Islamic Religious Council of Singapore

Friday Sermon

21 April 2023 / 30 Ramadan 1444H

Reflections After Ramadan

My beloved brothers and sisters in Islam,

Let us increase our taqwa towards Allah (s.w.t.) by carrying out all His commands and avoiding all His prohibitions. May Allah (s.w.t.) accept all our good deeds, and may we be of His servants who are faithful. Amin.

My fellow Muslims,

Alhamdulillah, on this blessed day, we have been given another opportunity to continue fasting in the month of Ramadan. Today is the last day of Ramadan, and tomorrow we will celebrate the first day of the glorious month of Syawal.

And so, my brothers and sisters, let us take this opportunity to reflect on everything that we have done throughout this month of Ramadan.

How well did we observe our fast? How about our acts of charity, payment of zakat, and other good deeds that we have done? Is there room for improvement?

Therefore, let us use the remaining time we have in this glorious month of Ramadan, to do as many good deeds as we can.

Such is the guidance of the Prophet (s.a.w.) for us – that we should continue to do good, even if the time given to us is only a second. The Prophet said:

Meaning: "If the Final Hour comes while one of you has a seedling in his hand, and it is possible for him to plant it, he should do so." [Hadith narrated by Imam Ahmad]

My fellow Muslims,

For a believer, every opportunity that Allah (s.w.t.) gives him is precious. This is because we do not know what will happen to us tomorrow or the day after, not to mention whether we will still be around for next year’s Ramadan, or otherwise. What we have for sure are the opportunities that Allah (s.w.t.) is giving us now, right at this moment, in this Ramadan. Those who understand this fact will strive to perform as many good deeds as they possibly can.

My brothers and sisters in Islam,

Allow me to suggest two things that we can strive to do. The first is to immediately repent and seek forgiveness from Allah (s.w.t.). The second is to increase our good deeds. May the sins that we had committed before are erased by our good deeds and our act of obedience. 

Allah (s.w.t.) said in the Qur’an:

Meaning: “Establish prayer, O Prophet, at both ends of the day and in the early part of the night. Surely good deeds wipe out evil deeds. That is a reminder for the mindful.” [Surah Hud:114]

Remember, my brothers and sisters. Allah (s.w.t) is ready to forgive all kinds of sins, big or small, as long as we sincerely repent and seek His forgiveness. Indeed, Allah (s.w.t.) knows everything in the hearts of His servants.

My brothers and sisters,

Tomorrow, we will welcome the month of Syawal - the day that marks the victory of a believer after a month of fasting. Therefore, I would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone here not to waste our good deeds with actions that can destroy the rewards that we may have gained.

This is because a believer who has worked hard to build a relationship with Allah (s.w.t.) for a month is certainly a person whose heart is filled with kindness and mercy to fellow human beings.

Allow me to give a simple example for us to practise, during the Eid prayer that we will perform tomorrow.

We certainly wish to perform the Eid prayers tomorrow in full comfort and peace. We look forward to reciting the takbir together, as well as sitting and listening to the sermon together. However, to achieve that goal, it is very important for us to continue to embody the characteristics of mercy and compassion in practising our religion. This includes taking care of the needs of others, and considering the welfare of our fellow Muslim brothers and sisters.

In doing so, we can make the required preparations to pray at mosques that are usually less crowded. Additionally, if we do not have an urgent need to pray in the first session, we can choose to perform the Eid prayers in the second or the following session. This is to allow for more space to be made available to those who need to pray in the first session.

May Allah (s.w.t) accept the goodness we strive for and place us together with the righteous in Jannatul Firdaus. Amin Ya Rabbal 'Alamin.

أَقُوْلُ قَوْلِي هَذَا وَ أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ العَظِيْمَ لِي وَ لَكُمْ، 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 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.