Khutbah delivered by Shaykh Sa'd bin Naasir ash-Shithree [May Allaah Preserve him]
Praise be to Allaah Who guided us to the religion of Islaam, He Legislated for us rulings which are appropriate for the creation and that which bring betterment for their lives. He made every situation that a person has, a ruling from His Shariah connected to it, so that he is organised.
I Praise Him, Glorified He is, and I show admiration to Him, I thank Him, The Glorified and The Exalted. I bear witness that there is no God worthy of Worship except Allaah, alone with no partners and I bear witness that Muhammad is His Slave and Messenger, May the Peace and Blessings of Allaah be Upon him, and on his family, his companions and all those who follow him, and I ask for peace to be multiplied upon him in an abundance.
To Proceed:
Oh Believers, fear Allaah! Use your time with that which will bring you close to Allaah. Fear Allaah and make yourselves from the people of Jannah, by making your deeds righteous.
Oh Believers! These days are the days of winter. It has been narrated in some the narrations that the Prophet [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be Upon him] said,
الشتاء ربيع المؤمن قصر نهاره فصام وطال ليله فقام
“Winter is a time of spring for the believer, the days are short so he fasts, and the nights are long so he stands.”
[Aboo Na’eem in Hilya al-Awliyaa (8/364); Ibn ‘Adee in Lisaan al-Meezaan (5/118) with an Mashoor Isnaad; Haythamee in Majmaa az-Zawaaid (3/203) with a Hasan Isnaad; Zarqaanee in Mukhtasar al-Maqaasid (Pg. 553) with a Hasan Isnaad; ‘Ajloonee in Kashf al-Khafaa (2/6) with supporting Isnaads]
In another narration;
الشتاء الغنيمة الباردة
“Winter is a cold treasure”
[Narrated by Ahmad (4/335); at-Tirmidhee (794); Ibn Khuzaymah (3/309) Classified Hasan by al-Albaanee in Saheeh al-Jaami’ as-Sagheer (3868)]
Based on this, we must know some of the rulings connected to winter and the benefits that the Shariah has given us so that we may benefit from what Allaah has Decreed upon us in this season of winter.
Therefore, we must ponder on the Power and Ability of Allaah, the Lord of all theAalameen, The Glorified and The Exalted. He, Perfect He is, has made for people a saviour from the heat and then he makes a saviour for them from the cold. Look at His Ability upon His creation, how He is able to change and bring opposites. Heat and cold, likewise, this pattern is replicated throughout your life. Allaah, The Glorified and The Exalted, has created everything in opposites, thus showing the Power and Ability of Allaah. He created the night and the day, health and sickness, the sun and the moon and the examples of Allaah, The Glorified and The Exalted, in opposites continue.
From the benefits of Allaah, The Glorified and The Exalted, Decreeing upon His slaves the season of winter, is the benefit it brings to your bodies. The summer is a season which expels discharge from your body whereas the winter strengthens and restores your body. Likewise, from the benefits of Allaah Decreeing winter upon His slaves, so that we remember the Hellfire. This is because the Hellfire is able to have blazing heat and bitter cold, the Prophet [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be Upon him] said,
اشْتَكَتْ النَّارُ إِلَى رَبِّهَا فَقَالَتْ : يَا رَبِّ أَكَلَ بَعْضِي بَعْضًا ، فَأَذِنَ لَهَا بِنَفَسَيْنِ : نَفَسٍ فِي الشِّتَاءِ ، وَنَفَسٍ فِي الصَّيْفِ ، فَهُوَ أَشَدُّ مَا تَجِدُونَ مِنْ الْحَرِّ ، وَأَشَدُّ مَا تَجِدُونَ مِنْ الزَّمْهَرِير
“Hellfire complained to its Lord, saying, 'O my Lord, my different parts are eating each other up.’ So Allaah allowed it to take two breaths – one in the winter and the other in the summer. This is cause of the severe heat we feel in the summer and the bitter cold you experience in the winter.’” [Al-Bukhaaree (3087) and Muslim (617)]
Likewise, good deeds are made easy for us during this season. From the things that have been made easy is fasting. The days are short and cold, so a person finds it easier to fast, without any real struggle or difficulty. The virtues of fasting have been narrated in many narrations. The Prophet [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be Upon him] said,
مَنْ صَامَ يَوْمًا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ بَعَّدَ اللَّهُ وَجْهَهُ عَنْ النَّارِ سَبْعِينَ خَرِيفًا
"Whoever fasts a day for the sake of Allaah, Allaah will distance his face from the fire with the measurement of seventy generations." [Al-Bukhaaree (2840) and Muslim (1153)]
From the good deeds ones can do in this season and that which has been easy for him, is for him to pray during the night. The nights are long, so it is possible for one to pray at great length during the night and still be able to sleep well. So one should program himself during these winter days so that he is able to perform these prayers during the night, this will also train him and give him the ability to stand throughout the year. Allaah, the Most High, says about the believers;
تَتَجَافَى جُنُوبُهُمْ عَنِ الْمَضَاجِعِ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُمْ خَوْفًا وَطَمَعًا وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ
"Their sides forsake their beds, to invoke their Lord in fear and hope, and they spend (charity in Allah's Cause) out of what We have bestowed on them"
[as-Sajdah 32:16]
He says
كَانُوا قَلِيلاً مِّنَ اللَّيْلِ مَا يَهْجَعُونَ
"They used to sleep but little by night [invoking their Lord (Allah) and praying, with fear and hope] "
[adh-Dhaariyaat 51:17]
From the good deeds that have been made easy for people during these days, to wait for a Salaah after one of the Salah has fisnished. If one prays and remains sitting waiting for the next prayer to begin then he is till in the state of prayer. It has been narrated in a hadeeth that the Prophet [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be Upon him]
ألا أدلكم على ما يمحو الله به الخطايا ويرفع به الدرجات ؟ قالوا : بلى يا رسول الله ، قال : إسباغ الوضوء على المكاره ، وكثرة الخطا إلى المساجد ، وانتظار الصلاة بعد الصلاة ، فذلكم الرباط ، فذلكم الرباط
“Shall I not tell you of something by means of which Allaah erases sins and raises you in status?” They said: “Yes, O Messenger of Allaah.” He said: “Doing wudoo’ well even when it is difficult, taking many steps to the mosques and waiting for prayer after prayer. That is (equivalent) to guarding the frontier.” [Muslim (251)]
The time between Dhuhr and ‘Asr is short, the time between ‘Asr and Maghrib is short, the time between Maghrib and ‘Isha is short, so if one waits prays and remains sitting, then it will have a abundant reward written for him.
The evidences that have proceeded have mentioned another act of worship that we can do during the winter, this is to do Wudhoo and doing this with difficulty. So if you do your Wudhoo and you accomplish this with difficulty, your reward will be greater.
Other acts of righteousness that one can do during the winter days, is for the believer to get closer to Allaah. This can be done via him being grateful for the covering of his body for the devices that heat him. If one is afflicted with any of the diseases that usually get passed around during this season, and he remains patient, then this will be a cause of reward for the slave. And Allaah, the Most High, has said;
وَاللَّهُ جَعَلَ لَكُم مِّن بُيُوتِكُمْ سَكَنًا وَجَعَلَ لَكُم مِّن جُلُودِ الأَنْعَامِ بُيُوتًا تَسْتَخِفُّونَهَا يَوْمَ ظَعْنِكُمْ وَيَوْمَ إِقَامَتِكُمْ وَمِنْ أَصْوَافِهَا وَأَوْبَارِهَا وَأَشْعَارِهَا أَثَاثًا وَمَتَاعًا إِلَى حِينٍ
"And Allah has made for you in your homes an abode, and made for you out of the hides of the cattle (tents for) dwelling, which you find so light (and handy) when you travel and when you stay (in your travels), and of their wool, fur, and hair (sheep wool, camel fur, and goat hair), a furnishing and articles of convenience (e.g. carpets, blankets, etc.), a comfort for a while."
[Nahl 16:80]
For the good deeds one can do in winter is to get closer to your Lord by donating clothes to the poor and needy. The Prophet [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be Upon him] said;
وأيما مؤمن كسا مؤمنا على عري ، كساه الله من خضر الجنة
"Whoever clothes a naked believer, then Allaah will cloth him with the green clothes of Jannah." [at-Tirmidhee (2449); Ahmad (11116) and others]
In another narration:
"From the clothes of Jannah"
[at-Taghreeb at-Tahreeb (2/92)]
From the righteous deeds one can do in these virtuous winter days is for the person to remember and ponder on the days that go by. How many winters have you been through in your life? How many days and years have passed you? Your life is lived, your days are passed and your life is fading away. Therefore, it is upon for you to be intelligent, to remember the hereafter and prepare for it by doing good and righteous deeds. Increase in good deeds, repent to him and seek his forgiveness;
وَاتَّقُواْ يَوْمًا تُرْجَعُونَ فِيهِ إِلَى اللَّهِ ثُمَّ تُوَفَّى كُلُّ نَفْسٍ مَّا كَسَبَتْ وَهُمْ لاَ يُظْلَمُونَ
"And be afraid of the Day when you shall be brought back to Allah. Then every person shall be paid what he earned, and they shall not be dealt with unjustly."
[Baqarah 2:281]
The Prophet [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be Upon him] said,
سَيُكَلِّمُهُ رَبُّهُ لَيْسَ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَهُ تُرْجُمَانٌ فَيَنْظُرُ أَيْمَنَ مِنْهُ فَلَا يَرَى إِلَّا مَا قَدَّمَ مِنْ عَمَلِهِ وَيَنْظُرُ أَشْأَمَ مِنْهُ فَلَا يَرَى إِلَّا مَا قَدَّمَ وَيَنْظُرُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ فَلَا يَرَى إِلَّا النَّارَ تِلْقَاءَ وَجْهِهِ فَاتَّقُوا النَّارَ وَلَوْ بِشِقِّ تَمْرَ
There is not a person except that his Lord will talk to him and there will be no interpreter between them. So the man will look on his right and he will see what he did, he will look to for a way out and he will only see what he did. He will look in front of him and he will see the fire, so fear Allaah! Even if it is with a part of a date! [Al-Bukhaaree (7005) and Muslim (1016)]
The meaning of part of a date, it means half a date. Look! Half a date can save a slave from the punishments of the fire, therefore then free yourself even if it is with something small.
Verily, from the things we should remember in our time during the winter, is to remember the story of Maryam [Peace be upon her]. She was in her designated place of worship, when Zakariyyah went into her....
فَتَقَبَّلَهَا رَبُّهَا بِقَبُولٍ حَسَنٍ وَأَنبَتَهَا نَبَاتًا حَسَنًا وَكَفَّلَهَا زَكَرِيَّا كُلَّمَا دَخَلَ عَلَيْهَا زَكَرِيَّا الْمِحْرَابَ وَجَدَ عِندَهَا رِزْقًا قَالَ يَا مَرْيَمُ أَنَّى لَكِ هَذَا قَالَتْ هُوَ مِنْ عِندِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَرْزُقُ مَن يَشَاء بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ
"So her Lord (Allah) accepted her with goodly acceptance. He made her grow in a good manner and put her under the care of Zakariya (Zachariya). Every time he entered Al-Mihrab to (visit) her , he found her supplied with sustenance. He said: "O Maryam (Mary)! From where have you got this?" She said, "This is from Allah." Verily, Allah provides sustenance to whom He wills, without limit."
[Aal-Imraan 3:37]
When he would go to her in the winter days, he would find with her fruits that only harvest in the summer. If he would go into her Mihrab in the summer, he would find fruits that would only grow in winter. These were causes for Zakariyyah to be marvelled and he supplicated to Allaah for him to be granted a son, even though he was old in his age, his wife equally old and on top of this, she was barren.
It is as if he was saying, 'If Allaah provided Maryam with the fruits of winter in the summer, and the fruits of summer in the winter, fruits in their untimely times, then it is more likely that Allaah will give me a child in an untimely time, i.e in my old age.' So it if upon you to ponder and ask Allaah, The Glorified and The Exalted, for all your affairs and that He will respond and fulfil your needs. He will realise your needs and these can be a cause for you to gain assistance and happiness in the Dunyaa and Aakhira
I seek refuge in Allaah from the out casted Shaytan.
وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُواْ لِي وَلْيُؤْمِنُواْ بِي لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ
"And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad) concerning Me, then (answer them), I am indeed near (to them by My Knowledge). I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me (without any mediator or intercessor). So let them obey Me and believe in Me, so that they may be led aright."
[Baqarah 2:186]
May Allaah bless me and you with the Noble Quraan, benefit us from the Ayaat and the wise remembrance that are within it. This is what I have to say, I seek forgiveness from Allaah, Al-'Alee, al-'Atheem, for myself and you and all the Muslims from all our sins, so seek forgiveness in him, he is al-Ghafoor, ar-Raheem.
