Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura
Friday Sermon
28 June 2024 / 21 Zulhijjah 1445H
Protecting the Family Institution
Dear blessed Friday congregants,
I remind myself and everyone in attendance today to increase our piety towards Allah, even through small acts like seeking forgiveness in private. Abstain from His prohibitions, such as consciously neglecting obligatory prayers. With this piety, may Allah protect us and our families from harm and bad habits. Amin.
Dear congregants,
Do we still recall the key messages from the sermons throughout this month? Allow me to summarise them briefly. We must prevent family violence to create tranquillity (Sakinah) or harmony. We are reminded to uphold the rights of wives and women through understanding the prophet’s final sermon (Khutbah Wada’). It is also encouraged to view wealth planning and inheritance through the lens of trust and responsibility, not just as a matter of demanding our rights.
Indeed, all these discussions revolve around preserving the well-being of a Muslim family. Today, I call upon all of us to make a commitment to protect our families, especially the younger generation, from negative influences. Let us learn from a story recorded in the Quran.
Which means: "(Remember) when the wife of ’Imran said: “My Lord! I dedicate what is in my womb entirely to Your service, so accept it from me. You are truly the All-Hearing, All-Knowing.'" (Surah Ali-Imran, verse 35).
This verse demonstrates just as the mother of Sayyidatina Maryam (the baby in her womb) sought Allah's protection for her unborn child with full belief and hope, so should we today, living in a challenging world.
Dear my beloved congregants,
Faith should compel us to trust in Allah's decree, and strive to build a peaceful, complete, and harmonious family. Faith is also nurtured through sound knowledge. Only with a solid foundation of knowledge can we protect our families from negative influences that contradict the objectives of Shariah. One of the Shariah's objectives that we can discuss in this platform is the preservation of life and human intellect. This includes abstaining from actions that can harm oneself, the household, and the broader society. For example, many individuals, young or old, still face challenges in quitting smoking, vaping, and drug abuse, including the usage of synthetic drugs.
Let us briefly focus on the issue of drug abuse. The common perception that most young addicts are criminals or come from dysfunctional families is inaccurate. Today, we are all exposed to a more liberal view of drugs, especially through the new media, leading everyone to be similarly vulnerable to the risk of accepting drug use as a lifestyle.
Negative elements like drugs will impair a person’s spirituality, damage their bodies, and harm society. Allah says:
Which means: "And do not let your own hands throw you into destruction." (Surah al-Baqarah, verse 195).
Dear beloved brothers,
Allow me to share two steps to protect ourselves and our families from negative influences:
Firstly, instill positive values in the family. Today, every age group, especially the youth, is exposed to alternative lifestyles which are easily accessed through new media. The best way to protect our family members from these influences is by instilling religious values within the family. We must set a positive example through open and honest conversations. This practice can help reduce the risk of our youngsters being influenced by unhealthy influences which contradict our religious values.
Secondly, provide adequate support and attention to each family member. Monitor and befriend our children and, at the same time, offer our respect and attention towards the elders. As the Prophet s.a.w. said: "He is not among us who does not show compassion towards our younger ones and show respect to our elders." (Hadith narrated by Imam Tirmizi). With mutual support and attention, we hope to strengthen the resilience of our family members in overcoming negative influences and, at the same time, achieve goodness and build a strong family institution full of belief in Allah s.w.t.
Dear brothers,
Let us strive and pray to Allah to protect ourselves and our families from any form of harm.
Ya Allah, Ya Fattah, Ya Alim, grant us strength and wisdom to guide our families on the path that pleases You. Ya Waliy wa Ya Rauuf, protect our families from the trials of the world and all influences that damage our faith and character. Ya Rahman wa Ya Rahim, place us and our families under the shelter of Your mercy and protection.
أَقُوْلُ قَوْلِي هَذَا وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ العَظِيْمَ لِي وَلَكُمْ، فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الغَفُوْرُ الرَّحِيْم
SECOND KHUTBAH
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 ادْفَعْ عَنَّا البَلَاءَ وَالوَبَاءَ وَالزَّلَازِلَ وَالمِحَنَ، مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ، عَن بَلَدِنَا خَاصَّةً، وَسَائِرِ البُلْدَانِ عَامَّةً، يَا رَبَّ العَالَمِينَ. اَللَّهُمَّ انْصُرْ إِخْوَانَنَا اْلمُسْتَضْعَفِيْنَ فِي غَزَّة وَفِي فِلِسْطِينَ وَفِيْ كُلِّ مَكَانٍ عَامَّةً، يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ. اَللَّهُمَّ بَدِّلْ خَوْفَهُمْ أَمْنًا، وَحُزْنَهُمْ فَرَحًا، وَهَمَّهُمْ فَرَجًا، يَا رَبَّ العَالَمِينَ. اَللَّهُمَّ اكْتُبِ السِّلْمَ وَالسَّلاَم وَاْلأَمْنَ وَاْلأَمَانَ لِلْعَالَمِ أَجْمَع يَا لَطِيْف. 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.
