Islamic Religious Council of Singapore
Friday Sermon
31 December 2021 / 26 Jamadilawal 1443H
Ending the Year with As-Salam
My brothers,
Let us continue our efforts to elevate our taqwa towards Allah (s.w.t.) by obeying all His commands, and by abstaining from all His prohibitions. May our faith and taqwa help us to achieve peace and tranquillity.
My dear brothers,
For the final Friday sermon of 2021, let us together reflect upon another blessed name of Allah (s.w.t.), as-Salam, which means The Giver of Peace.
My dear brothers,
One of the supplications often recited by our beloved Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) is the following:
اللهم أَنتَ السَّلاَم وَمِنكَ السَّلام تَبَارَكتَ يَاذَا الجَلاَلِ وَالإِكرَام
Which means: “O Allah, you are the Giver of Peace and from you is peace. You have the power to grant blessings, the Most Supreme and the Most Majestic.” (Hadith narrated by Imam Muslim).
Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) encouraged his followers to recite this supplication. By reciting it, we are praising Allah who is The Most Perfect and free from any flaws and shortcomings. Allah is the one who gives peace to His servants and He is the source of all blessings and goodness in our lives.
My brothers,
Allah (s.w.t.) mentions His name as-Salam in surah al-Hasyr in verse 23:
Which means: “He is Allah, besides whom there is no god, the Sovereign, the Most Pure, the Most Perfect (from all defects), the Giver of Peace, the Guardian, the All-Mighty, the All-Repairer, the Sublime. Pure is Allah from what they associate with Him.”
Ibnu Qutaibah in his book Gharibul Quran wrote that as-Salam means: Allah is safe and free from any faults, shortcomings, destruction and death.
Therefore, the essence of as-Salam means that Allah always wants peace and goodness for us. All His decrees are for the benefit of humankind in this world and the hereafter. There is no harm in everything that Allah decrees. Although the wisdom may not be apparent now, a believer should always turn to as-Salam and ask for safety and peace.
My dear brothers,
Al-Izz ibn Abdul Salam mentioned that the hikmah of studying Asmaul Husna is to strive in instilling these blessed values in our lives to the best of our abilities.
As we reflect upon the name of Allah, as-Salam, The One who Gives Peace, this attribute should be manifested in our daily lives, especially when we interact with others, by spreading peace and goodness. We seek peace not only by performing zikir and prayers, but peace can also be achieved when we have good relationships with others. This can be done by building strong and harmonious relationships with family members, neighbours and also the community, regardless of race and religion.
A Muslim who believes in Allah, the Giver of Peace, and seek for peace and safety in his life, will always strive to ensure the people around him also feel at peace with his presence.
It is unbecoming that those who seek peace from Allah, but at the same time, they transgress the right of others and hurt their feelings and pride. Those who act in such a way are only following their lusts, desires and self-interests. Their tongues speak freely without considering the negative consequences. They will not find peace and safety in this world. It will be filled with chaos, confusion and conflict.
Hopefully, our efforts to spread peace and love among others will be rewarded with a place in His paradise. As mentioned by our Prophet (s.a.w.): “You will not enter Paradise until you have faith, and you will not have faith until you love each other. Shall I show you something that, if you did, you would love each other? Spread peace between yourselves” (Hadith narrated by Imam Muslim).
May Allah forgive us for all our flaws and adorn our hearts with peace. Amin. Ya Rabbal ‘Alamin.
أَقُوْلُ قَوْلِي هَذَا وَ أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ العَظِيْمَ لِي وَ لَكُمْ، فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الغَفُوْرُ الرَّحِيْمُ
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 تَسلِيمًا. اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ وَسَلِّمْ وَ بَارِكْ عَلَى سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ.
وَارْضَ اللَّهُمَّ عَنِ الخُلَفَاءِ الرَّاشِدِينَ المَهْدِيِّينَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ وَعُثْمَانَ وَعَلِيِّ، وَعَن بَقِيَّةِ الصَّحَابَةِ وَالقَرَابَةِ وَالتَّابِعِينَ، وَتَابِعِي التَّابِعِينَ، وَعَنَّا مَعَهُم وَفِيهِم بِرَحْمَتِكَ يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ.
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، يَارَبَّ 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 يَذْكُركُمْ، وَاشْكُرُوهُ عَلَى نِعَمِهِ يَزِدكُمْ، وَاسْأَلُوهُ مِن فَضلِهِ يُعطِكُم، وَلَذِكرُ اللهِ أَكبَرُ، وَاللهُ يَعلَمُ مَا تَصنَعُونَ.
