In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy
All praise is for Allah. We praise Him, we seek His aid and we ask for His forgiveness. We seek Allah’s refuge from the evils of ourselves and from our evil actions. Whosoever Allah guides, there is no one who can misguide him; and whosoever Allah misguides, there is no one who can guide him.
I testify that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah, alone, who has no partner; and I testify that Muhammad (Peace be upon him) is His servant and Messenger.
Dear brothers and sisters! Indeed the Madinah of Allah’s Messenger (Madinatur-Rasul) is the most pleasant of places, it is Taybah, it is the returning place and sanctuary of Iman, it is the home of the Muhajirun and the Ansar, it is the place where the trustworthy Angel Jibril descended upon the Prophet (Peace be upon him) with the Revelation.
Allah the Almighty has honoured the blessed city of Madinah, He has given it excellence over all of the cities after Makkah. There are many narrations that mention its excellence, its virtues, its sanctity and its status – and how the Messenger (Peace be upon him) would supplicate for it and inform his Companions regarding it.
Respected brothers and sisters! Inside the city of Madinah, outside it or anywhere we may found ourselves, lets be humble, lets respect each other and the Islamic brotherhood which binds us together. Do you feel superior to others because your family is well respected. Do your accomplishments give you a sense of greatness and superiority when compared to others less accomplished. Does your skin colour, tribe, region, family descent, or nationality make you consider others inferior? If so, don’t let power, wealth and fame corrupt you. Don’t let your accomplishments deceive you. Don’t let racism get the best of you. Don’t let Satan mislead you into believing you are superior to others. Remember, you were once nothing, not even a thought. And by the grace of Allah who creates what He wills, you were given life. You were given the opportunity to be something. Just like you, everyone is trying to be something. Be humble therefore, and honour your Creator by honouring His Creation.
Dear brothers and sisters! Know that you are significant because of who created you, but you are insignificant compared the greater creation around you. The planets and the stars, and the galaxies all around us are far superior to us. They will continue to exist far beyond our existence. Compared to the universe, Human beings are like an ant to planet Earth. The universe is much greater than us and is far more complex. Allah emphasises the greatness of the Universe compared to human beings in the glorious Qur’an. Allah the Most High says:
“The creation of the Heavens and the Earth is indeed greater than the creation of mankind; yet, most of mankind know not.” [Al-Qur’an, 40:57]
My people! As advancement in technology and knowledge continue to increase, so does human arrogance. The more inventions we come up with, the more widespread arrogance and intolerance we becomes. Because of this, we tend to consider ourselves as the greatest thing in this world. It has become a disease and many people are dying because of hate and intolerance. Wallahi, we have gone astray.
We human beings fail to put things in perspective and realise that we are neither creators of things, and neither did we create ourselves. We only make things from already created things. We can only do things and advance in technology as long as the air we depend on and food and water is available to us. We need to humble ourselves and realise that no matter how much knowledge we attain, and no matter what technology we come up with, no matter our accomplishments, gravity will continue to exist. Earth will continue to rotate and we can do nothing to stop it. Our existence can easily be replaced. We should therefore distance ourselves from prejudice and arrogance. We should humble ourselves. We should come to know each other, and embrace the uniqueness in everyone, not view each other as inferior.
We are all unique in our genetic makeup, but we are all equal in the sight of Allah. The only superiority anyone can have over anyone else is the fear of Allah, faith in Him, and righteousness. Everything else, including language, nationality, race, and family lineage does not matter in the sight of Allah. As Allah the Almighty says in the Glorious Qur’an:
“O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know each other (not that you may despise (each other). Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things).” [Qur’an, 49:13]
Respected brothers and sisters! When Allah’s Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings, was raised as a Prophet, the same kind of racism, under the name of tribalism, was prevalent in Makkah. The Quraish considered themselves in particular, and Arabs in general, superior to all the other peoples of the world. But Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) rejected this ignorant belief, which considered some people superior to others because of their language, race, social status or ethnicity. He said:
“Your descent is nothing to be proud of. Nor does it bring you superiority. O people! All of you are the children of Adam. You are like equal wheat grains in a bowl. No one has any superiority over anyone else, except in religion and heedfulness.”
Also Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) emphasised the importance of equality in his last sermon. He said:
“All mankind is from Adam and Eve (Hawwa). An Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab, nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action. Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute as one brotherhood.” [Excerpt from the Last Sermon of Prophet Muhammad]
Be Humble, therefore!
Dear brothers and sisters! Don’t make the mistake of living without prioritising first. Know what matters the most. Here are some key points to remember:
– Creator over creation.
– Family over career.
– Time over money.
– Love over Lust.
– Respect over Disrespect.
– Love over hate.
– Justice over Injustice.
– Productivity over Laziness.
– Success over Fame.
– Hereafter over this world.
– Good deeds over bad deeds.
– Righteousness over sins.
– Contentment over complaints.
– Truth over falsehood.
– Happiness over sadness.
– Honesty over corruption.
– Peace over fighting.
– Guidance over deception.
– Spirituality over materialistic things.
– Good deeds and actions now over tomorrow.
– Greatness over Average.
– Prayers and worship of Allah over any wasteful activity.
– Helping others over doing nothing.
– Truth over lie.
– Passion over money.
– Humility over arrogance.
– Thankfulness over boasting.
– Appreciation over complaints.
– Seeking knowledge over useless entertainment.
And eventually, know that true success belongs to those who strive diligently and intelligently!
Imam Murtadha Muhammad Gusau wrote this piece from Madinah, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He can be reached via: gusaumurtada@gmail.com or +2348038289761.
