https://www.khutbah.info/parable-of-the-rain/ Making it rain is one of the exclusive attributes of Lordship. It is among the factors mandating servitude to Allah the Exalted. In acknowledgment of His Divine Might. And complying with His commands and shariah. And being grateful to Him for His bounties and favors. And from the Quranic examples of the blessed rain is likening the earth after the rain to the worldly life that blossoms for its people. Then they are struck by its afflictions. Or they die and leave it after they gathered in it what they had gathered. And built what they built. The dweller does not remain. And the homes do not remain in their state and beauty. Rather all leave to be succeeded by others.
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:
Be conscious of Allah the Exalted, obey Him and be grateful to Him for His great favors that he has bestowed upon you. For he has guided you to Iman (faith) and taught you the Quran, covered you with security, quenched your lands with rain, and gave you from all good and repelled the evil from you.
وَمَا بِكُمْ مِنْ نِعْمَةٍ فَمِنَ اللَّهِ النَّحْلِ: 53
An Nahl (16) 53: And whatever you have of favor – it is from Allah. Then when adversity touches you, to Him you cry for help.
Making it rain is one of the exclusive attributes of Lordship. It is among the factors mandating servitude to Allah the Exalted. In acknowledgment of His Divine Might. And complying with His commands and shariah. And being grateful to Him for His bounties and favors.
وَهُوَ الَّذِي يُنَزِّلُ الْغَيْثَ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا قَنَطُوا وَيَنْشُرُ رَحْمَتَهُ وَهُوَ الْوَلِيُّ الْحَمِيدُ الشُّورَى: 28
As-Shura (42) 28: And it is He who sends down the rain after they had despaired and spreads His mercy. And He is the Protector, the Praiseworthy.
And for the impact of the blessed rain on people’s lives. And the changes that happen on the land because of it. For indeed Allah the Exalted presented it as an example:
وَيَضْرِبُ اللَّهُ الْأَمْثَالَ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ: 25
Ibrahim (14) 25: And Allah presents examples for the people that perhaps they will be reminded.
And from the Quranic examples of the blessed rain is likening the earth after the rain to the worldly life that blossoms for its people. Then they are struck by its afflictions. Or they die and leave it after they gathered in it what they had gathered. And built what they built. The dweller does not remain. And the homes do not remain in their state and beauty. Rather all leave to be succeeded by others.
And because of the importance of this great example. And so that the readers of the Qur’an become aware of it. It was repeated to them in four places in the Book of Allah Almighty:
Allah Almighty mentioned it in Surat Yunus:
إِنَّمَا مَثَلُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا كَمَاءٍ أَنْزَلْنَاهُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ فَاخْتَلَطَ بِهِ نَبَاتُ الْأَرْضِ مِمَّا يَأْكُلُ النَّاسُ وَالْأَنْعَامُ حَتَّى إِذَا أَخَذَتِ الْأَرْضُ زُخْرُفَهَا وَازَّيَّنَتْ وَظَنَّ أَهْلُهَا أَنَّهُمْ قَادِرُونَ عَلَيْهَا أَتَاهَا أَمْرُنَا لَيْلًا أَوْ نَهَارًا فَجَعَلْنَاهَا حَصِيدًا كَأَنْ لَمْ تَغْنَ بِالْأَمْسِ كَذَلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ الْآيَاتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ يُونُسَ: 24 .
Yunus (10) 24: The example of [this] worldly life is but like rain which We have sent down from the sky that the plants of the earth absorb – [those] from which men and livestock eat – until, when the earth has taken on its adornment and is beautified and its people suppose that they have capability over it, there comes to it Our command by night or by day, and We make it as a harvest, as if it had not flourished yesterday. Thus do We explain in detail the signs for a people who give thought.
The worldly life blossoms for its inhabitants with security, wealth, prestige and well-being. To the point that he thinks that it will never go away from him:
وَظَنَّ أَهْلُهَا أَنَّهُمْ قَادِرُونَ عَلَيْهَا
“its people suppose that they have capability over it”
How it eloquently expresses how the weak human is deceived by the capabilities and strength that he was given in his worldly life. And he does not know that its removal is close through a calamity that he did not take into account. He displays ability but he is helpless. He claims strength but he is weak. And he exhibits self-sufficiency but is needy of Allah the Exalted.
This corrupt thinking is destructive and it befalls individuals as it befalls nations. There are people who got rich quickly. And they thought that they would never be poor. And then their fortunes slipped away while they were watching. Just as happened during the stock market crash. And there were cities that blossomed with construction and buildings and were filled with tourists and visitors. Then the sea swallowed it. Or it was struck by a powerful earthquake. Then its inhabitants lost their loved ones, wealth and homes in an instant. And they ended up with nothing.
أَتَاهَا أَمْرُنَا لَيْلًا أَوْ نَهَارًا فَجَعَلْنَاهَا حَصِيدًا كَأَنْ لَمْ تَغْنَ بِالْأَمْسِ
There comes to it Our command by night or by day, and We make it as a harvest, as if it had not flourished yesterday.
What a scary thing. The person should not incline towards this worldly life and should not feel secure from the plan of Allah:
أَفَأَمِنَ أَهْلُ الْقُرَى أَنْ يَأْتِيَهُمْ بَأْسُنَا بَيَاتًا وَهُمْ نَائِمُونَ * أَوَأَمِنَ أَهْلُ الْقُرَى أَنْ يَأْتِيَهُمْ بَأْسُنَا ضُحًى وَهُمْ يَلْعَبُونَ * أَفَأَمِنُوا مَكْرَ اللَّهِ فَلَا يَأْمَنُ مَكْرَ اللَّهِ إِلَّا الْقَوْمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ الْأَعْرَافِ: 97-99
Al Araf (7) 97-99: (97) Then, did the people of the cities feel secure from Our punishment coming to them at night while they were asleep? (98) Or did the people of the cities feel secure from Our punishment coming to them in the morning while they were at play? (99) Then, did they feel secure from the plan of Allah? But no one feels secure from the plan of Allah except the losing people.
And this example was repeated in Surah Kahf which is read every Friday. So that the one who reads it takes heed.
وَاضْرِبْ لَهُمْ مَثَلَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا كَمَاءٍ أَنْزَلْنَاهُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ فَاخْتَلَطَ بِهِ نَبَاتُ الْأَرْضِ فَأَصْبَحَ هَشِيمًا تَذْرُوهُ الرِّيَاحُ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ مُقْتَدِرًا الْكَهْفِ: 45
Al Kahf (18) 45: And present to them the example of the life of this world, [its being] like rain which We send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth mingles with it and [then] it becomes dry remnants, scattered by the winds. And Allah is ever, over all things, Perfect in Ability.
Let us look at the beauty of the rain as it rains in abundance. Then the earth that has become saturated from it. And the people go out to its plains, desert, and valleys, so that they could enjoy the sight of the flowing water. And they fill their chests with the scent of its dew and mist. Then they enjoyed the greenery of the earth and its spring. Then their livestock grazed. And their gardens and vegetation were watered by it. And they crowded the green meadows seeking leisure and enjoyment in them. Then weeks after this joy and delight the green earth becomes yellow and its vegetation becomes dry. Then it breaks up and falls to be swept by the winds. And nothing remains of it. The dust of the earth returns along with its harshness and severity. And this is in the worldly life for the one who thinks about it. The wealth, prestige, money, security, and well-being that a person may obtain lasts for years and decades at the most. Then the body weakens as a result of old age. And the health declines. And the term approaches and the person occupied with this worldly life realizes what he has amassed does not benefit him at all. Rather he moves away from it to another home. That is, if he is not struck with a calamity beforehand.
And in most cases, as a person ages, the utility of the worldly life decreases for him. In the first part of his life when he is active and strong, he works and toils, and he lacks much of what he wants. Then he obtains from this worldly life after working and toiling at length but he has transitioned beyond his youth to old age. Those after him benefit from what he obtains. And this great example was referred to in Surah AzZumar. Allah the Exalted said:
أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ أَنْزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً فَسَلَكَهُ يَنَابِيعَ فِي الْأَرْضِ ثُمَّ يُخْرِجُ بِهِ زَرْعًا مُخْتَلِفًا أَلْوَانُهُ ثُمَّ يَهِيجُ فَتَرَاهُ مُصْفَرًّا ثُمَّ يَجْعَلُهُ حُطَامًا إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَذِكْرَى لِأُولِي الْأَلْبَابِالزُّمَرِ: 21
AzZumar (39) 21: Do you not see that Allah sends down rain from the sky and makes it flow as springs [and rivers] in the earth; then He produces thereby crops of varying colors; then they dry and you see them turned yellow; then He makes them [scattered] debris. Indeed in that is a reminder for those of understanding.
It is a living example before us that invites use to think and remember and to not be heedless. And it was repeated a fourth time in Surah Al Hadid. Allah the Exalted said:
اعْلَمُوا أَنَّمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا لَعِبٌ وَلَهْوٌ وَزِينَةٌ وَتَفَاخُرٌ بَيْنَكُمْ وَتَكَاثُرٌ فِي الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْأَوْلَادِ كَمَثَلِ غَيْثٍ أَعْجَبَ الْكُفَّارَ نَبَاتُهُ ثُمَّ يَهِيجُ فَتَرَاهُ مُصْفَرًّا ثُمَّ يَكُونُ حُطَامًا وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ وَمَغْفِرَةٌ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَرِضْوَانٌ وَمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا إِلَّا مَتَاعُ الْغُرُورِ الْحَدِيدِ: 20
Al Hadid (57) 20: Know that the life of this world is but amusement and diversion and adornment and boasting to one another and competition in increase of wealth and children – like the example of a rain whose [resulting] plant growth pleases the tillers; then it dries and you see it turned yellow; then it becomes [scattered] debris. And in the Hereafter is severe punishment and forgiveness from Allah and approval. And what is the worldly life except the enjoyment of delusion.
And this verse started with a command:
اعْلَمُوا أَنَّمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا
“Know that the life of this world”
Then afterwards Allah explained that it is simply amusement, diversion, adornment, boasting and competition in increasing.
He gave the example of the land that received rain. Then its plants became yellow and became debris. And the verse was concluded by clarifying the reality of the afterlife. So that a person can chose which of them he wants and perform deeds accordingly.
وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ وَمَغْفِرَةٌ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَرِضْوَانٌ وَمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا إِلَّا مَتَاعُ الْغُرُورِ
“And in the Hereafter is severe punishment and forgiveness from Allah and approval. And what is the worldly life except the enjoyment of delusion”
So these are four examples that Allah Almighty gave with regards to when the blessed rain adorns the earth and brings joy to sight. Then its impact quickly disappeared. And this is the state of this worldly life. Its beauty and adornment disappear and through death a person leaves it. And it is incumbent for the believer to take a lesson from these examples. Where the rain falls and what results from it. Then its disappearance after that. Indeed the heart benefits more from the examples and lessons than the earth benefits from the blessed rain. And examples and lessons in the Quran nourish the heart.
وَتِلْكَ الْأَمْثَالُ نَضْرِبُهَا لِلنَّاسِ وَمَا يَعْقِلُهَا إِلَّا الْعَالِمُونَ الْعَنْكَبُوتِ: 43
Al Ankaboot (29) 43: And these examples We present to the people, but none will understand them except those of knowledge.
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:
Only the deluded are deceived by the adornment of this world. And only the disappointed incline towards it. And he is like the one who thinks that the greenery of the earth will persist after the rain. And he does not know that the summer’s sun will burn it and the winds will sweep it away until there is nothing left of it. And in these four verses is an example for those who take heed. And a lesson for those who remember.
And after each of these four verses, Allah the Exalted guided to what will benefit a person. In Surah Yunus he guided to performing deeds for the everlasting afterlife:
وَاللَّهُ يَدْعُو إِلَى دَارِ السَّلَامِ وَيَهْدِي مَنْ يَشَاءُ إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ يُونُسَ: 25
Yunus (10) 25: And Allah invites to the Home of Peace [i.e., Paradise] and guides whom He wills to a straight path.
And He the Exalted guided in Surah Al Kahf to the righteous deeds. They are the enduring deeds:
الْمَالُ وَالْبَنُونَ زِينَةُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَالْبَاقِيَاتُ الصَّالِحَاتُ خَيْرٌ عِنْدَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابًا وَخَيْرٌ أَمَلًا الْكَهْفِ: 46
Al Kahf (18) 46: Wealth and children are [but] adornment of the worldly life. But the enduring good deeds are better to your Lord for reward and better for [one’s] hope.
And he guided in surah AzZumar to adherence to Islam and remembrance:
أَفَمَنْ شَرَحَ اللَّهُ صَدْرَهُ لِلْإِسْلَامِ فَهُوَ عَلَى نُورٍ مِنْ رَبِّهِ فَوَيْلٌ لِلْقَاسِيَةِ قُلُوبُهُمْ مِنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ أُولَئِكَ فِي ضَلَالٍ مُبِينٍ الزُّمَرِ: 22
AzZumar (39) 22: So is one whose chest Allah has expanded to [accept] Islam and he is upon [i.e., guided by] a light from his Lord [like one whose heart rejects it]? Then woe to those whose hearts are hardened against the remembrance of Allah. Those are in manifest error.
And He the Exalted in Surah Al Hadid guided to competing for the paradise. For it is the true success. And success is not something from this worldly life no matter how much it is:
سَابِقُوا إِلَى مَغْفِرَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا كَعَرْضِ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ أُعِدَّتْ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ ذَلِكَ فَضْلُ اللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَاللَّهُ ذُو الْفَضْلِ الْعَظِيمِ الْحَدِيدِ: 21
Al Hadid (57) 21: Race [i.e., compete] toward forgiveness from your Lord and a Garden whose width is like the width of the heavens and earth, prepared for those who believed in Allah and His messengers. That is the bounty of Allah which He gives to whom He wills, and Allah is the possessor of great bounty.
It is necessary for the believer to take a lesson from these examples. An to perform deeds in this world that will take him to the path of his afterlife. And he loves to meet His Lord for what awaits him from honor and success. And he does not incline to this world no matter how much of it he gets. And he should not be deceived no matter how long it persists for him. For it is treacherous and does not fulfill. And it deceives and is not genuine. And it is temporary and does not last.
وَمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا إِلَّا مَتَاعُ الْغُرُورِ الْحَدِيدِ: 20
Al Hadid (57) 20: And what is the worldly life except the enjoyment of delusion.
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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