Jummah Khutba: Awareness in Prayer

Osmanli Naksibendi Sohbets

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim

Friday June 19, 2009 (Jumada Thani 25, 1430)

Today’s people are not even remembering ALLAH swt when they are in sejde. They are preoccupied with love of the world (dunya) – car, bank account, children, whatever. People are fearing death. But If you put love of ahirat in your heart, you have no worries. Dunya will run after you. Be aware of the state you are in when making salat, that ALLAH swt is watching you, and that Azrael (Angel of Death) is very near.

Sheykh Efendi also tells us the story of Namrud and Ibrahim (aleyhis salam) — that Namrud declared lordship to Allah and was defeated by a tiny, crippled mosquito. Today’s 21st century people, who don’t even have any power, are acting and trying to live like Namrud, declaring lordship to Allah. We must wake up!

Download | Listen to the sohbet:
http://www.naksibendi.org/Audio_Files/Hutbe/20090619_1430-JumadThani-25_SeyhAbdulKerim_JummahKhutba-Awareness_in_Prayer.mp3

Full Sohbet Text below:

WHATEVER KEEPS YOU AWAY FROM ALLAH IS YOUR DUNYA

Juma Khutba delivered by Sheykh Abdul Kerim al-Hakkani al-Kibrisi

Friday, 26 Jumad al-Akhir, 1430
June 19, 2009
Osmanli Naksibendi Hakkani Dergahi, Siddiki Center, New York.

Auzu billahi min-ash sheytanir rajim
BismillahirRahmanir Rahim
Medet Ya Seyyidi, Sultanul Awliya, Medet.

Alhamdulillah, Alhamdulillah, astaghfirullah, astaghfirullah al-azim wa atubu ilaih. Our Lord Allah subhana wa ta’ala is saying, `Oh My servants, don’t let this short worldly life fool you.’ He is reminding us, telling us what this world is for and saying to us, `Don’t let this world’s life fool you.’ How we are letting it? The 21st Century people are number one in running after this world twenty-four hours a day and not remembering Allah subhana wa ta’ala, not even in their prayers, not even in their Zikir. Not remembering. They are just mentioning His name but their heart and their head is in so many other places, busy with Dunya, busy with their problems non-stop.

The 21st Century. The 21st Centuries Namruds and Firauns. That’s what Namrud did. When Ibrahim (alayhi salam) came to him saying, `I am asking you to turn your way to the Lord of the heavens and the earth.’ He said, `Is there any other lord than me? I am the one.’ He said to him, `You don’t have anything. Why you are claiming to be the Lord?’ He said, `I have everything. I am the lord of the earth. If your Lord is the lord of the skies then I am the lord of the earth. So I am challenging Him. Tell Him to send the armies.’

Namrud. Today’s 21st Century people have the same attitude. Same attitude. Not different than that one. That one at least had a little bit power in his hand, worldly power. But today’s people have nothing. Zero. But still acting and trying to live like those Namruds. And Allah subhana wa ta’ala is giving us examples about them, what happened to them saying, `Take lesson.’ The Quran-e Kerim is not just saying words and walk away. It’s a lesson to us. Either you take lesson or you are going to become a lesson. No other way.

So Namrud declared lordship and was saying, `I am asking to fight with that one.’ And Allah is saying, `Say to him, I am sending My soldiers to him. Prepare.’ And he was preparing and waiting saying, `Where is it?’ Looking around. Ibrahim (as) was saying, `Don’t worry. It’s coming. Look at the sky.’ And all of a sudden this darkness appeared in the sky. What is that? Mosquitoes. Allah subhana wa ta’ala saying to him, `You are worse than a mosquito.’ Allah is teaching a lesson saying, `You are less than a mosquito. You are declaring lordship to Me? I don’t need to bring armies to you. Sending you little mosquitoes.’ And those mosquitoes finished Namrud and all his army.

What happened to today’s people? So many mosquitoes are around but still being Namrud, still being Firaun, still rising their head against their Lord while they are in Sejdah. At least those ones were not making Sejdah. Those ones were declaring and directly rising their heads. But today’s people, yes, making Sejdah with Dunya, in Ruku with Dunya, Zikir with Dunya, twenty-four hours occupied by Dunya, by this world and endless troubles and endless problems everyone gets into. Why is that?

Eh, the Holy Prophet (sws) is saying to us, `The beginning of all troubles is the love of this Dunya. The love of this world is the beginning of all troubles.’ And of course so many different types of people and these people are busy with something worldly, that is your Dunya. Whatever you are busy with, if it’s not Allah and His Prophet (sws), that is your Dunya. That’s what you are busy with, that’s what you are concentrating yourself on, and that is your Dunya. You are busy with Dunya.

Wake up! Come out from that heedless station. The Nation of Muhammad (sws) is only given life between 60 to 70 years. Very few people are passing beyond 70 years. Those who are passing are losing their minds, so many of them. Muslims should not lose their minds. But they are losing their minds because the fear of death is there too. Living all that wrong life but the fear of death is there. Not learning, not preparing himself or herself that, `Azrail is going to come to me. I am preparing myself for that one. I am preparing myself not for this Dunya, for Akhirat. I have not been created for this Dunya. I have been created for Akhirat.’ If you put that priority in your life then all troubles end, all problems end, all worrying of this worldly nonsense will be finished.

But because of putting the worldly life up, today’s people are non-stop running around, circling around and not reaching anywhere. Doing so many things but turning around and destroying it with the love of Dunya. Love of Dunya is forbidden. The love of Akhirat. If you want Dunya you must have the love of Akhirat, love of Allah. Dunya is going to run after you. If you are busy with this Dunya, meaning, as we said earlier, whatever you are busy with, what keeps you away from Allah. Your car? That is your Dunya. Your computer? That is your Dunya. Your bank account? That is your Dunya. Your son, your daughter? That is your Dunya. You must move up, you must move to higher stations, you must keep yourself busy with Allah and His Prophet (sws). You have been created, we have been created for His service only.

`We have created the Jinns and the humans only to know Us and to worship Us.’ That’s what Allah subhana wa ta’ala is saying. And worshipping is not going up and down like robots. Worshipping to Allah is being aware, is knowing and understanding that, `Allah is watching and what is the state that I am in now? How I am thinking and what I am thinking? What I am busy with? While Allah is watching me, He created me for His service, what I am busy with?’ Look at yourself and you will understand. If you don’t understand then wait until Azrail is coming. He is not too far. He is not too far away from anyone. He is very near.

Hajjaj, the tyrant one, pulled one of the grandsons of the Holy Prophet (sws) into his presence and he asked him some questions. He was trying to insult Zayn-ul Abidin (ra) and he gave him direct answer without any fear. Hajjaj said to him, `Hey kid, you are passing your limit. I can take your head off.’ He said to him, `If I knew that the authority of Azrail is given to your hand then I will have some fear. But before you move from that chair, Azrail may reach to you.’ And the tyrant started shivering. He was an Amir. He was an Amir of the people. He was a governor. He was praying also five times a day. Yes. His love, his heart was with Dunya and one word was enough for him to shake him from his throne to fall down.

So Azrail is not that far. He is very near to everyone.

Wa min Allahu tawfiq

Bihurmatil Habib

Bihurmatil Fatiha