22- Self-examination

All praise to Allah who made the confession of monotheism a protection and fortification for His servants. His is praise, blessing and dominion. And I bear witness that our Master and Prophet Mohammed is His servant and Messenger, who said, ''The Hujjaj and ''Ummar are the delegation of Allah. If they supplicate to Him He responds and if they ask Him for forgiveness He forgives them.

O Allah praise and give peace to our Master Mohammed, his family and pure, wise companions.

Servants of Allah, I exhort you and myself to have taqwa (wariness) of Allah and obedience to Him. And I warn you and myself of rebellion against Him and disobeying His order Muslims, Allah says '' O you who believe! Remember Allah with much remembrance. And glorify His Praises morning and afternoon [the early morning (Fajr) and ‘Asr prayers]'' (33:41,41)

Allah says ‘Those who follow the Messenger, the Prophet who can neither read nor write whom they find written with them in the Taurat (Torah) (and the Injeel), - he commands them for Al-Ma‘ruf (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam has ordained); and forbids them from Al-Munkar (i.e. disbelief, polytheism of all kinds, and all that Islam has forbidden); he allows them as lawful At-Tayyibat (i.e. all good and lawful as regards things, deeds, beliefs, persons, foods), and prohibits them as unlawful Al-Khaba’ith (i.e. all evil and unlawful as regards things, deeds, beliefs, persons and foods), he releases them from their heavy burdens (of Allah’s Covenant with the children of Israel), and from the fetters (bindings) that were upon them. So those who believe in him, honor him, help him, and follow the light (the Quran) which has been sent down with him, it is they who will be successful.

Muslims, Allah has urged us to examine our selves. Allah says "you who believe! Fear Allah and keep your duty to Him. And let every person look to what he has sent forth for the morrow, and fear Allah. Verily, Allah is All-Aware of what you do."  This verse is a proof that we should examine our selves. Therefore, Muslims, examine yourselves before you are being examined. In other verses Allah has sworn by selves as a proof of their importance. He mentioned them right with the day of resurrection. Allah says "I swear by the Day of Resurrection. And I swear by the self-reproaching person (a believer)."

Brother believers, faithful Muslims must always examine themselves in order to reach steadiness and rightfulness in obeying Allah in order to gain his satisfaction. With self examination, Muslims become aware of Allah''s supervision and closeness. Allah says " And indeed We have created man, and We know what his ownself whispers to him. And We are nearer to him than his jugular vein (by Our Knowledge)." Feeling Allah''s supervision and closeness surely awakes the Muslim''s consciousness.

Servants of Allah, remembering the day of resurrection help us to examine ourselves constantly. So Many Quranic verses have described the day of resurrection and its terrors. Allah says " And We shall set up balances of justice on the Day of Resurrection, then none will be dealt with unjustly in anything. And if there be the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it. And Sufficient are We to take account."

Therefore, those of us who neglect their prayers must pray and those who do not pay their alms should start doing so too. Allah says " And perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat), and give Zakat and whatever of good (deeds that Allah loves) you send forth for yourselves before you, you shall find it with Allah."

Brother believers, those who examine themselves are indeed the winners. Allah says " By Nafs (Adam or a person or a soul), and Him Who perfected him in proportion; Then He showed him what is wrong for him and what is right for him. Indeed he succeeds who purifies his ownself (i.e. obeys and performs all that Allah ordered, by following the true Faith of Islamic Monotheism and by doing righteous good deeds). And indeed he fails who corrupts his ownself (i.e. disobeys what Allah has ordered by rejecting the true Faith of Islamic Monotheism or by following polytheism or by doing every kind of evil wicked deeds)." Allah also says " But as for him who feared standing before his Lord, and restrained himself from impure evil desires and lusts. Verily, Paradise will be his abode."

I thank Allah for blessing us with Islam and his prophet. We ask Allah that we would all die as Muslims. We ask Allah to bestow on us the bounty of entering Paradise without torture.

I say this and ask Allah to forgive you and I.