11 Rabiul Akhir 1434H / 1 March 2013

1. 11 Rabiul Akhir 1434H / 1 March 2013 FRIDAY SERMON DEVELOPMENT OF A GOOD CHARACTER Prof Madya Dr Mohd Ismail bin Mustari Deputy Director Islamic Centre of UTM

3. Dear brothers, • Today sermon will be discussing on Development of Moral Integration

4. Hujjatul Islam al-Ghazali in his book Ihya’ Ulumuddin, while discussing on the topic Tahdzibul Akhlak said, “Akhlaq is a situation whereby in one’s soul and actions are at ease without the need of thoughts and observation.”

5. When the good behaviour shown is in line with the shariah and sound mind, that behaviour is a noble behaviour.

6. Instead, if the behaviour is negative, then it is being called an immoral or bad behaviour.

7. Noble character is part of faith, is it the result of taqwa and acts of worship.

8. Noble character is one's adornment, like how a flower is being decorated in a ceremony, so is noble character to a person.

9. Noble character is one of the reasons how a person is attracted to another person.

10. Even to the wicked, they still look up and respect those with noble character.

11. A bad character is like a poison that kills and destroys a person.

12. A vile and despicable deeds distance oneself from Allah swt, the Creator of the universe and lead to the path of empty desires and evil.

13. Rasulullah s.a.w. said: عن ‏ ‏سهل بن سعد، أن رسول الله ‏ ‏صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ ‏قال ‏ ‏إن هذا الخيرَ خزائنٌ ولتلك الخزائِنِ مفاتيحٌ فطوبى لعبدٍ جعلهُ اللهُ مفتاحا للخير ومغلاقا للشر وويلٌ لعبدٍ جعلهُ اللهُ مفتاحا للشرِّ ومغلاقا للخيرِ.

14. “Verily there are treasures to this good. There are keys to these treasures. Success to a person whom Allah made him the key towards good and the cover to evil, and curse to the one whom Allah made him the key to evil and the cover of good.”

15. This hadith clearly shows us that some people whom Allah has made ​​them to be motivators towards the path of kindness, devotion and paradise, while some people are the motivators towards disobedience, sins and hell.

16. Today, the khatib call upon all staff of UTM to ensure the any event or program that is being held in this university must be ensured whether it is pleasing or displeasing Allah swt.

17. Every work and action will be followed by the generations to come.

18. Therefore, if a certain ceremony or program is in line with the faith, sharia and moral, then it will a success, but if it is the opposite, then they will suffer in this temporary world and eternally in the afterlife.

19. In a hadith, Rasulullah s.a.w. said: • عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال : قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : "إنّ هذه الأخلاقَ من الله، فمن أرادَ به خيرا منحَهُ خُلُقًا حَسَنًا، وَمَنْ أراد به سوءًا مَنَحَهُ خُلُقًا سَيِّئا".

20. “Verily Akhlaq is from Allah. Whoever Allah wants good in him, he will be given a good akhlaq. And whoever Allah wants bad for him, he will be given a bad akhlaq.”

21. Our community are now facing a crisis. It all started with a downfall of moral behaviour that is worsening each day.

22. This serious and chronic problem is extremely difficult to prevent as it has built its own influence.

23. Hence, it is important to struggle in upholding noble character.

24. The existence of a generation with noble characters will help to prevent and reduce this problem.

25. Dear brothers, • The arrival of the Quran to the ummah which is the revelation from Allah swt to His beloved Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. is the most effective cure to the society's diseases.

26. All the essence contained in the Holy Quran is the remedy that has the highest wisdom. It can only be achieved by people who seek hard for it.

27. Overall, in general, the Holy Quran contains 30 juz, 114 surah and 6600 verses that more or less touch on 3 basic things that is important to raise mankind as the Khaira Ummah (The best Ummah).

28. That basic things are Aqidah, Syari'ah and Akhlaq.

29. With a strong faith, a servant of Allah swt will automatically be able to perform His syari'ah.

30. A pure faith is the core element that drives a Muslim to be able to stand up and performed Allah’s commands.

31. Faith is the root in a Muslim's life. Without a strong faith, a person is like a feather, being carried easily by the wind.

32. Life without a clear purpose and planning in this world and the Hereafter.

33. Knowledge of faith is the most important knowledge to every Muslim.

34. This is because faith is the root or the tree in Islam and the others are branches or twigs.

35. It is also a foundation for a strong building and fortress in order to protect a Muslim from any suspicious and deviation.

36. The importance of faith is being explained in the Holy Quran in surah al-Taubah, verse 109.

37. Which means: • Then is one who laid the foundation of his building on righteousness [with fear] from Allah and [seeking] His approval better or one who laid the foundation of his building on the edge of a bank about to collapse, so it collapsed with him into the fire of Hell? And Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.

38. This verse explained that the acceptance of one's practice is based on the devotion(taqwa) with the true faith.

39. Faith is not static without any movement, is not hidden without menifests, but is translated into speech, deeds, action, thoughts, and everything in a Muslim's life.

40. Only by the perfection of Faith will one be ready in performing Allah's syariat. Without a perfect faith, a person is unable to perform Allah's commands.

41. Allah says in surah al-Ahzab verse 36 which means: • It is not for a believing man or a believing woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decided a matter, that they should [thereafter] have any choice about their affair. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger has certainly strayed into clear error.

42. The reason for the revelation is when Prophet Muhammad saw matched the marriage of his cousin, Zainab binti Jahsy and his adopted son, Zaid bin Harith but Zainab decline the offer, and it was then this verse revealed.

43. Afterwards Zainab agreed to marry Zaid.

44. This verse shows a guideline that must be followed by believers in their everyday life, that is one should not choose something other then what is prescribed by Allah s.w.t and His Messenger s.a.w.

45. The Islamic Law created by Allah is complete and perfect in any time, situation and place.

46. It covers all areas of a human life from the worship, social, education, economy, politics, administrative, legal and so on in a human life.

47. Every Muslim who examine the Islamic Law with sincerity will be aware that Allah's law is the saviour of mankind from all wrongdoings and crimes of life.

48. It will bring mankind to the highest level in this life and the Hereafter. And what's important, it is the way to attain the pleasure of Allah and to be saved from the wrath of Allah.

49. Dear Brothers, • By practising the syariah, it will then develop into noble character. This is because syariah is to protect oneself in this life and the Hereafter.

50. Allah says in Surah al-Ahzab verse 21 which means: • There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allah often.