Islamic Religious Council of Singapore

Friday Sermon

30 September 2022 / 3 Rabiulawal 1444H

  
The Importance of Communication in Nurturing a Successful Family

Brothers and sisters blessed by Allah,

Let us increase our taqwa in Allah by performing His commands and abstaining from His prohibitions. May we be placed among His honourable servants. Amin.

Brothers and sisters,

The Quran is not limited to the mention of rulings. It contains many lessons that can serve as guidance in our life. In fact, the methods and manners of communication between a father and child can also be emulated from the stories in the Quran.

Allah (s.w.t.) decreed in Surah Yusuf, verse 4-5:

Which means: Remember when Joseph said to his father, “O my dear father! Indeed I dreamt of eleven stars, and the sun, and the moon — I saw them prostrating to me!” He replied, “O my dear son! Do not relate your vision to your brothers, or they may devise a plot against you. Surely Satan is a sworn enemy to humankind.

Let us observe how Allah (s.w.t.) teaches us regarding the communication between a father and his child. At a very young age, Prophet Yusuf (a.s.) had been given revelation about the honour that would be bestowed upon him. In this moment, Prophet Yusuf (a.s.) chose to tell his father, Prophet Ya’qub (a.s.) about his dream.

As a father, Prophet Ya’qub listened intently to his child’s story and gave the appropriate advice. This is an example from the stories of the Prophets that we should strive to follow.

If we were to place ourselves in this situation, where our child describes to us something which is occupying their mind, perhaps we would laugh it off or consider it to be insignificant due to their young age.

However, considering our role as someone who is supposed to be more responsible in carrying out our duties and mature in our thinking, we should always be observant and attentive to everything that our children experience, especially if they consider it to be significant enough to be described to us.

Brothers and sisters,

Communication is one of the key factors in strengthening the family institution. It is not limited to conversations only. Rather, it also occurs by observing one’s physical cues and body language.

We have to be aware of our movements, our attention, and also our intonation when communicating with our children. A child can sense when his father is fully attentive, which would enable them to be more willing to engage in a conversation.

A father requires determination to maintain a good relationship with his child. Just as he would like his son to share with him whatever that he is experiencing, daily events, or just have a conversation to spend quality time with his father, so should a father be prepared to do the same. This is because children are a reflection of their parents.
 

Brothers and sisters,
A father who puts in effort to spend time communicating with his child, listens attentively and gives them his full attention, will surely obtain their affection and trust, thus resulting in a confident and strong relationship.

With this strong relationship, a father’s advice and guidance would be openly accepted by his children. At the same time, he will be able to impart good morals and values that could benefit them.

Remember this final advice: We listen not to judge and find faults, but to listen to our children is a sign of our love for them. Listen to the words of our children so that we can guide them to goodness and may we all be granted paradise by Allah (s.w.t.). 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.