Islamic Religious Council of Singapore 

Friday Sermon 

18 April 2025 / 19 Syawal 1446H

Generosity: The Catalyst of Barakah

 

Beloved servants of Allah,

Cultivate taqwa and nurture iman, the guiding lights that lead us to goodness. Let us remain steadfast in obeying His commands and refraining from His prohibitions. O Allah, make us among Your generous servants, upon whom You bestow Your limitless blessings in this world and the Hereafter. Amin, ya Rabbal ‘Alamin. 

 

My dear brothers in Islam,

Syawal is, indeed, a month of boundless generosity or karam. In Syawal, we share the sustenance that Allah s.w.t. has bestowed upon us with both our loved ones and those in need, even as we ourselves are recipients of others’ generosity. We serve our guests with food and beverages, and we give away money packets or duit raya as gifts for the young ones. These practices help to strengthen bonds and foster affection among us. Let us together exemplify this noble value beyond Syawal and embody it always.   

 

Beloved Mukminin,

Today’s sermon discusses karam or generosity. Generosity is a product of compassion, and a trait which is essential for us to manifest. Generosity represents a key to the doors of barakah or blessings in this life and the hereafter. This barakah presents itself in the form of goodness and abundance in all our affairs – our lives, wealth, family, health, and so on.

A modest sum graced with barakah can achieve more than abundant wealth without it. Indeed, one of the fastest ways to attract barakah into our lives, is through generosity, and giving with full of love and sincerity.

At this juncture, I will be sharing three ways how generosity opens the doors of barakah. 

 

Firstly: Allah s.w.t promises abundance for the generous. 

Allah s.w.t says in Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 261: 

 

Which means: “The example of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah is like a seed (of grain) which grows seven spikes; in each spike is a hundred grains. And Allah multiplies (His reward) for whom He wills. And Allah is all-Encompassing and all-Knowing.”

Allah s.w.t also says through the tongue of the Prophet s.a.w in a hadith qudsi: “O son of Adam, spend (in My cause), and I shall spend on you”.(Narrated by Muslim)

Subhanallah, this verse and hadith remind us that generosity never leads to loss. On the contrary, it brings only barakah. Being generous, does not necessarily mean we will be repaid in wealth. Allah s.w.t may multiply it in blessings of different forms: peace of mind, good health, strong family ties, or ease in our affairs. These are all signs of barakah, and they often come in ways we don’t expect, far beyond just dollars and cents. These examples perfectly shape our understanding of barakah.

 

Secondly: The Angels supplicate for the generous. 

Beloved Mukminin,

As though Allah’s promise isn’t already magnificent enough, Allah’s angels additionally supplicate for the one who spends in the His way. The Prophet s.a.w said which means: “Two angels descend every morning, and one says: ‘O Allah, compensate the spender (in your cause)’, and the other says ‘O Allah destroy the withholder’.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Imagine, the purest of creations who are constantly in the presence of Allah s.w.t, supplicating for us, beseeching Allah s.w.t to bless us with more sustenance and barakah.  And as Muslims, we believe in the existence of these angels. It is one of the pillars of our faith (rukun iman). So, when they supplicate for us, it is something truly significant. Subhanallah, how profound of an effect this will have in our lives, and how beautiful of a blessing.

 

Thirdly: Generosity attracts Allah’s mercy.

My beloved brothers,

One of the beautiful truths of our religion is that generosity is a pathway to earning the mercy of Allah s.w.t. In Surah Ali ‘Imran, verses 133–134, Allah s.w.t. describes the qualities of those who are deserving of His Paradise:

“And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and a garden as wide as the heavens and the earth, prepared for the righteous—those who spend (in the cause of Allah) during ease and hardship…”

This verse enlightens us that one of the signs of righteousness is being generous and spending in the way of goodness, whether in ease or hardship. It is a trait so beloved to Allah that He associates it with the people of Paradise. And what is Paradise, if not the ultimate manifestation of Allah’s mercy?

Subhanallah, the ways in which generosity opens doors to barakah in our lives are truly magnificent. However, beyond being motivated by the blessings that come with giving, we should aim to elevate our generosity to an even higher level by giving simply because we are servants of Allah s.w.t., who are seeking His pleasure and always in need of His mercy.

In essence, our acts of generosity should spring not merely from the hope of reward, but from our deepest aspiration to embody what we are called to be: a sincere believer who reflects the qualities beloved by Allah. When our giving flows purely from devotion to Him, out of obedience and humble servitude, that is when our giving becomes a true act of worship. 

 

Zumratal Mukminin, 

By understanding the virtue of generosity, let us strive to be among the generous who give with full of love and sincerity for the sake of Allah. May we be showered with the prayers of angels, Allah’s promise of abundance and infinite mercy. Amin ya Rabbal ‘Alamin. 

 

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