الحمد لله، الحمد لله الذي جعل الإنسان اجتماعيّاً بفطرتِه، ودعاه إلى صحبة من يصلح من إخوته، وحذّره مِن مجالسة مَن يشغُلُ بغفلته، نحمده تعالى ونستعينه، ونشكره تعالى ونستغفره ونستغيثه، نعوذ بالله من شرور أنفسنا ومن سيئات أعمالنا، من يهد الله فهو المهتد ومن يضلل فلن تجد له وليا مرشدا، ونشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له، له الملك و له الحمد، يحيي ويميت، بيده الخير، وهو على كل شيء قدير،  ونشهد أن سيدنا و مولانا محمداً عبده ورسوله، وحبيبه وصفيه، بلغ الرسالة وأدّى الأمانة ونصح الأمة، النبي الأمي الذي أرسله الله بالهدى والدين الحق، بشيرا ونذيرا بين يدي الساعة، صلى الله عليه وسلم وعلى آله وأصحابه ومن تبعهم بإحسان إلى يوم الدين.   
    أما بعد! فيا عباد الله اتقوا الله حق تقاته ولا تموتن إلا وأنتم مسلمون. يأيها الذين ءامنوا اتقوا الله وقولوا قولا سديدا يصلح لكم أعمالكم ويغفر لكم ذنوبكم. ومن يطع الله ورسوله فقد فاز فوزا عظيما. اتقوا الله فيما أمر وانتهوا عما نها عنه وزجر.

    Man is not a solitary animal - he was not created to live alone, apart from his fellow creatures, friendless and in isolation. No, man is a social being whose natural tendency is to seek the company of others of his kind and establish friendships and relationships with them. And that natural tendency must not be suppressed, for it is the key to his physical and mental health, and the means to keeping his heart sound and his iman intact. The Prophet said,

وقال صلى الله عليه وسلم: “المؤمن إلف مألوف ولا خير فيمن لا يألف ولا يؤلف"

    The Prophet said, “The believer is an intimate close friend. There is no good in anyone who does not take intimate friends and is not taken as an intimate friend.”

وقال صلى الله عليه وسلم في الثناء على الأخوة في الدين: "من أراد الله به خيراً رزقه خليلاً صالحاً إن نسي ذكره وإن ذكر أعانه"

    And the Prophet also said, “If Allah wants good for someone, He will provide him with a right-acting close friend who reminds him when he forgets and helps him when he remembers.”
    Keeping the company of others is a necessary and fundamental aspect of life, but that does not mean that you should take anyone you meet as a friend or companion. No, indeed! You must show discrimination and be very careful whom you choose to sit with, mix with, live with or eat with, for you will inevitably become one of them.
عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: “الرجل على دين خليله فلينظر أحدكم من يخالل”

    Abu Hurayra narrated that the Messenger of Allah said, “Men follow the deen of their close friends, so look carefully at those whom you befriend.”
    Is he right-acting or wrong-acting? Does he spend his life in useful actions or in idle pursuits? Does he encourage you to obey your Lord or hold you back?
    Realistically speaking, there are but two categories of people: those who raise you up or those who pull you down - there is no third category for man is always in change and never standing still.  The Messenger of Allah, in a famous hadith narrated by Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari and transmitted by both Bukhari and Muslim, describes the effect of sitting in the company of these two types of people.

قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: “مثل الجليس الصالح وجليس السوء، كحامل المسك ونافخ الكير فحامل المسك إما أن يُحذيك، وإما أن تبتاع منه، وإما أن تجد منه ريحاً طيبة، ونافخُ الكير إما أن يحرق ثيابك، وإما أن تجد منه ريحاً منتنة”

    The Prophet said, “The likeness of the good companion and the bad companion is that of the purveyor of musk and the blower of the blacksmith’s bellows: as for the purveyor of musk, he will either grant you some, or you will buy some from him, or you will enjoy his pleasant smell. But, as for the blower of the blacksmith’s bellows, he will either burn your clothes or you will be subjected to his nasty smell.”
So the good companion is the one from whose company you benefit even when he is doing nothing for you; and the bad companion is the one from whose company you suffer harm even when he is doing nothing against you. But, how does one recognise the good companion from the bad? What are the characteristics that distinguish him and set him apart? :
    The first quality is that he is a person of taqwa.

قال الله عز وجل: “الْأَخِلَّاءُ يَوْمَئِذٍ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ عَدُوٌّ إِلَّا الْمُتَّقِينَ”

    the translation of which is, “On that Day the closest friends will be enemies to one another - except for those who have taqwa.” Any friendship that you make that does not have taqwa and obedience to Allah as its basis will transform into enmity on the Day of Rising. The basis of their friendship was unsound and so it only served to bring harm to one other. As for the people of taqwa, the basis of their friendship was sound and so it brought them benefit.
    The second is that he is a person of sidq.

قال الله عز وجل: “يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آَمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَكُونُوا مَعَ الصَّادِقِينَ”

    the translation of which is, “O you who believe, have taqwa of Allah and be with the truly sincere.” This sidq manifests itself in a person’s speech by him telling the truth, not lying and keeping his word; in his actions by him being straight and upright; and in his intention by him being sincere. So, if you find these in a person, he would make you a good companion.
    The third is that sitting in his company reminds you of your Lord.

عن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما قال: قيل “يا رسول الله أيُّ جلسائنا خير؟” قال صلى الله عليه وسلم: “من ذكّركم اللهَ رؤيتُه، وزاد في عملكم منطقُه، وذكّركم في الآخرة عملُه.”

    Ibn Abbas narrated that when the Messenger of Allah was asked what the best type of companion was, he replied, “The one whom when you see him you are reminded of Allah, when you hear him you increase in right action, and when he does something you are reminded of the Hereafter.”
    The fourth is that he loves you and you love him for the sake of Allah.

عن عمر ابن الخطاب رضي الله عنهما قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: “إن من عبادالله لأناسا ما هم بأنبياء ولاشهداء، يغبطهم الأنبياء والشهداء يوم القيامة بمكانهم من الله.” قالوا: “ومن هم يا رسول الله؟” قال: “هم قوم تحابوا بروح الله على غير أرحام بينهم ولا أموال يتعاطونها، فوالله إن وجوههم لنور، وإنهم على نور، ولا يخافون إذا خاف الناس، و لا يحزنون إذا حزن الناس،” وقرأ هذه الآية: “أَلاَ إِنَّ أَوْلِيَاءَ اللهِ لاَ حَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ”

    Umar ibn al-Khattab narrated that the Messenger of Allah said, “Among the slaves of Allah, there are people who are neither Prophets nor martyrs and yet they will be envied by the Prophets and martyrs for the station they hold with Allah on the Day of Rising.” The Companions asked, “Who are they, Messenger of Allah.” He replied, “They are a people who love one another for the sake of Allah, despite not having any family connection linking them together and despite not having given each other money or wealth. By Allah, their faces will be light and they will be standing upon light; they will experience no fear when others experience fear and they will feel no sadness when others feel sad.” Then he recited an ayat of Quran, the translation of which is, “Yes, the friends of Allah will feel no fear and know no sorrow.”
    The fifth is that he acts as a mirror for you.

عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: “المؤمن مرآة المؤمن”

    Abu Hurayra narrated that the Messenger of Allah said, “The believer is the mirror of the believer.” The true friend is the one who enables you to see who you truly are, and where you are at on the path, and the truer the friend the clearer the reflection. It is just like when you look into a physical mirror, the cleaner the mirror the more you are able to discern the blemishes of your face.
    The sixth is that he calls on his Lord morning and night, desiring His face.

قال الله تعالى: “وَاصْبِرْ نَفْسَكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُمْ بِالْغَدَاةِ وَالْعَشِيِّ يُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَهُ وَلَا تَعْدُ عَيْنَاكَ عَنْهُمْ تُرِيدُ زِينَةَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَلَا تُطِعْ مَنْ أَغْفَلْنَا قَلْبَهُ عَنْ ذِكْرِنَا وَاتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ وَكَانَ أَمْرُهُ فُرُطًا”

    Allah says, the translation of which is, “Restrain yourself patiently with those who call on their Lord morning and evening, desiring His face. Do not turn your eyes from them, desiring the attractions of this world. And do not obey someone whose heart We have made neglectful of Our remembrance and who follows his own whims and desires and whose life has transgressed all bounds.” In this ayat, Allah commands the best of His creation, the Prophet Muhammad, to avoid the company of those who forget Allah and follow their whims  and desires and keep the company of the people of dhikr. If such people are suitable company for the Messenger of Allah, then who are we to spurn their company in favour of others.
     Now, this is but a short list of qualities, but even so you may well be thinking, “Where can I find one who embodies all of these qualities? Do such people exist?”
    Well, the good news is that they do. They are the inheritors of the pinnacle of creation, the Messenger of Allah. His message was not simply intended for those who were contemporary with him and met him, but is universal and is for all human beings from then until the end of time. And because of that, Allah has caused there to be men in every age who embody elements of the Prophet’s knowledge and good character, and have taken a portion of his light so that the Path to Allah may always be well-lit.

 قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: “لا تزال طائفة من أمتي ظاهرين على الحق لا يضرهم من خذلهم حتى يأتي أمر الله وهم كذلك”

    The Messenger of Allah said, “A group of my community will continue to be triumphant and upon the truth, and will remain unharmed by those who try to make them fail, until the Command of Allah comes.”
    It is these people whose company we must seek, as sitting with them is the closest one can get to sitting with the Messenger of Allah, and accompanying them is the closest one can get to accompanying the Messenger of Allah. And it was only due to the fact that they accompanied the Messenger of Allah that the companions reached the elevated station that they reached. So, rejoice that such people exist here in our midst and hold fast to their company and the company of those that keep their company. And avoid the company of those who pull you down and take you away from your Lord. May Allah always surround us with the company of those who raise us up and desire the best for us in this world and the next. May He protect the inheritors of the Prophetic knowledge and Prophetic light and keep them amongst us. May He give us the success to always recognise them for who they are, sit with them and partake from their secrets and lights. And may He make us ourselves the best of company for others.
   
أقول قولي هذا و أستغفر الله العظيم لي و لكم و لسائر المسلمين من كل ذنب فاستغفروه إنه هو التوّابُ الرَّحيم
الحمد لله الحمد لله رب العالمين، وأشهد أن لا إله أن لا إله إلا الله وليُّ الصالحين، والعاقبة للمتقين، ولا عدوانَ إلا على الظالمين، والصلاةُ والسلام الأتِمَّانِ الأَكملَانِ على أشرفِ الأنبياءِ وإمامِ المرسلين، وعلى آله وصحابتِهِ أجمعين، والتابعين ومن تبعهم بإحسان إلى يوم الدين.
أما بعد! فيأيها الذين ءامنوا اتقوا الله ما استطعتم واسمعوا وأطيعوا وأنفقوا خيرا لأنفسكم. يا عباد الله أوصيكم وإياي بتقوى الله وطاعته وأحذركم وإياي عن معصيته ومخالفته.
قال الله تعالى في كتابه العزيز: “فِي بُيُوتٍ أَذِنَ اللَّهُ أَنْ تُرْفَعَ وَيُذْكَرَ فِيهَا اسْمُهُ يُسَبِّحُ لَهُ فِيهَا بِالْغُدُوِّ وَالْآَصَالِ رِجَالٌ لَا تُلْهِيهِمْ تِجَارَةٌ وَلَا بَيْعٌ عَنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَإِقَامِ الصَّلَاةِ وَإِيتَاءِ الزَّكَاةِ،”

    Allah, may He be exalted, says in His mighty Book, the translation of which is: “In houses which Allah has permitted to be built, and in which His name is remembered, there are men who proclaim His glory morning and evening, not distracted by trade or commerce from the remembrance of Allah and the establishment of the prayer and the payment of zakat.”
    We talked last week about the importance of jama‘a with specific reference to praying the congregational prayer in the mosque. Many people were away last week, and so I thought it worthwhile to repeat some of what we said. Allah has granted us a beautiful mosque here,   right in the centre of town, on a main road and easy to get to. Its doors are never shut. It is already filled with light, but for it to become vibrant and alive, it requires worshippers.
    Never forget how great a blessing it is for us to have a mosque to pray in; a place of light in a time of darkness, a place of gathering in a time of dispersal, a place of remembrance in a time of forgetfulness. So let us take full advantage of it and make sure that all its prayers are well attended.
    If you live close to the mosque, then you have no excuse, for as the Prophet said,

“لا صلاةَ لجارِ المسجدِ إلاَّ في المسجد”

     “The one who lives next to the mosque has no prayer except for those he prays within the mosque.”
    If you live far from the mosque, then you are not expected to come all the time. But still, the distance of your house from the mosque should not stop you from coming at all.

عن أُبَي بن كَعب رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنهُ قال: كان رجلٌ مِنَ الأَنصارِ لاَ أَعلمُ أحداً أبعدَ من المسجدِ منه وكانت لاَ تُخطِئُهُ صلاةٌ! فقيل له لوِ اشتَريتَ حِماراً تَركَبُه في الظلماءِ وفي الرمضاءِ. قال: ما يسُرُّني أنَّ منزِلي إلى جَنبِ المسجد، إنِّيَ أُريدُ أن يُكتَبَ لي ممشَايَ إلى المسجدِ ورجوعِي إذا رجعتُ إلى أهلي. فقال رَسُول اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم: “قد جمع اللَّه لك ذلك كلَّه”

    Ubayy ibn Ka‘b said, “There was a man from amongst the Ansar who, despite the fact that he lived further from the mosque than anyone else, never once missed a prayer! One day, it was mentioned to him that it would be easier for him if he bought himself a donkey to carry him to the mosque when it was dark or when it was very hot, so he replied, ‘I would not like it for my house to be right next to the mosque: I want my walking to the mosque and my return from it to my family to be written for me [among my right actions].’ When he heard that, the Messenger of Allah said, ‘Allah has compiled all of that for you.’”
    So make it your intention, if circumstances allow, to pray at the very least one prayer  a day in jama‘a in the mosque if you live close by. At the moment, the adhan is called at 6:30 for Fajr, 1:00 o’clock for Dhuhr, 3:30 for Asr, 5:48 for Maghrib and five minutes past seven for Isha. I would like to draw your attention especially to the Maghrib prayer, for every day after we pray it, we recite a hizb of Qur’an together and then study the tafsir of Ibn Juzayy, rahimahullah. We began last Sunday, alhamdulillah, and have already completed surat al-Baqara. So please come, and become one of those whom Allah mentions in the highest companies.

عن أبي هريرة رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنهُ قال، قال رَسُول اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم: “ما اجتمع قوم في بيت من بيوت اللَّه، يتلون كتاب اللَّه، ويتدارسونه بينهم إلا نزلت عليهم السكينة وغشيتهم الرحمة وحفتهم الملائكة وذكرهم اللَّه فيمن عنده”
   
    Abu Hurayra narrated that the Messenger of Allah said, “No people gather together in one of the Houses of Allah to recite the Book of Allah and study it amongst themselves, except that tranquility descends upon them, mercy envelops them, the angels surround them and Allah mentions them to those who are with Him.”

إنَّ اللهَ ومَلائِكَتَهُ يُصلُّونَ على النَّبِي يَا أَيُها الذينَ آمنوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وسَلِّمُوا تَسْليماً. اللهمَّ صَلِّ وسَلِّم وبارِك عَلَيْهِ وعلى آلِهِ وصَحْبِهِ  أجمعين.
وارض اللهم عن الخلفاء الراشدين المرشدين الحنفاء ساداتنا وأئمتنا أبي بكر وعمر وعثمان وعلي ، وعن سائر الصحابة أجمعين، خصوصا الأنصار منهم والمهاجرين، وعن التابعين وتابعي التابعين ومن تبعهم بإحسان إلى يوم الدين.
اللهم اهد أولات أمور المسلمين لما يرضيك ولاتباع سنة نبيك صلى الله عليه وسلم  وثبت أقدامهم على الصراط المستقيم وأصلحهم يا رب العالمين.
اللهم بارك على شيخنا، و على أميرنا، وعلى جميع أمراء وزعماء المسلمين. 
اللهم بارك على المسلمين في هذه المدينة ووفقهم لما تحبه وترضاه يا أكرم الأكرمين.
اللهمّ أَعِزَّ الْلإسلامَ والمُسِلمينَ (3)  واَخْذُلِ الكُفْرَ والكافِرينَ، وانْصُرِ المُجاهِدينَ في سَبِيلِ اللهِ. واجْعَلْ كَلِمََتَكَ هِيَ العُلْيَا وكَلِمَةَ الكُفْرِ هِيَ السُّفْلى.
ربنا ءاتنا في الدنيا حسنة وفي الأخرة حسنة وقنا عذاب النار.
ربنا ءاتنا من لدنك رحمة و هيئ لنا من أمرنا رشدا.
ربنا هب لنا من أزواجنا وذريتنا قرة أعين واجعلنا للمتقين إماما.
ربنا اغفر لنا ذنوبنا وإِسرافنا في أمرِنا وثبت أقدامنا وانصرنا على القوم الكافرِينَ.
إن الله يأمر بالعدل والإحسان وإيتاء ذي القربى وينهى عَنِ الفحشاءِ والمُنكَرِ والبغي، يعظكم لعلكم تذكرون، ولَذِكْرُ اللهِ أكبر والله يَعْلَمُ ما تَصْنَعُون. وقُومُوا إِلَى صَلاتِكُمْ يرحمكم الله