Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura

Friday Sermon

31 July 2026 / 16 Safar 1448H

The Legacy of a Believer

Dear Friday congregation,

Have taqwa of Allah s.w.t. with true awareness. Carry out all His commands and abstain from all He has forbidden. May Allah s.w.t. have mercy on us in this world and in the hereafter. Amin, ya Rabbal ‘Alamin.

My brothers,

Every soul will surely taste death. This is a reality of a life that is not everlasting. For a believer, death invites us to reflect: what legacy will remain once we are gone?

Dear congregation,

The Quran encourages us to plan our lives, whether for our education, our career, or our retirement. The same applies to death. Whether we like it or not, this preparation must be made. Because what we prepare and what we will leave behind should bring benefit. Ask yourself honestly, can the good we do in this life still be felt by others once we are gone?

Brothers, a person may have passed on, but the noble values they often displayed, or the wise advice they once gave, remain fresh in the memory of others.

Their good deeds can also be given in material form. For example, a school, or a mosque, may be endowed and built by someone who left us long ago. Yet, their contribution is still felt by us to this day.

Beloved brothers,

The Messenger of Allah s.a.w. once said, meaning: “We, the community of prophets, are not inherited from. What we leave behind is charity.” (Narrated by Imam Al-Bukhari)

The prophets possess certain distinctions that set them apart from other people. Among them, there is no inheritance of wealth, and if they leave behind any wealth, it becomes charity in the way of Allah. This is because what a prophet passes on to those who come after him, whether his offspring or his followers, is not material wealth, but knowledge and his teachings.

When we reflect on this, it becomes clear that the knowledge left behind by the Prophet s.a.w. is far more meaningful than any form of inheritance. Because within that knowledge lies a complete picture of how we ourselves can leave behind a legacy for lasting benefit.

The Prophet s.a.w. said, meaning: “When a person dies, his deeds come to an end except for three: ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge, and a righteous child who prays for him.” (Narrated by Imam Muslim)

Today's sermon wishes to share three matters, in the hope that they will offer motivation for us to think about the legacy we wish to leave behind, so that it may benefit others after we are gone.

Firstly: Ongoing charity, that is, charity whose reward continues

Brothers, Sayyidina Uthman ibn Affan r.a. bought a well in Madinah for the benefit of the Muslim community there. That well still exists to this day, and continues to benefit others even though 1,400 years have passed. Sayyidina Uthman has long since passed away, yet his goodness continues to flow and touch the lives of people who never once met him.

Secondly: Beneficial knowledge

If we are educators or teachers, this is certainly a legacy we will leave behind one day. But what if we are not teachers? Do we miss out on the chance to attain this distinction?

The answer is, not at all. Just look at our religious schools, built by those who extended their contributions, whether material, effort, or ideas. Contributions made by people who wished to see a culture of knowledge continue to flourish through the ages, even though they themselves have long since returned to their Lord. Because of these contributions, religious knowledge, the Quran and the Prophetic tradition, can be learned by the present generation. Contributions of this kind also carry a continuing reward, just as beneficial knowledge does.

Thirdly: A righteous child who prays for their parents

Brothers, this is naturally the hope of every father and mother. That children are raised to know Allah and His messenger, so that they live by his teachings, and become children who continually wish good for their parents, even after their parents are no longer around.

If any among us has lost a father or mother, take the time to pray for them often. Pray that their shortcomings be forgiven, their sins erased, their graves widened with ease, and that every deed of theirs be accepted with the pleasure of the One and Only God.

Beloved brothers,

Let us delay no longer. Make plans so that our legacy continues to bring benefit even after we are gone. Invest in reward that endures. May whatever good we have done throughout our lives become a means for our sins to be forgiven, and for us to be granted the reward of paradise in the hereafter. Amin, ya Rabbal ‘Alamin.

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