Khutbah: Gibraltar to Granada: 800 years from Tariq to Boabdil.                Royal Holloway Univ. of London /UK.  9^th May 2003

“As-salámu 'alaikum wa rahmatul láhi wa barakátuh!”  [Wait for adhán]

“A-úthu billáhi minash shaytánir rajeem.  Bismilláhir rahmánir raheem.

Al hamdu lillahi nahmaduhu wanasta’eenahu, wanastagh-firuhu, wanatoobu ilayhi, wana’oothu Billaahi min shuroori an-fusinaa, wamin sayyi aati a’maalinaa.

May- Yahdillahu fa huwal muhtad, wa may- yudlill falan tajidaa lahu waliyan murshida. Wa ash-hadu an Laa ilaaha ill-Alláh, wahdahoo laa shareeka lah,

Wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhoo warasooluh”

All Praise is due to Alláh, We praise Him and we seek help from Him. We ask forgiveness from Him. We repent to Him; and we seek refuge in Him from our own evils and our own bad deeds.

Anyone who is guided by Alláh, he is indeed guided; and anyone who has been left astray, will find no one to guide him.

I bear witness that there is no god but Alláh, the Only One without any partner; and I bear witness that Muhammad, sws, is His servant, and His messenger.

 My respected Brothers and Sisters in Islam,

The idea for today’s khutbah came during a recent visit to Spain. I think a good title would be, From Gibraltar to Granada, 800 years from Tariq to Boabdil.

In Sura Fatir v44 we read: “Do they not travel through the earth and see what was the end of those before them though they were superior to them in strength? Nor is Allah to be frustrated by anything whatever in the heavens or on earth: for He is All-Knowing All-Powerful.”

If you travel in Southern Spain, from Gibraltar to Granada, you cover about 200 miles of Andalucia. But you also cover nearly 800 years of history, with some important lessons for us today. In the year 711 of the Christian era, Tariq ibn Ziyad came from North Africa, to free Spain from years of cruelty under Visigothic rule. King Roderick was so oppressing his people, that Count Julian, the Governor of Ceuta, a Spanish enclave on the North African coast, had invited the Muslims to liberate them.

12,000 Muslims faced 60,000 Spaniards at the battle of Medina Sidonia. Tariq and His army were outnumbered 5:1. But their Taqwa and Iman, their Consciousness of Alláh and their Faith more than outweighed their smaller numbers.

Their victory opened the way for the golden age of Spain, that led to the Renaissance in Europe. Spanish Islam had a profound influence on world history.   Eight centuries after Tariq's victory, the Muslims of Spain were reduced to a low period of Taqwa and Iman,  and they paid dearly for it. In 1492, Boabdil, the last ruler of Muslim Spain, retreated in shame and humiliation, handing over the keys of Granada and ending the most glorious and dazzling period of Spanish history. 

Boabdil was not only a weak ruler who collaborated with the enemies of Islám. He also murdered members of his family whom he feared would seek to overthrow him. Alláh gave him the distinction of being remembered for everything a good leader should not be.

The Holy Qur'an warns us not to collaborate with the enemies of Islám, seeking some pitiful worldly gain for ourselves: In Sura Nisa[4:144] we read:

“O You who Believe! Take not for friends Unbelievers rather than Believers: do you wish to offer Alláh an open proof against yourselves?”

Those who know the story of Tariq Ibn Ziyad, will know that as the huge army of King Roderick was assembled before them, Tariq displayed the qualities of leadership that carried Islám to the far corners of the world.

In one of the most beautiful, eloquent and inspiring speeches in history, Tariq appealed to his men to stand firm, to remember Alláh, and to fight till Alláh granted victory, or death. But he did not merely offer empty words. Like the very best of leaders, he led from the front. He chose to lead the cavalry charge right into the middle of the mighty Spanish army.

When he asked his men, who would be prepared to follow him, every single soldier rallied behind him, choosing victory or death. In a brilliant psychological move, Tariq then ordered that his men should ‘burn their boats.’ Today the English language has been enriched by this phrase, to burn your boats. It means, you are so determined to carry on, you have permanently closed the option of giving up or turning back. This dramatic gesture had 3 benefits: It convinced his men that they had no means of escape. It focussed their minds more sharply on the battle. They had everything to lose, and everything to gain. And thirdly, in sent shudders of panic through the ranks of the Spanish army. What madmen were these, to burn their boats when they were so heavily outnumbered?

Dear Brothers and Sisters, The Holy Qur'an in Sura Al-Anfal  [8:65] tells us just how much power is given to a Believer when he goes into battle with the correct attitude, with strong iman, Taqwa and Sabr, with Faith, God-consciousness and patient perseverance:

8: 65.  “O Prophet, ALLAH is Sufficient for you and for those of the believers who follow you.”

  8: 66.  “O Prophet, urge the believers to fight. If there be of you twenty who are steadfast, they shall overcome two hundred; And if there be a hundred of you, they shall overcome a thousand of those who disbelieve, because those are a people who do not understand.”

  8: 67.  “For the present ALLAH has lightened your burden, for HE knows that there is weakness in you. So, if there be a hundred of you who are steadfast, they shall overcome two hundred; and if there be a thousand of you, they shall overcome two thousand by the command of ALLAH. And ALLAH is with those who are steadfast.”

These verses tell us a very interesting formula. When the believers are strong in mind and spirit, they are ten times stronger than their enemies. And even if they are not on top form, even when their levels of faith, God-consciousness and patience are a bit reduced, they are still twice as strong as their enemies. The ratio may be 2:1 instead of 10:1, but even a weakened Believer is still stronger than one who does not believe.

Dear Brothers and Sisters, it is this quality of leadership that the ummah desperately needs today. Gibraltar named after Tariq [in Arabic: Jabal-al-Tariq = The Mountain of Tariq, corrupted into Gibraltar]. Tariq ibn Ziyad has earned a noble place in the history of Islam, and in the hearts of all Muslims. Many of us today know the most intimate details of the lives of singers, film stars and football players. We really ought to study the lives of great Muslim heroes like Tariq ibn Ziyad and scholars like Ibn Hazm al Andalusi. May Alláh help us to find amongst ourselves, more leaders like Tariq who not only showed extraordinary courage in battle, but also the noble qualities of leadership by personal example, and complete trust in Allah.

“Alhamdu lillahi Rabbil ‘Aalameen. Was-salaatu was-salaamu alaa Khairil mursaleen. Muhammadin-nabeey-yil Ummiy-yee, wa-‘alaa aalihee, wasah-bihee, aj-ma’een.

All praise is due to Alláh, the Lord of all the Worlds; may the greetings and peace be upon the best messenger, Muhammad, the unlettered prophet; and upon his family and upon all of his companions.

Ammaa ba’ad:

Innalláha wa malaaikata yusallúna alan nabi. Yá ay yuhal latheena ámanu sallú alayhi wasalli mú tas leema.

Behold, Alláh and his angels shower blessings on the Prophet. O you who believe! Ask for blessings on him, and salute him with a worthy greeting.

 Allahumma salli alá Muhammad, wa ala áli Muhammad, kama salayta ala Ibrahim, wa ala ali Ibrahim. Allahumma barik ala Muhammad, wa alaa áli Muhammad, kama barakta ala Ibrahim, wa ala ali ibrahim. Fil ála meen, innaka hameedun majeed.”

O Alláh! Send your greetings upon Muhammad and his family,  just as you sent your greetings on Ibraheem, and his family. O Alláh, send you blessings on Muhammad and his family, just as you blessed Ibraheem and his family. In both worlds, you are praiseworthy and exalted.

Second Khutbah: 

Sub’ hanallahi wal hamdu lillah, wala hawla wala quwwata illah billah yu althi yual theem. 

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islám,

One of the beautiful Lessons we can learn from Muslim Spain, is the Inscription at entrance of University of Granada:

“The world is held up by four pillars: The Wisdom of the Learned; the Justice of the Great; the Prayers of The Righteous; and the Valour of the Brave.”

Wisdom, Justice, Faith and Bravery. Every day, as the students entered the University, they were greeted by these noble and inspiring words. What a wonderful way to start your day on campus! I wish our own universities could have this kind of inspirational, motivational entrance portal. These were the strong foundations on which Muslim Spain was founded. These were the core values that underpinned the most dazzling and advanced civilization of its time. Here scholars like Ibn Hazm al Andalusi sat with Jewish Rabbis and Catholic bishops, discussing and debating the Arabic, Greek, Latin and Hebrew manuscripts, the philosophy, religion and logic. Here was a model of religious tolerance, intellectual freedom and cultural diversity that was, and still is, the envy of the world…. But, sadly, it was not to last….

By the time King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Aragon and Castile joined forces at the end of the 15^th Century, Muslim Spain had shrunken to a tiny kingdom around the city of Granada, at the foot of the snow-capped Sierra Nevada Mountains. The last ruler of Granada was Boabdil, a man who had none of the qualities of Wisdom, Justice, Faith and Bravery of his ancestors. Boabdil was no Tariq ibn Ziyad. He killed members of his own family, he collaborated with his enemies who later betrayed him, he was publicly humiliated and finally driven out of Granada into exile. Even his mother had contempt for him. As their horse-drawn carriage reached the last bridge above the city, now known as ‘The Bridge of Sighs,’ Boabdil looked back over his shoulder, and wept. His mother’s bitter words are remembered to this day: “it is well that you should weep like a woman for city you would not defend as a man!”

Dear Brothers and Sisters, I think we can all understand why most parents would rather name their newborn son, Tariq rather than Boabdil.

Let us remember the core values that made Muslim Spain the envy of the world. Let us apply those values so that we can once again create a society worthy of our Islamic heritage. Let us try to foster those noble values. Let us ensure that all our motives are as pure and noble as those of our illustrious ancestors, who were really close to Alláh. Let us seek nowledge only to gain Wisdom, just like our ancestors did. Let us seek power only to uphold Justice, let us seek faith only uphold God-consciousness or Taqwa, and let us always be valiant and courageous in all the battles of life, inward and outward. Just like our noblest ancestors were.

“Rabbana atina fid dunya hasanatan, wafil akhirati hasanatan, waqina athaban naar.

“O my Lord, give us the best of this world, and the best of the hereafter, and save us from the torment of the fire.”

Rabbi ja-alni muqeemas salaatee  wamin thur-riyyatee, Rabbana wata qabbal du’ah. Rabbigh-firlee wali waali dayya, walil mu’mineena, yauma yaqoomul hisaab.”

"O my Lord! make me one who establishes regular Prayer, and also (raise such) among my offspring. O our Lord! and accept Thou my prayer."

"O our Lord! cover (us) with Thy Forgiveness - me, my parents, and (all) Believers, on the Day that the Reckoning will be established!"

“Alaa Inna Awliyaa Alláh, la ghowfun ‘alayhim wala hum yah-zanoon!”

Behold! On the Friends of Alláh, there is no fear, nor do they grieve!”

Ameen!        

Aqeemus salaah!

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