collections khutbah Faith and Life
Faith and Life

Islamic Religious Council of Singapore

Friday Sermon

7 January 2022 / 4 Jamadilakhir

Faith and Life

My dear brothers and sisters in Islam,

Let us continue our efforts to elevate our taqwa towards Allah (s.w.t.), by obeying all His orders, and by abstaining from all His prohibitions. May Allah (s.w.t) grant us strong faith and continuous opportunity to do good deeds. Amin.

Brothers and sisters,

Let us begin the first Friday sermon of the new year by focusing on several issues and questions about faith, and how it can be a source of strength and determination for a believer. Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) said:

عَجَبًا لأمرِ المؤمنِ إِنَّ أمْرَه كُلَّهُ لهُ خَيرٌ وليسَ ذلكَ لأحَدٍ إلا للمُؤْمنِ إِنْ أصَابتهُ سَرَّاءُ شَكَرَ فكانتْ خَيرًا لهُ وإنْ أصَابتهُ ضَرَّاءُ صَبرَ فكانتْ خَيرًا لهُ.

Meaning: “Wondrous are the affairs of the believer. Indeed, there is good for him in every matter, and this is not the case for anyone else except the believer. If he is given ease, he is grateful, and that is a good thing for him, and if he is tested with hardships, and yet he remains patient, [in that too] there is good for him.” (Hadith narrated by Imam Muslim).

Brothers and sisters,

Everyone shall experience different phases of life. Life’s trials may come in various forms. Some will be tested with calamities and hardships. While others will be tested with a life of ease and comfort. It is as illustrated by Allah in surah al-Anbiya’ verse 35:

 

Which means: “Every soul shall have a taste of death. We will surely test you with the bad and the good as a trial (which are real). And only to Us will you be returned.”

Indeed, trials and tribulations are part and parcel of life. The stronger one’s faith gets, and the more pious one becomes, the greater their tests will be. Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) once was asked, “O Rasulullah, who are those faced with the greatest challenges?” Our Prophet (s.a.w.) replied: “The prophets, and then those who followed them (that is, those who came immediately after), and so on and so forth. A believer will be tested to the extent of his religion (faith). Should his faith be strong, so will his challenges be heavy. Should his faith be weak, so will his challenges be proportionate to the extent of his faith.” (Hadith narrated by Ibnu Majah).

Brothers and sisters,

Faith provides us with the strength required to deal with life’s challenges. A believer will always hold tight to the rope of faith, especially during difficult and challenging times. When tested, a believer will not blame his fate. This is because he knows that tests from Allah do not mean that Allah (s.w.t.) hates him, because it is often the opposite. A person may be tested, even if he is someone whom Allah loves. He is tested as kaffarah (expiation) for his past sins. Let us observe the hadith of our Prophet (s.a.w.) that says: “No calamity befalls a Muslim, nor poverty, nor distress, nor sadness, nor illness, nor grief, even if it were the prick he receives from a thorn, but that Allah will expiate some of his sins for that.” (Hadith narrated by Imam al-Bukhari).

And so, at this very moment, the question that follows is: How can faith be cultivated in our souls? We must remember that strengthening our faith requires effort. A believer, even one who already has faith, can become complacent and negligent. Or the heart can become corrupt from the sins we commit. In fact, it is typical for humans to forget.

Let us all learn from the lives of the companions. For example, it was narrated that Saidina Mu’az bin Jabal (r.a.) often invited his friends to listen to religious speeches and to remember Allah. He would say: Let us take a moment to think about the question of faith. (Hadith narrated by Imam al-Bukhari).

Now allow me to advise everyone (including myself) to continue to work on deepening our faith. Faith can be strengthened through carrying out acts of worship and attending religious classes. Indeed, getting constant reminders about religion may become part of one’s efforts for strengthening their faith.

May Allah (s.w.t.) continue to grant us strong faith, as well as the patience to face life’s trials. 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.