Being a text of khutbah by Aboo Hanun at Masjid Tawheed Ede in Jumadal Uulaa. Translation by Abu Ubayy Sharif Hamzah.
O slaves of Allaah, let us fear Allaah in secret and in public, when we are with people and when we are alone. Fear of Allaah is the greatest thing one could uphold in this life.
AFTER this, Imam Bukhari, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, At-Tabarani and other scholars reported a hadeeth from Abu Hurairah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet -sallallaahu alahyi wa sallam - said:
“Wretched is the slave of gold, wretched is the slave of silver, wretched is the slave of fine clothes, and wretched is the slave of garments.”
Scholars (while explaining the hadeeth) said "fine clothes" there in refers to clothes that are appealing to the eyes. And "garments" (in the hadeeth) refers to bed clothing.
The Prophet - sallallaahu alahyi wa sallam - said the one who enslaves himself with the above listed item is doomed.
It means whosoever enslaves himself with any of the worldly materials be it house, children and the likes is doomed.
He didn't stopped there; the Prophet - sallallaahu alahyi wa sallam - went further by cursing such person. He said: "May he be doomed, may the curse of Allaah be upon him, and his affairs are worst; if a thorn pricks him, he would have none to remove it for him."
Scholars said the meaning is that the Prophet - sallallaahu alahyi wa sallam - also cursed him (by saying) that if he finds himself in a dangerous situation, he would not be able to free himself from it.
O Slaves of Allaah, this is the first part of the hadeeth in which the Prophet - sallallaahu alahyi wa sallam - cursed whosoever enslaves himself with any of the worldly material.
As Muslims, let's understand that it is not prohibited for us in the Shareeah of Islaam to like fine clothes, it is not prohibited for us to like good shoes, it is also not prohibited for us to like good women with good character and uprightness in the deen but why will someone enslave himself with these worldly things in life?
The Prophet - sallallaahu alahyi wa sallam - explained: the sign of such people is that his works and efforts on the deen likewise on his worldly affairs, and his efforts on acquiring worldly materials (are all for the world), if he gets his worldly desires, he would be happy but if he could not get it, he would be angry, he would be sad and start uttering bad statements.
From the foregoing, scholars said there are some people whose contributions to the deen is for worldly benefit, if he teaches people the Qur'aan, it is for worldly benefit, if he delivers lecture to people, it is for worldly benefit, if he acquires knowledge, it is for worldly benefit. Whosoever is like this is among those who have enslaved themselves with worldly materials.
The one whose major plan is for worldly material has also enslaved himself.
He associates and dissociates with people for material benefit, even if the one he associates with is going against Allaah's command, he would still be associating with him because of the worldly benefit he wants to gain from him.
Likewise, his major plan is for worldly benefits, he does not have time for the religion, to the extent that he does not listen to lectures so that scholars won't call what he does haraam. His efforts on his wives, children and family are for worldly benefit. A Muslim must beware of this.
Allaah warned the son of Adam:
"Did I not ordain for you, O children of Adam! That you should not worship Shaitan?... " (Soorah Yaaseen Vs. 63).
Scholars said the one who doesn't hold the religion in high esteem but only hold worldly benefit as important is an example of those who are worshipping shaitan.
Imaam Hassan Al Basri - rahmatullaah alahyi - said the meaning of the Ayah is: the one who does all that comes to his mind, whether it is against Allaah's commandment or not.
Therefore, O slaves of Allaah, the Prophet - sallallaahu alahyi wa sallam - cursed such a person. If he encounters any problem, he would not be able to walk out of it. May Allaah save us from such. Aameen.
Meanwhile the Prophet - sallallaahu alahyi wa sallam - describes the second person. He said "May Tuba be upon a slave..."
The meaning of Tuba is goodness, success and lots of reward from Allaah.
There's another report that says it is a tree in paradise.
In a hadeeth reported by Abu Saheed Al-Khidri, the Prophet - sallallaahu alahyi wa sallam - was asked the meaning of "Tuba", he said; there is a tree in paradise, if a rider travels under its shade on a fast, sleek horse for one hundred years, he would not be able to cross it, and the clothes of the people of Paradise are taken from its bark.
It means its bark produces the cloth of the people of paradise.
The Prophet - sallallaahu alahyi wa sallam - said may this great reward be upon a slave who is firm in his religious affairs.
This means The one who purifies his mind for Allaah and the one who supports the Deen of Allaah.
O slaves of Allaah, let's endeavor to purify our souls for Allaah's sake, working for worldly benefit has no reward from Allaah.
Let's revert to the way of Allaah. What makes you important in the sight of Allaah are your deeds not your name in the society or how unpopular you are in the society because there are lots of popular people on earth but they are unknown in the heavens and there are lots of popular people in the heavens that are unknown on earth.
And All praises be to Allaah.
