Islamic Religious Council of Singapore

Friday Sermon

28 February 2020 / 4 Rejab 1441H

Spiritual and Physical Purity

 

Blessed Friday congregation,

Let us elevate our taqwa of Allah ‘azza wa jalla – a taqwa that purifies our soul from all transgressions and sins, increases our spirituality in the face of difficulties, and compels us to do good and spread goodwill among His creation.

 

My dear brothers,

Know that there are 2 things which our lives cannot escape from – ni’mah (favours) from Allah s.w.t which we are contented with and are obligated to be grateful for; and trials which we must undergo with patience and hope that we will be rewarded abundantly by Him.

Today, the world is still continuing its fight against the covid-19 situation. This has generated a lot of worry and concern. As people of faith, we firmly believe that whatever befalls us is a test from Allah s.w.t. - a test which purpose is to remind us to reflect upon ourselves, to repent and seek forgiveness, to have patience, and to continue doing good deeds. Allah s.w.t. says in the Quran:

 

Meaning: “And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits but give good tidings to those who are patient! Who, when disaster strikes them, say, "Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return.” (Surah al-Baqarah: 155-156).

 

Faith yields patience, and patience leads to inner peace. Let us continue to purify our hearts and strengthen our ties with Allah s.w.t. in these difficult times by continuously seeking His forgiveness, repenting and praying to Him, especially in this blessed month of Rajab.

Allah s.w.t. says in the Quran: “But Allah would not punish them while you, [O Muhammad], are among them, and Allah would not punish them while they seek forgiveness.” (Surah al-Anfal: 33).

 

My brothers,

Islam also teaches us, in addition to purifying our souls, to be responsible and to take care of our physical cleanliness at all times. It is one of the fundamentals of our religion and faith. Let us face the trials and tribulations in our lives wisely and rationally. Similar to any other problem and test, Islam teaches us to take the necessary precautions in our efforts to overcome them.

 

The covid-19 situation is no different; containing the virus is our collective responsibility. Various advisories have been issued to ensure the safety of mosque congregants with regard to their health, personal hygiene and others. This is part of our contributions in preserving the public good, so that our religious institutions and mosques can continue to function.

 

My brothers, let us exert every effort towards purifying our souls and taking care of our physical cleanliness. This is the weapon we carry in our fight against the virus. Hopefully, through our efforts, deeds, sincerity and our helping spirits, we will be able to overcome this test with Allah’s permission. We ask Allah s.w.t. to protect us and all of mankind from all forms of trials and tragedy, and to show us the path that He favours. Amin Ya Rabbal ‘Alamin.