Islamic Religious Council of Singapore

Friday Khutbah

1 November 2019 / 4 Rabiul Awal 1441H

Loving The Prophet Through Emulation

Blessed Friday Jama’ah,

Let us elevate our taqwa of Allah s.w.t. by being steadfast in obeying His orders and abstaining from His prohibitions. May our taqwa further nourish our love towards Rasulullah s.a.w. and drive us to follow his sunnah and emulate his character .May Allah s.w.t. grant us Hispleasure,Amin Ya Rabbal ‘Alamin.

 

Dear brothers,

Throughout this month, let us get acquainted with the noble character of our beloved prophet Muhammad s.a.w. who was sent as a mercy to the world. The Prophet s.a.w. has taught us how to practise Islam through our submission to Allah s.w.t., so that we may achieve His forgiveness and mercy in this world and the next. Let us ponder upon verse 31 of Surah Aali Imran, which says:

 

Meaning: “Say, [O Muhammad], "If you should love Allah, then follow me, [so] Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful."

 

Knowing and loving Rasulullah s.a.w. is deeply associated with loving Allah. What this means is that in performing the acts of worship - be it prayer, fasting, zakat (alms), pilgrimage, etc. – we must align them with what Rasulullah s.a.w. had taught us. It is the basis upon which our deeds are accepted and a condition  in acquiring the mercy of Allah s.w.t. in this world and the next.

 

As followers of the prophet Muhammad s.a.w., we must exert every effort to carry out his teachings and abide by them such that they become a part of our lives. In our attempts to practise the teachings of the Prophet s.a.w. withhopes that Allah s.w.t. rewards us, it is more important that our deeds affect our lives, through strengthening our spirituality and developing resilience in the face of adversity.How far have our efforts in emulating the Prophet’s s.a.w. Sunnah helped us to develop noble characters and become kind individuals?

 

My brothers,

Let us remind ourselves that among the reasons Rasulullah s.a.w. was sent to us was to perfect our morals. In a hadith from Abu Hurairah r.a., the Prophet said:

 

Meaning: “I was only sent to perfect good character.” (Hadith narrated by Imam Ahmad).

The refined nature of the Prophet’s s.a.w. noble character is a source of guidance for mankind which leads them to the right path. Despite having left this world,the Prophet’s s.a.w. noble qualities are forever remembered in the annals of history.

Allah s.w.t. affirms this in Surah Al-Ahzab, verse 21:

 

Meaning: “There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allah often.”

 

To this very day, the Prophet’s s.a.w. personality and character continue to be admired by mankind.

The love we have for Rasulullah s.a.w. is not limited to our physical emulation of his teachings; it is equally important to observe how the Prophet’s teachings have impacted our inner selves. Therefore, let us adorn ourselves with the noble characters of our beloved Prophet s.a.w. and be grateful for the favours Allah s.w.t. has bestowed upon us, and let us persevere in the face of  adversities and hardships.

 

My brothers,

As we reflect on the history of Prophet’s s.a.w.  dakwah efforts in Makkah and Madinah, we must remember how He had patiently endured all the hostility, bitterness, injustice, fear, and the campaigns of boycott against him. Indeed, this, is a display of his exemplary character. He was constantly ridiculed, humiliated and treated with aggression, yet nothing fazed him. He did not retaliate, but instead perceived these trials positively. Once he even made du’a for goodness and peace to be granted to those who transgressed against him.

Based on the history of the Prophet s.a.w., the life lessons we are taught include the importance of resilience and how our faith (iman) and morality (akhlak) complement each other in making sure that negative desires do not prevail upon us.

 

My dear brothers,

The excellence of a community can only be achieved if the societal development is based on strong moral character.When we are guided by the Prophet’s s.a.w. moral values in our daily lives, it enables us to spread peace and blessings to mankind. This includes small acts of kindness like greeting one another or bringing joy into the lives of others,

Sayyidatina ‘Aisyah r.a. was once asked by an Arab bedouin about the Prophet’s character in whichshe answered: “His character was the Quran.” (Hadith narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

 

Thus, my brothers, let us make the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet s.a.w. a part of our lives. Let us beautify ourselves with the best of morals to improve our character. Let us continue to embody positive traits such as tolerance, compassion towards the less fortunate, benevolence, humility, justice, wisdom, sympathy and love.

 

If we truly love Rasulullah s.a.w. let us inculcate these beautiful values in ourselves and our families. Always reflect upon our actions and make sure that they make a positive impact on others.

 

Let us also fulfil the obligations and responsibilities that have been placed upon us to the best of our ability. Ensure that we follow the guidance of the Prophet s.a.w. as closely as possible in our daily lives. If you are the head of your family, ensure the rights of your family members are fulfilled. The same goes for a child who bears the responsibility of seeking knowledge; or a worker who has been given a certain task to complete. By observing the sunnah of Rasulullah s.a.w. in every aspect of our lives, we come closer to be a Mukmin who has real sense of taqwa.

 

May Allah place in our hearts the purest love for Rasulullah s.a.w. May Allah grant us true knowledge that enables us to emulate his character and experience the sweetness of worshipping Allah s.w.t. Finally, we ask Allah s.w.t. to place us among the people of taqwa. Amin Ya Rabbal ‘Alamin.