Translated by : Ibtehal Ramadan

City : Gaza 

Country : Palestine

Praises be to Allah , and peaces from Allah be upon our master Mohammed the truth and the sincere.

Take us away from ignorance darkness and illusions , to the shine of knowledge and science , and from the desires stink to heavens.

O respectable brothers , today we'll explain another attribute of Allah which is the Master.

This holy Attribute was mentioned in the holy Sunnah . the holy companion Mutrif Bin Abdullah Bin Shakher reported that : " My father said : I  along with the delegation of my tribe ( Banu Amer) headed to Allah's Messenger –PBUH- and told him : You are our master . he replied : Allah is The Master . then we said : and the one of greatest grace , and of greatest favors ( bestowals), he –PBUH – replied : do say what you said , or part of it , but do never be led by Satan( the devil)."

[ narrated Abu Dawood, reported Mutrif Bin Abdullah Bin Shakher]

Thus, it's a dangerous curve to glorify one another, the holy prophet-PBUH – who is the master of all human being, and the most believer to Allah , and he is the one who reached Sidrat-ul-Muntaha ( alote tree of the utmost boundary over the seventh haven beyond which none can pass) replied to then when they glorified him that: " the Master is Allah." O respectable brothers , our master Omer was among his companions once when some one said : O Omer , verily we haven't acquainted  better than you after the holy prophet –PBUH. Thus, he became angry and gazed at them furiously , and they were terribly afraid, till someone said : O No I swear Allah that we've acquainted a better person than you . he said : Who was he? The man replied : Abu Bakr. Omer said: you all were liars and this man is truthful.-Omer considered his friends silence as a sign of lying to what the first one said that Omer is the best one after the holy prophet- and he ( Omer) said: By Allah I was more astray than my camel – and Abu Baker was better than the scent of musk.

Thus, it was mentioned in some holy Hadeeth that : " if you saa those who praise others , then do throw dust at their faces."

[ narrated Tabarani, reported Ata'a Bin Abi Rabah]

Some one has praised his companion in front of the holy prophet, so the holy prophet told him :" Woe unto You, you've cut your brother's neck( by praising him)."

Thus, "You are our master . he replied : The Master is Allah "

You all remember when the holy prophet –PBUH- died, what our master Abu Bakr Seddik said. He said a stunning word: Whoever used to worship Muhammed ( with out mentioning  that he is Allah's Messenger ) , and I believe that no one had trodden on this earth loved the holy prophet-PBUH as much as Abu Baker Loved him , but Abu Baker was a Monotheist . So , in this particular situation he wouldn't mention the holy prophet with his title.

O respectable brothers , our master Khaled Bin Waleed , when he was at the peak of his glory, and was on the top of the Islamic army was dismissed from his position( as a leader of the army) by Omer –may Allah be pleased with him- the Khalifah . he became then a soldier in the army under the leadership of Abu Obiadah Bin Al-Jarrah . when Khaled returned back to Medinah he asked the Khalifa: Why had you dismissed me? Omer replied : O By Allah , I like you. He repeated his inquiry : Why had you dismissed me? Omer replied : O By Allah , I like you . He repeated : Why had you dismissed me? Omer replied : O By Allah , should not the people get enchanted by you for the enormous victories you achieved in the Cause of Allah, I would never have dismissed you!. In another narration regarding this event it's reported that a soldier from Khaled's army went to Omer –The Khalifah – and told him : o verily ,the army includes Khaled could never be defeated . thus, Omer had fear that people would get enchanted by Khaled , and he was afraid of invisible infidelity; as to imagine that victory is a conjugate to Khaled . Thus, he dismissed Khaled from the leader ship , and to gain victory after his dismiss ; since Allah is The Only Supporter of Victory. It's also mentioned in this narration that someone  has whispered in Khaled's ear : O verily , you're the leader of the army , so all the power is in your hands. Hence, do go to Medinah and dismiss Omer. Khaled replied: O By Allah, I would never do so, since I am a soldier in the Cause of Allah , so it's the same for me whether I am a soldier or a leader.

 This is the way how the holy prophet-PBUH raised his companions. He raised them to be obedient , and to put their interests aside , and to work purely for Allah.

Any way this companion ( the one we mentioned earlier in this lesson) reported that: " My father said : I  along with the delegation of my tribe ( Banu Amer) headed to Allah's Messenger –PBUH- and told him : You are our master . he replied : Allah is The Master . then we said : and the one of greatest grace , and of greatest favors ( bestowals), he –PBUH – replied : do say what you said , or part of it , but do never be led by Satan( the devil).".  O respectable brothers, a man gave a preach before the holy prophet-PBUH – and he said during his preach : O Whatever Allah wills , and whatever you( addressing the prophet) will. Then, the holy prophet-PBUH- said : What a bad preacher you are? ? Do say : Whatever Allah wills shall happen , and whatever He doesn't will shall never occur. You've made me a match to Allah!

Thus, respectable brothers, the more you cringe to Allah, the higher rank He supported you. When you act as a real slave to Allah , He , indeed, will like you. Moreover, I believe that there's no one on this earth have been given a high rank than the holy prophet –PBUH. Is it possible that Allah , the Creator of Heavens and earth  swears by the life of a human being ? Yes, Allah has indeed swore by the life of the holy prophet –PBUH saying :

" Verily, by your life ( O Muhammed –PBUH), in their wild intoxication , they were wandering blindly."

[Al-Hijr: 72 ]

Allah has never addressed the holy prophet directly by his name

" O prophet! Tell your wives"

[Al-Ahzab :59]

" O Messenger ( Muhammed –PBUH)! Proclaim the Message which has been sent down to you from your Lord."

[Al-Ma'idah :67]

When He addressed other prophets directly by their names:

"( It was said to his son ): " O Yahya( John) !Hold fast the Scripture ( the Taurat ( Torah)"

[ Maryam :12]

"O Isa(Jesus) , son of Maryam ( Mary)!Did you say unto men : Worship me .."

[Al-Ma'idah :116]

The prophet's name was reported in the holy Qura'n

" Muhammed (PBUH) is the Messenger of Allah."

[Al-Fath:29]

Whereas , Allah has addressed his prophet –PBUH by his attribute ( The prophet , or The Messenger of Allah)

O respectable brothers, knowing the supreme rank of the holy prophet-PBUH- doesn't mean to raise him above his humanity. As the holy prophet –PBUH said : " O indeed , I am a human being , I feel content as they do , and I get angry as they do ."

[ narrated Muslim, reported Anas Bin Malek]

And unless he is a human being of their attributes , he would never have been the master of all human beings. It was reported that the holy prophet-PBUH said : " I've been made afraid in the Cause of Allah greater than any body else on this earth .Moreover, I've got hurt in the Cause of Allah greater than any body else had been hurt on this earth. And I spent thirty days and nights along with Bilal ( his companion) ,without any food , but only what Bilal could hide under his armpit."

[Narrated, Termethy, reported Anas Bin Malek]

The conclusion here, is that the holy prophet was a human being, he becomes afraid like us, and has desires like us, he hopes like us, and seeks security like us. And if not for this resemblance between him –PBUH and us ( human beings ) , he wouldn't have been the master of all human being .

But why Allah has permitted a very narrow domain of contriving to his holy prophet-PBUH? More over, if the holy prophet made a correct verdict , he'd be supported by the revelation . whereas , if it was better to act in a diverse way from his verdict , the revelation would correct his contrive. 

" May Allah forgive you ( O Muhammed –PBUH) . Why did you grant them leave."

[ At-Taubah :43]

"The prophet-PBUH) frowned and turned away. Because there came to him the blind man ."

[Abasa: 1-2]

But why? Couldn't be possible to delete this narrow domain of contrive from the beginning ? some scholars interpreted the reason that Allah- the All- Mighty let a very tiny space for His Messenger to contrive in order to make a clear difference between the divine rank and the prophecy rank. It's among Allah's prudence .

"Say ( O Muhammed –PBUH): " I am only a man like you ."

[Al-Kahf:110]

And if not for him ( the holy prophet-PBUH) being a human being he wouldn't have been an example for us; it's because he'd defeated his humanity. Moreover, it's a great prudence that occurs  every time , and every where that there're people who defeat their humanity , and be a proof for others.  And we can find such people in our time ; the time of profligacy, and the time when the liar is counted as a truthful, and vise versa, the time of : " When the son is a cause of a wrath , and the rain is very rare. Mean people are very common and honorable people are very rare."

[ narrated Tabarani, reported Aisha(Um Al-Mu'menean]

In our time , responsibilities are laid to irresponsible people , you must find someone who defeated his humanity , headed to his lord directly, and neglected this worldly life.

O brothers, why each of us doesn't account being significant ? why don't we consider being heroes? Why don't we defeat our humanity? Our holy prophet-PBUH was a human being above all human beings. He was a human being , but he liked Allah, and strongly attached to Him , so he became distinct by his love to Allah till he became the Master of all the Messengers and the prophets. Thus, the relation is opposite, the more humble you become to Allah, the higher rank He bestows upon you. However, the more pride you show in your behavior , the lower rank you'll got.. if you depend on Allah , He will support you; whereas if you relay on yourself , Allah will abandon you.

The holy companions in Badr Battle depended on Allah, the showed their need before Allah, and were humble towards Him, thus, He supported them with victory.

"And Allah has already made you victorious at Badr, when you were a weak little force."

[Al-Imran :123]

Whereas in Hunain , they were proud by their power and army, to the extent that one of them said: " Such an army with 12 thousands soldier( the no. of Muslim soldiers) wouldn't be defeated due to their enormous no."

[Narrated Abu Dawood, Termithy, reported IObn Abbass.]

So, they weren't supported by victory.

" And on the Day of Hunain ( battle) when you rejoiced at your great number, but it availed you naught and the earth, vast as it is, was strained for you , then you turned back in flight."

[At-Taubah:25]

O brothers, Muslims are in desperate need to this great lesson. i.e. if you say Allah , He will certainly support you. But , if you depend on your experience, authority, relations , family , wealth , or position Allah will give you up.. the holy prophet-PBUH said: " O verily, Allah has selected me along with my companions."

[ Narrated Hakem , reported Oai'm Bin Sa'dah]

The holy prophet is the peak of human beings , and his companions are the elite. Still, in Uhud battle , they weren't victorious, because they disobeyed the holy prophet. If they disobeyed him and still gain victory , there would be no need for obeying the holy prophet-PBUH. In Hunain, though, they didn't gain victory because they fell in a hidden infidelity ( i.e. they relay on their count and power)

" Such an army with 12 thousands soldier( the no. of Muslim soldiers) wouldn't be defeated due to their enormous no."

But, if they gained victory in Hunain , the case of Monotheism would be of no importance any more. To conclude, How could we expect a very easy victory  when we are totally indulged in desires , while Allah treated the holy Messenger's companion ; the elite, who exerted all their efforts ,in such a way ( i.e. in both battles Uhud and Hunain). Indeed , we're in a great ignorance , and a real naivety.

" If you help ( In the cause of Allah) , He will help you."

[Muhammed :7]

 To sum up, when we think little of Allah , He won't consider us and will think little of us . what prevents us from supplicating to Allah during prostration saying : O Allah You are our Lord, and the Lord of every thing , we're nothing without You, You are the Most Powerful, The most Merciful and the Oft-forgiving. Do be humble before Allah.

Now, the absolute Master is Allah, though human being are masters but in a perspective way.. Allah is the All-Knower, and a man may be a scholar , but a man's knowledge is totally different from Allah's knowledge , which is absolute and complete knowledge. Thus, there is no harm to say Mr. X

The holy prophet-PBUH said : " Allah is odd, and He likes odd "

[Narrated Bukhari, Muslim , reported Abu Hurairah]

Hence, if a human being excelled , and was of great morals, and made a great sacrifice for the sake of Allah , he is a master , in a perspective way. The holy prophet-PBUH addressed Ansar saying : " O do stand up to your master ( the companion Sa'ad bin Abi Waqqass. However, the real master is Allah as He is the Sovereign of this universe .

When we said that a human being could be a master , we meant a perspective and bounded mastership. To make this clear ; when Allah the All-Mighty said :

" So, blessed is Allah, the Best of Creators."

[Al-Muminun:14]

Is there any other creator than Allah? Of course no. but, when a human- being manufactured something, then he , in his manufacti=uring , has an original example of Allahh's creation. Still, metaphorically, Allah's clled this creation . this metaphorical creation of human being could, by no means be compared to Allah's creation which has been made from nothing , and has no original example " So, blessed is Allah, the Best of Creators."

"Surely, for Him is the Judgment  and He is the Swiftest in taking account."

[Al-An'am:62]

" You are the Best of the inheritors."

[Al-Anbiya:89]

Thus, Allah allows His Supreme Entity to have a kind of comparison with His worshippers , in order to know Allah and acquire His highest rank and superiority.

The holy verse that assures the absolute Mastership of Allah is :

"There is none in the heavens and the earth but comes unto the Most Gracious ( Allah) as a slave."

[Maryam :93]

Thus, each worshippers , no matter how strong he was, even if he was infidel ,or atheist is a slave of Allah. Though , he is a slave of oppression. To make this clear , every person no matter how wealthy , healthy , or of high social position; his life and all his estate is closely attached to his heart beats. If his heart , under any circumstances, stops from beating, he'll be among past ( i.e. death people) . the same is said for many other sudden causes of death. Thus, even an atheist human being is a slave of Allah .

There's a slave which plural is slaves ( regarding Arabic), and the other plural for this word is worshippers.

The slave of subjugation is the word slaves

" And your Lord is not at all unjust to ( His) slaves."

[Fussilat:46]

While, the righteous person is a slave of Allah as well , but this meaning has a different plural than the first one ; worshippers.

 It's so because this righteous man meditated in the great creation of heavens and earth , and he subjugated to Allah willingly due to the great love he has to Allah . more over he feels a great gratitude to Allah

" And the (faithful) slaves of the Most Gracious ( Allah)"

[Al-Furqan:63]

"Certainly, you shall have no authority over My slaves"

[Al-Hijr:42]

There's a great difference between being completely under the control of Allah , and in any moment your life is ceased; this person is a slave of subjugate. While the other one, who strive to get closer to Allah and to worship Him loyally and to love Him , is called the worshipper of Allah and he is the slave of gratitude. This classification has been made by scholars. There's a narration of Hadeeth that Jibreel ( Jabreal) had asked the holy prophet-PBUH saying : " O Mohammed , Allah is giving you the option to choose either being a prophet  slave , or a prophet king ? then , the holy prophet looked at Jabreal in a way to take his opinion , and Jabreal pointed to him to be humble . thus, the holy Messenger –PBUH said : rather, a prophet slave."

[narrated Tabarani, reported : Abdullah Bin Abbass]

The rest of this Hadeeth : " I shall feel hungry sometimes, so I metion Allah's name , and when I find food and get fed I thank Him ( Allah)."

We shall move now to a very convenient matter, which is the being in the company of:

When Allah the All-Mighty said :" And He is with you ( by His Knowledge) wheresoever you may be."

[Al-Hadid:4]

This means that Allah is with all His creatures ( by His knowledge) the believer , and the infidel , the righteous and the bad guy.

O brothers, there's another kind of being in the company of Allah; which is a private company. In the previous paragraph we mentioned the general company. However, there's a special company for the believers , Allah with them by His Knowledge and by His supporting and protecting them . Provided that, this private company costs high.

" And verily, Allah is with the believers."

[Al-Anfal :19]

The price is to obey Him.

" If you help ( In the cause of Allah) , He will help you."

" And Allah said : I am with you if you perform As-Salat( Iqamat as-Salat) and give Zakat and believe in My Messengers, honor ans assist them , and lend a good loan to Allah."

[Al –Ma'idah:12]

Hence, being victorious, gaining Allah's Support and Protection is subjected to obeying Allah.

O brothers , unless you're a slave of Allah, then you're a slave of a wicked slave. There's no other alternative. Moreover, there's a great difference between the two cases . when you choose to be a slave of Allah then you're a free man, but when you're a slave of a wicked slave , he will invent multiple ways to humiliate you , to abandon you, or to oppress you.

Our master the prophet Ibrahim ( Ibraham) –PBUH said :

"He said : " Do you observe that which you have been worshipping you and your ancient fathers? Verily they are enemies to me ,save the Lord of the Alamin ( mankind, Jinn, and all that exists), Who has created me, and it is He Who guides me. And it is He Who feeds me and gives me to drink. And when I am ill, it is He Who cures me. And Who will cause me to die , and then will bring me to life again. And Who I hope , will forgive my faults on the Day of Recompense (the Day of Resurrection ). My Lord! Bestow Hukm ( religious knowledge , right judgment of the affairs and Prophethood) on me, and join me with the righteous. And make me one of the inheritors of the Paradise of Delight."

[Ash-Shu'ara:75-85]

The conclusion is that Allah is the Master, He is the absolute Master , and when we say Mr. X ( whatever his name might be) , we mean a very limited aspect. And this expression is perspective.