Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura

Friday Sermon
3 April 2015 / 13 Jamadilakhir 1436
The Complete Religion that is Islam

Blessed Jemaah,
Let us increase our takwa to Allah with the truest of takwa.
Carry out His commands, and distance ourselves from what He
has prohibited. Hopefully, Allah s.w.t. may deem us worthy to be
among the guided ones. Amin Ya Rabbal Alamin.
Beloved Jemaah,
As Muslims, we believe that Islam is a religion that has been
perfected by Allah s.w.t.. This is mentioned in Surah al-Maidah

verse 3, which is among the final verses revealed to the

Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. from the Holy Quran.

Which means: This day have I perfected your religion for you,
completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam
as your religion.
My Brothers,
This religion of Allah s.w.t. is complete in numerous aspects.
Islam is complete in terms of its foundations and principles, its
rulings and its creed, as well as the virtues and manners that it
imparts. The completeness of the teachings of Islam allows it
to become a religion that brings benefit to humankind, and
rejects all harm that may afflict the life of humans, whether the
benefit is for this world or in the hereafter.
Ibn

Qayyim Al-Jauziyyah wrote

in his book Ilam Al-

Muwaqqiein: The Syariah is just in its entirety, it is all

compassion, all wisdom, and all beneficial.
At times, humans are prone to look at the short term benefits
that he can obtain in his personal life, or a gain that he can
attain only during his lifetime. Whereas, believers are guided by
his religion to also give attention to his long term needs, which
2

is his supplies for the hereafter. What will his status be when he
stands under the gaze of Allah s.w.t. then? Will he be among
those who succeed to be graced with Allahs mercy and His
paradise? Or otherwise?
There are also those who are committed to work towards his
hereafter in performing religious duties, without understanding
the purpose behind those duties. As a result, the beauty of the
religion of Allah is diminished, and the intended impact on the
lives of humankind cannot be achieved despite it being a
perfect religion.
Come join me, fellow Muslims, as we analyse some examples.
We all know that Islam prohibits gambling. Allah s.w.t. says in
Surah al-Maidah verse 90:

Which means: O you who believe! Intoxicants and gambling,

(dedication of) stones, and (divination by) arrows, are an
abomination

of

Satan's

handwork:

(abomination), that you may prosper.

eschew

such

In general, our Muslim community is not involved in gambling

activities. Alhamdulillah. However, let us ask ourselves, what is
the main purpose and objective of the prohibition against
gambling?
Blessed Jamaah,
Among the objectives of prohibiting the act of gambling is
becuase it is incongruent with the virtue of working hard and
committing oneself to attain sustenance. Islam has never taught
and does not want its adherers to be those who only takes the
short route to being rich. The followers of our beloved Prophet
Muhammad s.a.w. cannot become a community that only wants
to sit back and relax and wait for fortune to come their way
without putting in any effort.
Let me share with you a story. There was once a companion of
the Prophet who was poor, who came to the Prophet asking for
assistance. Rasulullah s.a.w. instead taught him to be
independent and work to obtain his own source of income. By
giving him a little bit of money that he had, the Prophet asked
the companion to buy an axe, and for him to use it to chop
down some firewood for him to sell in the Medinan markets.
After 15 days have passed, the companion brought news to the
Prophet that he had succeeded in selling 10 dirham worth of
firewood. Part of it he used to buy clothing and some for food.
Rasulullah s.a.w. thus said: This is better for you, than for you
4

to stand in the hereafter with a mark on your face which shows

that you were during your lifetime a beggar. [Hadith narrated by
Abu Dawud]
My brothers,
Let us be a people who are not only observant of religious
duties, but also those who also understand the teaching and
purpose behind them. By avoiding gambling, we not only free
ourselves from incurring sins and Allahs wrath, but also liven up
to the objective behind its prohibition by rising as a community
who is committed and works hard towards accomplishing what
we aim to achieve.
In the earlier Quranic verse, Allah s.w.t. also prohibited the
consumption of intoxicants. One of the objectives of

its

prohibition is to avoid the harms that a person may incur when

he loses his senses while in the state of drunkenness. The loss
of his sense of rational thinking and judgment that are Allahs
gifts to him, without which he cannot think rationally nor control
his words and actions. His dignity is crushed when he
embarasses himself through his acts that are out of his control.
Not only that, the people surrounding him may also be affected
negatively, including endangering other peoples lives. When it
is all over, what he has left is only remorse and regret.
Beloved jemaah, that is why Islam emphasises on the
protection and preservation of ones reason. A Muslim who
5

believes with understanding, sees that on top of avoiding

intoxicants, there is also a need to protect and expand the
potential of the intellect that has been granted to us. Therefore,
if there is anyone amongst us who does not see the importance
of education for our children and future generation, for example,
then he has yet to fully realise the full meaning behind the
prohibition of intoxicants.
My Brothers,
From the examples that i have shared with you, we can draw
some conclusions:
Firstly: Let us not limit our understanding of Islamic rulings
merely to the apparent aspects without also appreciating the
wisdom behind the rulings. Islam is perfect. Therefore let us
strive to also perfect our religious observances, inside and out,
too.
Secondly: Do not fulfill our religious duties only to attain
rewards and avoid sins. Instead, let us also make the religious
duty as something that shapes and adorns our character, and
as the source of motivation to lead a life as how the Prophet
Muhammad s.a.w. has taught us. A Muslim community that
does not indulge in gambling activities, is also a community that
is hardworking and efficient.

A Muslim community that is

alcohol-free, is also a community that is committed to the

6

continuous upgrading of the education of ourselves and our

families.
Let us together, shoulder to shoulder, commit ourselves to
further deepen our religious understanding, and those of our
families, and increase our amal. May Allah s.w.t. guide every
step that we take on the path of leading a religious life that
would bring us to His blessings and mercy. Amin Ya Rabbal
Alamin.