Islamic Religious Council of Singapore

Friday Sermon
17 February 2023 / 26 Rejab 1444H

The Conduct of Rasulullah (s.a.w.) When Facing

Challenges

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 commands, and by abstaining from
all His prohibitions.

Brothers and sisters,

Allah (s.w.t.) said in Surah Fussilat, verse 34:

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Which means: “The good deed and the evil deed can never be
equal. Repel the evil (that has been made evident to you) with
one which is better; then verily! He, between whom and you
there was enmity, will become as though he were a close
friend.”

The verse I just recited is a divine guide regarding the best way
for a believer to react. This guide is important for us to observe
and to live by, especially when faced with various life
challenges. It is a normal human instinct to feel angry or upset
when something we hold in high esteem is treated with blatant
disrespect. For example, incidents such as the burning of the
Holy Qur’an definitely raise some heightened emotions
amongst Muslims. The question is, what is the religious
guidance for believers facing such a challenge?

This verse is thus a guide for us. That is, evil should not be
reciprocated with the same evil, but should be responded with
goodness and even in a better way. So much so, that those
who are filled with hate and animosity will become friends, or
even good friends. That is what our religion teaches. A virtuous
response will certainly achieve greater good than a harsh
response will.

Let us reflect upon the life of our beloved Prophet Muhammad

(s.a.w.) in this regard. Throughout his journey to preach Islam
to the masses, our Prophet (s.a.w.) was confronted with

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hostility and hatred; at one point, he was even expelled from his
own country. But never once did Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.)
respond to the evil he faced with more evil.

This was the case even during the conquest of Mecca. At that
point of time, Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) was at the peak of
his power. If he wanted, he could have sought retribution for
every injustice that had ever happened to him. However, this
was his response to those who used to be his enemies: "Go,
for indeed you are all free." [Hadith narrated by Imam al-
Baihaqi]

May Allah always guide us to emulate the character of our

Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.). Amin Ya Rabbal 'Alamin.

‫ِظ ِل‬ ‫ِل‬

‫ َفاْس َتْغِف ُر وُه ِإَّنُه‬، ‫َأُقْو ُل َقْو ي َه َذ ا َو َأْس َتْغِف ُر اَهلل الَع ْيَم ي َو َلُك ْم‬

‫ُه َو الَغُفْو ُر الَّر ِح ْيم‬

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 ‫‪Second Sermon‬‬

‫الَحْم ُد ِهلل َحْم ًد ا َك ِث يًر ا َك َم ا َأَم َر ‪َ ،‬و َأْش َه ُد َأن اَل ِإَل َه ِإاَّل اُهلل َو ْح َد ُه اَل‬
‫َش ِر يَك َل ُه‪َ ،‬و َأْش َه ُد َأَّن َس ِّيَد َنا ُمَح َّم ًد ا َعْب ُد ُه َو َر ُس وُلُه‪ .‬الَّلُه َّم َص ِّل‬
‫َو َس ِّلْم َعَلى َس ِّيِد َنا ُمَح َّم ٍد َو َعَلى آِلِه َو َأْص َح اِبِه َأْج َم ِعيَن ‪َ .‬أَّم ا َبْع ُد ‪َ ،‬فَي ا‬
‫ِع َباَد اهلل‪ِ ،‬اَّتُقوا اَهلل َتَعاَلى ِفيَم ا َأَمَر ‪َ ،‬و انَتُه وا َعَّم ا َنَه اُك م َعْنُه َو َز َج َر ‪.‬‬

‫َأاَل َص ُّلوا َو َس ِّلُم وا َعَلى الَّنِبِّي اْلُم ْص َطَف ى‪َ ،‬فَق ْد َأَم َر َنا اُهلل ِب َذ ِلَك َح ْيُث‬
‫َق ال ِفي ِكَتاِب ِه الَعِز ي ِز ‪ِ :‬إَّن اَهلل َو َماَل ِئَك َت ُه ُيَص ُّلوَن َعَلى الَّنِبِّي َيـا َأُّيَه ا‬
‫اَّلِذ يَن َءاَمُنوا َص ُّلوا َعَليِه َو َس ِّلُم وا َتس ِليًم ا‪ .‬الَّلُه َّم َص ِّل َو َس ِّلْم َو َباِر ْك‬
‫َعَلى َس ِّيِد َنا ُمَح َّم ٍد َو َعَلى آِل َس ِّيِد َنا ُمَح َّم ٍد ‪.‬‬

‫ٍر‬ ‫ْك‬ ‫ي‬ ‫ِب‬‫َأ‬ ‫ي‬‫ِّي‬ ‫ِد‬ ‫ال‬ ‫ي‬ ‫ِد‬ ‫ِش‬ ‫ا‬ ‫َّر‬ ‫ل‬‫ا‬ ‫ا الَّل َّم ِن الُخ َلَف اِء‬
‫َن َم ْه َن َب َو ُعَم َر‬ ‫َو ْر َض ُه َع‬
‫َو ُعْثَم اَن َو َعِلِّي ‪َ ،‬و َعن َبِق َّي ِة الَّص َح اَبِة َو الَق َر اَب ِة َو الَّت اِبِعيَن ‪َ ،‬و َت اِبِعي‬
‫الَّتاِبِعيَن ‪َ ،‬و َعَّنا َم َعُه م َو ِفيِه م ِبَر ْح َم ِتَك َيا َأْرَح َم الَّر اِح ِم يَن ‪.‬‬
‫الَّل َّم اْغِف ِلل ْؤ ِم ِني ال ْؤ ِم اِت ‪ ،‬ال ِلِم ي ال ِل اِت ‪ ،‬اَأل اِء‬
‫ْح َي‬ ‫ْر ُم َن َو ُم َن َو ُمْس َن َو ُمْس َم‬ ‫ُه‬
‫ِم نُه م َو اَألْم َو اِت ‪ .‬الَّلُه َّم اْد َف ْع َعَّنا الَباَل َء َو الَو َب اَء َو الَّز اَل ِز َل َو الِم َح َن ‪،‬‬

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‫َم ا َظَه َر ِم ْنَه ا َو َم ا َبَطَن ‪َ ،‬عن َبَل ِد َنا َخ اَّص ًة‪َ ،‬و َس اِئِر الُبْل َد اِن َعاَّم ًة‪،‬‬
‫َياَر َّب الَعاَلِم يَن ‪َ .‬ر َّبَنا آِتَنا ِفي الُّد نَيا َح َس َنًة‪َ ،‬و ِفي اآلِخ َر ِة َح َس َنًة‪َ ،‬و ِقَن ا‬
‫َعَذ اَب الَّناِر ‪.‬‬
‫ِع َباَد اِهلل‪ِ ،‬إَّن اَهلل َي ْأُمُر ِبالَع ْد ِل َو اِإل ْح َس اِن َو ِإيَت اِء ِذ ي الُق ْر َبى‪َ ،‬و َيْنَه ى‬
‫َعِن الَف ْح َش اِء َو الُم نَك ِر َو الَبْغِي ‪َ ،‬يِعُظُك ْم َلَعَّلُك ْم َت َذ َّك ُر وَن ‪َ ،‬ف اذُك ُر وا‬
‫اَهلل الَعِظ يَم َي ْذ ُك رُك ْم ‪َ ،‬و اْش ُك ُر وُه َعَلى ِنَعِم ِه َي ِز دُك ْم ‪َ ،‬و اْس َأُلوُه ِم ن‬
‫َفضِلِه ُيعِط ُك م‪َ ،‬و َلِذ كُر اِهلل َأكَبُر ‪َ ،‬و اُهلل َيعَلُم َم ا َتصَنُعوَن ‪.‬‬

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