Prophetic guidance: Endurance, hope, renewal

1 Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura Friday Sermon 11 September 2026 / 29 Rabiulawal 1448H Renewal Hope, Endurance, Guidance: Prophetic إِنََّّالْحَمحدََّ ََّّلِلِهِ،ََّّنََحمَدُهَُّ ََّّوَنَسحتَعِينُهَُّ ََّّوَنَسحت َغحفِرُهُ،َّ ََّّوَن َعُوذَََُّّّبِِللَِّ ََّّمِنحَّ ََّّشُرُورَِّ ََّّأَن حفُسِنَا ََّّ وَمِنحَّ ََّّسَيهِئَاتَِّ ََّّأَعحمَالِنَا، ََّّمَنحَََّّّي َهحدِهَِّ ََّّاللَََُّّّفَلََََّّّمُضِل َّ ََّّلَهُ،ََّّوَمَنحَََّّّيُضحلِلحَّ ََّّفَلََََّّّهَادِىََّ ََّّ لَهُ،ََّّوَأَشحهَدَُّ ََّّأَنحَََّّّلََََّّّإِلَهََََّّّإِل َََّّّاللَََُّّّوَححدَهَُّ ََّّلََََّّّشَرِيكََّ ََّّلَهُ،ََّّوَأَشحهَدَُّ ََّّأَن َََّّّسَيهِدَنََّ ََّّمَُُم دًاَّ ََّّ عَبحدُهَُّ ََّّوَرَسُولُهَُّ .ََّّالل هُم َّ ََّّصَلهَِّ ََّّوَسَلهِمحَّ ََّّعَلَىَََّّّسَيهِدِنََّ ََّّمَُُم د َّ ََّّوَعَلَى ََّّآلِهَََِّّّوَأَصححَابِهَِّ َّ أَجْحَعِيحََّ .ََّّأَم اََّّب َعحدُ، ََّّف َيَا ََّّعِبَادََّ ََّّٱلِل ِ،ََّّٱت قُواََّّٱلِل َ.ََّّقَالََََّّّت َعَالََََّّّفَِّ ََّّالت نحزِيل :ََّّيََّ َّ أَي ُّهَاَّ َّ ٱل ذِينََّ َّءَامَنُوا ََّّٱت قُوا ََّّٱلِل َََّّحَق َّ َّت ُقَاتِهِۦ َّوَلَََّّتََُوتُن ََّّإِل ََّّوَأَنتُمََّّمُّسحلِمُونََّ . Zumratal mukminin rahimakumullah, Have taqwa towards Allah s.w.t. Fulfil His commands and abstain from His prohibitions. May Allah s.w.t. grant us the strength to endure through every trial. Amin, ya Rabbal 'Alamin. Dear congregation, At the beginning of the Prophet s.a.w.’s mission in Makkah, society at that time was drowning in problems of faith and social life, including idolatry, oppression, corruption, and the like. Keywords: Endure / Strong Trial Ugliness / Evil Good 2 In the midst of that darkness of ignorance (jahiliyyah), the Prophet s.a.w. came bearing mercy; calling people to monotheism, to goodness, and to justice, lifting humankind from the depths of degradation to the heights of nobility. Beloved congregation, Although the Prophet s.a.w. was known as a noble person, he often received the most heartbreaking treatment. He was insulted while praying before the Kaabah, had filth thrown on him while prostrating, and was nearly strangled with his own garment before being rescued by Abu Bakr r.a. His own people, who had once called him Al-Sadiq Al-Amin – the most truthful and trustworthy, began to see him as a liar. They turned away from him, mocked him, insulted him, slandered him, and even attempted to kill him. Regardless of this, the Prophet s.a.w. did not let the ugliness around him tarnish his nobility, goodness, and gentleness of heart. He endured, remained patient, and stayed true to his character. That endurance bore extraordinary fruit. Some who had once been his enemies turned into his defenders, standing beside him to spread the faith. Through the Prophet s.a.w.’s endurance, the light of Islam was not extinguished at its beginning in Makkah, nor when it was 3 battered by wave after wave of trials in Madinah. The pure teachings of the Prophet s.a.w., the values he upheld throughout his life, did not end with his passing. They crossed the boundaries of place and time to reach us, here, today, by the will of Allah s.w.t. Every command and prohibition that shapes the life and morality of a Muslim originates from a man who refused to let a negative environment corrupt him. My brothers and sisters, we are the ummah of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. Our conduct should reflect his endurance and nobility, and contribute to the advancement of Islam across the ages. Allah s.w.t. says in Surah Fussilat, verse 34: Which means: “And the good deed and the evil deed are not alike. Repel the evil deed with one which is better, and the one whom between you and him is enmity (will become) as though he was a close friend.” This is the spirit of endurance we need to cultivate; to repel ugliness with something better. This world, brothers and sisters, will always have its share of wrongdoing. Sometimes we may see or read things that, for a moment, make us lose faith in humanity. 4 The Prophet s.a.w. also witnessed and experienced many evils which are far worse than what we go through. Yet he overcame them and left behind the teachings and values of Islam for all the world. So remember: even when we are burdened with many challenges, keep choosing to do good. Never give up. Believe that the good we do will keep growing and eventually bear fruit, building a stronger and better society. May Allah s.w.t. grant us the strength to answer every ugliness with wisdom, faith, and goodness. Amin ya Rabbal 'Alamin. أَق ُوحلُ َّق َوحلَِّ َّهَذَا َّوَأَسحت َغحفِرَُّ َّاللَََّّالعَظِيحمََّ َّلَِّ َّوَلَكُمح، َّفَاسحت َغحفِرُوهَُّ َّإِن هَُّ َّهُوََّ َّالغَفُوحرَُّ َّ الر حِيحم. َّ 5 Sermon Second الَْمحدُ ََّّللَََِّّّحََحدًاَّ ََّّكَثِيرًاَّ ََّّكَمَا ََّّأَمَرَ، ََّّوَأَشحهَدَُّ ََّّأَنََّّلََََّّّإِلَهََََّّّإِل َََّّّاللَََُّّّوَححدَهَُّ ََّّلََََّّّشَرِيكََّ َّ لَهُ،ََّّوَأَشحهَدَُّ ََّّأَن َََّّّسَيهِدَنََّ ََّّمَُُم دًاَّ ََّّعَبحدُهَُّ ََّّوَرَسُولُهُ. ََّّالل هُم َّ ََّّصَلهَِّ ََّّوَسَلهِمحَّ ََّّعَلَىَََّّّسَيهِدِنََّ ََّّ مَُُم د َّ ََّّوَعَلَى ََّّآلِهَََِّّّوَأَصححَابِهَِّ ََّّأََّجْحَعِيَ. ََّّأَم اََّّب َعحدُ، ََّّف َيَا ََّّعِبَادََّ ََّّالل،ََّّاِت قُواَََّّّاللََََّّّ ت َعَالََّ َّفِيمَا َّأَمَرَ، َّوَانت َهُواَّ َّعَم ا َّنَََاكُم َّعَنحهََُّّوَزَجَرَ. Blessed congregation, Recently, a flooding disaster has struck Nepal, affecting as many as 93,000 of its residents. In response, the Rahmatan Lil 'Alamin Foundation (RLAF) has pledged a contribution of $50,000 and launched a fundraising appeal to help the affected victims. Donations can be made directly at mosques from 7 to 14 September, or online via the QR code shown on this campaign poster. Every donation received will be channelled through the Singapore Red Cross to those in need. Let us contribute according to our means, while praying that Allah s.w.t. eases the hardship of our fellow human beings, and makes every one of our affairs easier. أَلَََّّصَلُّواَّ ََّّوَسَلهِمُواَّ ََّّعَلَىََّّالن بِهَِّ ََّّالحمُصحطَفَى، ََّّف َقَدحَّ ََّّأَمَرَنََََّّّاللَََُّّّبِذَلِكََّ ََّّحَيحثَُّ ََّّ قَالََّّفَِّ ََّّكِتَابِهَََِّّّالعَزِيزِ: ََّّإِن َََّّّاللََََّّّوَمَلَئِكَتَهَُّ ََّّيُصَلُّونََّ ََّّعَلَىََّّالن بِهَِّ ََّّيَ اََّّأَي ُّهَا ََّّال ذِينََّ ََّّ 6 ءَامَنُواََّّصَلُّواَّ ََّّعَلَيهَََِّّّوَسَلهِمُواَّ ََّّتَسحلِيمًا. ََّّالل هُم َّ ََّّصَلهَِّ ََّّوَسَلهِمحَّ ََّّوَبَِرِكحَّ ََّّعَلَىََّّسَيهِدِنََّ ََّّ مَُُم د َّ َّوَعَلَى َّآلََِّّسَيهِدِنََّ َّمَُُم د . وَارحضََََّّّالل هُم َّ ََّّعَنَََِّّّالخُلَفَاءَِّ ََّّالر اشِدِينََّ ََّّالمَهحدِيهِيََّ ََّّسَادَاتِنَا ََّّأَبَِّ ََّّبَكحر َّ ََّّوَعُمَرََّ ََّّ وَعُثحمَانََّ َّوَعَلِيهِ، َّوَعَنَّبَقِي ةَِّ َّالص حَابَةَِّ َّوَالقَرَابَةَِّ َّوَالت ابِعِيَ، َّوَتََبِعِي َّالت ابِعِيَ، َّ وَعَن ا َّمَعَهُم َّوَفِيهِم َّبِرَحَحَتِكََّ َّيَََّّأَرححََّمَََّّالر احَِِيَ. الل هُم َّ ََّّاغحفِرحَّ ََّّلِلمُؤحمِنِيََّ ََّّوَالمُؤحمِنَاتِ، ََّّوَالمُسحلِمِيََّ ََّّوَالمُسحلِمَاتِ، ََّّالأَححيَاءَِّ ََّّمِنهُم َّ وَالأَمحوَاتِ. ََّّالل هُم َّ ََّّادحفَعحَّ ََّّعَن اََّّالبَلَءََّ ََّّوَالوَبَِءََّ ََّّوَالز لَزِلََّ ََّّوَالمِحَنَ، ََّّمَاََّّظَهَرََّ ََّّ مِن حهَا ََّّوَمَا ََّّبَطَنَ، ََّّعَنََّّب َلَدِنََّ ََّّخَاص ةً،َّ ََّّوَسَائَِّ رَََِّّّالب ُلحدَانَِّ ََّّعَام ةً،ََّّيََََّّّرَب َََّّّالعَالَمِيَ. ََّّ اَلل هُم َّ ََّّانحصُرحَََّّّإِخحوَان َنَا ََّّاحلمُسحتَضحعَفِيحََّ ََّّفَِّ ََّّغَز ةََّّوَفَِّ ََّّفِلِسحطِيََّ ََّّوَفِحَّ ََّّكُلهَِّ ََّّمَكَان َّ ََّّ عَام ةً،ََّّيََََّّّأَرححَمََّ ََّّالر احَِِيَ. ََّّرَب نَاََّّآتِنَاََّّفَِّ ََّّالدُّنيَا ََّّحَسَنَةً، ََّّوَفَِّ ََّّالآخِرَةَِّ ََّّحَسَنَةً، َّ وَقِنَا َّعَذَابََّ َّالن ارِ.َّ َّ عِبَادََّ ََّّاللِ،ََّّإِن َََّّّاللََََّّّيََحمُرَََُّّّبِِلعَدحلَِّ ََّّوَالإِححسَانَِّ ََّّوَإِيتَاءَِّ ََّّذِي ََّّالقُرحبََ، ََّّوَي َن حهَى ََّّعَنَََِّّّ الفَححشَاءَِّ ََّّوَالمُنكَرَِّ ََّّوَالب َغحيِ، ََّّيَعِظُكُمحَّ ََّّلَعَل كُمحَّ ََّّتَذَك رُونَ، ََّّفَاذكُرُواَّ ََّّاللََََّّّالعَظِيمََّ َّ يَذحكُرحكُمح، ََّّوَاشحكُرُوهَُّ ََّّعَلَىََّّنِعَمِهَِّ ََّّيَزِدحكُمح،َّ ََّّوَاسحأَلُوهَُّ ََّّمِن ََّّفَضحلِهَِّ ََّّي ُعحطِكُم، ََّّوَلَذِكحرَُّ ََّّ اللََِّّأَكحبََُ، َّوَاللَُّ َّي َعحلَمََُّّمَاَّتَصحن َعُونَ.