https://www.khutbah.info/social-media/ Out of Allah’s knowledge and wisdom, He creates for His servants great means that they do not expect, which necessitates reflecting upon Allah’s graces and blessings. Allah Almighty said: Al Baqarah (2) 29: It is He who created for you all of that which is on the earth. And for this reason, Sulayman, peace be upon him, said when Allah Almighty taught him the language of the birds: An Naml (27) 40: This is from the favor of my Lord to test me whether I will be grateful or ungrateful. Indeed Allah’s blessings are continuous. People do not enjoy a grace except that it is followed by another one; graces in wealth, and graces in livelihood, and graces that have facilitated modern life bringing distances closer and compressing time. The person in the east hears the greeting from somebody in the west instantly as if it took no time to arrive. And if someone sighs in the north, the one listening in the south hears it instantly as if it took no time to reach.
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:
Out of Allah’s knowledge and wisdom, He creates for His servants great means that they do not expect, which necessitates reflecting upon Allah’s graces and blessings. Allah Almighty said:
هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ لَكُمْ مَا فِي الْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا -البقرة: 29
Al Baqarah (2) 29: It is He who created for you all of that which is on the earth.
And for this reason, Sulayman, peace be upon him, said when Allah Almighty taught him the language of the birds:
هَذَا مِنْ فَضْلِ رَبِّي لِيَبْلُوَنِي أَأَشْكُرُ أَمْ أَكْفُرُ-النمل: 40
An Naml (27) 40: This is from the favor of my Lord to test me whether I will be grateful or ungrateful.
Indeed Allah’s blessings are continuous. People do not enjoy a grace except that it is followed by another one; graces in wealth, and graces in livelihood, and graces that have facilitated modern life bringing distances closer and compressing time.
The person in the east hears the greeting from somebody in the west instantly as if it took no time to arrive. And if someone sighs in the north, the one listening in the south hears it instantly as if it took no time to reach.
It is an amazing reality. If such a thing would have been mentioned to our forefathers they would have considered it nothing more than daydreaming or a figment of the imagination or wishful thinking that only exists in the imagination with no chance of becoming a reality.
For them, the one who travelled far away was considered absent and missing until he returned. And for them to hear about matters that happened in nearby communities took a long time.
Now a word barely exits someone’s mouth and it is heard virtually instantly halfway across the world or seen on their screen. A person explores far off lands while he is resting in the comfort of his home and doesn’t even need to sit up. For he doesn’t need to leave his home to learn all of that. And he doesn’t need to go to people’s homes and gatherings to learn their news. It is the blessing of social media and modern communication media, that has amazed minds and captivated the eyes and ears with its speed, accuracy and reliability. It is a great blessing from Allah to test mankind whether they will be grateful or deny. Will they use it for what pleases Allah and for what is permitted or will they use it to exceed the limits of Allah or hoover around the His limits almost falling in ?! Allah Almighty said:
وَقَلِيلٌ مِنْ عِبَادِيَ الشَّكُورُ-سبأ: 13
Saba (34) 13: And few of My servants are grateful.
Due to the fast progress made in means of communications, many people are not able to distinguish between its good and evil. They do not realize that it is just like any other types of media that have good and bad, as well as sins and benefits. And its good is wonderful, and its bad is ugly. However, its nature and newness have produced practices indifferent to morals and traditions. And goodness mixed with the disgraceful. And a person’s fingertips have come to represent his thoughts more than his mind and tongue. Most of the time, through social media, people communicate in isolation from one another and not face to face. Because of that, people do not realize the weightiness of their words and the serious consequences.
The Prophet ﷺ disliked he said/she said. However, social media is full of gossip, slander, backbiting, mocking, ridiculing and deriding except for those saved from it through the mercy of Allah. The Prophet warned of the seriousness of communications saying:
إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ لَيَتَكَلَّمُ بِالْكَلِمَةِ، مَا يَتَبَيَّنُ مَا فِيهَا، يَهْوِي بِهَا فِي النَّارِ، أَبْعَدَ مَا بَيْنَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ-البخاري ومسلم
A person may say a statement, without realizing its significance, causing him to descend into the fire for a distance greater than between the east and the west. [Bukhari 6478, Muslim 2988b]
When this hadith was mentioned before the advances in technology, people’s understanding was confined and limited to their reality at the time. However, now the meaning has become clearer and broader.
Among the biggest mistakes is to consider these means of communications as ends and not just as means. Otherwise, one should not be surprised to see a generation growing up with scattered thinking and shaky foundations. Being easy to manipulate and brain wash and not having a will of their own; if the people are corrupt, then they are corrupt and if people transgress then they also transgress. And Allah Almighty said:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْفُسَكُمْ لَا يَضُرُّكُمْ مَنْ ضَلَّ إِذَا اهْتَدَيْتُمْ إِلَى اللَّهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ جَمِيعًا فَيُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ-المائدة: 105
Al Maedah (34) 105: O you who have believed, upon you is [responsibility for] yourselves. Those who have gone astray will not harm you when you have been guided. To Allāh is your return all together; then He will inform you of what you used to do.
And the Prophet ﷺ said:
لاَ تَكُونُوا إِمَّعَةً تَقُولُونَ إِنْ أَحْسَنَ النَّاسُ أَحْسَنَّا وَإِنْ ظَلَمُوا ظَلَمْنَا وَلَكِنْ وَطِّنُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ إِنْ أَحْسَنَ النَّاسُ أَنْ تُحْسِنُوا وَإِنْ أَسَاءُوا فَلاَ تَظْلِمُوا
Do not be a person without a will of your own, saying, If people treat us well, we will treat them well; and if they do wrong, we will do wrong. But accustom yourselves to do good if people do good, and do not behave unjustly if they do evil. [Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2007]
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:
Know that social media and other means of communication are tools that Allah Almighty has made for our disposal. And it is a reality and there is no escaping. And there is no denying that it has good and evil aspects. So it is incumbent upon the wise, knowledgeable and those of sound understanding to outdo the evil, reckless and negligent. And it is necessary to extinguish the heat of recklessness and indifference with the coolness of patience and care and deliberation and responsibility.
So be conscious of Allah and know that these means of communication are like travel bags. So be careful with what you carry inside of them.
So rectify your deeds while you still have a chance. For you will be recompensed in the everlasting abode. Good will be rewarded with goodness and evil with ruin. Allah Almighty said:
قد أفلح مَنْ زَكَّاهَا (9) وَقَدْ خَابَ مَنْ دساها-الشمس 10
Ash Shams (34) 9-10: (9) He has succeeded who purifies it, (10) And he has failed who instills it (with corruption).
May Allah have mercy on those who realize their weaknesses and that they have a vigilant observer who is recording all their actions.
We ask Allah Almighty to make us among those having gratitude for His graces and to help us use them in the best possible fashion. 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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