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How Allah Defends Those Who Believe | Khutbah by Dr. Omar Suleiman
In this powerful khutbah, Dr. Omar Suleiman reflects on the divine promise from Surah Al-Hajj: “Verily, Allah defends those who believe.” This ayah was revealed at a time when Hajj seemed impossible—just as Al-Aqsa and the freedom of Gaza may feel out of reach today. What does it mean to be under Allah’s protection when injustice surrounds us? How does faith act as a shield when hope feels distant? Strengthen your trust, renew your faith, and remember: when you stand for truth, Allah stands with you.
This transcript was auto-generated using AI and may contain misspellings.
We begin by praising Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) and bearing witness that none has the right to be worshipped or unconditionally obeyed except for Him. And we bear witness that Muhammad (ﷺ) is His final messenger.
We ask Allah to send His peace and blessings upon him, the prophets and messengers that came before him, his family and companions that served alongside him, and those that follow in his blessed path until the day of judgment. And we ask Allah to make us amongst them. Allahumma ameen.
Dear brothers and sisters, as we come into the month of Dhul Qa'dah and in the lead up to the month of Hajj, Dhul Hijjah,
there are a lot of scenes that will start to come to our screens and for some of us, bi'idhnillahi ta'ala, that will actually become a reality in front of our eyes of the Haram, the Ka'bah,
the scenes of the multitudes of people that are coming through to worship Allah (سبحانه وتعالى), to answer the call of Ibrahim (عليه السلام).
People landing from every corner of the earth to this one small piece of earth that is full of so much glory,
where the seams of the Haram are bursting and there is a sense of pride that the Ummah feels when they see everyone descending upon the Haram, around the Ka'bah that was built by Ibrahim (عليه السلام),
raised by Ibrahim (عليه السلام) and his son Ismail (عليه السلام), a place where promises came true, where Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) did not disappoint, where victory came after moments of deep despair.
And SubhanAllah, there is a surah that you will come across in the Quran that may seem like it was revealed in the lead up to the moment
that that became a possibility for the Prophet (ﷺ) and that is Surat Al-Hajj.
If I was to not tell you what the contents of Surat Al-Hajj were, if I was just to say that there is a surah in the Quran named Surat Al-Hajj, when do you think it was revealed? What do you think the contents of that surah are?
Without knowing anything about the Quran or the order of revelation of the surahs of the Quran or when Allah said what? Most people would think that perhaps this was revealed to the Prophet (ﷺ) around the time of Surat Al-Fath,
where Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) had given the Prophet (ﷺ) the good news of the reopening of Mecca, of the conquest of Mecca and the promise of Allah materializing.
Maybe it came at that time, maybe it came somewhere around 6-7 years after the hijrah of the Prophet (ﷺ), where things were starting to look in a certain way that victory was imminent.
Maybe it's about rulings of Hajj or maybe it's about the preparations that the Muslims have to make.
But Surat Al-Hajj was actually revealed in the time when Hajj was least possible in the life of the Prophet (ﷺ) and the companions.
And there are many surahs of the Quran that came down as a reassurance to the Prophet (ﷺ) himself. إِنَّ الَّذِي فَرَضَ عَلَيْكَ الْقُرْآنَ لَرَادُّكَ إِلَى مَعَادٍ
So many different verses that came down where Allah is promising the Prophet (ﷺ) himself that you will return to Mecca.
Because this was at the end of the day a personal affair to the Prophet (ﷺ) that also was personal to the entire Ummah of Muhammad (ﷺ). إِنَّا فَتَحْنَا لَكَ فَتْحًا مُبِينًا
We have given you a great opening, O Muhammad (ﷺ). But there are verses that came down as an affirmation and to console the believers as a whole.
Surah Al-Hajj was not revealed six or seven years into the advent of Al-Madinah. Surah Al-Hajj was revealed, some of it between the time that the Prophet (ﷺ) was being expelled from Mecca
to the time that they were just really waking up to the reality that here they were in an entirely different land and everything was stacked against them.
And the possibility of them going back to Mecca seemed like the most far-fetched imagination
where people who had lived their entire lives in Mecca and even if the Hajj was performed in a way of ignorance before
would have all of this nostalgia of the days of the pilgrimage every single year. Some of these companions were 40, 50, 60 years old. That means for 40, 50, 60 years old, the Ka'bah was the centerpiece of their lives.
They would see the people come from all over the world in their Hajj to the house of Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) raised by Ibrahim (عليه السلام) that had been corrupted by the idols.
And now they're in a strange land and Allah reveals Surah Al-Hajj. How can we be talking about Hajj when just from a people flow perspective
everything is looking outward and not looking inward. By the way, it speaks to the audacity of some people to speak about a free Palestine right now
and a free Masjid Al-Aqsa when Gaza is on the edge. When the genocide is being pushed and pushed and pushed to a point of ultimate extermination when it looks like life is not viable even in that land.
And to talk about Palestine as a whole being freed and to talk about Masjid Al-Aqsa being a center once again for the believers and people coming back home seems very audacious especially at this moment.
Because when you're looking at it and you're seeing the images of people on their way out this is not the time for you to talk about Palestine as a whole and to talk about Al-Aqsa.
The same thing could have been thought by the revelation of Surah Al-Hajj where people come into Mecca saying, لَبَّيْكَ اللَّهُمَّ لَبَّيْكَ
and the reality on the ground is that people have fled Mecca because they say, لا إله إلا الله That is the revelation of Surah Al-Hajj. The first parts of Surah Al-Hajj are the last warnings in Mecca
to those that are persecuting the Muslims. The second part of Surah Al-Hajj since the majority of it are words to the believers now that they have been expelled and persecuted and when you think about morale and you think about nostalgia
and you think about missing out it's the most painful time for those who have grown up in Mecca to realize that we may die outside of Mecca and never get to see our homes in Mecca again.
And more importantly never get to see the house of Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) purified once again. It's in this context that Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) reveals,
إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُدَافِعُ عَنِ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا Verily Allah defends those who believe. Allah is in the defense of those who believe.
This is a rich verse that comes down in Surah Al-Hajj and a unique verse. إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُدَافِعُ عَنِ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا يُدَافِعُ is different from النصر
نصر, إِن تَنصُرُوا اللَّهَ يَنصُرْكُمْ When we think about the word نصر and victory it speaks to the outcome. It speaks to the eventual victory that is coming from Allah (سبحانه وتعالى).
The aid of Allah that He has promised that will come where you eventually find yourself in a place of triumph. يُدَافِعُ عَنِ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا means Allah is actively defending the believers right now.
Allah is actively protecting those who believe right now. And you can imagine the psychology of that verse being revealed when you just fled Mecca
hoping that the arrows and the swords of those who have ill intent do not find you on the way. And trying to acclimate to an entirely new climate
where you feel like everything that you know has been taken away from you. And Allah says, إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُدَافِعُ عَنِ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا Allah is actively defending those who believe.
الدفاع refers to the moments of the process as the scholars of tafsir mention. That Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) does not make a plan and then show up at the end of the plan. That throughout the entire process
Allah is actively defending those who believe. يُدَافِعُ عَنِ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا And Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) mentions the quality of those that He is defending. He is defending people of iman.
Some of the scholars mention in this regard that يُدَافِعُ عَنِ إِيمَانِهِمْ Allah protects their faith. Allah defends their faith. And in that is a sign
that you have to qualify for the defense of Allah and you have to come to terms with the idea that this verse and these promises are not promising you that you will not suffer and struggle
and go through moments of devastation and deprivation. But in the process of all of that Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) will protect one thing throughout and that one thing that He protects will be the source of all victory
that emanates thereafter and that is your iman, that is your faith. That you still have a long journey ahead of you. That a lot is about to happen to you as you've now moved into Al-Madinah. That you're going to go through moments
like Uhud ahead and Allah certainly knows what is coming with Uhud. That Khandaq still lies ahead. That some of your most difficult moments still lie ahead. But in the process
وَلَا تَهِنُوا وَلَا تَحْزَنُوا وَأَنْتُمُ الْأَعْلَوْنَ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ Do not lose heart and do not grieve when you have been promised victory so long as you are believers.
Your faith will be protected. Your belief will be protected. Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) will keep you calibrated. Your perspective will be protected. And so yes, you're going to be wounded and hurt in the process.
إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُدَافِعُ عَنِ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا Also what is mentioned by the scholars of tafsir is that Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) does not say what He's defending you from. Because sometimes you don't even realize what you need defense from.
You don't actually know how to identify all of your enemies. You don't know how to identify the harms that are right next to you that you can't see as harm right now. And this is especially pertinent
to the Prophet (ﷺ) and to the companions as they're not entering just into the abode of the Ansar. They also have hypocrites that will actively plot against them for the next decade
to undermine any traction that they have in Medina. So it's not like they go from Quraysh beating them in Mecca to the Ansar welcoming them in Medina. There are still enemies all around you. Unseen enemies and seen enemies.
Seen plots and unseen plots. There are things that are in the headlines and there are things that are being made in the back rooms that you have not yet seen. But Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) knows
and Allah (عز وجل) is actively monitoring and protecting you from those plans. يُدَافِعُ عَنِ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا Allah is defending those who believe.
He is actively in the defense of those who believe. That means that while your enemies plot and those who you do not even know to be enemies plot, Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) is foiling in the process.
Things are being put into their plans that are made to backfire. And SubhanAllah how often do we see that we plan and Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) plans and there is something that happens
in the process that completely overwhelms our enemies that they never saw coming. And that's Allah (سبحانه وتعالى). We make plans and Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) makes plans. And Allah (عز وجل) says,
إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ خَوَّانٍ كَفُورٍ Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) does not like people that are treacherous and ungrateful. Treacherous first and foremost in regards to the covenant of Allah (سبحانه وتعالى). Ungrateful in regards to the blessings
of Allah (سبحانه وتعالى). And treachery and ingratitude are two qualities that are hated in combat, hated in competition, hated in moments of difficulty and they tend to come out.
When we find ourselves going through difficult moments, we abandon our principles. When we find ourselves going through difficult moments, we forget the blessings that Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) has bestowed upon us. And so Allah (عز وجل) praises a quality
by which He will defend you and Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) mentions qualities by which He will forsake you. And those are الخيانة والكفر. To be treacherous
and to be exceedingly ungrateful. Now it's also interesting, and SubhanAllah the time of the khutbah does not allow us to go into a deep dive of tafsir here. But the very next verse, أُذِنَ لِلَّذِينَ يُقَاتَلُونَ بِأَنَّهُمْ ظُلِمُوا
وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَى نَصْرِهِمْ لَقَدِيرٌ Verily, they have been given permission to fight because they have been oppressed. And indeed Allah (سبحانه وتعالى)
is ever capable of giving them victory. This is the first verse that the believers were given permission to fight back after all that had happened to them. And by the way, one of the greatest responses to Islamophobes
and those that try to color the seerah of the Prophet (ﷺ) in a certain way, that Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) mentions that you've been given permission to fight back because you've been oppressed. Because you've been oppressed.
All of these years of oppression that built up to this, you being expelled from your homes, you being forbidden from your most basic needs, that's why you've been given permission. And that is something that would resonate
with the most basic, decent human being. Anyone with an ounce of humanity that this makes sense. That after all that you've been put through, you now have the permission to fight back
because of the oppression that you have endured. And Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) mentions the cause, and if Allah did not say, بِأَنَّهُمْ ظُلِمُوا they know what type of oppression they've been subjected to. But Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) making it clear
gives a sense of clarity even for generations to follow. But here's how we connect the two verses that are being revealed here. Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) is saying that He will defend you in ways that are unseen.
But you have to defend yourselves in ways that are known and seen. I will line up the rows of the angels as the scholars of tafsir say. It's like Allah is saying that when Badr comes, I will line up the rows of the angels. Jibreel (عليه السلام) will come.
They will come to your aid in ways that you can't see. But you also have to take responsibility and take your own precautions. And part of Allah's defense of you is that He allows you to defend yourselves.
That Islam is not a passive religion. That you have the right absolutely to use everything that is ethical and within your power to push back on those who harm you. And it is not religion to sit back and to say,
Ya Allah, when you will descend victory without taking the means by which Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) has given you frameworks to empower yourself and to push back on your own oppression. So no, you don't just sit back and say,
Ya Allah, when will Allah's victory come? Allah will defend you but defend yourselves. And that's part of Allah (سبحانه وتعالى)'s defense of you. That He's given you permission.
That He's opened pathways for you that are within the guidelines, that are within the frameworks, that are ethical, that are in full agreeance with what the Prophet (ﷺ) has brought
in terms of a guide for us to live and to exist in this world. Allah will defend you but are you defending yourselves?
Victory will come from Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) but are you taking the means by which you give yourself victory? This is an incredibly empowering verse to reveal to a people that have been stepped on and that have been persecuted
for over a decade at this point. That Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) is not telling them to sit back in Medina and let me do my part now. No. Do your part and Allah (عز وجل) will be working His part in ways that you will not be able to see.
That's also part of it. You defend yourselves. You take your means. You empower yourselves.
Allah (عز وجل) gives you what you need and Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) promises you what you also need but can't see.
And that is from the nature and the tone of revelation that Allah (عز وجل) gave to our beloved Prophet (ﷺ) and to those early companions. Go back to it dear brothers and sisters. وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَى نَصْرِهِمْ لَقَدِيرٌ
And by the way Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) could have made this happen overnight. Allah (عز وجل) is always capable of giving you victory.
That just like with your personal tribulations and the personal trials that you go through, Allah puts you through a long road. Just like the pathway to Jannah for you is paved with all sorts of thorns and obstacles and difficulties,
the pathway for your ummah is also thorns and difficulties. It's not because Allah is incapable. It's because Allah is all-wise. So things are going to happen and unfold where difficulty will be ahead.
But Allah (عز وجل) promises you not just that you have victory at the end, but Allah promises you that He's defending you in the process. That Allah is shutting certain doors in the process.
That Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) is putting forth His unknown junood, His unknown soldiers, while you put forth your own ranks and you put forth your best effort.
What does this mean for us, dear brothers and sisters, in conclusion, at a personal and at an ummah-wide level? At a personal level, when you find yourself being wronged,
and you find that you are retaining your iman, you find that you're retaining your belief, and that you are pursuing your own justice in a way that's ethical,
and not violating or becoming unjust in the pursuit of your own justice. And you are making du'a but putting forth the deeds of your own upliftment.
That in that process, Allah (عز وجل) has not forsaken you in your tribulation. That if someone is speaking about you, if someone is harming you, if someone is financially taking advantage of you,
if someone is doing this and doing that to you, إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُدَافِعُ عَنِ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا You know what? They've lost their faith in the process. And I'm not saying that anyone who wrongs you is a kafir.
But they've sacrificed in the process something of their belief, something of their ethical framework, something of their iman, in order to wrong you. And you're uplifting the principles of iman,
and being patient while persevering in the pursuit of your own upliftment, is a testimony to the fact that Allah (عز وجل) is in your defense right now.
And sometimes the story doesn't make sense until the conclusion. In fact, most of the time, the story doesn't make sense until the conclusion.
And so you can imagine the believers that remember the revelation of Surah Al-Hajj, when they were on their way, and Al-Qurtubi (رحمه الله) mentions this, and wallahi, I thought about what he said here.
He said that this surah was revealed to the Prophet (ﷺ), while he was on the run and while he was settled. During the day and during the night. While he was traveling and during residence. Like Surah Al-Hajj came down, and you think of the chaotic nature of Hajj,
it's like it even speaks to the way that Surah Al-Hajj is coming to the Prophet (ﷺ), and to the companions by extension. You're being pushed out of Mecca,
and Allah (عز وجل) is revealing a surah that emblemizes the return to Mecca. To say, labbayk Allahumma labbayk. Can you imagine being a companion,
who lived the revelation of that surah on the way out of Mecca, and then got to come back with the Prophet (ﷺ) into Mecca. Can you imagine how they were feeling, when they were doing Hajj with the Prophet (ﷺ),
Hajjatul Wada' with over 140,000 people with them. Making Hajj around the Prophet (ﷺ) from all over the world, as they were pushed out to all over the world. Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) does not forsake his promises.
On a personal level, don't lose your iman. On a personal level, lean on your iman. On a personal level, be activated by your iman. On a personal level, make du'a with your iman.
Become a better mu'min in the personal pursuit of Allah's pleasure. And know that Allah (عز وجل) will be defending you and writing your book, in a way that's in your favor the entire way, throughout the entire process.
And as an ummah, we're facing difficult times. We are facing difficult times. There are times where you look around and you don't see a way out, and you wonder, where is it gonna come from? Where is Allah's help going to come from?
You see, it's not just when is the help of Allah, it's like, where is the help of Allah gonna actually come from? Like, I can't identify the particular route by which the way of Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) will come. The help of Allah will come.
But Allah (عز وجل) has ways that we don't know. And true tawakkul, true trust in Allah is manifested when you absolutely cannot see anything of His plan. When it's completely invisible to you.
And you say at that point, alhamdulillah, Rabbi aslamt. My Lord, as you have done for them, the Prophet (ﷺ) and his companions, you will do for us so long as we adhere to the way of the Prophet (ﷺ) and his companions.
The last thing I'll leave you with, SubhanAllah, I had the blessing of interviewing, and some of you may have seen it, Lady Naledi Pandor, may Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) bless her and preserve her,
the South African minister that took Israel to the court, to the ICJ. And she was talking about in this interview, how, you know, people will tell her, look, South Africa has its own problems.
Why are you bringing the cause of Palestine and imposing a problem on our problem? Self-preservation, by the way, is what's destroying the Muslim world and destroying humanity. It's not my problem, it's their problem. It's not my problem, it's their problem.
Right now, let me cover my bases. I don't need to take on the struggle of someone else when I have my own share of struggles. And she said something so powerful. She said, if it wasn't for the idealism of some, we would have never ended apartheid in South Africa.
Someone has to think differently. A group of people have to think differently. So let me tell you, dear brothers and sisters, while Islamophobes are trying to suffocate us in our masajid here, in our institutions here,
don't forget those that are getting the worst brunt of Islamophobia in Gaza. Don't become so focused on pushing back on them here and surviving the onslaught here that you forget that you are committing to ending a genocide there
and to ending something that is far greater that is happening to your brothers and sisters there. We have a bigger mandate. And Allah (عز وجل) has a bigger plan. So let's stay the course, bi-idhnillahi ta'ala,
and take comfort in this very unique verse, إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُدَافِعُ عَنِ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا May Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) protect us and may Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) defend us and may Allah (عز وجل) retain in us what makes us worthy of His defense. Allahumma ameen.
Aqoolu qawli hadha wa astaghfirullaha li wa lakum wa lisa'iril muslimeen. Fastaghfiroohu innahu huwal ghafoorur raheem. Alhamdulillah.
Assalatu wassalamu 'ala rasoolillah wa 'ala alihi wa sahbihi wa man walah. Allahumma ghfirlil mu'mineena wal mu'minat. Wal muslimeena wal muslimat. Al ahya'i minhum wal amwat. Innaka sami'un qareebun mujeebu da'wat. Allahumma ghfirlana warhamna.
Wa'afu 'anna wa la tu'adhibna. Rabbana zalamna anfusana wa in lam taghfir lana wa tarhamna. Lanakoonanna minal khasireen. Allahumma innaka 'afuwwun. Tuhibbul 'afwa fa'fu 'anna. Allahumma ghfirli walidayna. Wa rabbir hamhuma kama rabbayana sighara. Rabbana hablana min azwajina wa dhurriyyatina.
Qurrata a'yun. Waj'alna lilmuttaqeena imama. Allahumma ansur ikhwaninal mustad'afeena. Fi mashariqil ardi wa magharibiha. Allahumma ansur ikhwanina fi falasteen. Wa fil-sudan. Wa fi kulli makan. Allahumma 'alayka bi a'da'ika a'da'id-deen.
Allahumma arina fihim 'aja'iba qudratik. Allahumma ahlikiz-zalimeena biz-zalimeen. Wa akhrijna wa ikhwanina min baynihi salimeen. 'Ibadallah. Innallaha ya'muru bil-'adli wal-ihsani wa ita'i dhil-qurba. Wa yanha 'anil-fahsha'i wal-munkari wal-baghy. Ya'izukum la'allakum tadhakkaroon. Fadhkurullaha yadhkurkum.
Washkuroohu 'ala ni'amihi yazidkum. Wa ladhikrullahi akbar. Wallahu ya'lamu ma tasna'oon. Wa aqimis-salah.

































































































































































































































































































