Islamic Religious Council of Singapore

Friday Sermon

27 January 2023 / 5 Rejab 1444H

Constant Self-reflection: The Key to Piety

  

My beloved brothers and sisters in Islam,

Let us continue our efforts to elevate our taqwa towards Allah (s.w.t.), by obeying all His orders, and by abstaining from all His prohibitions. May we be placed amongst His righteous servants, inshaAllah. Amin.

 

Brothers and sisters,

Believing in the Hereafter and the Day of Judgment constitutes part of the Pillars of Faith, which all believers hold on to. This is extremely important in the life of a believer as it will shape the character of an individual, and encourage them to do righteous deeds, as well as to avoid what Allah (s.w.t.) has prohibited.

This is because someone who is aware that each of his movement and action will be accounted for and questioned in the Hereafter, he will definitely be mindful of his decisions and actions.

Therefore, I would like to invite everyone to reflect on the words of Allah (s.w.t) which advise us to be reflective at all times. Allah (s.w.t.) said:

Which means: "O you who believe, fear Allah and pay attention to what he has prepared for tomorrow (Hereafter); and fear Allah, verily Allah knows best what you do." [Al-Hasyr:18]

Brothers and sisters,

If we look at the verse mentioned above, Allah (s.w.t) mentions that "(we) should pay attention to (our) actions". This verse is placed between the two words referring to piety, before and after it. This indicates that piety can only be achieved through the process of observing and examining what we do, that is, through self-reflection. Muhasabah is the process of self-auditing and self-examining whether we have carried out every religious command, whether it is a command to do religious deeds or to leave all His prohibitions. In fact, we are accountable for the countless blessings He has bestowed upon us. For example, sustenance is a blessing. National security is a blessing. Being alive is a blessing. These are all blessings from Allah (s.w.t.).

All these are blessings granted to us in trust by Allah (s.w.t.); they are merely on loan to us, and we will be held accountable for these blessings in the Hereafter.

In a hadith, Rasulullah (s.a.w) mentioned four main blessings that every believer should pay attention to. The Prophet (s.a.w) said:

لاَ تَزُولُ قَدَمَا عَبْدٍ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ حَتَّى يُسْأَلَ عَنْ عُمْرِهِ فِيمَا أَفْنَاهُ وَعَنْ عِلْمِهِ فِيمَا فَعَلَ وَعَنْ مَالِهِ مِنْ أَيْنَ اكْتَسَبَهُ وَفِيمَا أَنْفَقَهُ وَعَنْ جِسْمِهِ فِيمَا أَبْلاَهُ

Which means: "The feet of a servant will not move on the Day of Resurrection until he is asked (1) about his age (his time on Earth), and how he spent it; (2) about his knowledge, and how he practises it, (3) about his wealth, where he gets it from, and what he spends it on, and (4) about his body, and how he uses it". [Hadith narrated by Al-Tirmizi]

Let us reflect upon the hadith earlier. Every human being will be questioned in the Hereafter about the blessings that Allah (s.w.t.) bestowed upon them. It does not matter whether they are rich or poor, whether they are of high status in this life or not. This is because, as long as we live, we are benefitting from His blessings. 

A blessing will be evidence against them if they use the blessing in a way that is not pleasing to Allah (s.w.t). On the other hand, if the blessing is used in a way that is pleasing to Allah (s.w.t), then it will be a reason for them to obtain the Jannah, or paradise of Allah (s.w.t).

Brothers and sisters,

We must take advantage of the long life and good health given by Allah to increase our acts of worship by obeying His commands and avoiding His prohibitions. Seek knowledge, perform good deeds, and stay away from adultery, backbiting, oppressing others, and so on. Let us remember that all our limbs belong to Allah (s.w.t.), and they can be our witnesses in the Hereafter for all our actions and deeds that we have committed.

Likewise, we are responsible over the wealth that has been entrusted to us. Have we ensured that the wealth we acquired and spent on our family is blessed and comes from a clean, halal source, and not from dubious and uncertain sources?

Also, how do we spend the income that we receive? Have we fulfilled the rights of our relatives and family members? Paying debts, providing maintenance, and giving charity to the poor? Or do we prioritise luxury and excess and waste in spending?

That is how important it is for us to prepare ourselves and to constantly reflect before the day we meet Allah (s.w.t). Hopefully by doing so, Allah (s.w.t.) will grant us piety and sincerity in our hearts, inshaAllah. Amin.

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.