https://www.khutbah.info/reflecting-upon-the-quran/ All praise is due to Allah the All Knowing Creator. He created mankind and knows what is inside their souls, hidden in their hearts and knows their natures and characteristics. We praise Him as He should be praised. For He has the most beautiful names and lofty attributes. And we do not praise anyone like we praise Him. And we are grateful to Him for the blessings and relief that He has bestowed upon us and the calamities that He has diverted from us. He revealed the Quran to the believers as guidance. And He made it dominant over all books. So be conscious of Allah and obey Him and adhere to His Book. For in the Quran is your guidance and direction. And the Quran is your happiness and tranquility. For the hearts find tranquility in the remembrance of Allah Almighty. And the Quran is the highest and greatest remembrance. Allah Almighty said: Ya-Sin (36) 69: It is not but a message and a clear Qur’ān The Quran is the book that Allah Almighty has made as a reminder to His servants. They will remember if they forget and they will take heed. By merely reciting and contemplating upon it, hearts rise above the lowest levels of this worldly life, and soar into the horizons until they reach the clouds of the sky showering Allah’s pardoning and mercy. And the hearts long for meeting Him and His paradise. And whoever does not taste the sweetness of Quran does not taste iman (faith).
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:
All praise is due to Allah the All Knowing Creator. He created mankind and knows what is inside their souls, hidden in their hearts and knows their natures and characteristics. We praise Him as He should be praised. For He has the most beautiful names and lofty attributes. And we do not praise anyone like we praise Him. And we are grateful to Him for the blessings and relief that He has bestowed upon us and the calamities that He has diverted from us. He revealed the Quran to the believers as guidance. And He made it dominant over all books. So be conscious of Allah and obey Him and adhere to His Book. For in the Quran is your guidance and direction. And the Quran is your happiness and tranquility. For the hearts find tranquility in the remembrance of Allah Almighty. And the Quran is the highest and greatest remembrance. Allah Almighty said:
إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌ وَقُرْآنٌ مُبِينٌ-يس: 69
Ya-Sin (36) 69: It is not but a message and a clear Qur’ān
The Quran is the book that Allah Almighty has made as a reminder to His servants. They will remember if they forget and they will take heed. By merely reciting and contemplating upon it, hearts rise above the lowest levels of this worldly life, and soar into the horizons until they reach the clouds of the sky showering Allah’s pardoning and mercy. And the hearts long for meeting Him and His paradise. And whoever does not taste the sweetness of Quran does not taste iman (faith).
And in numerous verses in the Quran, it is described as remembrance and a reminder. And time does not permit mentioning all the verses in this regard even without commenting on them. This indicates that the remembrance through the Quran is important. And since it is a reminder to the believer, it is one of the descriptions of the Quran that the believer must not neglect. Otherwise, he will be among the heedless. Allah Almighty said:
فَذَكِّرْ بِالْقُرْآنِ مَنْ يَخَافُ وَعِيدِ-ق: 45
Qaf (50) 45: But remind by the Qur’ān whoever fears My threat.
And remembrance is by the heart and the tongue. And it is of two types, remembrance and mentioning. As far as the first type, remembrance, it is reminder against forgetfulness and neglect, and remembrance of Allah Almighty at all times. And the Quran is a reminder of Him Almighty so it is remembrance. And it is a remembrance of His Names, Attributes, Signs, Actions, and Provisions. So the reciter of the Quran is remembering Allah Almighty. And for that reason the Quran is the greatest remembrance.
And in the Quran, mankind, their origin, history, conditions and conclusions are revealed. This is so that they know their reality. So that they not desist from worshipping their Lord, are not arrogant over other people and perform deeds for their hereafter.
And the second type of remembrance is mentioning or honoring. And in the Quran the followers of the Quran are honored and will always be remembered because of it. And the Arabic language has been honored through the Qur’an. And its staying on earth is because of the Quran. And if it were not for the Quran, the Arabic language would not have remained. And the Arabs would not have been known among the people. And this type of remembrance or mentioning is indicated in Allah’s words:
لَقَدْ أَنْزَلْنَا إِلَيكُمْ كِتَابًا فِيه ذِكْرُكُمْ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ-الْأنبياء: 10
Al Anbya (21) 10: We have certainly sent down to you a Book [i.e., the Qur’ān] in which is your mention (a reminder or an honor for the followers of the Quran). Then will you not reason?
That is, in it is your honor until the end of time, as great matters are mentioned. Also, Allah Almighty said:
وَإِنَّهُ لَذِكْرٌ لَكَ وَلِقَوْمِكَ-الزُّخْرُف: 44
Az Zukhruf (43) 44: And indeed, it is an honor (or a reminder or a remembrance) for you and your people.
This makes it imperative for the Arabic speaking community to thank Allah Almighty for revealing the Quran in their language. And making it a reason for their mention for the rest of time. To the point that the non-Arabic speakers learn the Arabic language for the sake of the Quran. And although they outnumber the Arabs, the Arabic language has been honored because it is the medium for the Quran.
And gratitude is only by taking the Qur’an as a remembrance. And it is a reminder and reminding by it. Remembrance by reciting and reflecting upon it, and affirming its news, and implementing its ordainments, and stopping at its limits, and magnifying its sanctities and taking heed from it. Allah Almighty said:
وَأَنْزَلْنَا إِلَيكَ الذِّكْرَ لِتُبَيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ مَا نُزِّلَ إِلَيْهِمْ-النَّحْلِ: 44
An Nahl (16) 44: And We revealed to you the message [i.e., the Qur’ān] that you may make clear to the people what was sent down to them.
And Allah Almighty said:
ص وَالْقُرْآنِ ذِي الذِّكْرِ- ص: 1
Sad (38) 1: Ṣād. By the Qur’ān containing reminder
For remembrance is the speech that is remembered. That is through reciting and repeating, understanding and contemplating, and acting upon what is in it.
And the Quran is described as a reminder. Allah Almighty said:
كِتَابٌ أُنْزِلَ إِلَيكَ فَلَا يَكُنْ فِي صَدْرِكَ حَرَجٌ مِنْه لِتُنْذِرَ بِهِ وَذِكْرَى لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ-الْأَعْرَافَ: 2
Al A’raf (7) 2: [This is] a Book revealed to you, [O Muḥammad] – so let there not be in your breast distress therefrom – that you may warn thereby and as a reminder to the believers.
So it is a warning for the disbelievers and a reminder for the believers. And when the polytheists requested a sign, Allah Almighty responded to them that the Quran is the greatest sign that reminds of Him the Exalted:
أَوَلَمْ يَكْفِهِمْ أَنَّا أَنْزَلْنَا عَلَيكَ الْكِتَابَ يُتْلَى عَلَيْهِمْ إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَرَحْمَةً وَذِكْرَى لِقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ-الْعَنْكَبُوتَ: 51
Al ‘Ankabot (29) 51: And is it not sufficient for them that We revealed to you the Book [i.e., the Qur’ān] which is recited to them? Indeed in that is a mercy and reminder for a people who believe.
And a reminder is the means by which something is remembered and it is more extensive than indicating. Allah Almighty said:
مَا أَنْزَلْنَا عَلَيكَ الْقُرْآنَ لِتَشْقَى* إلّا تَذْكِرَةً لِمَنْ يَخْشَى-طه:2- 3
Ta-Ha (20) 2-3: (2) We have not sent down to you the Qur’ān that you be distressed (3) But only as a reminder for those who fear [Allāh]
So it is a continuous, renewed remembrance in which parts of it support other parts. And its integrity remains. And it is not made obsolete by repeating it over and over. And its wonders do not run out. And a reminder with this description (the Quran) mandates turning to it and not turning away from it.
Indeed, the wise and prudent person pains when he sees some young Muslims who have turned away from the Quran, while the Quran is the absolute truth, definite remembrance and up to date. They go to other sources searching for the mysteries of existence and the beginnings of creation, while Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said:
كَيْفَ تَسْأَلُونَ أهْلَ الْكِتَابِ عَنْ كُتُبِهِمْ، وَعِنْدَكُمْ كِتَابُ اللَّهِ، أقْرَبُ الْكُتُبِ عَهْدًا بِاللَّهِ، تَقْرَؤُونَهُ مَحْضًا لَمْ يُشَبْ”. رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ.
How can you ask the people of the Scriptures about their Books while you have Allah’s Book (the Qur’an) which is the most recent of the Books revealed by Allah, and you read it in its pure undistorted form? [Sahih al-Bukhari 7522]
Allah Almighty said:
وَمَنْ أَعْرَضَ عَنْ ذِكْرِي فَإِنَّ لَهُ مَعِيشَةً ضَنْكًا وَنَحْشُرُهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَعْمَى * قَالَ رَبِّ لِمَ حَشَرْتَنِي أَعْمَى وَقَدْ كُنْتُ بَصِيرًا * قَالَ كَذَلِكَ أَتَتْكَ آَيَاتُنَا فَنَسِيتَهَا وَكَذَلِكَ الْيَوْمَ تُنْسَى-طه: 124- 126
Ta-Ha (20) 124-126: (124) And whoever turns away from My remembrance – indeed, he will have a depressed [i.e., difficult] life, and We will gather [i.e., raise] him on the Day of Resurrection blind. (125) He will say, “My Lord, why have you raised me blind while I was [once] seeing?” [Allāh] (126) [Allāh] will say, “Thus did Our signs come to you, and you forgot [i.e., disregarded] them; and thus will you this Day be forgotten.”
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:
Turning away from the remembrance of the Qur’an is the greatest loss, and most severe disappointment and the most extreme deprivation. Allah Almighty said:
فَمَا لَهُمْ عَنِ التَّذْكِرَةِ مُعْرِضِينَ-الْمُدَّثِّرَ:49
Al Muddathir (74) 49: Then what is [the matter] with them that they are, from the reminder, turning away.
And in another verse:
وَمَا يَأْتِيهِمْ مِنْ ذِكْرٍ مِنَ الرَّحْمَنِ مُحْدَثٍ إِلَّا كَانُوا عَنْهُ مُعْرِضِينَ-الشُّعرَاءَ: 5
Ash-Shu’ara (26) 5: And no mention [i.e., revelation] comes to them anew from the Most Merciful except that they turn away from it.
And those who turn away are the most misguided, unjust and sinful people. Because the remembrance of Allah is between their hands and they turn away from it:
وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنْ ذُكِّرَ بِآَيَاتِ رَبِّهِ ثُمَّ أَعْرَضَ عَنْهَا إِنَّا مِنَ الْمُجْرِمِينَ مُنْتَقِمُونَ-السَّجْدَة: 22
As-Sajdah (32) 22: And who is more unjust than one who is reminded of the verses of his Lord; then he turns away from them? Indeed We, from the criminals, will take retribution.
And their punishment in this world is being dominated by companions of devils, who turn them away even more from the remembrance of the Book:
وَمَنْ يَعْشُ عَنْ ذِكْرِ الرَّحْمَنِ نُقَيِّضْ لَهُ شَيْطَانًا فَهُوَ لَهُ قَرِينٌ-الزُّخْرُفَ: 36
Az Zukhruf (43) 36: And whoever is blinded from remembrance of the Most Merciful – We appoint for him a devil, and he is to him a companion.
That is whoever turns a blind eye and turns away.
So it is not surprising that those who turn away from the Quran are the most severely opposed to Islam, mock its rituals the most, revile its ordainments and have malice towards its followers who adhere to it. This is because their devils have overpowered them for turning away from the Quran.
وَمَنْ يُعْرِضْ عَنْ ذِكْرِ رَبِّهِ يَسْلُكْهُ عَذَابًا صَعَدًا-الْجِنَّ: 17
Al Jinn (72) 17: And whoever turns away from the remembrance of his Lord He will put into arduous punishment.
Allah – the Most High – has transferred the believers through the Quran from the doom of ignorance to the life of knowledge. And He revived them through the Quran from the loss of misguidance to the life of guidance. And He revived them through the Quran from the loss of atheism and denial to the life of iman (faith). And He revived them through the Quran from the doom of sins and misdeeds to the life of goodness and righteous deeds. And He revived them through the Quran from the doom of desires and doubts to the life of steadfastness and conviction. And every heart has a soul and life to the extent that it contains knowledge of the Quran and acting upon it. So let us turn to what Allah has made for our hearts a soul, and life and light. And let us not abandon it or replace it with something else. For it is our happiness and salvation and we will be asked about it on the Day of Resurrection. Allah Almighty said:
فَاسْتَمْسِكْ بِالَّذِي أُوحِيَ إِلَيْكَ إِنَّكَ عَلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ * وَإِنَّهُ لَذِكْرٌ لَكَ وَلِقَوْمِكَ وَسَوْفَ تُسْأَلُونَ-الزُّخْرُفِ: 43-44
Az Zukhruf (43) 43-44: (43) So adhere to that which is revealed to you. Indeed, you are on a straight path. (44) And indeed, it is an honor (or a reminder or a remembrance) for you and your people, and you [all] are going to be questioned.
Oh Allah revive our hearts with the Quran and fill our hearts with life, light, joy and tranquility, 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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