Islamic Religious Council of Singapore
Friday Sermon
29 November 2024 / 27 Jamadil Awal 1446H
The Relation Between Environmental Preservation & Faith
Dear blessed congregation,
Let us together increase our piety to Allah s.w.t. by obeying His commands and avoiding His prohibitions. May Allah s.w.t. purify our outward and inward selves, so that our character truly reflects the traits of the Muttaqin—those who possess true taqwa or piety in the sight of Rabbul-‘alamin.
My dear brothers,
Today's sermon highlights the connection between our faith and the preservation of Allah's Earth, entrusted to us to cultivate and prosper.
My dear brothers,
A person’s character and behavior are, in essence, a reflection of their heart or iman. Thus, we must not underestimate the importance of safeguarding the inner state of our hearts, which mirrors our iman, as it drives our outward actions as human beings. Our deeds today, whether positive or negative, will directly impact the condition of the world and the environment, today and in the future.
In fulfilling our responsibility to nurture Allah’s Earth, we must examine every action and decision we make to avoid unintentionally causing harm. Reflect upon the words of Allah s.w.t. in Surah Al-Baqarah, verses 11-12:
Which means: “When it is said to them, ‘Do not cause corruption in the land,’ they say, ‘We are only putting things right.’ Indeed, it is they who are causing corruption, though they do not realise it.”
My dear brothers,
What lessons can we derive from this verse? Over 1400 years ago, Allah s.w.t. warned humanity through His revelation that mankind, who is meant to be the steward who nurtures the Earth, also has the potential to become the destroyer of His creations. Such actions are fundamentally opposed to the character of a believer who seeks the pleasure of their Lord.
It is true that many events in this world are beyond our control or desires. Ongoing wars, the rapid pace of industrial activities, and widespread mismanagement of natural resources are among the primary factors contributing to environmental pollution and destruction.
Even though these examples are beyond our individual control, as believers and members of the global community, we can still strive to play our part in preserving and restoring our surroundings.
My dear brothers,
In the face of such challenges, the world is now seeking various solutions to prevent, reduce, or restore the worsening condition of the environment. As believers guided by the Quran, we should be at the forefront of raising awareness and taking responsibility to find solutions, based on the values advocated by Islam. Indeed, the potential of a faithful community in this arena is vast—not because of the demands or needs of the times, but more importantly, it is a manifestation of our pledge to Allah s.w.t. to uphold His trust as stewards of this Earth.
As Muslims, we are given clear guidance in determining the meaning of success and priorities. The priorities we pursue are based on the measure defined by Allah s.w.t., The Most Glorious and All-Encompassing, and not through the often-confused and narrow perspectives of man. True priorities are reflected when we foster a healthy culture, strengthening our relationship with Allah and His creations, and not through consumerism, which prefers excessive consumption as a manifestation of success and social status.
Respected Congregants,
To truly embody our role as genuine reformers (muslih) as mentioned in the earlier verse, let us return to Allah’s guidance and seek His pleasure through the following two suggestions:
First: Let us heed the guidance of Rasulullah s.a.w. in reshaping our perception of the environment. Sayyidina Anas bin Malik r.a. reported that Rasulullah s.a.w. said:
إِنْ قَامَتْ عَلَى أَحَدِكُمْ الْقِيَامَةُ وَفِي يَدِهِ فَسِيلَةٌ فَلْيَغْرِسْهَا
“If the Hour (the Day of Judgment) occurs while one of you has a seedling in his hand, let him plant it.” (Hadith narrated by Imam Ahmad)
This hadith indirectly illustrates the deep connection between humans and the environment. The natural world is not valued solely for its ecological function but also for its existence as a creation of Allah s.w.t. It was not created without purpose, and mankind, as khalifah or stewards, has been entrusted to safeguard it.
Second: As believers, let us evaluate our lifestyle. Are we living according to the guidance provided by Allah s.w.t., or are we following our own whims and desires? Let us practice purchasing based on “what we need” rather than “what we want,” even if we can afford it. Be deliberate and thoughtful in making purchases. This call aims to curb the culture of hyper-consumerism and reduce our ecological footprint which threatens our environment. Let our efforts, insignificant they may seem in the eyes of other people, be great in the sight of Allah s.w.t., to preserve the environment, purify our souls, and at the same time, strengthen our faith.
My dear brothers,
Let us raise our hands and pray to Allah s.w.t. to grant us wisdom and strength in our efforts to preserve the quality and cleanliness of the Earth. May Allah s.w.t. protect our families, communities, and nation from natural disasters and destruction. Indeed, Allah has power over all things. To Him we belong, and to Him, we shall return.
أَقُوْلُ قَوْلِي هَذَا وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ العَظِيْمَ لِي وَلَكُمْ، 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 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 وَالسَّلاَمَ وَالأَمْنَ وَالأَمَانَ لِلْعَالَمِ كُلِّهِ وَلِلنَّاسِ أَجْمَعِينَ. 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
