MAKING ISLAM AS A WAY OF LIFE ENSURES OUR INDEPENDENCE

1. MAKING ISLAM AS A WAY OF LIFE ENSURES OUR INDEPENDENCE

2. Let us improve our piety (taqwa) and good deeds by obeying Allah’s entire commands and omitting all the forbidden.

3. Blessed Muslims, Let us increase our consciousness of Allah (taqwa) by fulfilling all His commands and staying away from His prohibitions.

4. Allah S.W.T says in Al-Quran:- إِنَّ أَڪۡرَمَكُمۡ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ أَتۡقَٮٰكُمۡ‌ۚ (Al-Hujraat : 13)

5. “Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you.”

6. According to Wahbatu Zuhaili in his book, Tafsir Al-Munir, the most righteous people are those who persistently and firmly obey Allah in His orders and concurrently stay away from His prohibitions.

7. Thus, as Muslims, we should aspire and exert our effort to be among the righteous ones by strengthening our belief (‘aqidah), seeking beneficial knowledge, performing and perfecting our acts of worship (‘ibadah),

8. particularly those that are obligatory like our prayers (solat), almsgiving (zakat) as well as acts that are encouraged (sunnah), and also staying away from all that is disliked by Allah like bad manners (akhlaq),

9. worshipping others besides Allah (committing shirk), gambling, committing adultery and so on.

10. Blessed Muslims, In conjunction with the month of independence for our country, let us ponder upon our plans and effort to maintain this freedom. Alhamdulillah, we have been blessed with provisions and sustenance, including the ease of living,

11. by Allah although the cost of living is escalating. Therefore, we express our utmost gratitude to Allah s.w.t. for blessing us with development and peace, while other countries are tested with chaos, war, natural disaster and the lack of development.

12. Indeed, we are very fortunate at this time to be able to work comfortably, get education, live happily and prosperously with our families and society, while our Muslim brethrens around the world are tortured, raped and killed.

13. My dearest Muslim brothers, Just think and imagine if our country was to face war as in Iraq, food crisis as in Darfur or natural disaster as in Myanmar, United States and China; surely, we will find that the only phrase that should uttered now is:

14. all praises is due to Allah (Alhamdulillah)! All glory belongs to Allah s.w.t for all His gifts, for the independence, peace and development that we are enjoying today. But, how long can we maintain these?

15. Blessed Muslims, Everyday we hear, watch, read and talk about the social problems and diseases, and their worsening effects on our ummah. The disease of greed and envy in accumulating wealth and power, the free-mixing between male and female

16. which usually lead to adultery and also the syndrome of being wasteful, especially in our daily food consumption. All of these generate more problems in the society like disunity, fraud, bribery, the collapse of family institutions and the spread of infectious diseases.

17. Accordingly, an alarming number of criminals are caught daily, crowding the jails causing shortage in space. Hospitals, too, are being swarmed with patients forcing the public hospitals to cover higher medical cost.

18. Until when will this continue? Can we anticipate the crimes to fade out? In this kind of environment, will we be able to preserve our freedom, peace and progress? Or, will this be the first step to lose them?

19. Allah s.w.t. reminds us of the effects of these social problems and crimes, among which are insecurity and hunger, even when a country is at peace and free when He says:

20. Allah S.W.T says in Al-Quran:- وَضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلاً۬ قَرۡيَةً۬ ڪَانَتۡ ءَامِنَةً۬ مُّطۡمَٮِٕنَّةً۬ يَأۡتِيهَا رِزۡقُهَا رَغَدً۬ا مِّن كُلِّ مَكَانٍ۬ فَڪَفَرَتۡ بِأَنۡعُمِ ٱللَّهِ فَأَذَٲقَهَا ٱللَّهُ لِبَاسَ ٱلۡجُوعِ وَٱلۡخَوۡفِ بِمَا ڪَانُواْ (يَصۡنَعُونَ (١١٢ (An-Nahl : 112)

21. “And Allah puts forward the example of a township (Makkah), that dwelt secure and well content; its provision coming to it in abundance from every place, but it (its people) denied the Favours of Allah (with ungratefulness).

22. So Allah made it taste the extreme of hunger (famine) and fear, because of that (evil, i.e. denying Prophet Muhammad SAW) which they (its people) used to do “

23. My dear brothers in Islam, Such is the justice and the decree of Allah. He sends us reminders and countless blessings, so that we are thankful and we realize our society’s ailing-condition. It is also an immense blessing for us that Allah s.w.t is the Loving One (Al-Wadud),

24. the All Merciful (Ar-Rahman) and the Acceptor to Repentance (At-Tawwab), that and by these beautiful attributes, He blesses us with the religion (deen) of Islam.

25. With it, we will be able to save our society from collapsing and to maintain our freedom and peace because Islam is truly a complete way of life, as mentioned by Professor Soleh Ahmad in his book, “Sender of Islamic Law”.

26. By that he means that Islam is a way of live because it is regulated in a comprehensive manner such that it covers the matters of ‘aqidah, akhlaq and the knowledge that tells us

27. how to practice Islam in all aspect of lives (hukmu fiqh) in our dealings with fellow human beings, as well as with other creations of Allah. Therefore, we are instructed to plan, guide and live our lives based on the teachings of Islam as Allah says in Al-Quran:

28. Allah S.W.T says in Al-Quran:- ثُمَّ جَعَلۡنَـٰكَ عَلَىٰ شَرِيعَةٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلۡأَمۡرِ فَٱتَّبِعۡهَا وَلَا تَتَّبِعۡ أَهۡوَآءَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ (١٨) (Al-Jathiya : 18)

29. “Then We have put you (O Muhammad SAW) on a (plain) way of (Our) commandment [like the one which We commanded Our Messengers before you (i.e. legal ways and laws of the Islamic Monotheism)].

30. So follow you that (Islamic Monotheism and its laws), and follow not the desires of those who know not.”

31. Effectively, believing strongly in Allah and the Judgment Day, or the Day of Accountability, becomes the main factor in ensuring a prosperous and harmony life,

32. which will assist in maintaining our freedom. And this is guaranteed by Allah s.w.t. in Al-Quran:

33. Allah S.W.T says in Al-Quran:- وَلَوۡ أَنَّ أَهۡلَ ٱلۡقُرَىٰٓ ءَامَنُواْ وَٱتَّقَوۡاْ لَفَتَحۡنَا عَلَيۡہِم بَرَكَـٰتٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَـٰكِن كَذَّبُواْ فَأَخَذۡنَـٰهُم (بِمَا ڪَانُواْ يَكۡسِبُونَ (٩٦ (Al-Araf : 96)

34. “And if the people of the towns had believed and had the Taqwa (piety), certainly, We should have opened for them blessings from the heaven and the earth, but they belied (the Messengers).

35. So We took them (with punishment) for what they used to earn (polytheism and crimes).”

36. The above verse shows us the completeness and the strength of Islam. For that reason, if we maintain and keep close our relationships with Allah, He will protect our independence and freedom.

37. This can be done by seeking beneficial knowledge, truly practicing Islamic teachings by increasing and perfecting our ‘ibadah, performing all kinds of good deeds, practicing good akhlaq with fellow human beings and other creations of Allah, and be united.

38. If we ourselves do not believe or partly believe in Allah, do not read and try to understand Al-Quran, miss our solat on purpose, practice bad akhlaq and are controlled by greed, then obviously Allah will withdraw His blessings because we are not among those who are thankful.

39. Nevertheless, Allah will continue to bless us and protects us from trials and calamity, for example losing our freedom and independence, if we continue to establish two acts,

40. i) By attending the mosque consistently, especially for our daily prayers. ii) Repenting and asking Allah for forgiveness (istighfar) as He tells us in a Hadith Qudsi:

41. “I almost sent My punishment to the people on earth, but then I saw those who constantly go to My house (mosques) and those who always seek for My forgiveness at the time of dawn, thereby I retreat the punishment from them.”

42. My dear brothers in Islam, To Allah is due all praises, for the peace and freedom that we enjoy today. Let us together maintain these by practicing the authentic Islamic teachings in our daily lives sincerely, consistently, persistently and dutifully.

43. Allah S.W.T says in Al-Quran:- وَإِذۡ قَالَ إِبۡرَٲهِـۧمُ رَبِّ ٱجۡعَلۡ هَـٰذَا بَلَدًا ءَامِنً۬ا وَٱرۡزُقۡ أَهۡلَهُ ۥ مِنَ ٱلثَّمَرَٲتِ مَنۡ ءَامَنَ مِنۡہُم بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلۡيَوۡمِ ٱلۡأَخِرِ‌ۖ قَالَ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَأُمَتِّعُهُ ۥ قَلِيلاً۬ ثُمَّ أَضۡطَرُّهُ ۥۤ إِلَىٰ عَذَابِ ٱلنَّارِ‌ۖ وَبِئۡسَ ٱلۡمَصِيرُ (١٢٦) (Al-Baqarah: 126)

44. “And (remember) when Ibrahim (Abraham) said, "My Lord, make this city (Makkah) a place of security and provide its people with fruits, such of them as believe in Allah and the Last Day.”

45. He (Allah) answered: "As for him who disbelieves, I shall leave him in contentment for a while, then I shall compel him to the torment of the Fire, and worst indeed is that destination!"

46. بَارَكَ اللهُ لِيْ وَلَكُمْ فِى الْقُرْآنِ الْعَظِيْمِ وَنَفَعَنِي وَإِيَّاكُمْ بِمَا فِيْهِ مِنَ الأيَاتِ وَالذِّكْرِ الْحَكِيْمِ وَتَقَبَّلَ مِنِّي وَمِنْكُمْ تِلاوَتَهُ إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيْمُ. أَقُوْلُ قَوْلِيْ هَذَا وَأَسْتَغْفِرُوا اللهَ الْعَظِيْمَ لِيْ وَلَكُمْ وَلِسَائِرِ الْمُسْلِمِيْنَ وَالْمُسْلِمَاتِ وَالْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ الأَحْيَاءِ مِنْهُمْ وَالأَمْوَات فَاسْتَغْفِرُوْهُ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُوْرُ الرَّحِيْمُ.

47. O Allah, The most merciful god, we thank you for all the mercy and pleasure that you gave so that we can enhance and strengthen our Islamic country especially Selangor as a developed and peaceful country.

48. O Allah, We beg you to increase our practice, brace up our unity, give us prosperous life, make us rich with good knowledge, flourish our soul with noble character, bring back our youngsters to the right path, save us from your biggest test such

49. as huge flood, drought, epidemic, disputing between ourselves, poorness and anything else so that this country will be more prosperous and blessed.

50. DI SEDIAKAN OLEH : BAHAGIAN KHUTBAH, JABATAN AGAMA ISLAM SELANGOR