Islamic Religious Council of Singapore
Friday Sermon
20 December 2024 / 18 Jamadil Akhir 1446H
Balancing Work and Family Commitments
Dear blessed congregation,
Have taqwa and be truly mindful of Allah s.w.t. With this, may we attain success in this world and the Hereafter. Amin ya Rabbal ‘Alamin.
My dear brothers,
Today's sermon will discuss our work and family commitments, and how we can achieve balance in them, through obedience to Allah and prioritising Him in our daily lives.
Honourable congregants,
Our daily duties and tasks can cause us to forget that it is only Allah s.w.t. who fulfils our needs with His provision and guides our steps with His assistance. Let us reflect on Allah's reminder to the believers in Surah Al-Munafiqun, verse 9:
Which means: "O you who have believed, let not your wealth and your children divert you from remembrance of Allah. And whoever does that – then those are the losers."
My dear brothers,
This verse does not suggest that we neglect our worldly responsibilities and our beloved family, as though these are negative things. Rather, it reminds us of the ultimate objective of life, which is to worship Allah s.w.t., based on a broader definition of worship that transcends our ritual prayers.
By understanding this objective and cultivating good character, our lives will be blessed by Allah, paving the way to solutions for the challenges we face or will encounter.
Indeed, working to earn a livelihood is an essential part of life. In today's context, work is not only seen as a means of sustenance, but also as a platform to contribute to societal and economic progress. However, when we fail to balance this with our faith or iman, we risk allowing our professional ranks or careers to become the sole compass which defines our meaning of life.
Naturally, individuals may tend to forget their ultimate purpose amidst their daily routines, sometimes diverging from the main objective of living in this transient world as a servant of Allah.
Likewise, our role within the family is crucial. The family is among the greatest blessings in our lives. Yet, without the guidance of iman, blessings can turn into challenges that pollute the purity of a believer’s heart.
Blessed congregants,
Certainly, we recognise the challenges of balancing our work and family commitments. This is not a new phenomenon. Therefore, let us not despair, as Allah declares in Surah At-Talaq, verses 2-3:
Which means: "And whoever fears Allah – He will make for him a way out and will provide for him from where he does not expect. And whoever relies upon Allah – then He is sufficient for him. Indeed, Allah will accomplish His purpose. Allah has set for everything a due measure."
This verse tells us to place our hope and reliance on Allah s.w.t. upon making our efforts. When facing life's challenges, seek solutions based on the values of piety, diligence, and reliance (tawakkal). Entrust all our daily affairs to Allah s.w.t. This way, all our efforts and time will hopefully be counted as acts of worship in Allah’s sight, thus attracting His reward and blessings.
My dear brothers,
The endeavour to strike a balance between our commitments is an ongoing process. However, with efforts to manage our time wisely and prioritise Allah (s.w.t.) in our lives, our time and lives will be blessed, and all difficulties will be eased by Him.
Allow me to share some suggestions to help us balance work and family commitments as part of our obedience to Allah s.w.t.:
First: Never forget to pray and place trust in Allah s.w.t. Have confidence in Allah's promise for those who rely on Him, as mentioned in Surah At-Talaq earlier: "And whoever relies upon Allah – then He is sufficient for him." Pray and seek Allah's guidance, so that the time we spend at work and with our families is always blessed.
Secondly: In our pursuit of balancing time, do not forget to take care of our own selves. Avoid exhaustion or burnout. Allocate time for rest to restore our energy and process our emotions. The objective of having enough rest is to enable us to resume with renewed energy and better focus.
Thirdly: Find or develop a support system that can ease things for us, especially during difficult times. Close family members and trusted friends are vital support systems in our lives. Their presence and words can alleviate stress, help us better manage our time, in addition to providing motivation and emotional support.
May Allah s.w.t. ease all our affairs, lighten our work, strengthen our family bonds, bless our time and our lives. Amin.
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. اَللَّهُمَّ بَدِّلْ خَوْفَهُمْ أَمْنًا، وَحُزْنَهُمْ فَرَحًا، وَهَمَّهُمْ فَرَجًا، يَا رَبَّ العَالَمِينَ. اَللَّهُمَّ اكْتُبِ السِّلْمَ وَالسَّلاَمَ وَالأَمْنَ وَالأَمَانَ لِلْعَالَمِ كُلِّهِ وَلِلنَّاسِ أَجْمَعِينَ. 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
