All praises and gratitude belong only to Allah.

He is the one who revealed the Quran as a guidance for us, and he sent
his messenger Nabi SAW as a teacher, a reminder and a role model for all of us, and nothing worthy of worship, except
for Him.
(Al-Alaq 1-5)
Islam has greatly emphasized the importance of education. In the Qur’an the word ‘ilm or knowledge and associated
words are used over 700 times. Moreover, the first word of the Qur’an to be revealed to the Prophet Muhammad
(peace be upon him) is in the form of a command: Iqra! – the literal translation is to “recite” or “read”.
Read! In the Name of Your Lord – Who Created
(Surah al-`Alaq, Chapter 96, Verse 1)
There are also numerous ahadith which teaches Muslims to empower themselves through education and knowledge.
According to one hadith report by the companion Anas ibn Malik (RA) the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) is reported to
have declared:
Seeking knowledge is obligatory on all Muslims
(Rw. Ibn Majah).
In another ahadith reported by the companion `Abdullah ibn `Umar (RA) the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) once
entered the masjid and noticed two groups of people. One group was praying and reciting the Qur’an and another
engaging in teaching and learning. The Prophet (SAW) commended both but preferred to join the group engaging in
educational activities. He then proclaimed:
“I have been sent as a teacher”
It is thus clear from the most primary sources of Islamic guidance, the Glorious Quran and the Hadith that seeking
knowledge is one of the highest and the most noble acts of ‘ibadah (i.e. worshipping Allah). A concientious Muslim is
thus someone who reads daily and constantly strives to raise his or her level of education and knowledge base.
Moreover, seeking knowledge is one of the ways to achieve falah success in this life and the hereafter. The Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh) is reported to have said that:
Whoever embarks on a path of seeking knowledge, Allah makes easy for him/her a road to paradise
(Rw Bukhari and Muslim).
In another hadith, Mu’awiyah (RA) reported that Prophet (SAW) said

Whoever Allah wills good for, He grants him a good understanding of the religion.
(Muttafaqun Alaih)
The source of all knowledge is Alláh (AWJ), and no creation has any knowledge except that which Alláh has taught
him. The evidence for this statement is ample, and needs no further elaboration. Let us also remember the practice
of Rasúlulláhi Salall láhu ‘alayhi wasallam in this regard. The ransom of a prisoner of war, was to teach a number of
Muslims to read and write. Literate Muslims form a sound foundation for the Muslim State. And knowledge in
general precedes action.
In light of the above it is clear that iqra’ (literacy) is our path to success in this world and the hereafter. I urge you to
try to improve your knowledge be it religious knowledge or not by attending classes, asking people of knowledge and
reading more books.
But that is not the case nowadays. Yes, we are in a university, learning is our job. But do question ourselves, if we
don’t have this responsibility to learn, would we go the library take a book and read? How many of us truly learn to
acquire the knowledge themselves. And how many of us strive semester after trimester just to make sure the degree
scroll will be in our hand.
Moshe Dayan, an Israeli military leader, when asked about whether or not he sees Arabs as a threat, said no by
simply stating: ‘Arabs don’t read’. The first word in the Holy Quran is ‘Read’, and ironically, he said that Arabs don’t
read. This is not stigma or a stereotype, but this is what he said. Unfortunately it is true not only to the Arabs, it is
true for the Muslim community as a whole. Vast majority of Muslims are so reluctant to read, we are so comfortable
of where we are.
Let’s look at the glorious time of Islam where we were able to rule a large portion this world. Why and how? One of
the reason is that we conquer knowledge. Look at the library in Cordova. Look at how when Islam government was
overthrown, the books from Baghdad’s libraries were thrown into the Tigris River in such quantities that the river ran
black with the ink from the books. That was how high Islam held the level of knowledge and where Islam used to be.
To rebuild that kind of glory, to be a great ummah, we have to go back basic. Iqra’. Read. May Allah grant us
persistence and understanding in learning for us to improve ourselves and become a better ummah.

SECOND KHUTBA
Brothers and sisters.
Next week is the final week of final examination for undergrads. To those who are taking papers next week, I would
like to wish you bittaufiq wannajah fil imtihan. Allah yuftah alaikum. But for the ones who has finished all their papers,
our summer break has started. Some might want to travel around New Zealand looking at the beauty of Allah’s
creation, some might want to work saving up to get married, some might go back to their home country, Insyaallah.
Any direction you are heading, I wish that you found success and mardhatillah in your lives.
On holidays, brothers and sisters, we’ll be packed with free times. We’ll have three months free from lectures, free
from tutorials and any sort of formal educational responsibility by the university. But that doesn’t mean that our
learning responsibility stops. In fact, the opportunity for us to learn are abundant. We have the library that are filled
with books, the internet are so easy to be accessed. Reside a few moments in our schedules to learn, plan our holidays
ahead. Take some time, sit down and read. Improve our knowledge, don’t let the time passed in vein.
Ibn Abbas narrated that Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) said:
"There are two blessings which many people lose: (They are) health and free time for doing good." (Bukhari 8/421)
We often hear people say, Time is gold. In Islam, time is more worthy than gold, it is more precious than any precious
metal or luxuries comparison in this world. This is because time is like our capital. If a company is taking a project, it
would need human and financial capital. Same goes with us, we want to do good deeds to Allah, to do ibadah to Allah,
our capital is our time.
For that, brothers and sisters, let us all wake up and realise how precious our time are. Let us all realise that every
single second that passed us, is never coming back. Every single day that passed us, means that we are a day closer to
our death, a day closer to the end of time, and a day closer to the Akhirah.
Now the akhirah brothers, have been known by many-many names. They’ve been known as Yaumul Qiyamah, the day
of resurrection of human from their graves, Yaumu La Raiba Fiha, the day where there won’t be a single doubt in any
human being that what have been warned to them are nothing but the truth, and a less common name of the akhirah
is Yaumu Taghabun – the day of loss.
How a company may receive their financial performance at the end of a quarter or end of the accounting period, we’ll
receive our performance report as well. However, if a company sees that they made a loss, they could fix the loss in
the next quarter or next term. But if we see loss on our account on that day (nauzubillah), we won’t have a chance to
fix them. What’s there is there, there’s no turning back. In surah As Sajadah, Allah tell us on how the condition of the
evildoers on that day. (Walau tara)
If you could but see when those evil doers will hang down their heads before their Lord and say: ‘Our Lord! We have
now seen and we have heard. Return us [to our earthly life] and we will do good deeds. We are now firm believers.’
But no, there’s no returning to this world. In fact, Allah says (wa zuku azaban khuldi)
and taste this abiding suffering for all the evil you did.’

May Allah guide us to use and benefit our time well and May Allah protect us from the hellfire.
(Inna Allah wa malaikatahu)

‫ْب‬
ُ ‫ْب ُم ِجي‬ ِ ‫اء ِم ْن ُه ْم َواْأل َ ْم َوا‬
َ ‫ت إِنَّ َك‬
ٌ ‫س ِم ْي ٌع قَ ِري‬ ِ ‫ت َو ْال ُم ْس ِل ِميْنَ َو ْال ُم ْس ِل َما‬
ِ َ‫ت اْأل َ ْحي‬ ِ ‫اللَّ ُه َّم ا ْغ ِف ْر ِل ْل ُمؤْ ِمنِيْنَ َو ْال ُمؤْ ِمنَا‬
‫ت‬ ِ ‫الدَّ َع َوا‬
َ‫سنَا َوإِن لَّ ْم ت َ ْغ ِف ْر لَنَا َوت َ ْر َح ْمنَا لَنَ ُكون ََّن ِمنَ ْالخَا ِس ِرين‬ َ ُ‫ظلَ ْمنَا أَنف‬َ ‫َربَّنَا‬
‫ار‬ َ َ‫سنَةً َو ِقنَا َعذ‬
ِ َّ‫اب الن‬ َ ‫سنَةً َو ِفي اْأل َ ِخ َر ِة َح‬ َ ‫َربَّنَآ َءا ِتنَا ِفي الدُّ ْن َيا َح‬
‫س ِن‬ ِ ‫ ا َِّن هللاَ َيأ ْ ُم ُر ِب ْال َع ْد ِل َو‬.ِ‫ِع َبادَ هللا‬
َ ‫اإل ْح‬
‫َاء َو ْال ُم ْن َك ِر َو ْالبَ ْغى‬
ِ ‫ع ِن ْالفَ ْحش‬ َ ‫ئ ذِى ْالقُ ْربَى َويَ ْن َهى‬ ِ ‫َو ِإ ْيتَا‬
َ‫ظ ُك ْم لَ َعلَّ ُك ْم تَذَ َّك ُرون‬
ُ ‫يَ ِع‬.
ْ َ‫فَا ْذ ُك ُروهللاَ ْال َع ِظي َْم َي ْذ ُك ْر ُك ْم َوا ْسأَلُ ْوهُ ِم ْن ف‬
‫ض ِل ِه يُ ْع ِط ُك ْم َولَ ِذ ْك ُرهللاِ أَ ْكبَر‬