 Allah SWT tells us in his eternal book, his final testament to humanity. I seek refuge with Allah from Satan the accursed. In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Allah says, I seek refuge with Allah from Satan the accursed. Allah SWT says in his final testament, then say or prophet to the people, then say that in the blessing of Allah, in the bounty of Allah and in his mercy, then in that let them rejoice. It is much better than all the amass. This bounty of Allah and this mercy, Ibn Abbas according to one of the narrations, he said that the bounty of Allah is Islam. That this bounty is Islam. And that the mercy is the prophet Muhammad SAW. And Allah SWT is telling us that in those two things, in your Islam and in Allah's mercy, what is Allah's mercy? Rasulullah SAW is Allah's mercy. In that, then rejoice. It is much better than every single thing that they amass. It's better than your money. It's better than your house. It's better than all your cars. It's better than your degrees. It's better than your spouses and your children and your parents. It is better than all the titles. It's better than all of your achievements. It's better than all of your pleasures and your feelings. It's better than every single thing that is our Islam and our prophet SAW. Allah SWT has commanded us to have joy when we thank Allah for these things. So we celebrate out of what? Out of this happiness. If it was not for Rasulullah, what would we be doing? Where would we be? Think about this very carefully. If you weren't here tonight, if you didn't have iman in your heart, if our ancestors were not guided, if our people were not Muslim because of Rasulullah SAW, what would we be doing? What would we be worshipping? How would we be spending the times of our lives? We wouldn't know anything about Allah. We wouldn't know anything about Rasulullah. And the prophet SAW, when joy of this mercy is something that Allah SWT tells us to celebrate, some people will say, well it's not far to do this. Why was it kept in such a way in our scriptures that it didn't say line by line that celebrate the Maulana of the prophet SAW, celebrate the life of the prophet SAW? It's true, we'll tell them. This is not wajib. This is not wajib to do, to come and gather here today like this and to sing these songs. You know why? Because celebrating the birth of the prophet SAW, Allah made that something that comes from your own volition, your own choice, something that is far, something that is wajib, you have to do it. Right? You get reward for doing, and you get punished for leaving. That's the definition of something that is far in wajib. With the celebration of the birth of the Rasulullah SAW, and our thanks, you only get reward. You only feel that mercy. Because no one, our prophet SAW didn't force us to celebrate his birthday, that's what the dictators and the kings of this world do. The birthday of the king, the birthday of the dictator. Rasulullah SAW didn't have to tell anybody to thank Allah for the fact that he was born. In fact, it's the lovers. It's the lovers of Rasulullah who take this upon themselves. No one needs to tell them that. No one needs to make it, no one even needs to make it a holiday. No one needs to even call it a name. And yet the lovers of Rasulullah SAW are electric and buzzing with joy at the coming of Ahmad SAW. This is why, this is why even the children know this. Even the purest of hearts know this. Our children over here, that's why when the prophet SAW, long before the idea of Maulid, long before the idea of gathering together and singing, long before anybody had composed a couplet in praise of Rasulullah SAW among the olama, the prophet SAW was walking into Medina and as he was coming into Medina for the very first time, and the Ansar laid eyes for the first time on their beloved prophet, whom they believed in, at a distance because they heard the revelation that was sent to him. They, as the Rasulullah SAW was greeted by men ready to protect him, bearing arms, who had come out to see him at the edge of the city. Crowds of people who were jubilant and welcoming him inside, people trying to grab the reins of his camel, each one eager and avid that Rasulullah SAW comes and stays inside their home, comes and stays inside their neighborhood. As he was passing amidst the celebration and amidst the happiness, the joy of Rasulullah SAW being seen for the first time with your bare eyes and coming inside your city for the first time, then he's passed by a bunch, a group of girls who are playing with their duff. These girls, whom perhaps they were not the big men and women of the Sahaba and the prophet SAW heard them on a corner, these soft angelic voices of these young girls who are saying نحن جوار من بن نجار يا حب ذا محمد من جار that we are the little girls of بن نجار Oh, how amazing it is to have Muhammad as a neighbor. Oh, how amazing it is that Muhammad is our neighbor, SAW. And the prophet SAW, despite all of the big chiefs who are trying to lead him from the oaths in the Khazraj, despite all of the people who are welcoming him, despite all of the important people from the Muhajirin and the Ansar that were there, he still, he turned towards those girls and he stopped and he said, Do you love me? And they said, ايوا الله يا رسول الله We love you. And he said الله يعلمه اني لأبهبكم He says, الله knows that I indeed love you. In another narration, he said الله knows I love you. Allah knows I love you. Allah knows I love you. Because when you love رسول الله one time, he loves you back three times. When you say a simple song for him, when these pure hearts even say a simple song for him, he appreciates that. He stops everything he's doing to listen to us. He stops all of the things in the ummah and all of the affairs of the ummah to listen to his lover singing a little bit of his praises and thanking Allah for bringing the prophet into our lives. And this is why when Anas, رضي الله تعالى عنه said, he said that the day that رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم entered Medina, it became illuminated. Imagine, the Rasool enters and it's like the lights in the city have gone. It's like a sun rises and doesn't set. It's like light permeates every single thing in that city. And when Rasool Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم he said, when he left this world, he said, a darkness fell over all of Medina. Like a darkness fell over all of Medina. But the ummah say that the blessing of Rasool Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم did not go away. In fact, as his pure body, as his blessed body, touched the soil of Medina, the blessings permeated not only into Medina but throughout the entire world. And the prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم's blessing is here and it abides and we each feel it here all the way from that blessed place. And this is why what we have to ask ourselves, Subhanallah, that if this, if this, if the coming of Rasool Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم's physical body is what illuminated all of Medina, illuminated all of Medina, then what of the heart in which the love of Rasool Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم comes and takes up residence, comes and becomes the place of rest for the beloved Rasool Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم and his remembrance. What kind of illumination is that inside the heart? And that is an illumination that doesn't go because some people will say and they will, this is the kind of questions that you get around this time. Well, you know the prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was born on Rabi Al Awal but he also left this world on Rabi Al Awal. So why don't you mark that? Why don't you mark that? Allah commanded us to rejoice. Allah commanded us to rejoice. And Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم when he brought Rasool Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم into this world he also took him out from this world. But when he bought Rasool Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم into our lives he will not leave our hearts whether in the dunya or the akhira. And this is why we mark the coming of Rasool Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم because he never left. He never really left. For someone who loves him he's always here. He will always be here. We're waiting to meet him. We're waiting to see him. And this is why the prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم at the end towards the end of his life in his final illness it is said, Subhanallah it is said in the in the Muslim Adam Guys, listen up to this. Hey, cute boy. Sweetheart. Hey, listen up. Hey, you come. You come here. You come. Come out. Come sit with me. You come. You sit here. Come sit. Come sit. Come, come. You're special today. Come. What's your name? Abdullah. Abdullah. My name is Abdullah too. You want to come sit down over here? It's a special spot. Okay. You stay here. Okay. Good. So when the prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم he was in his final illness He led 17 prayers on behalf of the صلى الله عليه وسلم towards the end the prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم he put the curtain back. He pulled the curtain back. There are different narrations. And when he saw when he saw أبو بكر رلوانه leading them in prayer he thanked Allah. And he says that he praised Allah for the fact that he saw his ummah in a state in which he could leave them. The prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was meant to come into this world and he was meant to also leave this world. But the prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم did not leave until he was satisfied that he had left us upon something that we could continue on until he was confident that this ummah was on the path of guidance that he brought us. That the prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم this is when he said and he said in this he said something very, very profound something very profound that while he is staring through the curtain in his final illness he says احد من الناس او من المؤمنين اصيب بمصيبة فليعتز بمصيبته بي عن المصيبة التي تصيبه بغيري فإمنا أحد من أمة لم يصابه بمصيبته بعد أشد عليه من مصيبته The prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم from humanity any of the believers others say anyone who is struck by a calamity he's telling them this remember this anyone of you or any believer who's struck by a calamity then let them find their strength in going through that problem in their lives by the thought by thinking of the calamity that you went through and you lost me because when you think of a greater pain when you have pain in this life when you have problems in this life and people go through a lot of problems but when you think that the worst has already passed that Rasulullah has already left this world he says think of that time that I left this world and gain your strength by thinking of that time because there will be no other calamity that is worse and harder and more intense on someone than the loss they felt when I left this world and by corollary by you know in Usul we have this idea of an understanding in opposite when the Prophet says something not only is he saying that the calamity of losing me is the greatest calamity but it's also saying that the blessing of having me is the best blessing you can have it's the best blessing you can have and this is why the Prophet without the calamity just out of mercy because when you're going through problems he's still giving you a way to hold on he's still giving you a way to hold on to strength and that's when we have the hard times but for every other time for every other time it is thinking about the fact that he came to this world thinking about the fact that he graced this world and our lives and he is always here this is why Subhanallah Subhanallah even a little bit of the celebration of the Prophet brings so much blessing even celebrating his birth by accident even celebrating his birth when you don't even know what it's going to give you even someone who is a kafir celebrating the birth even his enemy who celebrates his birth is someone who is promised something very great with Allah SWT in Sahih Al-Bukhari as we know Subhanallah it is mentioned of Abu Lahab Abu Lahab was who he was the own uncle of Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam but one of his greatest enemies one of the people who opposed him to the point where when the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam came out with his message Abu Lahab whose two sons were betrothed to the two daughters of Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam the pure daughters of Rasulullah out of enmity he made his sons divorce the two daughters of Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam and sent them back that was just the first act of enmity imagine your two daughters being sent back being married to their cousins and being sent back home because your call to Allah did not please somebody Subhanallah that's a pain the first pain in the heart of a father first of the pains that the Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam went through for our sake and Abu Lahab opposed the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam in every single way he could to the point where even Allah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam had destined this and he brought down a condemnation for Abu Lahab he brought down a condemnation that even these little children they recite in the Quran in Surah Allah and that at the same time it is said in a hadith in Sahih Al-Bukhari narrated by Orwa Ibn Zubair who was the nephew of Aisha that Orwa Ibn Zubair he mentions that Abu Lahab was seen in a dream after the passing of the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam he was seen by one of the family members of Ahu Bayt the commentators say that it was Abbas the uncle of Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam and he saw Abbas it is said that he saw his own brother in a dream and he asked what's happening with you and Abu Lahab indicated that he's in a very bad state that he is in a very difficult state in the Hellfire he said but I am given a bit of water to drink why? because of the joy that he expressed the day that the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam was born years and years before the revelation was to come and the prophethood was commissioned that at that time when Abu Lahab's brother Abdullah Sayyed Abdullah when he had passed away and his widow Amina was giving birth and she was going through the times of birth and the news came the news came of the birth of a child the waiba the slave the slave girl of Abu Lahab came running to him with the news and said that your brother your deceased brother his wife has given birth to a boy named Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam and Abu Lahab in the tradition of the Arabs when someone brings you a good piece of news he said to her go for you are free and that's why it is said as the commentators say that this he is given on Monday some according to some narrations that little sip of water because of the joy that he didn't even realize but that act of celebrating the birth of the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam and this is why as one poet said that if this if this a disbeliever came to him and touched him in the Hellfire he came that he on Monday will always lighten up the secret of Ahmad so what do you think of the slave who was responsible for Ahmad and died alone and I'm just going to put a translation a poetic translation into this if this is Abu Lahab on whom condemnation came and his two hands perished in the eternal flame yet he gets a sip of water every Monday it is said for the joy he felt when he heard about the birth of Ahmad then what of that believer who his whole life did lead in joy for the birth of Ahmad then died on Tawheed if that's what Abu Lahab who's condemned in the Quran was seen in a dream as getting and Imam Al-Bukhari would not mention this if he did not think it was significant Imam Al-Bukhari does not just put things in his Sahih like that and neither does Abbas rather than dreams like that neither does Orwa Ibn Zubair one of the Fouqaha of Medina talk about things like this unless they believe that this was the truth and if this is what Abu Lahab got in that situation then what of those people who love Rasool Allah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam what of those people who spend their entire lives thanking Allah for his coming that gather together to thank Allah for the birth of the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam and then die with Allah in their lives and in their hearts and this is why the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam now you may be thinking you may be thinking that Oman Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam that those people like the Sahaba they love the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam so much they love them so much that maybe I won't be able to show that kind of love for Rasool Allah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam in fact our not being there at his time at his time was a mercy it was a mercy to us some of the Tabi'een were gathered with one of the Sahaba it is mentioned in al-Adab al-Mufrad al-Imam al-Khari that they were gathered around and they said O you Sahabi of Rasool Allah how lucky you are to live in the time of Rasool Allah would that we could be also in the time of Rasool Allah he said don't say that he got angry do not say that because you don't know if you were there in the time of Rasool Allah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam and you had to face your own father and your own son on the battlefield what side you would have taken but rather thank Allah that you were given that iman that love for Rasool Allah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam in a way that you didn't have to go through that test and this is why the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam he gave that assurance in case we lose our steam we lose our confidence that look we're so far away 1444 years away from the hijra of the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam what kind of lovers are we the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam was speaking to us he said Allahu Akbar he said the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam said he's a Muslim he said there are people from among the people in my ummah who are most intense in their love for me are people who will be coming after me any one of them would love and would long that if they could see me just once they would trade their family and their wealth and Ibn Hajal Asqalani says and this is the true test of love from Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam that if somehow you were given the choice in your heart and an angel came and said would you want to see Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam if you could say in a heartbeat that I'd give all my family and all my wealth and every single thing that is to my name to see one look at Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam then this is the Muhabba Al-Kamila the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam in case you think in case you think that being back in those times we're missing something remember this the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam and I'll close with this the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam was sitting with his companions one day sitting with his companions one day but his mind wasn't on his companions his mind wasn't on the affairs of the ummah at that time his mind was thinking into the future his mind was going eons ahead eons ahead to think about those who had not been born yet the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam said what did you anil aqeed to ikhwani he said I wish that I could see my brothers I wish I could meet my brothers and sisters and the Sahaba said he said the Sahaba of the prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam Ya Rasulullah alaisa nahnu ikhwanuka Ya Rasulullah aren't we your brothers he said Qal antum ashabi he said you guys are my friends you're my companions lakin ikhwanialladina amanubi wa lam yarawni he said but my brothers and my sisters are those who believed in me but they never saw me and this is us this is all of us over here has anyone here seen Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam none and yet the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam is longing to meet you in fact always remember something when we go through these trials in our life the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam was dying to meet us even before we were born even before we had a chance to come on this earth or even before our ancestors and our ancestors came on this earth the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam was already thinking about meeting us and what he told to the companions was not to tell the companions you think it was to tell them no it was so they could pass it on so they could pass it on to others so they could come to us so he could tell us and we could know in our life whatever we go through that he is dying to meet us in fact he did die in order to meet us he did he had to leave this world in order to meet us that's why he told the companions Your appointment time with me and you is going to be in the Haud this is not the place where we're going to meet it's going to be somewhere ahead in a station with Allah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam this is why when Anas said Rasulullah on the day of judgment all of mankind will be running around confused and scared and distraught everyone will be going where will I find you Ya Rasulullah where will I see you he says first place you should see me is look on the sirat on the bridge over Halfirah if you don't see me there if you don't see me there then look for me at the mizan and the scales and if you don't see me there then look for me then wait for me then look for me at the Haud at the watering pool he says because those are three places on the day of qiyamah I will not miss being at those places so rest assured as much as we love him he loves us three times more many times more as much as we long for him he's been longing for us way before we even existed in this world and as much as we are going through our things that the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam is going through it even more Azeezun aleyhi ma anitum it is difficult to bear the things that you go through the things that you suffer with it is difficult for him to bear Allah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam says harisun aleykum extremely eager and avid for you with the believers extremely loving and extremely compassionate so may Allah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam make us of those who long to be our beloved Rasul Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam who will drink at the Haud and the fountain of the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam who will be among those people that the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam will love to meet will smile and for whom the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam smiles wherever he is now when he's brought news of our actions by the angels and by the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam peace be upon you peace be upon you