Islamic Religious Council of Singapore
Friday Sermon
24 May 2024 / 15 Zulkaedah 1445H
Children: Between Trust and Gratitude
My blessed Friday congregants,
Let us elevate our taqwa towards Allah s.w.t., by obeying all His commands and abstaining from all His prohibitions. Together, let us sow the seeds of taqwa in the hearts and minds of our family members. With this, may we be granted the joys of familial life; one that generates Sakinah (tranquillity), Mawaddah (love), and Rahmah (mercy), affection, and kindness amongst us. Amin Ya Rabbal ‘alamin.
Dear congregants,
Last week, the sermon emphasised the art of communicating with our spouses and children to foster a happy Muslim family. Today, I wish to invite all of us to reflect on our responsibilities as parents in nurturing love for our children, who are indeed the future of the Muslim community.
Dear brothers,
Parents are like cultivators who sow seeds only to reap a bountiful harvest in the future. These seeds must be tenderly nursed and nurtured according to their needs, with the aim of producing beneficial outcomes for humanity. Similarly, the children bestowed upon us by Allah, it is mainly the parents who determine the quality of their character. Have we considered what our children truly need? The answer is attention and love. We must ask ourselves further, what form of attention and love do the children of this generation require? The answer, my dear brothers, is the need for positive and effective communication, as shared in last week’s sermon.
We may have heard the story of the Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. kissing his grandson, Sayyidina Hassan r.a., and being observed by a man named al-Aqra’ Bin Habis. Al-Aqra’ confessed to the Prophet s.a.w. that he had 10 children, yet he had never kissed them even once. Upon hearing this, the Prophet s.a.w. said:
مَنْ لاَ يَرْحَمْ لاَ يُرْحَمْ
Which means: "Whoever does not show mercy will not be shown mercy." (Hadith muttafaq 'alaih).
Observe, my dear brothers, the Prophet s.a.w. set an example of showing affection to young children through a kiss, a non-verbal form of communication that conveys "I love you." Once again, I urge all of us to reflect on what form of love the children of this new generation require. Is it a kiss? A hug? Quality time spent together? Or something else?
My brothers,
Our children are a special gift from Allah, and at the same time, a responsibility. We must understand that this responsibility also entails showing affection and being grateful for their presence in our lives. Therefore, as parents, we need to equip ourselves with parenting skills, ideally even before having our own children.
Children require a positive environment within the family, one filled with love, affection, and the best security. This is hoped to have a positive impact on their well-being. Remember, dear brothers, the character of our children to some extent reflects the environment at home. Parents play a crucial role in instilling good values in their children. Allah s.w.t. reminds us in His words:
Which means: "O Believers, guard yourselves and your families against a Fire fuelled by people and stones, over which stand angels, stern and strong; angels who never disobey God’s commands to them, but do as they are ordered." (Surah at-Tahrim, verse 6).
This is the true role of a parent. Children require continuous guidance. It is upon us to ensure that children are kept away from ideas and actions that incur the displeasure of Allah s.w.t. Therefore, fostering a positive culture within the household is of utmost importance.
My beloved brothers,
There are several other steps that can be taken to create a positive impact in the lives of our children.
Firstly: Positive words within the family. Offer words of encouragement for their efforts, and appreciate their achievements, no matter how small they may be. There is no better and more valuable word for a child than praise and appreciation from their parents.
Secondly: We must pay attention and listen carefully to their words and expressions. Show interest by asking about what they are currently doing or have done as part of their daily activities. It is an indication of our attention to them.
Dear brothers,
All the parenting advice shared can also be practised in the context of foster families and adoptive families. Perhaps we have heard stories of children who have been neglected or abandoned by their own families. In truth, they need security and love from a parent or a family. If any of us can consider this noble desire, we can play the same role in restoring the lives of these children.
As a community, we can bring joy to them by becoming foster families or adoptive families. There are a large number of Muslim children who need attention and love from a family. Although the security provided may be temporary, it can have a profound and lasting impact on these children. It is part of the noble practice encouraged by Islam. The Prophet s.a.w. said, which means: " One who looks after the orphan whether he is his relative or not, I and he would be together (the Prophet s.a.w. gestured with his two fingers) in Paradise." (Hadith narrated by Imam Muslim).
May all our efforts as a community become part of our righteous deeds, and may we be exceedingly rewarded in the hereafter. Amin Ya Rabbal ‘alamin.
أَقُوْلُ قَوْلِي هَذَا وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ العَظِيْمَ لِي وَلَكُمْ، فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الغَفُوْرُ الرَّحِيْم
SECOND SERMON
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 وَالسَّلاَموَاْلأَمْنَ وَاْلأَمَانَ لِلْعَالَمِ أَجْمَع يَا لَطِيْف. 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.
