الْحَمْدُ لِلهِ، الَّذِي أَرْسَلَ رَسُولَهُ بِالْهُدَى وَدِينِ الْحَقِّ لِيُظْهِرَهُ عَلَى الدِّينِ كُلِّهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ. وَأَشْهَدُ أَلَّا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
My dear Friday congregation
As we leave Ramadan, we must also think what our future will be: How do we intend to shape our lives from here on? Will we live as we have done in the past? Or has Ramadan truly made us better and more devoted Muslims? Muslims who will strive in the path of Islam. Muslims who will strive for justice. Muslims who will strive for the best.
As we had worked for the best in Ramadan, let us also strive for the best in this month of shawwal. A month of joy and celebration of the Eid. It is the month of freedom for those who have truly faced Ramadan with patience. But most importantly, my brothers, and do not forget, Shawwal is the month that tests our true sincerity as Muslims.
Do we return to our old ways of behaving? Or have we learned from Ramadan and changed ourselves? If once in Ramadan we had controlled our tongues from gossip and criticism, will we continue to do now that Ramadan is over? If once in Ramadan we had controlled our eyes from looking at things most despicable, will we continue to do so in Shawwal? If once in Ramadan we have resolutely stood in prayers, reading Quran, will we do so in Shawwal?
Know that the fast of 6 days in Shawwal is most prized. There is a hadith which says:
مَنْ صَامَ رَمَضَانَ ثُمَّ أَتْبَعَهُ سِتًّا مِنْ شَوَّالٍ كَانَ كَصِيَامِ الدَّهْرِ
“He who fasts in the month of Ramadan followed by 6 days in Shawwal, it is as if he has fasted for 1 year.” It means that if you complete the fast of month of Ramadan and follow this with 6 days of fasting in Shawwal, you will be rewarded with the rewards of someone who has fasted for 1 full year.
We can find that this hadith corresponds to Allah’s commands in Surah Al An’am verse 160 .
مَن جَاء بِالْحَسَنَةِ فَلَهُ عَشْرُ أَمْثَالِهَا وَمَن جَاء بِالسَّيِّئَةِ فَلاَ يُجْزَى إِلاَّ مِثْلَهَا وَهُمْ لاَ يُظْلَمُونَ
Which means: “He that does good will have ten times as much to his credit. He that does evil shall only be recompensed according to His evil. No wrong shall be done unto any of them. “
From this ayat we can see that the 30 days of fasting that we have endured in Ramadan have yielded the likes of 10 months of fasting! And the 6 days of fasting in Shawwal will yield the likes of 2 months. And so we will complete 12 months. And so it would be as if we have truly fasted for 1 whole year!
And may our good deeds be rewarded and accepted by Allah S.W.T.
