Islamic Religious Council of Singapore
Friday Sermon
29 March 2024 / 18 Ramadan 1445H
The Qur’an: A Source of Peace and a Life Guide
My blessed Friday congregants,
Let us continue in our efforts to elevate our taqwa towards Allah s.w.t. by obeying all His commands, and by abstaining from all His prohibitions. May Allah s.w.t. increase our taqwa through the worship that we perform throughout Ramadan. Amin.
Beloved brothers and sisters,
As servants of Allah s.w.t., who live by His will and permission, we were created to devote ourselves to worshipping Him. We have been entrusted to be the stewards of the Earth. We are also tested by Allah s.w.t., in order to equip ourselves with righteous deeds in preparation for the Hereafter.
As such, this journey of life is full of trials. At times, we feel burdened by the weight of the trails which we endure. There are times when we feel lost, unsure of which direction to take. However, Allah s.w.t. will not leave us alone. Through His enduring love for us, Allah s.w.t. helps us in various ways, one of which is by providing us with the best guidance in the form of the noble Qur’an. Let us reflect on Allah's words in surah Yunus, verse 57:
Which means: "O mankind! Indeed, there has come to you a guidance (al-Qur’an) from your Lord, a cure for the diseases in your hearts and for those who believe, a guidance, and a mercy."
Brothers and sisters,
This verse makes clear to us the excellence of the Qur'an, its characteristics, and its role. Firstly, the Qur'an is a book of reminders, so that we do not become complacent as we navigate our lives. We must not allow ourselves to be carried away by the lure of heedless pleasure, until we forget our actual goal and destination at the end of our lives.
Secondly, the Qur'an is a cure and a remedy for diseases and wounds, specifically the diseases of the heart, and the wounds caused by sins that stain our souls. It breathes tranquility into the soul when restlessness and anxiety strike.
Thirdly, the Qur'an is a guide, created by Allah s.w.t. as a beacon which illuminates the darkness. A darkness which often causes us to wander around aimlessly, without knowing our direction and purpose. With the guidance of the Qur'an, we learn what needs to be done, how to make decisions, and which life principles of life we should hold.
Fourth, the Qur'an is a mercy from Allah s.w.t. to His servants. When we recite His verses, we do not feel abandoned nor forgotten. Indeed, an attachment to the Qur'an allows us to feel Allah’s love towards us, and that becomes a source of strength in overcoming the challenges in our lives.
Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim narrated that a Companion of the Prophet s.a.w. once recited Surah al-Kahf while he was next to his tied-up horse. Then, it seemed as though a cloud had formed and approached him, eventually casting a shadow over his head. The next day, the Companion recounted his experience to the Prophet s.a.w., who then said to him:
تِلكَ السَّكِينَةُ تَنَزَّلَتْ بِالقُرْآنِ
Which means: “That was al-Sakinah, or tranquillity, which descended due to the Qur’an.”
SubhanAllah! Observe, my brothers and sisters! Those who are attached to the Qur’an are indeed fortunate: they recite its verses, they preserve its honour, they study its contents, they follow its guidance, and they obey its commands. Eventually, Allah s.w.t. bestows tranquillity upon their hearts. With tranquillity and peace, we can move forward in life with confidence and courage. The future is filled with hope, not darkness that causes us worry. What has passed can be accepted with gratitude and contentment, without any resentment towards our fate.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, let us take the opportunity of this Ramadan, the month in which the Qur'an was revealed, to strengthen our connection to the sacred book of Allah s.w.t. For those who cannot recite the Qur’an, start learning to do so. There is no need to feel ashamed if you are just starting to learn to recite it, because those who really want to pursue Allah's love will not be affected by others’ negative views or opinions. For those who can already recite the Qur’an, let us not neglect our recitation of the Qur’an for long periods of time. And for those who already make it a habit to recite the Qur’an daily, do not feel easily contented to the point of not feeling the need to study and contemplate its contents.
And so, my brothers and sisters, let us continually increase our commitment towards the Qur’an. The Quran will not be affected by our neglect and abandonment, because it will be preserved by Allah s.w.t. until the Day of Judgment. Rather, we would be at a great loss should we fail to attain the blessings of the Qur’an and appreciate its beauty.
May this Ramadan successfully soften our hearts, and may it bring us closer to the sacred verses of Allah s.w.t. Amin ya Rabbal ‘Alamin.
أَقُوْلُ قَوْلِي هَذَا وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ العَظِيْمَ لِي وَلَكُمْ، فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الغَفُوْرُ الرَّحِيْم
SECOND SERMON
الحَمْدُ للهِ حَمْدًا كَثِيرًا كَمَا أَمَرَ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَن لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ سَيِّدَنَا مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ. اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ وَسَلِّمْ عَلَى سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَأَصْحَابِهِ أَجْمَعِينَ. أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَيَا عِبَادَ الله، اِتَّقُوا اللهَ تَعَالَى فِيمَا أَمَرَ، وَانتَهُوا عَمَّا نَهَاكُم عَنْهُ وَزَجَرَ.
أَلَا صَلُّوا وَسَلِّمُوا عَلَى النَّبِيِّ الْمُصْطَفَى، فَقَدْ أَمَرَنَا اللهُ بِذَلِكَ حَيْثُ قَال فِي كِتَابِهِ العَزِيزِ: إِنَّ اللهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ يَـا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا. اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ وَسَلِّمْ وَبَارِكْ عَلَى سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ.
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِلمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالمُؤْمِنَاتِ، وَالمُسْلِمِينَ وَالمُسْلِمَاتِ، الأَحْيَاءِ مِنهُم وَالأَمْوَاتِ. اللَّهُمَّ ادْفَعْ عَنَّا البَلَاءَ وَالوَبَاءَ وَالزَّلَازِلَ وَالمِحَنَ، مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ، عَن بَلَدِنَا خَاصَّةً، وَسَائِرِ البُلْدَانِ عَامَّةً، يَا رَبَّ العَالَمِينَ. اَللَّهُمَّ انْصُرْ إِخْوَانَنَا اْلمُسْتَضْعَفِيْنَ فِي غَزَّة وَفِي فِلِسْطِينَ وَفِيْ كُلِّ مَكَانٍ عَامَّةً، يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ. اللَّهُمَّ بَدِّلْ خَوْفَهُمْ أَمْنًا، وَحُزْنَهُمْ فَرَحًا، وَهَمَّهُمْ فَرَجًا، يَا رَبَّ العَالَمِينَ. رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنيَا حَسَنَةً، وَفِي الآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً، وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ.
عِبَادَ اللهِ، إِنَّ اللهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالعَدْلِ وَالإِحْسَانِ وَإِيتَاءِ ذِي القُرْبَى، وَيَنْهَى عَنِ الفَحْشَاءِ وَالمُنكَرِ وَالبَغْيِ، يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ، فَاذكُرُوا اللهَ العَظِيمَ يَذْكُرْكُمْ، وَاشْكُرُوهُ عَلَى نِعَمِهِ يَزِدْكُمْ، وَاسْأَلُوهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ يُعْطِكُم، وَلَذِكْرُ اللهِ أَكْبَرُ، وَاللهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَصْنَعُونَ.
