EID UL FITR 2009-09-13
Sermon
Allah says in the Holy Qur'an
Verily, Allah loves those who turn to Him constantly, and He loves those who keep themselves pure and clean. (2:222)
A true Muslim is a special person as he is enjoined upon to purify his body mind and soul.
Regarding the purity of the body, Allah has directed us to observe the following
• We are ordered to keep our garments clean. Allah says: Keep your clothes clean. (74:4)
• At the time of prayer a Muslim has to make ablution or even take a bath if it is necessary. Allah says: O you who believe, when you prepare for prayer, wash your faces and your hands to the elbows, pass your wet hands over your heads and wash your feet up to the ankles. And if you are in a state of ceremonial impurity, bathe your whole body. (5:6)
• Allah wants that what we consume as food and drink should be pure and clean. He says: They will ask you what is lawful to them (for food); say: Lawful unto you are all good and pure things.
Because Allah loves cleanliness, He has directed the believers to observe certain etiquette when dealing with His House and Book. He says: This is indeed an honourable Qur'an in a Book well guarded, which none shall touch except those who are clean. (56:77-79)
He wants only the pure to enter His House. He says:
O you who believe, Verily, the idol-worshippers are unclean, so do not let them enter the Sacred House after this year. (9:28)
A True Believer must take care of his internal purity just as he has to observe the prescribed acts of external purity. Islam puts great emphasis on the cleanliness of the mind and the soul just as it places on the cleanliness of the body. For example, Allah says:
Allah wants believers to have a pure heart. He says:
Truly, he will prosper that brings to Allah a pure heart (26:89)
He also wants us to have pure and clean desires. He says:
Truly, he succeeds who purifies it, and he fails who corrupts it. (91:9-10)
Allah wants us to have a heart that is free from stains. He says:
By no means, but on their hearts is the stain of the (ill) which they do. (83:14)
While the body is physical and the acts of cleanliness are physical the mind and the soul require such attention that will have positive impacts on them, and the believer is required to avoid the things that can add impurities to them. Allah calls them by different names in the Holy Qur'an, e.g. rijsun (disease), najasun (impurities), ra'nun (spots), etc.
It can be difficult at times to avoid committing mistakes especially when we are dealing with society. Sometimes we may get involved in back-biting, cursing, abusing, etc.
But Allah in His Wisdom has been very kind to the Believers as He has prescribed an Institution which He made one of the Foundation principles of Islam, and that is Fasting.
Fasting helps us to control ourselves, internally and externally, thereby helping us to purify ourselves in all the different dimensions of life. It is perhaps because fasting is designed to benefit the Believer in every way that Allah says: If you fast it is better for you.
Today as we have assembled to celebrate Eid, take note that as a result of the benefits you have acquired during Ramadan through your efforts, you would have ascended a few rungs of the ladder on your way to your Lords.
He is the Lord of the Ascending Stairways (70:3)
Allah calls the way to return to Him the path that is steep. (90:11)
So that if you found at times, that fasting was a bit difficult, you will understand to climb is more difficult than to fall down.
We should resolve today that we are not going to spoil what we have gained through fasting, etc. in Ramadan, but we are going to continue to build on it as our Goal is to meet our Lord and greet Him and get the blessings and benefits He has prescribed for the Believers. Remember Allah says:
Whoever is desirous of meeting his Lord, let him work righteousness, and in the worship of his Lord, admit no one as a partner. (18:110)
