FRIDAY SERMON TRANSLATION

BRUNEI DARUSSALAM

THE PROMISE OF ALLAH SUBHANAHU WATA'ALA TO HIS SERVANTS WHO REPENT

(12 Safar 1441/11 October 2019)

PREPARED BY: MOSQUE AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT

MINISTRY OF RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS BRUNEI DARUSSALAM

My blessed Muslim brothers, Fear of Allah Subhanahu Wata’ala with true devotion by increase the faith in Him. Indeed, the virtues person who nearness to Allah is the most righteous. Hopefully, we will become human beings who always remember Allah Subhanahu Wata’ala, gain success and happiness in the world and in the hereafter.

My blessed Muslim brothers, Living in this world is full of trials, tests and challenges. Every human being is often making mistakes and wrongdoings whether they are deliberate or not. As Muslims, we shall immediately seek repent, be regret, realize and to be determined not to repeat all mistakes and wrongdoings that have been made. Remember, Allah Subhanahu Wata’ala is Most Forgiving and Merciful, always giving His servants opportunities to repent and improve themselves. Allah Subhanahu Wata’ala saying in surah al-Maidah verse 39:

But whoever repents after his wrongdoing and reforms, indeed, Allah will turn to him in forgiveness. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.

Indeed, Allah Subhanahu Wata’ala has promised in the Quran to give forgiveness to His servants who repent, no matter what kind of sins that have been committed, even though those sins fill the earth and as high as clouds in the sky. From Anas bin Malik Radhiallahu anhu, I heard Rasulullah said: Allah, Blessed is He and Most High, said:

O son of Adam! Verily as long as you called upon Me and hoped in Me, I forgave you, despite whatever may have occurred from you, and I did not mind. O son of Adam! Were you sins to reach the clouds of the sky, then you sought forgiveness from Me, I would forgive you, and I would not mind. So son of Adam! If you came to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth, and then you met Me not associating anything with Me, I would come to you with forgiveness nearly as great as it. [Imam Termidzi] Muslims who are blessed by God, Repentance is to regret, realize and leave all kind of sins, wrongdoings and vices that have been committed and to be determined not to repeat it.

Repentance is necessary for every Muslim. This is because every human being has never been silent from committing sin whether external sin that is committed by the body such as stealing, cheating, adultery, corruption, breach of trust and so on and the inner sin that is sin in the heart such as envy, arrogant, boastful, neglecting to remember Allah Subhanahu Wata’ala and the like.

Let us reflect on how Rasulullah a man who is protected from committing any sin and

guaranteed to have forgiveness of Allah Subhanahu Wata’ala, he remains seek

repentance and forgiveness to Allah every day as much as one hundred times, how are we just simply ordinary human beings. From Ibnu Omar Radhiallahu anhuma, Rasulullah said:

يـأيـهاالناس! توبوا إل الله، فإنى أتوب ف اليـوم إليه مائة مرة

}رواه الإمام مسلم{

O people, seek repentance from Allah. Verily, I seek repentance from Him a hundred times a day. Indeed, repentance is not enough to only express the words of repentance but it must be raised with regret, strong intention and determination so that it will never repeat the sins, wrongdoing, vices that have been committed.

Muslims who are blessed by God, Everyone who is realized and aware of all wrongdoings and mistakes that have made, then they should hasten their repentance without delay because Allah will always accept repentance of His servants as long as one’s life has not reached its throat. Ibn Umar Radhiallahu anhuma, Rasulullah said:

إن الله يـقبل تـوبة العبد مال يـغرغر }رواه الإمام ترمذي{

Indeed Allah accepts the repentance of His servant as long as his soul does not reach his throat.

Although the sins we commit are like as much as the foam in the sea, Allah with His Grace and Mercy will still forgive His sinful servants. Rasulullah mentioned about

recitation that if it is recited one hundred times a day, then the sin will be erased, although as much as the foam of the sea. Abu Hurairah narrated that Rasulullah said:

ر ومن قال سبحان الل وبمده ف يـوم مائة مرة حطت خطايه ولو كانت مثل زبد البح }رواه الإمام مسلم{

Whoever says, سبحان الل وبمده (Subhanallahi Wabihamdih) one hundred times a day,

will be forgiven all his sins even if they were as much as the foam of the sea.

There are several ways that can assist a person to purify themselves and his soul from sin and to seek forgiveness of Allah. Among them are always pursuing the teaching of the Quran and the Sunnah of Rasulullah , avoiding evil places, fight against the

persuasion of satan and lust, introspection, maintaining good deeds, constantly reading the Quran, remembrance, recite istighfar and the like.

There are among of Muslims admitted that they know Allah Subhanahu Wata’ala and fear His torment, but many are still neglected, preoccupied and lose so that they do not hesitate and disobey Him by committing sinful deeds, wrongdoings and vices. They

commit sin as if not fear of the wrath and torment of Allah Subhanahu Wata’ala which is painful and terrible in the hereafter. Thus, as long as we are still given the opportunities to breathe, seek repentance and forgiveness of Allah Subhanahu Wata’ala before it is too late because the death can come at any time. Let us not be ashamed, afraid or arrogant to repent of all wrongdoings and mistakes. Together we pray that we become people who are always repent and purify themselves from all sins and vices and be admitted into heaven with His Mercy. Amin Ya Rabbal Alamin.

{16}سورة القصص أية

He said, "My Lord, indeed I have wronged myself, so forgive me," and He forgave him. Indeed, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.