Islamic Religious Council of Singapore
Friday Sermon
16 July 2021 / 6 Zulhijjah 1442H
Performing Acts of Goodness
My beloved brothers and sisters,
Let us elevate our taqwa by obeying all of Allah’s commands and abstaining from all His prohibitions. May Allah s.w.t reward us for our efforts in performing good deeds.
My dear brothers and sisters,
As Muslims, we are enjoined to do good and forbid evil. Islam also encourages us to invite others to do good. Allah (s.w.t.) has made this clear in the Quran, where He says:
Which means: “And let there be from you a nation inviting to good, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong, and those will be the successful.” (Surah Ali Imran, verse 104).
What is meant by the word “ma’ruf”? It is commonly translated as virtue, which also means performing what is commanded by Allah and His messenger.
The word ma’ruf in literal terms means a deed that is known or acknowledged. It is defined as such because any person of a sound heart and mind recognises it to be a virtue and deems its practice virtuous.
My brothers and sisters,
Every good deed which is performed with sincerity will be accepted and rewarded by Allah (s.w.t.). So let us not belittle a good deed, however small it may seem. Rasulullah (s.a.w.) once said:
وَلاَ تَحْقِرَنَّ شَيْئًا مِنَ الْمَعْرُوفِ وَأَنْ تُكَلِّمَ أَخَاكَ وَأَنْتَ مُنْبَسِطٌ إِلَيْهِ وَجْهُكَ إِنَّ ذَلِكَ مِنَ الْمَعْرُوفِ
Meaning: “Do not belittle any good deed; when you speak to your brother while smiling at him, that is a good deed [on your part].” (Hadith narrated by Imam Abu Dawud dan At-Tirmizi).
My brothers and sisters,
As we are currently in the first ten days of Zulhijjah, I feel it is an opportune time for us to talk about the importance of good deeds. These are blessed days where Allah (s.w.t.) promises great rewards for those who do good therein.
The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) said: “No good deeds done on other days are superior to those done on these days (first ten days of Zulhijjah)." (Hadith narrated by Imam Al-Bukhari).
So let us take this opportunity to perform more acts of worship; be it by giving charity, increasing our (zikr) remembrance of Allah, reading the Quran, and fasting the first ten days of Zulhijjah – moreover, the Prophet (s.a.w.) encouraged fasting on the day of Arafah, which falls on 9th Zulhijjah (19th July 2021).
Another good deed we can perform that is so closely tied to Aidiladha is performing Korban, or sacrifice. The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) said, which means: “The son of Adam does not do any deed on the Day of Nahr that is dearer to Allah, than the sacrifice of animals.” (Hadith narrated by Imam Al-Hakim).
However, my brothers, should we be unable to perform a sacrifice ritual this year, there are many other good deeds that we can do. In Islam, Korban carries a wide range of meanings. Let us observe what Allah (s.w.t.) tells us in the Quran:
Meaning: “Their meat will not reach Allah, nor will their blood, but what reaches Him is piety from you…” (Surah Al-Hajj, verse 37)
It is clear that the reason behind prescribing the ritual of sacrifice is, in fact, to encourage us to help one another and sharing with others the bounties that Allah (s.w.t.) has bestowed upon us.
So let us be thoughtful of our neighbours, our friends and those around us. If they are facing difficulties in life, let us lend a helping hand as it is a form of goodness that we should do.
Lastly, let us not forget to perform Aidiladha prayers – be it at the mosque, if we are given the opportunity to do so, or in our own homes. May Allah (s.w.t.) continue to grant us the capacity to do good and reward us for our efforts. Amin Ya Rabbal ‘Alamin.
أَقُوْلُ قَوْلِي هَذَا وَ أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ العَظِيْمَ لِي وَ لَكُمْ، فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الغَفُوْرُ الرَّحِيْمُ
Second Sermon
الْحَمْدُ 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 الْعَزِيزِ: إِنَّ اللهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ يَـا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا. 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 لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالمُؤْمِنَاتِ، وَالمُسْلِمِينَ وَالْمُسْلِمَاتِ، الْأَحْيَاءِ مِنهُم وَالْأَمْوَاتِ. اللَّهُمَّ ادْفَعْ عَنَّا الْبَلَاءَ وَالوَبَاءَ وَالزَّلَازِلَ وَالْمِحَنَ، مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ، عَن بَلَدِنَا خَاصَّةً، وَسَائِرِ الْبُلْدَانِ عَامَّةً، يَارَبَّ الْعَالَمِينَ. رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنيَا حَسَنَةً، وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً، وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ.
عِبَادَ اللهِ، إِنَّ اللهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالْإِحْسَانِ، وَإِيتَاءِ ذِي الْقُرْبَى وَيَنْهَى عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنكَرِ وَالْبَغْيِ، يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ، فَاذْكُرُوا اللهَ الْعَظِيمَ يَذْكُرْكُمْ، وَاشْكُرُوهُ عَلَى نِعَمِهِ يَزِدْكُمْ، وَاسْأَلُوهُ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ يُعْطِكُمْ، وَلَذِكْرُ اللهِ أَكْبَرُ، وَاللهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَصْنَعُونَ.
