Be thankful to Allah s.w.t.for the Ni'mat (Blessings) that He has showered on us. For, if we were to compare ourselves with the rest of the people in the world, we can really see our Blessings. Are we so poor that we cannot feed our families? Are we so hungry like the people in Africa? Are we faced with war and destruction?
The answer is No! In fact, we never felt such pain and suffering. We never felt so much hunger that we cannot even move. We never needed to think that we would not have water to drink. Never! So, we must be thankful to Allah s.w.t. for such Blessings and Ni'mat. Be thankful by following Allah's Guidance carefully for Allah states which means: "If you felt syukur and grateful, then I will increase my Ni'mat towards you. But if you were kufur or ungrateful for my Ni'mat, then understand that My Punishments are severe."
My Brothers & Sisters,
Can you deny that we are living in comfort and wealth? Our physical needs are fulfilled. We no longer need to work day and night for a simple meal. That is our Blessings. But, we often forget. We forget the most important aspect of our lives. And what is that which is so important? Our souls and our spiritual development.
Everyday, we feed our body. We eat healthy food and protect ourselves from diseases. But we forget to feed our souls. What is the point of healthy food and healthy living, when our souls are starving? What is the point of protecting ourselves from diseases, when our hearts are filled with diseases of Syaitan? Are we suffering from riak? Are we suffering from ujub and takabbur? Are we allowing Syaitan to infect our hearts with these diseases?
And what is riak? Riak is pride. Riak is when everything you do is to get the acknowledgement of others. For if they acknowledge you, then you will receive promotions and respect. Let us stop for a moment and think. If we think about the many inventions and discoveries of the century, we will find that their motives are never pure. Their motives or niat are often based on wanting to show off their intelligence to others. They do not think of the consequences. They only think of the respect that they will receive for their attempts.
My Respected Brothers & Sisters,
The diseases of ujub and takabbur are amongst the most difficult diseases to cure. Ujub refers to self-pride or when we look at ourselves with pride. Someone with ujub thinks that he is the best and the most perfect. His actions are free from weaknesses and mistakes. At the same time, he looks at others with a superior feeling and attitude. If someone has ujub, he regards himself as superior to the people around him in any occasion. He likes to boast and show that he is better than the rest. He likes to control a discussion and he is not happy if others do not accept his opinions. Someone with takabbur does not accept advice and criticisms from others easily. If he was giving advice to others, this would be done harshly and without hikmah. Therefore, check ourselves. Check that we do not think ourselves as better than others or we would be suffering from takabbur. Do not lie to yourselves. Do not pretend that you do not have takabbur. For if you believe that you are free of takabbur, and you see takabbur in others, then you are the one with the takabbur.
The only cure to takabbur is to see others as being better in the eyes of Allah than ourselves. For example, if we were to look at someone younger than us, we should not be too fast to criticise his actions. Instead, we should think that has never committed sins while my sins are uncountable. Therefore, the boy will automatically become better than us in the eyes of Allah.
When we are faced with someone older, we are reminded of the fact that he had prayed to Allah far longer than ourselves. Therefore, he becomes better than us. When we see an alim or someone who is wise, we are reminded of our lack of knowledge. Allah loves him so much that he was given blessings and knowledge that we are not priviliged to. His position in Allah's Eyes are much higher than us. Why are we not given the same blessings? Why are we blinded from the knowledge that he receives? The only answer is that he is better than us.
When we see someone who is jahil and ignorant, we acknowledge that he is committing sins. But he commits his sins in ignorance. We are aware that something is sinful, and yet, we do it. With our 'Ilm, how are we to answer for our actions in front of Allah? hat if they received Whusnul khatimah or a good death, while we are suul khatimah? These are the questions and reminders that must be in our minds always. These reminders are our protection against the feelings of takabbur and ujub.
My beloved brothers, Rasulullah was asked before by Muaz bin Jabal on the purification of amalans. Muaz bin Jabal was worried and he wished to wash his amalans off the feelings of riak, ujub and takabbur. Thus, Rasulullah reminded him,
"Oh Muaz! Protect your tongue from words which would injure your brothers who read the Qur'an. Carry the burden of your own sins, and do not shift your sins onto them. Do not purify yourself while you are scorning them. Do not be cold towards them. Do not combine the matters of the world in the matters of akhirat. Do not be takabbur in an event, or others will be afraid of you for your evilness. Do not whisper to another when there is someone else with you. And do not think highly of yourself; or it will remove you from the goodness of the world and akhirat."
These are the reminders of Rasulullah s.a.w. May we receive barakah and guidance from it. Wallahu'alam.
Source : Khutbah Sermon from www.muis.gov.sg
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