Dear Brothers and Sisters!

As a requirement of Allah (swt)’s infinite mercy and wisdom, He has not left His servants alone. He showed us how we can get closer to him and improve our relations with people through the prophets and books he has sent down. The last of the prophets and the sultan of hearts, Muhammad (saw) has the most important authority in this context. He, Rasulullah (saw), did all he could do to guide his Ummah to the right path through day and night. He did not refrain from making all kinds of sacrifices for his Ummah, and always shared their sadness and joy. He tirelessly worked for the benefit of the Ummah. Allah (swt) says: “There has certainly come to you a Messenger from among yourselves. Grievous to him is what you suffer; [he is] concerned over you and to the believers is kind and merciful.”[1]

Dear Brothers and Sisters!

Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (saw) states in the following hadith: “There is for every apostle a (special) prayer with which he would pray. I wish I could reserve, my prayer for intercession of my Ummah on the Day of Resurrection. “[2] Dear brothers and sisters, we understand from this hadith that our Prophet (saw) has always been with his ummah. He stated that he will be with them not only in this world but also in the hereafter. Despite going through so many troubled and sad times throughout his life, he never stopped thinking about his Ummah and praying for them. At the time when His beloved wife Khadija and his uncle Abu Talib passed away and even when he was experiencing the pain of his children, he did not lose his interest in his Ummah and his fondness for them never diminished.
Dear Jama’ah!

Our Prophet Muhammad (saw) expressed his longing for his Ummah as follows: “I wish I could meet my brothers.” (Thereupon, those who listened to him said): “Are we not your brothers, O Messenger of Allah?” they asked. He replied: “You are my companions, but my brothers are those who have faith in me although they never saw me.”[3]

My respected brothers and sisters let’s think about the meaning of this hadith: There were many non-believers who lived in the time of our Prophet (saw) and witnessed his beauty of light. What a blessing it is to be one of those people who came to the world centuries after him, believed in him, followed his path, and even said, “I wish I had given my property, my life and everything, and I could see the Messenger of Allah once”!

Dear Brothers and Sisters!

By the will of Allah, we will witness Mawlid Al-Nabi on the night that connects Sunday to Monday. Everywhere in the world where Muslims are present, including the branches of our organisation, the enthusiasm of the celebrations of Mawlid Al-Nabi will be experienced. These celebrations were tolerated and encouraged by the scholars of the Ummah. They are an opportunity that should not be missed as long as they are away from Bid’ah and waste. For, these celebrations, consisting of conversations regarding the Seerah, hadith lessons and Salawat-i Sharif, the love of the Prophet (saw) instilled in the Ummah for centuries and reminded Muslims of the importance of sunnah.

May Allah (swt) allow us to be amongst those who the Prophet Muhammad (saw) made dua for by saying “Ya Rabbi, Ummati, Ummati”[4]. Âmeen.

[1] Surah At-Tawbah, 9:128

[2] Müslim, İman, 86, H.No: 199; Buhârî, Tevhid, 31, H.No: 7474

[3] Müslim, Tahâret, 12, H.No: 249

[4] Müsned-i Ahmed, 15/387, H.No: 9623

 

Khutba-Our Prophet’s Devotion to His Ummah