The Shaykh حفظه الله began by praising Allaah سبحانه وتعالى the Lord and Owner of everything in existence, and by sending the salaat and the salaam upon the final Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم. He then said:

I extend greetings to you from this blessed place, a greeting that Allaah سبحانه وتعالى legislated for the Muslims, a greeting in which there is peace, safety, goodness and blessings Assalaamu `Alaykum wa Rahmatullaahi Wa Barakaatuh. I ask Allaah سبحانه وتعالى to accept from me, you and the rest of the Muslims the fasting during this month of Ramadhaan.

In this month Allaah سبحانه وتعالى has decreed that I have a meeting with you the Muslims in the United States, through a tele-link. This is from the blessings of Allaah that He bestowed upon us; it is upon us to use the blessings of Allaah in pleasing Him, for indeed if you were to try and count the amount of blessings that Allaah سبحانه وتعالى has blessed us with, you will not be able to count them. If the servants of Allaah سبحانه وتعالى were to use these blessings in obedience to Allaah, in worshipping Him, and with what benefits them in their Deen (religion) and their dunyaa, then indeed they would be content in the life of this world and successful in the life of this world as well as in the Hereafter. However, Allaah سبحانه وتعالى states in the Qur’aan,

وَقَلِيلٌ مِنْ عِبَادِيَ الشَّكُورُ

{But few of My slaves are grateful.} [As-Saba’ 34:13]

This month is a blessed month. This month that is now upon us, it is a month full of bounty, a month in which Allaah سبحانه وتعالى has placed all types of goodness. Allaah سبحانه وتعالى has blessed the Muslims by giving them the opportunity to practice righteous deeds in it and also as expiation for their sins. When we know the virtues of Ramadhaan, that it is a blessed month and it is a month of goodness as the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “If people know what goodness Ramadhaan consists of, my ummah would wish the whole year was Ramadhaan.”[1] Then, these are from the bounties of Allaah سبحانه وتعالى upon us.

Allaah سبحانه وتعالى legislated for us and Allaah سبحانه وتعالى has taught us. Were it not that He taught us and gave us this legislation, we would not know how to worship our Rabb (Lord) سبحانه وتعالى. So the greatest bounty of Allaah سبحانه وتعالى upon the children of Aadam is that He allows them to worship Him, associating no partners with Him in that worship, and to draw close to Him سبحانه وتعالى with all that pleases Him; to obey Him, and not disobey Him, and to draw close to Him سبحانه وتعالى by forsaking sins and staying as far away as possible from them. Indeed worshipping Allaah سبحانه وتعالى is by practicing obedience to Him and staying away from all prohibitions, with sincerity to Him سبحانه وتعالى, seeking His forgiveness, practicing all that He has obligated, forsaking everything that He has prohibited, being upon the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم and having knowledge of what Allaah سبحانه وتعالى has legislated according to the Sunnah.

Allaah سبحانه وتعالى blessed us by teaching us how to worship Him. He did not create us and then leave us without any purpose. Rather He sent Messengers and He revealed books to these Messengers. The last from amongst these Messengers is the best of the first generations as well as the last generations; he is Muhammad ibn `Abdillaah صلى الله عليه وسلم. Allaah سبحانه وتعالى revealed the best Book to him with the most beautiful stories and He completed this legislation through him; Allaah سبحانه وتعالى said,

إِنَّ هَذَا الْقُرْآَنَ يَهْدِي لِلَّتِي هِيَ أَقْوَمُ وَيُبَشِّر الْمُؤْمِنِينَ الَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ الصَّالِحَاتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ أَجْرًا كَبِيرًا

{Verily, this Qur’an guides to that which is most just and right and gives glad tidings to the believers (in the Oneness of Allaah and His Messenger Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم), who work deeds of righteousness, that they shall have a great reward (Paradise).} [Al-Israa’ 17:9]

So if Allaah سبحانه وتعالى had not taught us this legislation, we would have not have known it, rather we would not have known anything.

Allaah سبحانه وتعالى mentions His blessings upon His Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم to him. Allaah says,

وَعَلَّمَكَ مَا لَمْ تَكُنْ تَعْلَمُ

{…and taught you that which you knew not.} [An-Nisaa’ 4:113]

And Allaah سبحانه وتعالى says,

وَكَذَلِكَ أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ رُوحًا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا مَا كُنْتَ تَدْرِي مَا الْكِتَابُ وَلَا الْإِيمَانُ وَلَكِنْ جَعَلْنَاهُ نُورًا نَهْدِي بِهِ مَنْ نَشَاءُ مَنْ عِبَادِنَا وَإِنَّكَ لَتَهْدِي إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ

{And thus We have sent to you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) Rooh (a revelation, and a mercy) of Our Command. You knew not what is the Book, nor what is Faith. But We have made it (this Qur’aan) a light wherewith We guide whosoever of Our slaves We will. And verily, you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) are indeed guiding (mankind) to a Straight Path (i.e. Allaah’s religion of Islaamic Monotheism).} [Ash-Shooraa 42:52]

And Allaah سبحانه وتعالى says,

حَافِظُوا عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ وَالصَّلَاةِ الْوُسْطَى وَقُومُوا لِلَّهِ قَانِتِينَ (238) فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ فَرِجَالًا أَوْ رُكْبَانًا فَإِذَا أَمِنْتُمْ فَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ كَمَا عَلَّمَكُمْ مَا لَمْ تَكُونُوا تَعْلَمُونَ

{Guard strictly (five obligatory) As-Salawaat (the prayers) especially the middle Salaat (i.e. the best prayer – ‘Asr). And stand before Allaah with obedience [and do not speak to others during the Salaat (prayers)]. And if you fear (an enemy), perform Salaat (pray) on foot or riding. And when you are in safety, offer the Salaat (prayer) in the manner He has taught you, which you knew not (before).} [Al-Baqarah 2:238-9]

And Allaah سبحانه وتعالى says,

هُوَ الَّذِي بَعَثَ فِي الْأُمِّيِّينَ رَسُولًا مِنْهُمْ يَتْلُو عَلَيْهِمْ آَيَاتِهِ وَيُزَكِّيهِمْ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَإِنْ كَانُوا مِنْ قَبْلُ لَفِي ضَلَالٍ مُبِينٍ

{He it is Who sent among the unlettered ones a Messenger (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) from among themselves, reciting to them His Verses, purifying them (from the filth of disbelief and polytheism), and teaching them the Book (this Qur’aan, Islaamic laws and Islaamic jurisprudence) and Al-Hikmah (As-Sunnah: legal ways, orders, acts of worship of Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم). And verily, they had been before in manifest error.} [Al-Jumu`ah 62:2]

So teaching us the legislation of Islaam is a great bounty from Allaah upon us. We must be grateful to Allaah سبحانه وتعالى and act upon what we have knowledge of; this is the fruit of knowledge.

Transcription by albaseerah.org