Islamic Religious Council of Singapore
Friday Sermon
14 February 2025 / 15 Syaaban 1446H
Preparing the Heart for Ramadan
Dear blessed congregation,
Let us increase our taqwa towards Allah s.w.t. with true sincerity. Obey all His commands and be mindful of His prohibitions. May Allah’s guidance continue to lead our hearts and every aspect of our lives. Amin ya Rabbal ‘Alamin.
Honourable congregation,
Last night, we observed the night of Nisfu Syaaban. This means we are drawing closer to the blessed month of Ramadan – a month of mercy, forgiveness, and salvation from the Hellfire. The question is: Are we truly prepared to welcome the arrival of Ramadan?
My dear brothers,
To answer this question, let us reflect upon the state of our hearts. Why the heart? Because the Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. said which means:
"Indeed, there is a piece of flesh in the body; if it is sound, the whole body is sound. And if it is corrupt, the whole body is corrupt. Verily, that piece of flesh is the heart." (Narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
Ramadan is not just about restraining from food and drink. It is a month that demands purification of the heart – a time to cleanse our hearts so that we may better receive divine guidance.
Abdullah bin ‘Amr r.a. once asked the Prophet s.a.w., “Who is the best among people?” The Prophet s.a.w. replied: "The best of people are those who have a pure heart and speak truthfully."
When asked further about the meaning of a pure heart, Rasulullah s.a.w. explained: "It is a heart that is righteous, clean, free from sin, does not transgress, and harbours no malice or envy towards others." (Narrated by Ibn Majah)
Beloved Congregation,
A pure heart is free from envy, hatred, and resentment. The Prophet s.a.w. said in a hadith narrated by Imam An-Nasa’i which means: "Faith and envy cannot coexist in the heart of a believer."
In contrast, envy, jealousy, and a hostile attitude toward others only indicate a flaw in one’s faith.
Rasulullah s.a.w. also emphasised that true faith is not merely limited to our belief in Allah or our religious practice and worship. Instead, faith is also reflected in our interactions and relationships with others. This is the profound message that we are repeatedly reminded of in the middle of Syaaban, as part of preparing our hearts for Ramadan.
Dear blessed Friday congregation,
In preparation for Ramadan, here are three important steps we should take:
First: Repentance and Seeking Forgiveness
Repentance should not just be expressed verbally. It is a process that involves awareness, remorse, and a firm resolution to leave behind our mistakes. Allah says in Surah Al-Ma’idah, verse 39:
Which means: "But whoever repents after his wrongdoing and makes amends, then indeed, Allah will accept his repentance. Verily, Allah is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful."
Let us reflect on our actions. Imagine how meagre our good deeds are compared to the vastness of our sins. Let us sincerely seek repentance and abandon harmful habits. Do not allow our hearts to remain burdened with sins – be it major or minor, visible or hidden, intentional or unintentional. Instead, let us hope for the opportunity to worship with sincerity so that our good deeds may atone for our mistakes.
Secondly: Cultivating Sincerity in Worship
As we approach Ramadan, we must train our hearts to be sincere in all acts of worship. Sincerity is the key to having our deeds accepted by Allah. On the other hand, acts of worship performed with the intention of showing off (riya’), self-admiration (‘ujub), or seeking validation from others will not be accepted by Allah s.w.t.
Therefore, let us evaluate our intentions in worship. Ensure that they are solely for seeking Allah’s pleasure. Only with sincerity will our worship truly impact our hearts and lives.
Thirdly: Letting Go of Envy and Resentment
Ramadan is a month of mercy and good relations. As we humble ourselves before Allah, seeking His forgiveness for our shortcomings, we must also strive to open our hearts to repair our relationships with others.
Truly, envy and resentment are two diseases of the heart that destroy human relationships and negatively impact our acts of worship. The Prophet s.a.w. said that which means:
"Beware of envy, for envy consumes good deeds just as fire consumes wood." (Narrated by Abu Dawud)
My dear brothers in faith,
Let us purify our hearts before Ramadan arrives by sincerely repenting from past sins, worshipping with utmost sincerity, and removing envy and resentment from our hearts.
Ya Allah, purify our hearts so that we may meet Ramadan as true believers. Amin, ya Rabbal ‘Alamin.
أَقُوْلُ قَوْلِي هَذَا وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ العَظِيْمَ لِي وَلَكُمْ، فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الغَفُوْرُ الرَّحِيْم.
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 تَسْلِيمًا. اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ وَسَلِّمْ وَبَارِكْ عَلَى سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ.
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِلمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالمُؤْمِنَاتِ، وَالمُسْلِمِينَ وَالمُسْلِمَاتِ، الأَحْيَاءِ مِنهُم وَالأَمْوَاتِ. اللَّهُمَّ ارْحَمْنَا وَارْحَمْ وَالِدِينَـا وَارْحَمْ أُمَّةَ نَبِيِّنَا مُحَمَّدٍ أَجْمَعِينَ. اَللَّهُمَّ أَصْلِحْ وُلَاةَ أُمُوْرِنَا، وَوَفِّقْهُمْ لِمَا فِيْهِ صَلَاحُ الأُمَّةِ أَجْمَعِينَ. اللَّهُمَّ وَلِّ أُمُوْرَنَا خِيَارَنَا، وَلَا تُوَلِّ أُمُوْرَنَا شِرَارَنَا، وَارْفَعْ مَقْتَكَ وَغَضَبَكَ عَنَّا، وَلَا تُسَلِّطْ عَلَيْنَا بِذُنُوبِنَا مَنْ لَا يَخَافُكَ وَلَا يَرْحَمُنَا، وَحَوِّلْ حَالَنَا إِلَى أَحْسَنِ الْأَحْوَالِ، وَفَرِّجْ مَا نَزَلَ بِنَا مِنَ الْأَهْوَالِ، بِرَحْمَتِكَ يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ. اَللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْ هَذَا البَلَدَ وَسَائِرَ البِلَادِ عَامَّةً آمِناً مُطْمَئِناًّ سَخَاءً رَخَاءً بِقُدْرَتِكَ يَا رَبَّ العَالَمِينَ. اَللَّهُمَّ انْصُرْ إِخْوَانَنَا اْلمُسْتَضْعَفِيْنَ فِي غَزَّةَ وَفِي فِلِسْطِينَ، وَفِيْ كُلِّ مَكَانٍ يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ. اَللَّهُمَّ بَدِّلْ خَوْفَهُمْ أَمْنًا، وَحُزْنَهُمْ فَرَحًا، وَهَمَّهُمْ فَرَجًا، يَا رَبَّ 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 يَذْكُرْكُمْ، وَاشْكُرُوهُ عَلَى نِعَمِهِ يَزِدْكُمْ، وَاسْأَلُوهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ يُعْطِكُم، وَلَذِكْرُ اللهِ أَكْبَرُ، وَاللهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَصْنَعُونَ.
