الحمدُ لله نَحْمَدُه ونَستَعينُه وَنَستَغْفِرُه، وَنُؤمِنُ به ونَتَوكّلُ عَلَيهِ، وَنَعوذُ باللهِ مِن شرُورِ أنفُسنا ومِن سيّئاتِ أعمالنا، مَنْ يهدِهِ اللهُ فلا مُضِلّ له، وَمَن يّضلل فلا هَاديَ له، وأشهدُ أن لّا إله إلا الله وَحْدَه لا شريكَ له، وأشهدُ أن مُحمّدًا عبدُه وَرَسُولُه، اللهم صلِّ على سيدنا ومولانا محمدٍ النبيِّ الأميِّ وعلى آله وصَحْبِه وسلّم تسليما، اللّهُمّ اجْعَلْ صَلَوَاتِكَ وَرَحْمَتَكَ وَبَرَكَاتِكَ عَلَى سَيِّدِ الْمُرْسَلِينَ، وَإِمَامِ الْمُتّقِينَ، وَخَاتَمِ النّبِيِّينَ، مُحَمّدٍ عَبْدِكَ وَرَسُولِكَ إِمَامِ الْخَيْرِ، وَقَائِدِ الْخَيْرِ وَرَسُولِ الرّحْمَةِ، اللّهُمّ ابْعَثْهُ مَقَامًا مَحْمُودًا يَغْبِطُهُ بِهِ الْأَوّلُونَ وَالْآخِرُونَ.

اَلَمْ تَرَ كَیْفَ ضَرَبَ اللهُ مَثَلًا كَلِمَةً طَیِّبَةً كَشَجَرَةٍ طَیِّبَةٍ اَصْلُهَا ثَابِتٌ وَّ فَرْعُهَا فِی السَّمَآءِ،تُؤْتِیْۤ اُكُلَهَا كُلَّ حِیْنٍۭ بِاِذْنِ رَبِّهَا وَ یَضْرِبُ اللهُ الْاَمْثَالَ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ یَتَذَكَّرُوْنَ

It is a great mercy of Allah that He has given us tawfiq to attend in another religious gathering - Alhamdulillah. We should thank Allah in the morning and evening for granting us his guidance. We know him, believe in him; He is our Lord and we are His servants. He has given us tawfiq to accept Islam. He has made us Muslims and believers, Alhamdulillah.

We express even deeper gratitude because He has made us the ummah of the last Prophet Hadhrat Muhammad sallallaahu alayhi wasallam, Alhamdulillah. If we recite this dua three times in the morning and evening-

رَضِيْتُ بِاللهِ رَبًا, وَبِالْإِسْلَامِ دِيْنًا, وَبِمُحَمَّدٍ رَسُوْلاً.

(I am pleased with Allah as Lord, pleased with Islam as religion, pleased with Muhammad as Messenger.) Then we will enter Paradise.

It is mentioned in the hadith that whoever recites this dua in the morning and evening Allah will make him pleased on the Day of Resurrection. -Musnad Ahmad, Hadith 18967

Three words:

1. Allah is our Lord, and we are His servants.

2. We are Muslims; Islam is our religion.

3. We belong to the ummah of the last Prophet Muhammad Mustafa sallallahu alayhi wasallam.

Allah has bestowed innumerable favors upon us, and these three are of great significance. In order to teach us the religion, Allah revealed the Qur'an to the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam. This Qur'an has been preserved exactly as it was revealed, and it will remain preserved until the Day of Judgment. Not even a single letter can be added to or removed from it; this will remain impossible, Insha Allah. The Quran is a great blessing from Allah. It is very important to express gratitude for these blessings.

How will we give Him Thanks?

We will sincerely say, 'Alhamdu Lillah' from our hearts. While reciting it, we should feel gratitude to Allah in our hearts for bestowing us these blessings out of his boundless mercy. Gratitude will be expressed more if we appreciate, care for, and properly evaluate these blessings.

How to appreciate and take care of these blessings?

To truly appreciate these blessings, we should learn the Quran, the Sirah, and Sunnah of the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam and implement them in our lives. Allah says:

لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِیْ رَسُوْلِ اللهِ اُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ.

That is, Allah has set a good example for us in the life of the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam. - Surah Ahzab (33): 21

The life of the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam serves as a good example for us. There is no fear of error, and there is no alternative to it. So, we must learn and study his Sirah and Sunnah in our lives.

Allah Ta'ala has given us various titles in the Holy Quran. He addresses those who believe in him by several names. In a verse, Allah calls us Muslims. Allah says-

هُوَ سَمّيكُمُ الْمُسْلِمِیْنَ.

Our title is Mu'min. Allah Ta'ala says in the Qur'an:

وَ الْمُؤْمِنُوْنَ وَ الْمُؤْمِنٰتُ بَعْضُهُمْ اَوْلِیَآءُ بَعْضٍ.

- Surah Tawba (9): 71

There are many other names like Muttaqi, Muhsin etc. in the Quran. However, who rightfully deserves these titles? If I achieve the quality mentioned in the title, I can rightfully desrve that name - Insha Allah.

Islam is mentioned in the name 'Muslim'. Iman is mentioned in the name 'Mumin'. Taqwa is mentioned in the name 'Muttaqi'. Ihsan is mentioned in the name 'Muhsin'.

In this way, each name has a different quality. It is imperative that we strive to acquire these qualities. As a Muslim, I have to stay within Islam.  As a believer, I must hold steadfast to faith.

What is faith? What is Islam?

We have read some basic branches of faith in Maktab when we were children.

امَنْتُ باللهِ كَمَا هُوَ بِأَسْمَائِه وَصِفَاتِه, وَقَبِلتُ جَمِيْعَ احْكَامِه.

امَنْتُ بِاللهِ, وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ, وَكُتُبِهِ, وَرُسُلِهِ, وَلْيَوْمِ الْاخِرِ, وَالْقدْرِ خَيْرِهِ وَشَرِّهِ مِنَ اللهِ تَعَالى, وَالْبَعْثِ بَعدَ الْمَوتِ.

Do we understand their meaning? We should understand each belief mentioned here in detail. If we don't know or understand Aqidah well, then my faith may be destroyed unknowingly. Any deceiver can come and take you away from Islam. That is why it is important to learn the beliefs of Islam well.

Today we discuss a little about an Aqidah. We will discuss briefly, insh Allah.

We know that one of the fundamental beliefs of Islam is to believe in all prophets and messengers. Allah Rabbul Alamin has sent all the prophets and messengers to guide people to the truth. They are servants of Allah. It is an important part of faith. If one prophet is believed and another prophet is not believed, it cannot be faith. All prophets must be believed and accepted. The names of many Prophets are mentioned in the Quran. For example-

Adam alaihis salam, Idris alaihis salam, Nuh alaihis salam, Hud alaihis salam, Saleh alaihis salam, Ibrahim alaihis salam, Lut alaihis salam, Shuaib alaihis salam, Ismail alaihis salam, Ishaq alaihis salam, Yaqub alaihis salam, Yusuf alaihis salam, Ayyub alaihis salam Salam, Zulkifl alaihis salam, Yunus alaihis salam, Musa alaihis salam, Haroon alaihis salam, Ilyas alaihis salam, Yasa' alaihis salam, Dawood alaihis salam, Sulaiman alaihis salam, Zakaria alaihis salam, Yahya alaihis salam, Isa alaihis salam and Khatamun Nabiyin the last Prophet Hadhrat Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wasallam. (Surah Al Imran 33, 144; Surah Anam 83-86; Surah Hud 50, 61, 84)

Apart from this, Allah has sent many prophets, but we do not know them in detail. We will say in one word, whoever Allah sent as a prophet is a true prophet.

The last prophet and messenger

The last prophet among these prophets is our Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wa sallam. We are his ummah. The most important belief in Islam is to believe that Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wa sallam is the last prophet and messenger. There will be no prophet or messenger after him untill Qiamah. Allah Ta'ala has declared, I have finished the series of prophethood and messengership by him. It is stated in Surah Ahzab-

مَا كَانَ مُحَمَّدٌ اَبَاۤ اَحَدٍ مِّنْ رِّجَالِكُمْ وَ لٰكِنْ رَّسُوْلَ اللهِ وَ خَاتمَ النَّبِيّْنَ, وَ كَانَ اللهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيْمً.

(O believers!) Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is a messenger of Allah and the last of the prophets. Allah is fully aware of everything. - Surah Ahzab (33): 40

That is, Hadhrat Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam is the last prophet. The series of prophethood is completed through him. The Shariah that Allah Ta'ala gave him is the last Shariah. No Shariah will come until Qiyamah. The Shari'ah that we received through Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, will continue until the Day of Resurrection. The book of guidance that Allah revealed to him is the last book. The guidance of this Quran will continue until the Day of Judgment. Allah will not send down any book of guidance after this. In short, he is the last prophet; the law given to him is the last law. The book of guidance revealed to him is the last book of guidance and his ummah is the last ummah.

Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam is the last prophet and messenger - this belief also includes that every muslim must believe and obey the law that Allah has given the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam. Muslim must believe in the Qur'an, which Allah Ta'ala has revealed to the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam. Also he must learn the Quran and obey the laws of it.

He is our role model

Secondly, His Sirah and Sunnah are our guidelines for life. Allah Ta'ala declared in the Qur'an:

لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِیْ رَسُوْلِ اللهِ اُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ.

That is, Allah has set a good example for us in the life of the prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam. - Surah Ahzab (33): 21

The essence of the verse

There is an 'Uswatun Hasana' for you in the life of the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam. Uswah means beautiful examples, good and perfect ideals. Our way of life is the Sunnah of the Prophet sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam and the shari'ah given to him by Allah Ta'ala. The entire Sirah or life of the Prophet is Sunnah. All the laws that Allah gave him, or all the rules that Allah revealed in the Qur'an and Hadith, are also included in the Sirah of the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam. For this reason we have to read the Sirah of the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam.

And to believe and accept the Islamic Shari'ah and to make a commitment to Allah to obey the Islamic Shari'ah is the essence of Iman and Islam. If you ever make a mistake, repent and ask Allah for forgiveness. We recite in al-Iman al- Mujmal-

وقَبِلْتُ جَمِيعَ احْكامِه.

I have accepted the entire Shariah given by Allah, all the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah. Even after this, if a sin is committed due to the deception of the devil, the temptation of the nafs, then I should feel guilty and immediately repent and seek forgiveness from Allah. But remember, first you have to accept and pledge to obey this whole Shariah; Otherwise there will be no Iman. But since we are human, we have many weaknesses. So sometimes we may make mistakes. Making mistakes doesn't mean breaking a promise. I will ask for forgiveness from Allah for that mistake. That is, I will renew my faith through repentance.

Fitna of denying hadith

It is important for us to know these tenets of Aqidah very well. If someone rejects the Sunnah of the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, they cannot remain a believer. The Sunnah of the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam is mentioned in the hadith. The Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam taught us the recitation of the Holy Qur'an, its meanings, interpretations, and the rulings of its verses. Aditionally, he guided us on implementation of these rulings. The Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam taught us everything. Allah says in the Qur'an-

هُوَ الَّذِیْ بَعَثَ فِی الْاُمِّیّٖنَ رَسُوْلًا مِّنْهُمْ يَتْلُوْا عَلَیْهِمْ اٰیٰتِهٖ وَ يُزَكِّیْهِمْ وَ يُعَلِّمُهُمُ الْكِتٰبَ وَ الْحِكْمَة

He is the One who raised amidst the unlettered people a messenger from among themselves who recites to them His verses, and purifies them, and teaches them the Book and the wisdom, while they were earlier in open error. - Surah Jumu'ah (62): 2

The teachings of the Quran are preserved in the hadith. Likewise, all the Sunnah of the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam are preserved in the Hadith. The Sahaba, the Tabiyin, and the Imams of the Madhhab understand the Quran best. Among them are Imam Abu Hanifah, Imam Malik, Imam Shafi'i, and Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal. Now, if someone were to deny the hadith and claim that they will understand the Quran independently without the help of Hadith, would they remain a believer? Do they have faith?

 Therefore, if such a person comes with an invitation, do not accept it. There are many people who deny hadith, reject the Sunnah of the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam. They misinterpret the Quran. The truth is that they do not believe in the Qur'an or the Prophet; rather, they ridicule the Quran. They are called 'Ahle Qur'an', but in reality they are disbelievers of the Messenger and deniers of the hadith. They are outside the boundary of Islam.

Qadiani Fitna

There are also individuals who claim that Ghulam Ahmad Qadiyani is Mahdi and Masih. They belogng to Qadiani community. They called themselves as 'Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat', Na'udhubillah. However, they are not Muslims; they are disbelievers. When they come to invite people to their religion, they do not disclose their motives and identity initially. They do not claim that Mirza Qadiani is a prophet in their initial meetings. Instead, they assert, Mirza Sahib is the Promised Masih and Mahdi while Mahdi is supposed to come on the eve of Qiyamah. If he truly were the Mahdi, the world would have come to an end by now. Because, over a hundred and eleven years have passed since his death. They are really cheaters and deceivers.

 He claimed to be a prophet, whereas Allah Almighty said that Hadhrat Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wa sallam is the last prophet. So is it possible for someone to become a prophet after 1200 years of Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wa sallam? He claims to be a prophet, but his followers don't tell people that first. If they say it first, people will understand their deception immediately.

They first try to make people believe that he is Mahdi. He is Masih. Nouzubillah. Sometimes they say, he is a mujaddid. But he is a deceiver and a false claimant of prophethood. He is the denier of the Quran-Sunnah and Shariah. The Qur'an says that Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wa sallam is the last prophet.  Anyone who rejects this rule and claims to be a 'Prophet' has no chance of becoming a Muslim. He is definitely a non Muslim. If someone believes or accepts him, if someone considers him Mahdi or Masih- he is not a believer.

Safeguarding faith is obligatory

Brothers and friends! Just as it is obligatory to believe, it is equally imperative to safeguard our faith (Iman). Currently, faith is being attacked from all sides. In order to destroy our faith and mislead us, various deceivers are plotting in different ways. For this reason, just as we should thank Allah for granting us faith, we must also consistently pray to Allah to help us remain firm in our faith. A dua mentioned in the Quran should always be recited-

رَبَّنَا لَا تُزِغْ قُلُوْبَنَا بَعْدَ اِذْ هَدَیْتَنَا وَ هَبْ لَنَا مِنْ لَّدُنْكَ رَحْمَةً, اِنَّكَ انْتَ الْوَهَّابُ.

That is, Allah, you have kindly given guidance. You have given the wealth of faith. So Allah, please make us real Muslims. Please protect our Iman and Islam. Make us firm and steadfast on your path.

We have to learn Islamic Aqida

We will try to learn Islamic Aqida throughly and practice rpeatedly. The Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said:

جَدِّدُوا إِيمَانَكُمْ.

Renew your faith. If you recite Kalima once, then sit idle, your kalima will not benefit you. To benefit from your kalima, you have to renew it. The companions of the prophet asked-

يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ, وَكَيْفَ نُجَدِّدُ إِيمَانَنَا؟

Oh messenger of Allah! How do we renew faith? The Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said:

أَكْثِرُوا مِنْ قَوْلِ لَا إِلَهَ إِلّا اللهُ.

Recite 'La-Ilaha Illallah' more and more! Discuss 'La-Ilaha Illallah' with others. Understand the meaning of 'La-Ilaha Illallah' well. (Musnad Ahmad, Hadith 8710; Hakim in al-Mustadrak, Hadith 7657)

Example of 'al-Kalima at-tayyibah'

Practice more and more what Allah Taala has provided in this short sentence. Strive to comprehend and become well-acquainted with it.

Allah Ta'ala says in the Qur'an:

اَلَمْ تَرَ كَیْفَ ضَرَبَ اللهُ مَثَلًا كَلِمَةً طَیِّبَةً كَشَجَرَة طَیِّبَةٍ اَصْلُهَا ثَابِتٌ وَّ فَرْعُهَا فِی السَّمَآءِ.

Have you not seen how Allah has given an example of Kalima Tayiba? It is like a sacred tree, whose root is firmly established (in the ground), its branches spread to the sky. - Surah Ibrahim (14): 24

This is our faith; it is like a sacred tree. When we plant trees in the soil, we have to take care of them. We protect them with the fence from cows and goats. We water them in the morning and evening. At times we remove weeds from around them. In this way we do everything necessary to nurture the trees. When the tree grows, it bears fruits.

Allah Ta'ala says, the example of the Holy Kalima ('La-Ilaha Illallahu Muhammadur Rasoolullah', 'Ashhadu Allah Ilaha Illallahu Wahdahu La-Sharikalahu wa Ashhadu Anna Muhammadan Abduhu wa Rasulullah') is a sacred tree. The tree is planted in the ground for its fruits but the tree of faith is planted in the hearts of mankind.

اَصْلُهَا ثَابِتٌ.

As much as you acquire knowledge of Iman and Islam, as much as you think and make effort for it, as much as you do good deeds and make da'wah, as much as you act upon the teachings of Islam and get ta'lim, the roots of the tree will continue to grow stronger.

وَ فَرْعُهَا فِی السَّمَآءِ.

On the one hand, the root will grow stronger; on the other hand its branches will continue to come out. The branches of faith are good deeds. Every good deed is a branch. The branches of the tree spread to the left and right. But the branches of faith reach towards the sky, where Allah accepts them. Allah says-

اِلَیْهِ يَصْعَدُ الْكَلِمُ الطَّیِّبُ وَ الْعَمَلُ الصَّالِحُ يَرْفَعُهٗ.

- Surah Fatir (35): 10

That is, the Holy Kalima ascends towards Allah. Allah accepts good deeds and increases the glory of those who are steadfast in their faith and good deeds.

In fact, if one's relationship with Allah is strong, His mercy and kindness will continue shower. As a result, branches of faith continue to grow; fruits continue to blossom. These fruits of faith encompass good deeds, Allah's remembrance, recitation of the Quran, praying to Allah, enjoining good deeds and discouraging from bad deeds, fulfilling the rights of Allah's creatures, keeping transactions clean, avoiding all haram including oppression, injustice, usury and bribery etc. These are the fruits of the tree of faith.

If you appreciate this faith, and thank Allah for this blessing, He will give you tawfiq, so that you will become you a real Muslim.

يُثَبِّتُ اللهُ الَّذِیْنَ اٰمَنُوْا بِالْقَوْلِ الثَّابِتِ فِی الْحَیٰوةِ الدُّنْیَا وَ فِی الْاٰخِرَةِ.

That is, keep trying and asking from Allah, He will keep you strong in the faith both in the world and the hereafter - Inshallah. No one in the world can destroy the tree of your faith. No one can remove faith from your heart by uprooting the roots of the tree of faith in your heart. Nor can anyone take you out of Islam. Even after entering into the grave,  the angels known as munkar-nakir will not be able to deter you - InshAllah. If you are asked then you will be able to recite the Kalima of Tawheed and the Kalima Shahadat - La-Ilaha Illallahu Muhammadur Rasulullah, Ashhadu Allah Illaha Illallahu wa Ashhadu Anna Muhammadar Rasulullah.

In a word, Iman must be protected. This is a task accomplished through good deeds. Doing good deeds diligently and abstaining from sins protects your Iman.

How can we make effort to learn Iman

Another important thing is to learn Iman. We must learn the obligatory laws (Fard) of Islam. We should learn what Allah has made obligatory, and what the meaning and interpretation of Islamic beliefs are very well so that no one dares to mislead us by misinterpreting them. We should know what is halal, what is haram, what is permissible, and what is impermissible in Islam. We should know who has rights over us, and how to give these rights to them. We have to try hard to learn them. Now Alhamdulillah Allah opened different ways to learn them.
If we spend three days, ten days, one chilla, three chilla in Tabligh, we can learn these things. If we have time, we can spend one chilla (40 days) in Tabligh. We can spend one chilla in a year, three days in a month in tabligh. If you ask, why we will spend 'three days', we will say, no problem, you can spend five days or two days; you can even spend a day! 'Three days' and 'Ten days' are only for the system, not anything else. This is not a Shariah law that if you spend less than three days, you will have to answer to Allah.
The second way to learn religion is to come to our Talibuddin. Many mosques also have facilities for learning religion. You can start in your locality if there is not any opportunity to learn about religion. It has been announced by Markazud Dawah that if you come to us after Fajr, we are ready to teach you. We are here after Maghrib. Even after Asr, we are ready to teach you. Even if someone wants to come at 2-3 in the night to study religion, he can also come, Insha Allah, we are ready to teach him. Usually, no one comes at that time. But if someone gets up for Tahajjud and thought to visit our madrasa, InshAllah, he can also come and learn from here. This is a work of 24 hours. If someone comes suddenly, he will not be told that a new batch will start after a week, you will attend in that batch. No, it will not be said to him.
Programs of talimuddin are always going on in our madrasa. We don't have extra people to teach you, but if you come, teachers of our markaz will make time for you amid other actions. This is the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam. If someone comes to learn Din, no matter how busy you are, you have to give him time. If you come to know something that is not necessary for you immediately, then it is a different matter. You can say, well brother, I am a little busy, you will come later. But if someone comes to learn obligatory laws (Fard Ain) of Islam then there can be no delay. Once the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam was giving a sermon, someone came and said, teach me what Allah taught you. The Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam immediately stopped the sermon and went to teach him. Seeing that, one of the Companions brought a chair for the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam. The Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam sat there and taught him.
If someone wants to learn Fard Ilm, it cannot be delayed. There are many such incidents in the hadith. Someone came during the Prophet's busy schedule, he immediately left his schedule and gave him time. This is the principle in teaching the subject that is immediately necessary. That's why everyone here is ready to give you time despite being busy. You have come to learn the Qur'an, you have come to learn Salah, you have come to know about halal and haram, how to make your business halal,  you will be given time instantly. When somebody gets married, he should know how he will behave with his wife, what is the wife's right upon him? If he comes to us, he will be given time immediately. Because they have to learn immediately. Immediate ilm cannot be delayed. That's why even the busy teachers will give you time - Insha Allah.
So we will benefit from both Tabligh and Talimuddin
The third easy way to learn Din is religious gatherings. Attend any religious gathering that is held under the supervision of the ulama of Ahl as-Sunnah wal Jamaah. Participating in religious gatherings is a way of renewing faith. Learning obligatory knowledge is the most important thing for the protection of faith.

May Allah accept us all. Amin.