A GLIMPSE AT SOME OF THE SIGNS THE PROPHET (PBUH) SAW DURING THE JOURNEY OF AL-ISRAA’ WAL MI’RAAJ.

Praise be unto Allah, filling all the regions of the earth and the heavens. To Him belong thanks for His blessings. I bear witness that there is no God but Allah alone with no partner in his greatness and pride. He ordained honour for His companions and humiliation for his enemies. I equally bear witness that Muhammad (pbuh) is His Messenger and the seal of all the prophets. Allah honoured mankind through him after they were under humiliation, He brought abundance after lack. He was the best example for the true servants and friends of God. May Allah bless him and his families and all his companions- who held firmly unto the rope of Allah together, and those who follow them in righteousness until the day of meeting Him. Thereafter, O People! I admonish my soul and yours on the fear of Allah, fear Allah, your Lord, and be conscious of Him, obey Him and eschew sins against Him. Allah says: { ياأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءامَنُواْ اتَّقُواْ اللهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلاَ تَمُوتُنَّ إِلاَّ وَأَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ} (آل عمران:102 ) “O ye who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared, and die not except in a state of Islam.” (3: 102) Dear Muslim brothers! Almighty Allah has greatly blessed and favoured us. His blessings and favours are abundant and enduring. Allah has made us the best of nations raised for the universe, and preferred our prophet (pbuh) over other prophets and messengers. He endowed him (pbuh) with certain characteristics which none among mankind have ever obtained or will ever obtain. Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things). (17:1) Among these special characteristics was the Ascension before the hijrah from Makkah. The verse categorically states the essence of the trip which was to show him some of the physical signs of Allah having seen the mental signs. This remains the ways of God with His prophets. Allah the Almighty said concerning prophet Ibrahim, (pbuh): {وَكَذَلِكَ نُرِي إِبْرَاهِيمَ مَلَكُوتَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَاْلأَرْضِ وَلِيَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُوقِنِينَ} (الأنعام : 75), So also did We show Abraham the power and the laws of the heavens and the earth, that he might (with understanding) have certitude. (6: 75) He equally said about prophet Musa (pbuh) thus: {لِنُرِيَكَ مِنْ آيَاتِنَا الْكُبْرَى}(طه : 23). "In order that We may show thee (two) of our Greater Signs. (20: 23) Almighty Allah mentioned the wisdom behind this methodology when He spoke concerning prophet Ibrahim (pbuh) thus: وَلِيَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُوقِنِينَ} (الأنعام : 75), “…that he might (with understanding) have certitude.” (6: 75) Hence, when the prophets see some of the signs of Allah which He permits them to see in the physical sense, it will assist them to persevere whatever injury they may face in the cause of Allah, and they will therefore be able to endure what others could not bear. And when the enemies threaten them with tribulations and torments they will not be perturbed or take it as important. Having physically witnessed the great signs of Allah, that is a great certainty which makes them view worldly powers as feeble as the wing of the mosquito. SOME OF THE SIGNS THE PROPHET (PBUH) SAW: Dear Muslims, the prophet (pbuh) saw some of the signs of his Lord on this journey as described in the Holy Qur’an thus: {لَقَدْ رَأَى مِنْ آيَاتِ رَبِّهِ الْكُبْرَى} (النجم : 18). “For truly did he see, of the Signs of his Lord, the Greatest!” (53: 18) When the prophet (pbuh) ascended the high heavens, he saw the paradise and hellfire, and he saw the angel that watches over the hellfire, he equally saw the inmates of paradise and those of hellfire. In paradise he saw some men who plant on a day and harvest on a day, but at every harvest, the farm returns to how it was. The prophet then asked: “Who are those O Jibreel?” He said: “Those are the Mujahidun in the cause of Allah, Allah replaced what they spent for them” (Al-Bayhaqi) Allah says: {وَمَا أَنْفَقْتُمْ مِنْ شَيءٍ فَهُوَ يُخْلِفُهُ} (سبأ39) “and nothing do ye spend in the least (in His cause) but He replaces it: for He is the Best of those who grant Sustenance.” (34: 39) The prophet (pbuh) said: “There is no day in which a servant of Allah wakes except that two Angels descend from the heavens, one of them will say: “O Allah give perdition to every spendthrift” the other will say: “O Allah give replacement to every giver” (Agreed upon). Unfortunately, when the Muslim nation neglected striving in the cause of Allah and became haughty before Allah owing to her wealth and strength, Allah subjected her to unrivaled ignominy at the hands of the most despicable creature of Allah. In the hell, among the inmates, the prophet (pbuh) saw some men who are been pelted with stones on their heads, he asked: “Who are those O jibreel?” He replied: “Those are people whose head are sluggish about prayer)) ' (Al-bayhaqi). Those heads, which respect all human appointment that will increase its account and wealth, regularly goes out early and returns in the late nights, however, it forgets its appointment with God concerning the five daily prayers. Such heads have no value or dignity before God and it deserves to be stoned on the day of resurrection. (ورأى النبي عليه الصلاة والسلام أقواما يسرحون كما تسرح الأنعام طعامهم الضريح (نبت ذو شوك) The Prophet (pbuh) saw some other people who graze about as the cattle grazes, their feeds was (the thorny plants) He said: “Who are those O Jibreel?’ He replied: “Those are people who do not pay the zakat of their wealth) ' Al-Bayhaqi ' What an animalistic debasement attained by a wealthy Muslim when he lacks the feelings of brotherhood, mercy and compassion for the poor and the weak. Such a person deserves to be raised on the day of resurrection in the image of an animal. ((The Prophet (pbuh) also saw men who were eating rotten meat, yet before them were good and well-prepared meat. he said: “Who are those O Jibreel?: he replied: “Those are men of your nation, each of them had lawful woman but he left her and spend the night with a malicious woman until he wakes in the morning.)) ' Al-bayhaqi” A Muslim should be conscious to ensure he places his sperm in dignified and purified place. However the depressed or rotten souls will not care about the bedding whether it is clean or unclean. The Prophet (pbuh) also saw women who were hung by their breasts and he said: “Who are those O Jibreel”? he replied: “Those are women who bring to their husbands children who are not of them)) ' Al-bayhaqi. The best in a man is his jealousy and the best thing in a woman is her modesty or shamefulness, however, the demise of that is part of the signs of the last hour, as reported thus: “When it is the end of time, Allah will raise four things away from the earth; he removes blessing from the earth, and justice from judges, modesty from women and jealousy/ vigilant care and concern from men” In this journey we see the nastiness in backbiting and the consequence of the perpetrators, from Anas Ibn Malik, he said: the Messenger of Allah said: ((When I was taken for ascension, I passed by a people who had nails of brass scratching their faces and chests, I said: “Who are those O Jibreel” he replied: “Those are people who ate other people’s flesh, and dabble into their honours)) narrated by Abu Dawood. Allah has forbidden us from Backbiting saying: {وَلاَ يَغْتَبْ بَعْضُكُمْ بَعْضًا أَيُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَنْ يَأْكُلَ لَحْمَ أَخِيهِ مَيْتًا فَكَرِهْتُمُوهُ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَوَّابٌ رَحِيمٌ} (الحجرات : 12) {And spy not on each other behind their backs. Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? Nay, ye would abhor it...But fear Allah: For Allah is Oft-Returning, Most Merciful.” (49: 12) He mentions its consequence thus and said: {وَيْلٌ لِكُلِّ هُمَزَةٍ لُمَزَةٍ }(الهمزة : 1) {Woe to every (kind of) scandal-monger and-backbiter” (104: 1) And in this is a lesson to prove the reality of existence of chastisement of the grave. {وَمِنْ وَرَائِهِمْ بَرْزَخٌ إِلَى يَوْمِ يُبْعَثُونَ}(المؤمنون : 100) “Before them is a Partition till the Day they are raised up.” (23:100) May Allah make us all of the people who receive admonition when admonished and forgive us the early and later of our sins. Having said this, I seek Allah’s forgiveness for us all and all Muslims, He is verily All-forgiving, Most Gracious. THE SECOND SERMON All praises are due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. May the peace and blessings be showered upon the best of the messengers and the seal of all prophets, and upon his household, and all his companions. O servants of Allah, Islam is the religion of security, and security cannot be achieved except when people embrace this great religion. Islam forbids murder, robbery, and embezzlement. The prophet (pbuh) also forbids the Muslim from causing threat or intimidation, he said: (By Allah! He does not believe, and By Allah he does not believe, and By Allah he does not believe), people said: “Who is that O Messenger of Allah? He said: (The one whose neighbours are not safe due to his doings) narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim. And he also cursed whoever points the weapon at his Muslim brother, he also made paradise forbidden until we love one another, and he informed us that the way to achieve mutual love is to spread the greetings of peace that brings security to people, and this is one of the great symbols of Islam. He said: (The Muslim is that who Muslims are safe from his tongue and hands) narrated by Al-bukhari and Muslim. He also said concerning the Unbeliever and Mu’aahid- the non-Muslim ally living under the Islamic state: (Whoever kills a Mu’aahid- the non-Muslim ally living under the Islamic state, will not perceive the fragrance of paradise. And verily, its fragrance is perceivable at a distance of 40-year.) narrated by Al-bukhari. He also said: (Whoever transgresses against a Mu’aahid- the non-Muslim ally living under the Islamic state , or belittles him, or overburdens him beyond his capacity or takes anything from him unjustly, I will be his challenger on the day of resurrection) narrated by Abu Dawood. O Lord, grant us recourse and strive towards You and grant us the sweetness of supplication and submissiveness in Your presence, answer our prayers and actualize our requests and never return us disappointed and fruitless. O Allah grant honour to Islam and Muslims, and humiliate idolatry and idolaters, protect the possession of religion, humiliate the enemies of the religion. O Allah grant us security in our country- Nigeria, make this country safe, secured, generous, comfortable, and all other Muslim countries. O Allah, grant victory to your religion and your book and your Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and your righteous servants. Oh God, make our leaders merciful to us, and guide them to the truth, O Lord of the universe.