Sermon's Title: Until They Change What is Within Themselves
Themes of the Sermon:
1- The repentance of a nation.
2- The unchanging universal laws of Allah.
3- The wisdom behind worldly punishments.
4- From what must the nation repent?
Praise be to Allah, who created man and perfected him, ordained the religion and made it precise, and decreed with justice, making His religion manifest. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone, without partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. May Allah send His peace and many blessings upon him.
To proceed: Fear Allah, O servants of Allah, as He should be feared, and be mindful of Him in private and in public.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ
“O you who believe, fear Allah as He should be feared and do not die except as Muslims [in submission to Him].” [Sūrat Āl ʿImrān: 102].
Servants of Allah:
Have you ever heard of a nation that repented in its entirety to Allah, the Lord of the worlds?
They were the people of Yūnus, peace be upon him. He called his people to Allah, but they denied him. He warned them of the punishment and torment of Allah. When the punishment of Allah drew near and they saw its first signs, they repented and turned back to Allah. Consequently, He lifted the punishment from them and made them an example for mankind. Allah, the Glorified, said:
فَلَوْلَا كَانَتْ قَرْيَةٌ آمَنَتْ فَنَفَعَهَا إِيمَانُهَا إِلَّا قَوْمَ يُونُسَ لَمَّا آمَنُوا كَشَفْنَا عَنْهُم عَذَابَ الْخِزْيِ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَمَتَّعْنَاهُمْ إِلَى حِينٍ
“Then has there not been a [single] city that believed so its faith benefited it except the people of Yūnus? When they believed, We removed from them the punishment of disgrace in worldly life and gave them enjoyment for a time.” [Sūrat Yūnus: 98].
This means: why did the other nations not believe, repent, and turn back to Allah so that Allah might benefit them through their repentance and faith, just like the people of Yūnus, peace be upon him!
Servants of Allah:
Among the actions of the Lord of the worlds are reward and punishment. Some rewards and punishments affect individuals, while others affect entire nations. Some occur in this world, and others occur in the Hereafter.
Allah has Divine promises for individuals and promises for the entire nation (Ummah), and every promise has its conditions and causes. Similarly, there are punishments for individuals and punishments for the nation, and every punishment has its necessity and reason.
Indeed, this Islamic Ummah is the best nation brought forth for mankind, as the Lord of mankind said:
كُنْتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ تَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَتَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ
“You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah.” [Sūrat Āl ʿImrān: 110].
However, being the "best" does not mean favoritism or bypassing Divine laws. Indeed, Allah has established laws (sunan) within His creation, and you will never find any change or alteration in His laws.
Among these Divine laws are the promises of security, victory, empowerment, and blessings for those who fulfill His condition. He, the Glorified, says:
وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنْكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ وَلَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمُ الَّذِي ارْتَضَى لَهُمْ وَلَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ خَوْفِهِمْ أَمْنًا يَعْبُدُونَنِي لَا يُشْرِكُونَ بِي شَيْئًا وَمَنْ كَفَرَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ
“Allah has promised those who have believed among you and done righteous deeds that He will surely grant them succession [to authority] upon the earth just as He granted it to those before them and that He will surely establish for them [therein] their religion which He has preferred for them and that He will surely substitute for them, after their fear, security, [for] they worship Me, not associating anything with Me. But whoever disbelieves after that—then those are the defiantly disobedient.” [Sūrat al-Nūr: 55].
And He, the Glorified, said:
وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَهَلَ الْقُرَى آمَنُوا وَاتَّقَوْا لَفَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ بَرَكَاتٍ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَلَكِنْ كَذَّبُوا فَأَخَذْنَاهُمْ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ
“And if only the people of the cities had believed and feared Allah, We would have opened upon them blessings from the heaven and the earth; but they denied [the messengers], so We seized them for what they were earning.” [Sūrat al-Aʿrāf: 96].
Among these laws are the Divine punishments sent as types of "lesser punishment" in this world—such as hardship, adversity, fear, hunger, poverty, abandonment, humiliation, division, hatred, the dominance of enemies, the loss of sovereignty, the decrease of crops, and the stripping away of blessings. These come upon those who deserve them by committing the acts that necessitate them. Allah, the Glorified, says:
وَضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلًا قَرْيَةً كَانَتْ آمِنَةً مُطْمَئِنَّةً يَأْتِيهَا رِزْقُهَا رَغَدًا مِنْ كُلِّ مَكَانٍ فَكَفَرَتْ بِأَنْعُمِ اللَّهِ فَأَذَاقَهَا اللَّهُ لِبَاسَ الْجُوعِ وَالْخَوْفِ بِمَا كَانُوا يَصْنَعُونَ
“And Allah presents an example: a city which was safe and secure, its provision coming to it in abundance from every location, but it denied the favors of Allah. So Allah made it taste the envelope of hunger and fear for what they had been doing.” [Sūrat al-Naḥl: 112].
The Prophet ﷺ said: “O assembly of the Emigrants (Muhājirūn), there are five things with which you may be tested—and I seek refuge with Allah lest you live to see them:
Immorality never appears among a people to such an extent that they publicize it, except that plagues and diseases spread among them which were never known to their ancestors who passed before them.
They do not cheat in weights and measures except that they are stricken with famine, severe calamity, and the oppression of the ruler.
They do not withhold the Zakāt of their wealth except that rain is withheld from the sky, and were it not for the animals, it would never rain.
They do not break their covenant with Allah and His Messenger except that Allah enables an enemy from outside their ranks to prevail over them and take away some of what is in their hands.
And as long as their leaders do not judge by the Book of Allah and choose from what Allah has revealed, Allah will cause them to fight one another.”(Narrated by Ibn Mājah).
You may wonder: what is the secret behind this lesser punishment?
Indeed, Allah the Exalted is more merciful to His servants than they are to themselves. He desires all good for them; He has bestowed His favors upon them, both apparent and unapparent, subjected for them whatever is in the heavens and the earth, produced for them all kinds of fruits, and sent down to them a Book containing their honor, glory, and dignity.
He ordained for them a straight religion through which their lives and interests are preserved in this world and the Hereafter. So, when they turn away from it, abandon His Law and His religion, and openly challenge Him with sins, He punishes them after much forbearance. He touches them with harm after great patience and respite, so that they may repent to Him and turn back to Him, the Glorified.
Have you not heard the words of your Lord:
وَلَنُذِيقَنَّهُمْ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ الْأَدْنَى دُونَ الْعَذَابِ الْأَكْبَرِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ
“And we will surely let them taste the nearer punishment short of the greater punishment that perhaps they will return [to repentance].” [Sūrat al-Sajdah: 21].
And He, the Glorified, said:
ظَهَرَ الْفَسَادُ فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِي النَّاسِ لِيُذِيقَهُمْ بَعْضَ الَّذِي عَمِلُوا لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ
“Corruption has appeared throughout the land and sea by [reason of] what the hands of people have earned so He may let them taste part of [the consequence of] what they have done that perhaps they will return [to righteousness].” [Sūrat al-Rūm: 41].
However, while some nations responded well to these Divine messages—repenting and turning back like the people of Yūnus, peace be upon him—most were deceived by Allah’s forbearance and the respite He gave them, and thus their end was destruction and total eradication. Allah, the Glorified, said:
وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا إِلَى أُمَمٍ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ فَأَخَذْنَاهُمْ بِالْبَأْسَاءِ وَالضَّرَّاءِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَضَرَّعُونَ * فَلَوْلَا إِذْ جَاءَهُمْ بَأْسُنَا تَضَرَّعُوا وَلَكِنْ قَسَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَزَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ * فَلَمَا نَسُوا مَا ذُكِّرُوا بِهِ فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَبْوَابَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ حَتَّى إِذَا فَرِحُوا بِمَا أُوتُوا أَخَذْنَاهُمْ بَغْتَةً فَإِذَا هُمْ مُبْلِسُونَ
“And We have already sent [messengers] to nations before you, then We seized them with poverty and hardship that perhaps they might humble themselves [to Us]. Then why, when Our punishment came to them, did they not humble themselves? But their hearts became hardened, and Satan made alluring to them that which they were doing. So when they forgot that by which they had been reminded, We opened for 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 dumbfounded despair.” [Sūrat al-Anʿām: 42-44].
Servants of Allah:
Indeed, our nation today suffers from humiliation, lowliness, fragmentation, and the dominance of the enemies of Allah from among the disbelievers and oppressors. This includes the assault on their lives, the desecration of their sanctities, the theft of their lands, the violation of their honor, and the plundering of their wealth and resources.
Security has vanished and poverty has prevailed in many Muslim lands. This necessitates a collective repentance from the Muslims to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. Allah the Exalted said:
وَتُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ
“And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed.” [Sūrat al-Nūr: 31].
He, the Glorified, also promised to lift the punishment from those who repent and seek forgiveness, saying:
وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ مُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَهُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ
“And Allah would not punish them while they seek forgiveness.” [Sūrat al-Anfāl: 33].
However, it is necessary to answer this question: From what must the nation repent, and who is addressed by this call?
The responsibility lies upon the entire nation: individuals and peoples, rulers and the ruled. It falls upon every Muslim according to their position, their negligence in performing what is obligatory, and their commission of what Allah has forbidden.
The first thing for which we must repent to Allah is turning away from His Sharīʿah, abandoning His Revelation, and replacing it with ideologies that contradict it—such as atheism, secularism, liberalism, feminism, nationalism, patriotism, "Abrahamic religion" syncretism, humanitarianism, grave-worship (qubūriyyah), Jahmism, and other methodologies that oppose the religion. We must return to the Divine Sharīʿah and the Muhammadian Sunnah.
We must repent to Allah for our attachment to other than Him, our submission to others, our obedience to His enemies in matters of disobedience to Him, and our seeking of dignity from the East or the West instead of Allah. We must declare with our hearts, tongues, and actions that we belong to Allah, and that our submission, obedience, and legislation belong to Him alone.
We must repent to Allah for seeking "liberation" from His Law and for seeking judgment from man-made laws. We must establish the Law of Allah in all affairs of our lives—in our creeds, thoughts, worship, dealings, relationships, and loyalties—for in that lies honor, dignity, and empowerment.
Every hater of Allah’s religion and His judgment, and every warrior against His Law, must repent. Their tongues and hands must be restrained from spreading misguidance and deviant thoughts. Islam must prevail over all religions, and Allah and His Messenger ﷺ must be truly supported in word and deed, even if the disbelievers dislike it.
We must repent to Allah for neglecting the Prayer, the Zakāt, and all other obligations. People must return to establishing the Prayer as Allah commanded and giving the Zakāt as Allah ordained—paying it to its rightful recipients in full without decrease.
We must repent to Allah for committing immoralities and publicizing them—such as nakedness and filthy celebrations—and from consuming usury, bribery, and forbidden transactions.
We must repent to Allah from oppression and aggression, from corruption and favoritism, from the theft of public funds, the corruption of consciences, and the consuming of the wealth of the weak and their deprivation.
We must repent to Allah from division, disagreement, and discord. We must abandon the partisanship of the days of ignorance (Jāhiliyyah), and the Muslims must return to being one body, a single hand against others, loving and hating for the sake of Allah and for Allah.
We must repent to Allah from leaning toward the worldly life, and from helplessness and laziness. We must sideline every ruwaybiḍah (unqualified person speaking on public affairs) and every promoter of insignificance. We must all stand with truth—to plant, to manufacture, to build everything beneficial, and to construct what sustains our lives and strikes fear into the enemy of Allah and our enemy.
Allah, the Glorified, said:
وَلَا يَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا سَبَقُوا إِنَّهُمْ لَا يُعْجِزُونَ * وَأَعِدُّوا لَهُمْ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ مِنْ قُوَّةٍ وَمِنْ رِبَاطِ الْخَيْلِ تُرْهِبُونَ بِهِ عَدُوَّ اللَّهِ وَعَدُوَّكُمْ
“And let not those who disbelieve think they will escape. Indeed, they will not cause failure [to Allah]. And prepare against them whatever you are able of power and of steeds of war by which you may terrify the enemy of Allah and your enemy.” [Sūrat al-Anfāl: 59-60].
Allah has linked outcomes to their causes. The sky does not rain gold or silver, and those who abandon work despite having the ability are sinful and negligent. Why did Allah command Nūḥ, peace be upon him, to build the Ark? Why did He teach Dāwūd, peace be upon him, the making of coats of mail and all types of weaponry? Why did Dhū al-Qarnayn stand calling those who sought his help, saying:
فَأَعِينُونِي بِقُوَّةٍ أَجْعَلْ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُمْ رَدْمًا * آتُونِي زُبَرَ الْحَدِيدِ حَتَّى إِذَا سَاوَى بَيْنَ الصَّدَفَيْنِ قَالَ انْفُخُوا حَتَّى إِذَا جَعَلَهُ نَارًا قَالَ آتُونِي أُفْرِغْ عَلَيْهِ قِطْرًا * فَمَا اسْطَاعُوا أَنْ يَظْهَرُوهُ وَمَا اسْتَطَاعُوا لَهُ نَقْبًا
“So assist me with strength; I will make between you and them a dam. Bring me sheets of iron” – until, when he had leveled [them] between the two mountain walls, he said, “Blow [with bellows],” until when he had made it [like] fire, he said, “Bring me, that I may pour over it molten copper.” So they [i.e., Gog and Magog] were unable to pass over it, nor were they able [to effect] in it any penetration.” [Sūrat al-Kahf: 95-97].
Indeed, changing our state with Allah is the key to changing His decree toward us. For Allah has an established law that does not change:
إنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ حَتَّى يُغَيِّرُوا مَا بِأَنْفُسِهِمْ
“Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.” [Sūrat al-Raʿd: 11].
May Allah bless me and you through the Great Qur’ān and benefit me and you through the verses and the Wise Remembrance within it. I seek forgiveness from Allah for me and for you, so seek His forgiveness; indeed, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.
The Second Sermon:
Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah, his family, his companions, and those who follow him. To proceed:
Servants of Allah:
The Prophet ﷺ said: “When you deal in al-ʿīnah (a type of interest-based transaction), follow the tails of cows, become content with agriculture, and abandon Jihād, Allah will impose upon you a humiliation that He will not remove until you return to your religion.”(Narrated by Abū Dāwūd) .
This is the established prophetic principle declared by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: “Humiliation and lowliness have been placed upon those who oppose my command.” (Narrated byAḥmad).
This is a promise of honor and empowerment for whoever establishes the religion as Allah revealed it—all of it, not just parts of it; according to the truth, not according to whims. It is also a warning of humiliation and disgrace for whoever abandons the religion of Allah, turns away from it, and opposes the command of His Messenger ﷺ.
We are certain that the religion of Allah will be victorious and that the Word of Allah is the highest. However, this honor will only be attained by those who support the religion. At that point, Allah’s promise is fulfilled in them and through them:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنْ تَنْصُرُوا اللَّهَ يَنْصُرْكُمْ وَيُثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَكُمْ
“O you who have believed, if you support Allah, He will support you and plant firmly your feet.” [Sūrat Muḥammad: 7].
O Allah, rectify the affairs of the Ummah of Islam, and return us to You in a beautiful return.
O Allah, grant us victory and do not grant victory over us; plan for us and do not plan against us; guide us and make guidance easy for us; and grant us victory over those who transgress against us.
O Allah, grant us security in our homelands, and rectify our leaders and those in authority over us. Place our leadership under those who fear You, are mindful of You, and follow Your pleasure.
Our Lord, give us in this world [that which is] good and in the Hereafter [that which is] good and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.
