Download the Lunar Eclipse Sermon about Tafakkur Often Forgotten

Khutbah I

الحَمْدُ للهِ الّذِي لَهُ مَا فِي السمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي اْلأَرْضِ وَلَهُ الحَمْدُ فِي الآخرَة الْحَكِيمُ الْخَبِيرُ يَعْلَمُ مَا يَلِجُ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَمَا يَخْرُجُ مِنْهَا وَمَا يَنزِلُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَمَا يَعْرُجُ فِيهَا وهو الرّحِيم الغَفُوْر. أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيْكَ لَهُ ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ سَيِّدنا مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُوْلُهُ الدَّاعِى بِقَوْلِهِ وَفِعْلِهِ إِلَى الرَّشَادِ. اَللَّهُمَّ فَصَلِّ وَسَلِّمْ عَلَى سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَأَصْحَاِبهِ الهَادِيْنَ لِلصَّوَابِ وَعَلَى التَّابِعِيْنَ لَهُمْ بِإِحْسَانٍ إِلَى يَوْمِ اْلمَآبِ اَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَيَااَيُّهَا الْمُسْلِمُوْنَ، اِتَّقُوْااللهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِه وَلاَتَمُوْتُنَّ اِلاَّوَأَنـْتُمْ مُسْلِمُوْنَ فَقَدْ قَالَ اللهُ تَعَالىَ فِي كِتَابِهِ الْكَرِيْمِ: وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكُمْ لَئِنْ شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ وَلَئِنْ كَفَرْتُمْ إِنَّ عَذَابِي لَشَدِيدٌ

Congregation of hafidhakumullâh,

What comes to most people's minds when the word "worship" comes to mind? Perhaps the most dominant is the image of someone doing prayer, fasting, hajj, dhikr; wearing a mukena, hijab, koko shirt, cap, and a description of formal activities and various other attributes. The image is not entirely wrong. Although, most forget other types of worship that are very important, invisible, but of high value in the sight of Allah ﷻ.

What worship is that? Namely thinking or contemplation. Intellect is God's greatest gift to man that distinguishes him from all animals and inanimate objects. Almost all the physical abilities possessed by humans are also possessed by animals—even animals can be more reliable in certain ways. It's just that, no matter how great an animal's capacity is, it still won't be able to create a great civilization because it doesn't have reason like humans have.

Thus, it is appropriate for humans (al-insân) to always be defined as hayawan nâthiq, namely animals that think. Reason or mind is the key to the difference. The loss of the function of reason in humans means lowering their level to the level of animals, or even lower.

The Qur'an itself mentions the people of hell who do not want to use their minds, eyes and ears to meditate on Allah's verses as :

أُوْلَئِكَ كَالأَنْعَامِ بَلْ هُمْ أَضَلُّ أُوْلَئِكَ هُمُ الْغَافِلُونَ

“They are like cattle, they are even more misguided. Those are the negligent people.” (QS al-A’raf: 179)

Congregation of hafidhakumullâh,

Calls for thinking, contemplating, or using one's mind are widely distributed in the Qur'an. The editors also vary, some use the root words fikr, dhikr, aql, fiqh, 'ilm, nadhar, and albâb. All of them show how much Islam pays attention to the potential of human reason. Because of that, contemplating Allah's creation can be more important than sunnah worship overnight.

Commands about thinking and living God's creation come directly from the Qur'an :

إِنَّ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَاخْتِلَافِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ لَآيَاتٍ لِأُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ، الَّذِينَ يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ قِيَامًا وَقُعُودًا وَعَلَىٰ جُنُوبِهِمْ وَيَتَفَكَّرُونَ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقْتَ هَٰذَا بَاطِلًا سُبْحَانَكَ فَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ

Artinya: “Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of night and day, there are signs for people of understanding, (i.e.) those who remember Allah while standing or sitting or lying down and they think about the creation of the heavens and the earth. saying): "Our Lord, You did not create this in vain, Glory be to You, so protect us from the torment of Hell..” (QS Ali Imran: 190-191)

The Prophet also said :

فَكَّرُوا فِي خَلْقِ اللهِ، وَلاَ تَتَفَكَّرُوْا فِي اللهِ، فَإِنَّكُمْ لَنْ تَقْدِرُوْا قَدْرَهُ

Artinya : “Think about Allah's creation, and don't think about Allah because you certainly don't have the ability to do that.” (HR Abu Syekh dari Ibnu ‘Abbas)

We are indeed forbidden to think about the nature of the Essence of God which is impossible to achieve, but humans are commanded to think about His creatures, including the earth, moon, sun, and eclipse phenomena..

Congregation of hafidhakumullâh,

Lunar eclipses are part of a natural phenomenon. However, behind it there is a great power that appears when we want to contemplate it. A lunar eclipse occurs when part or all of the moon's cross section is covered by Earth's shadow. This event occurs when the earth is between the sun and the moon in the same straight line—at that time the sun's light cannot reach the moon because it is blocked by the earth.

This natural phenomenon indicates that the earth, moon, sun, and the entire celestial order move according to the orbital line as sunnatullah. This order and harmony signifies that God is in control. The greatness of this astronomical fact is hard to deny because it is impossible for humans to intervene in the eclipse phenomenon. Unlike certain biological phenomena, such as plant seeds that can be engineered, a lunar eclipse is a major phenomenon that cannot be controlled by humans. This fact further confirms the weakness of humans as servants before Allah ﷻ.

It is not surprising that Imam al-Ghazali in Al-Adab fid Din calls for the eclipse phenomenon to make people increasingly submit to Allah , repent of mistakes, and increasingly absorb the divine presence in their lives. In detail, he said :

آداب الخسوف: دَوَامُ الْفَزَعِ، وَإِظْهَارُ الجَزَعِ، وَمُبَادَرَةُ التَّوْبَةِ، وَتَرْكُ المِلَلِ، وَسُرْعَةُ القِيَامِ إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ، وَطُوْلُ القِيَامِ فِيْهَا، وَاسْتِشْعَارُ الحَذَرِ

Artinya : “Behaviors that should be shown during a lunar eclipse: always have fear, show anxiety, repent immediately, don't get bored easily, pray immediately, linger in prayer, and feel a warning.”

For Imam al-Ghazali, the eclipse event is a moment of contemplating the majesty of Allah the Almighty. The enormity of His power that is successfully internalized will then condition the heart to always be humble before Him, restless with sins, feel at home in an effort to get closer, then continue to increase istighfar aka ask forgiveness from Allah..

Eclipses are part of the verse of Allah's kauniyah, in addition to the qauliyah verse in the form of the Qur'an. There is an abundance of knowledge in it. Lucky for those who want to meditate on this type of verse whose symptoms are everywhere and at any time: around or even within ourselves, and in every heartbeat and breath..

We are lucky to still be gifted with awareness by Allah to want to carry out this eclipse prayer in congregation on this occasion. Praying and listening to the sermon is a virtue. However, there is something more important than this, which is to understand the nature of natural phenomena and then draw closer to Allah . Ibn 'Abbas said :

تَذَاكُرُ الْعِلْمِ بَعْضَ لَيْلَةٍ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِنْ إِحْيَائِهَا

Artinya : “Contemplating (measures) on some nights is more beloved to me than carrying out sunnah worship all night.”

بَارَكَ الله لِي وَلَكُمْ فِى اْلقُرْآنِ اْلعَظِيْمِ، وَنَفَعَنِي وَإِيَّاكُمْ بِمَافِيْهِ مِنْ آيَةِ وَذِكْرِ الْحَكِيْمِ وَتَقَبَّلَ اللهُ مِنَّا وَمِنْكُمْ تِلاَوَتَهُ وَإِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيْعُ العَلِيْمُ، وَأَقُوْلُ قَوْلِي هَذَا فَأسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ العَظِيْمَ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الغَفُوْرُ الرَّحِيْم

Khutbah II

اَلْحَمْدُ للهِ عَلىَ إِحْسَانِهِ وَالشُّكْرُ لَهُ عَلىَ تَوْفِيْقِهِ وَاِمْتِنَانِهِ.

وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ اِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ وَاللهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيْكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أنَّ سَيِّدَنَا مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُوْلُهُ الدَّاعِى إلىَ رِضْوَانِهِ.

اللهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وِعَلَى اَلِهِ وَأَصْحَابِهِ وَسَلِّمْ تَسْلِيْمًا كِثيْرًا

أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَياَ اَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اِتَّقُوا اللهَ فِيْمَا أَمَرَ وَانْتَهُوْا عَمَّا نَهَى وَاعْلَمُوْا أَنَّ اللهَ أَمَرَكُمْ بِأَمْرٍ بَدَأَ فِيْهِ بِنَفْسِهِ وَثَـنَى بِمَلآ ئِكَتِهِ بِقُدْسِهِ وَقَالَ تَعاَلَى إِنَّ اللهَ وَمَلآئِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّوْنَ عَلىَ النَّبِى يآ اَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ آمَنُوْا صَلُّوْا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوْا تَسْلِيْمًا.

اللهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمْ وَعَلَى آلِ سَيِّدِناَ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى اَنْبِيآئِكَ وَرُسُلِكَ وَمَلآئِكَةِ اْلمُقَرَّبِيْنَ وَارْضَ اللّهُمَّ عَنِ اْلخُلَفَاءِ الرَّاشِدِيْنَ أَبِى بَكْرٍ وَعُمَر وَعُثْمَان وَعَلِى وَعَنْ بَقِيَّةِ الصَّحَابَةِ وَالتَّابِعِيْنَ وَتَابِعِي التَّابِعِيْنَ لَهُمْ بِاِحْسَانٍ اِلَى يَوْمِ الدِّيْنِ وَارْضَ عَنَّا مَعَهُمْ بِرَحْمَتِكَ يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِيْنَ

اَللهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِلْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ وَاْلمُؤْمِنَاتِ وَاْلمُسْلِمِيْنَ وَاْلمُسْلِمَاتِ اَلاَحْيآءُ مِنْهُمْ وَاْلاَمْوَاتِ اللهُمَّ أَعِزَّ اْلإِسْلاَمَ وَاْلمُسْلِمِيْنَ وَأَذِلَّ الشِّرْكَ وَاْلمُشْرِكِيْنَ وَانْصُرْ عِبَادَكَ اْلمُوَحِّدِيَّةَ وَانْصُرْ مَنْ نَصَرَ الدِّيْنَ وَاخْذُلْ مَنْ خَذَلَ اْلمُسْلِمِيْنَ وَ دَمِّرْ أَعْدَاءَ الدِّيْنِ وَاعْلِ كَلِمَاتِكَ إِلَى يَوْمَ الدِّيْنِ.

اللهُمَّ ادْفَعْ عَنَّا اْلبَلاَءَ وَاْلوَبَاءَ وَالزَّلاَزِلَ وَاْلمِحَنَ وَسُوْءَ اْلفِتْنَةِ وَاْلمِحَنَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ عَنْ بَلَدِنَا اِنْدُونِيْسِيَّا خآصَّةً وَسَائِرِ اْلبُلْدَانِ اْلمُسْلِمِيْنَ عآمَّةً يَا رَبَّ اْلعَالَمِيْنَ.

رَبَّنَا آتِناَ فِى الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِى اْلآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ.

رَبَّنَا ظَلَمْنَا اَنْفُسَنَا وَاإنْ لَمْ تَغْفِرْ لَنَا وَتَرْحَمْنَا لَنَكُوْنَنَّ مِنَ اْلخَاسِرِيْنَ.

عِبَادَاللهِ ! إِنَّ اللهَ يَأْمُرُنَا بِاْلعَدْلِ وَاْلإِحْسَانِ وَإِيْتآءِ ذِي اْلقُرْبىَ وَيَنْهَى عَنِ اْلفَحْشآءِ وَاْلمُنْكَرِ وَاْلبَغْي يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُوْنَ وَاذْكُرُوا اللهَ اْلعَظِيْمَ يَذْكُرْكُمْ وَاشْكُرُوْهُ عَلىَ نِعَمِهِ يَزِدْكُمْ وَلَذِكْرُ اللهِ أَكْبَرْ

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