Islamic Religious Council of Singapore
Friday Sermon
2 August 2024 / 27 Muharram 1446H
Social Values in Islam
الحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ الخَبِيرِ الحَكِيمِ، أَشْهَدُ أَن لَا إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا اللهُ القَوِيُّ الـمَتِينُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ سَيِّدَنَا مُحَمَّدًا عَبدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ الصَّادِقُ الأَمِينِ، اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ وَسَلِّمْ عَلَى سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَأَصْحَابِهِ وَمَنِ اتَّبَعَهُ إِلَى يَوْمِ الدِّينِ. أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَيَا أَيُّهَا الـمُسْلِمُونَ، أُوصِيكُمْ وَنَفْسِي بِتَقوَى اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، فَقَد فَازَ الـمُتَّقُونَ.
O my dear brothers in faith,
Have taqwa towards Allah s.w.t. and fear Him as He should be feared. Fulfil all His commands and avoid all His prohibitions. Maintain our relationship with Allah. Foster good relations with fellow human beings. Be good Muslims so that those around us are attracted to the beauty of Islam through our conduct and Allah's guidance. Amin.
Dear blessed congregation,
This first Friday this month invites us to reflect on religious guidance in our social life. My brothers, have you ever thought about isolating yourself? Away from the busyness of the world. Away from the struggles of life. Away from the troubles of dealing with other human beings. You live and you occupy yourself only with performing worship and preparing for death. Your one and only goal is to be a good Muslim and attain a place in the eternal paradise.
This example may sound ideal. Unfortunately, that is not the guidance of Islam, for our religion never instructs us to isolate ourselves from the community. On the contrary, we are advised to go out, interact with others, contribute goodness, and be patient with people's behaviour. Think about it, my brothers, if Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. had continued to seclude himself in the Cave of Hira after receiving revelation in order to avoid the ignorance of his society at that time, surely, the message of Islam would not have reached us today.
The challenges of living in society will make us more resilient, confident, and assured. Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. said: “A Muslim who mixes and interacts with people and is patient towards their bad actions is better than one who does not interact with people and is not patient towards their bad actions.” (Hadis narrated by Imam Ahmad).
With the guidance from this hadith, we must reflect and ask, should we continue to isolate ourselves? If the Prophet s.a.w. showed a sense of community in his life, why should we want to disconnect ourselves? If Sayyiduna Umar bin Khattab r.a. went out to interact to understand the condition of his community, is it not only appropriate for us to do the same?
My dear brothers,
Today’s sermon calls us to think about the principles and religious guidance in interacting with others. May it be a beneficial takeaway:
Firstly, develop togetherness and unity amongst community members. As mentioned in the hadith earlier, Islam encourages us to interact with our community and not live in seclusion. A sense of togetherness in the community can be achieved when we greet each other, acknowledge differences, and build good relationships. If we are not already used to doing so, start with the closest or most convenient, such as our neighbours, fellow congregants at the mosque, friends at school, or with our colleagues at work. Allah s.w.t. says in Surah Al-Hujurat, verse 13:
Which means: "O humankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and We made you into nations and tribes, so that you may get to know one another. Verily, the most honourable of you in the sight of Allah is the one who is the most righteous. Indeed, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware."
This verse serves as an important guide for us. As a community of believers, we must continue to exemplify good character, and prioritise public welfare and needs over personal interests. This core value is referred to in Islamic tradition as إيثار 'Īthār'.
Secondly, fostering social awareness and a sense of shared responsibility. The Islamic community is a responsible society, as seen in the story of the Muhajirin and Ansar mentioned in last week's sermon. We strive to offer any form of goodness to the best of our abilities. No matter how small the contribution, we believe that it impacts both our faith and public well-being. Remember a hadith narrated by Imam Muslim, whereby the Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. explained that there are many levels of iman, and the lowest level of iman is removing a thorn (a danger or obstacle) from the road.
Such is the character of a believer, whose life fulfils religious responsibilities while also maintaining public welfare. In this spirit, let us think about the following examples: Is it appropriate for us to perform the sunnah qabliyah/ba’diyah prayers near the entrance of the prayer hall or mosque, while obstructing the movement of other congregants? Should we prioritise smoking or vaping to fulfil our own satisfaction instead of preserving our personal health and public well-being? This is a point of reflection for us to ponder and improve together.
Let us resolve to become a Mukmin who brings goodness to our own selves and society as a whole. Let us strive to be exemplary Muslims to the people around us.
Ya Allah, Ya Rahman, Ya Rahim, forgive all our sins and wrongdoings with Your love and mercy. Ya Quddus, Ya Salam, bless our community with peace and security. Ya Hadi, Ya ‘Alim, You are more aware of our weaknesses. Help us fulfil the responsibilities given to us as best as possible. Ya Fattah, Ya Mujib, accept our prayers and open the doors of goodness for us. Bless us with Your mercy in this world and in the hereafter. Amin Ya Mujibas sa‘ilin.
أَقُوْلُ قَوْلِي هَذَا وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ العَظِيْمَ لِي وَلَكُمْ، فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الغَفُوْرُ الرَّحِيْم.
KHUTBAH KEDUA
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.
