Friday Khutbah of Masjid Otsuka

April, Friday 14. 2023

In the name of Allah Most Gracious and Most Merciful

All praises are due to Allah. I testify that there is nothing worthy of worship except Allah the uniquely One, who has no partners in His one-ness. And I testify that the Prophet Muhammad is the slave of Allah and His Messenger.

O servants of Allah! Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah al-Baqarah:

“O mankind! Worship your Lord, who created you and those before you, that you may become people of Taqwa.”   (S.2  V.21)

In the blessed last ten days of Ramadan, the believers are avid to increase their acts of devotion and strive towards goodness. In particular, they seek the bounty of the Night of Qadr, for it is a night of the highest of honor, of immense magnitude, decree and power (all meanings contained in the word ‘Qadr’), and it for this reason it was called the Night of Qadr. In honor of this night, Allah revealed in the Qur’an an entire chapter (Surah) devoted to describing its merits, clarifying for the people its virtues. Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah al-Qadr:

“Indeed, We sent the Qur’an down during the Night of Qadr.”  (S.97  V.1)

This verse supports the understanding that Allah revealed the entirety of the Qur’an in one go on the Night of Qadr. This revelation was firstly sent down from the Preserved Tablet (Lawh al-Mahfuz) to a celestial abode in the Heavens called the Abode of Majesty (Bayt al-Izzah). Then it descended part-by-part through the revelation that revolved around events of the Messenger of Allah SAW.

Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah al-Qadr:

“The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months.”  (S.97  V.3)

In other words good deeds done on this night are better than devotion done on a thousand months.

O servants of Allah! The Night of Qadr is also characterized by the descent of a multitude of noble Angels, at the forefront of whom is the Angel Jibril, as Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah al-Qadr:

“The angels and the Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter.”  “‘Peace’ it is until the emergence of dawn.”　 (S.97  V.4–5)

In other words, this night is full of goodness from the beginning to the end, it is full of blessings likewise, all the way till the onset of Fajr. The Prophet SAW encouraged us to stay up in the night and worship therein, in desire of its reward and honor of its magnitude and said: “Whoever spends the night of Laylat al-Qadr in prayer out of faith and in the hope of reward, he will be forgiven his previous sins.” [Bukhari and Muslim]   The Prophet SAW also called us to increase in goodness in this month. Things like giving food to others, giving charity, being kindly and good in manners, remembrance of Allah, reciting the Qur’an, prayer, and intimate supplication. For indeed were Allah to grant His comprehensive forgiveness to a person, then they will find their sins forgiven, their good deeds magnified, such that they be from those who are blessed and successful in this world and the next. The Prophet SAW encouraged us to seek out, adhere to and honor the Night of Qadr, for he said: “Seek it out in the last ten nights, [especially] on the odd-numbered nights.” [Bukhari and Muslim]    This is so that each of us can attain its good, and get its reward. Thus the Muslim is someone who is avid to attain the reward of this night, who strives in his drawing near to Allah therein by doing whatever good he can do. At the very least they ensure that they perform their Isha and Fajr prayer in congregation. Indeed Allah has made Zakat al-Fitr as a means of purification for those who fast, and a means of food for those who are poor [and unable to buy it themselves]. It is permissible to pay in money, which has been estimated to be 1500 YEN for every person in the family. It should be distributed before the people leave for the Eid prayer, so the last time it can be paid is when the Imam gets up to lead the prayer of Eid, although its obligation does not end if one misses the time to have performed it. let us ensure that we give our Zakat al-Fitr early.

May the peace and the blessings of Allah be upon prophet Muhammad SAW, his family and all of his Companions. May Allah be pleased with the Rightly Guided Caliphs: Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali, and all those who will follow them in righteousness until the Day of Judgment.

O Allah! Accept our prayers and all our ibada.

O Allah! Accept all of our good deeds and forgive us for our sins.

O Allah! Guide us to the right path and accept all our worships

O Allah! Accept us for Your service and for the service of Islam and Muslims.

O Allah! Accept all of us Dawah worker in Japan

O Allah! Grant safety and security in Japan and all over the world. Aamin ya Rabbil Aalamin