Dear blessed congregation,

Be ever conscious of Allah s.w.t. and strive to fulfil all His commands and abstain from all that He has forbidden. Let us reflect on the state of our faith, the condition of our hearts, and the sincerity of our relationship with Him. May this reflection rekindle our awareness of the weight of our responsibilities as khalifah — stewards upon this Earth. Amin, ya Rabbal ‘Alamin.

Beloved congregation,

Allah s.w.t. says in Surah Ar-Rum, verse 41:

Which means: “Corruption has spread on land and sea as a result of what the hands of mankind have done, so that (Allah) may cause them to taste (the consequences of) some of their deeds, and perhaps they might return (to the right path).”

My brothers,

More than 1400 years ago, Allah s.w.t. warned us that the destruction we observe on Earth, is the consequence of human’s actions. Does this verse not weigh heavy on us? Should this not compel us to examine the actions of our hands, and reflect how we may have contributed to this corruption that surrounds us?

Respected congregation,

We must recognise that the preservation of the Earth and environment is fundamentally inseparable from our religious teachings and spiritual obligations. Consider how the changing climate and environment may also impact our ibadahor acts of worship. Do you know, in the past week, Muslims in some parts of the world couldn’t perform the Eid al-Adha sacrifice or qurban, because of harsh climates and drought which severely reduced the number of available livestock? Imagine the consequences of harsher climates on Haj and fasting during the days of Ramadan.

Even the Prophet s.a.w. viewed hot temperatures and harsh weather conditions as legitimate factors which may affect our forms of worship. Once, the Prophet asked the muazzin to delay making the call (adhan) to for the Zuhur prayer – an instruction which he repeated 3 times. Only when the shadows were seen (when the hot temperature subsided), the Prophet s.a.w. said: “Indeed, intense heat is from the breath of hellfire. So when the heat becomes severe, delay the prayer until it cools down." (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

My dear brothers,

The weight of our responsibility as khalifah is real, and we must be the ambassadors for change and betterment, and not destruction. In our time today, this responsibility extends far beyond conserving water and electricity, or recycling. We must be mindful of two additional aspects as follows:

First: Responsible use of digital technology

Today, we witness increased dependence on digital technology, such as our smartphones, smartwatches, tablets, and TVs. We use it to communicate, obtain information, and to organise our lives with increased convenience – yet sometimes, also in trivial ways which don’t bring ourselves much benefit.

Whether we realise it or not, digital technology is powered by a huge consumption of energy and natural resources. This includes Artificial Intelligence, which has come to prominence in recent years. Reports show that a significant amount of water and energy is used to cool AI servers. Yet, we find ourselves using it frequently without much thought. Certainly, all of this comes at a cost – and often, the environment also pays a price.

As the khalifah or stewards of the Earth, we can be more mindful and intentional in our use of digital technology. Wherever possible, we should strive to regain our independence by reducing our reliance on it. Evaluate what we truly need, and what we can do without. After all, this constant evaluation is imparted by the saying of the Prophet s.a.w. which means: “Part of the excellence of a person's Islam is (him) leaving what does not concern him.” (At-Tirmizi)

Secondly: Avoiding excessive consumerism

Excessive consumerism is an illness of the heart that shows itself through constant buying, hoarding, and wastage. In today’s world, we’re constantly being told that we need more: more clothes, gadgets, and accessories. And with every purchase, we are contributing to a growing mountain of waste. Imagine the number of materials which go into the packaging of our parcels alone.

As Muslims, we are taught not to be wasteful. Allah s.w.t. says in the Qur'an in Surah Al-A’raf, verse 31:

Which means: “O Children of Adam, clothe yourselves properly whenever you are at worship, eat and drink, but do not waste. Surely, He does not like the wasteful.”

So how should we respond? The answer is found in Islamic tradition through the practice of zuhd; living simply and mindfully, well within our means, and not excessively or wastefully. Instead of chasing after every new device, let us be content with what works. Repair what we can, reuse when possible, and only replace when truly necessary.

Dear beloved congregation,

Let us unite in fulfilling our responsibility as khalifah of Allah’s Earth by acting wisely: conserving resources, being more mindful of our use of technology, and resisting excessive consumerism.

Lastly, lets practise the du’a taught to us by Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. (narrated by Muslim) which seeks welfare for our religion, our worldly lives, and our hereafter:

Which means: “O Allah, grant welfare to our religion for it is the safeguard of our affairs, and grant welfare to our worldly life for therein is our livelihood, and grant welfare to our Hereafter, for therein is our ultimate return." Amin, ya Rabbal ‘Alamin.

Second Sermon

Dear blessed congregation,

Let us raise our hands in supplication to Allah. With hearts full of sincerity. With deep hope. That Allah will accept this prayer. The plea of a servant who is full of shortcomings, to the Almighty, the All-Hearing. Our prayer is especially for our brothers and sisters who continue to suffer and endure hardship in Gaza. At a time when help from mankind has been cut off, let us, as ‘ibadullah (servants of Allah), turn to the Lord of all worlds – the One who is more powerful than every ruler, mightier than every army – to continue bestowing His aid upon them.

Ya Allah, the All-Hearing Lord who hears every whisper of His servants’ hearts, grant us Your forgiveness, for indeed, we are Your servants who often forget and make mistakes. Forgive our past and future sins, those committed intentionally and unintentionally, the small and few and the vast akin to the oceans. And do not let these sins become a barrier that prevents our prayers from being accepted.

O Lord who answers the supplications of His servants, on this blessed day and moment, we bow with sincerity and humility, pleading for a portion of Your mercy, O Most Merciful. Help our oppressed brothers and sisters wherever they may be, especially in Gaza and Palestine.

Ya Allah, Ya Mannan, lighten their burdens, protect them from violence and harm, heal those who are sick and wounded, and provide sustenance for those who are hungry and thirsty.

Ya Latif, Ya Hannan, envelop them in Your mercy, place them within Your divine love, and strengthen their spirits with faith in Your assistance.

Ya Allah, Ya Dzal ‘Izzi was-Sultan, replace their fear with peace, their hardship with ease, their anxiety with calmness, and their sorrow with joy.