One-Minute Khutbah Recap
“Fire Safety”
Jan. 21, 2022, Kanata Muslim Association
– In extreme cold, we truly appreciate and realize importance of the blessing of fire – for heating, cooking – essential for survival
– Like water which is also essential, it can be incredibly destructive if it goes beyond a certain limit
– Recently witnessed multiple tragedies caused by fire
– Bronx fire in NYC: 17 of our brothers and sisters perished including 8 children
– Living in sub-standard housing in low-income areas, not enough heat, fire started by continuously running heater
– Closer to home: Merivale road explosion and fire, 6 people killed, at a tanker truck manufacturing facility
– 2 fires yesterday in Ottawa; 3 children perished yesterday in Brampton home fire
– Mississauga fire, 18-year-old rescued 5 children, rescuer is Muslim
– Fire, when no longer contained, can lead to tragic loss of life and property
– Allah has put this quality of burning in fire and it is subject to Allah’s permission to burn
– When permission revoked or denied, fire which is so destructive can become cool
– Nimrod, the king of Babylon kindled a massive blaze, for years perhaps, to punish Prophet Ibrahim (AS)
قُلْنَا يَـٰنَارُ كُونِى بَرْدًا وَسَلَـٰمًا عَلَىٰٓ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ
“We ordered, ‘O fire! Be cool and safe for Abraham!’” (Al-Ambiya, 69)
– Always turn to Allah for protection, the only one who is capable of all things without exception and on whose permission every creation is dependent on
– Prophetic Du’aa: الَّلهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ التَّرَدِّي وَالهَدمِ وَالغَرَقِ وَالحَرِيقِ
“O Allah, I seek refuge with You from falling from a high place, being crushed, drowning and burning …” (Nasa’ee, Saheeh)
– Believing that Allah is capable of all things should not stop us from dealing with Allah’s creation according to the characteristics Allah has given to it
– The Prophet ﷺ taught us about fire safety
عن ابن عمر -رضي الله عنهما- مرفوعاً: «لا تَتْرُكُوا النار في بيوتكم حين تنامون».
“Do not keep the fire burning in your homes when you go to bed.” (Bukhari, Muslim)
– Top causes of fires: 1. Unattended Cooking and Cooking Equipment, 2. Space Heaters and Chimneys, 3. Cigarettes and Smoking, 4. Electrical and Lighting Equipment, 5. Candles
– During winter months, heating equipment like portable space heaters are leading cause of home fires.
– Good practices for further protection from house fires: Have working smoke detectors and test them regularly, Keep a fire extinguisher near the doorway of your kitchen
– If Allah decrees that a fire should occur, then scholars regard it as mustahab (recommended, virtuous) to say takbeer whilst putting it out, and they say that saying takbeer at the time of a fire will help in extinguishing it and prevent its harm.
– ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘Aas (RA): “If you see a fire, then say takbeer, for takbeer will extinguish it.”
– Ibn al Qayyim (RH): When the Muslim magnifies his Lord, his takbeer has the effect of suppressing the fire and the shaytaan who is made of its substance, so the fire is extinguished. We ourselves and others have tried this, and we have found it to be so.
– Whatever Allah has willed comes to pass, but our job is to have faith and take precautions
– Many times, what Allah has willed comes after we make a choice, or we don’t do something we were supposed to do
– Great lesson here:
– If we are to be cautious about a small flame that can destroy our home and belongings and worldly lives, how much more cautious should we be about the much larger and more ferocious fire that can destroy our afterlife for possibly eternity?
– In the hereafter, Allah will be the judge and He will judge according to His law and His guidelines, not ours
– He has already warned us, all human beings, that His punishment in the Hereafter is the fire, whether for some time or for eternity, as recompense for what He considers to be crimes and for those whose scale of deeds is heavier with deeds that Allah considers to be bad
– وَمَن يُطِعِ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ يُدْخِلْهُ جَنَّـٰتٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَا ۚ وَذَٰلِكَ ٱلْفَوْزُ ٱلْعَظِيمُ
“Whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger will be admitted into Gardens under which rivers flow, to stay there forever. That is the ultimate triumph!”
– وَمَن يَعْصِ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ وَيَتَعَدَّ حُدُودَهُۥ يُدْخِلْهُ نَارًا خَـٰلِدًا فِيهَا وَلَهُۥ عَذَابٌ مُّهِينٌ
“But whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger and exceeds their limits will be cast into the Fire, to stay there forever. And they will suffer a humiliating punishment.” (An-Nisa, 13-14)
– يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ قُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَكُمْ وَأَهْلِيكُمْ نَارًا وَقُودُهَا ٱلنَّاسُ وَٱلْحِجَارَةُ عَلَيْهَا مَلَـٰٓئِكَةٌ غِلَاظٌ شِدَادٌ لَّا يَعْصُونَ ٱللَّهَ مَآ أَمَرَهُمْ وَيَفْعَلُونَ مَا يُؤْمَرُونَ
“O believers! Protect yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is people and stones, overseen by formidable and severe angels, who never disobey whatever Allah orders—always doing as commanded.” (At-Tahrim, 6)
– It’s a formidable fire but the smallest of actions with sincerity and Iman can tip the scale for a person and protect them from the fire
– So don’t give up, keep perfecting your iman, keep doing good
عَنْ عَدِيِّ بْنِ حَاتِمٍ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ اتَّقُوا النَّارَ وَلَوْ بِشِقِّ تَمْرَةٍ فَمَنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ فَبِكَلِمَةٍ طَيِّبَةٍ
‘Adi ibn Hatim (RA) reported: The Prophet ﷺ said, “Guard yourself from the Hellfire, even with half of a date in charity. If one cannot find it, then with a good word.” (Bukhari, Muslim)
– May Allah bless the souls of our brothers and sisters who were lost, may Allah give patience to their loved ones, may He protect from the harms of fires in this world and may He protect us and all our future progeny from the fire of the hereafter
