First Sermon:

All praise is due and belongs to Allâh. We praise Him, seek His help and forgiveness and repent to Him. We seek refuge with Allâh from the evils of ourselves and from the wickedness of our own deeds. Whomever that Allâh guides, none can mislead him, and whomever He sends astray, none can guide. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship but Allâh alone with no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

( يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ اتَّقُواْ اللّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلاَ تَمُوتُنَّ إِلاَّ وَأَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ )

(O you who believe, fear Allâh as he should be feared and die not unless you are Muslims) [Al-Imran: 102]

( يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُواْ رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُم مِّن نَّفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ وَخَلَقَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا وَبَثَّ مِنْهُمَا رِجَالاً كَثِيرًا وَنِسَاء وَاتَّقُواْ اللّهَ الَّذِي تَسَاءلُونَ بِهِ وَالأَرْحَامَ إِنَّ اللّهَ كَانَ عَلَيْكُمْ رَقِيبًا )

(O people fear your Lord, who created you from a single soul. From it, He created its spouse, and from both of them scattered many men and women. Fear Allâh, by whom you ask one another, and (fear) the wombs (lest you sever its relationship). Allâh is ever watching over you). [An-Nisa: 1].

( يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَقُولُوا قَوْلًا سَدِيدًا * يُصْلِحْ لَكُمْ أَعْمَالَكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَمَن يُطِعْ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَقَدْ فَازَ فَوْزًا عَظِيمًا )

(O you, who believe, fear Allâh and say sound statements. He will mend your deeds for you and forgive your sins. Whosoever obeys Allâh and His Messenger shall win a great victory) [Al-Ahzab: 70-71].

O believers ! The love of Allâh , the Almighty, and the love of His Messenger, (May the blessings and peace of Allâh  be upon him),  are the fundamental basis of the religion of Islam, and the requirement for the soundness of  faith, as well as the love of what they loved, and the detestation of what they detested. Loving what Allâh  and His Messenger love, and hating what Allâh  and His Messenger hate is of the causes of happiness and overwhelming success in this world and the hereafter. Also, the faith of the slave of Allâh  cannot be sound without that. A man cannot be a true believer unless he gives precedence to the love of the messenger of Allâh , (May the blessings and peace of Allâh  be upon him),   over the love of all creation, including the parents, family and  children. This love should be above all types of love; because with its perfection, faith will be perfected, and with its non-accomplishment faith will seize to be perfect. Allâh,  the Almighty said,

( قُلۡ إِن كَانَ ءَابَآؤُكُمۡ وَأَبۡنَآؤُڪُمۡ وَإِخۡوَٲنُكُمۡ وَأَزۡوَٲجُكُمۡ وَعَشِيرَتُكُمۡ وَأَمۡوَٲلٌ ٱقۡتَرَفۡتُمُوهَا وَتِجَـٰرَةٌ۬ تَخۡشَوۡنَ كَسَادَهَا وَمَسَـٰكِنُ تَرۡضَوۡنَهَآ أَحَبَّ إِلَيۡڪُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ وَجِهَادٍ۬ فِى سَبِيلِهِۦ فَتَرَبَّصُواْ حَتَّىٰ يَأۡتِىَ ٱللَّهُ بِأَمۡرِهِۦ‌ۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَہۡدِى ٱلۡقَوۡمَ ٱلۡفَـٰسِقِينَ )

Say: If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your kindred, the wealth that you have gained, the commerce in which you fear a decline, and the dwellings in which you delight are dearer to you than Allâh and His Messenger, and striving hard and fighting in His Cause, then wait until Allâh brings about His Decision (torment). And Allâh guides not the people who are rebellious, disobedient to Allâh [At-Tawbah: 24].

In the hadith of the Prophet, (May the blessings and peace of Allâh  be upon him), "There are three qualities by which anyone who is characterised will relish the sweetness of faith: he to whom Allâh  and His Messenger are dearer than all else" (Agreed upon).

He, (May the blessings and peace of Allâh be upon him),    said, "Love Allâh for what He nourishes you with of His Blessings" (At-Tirmidhi).

The Prophet, (May the blessings and peace of Allâh  be upon him), also said: "None of you truly believes until I am dearer to him than himself, his children, his father, and the whole of mankind" (Agreed upon).

As stated in the Qur'an, the faithful believers have been forbidden to put themselves forward before Allâh  and His Messenger;

Allâh , the Almighty, said in His Holy Book,

( يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَا تُقَدِّمُواْ بَيۡنَ يَدَىِ ٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ‌ۖ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ۬ )

O you who believe! Make not (a decision) in advance before Allâh and His Messenger, (May the blessings and peace of Allâh  be upon him), and fear Allâh. Verily! Allâh is All-Hearing, All-Knowing [Al-Hujuraat: 1].

In this verse there is explicit appeal to the people of faith to desist from  proceeding ahead of Allâh  and His Messenger in anything be it decision or otherwise, and to be submissive to the orders of Allâh , and orders of His Messenger, (May the blessings and peace of Allâh  be upon him). It is part of proceeding ahead of Allâh  and His Messenger, to give precedence to the love of others over their love, or to prefer what one loves to what Allâh  and His Messenger love, because that spurs to doing what pleases the beloved, and if the beloved thing to man is not loved by Allâh , then this lover would have become guilty of the love which Allâh  is not pleased with, because he has out of his own whims loved what his Master does not love, and chosen out of  his own desire that which is not pleasing and beloved to the Creator, for Allâh  knows that this is not in the interest of His slave, but pure object of harm.

In the previous hadith of the Prophet, (May the blessings and peace of Allâh  be upon him),  he said, " There are three qualities by which anyone who is characterised will relish the sweetness of faith: he to whom Allâh  and His Messenger are dearer than all else; he who loves a man for Allâh 's sake alone; and he who has as great an abhorrence of returning to unbelief after Allâh  has rescued him from it as he has of being cast into Hell "(Agreed upon).

Hence, he that truly and honestly loves Allâh  and His Messenger from his heart, his heart will enjoin him to love what Allâh  and His Messenger love, and hate what Allâh  and His Messenger hate, and act with his physical faculties under the necessitations of this love .

Moreover, the previous Quranic verse:

( قُلۡ إِن كَانَ ءَابَآؤُكُمۡ وَأَبۡنَآؤُڪُمۡ  )

Say: If your fathers, your sons [At-Tawbah: 24], is an evidence of the necessity to give precedence to the love of Allâh over all else. When commenting on the verse Al-Bayhaqi said: "With this, He has made it pomp and plain that to love Allâh and His Messenger is compulsory" (As-Shu'ab).

Imam Al-Qurtubi said, "In the verse, there is evidence to indicate the obligatoriness of the love of Allâh  and His Messenger and there is no dispute in that among scholars of the Islamic nation, and that it is given precedence over all that is beloved" (Al-Jami' Li Ahkam Al-Qur'an).

As-Sa'di said, "This verse is the greatest proof of the obligatoriness of the love of Allâh  and His Messenger, and to give precedence to them over the love of all things "(Tafseer As-Sa'di.

The verse also informed of a severe torment that awaits those who gave precedence to other things over the love of Allâh  and His Messenger. This is contained in the words of Allâh :

( فَتَرَبَّصُواْ حَتَّىٰ يَأۡتِىَ ٱللَّهُ بِأَمۡرِهِۦ‌ )

 Then wait until Allâh brings about His Decision (torment).

 Then He said, describing their experience as commensurate with them:

( وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَہۡدِى ٱلۡقَوۡمَ ٱلۡفَـٰسِقِينَ )

And Allâh guides not the people who are rebellious, disobedient to Allâh.

This severe threat is supported by the hadiths mentioned here and others, all of which point to the seriousness of giving precedence to the love of Allâh and His Messenger over everything, and that it is necessary on part of every believer, and that the proof of man's faith is his love for Allâh and His Messenger.

Allâh  has nullified the deeds of those who hate what Allâh , the most High loves of the good deeds and the righteous people, or love what Allâh  hates. Allâh,  the Almighty, says,

( ذَٲلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمۡ كَرِهُواْ مَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ فَأَحۡبَطَ أَعۡمَـٰلَهُمۡ )

That is because they hate what Allâh  has sent down; therefore Allâh  has nullified their deeds [Muhammad: 9].

The Almighty again said,

( ذَٲلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمُ ٱتَّبَعُواْ مَآ أَسۡخَطَ ٱللَّهَ وَڪَرِهُواْ رِضۡوَٲنَهُ ۥ فَأَحۡبَطَ أَعۡمَـٰلَهُمۡ )

That is because they followed that which has angered Allâh , and they disliked His pleasure; therefore He has nullified their deeds [Muhammad: 28].

However, this verse talks about the unbelievers who hated what Allâh  revealed to His Messenger, (May the blessings and peace of Allâh  be upon him). So Allâh  condemned that act from them and foiled their deeds.

Hence, the love of the hated, and hate of the beloved, is a sort of giving precedence to the love of other than Allâh   and His Messenger, to their love, because such offense is not committed except by one who prefers the love of others besides Allâh  and His Messenger to the love of Allâh  and His messenger. If he had any true love for Allâh  and His Messenger, he would love all the things they love, and hate everything they hate. He has been truthful and sincere he that said, "A lover to the one he loves is obedient".

Among the things that also refer to the same meaning, is what the Noble Qur'an stated that obeying and emulating the Prophet of Allâh  is among the indications of loving Allâh,  the most High.  His Prophet does not invite but to something that is beloved to the Creator, and he himself. He does not forbid except that which his Creator hates and then Allâh  has said about His Prophet (May the blessings and peace of Allâh  be upon him),

( وَمَا يَنطِقُ عَنِ ٱلۡهَوَىٰٓ (٣) إِنۡ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحۡىٌ۬ يُوحَىٰ )

He does not speak out of (his own) desire. (3) It is but revelation revealed (to him) [An-Najm 3-4].

Moreover, if so, one must comply with what has been stated in the text and indicated by the command, which is sincere emulation, because Muhammad (May the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), delivers the message from Allâh , the Almighty and hence he must be followed and obeyed. Allâh , the Almighty, said,

( قُلۡ إِن كُنتُمۡ تُحِبُّونَ ٱللَّهَ فَٱتَّبِعُونِى يُحۡبِبۡكُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَيَغۡفِرۡ لَكُمۡ ذُنُوبَكُمۡ‌ۗ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٌ۬ رَّحِيمٌ۬ )

Say (O Prophet): “If you really love Allâh , then follow me, and Allâh  shall love you and forgive you your sins. Allâh  is Most-Forgiving, Very-Merciful [Al-Imran: 31].

That is to say, stick to what I have brought to you and follow it, for the highest ranks of obedience and emulation, is to place the love of Allâh  and His Messenger over anyone else, and to love what they love and  hate what they hate.

May Allâh  guide all of us to sincere obedience and emulation.

I said what you have heard and I ask forgiveness from Allâh , the Almighty, for you and me, so, ask for His forgiveness for He is the All-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

Second sermon:

All praise is due and belongs to Allâh , the Lord of the worlds. The good end shall be for the righteous, and no aggression except upon the oppressors.

Slaves of Allâh ! Know that all sins arise from giving precedence to human whims and fancies and oneself over the love of Allâh  and His Messenger, and by preferring one's own pleasure to the pleasure of Allâh  and His Messenger. Allâh , the most High, said,

( أَفَرَءَيۡتَ مَنِ ٱتَّخَذَ إِلَـٰهَهُ ۥ هَوَٮٰهُ  )

So, have you seen him who has taken his desires as his god?

And the consequence comes at the end of the verse:

( وَأَضَلَّهُ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ عِلۡمٍ۬ وَخَتَمَ عَلَىٰ سَمۡعِهِۦ وَقَلۡبِهِۦ وَجَعَلَ عَلَىٰ بَصَرِهِۦ غِشَـٰوَةً۬ )

And Allâh  has let him go astray, despite having knowledge, and has sealed his ear and his heart, and put a cover on his eye? [Al-Jaathiyah: 23].

This situation has been interpreted by the saying of the Prophet, (May the blessings and peace of Allâh  be upon him), " Not recognizing what is good or rejecting what is abominable, but being impregnated with passion" (Agreed upon), because he loves what whatever fascinates himself, so Allâh  left him to his desires. Here is the secret of downfall and evidence of the weakness of faith, because he whose love and hatred and giving and withholding are based on his own desire, that indicates his lack of faith. In contrast to that is the love and hatred in Allâh  and for the sake of Allâh , which is the perfection of faith, as attested to by the words of the Prophet (May the blessings and peace of Allâh  be upon him), " If anyone loves for Allâh 's sake, hates for Allâh 's sake, gives for Allâh 's sake and withholds for Allâh 's sake, he will have perfect faith" (Ahmad).

Pursuing one's fancies is a reason for destruction and corruption, and a reason for a dispute which has no party, and a loss without expiration. As regards following the truth, it is the reason for the steadfastness, dynamism of affairs, and righteousness of conditions. Hence , there are only two ways without any other, either to follow the good or to follow the evil, either to follow that which agrees with the self-desires, or to follow that which concurs with the love of Allâh  and His Messenger, (May the blessings and peace of Allâh  be upon him).

If the truth is not followed, then self-whims and fancies would be followed and that is the reason for all tragedies. Allâh  the Most High, said,

( وَلَوِ ٱتَّبَعَ ٱلۡحَقُّ أَهۡوَآءَهُمۡ لَفَسَدَتِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتُ وَٱلۡأَرۡضُ وَمَن فِيهِنَّ‌ۚ )

Had the truth followed their desires, the heavens and the earth and all those therein would have fallen in total disorder [Al-Mu'minoon: 71].

This is so because man is deficient and helpless no matter how he shows that he is right. His desires do not drive him to good, except if he follows the truth, and the truth is the religion of Allâh  (Islam), which was brought by Muhammad (May the blessings and peace of Allâh  be upon him). Also, the messenger of Allâh , (May the blessings and peace of Allâh  be upon him),   has said " None of you [truly] believes until his desires are subservient to that which I have brought" (Al-Arba'oun An-Nawawiyyah).

Furthermore, Allâh,  the Almighty has stated that failure to respond to His Prophet and what he has brought, is a way of following the whims and fancies, as the Almighty said,

( وَمَا كَانَ لِمُؤۡمِنٍ۬ وَلَا مُؤۡمِنَةٍ إِذَا قَضَى ٱللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ ۥۤ أَمۡرًا أَن يَكُونَ لَهُمُ ٱلۡخِيَرَةُ مِنۡ أَمۡرِهِمۡۗ  )

It is not befitting for a believing man or a believing woman, once Allâh  and His messenger have decided a thing, that they should have a choice about their matter [Al-Ahzab: 50].

Slaves of Allâh !

Realize that it is among the sincere love for Allah and His Messenger, (May the blessings and peace of Allâh  be upon him), to adhere to their commands and avoid their prohibition in both serious and minor things, and out of desire, love and satisfaction, as Allâh , the most High, says,

( فَإِن لَّمۡ يَسۡتَجِيبُواْ لَكَ فَٱعۡلَمۡ أَنَّمَا يَتَّبِعُونَ أَهۡوَآءَهُمۡ‌ۚ )

 So if they do not respond to you, be sure that they are only following their desires [Al-Qasas: 50].

Allâh , the most Purified, also said,

( وَمَا كَانَ لِمُؤۡمِنٍ۬ وَلَا مُؤۡمِنَةٍ إِذَا قَضَى ٱللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ ۥۤ أَمۡرًا أَن يَكُونَ لَهُمُ ٱلۡخِيَرَةُ مِنۡ أَمۡرِهِمۡۗ  )

It is not befitting for a believing man or a believing woman, once Allâh  and His messenger have decided a thing, that they should have a choice about their matter [Al-Ahzab: 36].

It is also part of the love of Allâh  and His Messenger to love those whom they love among the angels, messengers, prophets, saints, martyrs and the righteous in general and to follow the path of lovers, to give allegiance to the people who love Allâh  and  His Messenger, and to support and regard them. Allâh , the most High, says,

( وَٱصۡبِرۡ نَفۡسَكَ مَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَدۡعُونَ رَبَّہُم بِٱلۡغَدَوٰةِ وَٱلۡعَشِىِّ يُرِيدُونَ وَجۡهَهُ )

Keep yourself content with those who call their Lord morning and evening, seeking His Face [Al-Kahf: 28].

Allâh , the Almighty, also said,

( وَٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ وَٱلۡمُؤۡمِنَـٰتُ بَعۡضُهُمۡ أَوۡلِيَآءُ بَعۡضٍ۬‌ۚ )

The believers, men and women, are Auliyâ’ (helpers, supporters, friends, protectors) of one another [At-Tawbah: 71].

It is stated in the foregoing hadith that among the signs of savoring the sweetness of faith as the prophet, (May the blessings and peace of Allâh  be upon him),   said, is " For one to love a man for Allâh's sake alone".

In the other hadith, the messenger of Allâh , (May the blessings and peace of Allâh  be upon him),   said, " If anyone loves for Allâh 's sake, hates for Allâh 's sake, gives for Allâh 's sake and withholds for Allâh 's sake, he will have perfect faith" (Ahmad).

The love of Allah is the origin of all kinds of love, and it is He alone, the most Purified, who deserves to be loved for Himself in all respects. The love of others besides Him is subsidiary to His love and stems from it.

Invoke prayers and blessings of Allâh upon the one Allâh, the Most Exalted and Glorified, has commanded you to do so when He said,

( إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا )

Allâh sends His Salah (Graces, Honours, Blessings, Mercy, etc.) on the Prophet (Muhammad) and also His angels too (ask Allâh to bless and forgive him). O you who believe! Send your Salah on (ask Allâh to bless) him (Muhammad), and (you should) greet him with the Islamic way of greeting [Al-Ahzab: 56].

All praise is due and belongs to Allâh , the Lord and Cherisher of the worlds.