbelieving rejecters:
ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمُ اسْتَحَبُّوا الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا عَلَى الْآخِرَةِ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْكَافِرِينَ * أُولَئِكَ الَّذِينَ طَبَعَ اللَّهُ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ وَسَمْعِهِمْ وَأَبْصَارِهِمْ وَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْغَافِلُونَ-النَّحْلِ 107-108
An-Nahl (16) 107-108: (107) That is because they preferred the worldly life over the Hereafter and that Allāh does not guide the disbelieving people. (108) Those are the ones over whose hearts and hearing and vision Allāh has sealed, and it is those who are the heedless.
And He, the Exalted, said about the hypocrites:
رَضُوا بِأَنْ يَكُونُوا مَعَ الْخَوَالِفِ وَطَبَعَ اللَّهُ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ فَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ-التَّوْبَةِ 93
At-Tawbah (9) 93: They are satisfied to be with those who stay behind, and Allāh has sealed over their hearts, so they do not know.
And He, the Exalted, said:
ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ آمَنُوا ثُمَّ كَفَرُوا فَطُبِعَ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ فَهُمْ لَا يَفْقَهُونَ-الْمُنَافِقُونَ 3
Al-Munafiqun (63) 3: That is because they believed, and then they disbelieved; so their hearts were sealed over, and they do not understand.
Despite the fact that the hypocrites mingled with the Prophet ﷺ, listened to his words, witnessed the descent of revelation upon him, and saw the clear signs of his truthfulness, they still did not believe in him because heedlessness enveloped their hearts, so they were sealed, and faith did not enter them.
And among the effects of heedlessness is the turning away from truth towards falsehood, and arguing in support of falsehood to defend it, and disputing the truth to reject it. Allah, the Exalted, says:
سَأَصْرِفُ عَنْ آيَاتِيَ الَّذِينَ يَتَكَبَّرُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ وَإِنْ يَرَوْا كُلَّ آيَةٍ لَا يُؤْمِنُوا بِهَا وَإِنْ يَرَوْا سَبِيلَ الرُّشْدِ لَا يَتَّخِذُوهُ سَبِيلًا وَإِنْ يَرَوْا سَبِيلَ الْغَيِّ يَتَّخِذُوهُ سَبِيلًا ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا وَكَانُوا عَنْهَا غَافِلِينَ-الْأَعْرَافِ 146
A’raf (7) 146: I will turn away from My signs those who are arrogant upon the earth without right; and if they should see every sign, they will not believe in it. And if they see the way of consciousness, they will not adopt it as a way; but if they see the way of error, they will adopt it as a way. That is because they have denied Our signs and they were heedless of them.
Their heedlessness of Allah, the Exalted, and His signs was the reason for their being turned away from the truth. And Allah, the Exalted, says:
الَّذِينَ يُجَادِلُونَ فِي آيَاتِ اللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ سُلْطَانٍ أَتَاهُمْ كَبُرَ مَقْتًا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ وَعِنْدَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كَذَلِكَ يَطْبَعُ اللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ قَلْبِ مُتَكَبِّرٍ جَبَّارٍ-غَافِرٍ 35
Ghafir (40) 35: Those who dispute concerning the signs of Allāh without an authority having come to them – great is hatred [of them] in the sight of Allāh and in the sight of those who have believed. Thus does Allāh seal over every heart [belonging to] an arrogant tyrant.
And among the effects of heedlessness is inattentiveness to the means of happiness in this world and the Hereafter. People’s benefits, both now and later, are in the hands of Allah, the Exalted. Whoever is heedless of Allah, the Exalted, and His religion and forgets Him, Allah Almighty will cause them to forget what is in their best interests. Allah, the Exalted, says about the hypocrites:
نَسُوا اللَّهَ فَنَسِيَهُمْ-التَّوْبَةِ 67
At-Tawbah (9) 67: They have forgotten Allāh, so He has forgotten them [accordingly].
And He forbids the believers from being like them, saying:
وَلَا تَكُونُوا كَالَّذِينَ نَسُوا اللَّهَ فَأَنْسَاهُمْ أَنْفُسَهُمْ أُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ-الْحَشْرِ 19
Al-Hashr (59)19: And be not like those who forgot Allāh, so He made them forget themselves. Those are the defiantly disobedient.
Meaning: Do not forget the remembrance of Allah, the Exalted, so that He makes you forget to act in your own interests.
And whoever reflects on the condition of those who are immersed in this worldly life and its pleasures, heedless of Allah Almighty, and His religion, will find that they are in constant pursuit of forbidden desires and rushing for more of cheap thrills. Yet, these do not satisfy their eyes, quench their thirst, or bring them the happiness that they hope for. How can they be happy when their hearts are heedless of the source of their life, joy, and contentment, which is the knowledge of Allah Exalted, His remembrance, and worshiping Him Almighty?
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:
One of the greatest effects of heedlessness towards Allah Exalted and His religion is being deprived of success in the Hereafter. For those whose hearts are engulfed by heedlessness turn away from Allah’s religion and pay no attention to it, just like the disbelievers and hypocrites. Allah Exalted says about their fate and the recompense of their heedlessness:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ لَا يَرْجُونَ لِقَاءَنَا وَرَضُوا بِالْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَاطْمَأَنُّوا بِهَا وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ عَنْ آيَاتِنَا غَافِلُونَ * أُولَئِكَ مَأْوَاهُمُ النَّارُ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ-يُونُسَ 7-8
Yunus (10) 7-8: (7) Indeed, those who do not expect the meeting with Us and are satisfied with the life of this world and feel secure therein and those who are heedless of Our signs – (8) For those their refuge will be the Fire because of what they used to earn.
In another verse Allah Almighty says:
وَأَنْذِرْهُمْ يَوْمَ الْحَسْرَةِ إِذْ قُضِيَ الْأَمْرُ وَهُمْ فِي غَفْلَةٍ وَهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ-مَرْيَمَ 39
Maryam (19) 39: And warn them, [O Muḥammad], of the Day of Regret, when the matter will be concluded; and [yet], they are in [a state of] heedlessness, and they do not believe.
To the extent that a believer is heedless of Allah Almighty, their reward decreases, and their rank is lowered. That is why the people of Paradise will have levels, some above others, and they will be distinguished according to their extent of remembering Allah Almighty and acting in accordance with His religion. Allah Almighty says:
انْظُرْ كَيْفَ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ وَلَلْآخِرَةُ أَكْبَرُ دَرَجَاتٍ وَأَكْبَرُ تَفْضِيلًا-الْإِسْرَاءِ 21
Al-Isra (17) 21: Look how We have favored [in provision] some of them over others. But the Hereafter is greater in degrees [of difference] and greater in distinction.
Allah, the Exalted, warned the believers against heedlessness because of its severe impact upon the heart. He commanded His Prophet ﷺ:
وَاذْكُرْ رَبَّكَ فِي نَفْسِكَ تَضَرُّعًا وَخِيفَةً وَدُونَ الْجَهْرِ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ بِالْغُدُوِّ وَالْآصَالِ وَلَا تَكُنْ مِنَ الْغَافِلِينَ-الْأَعْرَافِ 205
Al-A’raf (7) 205: And remember your Lord within yourself in humility and in fear without being apparent in speech – in the mornings and the evenings. And do not be among the heedless.
His Messenger ﷺ would remember Allah, the Exalted, at all times, worship Him in all circumstances, supplicate to Him in both ease and difficulty, seek refuge in Him during times of hardship and prosperity, and was mindful of Him in all matters.
So a believer should frequently remember Allah, the Exalted, at all times, with their heart, tongue, and limbs. Reflecting on His greatness and blessings is remembrance. Moving the tongue with glorification, praise, and the declaration of faith, as well as reciting the Qur’an, is remembrance; and all acts of obedience are remembrance. As Allah, the Exalted, says about prayer:
وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ لِذِكْرِي-طه 14
Taha (20) 14: And establish prayer for My remembrance.
And Muslims should accompany those with living hearts who remind them when they forget, alert them when they are inattentive, and help them in remembering and being grateful to Allah. Allah, the Exalted, says:
وَاصْبِرْ نَفْسَكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُمْ بِالْغَدَاةِ وَالْعَشِيِّ يُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَهُ-الْكَهْفِ 28
Al-Kahf (18) 28: And keep yourself patient [by being] with those who call upon their Lord in the morning and the evening, seeking His face [i.e., acceptance].
Indeed, Allah Almighty remembers those who remember Him:
فَاذْكُرُونِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ-الْبَقَرَةِ 152
Al-Baqarah (2) 152: So remember Me; I will remember you.
And He Almighty forgets those who forget Him:
نَسُوا اللَّهَ فَنَسِيَهُمْ-التَّوْبَةِ 67
At-Tawbah (9) 67: They have forgotten Allāh, so He has forgotten them [accordingly].
We seek refuge in Allah, the Exalted, from heedlessness, and we ask Him to help us remember Him, thank Him, and worship Him in the best manner. Indeed, He is the 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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