Assalamu Alaykum Warahmah Allah Wabarakatuh everyone, welcome back to the virtues of
Dhul-Hijjah, and Eid Mubarak to you all and your families. I want to reflect on
something very beautiful that Allah says in the Quran and how it really ties into
this. Allah says "Qul bifadl Allahi wara7mati fa bithalika falyafra7u wa
Huwa khayrun min ma yajma3oon." That say in the bounty of Allah & His
Mercy, let them rejoice in that and that is greater than all that they gather of
this world, when they rejoice in the bounty and the mercy of Allah (Swt).
We have two Eids, two holidays in Islam, two feasts in Islam. One Eid comes
after the best ten nights, the other eight comes after the best ten days. One
Eid comes after a month of fasting, Ramadan, and we celebrate that and
again particularly the last ten nights, Eid immediately follows that and
another eight follows the best ten days with the best good deeds that we could
possibly present to Allah (Swt). One Eid comes after Laylat
ul Qadr, which is the best of the last ten nights. This one night that is worth
an entire lifetime and one Eid comes after Arafah, which is the best day of
the year, and a day in which we could be redeemed entirely in the sight of Allah
(swt). So this is the meaning of "Qul bifadl
Allahi wara7mati fa bithalika falyafra7u" That we take joy and
we find joy and we rejoice in Allah's Forgiveness and His Bounty in His Grace
and in His Mercy and that is greater than anything else that we could
possibly attain, and this really speaks to the fact that these two Eids come
with acts of worship, really speaks to something special about the spirit of
salvation in Islam. We are not commemorating someone else's good deed,
we're not commemorating someone else's acceptance, we're commemorating Allah's
Mercy and allowing us to perform a good deed, and then hoping for His Acceptance
in that because of that same Mercy and because of that same Grace from Him
subhanahu wa ta3ala. So it is you that takes the action, you what you're
supposed to do for these 30 days in Ramadan or 29 days in Ramadan and these 10
days of the Dhul-Hijjah, and then you celebrate that
Allah allowed you to do that, and you celebrate Allah's Mercy and you depend
upon a good answer from Allah subhanahu wa ta3ala. The Prophet (pbuh) said
"2ud3u Allah wa2antum muqeenun bil 2ijabba." Call upon Allah confident in the
response when you do these good deeds - you are confident in Allah's Acceptance, not
because of your supreme performance of them, but because of Allah's Supreme Mercy
in accepting them. We also find that Allah tells us or the Prophet (pbuh)
taught us to recite in the Eid Salah Surah Alghashiya, Surah Alaa
and in Surah Alghashiya and Surah Alaa, "Wal 2akhiratu khayrun wa 2abqa", "Wal 2akhiratu khayrun
laka min al2ula." Both of them say that the Hereafter is better than everything
in this world and everything that it contains, and the Eid, the celebration
of this world is to celebrate what is greater than everything in this world
which is Allah's Mercy and His Bounty and His Forgiveness, and just like the
Prophet (pbuh) said for the fasting person "Lalsa2imi far7atan" For
the fasting person is two joys, when they break their fast and when they meet
Allah with that fast. For the sacrificing good doer is two joys- when
they eat the fruits of that sacrifice in this world and when they meet Allah
subhanahu wa ta3ala with that sacrifice. So May Allah subhanahu wa ta3ala accept your
good deeds accept your sacrifice accept all that you've done of
remembrance of fasting of charity in these 10 days, all that you've done to
draw close to him. May Allah subhanahu wa ta3ala redeem all of us, May Allah accept our
3arafah, and May Allah subhanahu wa ta3ala allow
us to be amongst those that are sanctified on the Day of judgement,
elevated on the Day of Judgement to the highest level of Jannah-ul-Firdoos
with the Prophets whose examples we follow in drawing close to Him. May Allah
subhanahu wa ta3ala allow us to be in the same level of Paradise and as close
to Him. Allahuma Ameen, Jazakum Allah Khayran for joining us on this journey. I hope
that you've rediscovered Dhul-Hijjah and the Blessings and the Mercy of Allah
subhanahu wa ta3ala contained within. Wassalamu Alaykum Warahmah Allah Wabarakatuh.