Dear Muslims!
In the verse I have recited, our Almighty Lord (swt) states, "...Cooperate with one another in goodness and righteousness, and do not cooperate in sin and transgression..."[1]
In the hadith I have read, our beloved Prophet (saw) says, "The best of you is the one whose goodness is hoped for, and from whose evil people are safe. "The worst of you is the one whose goodness is not hoped for, and from whose evil people are not safe."[2]
Dear Believers!
One of the key aims of our sublime religion, Islam, is to ensure that good prevails on earth and that evil is eradicated. Islam has shown us the path to achieve this goal. This path is called "amr bi al-ma'ruf wa nahy an al-munkar", which means to enjoin the good and forbid the evil. This path involves doing what is right, pelasant, and good, while avoiding what is wrong, unpleasant, and harmful.
Dear Muslims!
Our guide to life, the Holy Qur'an, places faith, worship, and good morals at the heart of what is considered good. It commands us to strive in goodness, piety, and charity, while staying away from all forms of evil. In this way, it intends for goodness to permeate every aspect of our lives, from our feelings and thoughts to our words and actions. Our Prophet Muhammad Mustafa (saw), the finest embodiment of goodness on earth, dedicated his efforts to building a world where everyone could live in peace, and he encouraged his Ummah to strive toward this goal. With wisdom, love, and knowledge, he kneaded the hearts that were bound by hatred and animosity, awakening compassion in consciences, and he established a new civilization that serves as an example for all of humanity.
Dear Believers!
The essence of true goodness lies in belief in Allah (swt), the Last Day, the angels, the divine books, and the prophets. It is about living a life with a sense of servitude and responsibility. It encompasses the sharing of knowledge, love, supplication, grief, and sorrow. It involves abstaining from all forms of violence and guarding our hands from what is haram, our tongues from lies, and our hearts from anger and enmity. It entails conveying the mercy-filled messages of Islam to hearts that are devoid of love. It is about shutting down the avenues of evil that corrupt human nature, undermine morals, and foster enmity, hatred, and discord. In short, it means treating ourselves, our families, our society, and all creatures with compassion and mercy, seeking only the pleasure of our Lord (swt).
Dear Muslims!
Unfortunately, what is evil and who are evil are increasingly at the forefront of humanity's concerns today. Our world is being engulfed by evil. The voices of those who seek to corrupt the earth are louder than those who strive to bring about restoration. Peace is giving way to war, compassion is being overshadowed by violence, and love is being replaced by hate. Those who seek to spread evil aim to distract our children and young people from our national and spiritual values through harmful influences, deviant ideologies, and bad habits. They are attempting to corrupt their pure nature.
In the face of all these adversities, each of us has duties and responsibilities to fulfill. What falls upon us is to strive in goodness as commanded by the verse, فَاسْتَبِقُوا الْخَيْرَاتِۜ [3] Regardless of the circumstances, our duty is always to live by and uphold goodness, while standing firmly against evil and those who perpetuate it. It is to ensure that our children and young people surround themselves with good people, both in real life and on social media, while keeping them away from negative influences. It is to treat them with mercy and compassion. It is to enlighten them with authentic and accurate knowledge, while also connecting them with the exemplary morals of our Prophet (saw). Let us not forget that goodness will render the earth prosperous and make the world a more livable place.
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[1] Ma'idah, 5/2.
[2] Tirmidhi, Fitan, 76; Ibn Hanbal, II, 368.
[3] Baqarah, 2/148.
General Directorate of Religious Services