💎🎙️Be A Key for Good: a Khutbah by Al-Sa’dī

Anas ibn Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

(( إِنَّ مِنْ النَّاسِ مَفَاتِيحَ لِلْخَيْرِ مَغَالِيقَ لِلشَّرِّ ، وَإِنَّ مِنْ النَّاسِ مَفَاتِيحَ لِلشَّرِّ مَغَالِيقَ لِلْخَيْرِ ، فَطُوبَى لِمَنْ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ مَفَاتِيحَ الْخَيْرِ عَلَى يَدَيْهِ ، وَوَيْلٌ لِمَنْ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ مَفَاتِيحَ الشَّرِّ عَلَى يَدَيْهِ ))

“Indeed, among people are those who are keys to goodness and locks to evil, and among people are those who are keys to evil and locks to goodness. So, glad tidings for the one whom Allah has made the keys to goodness at his hands, and woe to the one whom Allah has made the keys to evil at his hands.”

Al-Sa’dī (رحمه الله) said (al Fawākih al-Shahiyah):

بِهَذَا الَّذِي ذَكَرَ الْمُصْطَفَى تُوزَنُ الرِّجَالُ، وَبِهِ يُعْرَفُ أَهْلُ النَّقْصِ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكَمَالِ؛ فَكُونُوا رَحِمَكُمُ اللهُ مَفَاتِيحَ لِلْخَيْرِ، مُغَالِيقَ لِلشَّرِّ وَالْآفَاتِ.

By what the Chosen One (the Prophet) mentioned, men are measured, and through it, the people of deficiency are distinguished from the people of wholeness. So be, may Allah have mercy on you, keys to goodness and locks to evil and calamities.

فَمَنْ كَانَ مِنْكُمْ مُخْلِصًا لِلَّهِ، نَاصِحًا لِعِبَادِ اللهِ، سَاعِيًا فِي الْخَيْرِ بِحَسَبِ إِمْكَانِهِ - فَذَاكَ مِفْتَاحٌ لِلْخَيْرِ حَائِزٌ لِلسَّعَادَةِ، وَمَنْ كَانَ بِخِلَافِ ذَلِكَ فَهُوَ مِغْلَاقٌ لِلْخَيْرِ، وَقَدْ تَحَقَّقَتْ لَهُ الشَّقَاوَةُ.

Whoever among you is sincere to Allah, bears goodwill and advises the servants of Allah, and strives for good to the best of his ability — he is a key to goodness and has attained happiness. And whoever is the opposite of that is a lock to goodness and has indeed achieved misery.

مِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ إِذَا اجْتَمَعْتَ بِهِمْ فِي مَجَالِسِهِمْ، حَرَصَ عَلَى إِشْغَالِهِمْ فِيمَا يَنْفَعُهُمْ فِي دِينِهِمْ وَدُنْيَاهُمْ، وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يُشْغِلُهُمْ بِمَا يَضُرُّ وَمَا لَا يَعْنِي، فَهَذَا قَدْ حَرَمَهُمُ الْخَيْرَ وَأَشْقَاهُمْ.

There are people who, when you gather with them in their gatherings, strive to engage others in what benefits them in their religion and worldly matters. And among them are those who engage others in what harms and does not concern them, thus depriving them of good and bringing them misery.

وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَسْعَى فِي تَقْرِيبِ الْقُلُوبِ، وَجَمْعِ الْكَلِمَةِ وَالائْتِلَافِ، وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَسْعَى فِي إِثَارَةِ الْفِتَنِ وَالشِّقَاقِ وَالتَّنَافُرِ وَالْخِلَافِ.

Some strive to bring hearts closer, to foster a united word and harmony, while others strive to stir up discord, division, and conflict.

وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَجْتَهِدُ فِي قَلْعِ مَا فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ مِنَ الْبَغْضَاءِ، وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يُلْهِبُ فِي قُلُوبِهِمُ الشَّحْنَاءَ.

Some exert efforts to remove hatred from people's hearts, while others ignite enmity within them.

وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَحُثُّ عَلَى الْجُودِ وَالْكَرَمِ وَالسَّمَاحَةِ، وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَدْعُو إِلَى الْبُخْلِ وَالشُّحِّ وَالْوَقَاحَةِ.

Some encourage generosity, kindness, and tolerance, while others call for stinginess, greed, and callousness.

وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَتَنَوَّعُ فِي فِعْلِ الْمَعْرُوفِ فِي بَدَنِهِ وَقَوْلِهِ وَمَالِهِ، وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ لَا يَعْرِفُ الْمَعْرُوفَ وَلَوْ قَلَّ، فَلَا تَسْأَلْ عَنْ سُوءِ حَالِهِ.

Some diversify in their acts of kindness through their bodies, words, and wealth, while others do not know kindness even in small amounts, so do not ask about the evil of their condition.

وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ مَجَالِسُهُ مَشْغُولَةٌ بِالْغِيبَةِ وَالنَّمِيمَةِ وَالْوَقِيعَةِ فِي النَّاسِ، وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يُنَزِّهُ نَفْسَهُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ وَيُنَزِّهُ الْجُلَّاسَ.

Some people's gatherings are filled with backbiting, tale-carrying, and personal attacks, while others distance themselves and their companions from such things.

وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ تُذَكِّرُ رُؤْيَتُهُ بِاللهِ، وَيُعِينُ الْعِبَادَ فِي مَقَالِهِ وَحَالِهِ عَلَى طَاعَةِ اللهِ، وَيَأْمُرُهُمْ بِالْقِيَامِ بِالْحُقُوقِ الْوَاجِبَةِ وَالْمَسْنُونَةِ، وَمِنْهُمُ الْمُثَبِّطُ عَنِ الْخَيْرِ، وَأَحْوَالُهُ غَيْرُ مَأْمُونَةٍ ..؛