Islamic Religious Council of Singapore
Friday Sermon
12 April 2024 / 3 Syawal 1445H
Strengthening Kinship
My blessed Friday congregants,
Dear Congregants,
A Companion once sought advice from the Prophet s.a.w. on the deeds that lead to paradise. The Prophet replied:
تَعْبُدُ اللهَ وَلَا تُشْرِكُ بِهِ شَيْئًا، وَتُقِيمُ الصَّلَاةَ، وَتُؤْتِي الزَّكَاةَ، وَتَصِلُ الرَّحِمَ
Which means: "Worship Allah and do not associate anything with Him, establish the Salah, pay the Zakat and uphold the ties of kinship." (Hadith narrated by Imam Bukhari).
The hadith I just recited underscores the importance of worship and maintaining family ties/kinship. Islam places great emphasis on kinship, to the extent that it is linked to the pillars of Islam such as Salah and Zakat as mentioned in the hadith. In another instance, kinship is also associated with taqwa or God-consciousness. Allah s.w.t. says in the first verse of Surah al-Nisa’:
Which means: "O humanity! Be mindful of your Lord Who created you from a single soul, and from it He created its mate, and through both He spread countless men and women. And be mindful of Allah—in Whose Name you appeal to one another—and honour kinship. Surely Allah is ever Watchful over you."
Maintaining kinship is a good practice that should not be taken lightly. If any of us encounter strained family relations, let us strive towards reconciliation. Let us take this opportunity in the month of Syawal to forgive one another. As for our ties of kindship which are long-lasting and strong, we must continue to strengthen them to ensure that they are preserved.
Dear brothers,
When we strive our best to maintain kinship, it reflects our sincerity in seeking forgiveness and blessings in this world. Let us reflect upon the words of the Prophet s.a.w. as narrated by Imam Bukhari:
مَنْ أَحَبَّ أَنْ يُبْسَطَ لَهُ فِي رِزْقِهِ وَيُنْسَأَ لَهُ فِي أَثَرِهِ فَلْيَصِلْ رَحِمَهُ
Which means: “Whoever would like to have his provisions expanded and his term of life prolonged, he should keep good ties with his kin."
Indeed, my brothers, this is Allah's promise to His servants who maintain good relations with their family and relatives. And in this month of Syawal, many of us will visit each other as a symbol of strengthening kinship. I invite all of us to pause for a moment and reflect on our intentions and purpose when visiting.
True, at first glance, the practice of visiting exclusively in the month of Syawal is not obligatory. However, it embodies the spirit of maintaining kinship as recorded in a hadith of the Prophet s.a.w. narrated by Imam Muslim: “A man was about to visit his brother in another town when Allah sent an angel to meet him. The angel asked about his destination, and he replied: 'I am visiting my brother in this town.' The angel asked, 'Do you have any interest in visiting him?' He replied, 'No, except that I love him for the sake of Allah 'Azza wa Jalla.' The angel said, 'I am a messenger from Allah to you, to convey that Allah loves you as much as you love your brother for His sake.”
Subhanallah! Look at the beauty and nobility of the intention of a servant who loves and visits his brother solely for the sake of Allah s.w.t. Our success in strengthening kinship does not lie in the number of houses we manage to visit, but in the sincerity of our actions. Therefore, we must revise our intentions and sincerely dedicate our hearts to Allah s.w.t. when visiting during Syawal or at any other time.
Dear respected Congregants,
Before I conclude this sermon, I urge all of us to maintain our practices of worship. Do not abandon our efforts in the month of Ramadan which has just passed. Together, let us ensure that all our acts of worship, especially the five daily prayers, are consistently performed and fulfilled on time. Remember that one of the signs of successful believers is their commitment to prayer. Allah s.w.t. says:
Which means: "And they who carefully maintain their prayers." (Surah al-Mukminun, verse 9).
Ya Allah, please accept our acts of worship and the good deeds we performed in Ramadan. Ya Allah, grant us dedication and consistency in doing good. Ya Allah, make us your servants who always maintain our relations and ties of kinship. Amin, Ya Mujeeb as-Sa’ileen.
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. اللَّهُمَّ بَدِّلْ خَوْفَهُمْ أَمْنًا، وَحُزْنَهُمْ فَرَحًا، وَهَمَّهُمْ فَرَجًا، يَا رَبَّ 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 يَذْكُرْكُمْ، وَاشْكُرُوهُ عَلَى نِعَمِهِ يَزِدْكُمْ، وَاسْأَلُوهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ يُعْطِكُم، وَلَذِكْرُ اللهِ أَكْبَرُ، وَاللهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَصْنَعُونَ.
