The Friday sermon for April 17, 2026 (corresponding to 29 Shawwal 1447 AH) - Sayed Hashim Behbehani Mosque - Sheikh Ali Hassan Ghuloum - Kuwait

 The 1st sermon:

Dhu al-Qi'dah: A Divine Mandate for Peace in an Age of Conflict

As we stand on the threshold of Dhu al-Qi'dah, we revisit the profound significance of its name—traditionally meaning "the month of sitting." Historically, it marked a period of ceasefire when people desisted from hostilities, turned toward peace, and ensured safe passage for pilgrims traveling to Makkah.

This sacred status is enshrined in the Quran: "Indeed, the number of months with Allah is twelve... of them, four are sacred. That is the correct religion, so do not wrong yourselves during them..." (Surah At-Tawbah: 36).

(إِنَّ عِدَّةَ الشُّهُورِ عِندَ اللَّهِ اثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًا فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ مِنْهَا أَرْبَعَةٌ حُرُمٌ ذَٰلِكَ الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ فَلَا تَظْلِمُوا فِيهِنَّ أَنفُسَكُمْ... 36) [التوبة]

Through this designation, the Divine invites us to experience peace as a tangible reality. Discussions of peace need not be confined to the absence of war; our daily lives are often fraught with social and economic friction. Why not, then, embrace this period as a trial for harmony?

While many prioritize voluntary acts of worship during this month—a commendable pursuit—we must also strive to make Dhu al-Qi'dah a time to "sit out" our personal disputes. Whether at home, in the workplace, among neighbors, or on the street, refraining from conflict aligns with the Divine intent behind the "Sacred Months." Just as we seek spiritual serenity in the Hereafter, let us dedicate these days of our lives to peace. As the Scripture reminds us: "...There has come to you from Allah a light and a clear Book, by which Allah guides those who pursue His pleasure to the ways of peace..." (Surah Al-Ma'idah: 15-16).

(..... قَدْ جَاءَكُم مِّنَ اللَّهِ نُورٌ وَكِتَابٌ مُّبِينٌ 15 يَهْدِي بِهِ اللَّهُ مَنِ اتَّبَعَ رِضْوَانَهُ سُبُلَ السَّلامِ وَيُخْرِجُهُم مِّنِ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ بِإِذْنِهِ وَيَهْدِيهِمْ إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ 16) [المائدة]

 The 2nd sermon:

Perspectives on the Afterlife: Reincarnation vs. Resurrection

Historically, humanity’s stance on what follows death can be categorized into three distinct views:

1. Death as the Finality: The belief that physical death marks the absolute end of existence.
2. Death as a Transition: The view that death is a stage followed by a singular, eternal afterlife.
3. Death as a Cycle (Reincarnation): The belief that the soul undergoes a continuous series of lives.

The core concept of reincarnation (or the transmigration of souls) posits that the soul returns to this world in a new physical form—be it human, animal, plant, or otherwise. This doctrine has been adopted by various religions and philosophies, including Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, and Jewish Kabbalah. Some groups, such as the Druze and Alawites, embrace metempsychosis (or Taqammus), which specifically limits the soul's transition to other human bodies.

Within the field of 19th-century anthropology, figures such as Louis Figuier argued that reincarnation is the oldest philosophical construct devised by humans to explain their origin and destiny. According to Figuier, the concept of eternal life found in Islam and Christianity is merely an evolutionary development of this ancient idea.

Under this premise, the Islamic belief in the Hereafter would be viewed as:

1. Lacking Authenticity: A derivative concept rather than an original truth.
2. An Evolutionary Product: A modern refinement of the primitive idea of reincarnation.

This raises a critical question: What is our stance—as Muslims who believe in the Holy Quran—regarding these two conclusions? It is important to note that the objective here is not to refute the belief in reincarnation itself, but rather to clearly articulate the Quranic paradigm we uphold.

The Islamic Paradigm of the Hereafter: An Original Foundation

1. A Quranic Pillar: The belief in the Day of Resurrection, judgment, and the ultimate reality of reward and punishment is an original truth, not a derivative one. It is a central theme of the Holy Quran, highlighted in over 1,000 verses—nearly one-sixth of the entire scripture.

2.      A Universal Prophetic Message: This article of faith—the belief in the Hereafter—is not a modern theological development; rather, it is a core message championed by the Prophets (peace be upon them) from the time of Noah to our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

The Holy Quran documents that the denial of the resurrection was a recurring theme among those who rejected the prophets. The skeptics of old would say: "When we have died and become dust, [is that a far-fetched return]?" (Surah Qaf: 3).

(أَئِذَا مِتْنَا وَكُنَّا تُرَابًا ذَلِكَ رَجْعٌ بَعِيدٌ3) [سورة 3]

The Quran further contextualizes this historical struggle for truth, stating:
"The people of Noah denied before them, and the companions of the well and Thamud, and Aad and Pharaoh and the brothers of Lot, and the companions of the thicket and the people of Tubba'. All denied the messengers, so My threat was justly fulfilled. Were We then weary with the first creation? But they are in confusion over a new creation" (Surah Qaf: 12-15).

(كَذَّبَتْ قَبْلَهُمْ قَوْمُ نُوحٍ وَأَصْحَابُ الرَّسِّ وَثَمُودُ12 وَعَادٌ وَفِرْعَوْنُ وَإِخْوَانُ لُوطٍ13 وَأَصْحَابُ الْأَيْكَةِ وَقَوْمُ تُبَّعٍ كُلٌّ كَذَّبَ الرُّسُلَ فَحَقَّ وَعِيدِ14 أَفَعَيِينَا بِالْخَلْقِ الْأَوَّلِ بَلْ هُمْ فِي لَبْسٍ مِّنْ خَلْقٍ جَدِيدٍ 15) [ق].

The Quranic narrative further underscores that this awareness dates back to the very dawn of humanity. In the context of Adam and Eve and the forbidden tree, the revelation confirms that the concept of the Return was established at the moment of their descent to Earth. Allah proclaimed: "He said, 'Descend, being to one another enemies. And for you on the earth is a place of settlement and enjoyment for a time.' He said, 'Therein you shall live, and therein you shall die, and from it you shall be brought forth.'" (Surah Al-A'raf: 24-25).

(قَالَ اهْبِطُوا بَعْضُكُمْ لِبَعْضٍ عَدُوٌّ وَلَكُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ مُسْتَقَرٌّ وَمَتَاعٌ إِلَىٰ حِينٍ 24 قَالَ فِيهَا تَحْيَوْنَ وَفِيهَا تَمُوتُونَ وَمِنْهَا تُخْرَجُونَ 25) [الأعراف].

This same reality is echoed in Surah Al-Baqarah, highlighting that human existence on Earth has always been linked to a final accountability: "We said, 'Go down from it, all of you. And when guidance comes to you from Me, whoever follows My guidance—there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve. And those who disbelieve and deny Our signs—those will be companions of the Fire; they will abide therein eternally.'" (Surah Al-Baqarah: 38-39).

(قُلْنَا اهْبِطُوا مِنْهَا جَمِيعًا فَإِمَّا يَأْتِيَنَّكُم مِّنِّي هُدًى فَمَن تَبِعَ هُدَايَ فَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ 38 وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَكَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا أُولَٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ 39).

These verses serve as a definitive proof that the belief in the Hereafter was not an afterthought or a later cultural evolution; it was the very first lesson imparted to humanity at its inception.

3.      Historical Precedents: An analysis of ancient civilizations, including Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Greece, reveals that the concept of an afterlife was a persistent human conviction. Despite the waves of denial mentioned in the Quran, these cultures recognized an existence beyond the grave.

4. Distortion and Manipulation: Over time, this original belief was often co-opted and distorted by those in power—rulers and priests—to serve political or social agendas. The elaborate mummification rituals of Ancient Egypt and the eventual emergence of concepts like reincarnation are examples of how the original, singular message of the prophets was transformed into various cultural mythologies. 
5. Singularity of Life: The Islamic faith posits a single, definitive life followed by a singular resurrection. In contrast, the doctrines of reincarnation and metempsychosis suggest a multiplicity of lives, creating a repetitive cycle of existence as long as the soul endures.

6.      The Realm of Existence: Belief in the Hereafter centers on a transition to an entirely different realm—the Akhirah—distinct from our earthly existence. Reincarnation, however, confines the soul’s journey to a recurring loop within this same worldly life.

7.      Accountability and the Divine Return: The Quranic perspective on the afterlife is not merely about a "return to life," but a purposeful return to the Creator for ultimate accountability: "Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return" (Surah Al-Baqarah: 156).

(إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ 156) [البقرة]،

'O mankind, indeed you are laboring toward your Lord with [great] exertion and will meet Him' (Surah Al-Inshiqaq: 6).

(يَا أَيُّهَا الْإِنسَانُ إِنَّكَ كَادِحٌ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ كَدْحًا فَمُلَاقِيهِ 6) [الانشقاق]

This encounter involves a meticulous reckoning (Hisab) resulting in reward or punishment—a structured moral framework that is absent in the cyclical nature of reincarnation.

Conclusion
Belief in the Hereafter, the Day of Judgment, and the reality of Paradise and Hell is a fundamental pillar of all divine messages. For a Muslim, this is a certainty reinforced by over a thousand Quranic verses—roughly one-sixth of the entire Scripture. The claim that this belief is a mere "evolution" of ancient reincarnation myths is a purely speculative analysis devoid of evidence. From an Islamic perspective, such a premise is fundamentally flawed and inconsistent with the revealed truth.