Islamic Religious Council of Singapore

Friday Sermon

13 January 2023 / 20 Jamadilakhir 1444H

  
The Importance of Practising Islam in Its Entirety

Brothers and sisters,

Let us increase our taqwa of Allah (s.w.t) in its truest essence; by obeying all His commands and abstaining from all his prohibitions. May we all achieve the sweetness of faith and reap His rewards. Amin.

Brothers and sisters,

Allah (s.w.t) says in Surah al-Baqarah verse 208:

Which means, “O believers! Enter into Islam wholeheartedly and do not follow Satan’s footsteps. Surely, he is your sworn enemy.”

Brothers and sisters,

Islam is holistic. Like an umbrella, it serves to provide protection and shelter for those who hold on to it. It shields us from any forms of evil, deviations and harm.

Hence, my brothers and sisters, it is important that we understand the meaning of ‘holistic’ as mentioned earlier.
Is this only related to our religious practices and our relationship with Allah (s.w.t)? Or does this include every other aspect of our lives?

Let us reflect on how Allah (s.w.t) emphasises the importance of our worship for us to remain connected to Him. The notion of worship or Ibadah is vast, and it should not be restricted to performing ritual acts like observing our fast, prayers, our zakat and so on. Indeed, for us Muslims, the meaning of worship encompasses everything that is good. It includes our words and actions in accordance with Allah’s command and pleasure.

In a hadith narrated by Imam Abu Daud, The Prophet said,

‏"‏ أَلاَ أُخْبِرُكُمْ بِأَفْضَلَ مِنْ دَرَجَةِ الصِّيَامِ وَالصَّلاَةِ وَالصَّدَقَةِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالُوا بَلَى ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ إِصْلاَحُ ذَاتِ الْبَيْنِ وَفَسَادُ ذَاتِ الْبَيْنِ الْحَالِقَةُ ‏"‏

Which means: “Shall I not inform you of something more excellent in degree than fasting, prayer and almsgiving (sadaqah)? The companions replied: Yes, Prophet of Allah! He said: It is making peace between people, because spoiling relations with one another is destructive.”

Brothers and sisters,

Let us ponder upon the meaning of this hadith. Look at how the Prophet (s.a.w) reminded his companions about the importance of maintaining good relationship with others as it is an act of worship. Our religiosity is not restricted to the confines of the mosque, or the way we look or dress. In fact, our religiosity must be manifested through the different aspects of our daily lives, like being honest in our transactions and being graceful to our neighbours among many others. Indeed, our religiosity should be manifested in our morals and character.

We can see the positive attributes of a believer who observes his prayers and fasting, as he should not be of bad character. Just as how water and oil can never be mixed, so are good and evil. Evil, or sinfulness will only jeopardize our acts of worship. The rewards for the acts of worship we perform, would have been ruined or removed by the sins.

Brothers and sisters,

Let us keep in mind the two key points that have been mentioned as part of today’s sermon. First is the importance of maintaining good relationship with the creations of this world while ensuring that we remain connected to the Creator of The World.

Second is to reflect on whether our acts of worship have positive impacts in our daily lives. Be wary of jeopardizing the rewards of our worship with sinful acts.

Dearest congregants, in our every effort to earn Allah’s pleasure and blessings, ensure that we keep in mind the two points highlighted earlier. Maintain a good relationship with mankind and do not spoil our good deeds with acts of sins. Let us all be responsible servants of Allah (s.w.t). One who enlivens the values of Islam in its entirety. May our efforts be the reason we earn the pleasure and mercy of Allah (s.w.t) and consequently place us all together in His paradise. 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.