Al-Maqasid

Allah the Exalted tells us multiple times in the Qur’an that no one can escape death. In this Khutba, Shaykh Yahya Rhodus discusses the importance of preparing for death’s consequences by striving for the higher levels of certainty so that, at the moment of death, one’s faith is absolutely firm and one longs to meet his Lord. To test the strength of one’s certainty, he provides five signs to look for in oneself.

Sh. Yahya Rhodus continues his discussion on spiritual chivalry (futuwwa) looking at the virtue of being a servant to Allah the Exalted alone, as mentioned in Imam al-Sulami’s book, Kitab al-Futuwwa, and in two aphorisms by Ibn‘Ata Illah al-Iskandari.

Ustadh Amjad Tarsin continues his Khutba series on the five foundational hadith, which scholars have indicated that all other hadith stem from their meaning.

In this Khutba, he discusses the hadith, "It is from the excellence of a person's Islam is that he leaves that which does not concern him," and how to implement it in one’s life.

To listen to the other Khutbas in the series: https://soundcloud.com/al-maqasid/sets/the-5-foundational-hadith

Ustadh Amjad Tarsin reminds us that Rabi’ al-Awwal—the birth month of our beloved Messenger, blessings and peace be upon—is soon approaching. In anticipation of this beautiful occasion, he relates four things to do in order to see the Prophet ﷺ in one’s dreams, in shaʾ Allah.

Sh. Yahya Rhodus translates a poem of love and praise of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ by a great knower of Allah the Exalted, al-Habib Ali bin Muhammad al-Habashi, who died in 1333 AH (1915 CE).

He points out that the righteous all over the traditional Muslim world say the same things and ask for the same things, and he stresses the importance of understanding this discourse.

In this Khutba, Ustadh Amjad Tarsin begins the first Khutba on the five foundational hadith which scholars have indicated that all other meanings stem from.

He begins with the well-known hadith, "Actions are judged according to intentions..." and he describes the intentions of various categories of people, including the generality, the ignorant, the hypocrites, the scholars, the people of the spiritual path, and the people of reality.

To listen to the other Khutbas in the series: https://soundcloud.com/al-maqasid/sets/the-5-foundational-hadith

The only line repeated three times in the Ḍiyā al-Lāmiʿ Mawlid is the following:

"O Lord, gather us and our loved ones in Your abode of Firdaws,

O You Who are our only hope"

In this uplifting talk, Sh. Yahya Rhodus discusses a Hadith Qudsi (Divine saying) in which Allah the Exalted tells us four simple and attainable ways that we can become beloved to Him.

Iman, faith, is the greatest of all gifts, and Allah the Exalted only gives faith to those whom He loves. It is incumbent upon us to preserve this great blessing and to strengthen it. Strengthening one’s iman leads to a related concept of certitude (yaqīn), which has various degrees.

In this Khutba, Shaykh Yahya Rhodus discusses the three main levels of certainty and provides four ways to increase one’s certainty with the ultimate goal of drawing nearer and nearer to Allah the Exalted.

Shaykh Yahya Rhodus discusses the importance of establishing and preserving the five daily prayers, especially praying in congregation (Salat al-Jamā’a) and in particular with respect to the 'Isha and Fajr prayers.

Six benefits of praying in congregation are mentioned, along with several hadiths and stories of the righteous that demonstrate the more one’s life revolves around the prayers, the better one’s life will be.

In this relevant and extremely beneficial Khutba, Ustadh Amjad Tarsin discusses what we should do in this time when there are so many inversions in morality, knowledge, and the natural ways Allah the Exalted has taught us to be.

He bases his discussion on the Hadith of Jibril, peace be upon him, and verses from the Qur’an (4:64-65 & 49:1-2) and gives three practical steps that can help us to protect ourselves and our families.