The Trust

أما بعد: فيقول الله تعالى: إِنَّا عَرَضْنَا ٱلأَمَانَةَ عَلَى ٱلسَّمَـٰوٰتِ وَٱلأرْضِ وَٱلْجِبَالِ فَأبَيْنَ أَن يَحْمِلْنَهَا وَأَشْفَقْنَ مِنْهَا وَحَمَلَهَا ٱلإِنْسَـٰنُ إِنَّهُ كَانَ ظَلُوماً جَهُولاً لّيُعَذّبَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْمُنَـٰفِقِينَ وَٱلْمُنَـٰفِقَـٰتِ وَٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ وَٱلْمُشْرِكَـٰتِ وَيَتُوبَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتِ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ غَفُوراً رَّحِيماً [الأحزاب:72، 73].

A big burden, an obligation and a dangerous proposition was offered to the creation - the heavens, the earths and the mountains. They were in fear and they turned it down out of fear of Allah's punishment. And this "trust" was offered to Adam (peace be upon him) and he took it on all alone.

إِنَّهُ كَانَ ظَلُوماً جَهُولاً

The human which neglects and abandons the TRUST is the ever-oppressive, ever-ignorant - not Adam (sas) himself.  Or perhaps Adam WAS in his moment of disobedience, but not after his repentance and his prophet hood.

This "trust" is the responsibilities and the obligations of the Shari'a. They are the rights of Allah AND the rights of Allah's slaves. Whoever complies with them, delivers them and fulfills them completely will see its reward and whoever neglects them, abandons them and takes them lightly will see its punishment.

So, whoever completes and fulfills this trust, has completed and fulfilled his deen and whoever loses the attribute of amaana (trustworthiness, fulfilling of all trusts and obligations) has discarded his deen.

For this reason, amaana was a consistent attribute of all of Allah's prophet's and messengers as well as all of his righteous slaves. Allah informs us about Nuh, Hud, Salih and ohers among the messengers in Sura Ash-Shu'araa' that they ALL commanded their people to "Fear Allah and obey me...", saying:

Any time amaana decreases, another part of one's iman is lost - whether it is with regard to the rights of Allah or to the rights of Allah's slaves.

The meaning here is that whenever anyone intentionally falls short of his amaana by taking lightly the furoodh and obligations of the deen and by betraying the trusts and rights of his fellow slaves of Allah that the inevitable result and the appropriate outcome is that Allah REMOVES and trace of amaana from his heart. Allah is exalted high above the possibility that He would ever do such a thing without a CAUSE and a reason originating from the slave - without his ignoring or taking lightly the rights of Allah and the rights of others over him.

The hadith also tells us that amaana is in fact iman - it the deen itself and all of its obligations. So, tauhid is the worship of Allah and not associating anything with Him in that. It is worhip AND it is part of the trust (amaana) which Allah placed upon us. Prayer is a trust. Zakat is a trust. Fasting is a trust. Hajj is a trust. Maintaining family ties is a trust. Enjoining right and prohibiting wrong is a trust. Wealth is a trust - so beware of using it to aid one in disobedience. The eye is a trust - so do not allow it to gaze on the forbidden. Your body is a trust - so don't allow it to engage in, consume or take you to that which Allah has forbidden. Children are a trust - so fear Allah in their upbringing and their teaching. A spouse is a trust - beware of neglecting any of their rights. Every personal, social and material than anyone among Allah's slaves has over you is a TRUST - so do not take ANY of this lightly or make any excuses for yourself in not fulfilling them completely and absolutely.

 

Allah has promised for the fulfilling of this trust and the performance of all of its obligations - to Allah and to people - the greatest of rewards:

 

The neglect of this amaana and failure to fulfill its obligations creates flaws and corruption in the condition of people. It transforms life into something bitter and destroys the social bonds. It exposes all private and public interests to danger and destruction. It even corrupts understanding and values until it finally leads to utter destruction. The Prophet (sas) was asked, "When is the Hour?", to which he (sas) answered:

فاتقوا الله عبادَ الله، وحافظوا على الأماناتِ والواجبات، واحذروا المحرَّمات

بارك الله لي ولكم في القرآن العظيم، ونفعني وإياكم بما فيه من الآيات والذكر الحكيم، ونفعنا بهدي سيد المرسلين، وبقوله القويم، أقول قولي هذا، وأستغفر الله العظيم لي ولكم ولسائر المسلمين من كل ذنب، فاستغفروه إنه من الغفور الرحيم.

 

الخطبة الثانية

الحمد لله ذي الجلال والإكرام، والعزّةِ التي لا تُضام، أحمد ربي وأشكره على آلائه العِظام. وأشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له، وأشهد أن نبينا وسيدنا محمداً عبده ورسوله المبعوث رحمة للعالمين، اللهم صل وسلم وبارك على عبدك ورسولك محمد، وعلى آله وصحبه أجمعين.

 

أما بعد: فاتقوا الله حقَّ تقواه، وأطيعوه بفعل ما أمَر واجتناب ما نهى عنه وزَجر، تفوزوا بجنته ورضاه.

The greatest trust at this moment upon all of our shoulders is our living in this land and being responsible for this masjid and this settlement of Muslims in these mountains. We have duties toward our children. We have duties of making da'wah to those around us and those who we are around. We have a huge duty of being an EXAMPLE of Islam and all its perfection to all who know us, see us or interact with us. BEWARE of this duty. Beware of fooling yourself with mere five pillars or some small amount of effort that you have indeed "delivered the trust". If it were so, the heavens and the mountains would not have fled from it in fear. Don't be like the khawaalif - those who stayed behind from jihad like the women and with the women. Your trust needs your attention and your EFFORT while there is still time. So NOT respond to your trust toward Allah OR your trust toward your fellow slaves with treachery!

عباد الله، إن الله أمركم بالصلاة والسلام على مصطفاه من خلقه وخليله من عباده نبينا وسيدنا محمد فقال: إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ وَمَلَـٰئِكَـتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى ٱلنَّبِىّ يٰأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءامَنُواْ صَلُّواْ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلّمُواْ تَسْلِيماً [الأحزاب:56].

اللهم صل على محمد وعلى آل محمد كما صليت على إبراهيم وعلى آل إبراهيم إنك حميد مجيد...