Friday Sermon – 23 October 2026 (12 Jumada al-Awwal 1448 AH)

“Whoever Follows My Guidance Will Neither Go Astray Nor Fall into Misery”

All praise is due to Allah. We worship Him alone and seek His help. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad (salla lláhu ʻalayhi wa sallam) is His servant and Messenger. “O you who believe, fear Allah and speak words of truth and righteousness. He will make your deeds righteous and forgive you your sins. Whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has indeed attained a great triumph.”

Allah the Almighty says: “When guidance comes to you from Me, whoever follows My guidance will neither go astray nor fall into misery. But whoever turns away from My remembrance will surely have a life of hardship…” (Qur’an 20:123–124)

These noble verses remind us of one of the most fundamental principles of life: whoever follows Allah’s guidance and lives according to His commandments has chosen the path that leads to true happiness and salvation, both in this world and in the Hereafter.

Yet we may ask ourselves: How can Allah promise that those who follow His guidance will not fall into misery when we see believers experiencing illness, poverty, anxiety, and hardship?

The answer lies in understanding the difference between physical suffering and spiritual distress.

Physical suffering, whether caused by exhaustion, illness, or difficult circumstances, is part of the human experience. Allah the Almighty says: “Indeed, We have created humankind in hardship.” (Qur’an 90:4)

This world was never meant to be a place of everlasting comfort. It is a place of trials, responsibilities, and effort.

Spiritual distress, however, is something different. It arises when a person loses inner peace, a sense of purpose, and direction in life. Someone may possess wealth, social standing, and every material comfort, yet still feel an emptiness that none of these things can fill.

Just as the body needs food and water to survive, the soul needs faith and closeness to Allah to find peace.

Allah the Almighty says: “Whoever does righteous deeds, whether male or female, while being a believer, We will surely grant them a good life…” (Qur’an 16:97)

A good life is not necessarily one filled with wealth or free from difficulties. Rather, it is a life of inner peace, contentment, awareness of Allah, and the certainty that our existence has meaning and purpose.

When believers receive a blessing, they respond with gratitude. When they face hardship, they remain patient. And when they find themselves overwhelmed or uncertain, they turn to their Lord, make every reasonable effort to overcome their difficulties, and never lose hope in His mercy. Consider the life of our Prophet Muhammad (salla lláhu ʻalayhi wa sallam), the noblest of Allah’s creation. He endured suffering, rejection, hostility, and insults, yet he remained steadfast in the truth and never abandoned his mission.

He understood that a difficult path is not necessarily the wrong path, and that facing trials does not mean that Allah is displeased with us.

When his suffering became particularly severe, he turned to his Lord in supplication, seeking strength, guidance, and perseverance.

Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud (radhia llahu anhu) once visited the Prophet (salla lláhu ʻalayhi wa sallam) while he was suffering from a high fever and said: “You are suffering from a very severe fever.” The Prophet replied: “Yes, I suffer as much as two of you would suffer.” He then explained that the hardships experienced by a Muslim can become a means of forgiveness and purification. He said: “No Muslim is afflicted by any hardship, whether illness or anything else, except that Allah causes their sins to fall away, just as a tree sheds its leaves.” (Reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim)

A believer therefore understands that hardship can become a means of earning Allah’s reward and attaining a higher spiritual rank.

Patience does not mean giving up or passively accepting suffering. True patience means remaining steadfast while making sincere efforts to improve our circumstances and remove the causes of hardship. The Prophet (salla lláhu ʻalayhi wa sallam) said: “How wonderful is the affair of the believer! All of their affairs are good, and this is true only for the believer. If something good happens to them, they are grateful, and that is good for them. If hardship befalls them, they are patient, and that is good for them.” (Reported by Muslim)

Dear brothers and sisters,

Following Allah’s guidance is not limited to prayer, fasting, and other acts of worship. It extends to our character, our relationships with others, and the choices we make in everyday life. We should therefore take time to reflect upon our actions.

Have we fulfilled our responsibilities towards Allah and towards other people? Have we caused harm to anyone? Have we respected what Allah has permitted and avoided what He has forbidden? Have we allowed His commandments to guide our decisions and behaviour?

True guidance is not simply knowing what is right. It means accepting the truth and acting upon it. Allah the Almighty says: “O you who believe, respond to Allah and His Messenger when he calls you to that which gives you life.” (Qur’an 8:24)

This is the life of a heart strengthened by faith and a soul nourished by closeness to Allah.

The more sincerely a person strives to obey Allah and live righteously, the more their faith becomes a source of strength, helping them face difficulties with hope, patience, and perseverance.

O servants of Allah,

True happiness does not mean living without worries, difficulties, or suffering. It means facing life’s challenges with faith in our hearts, patience in our souls, and unwavering trust in Allah’s mercy. Let us make Allah’s words: “Whoever follows My guidance will neither go astray nor fall into misery…” a guiding principle in our lives.

Let us strive to obey Allah, remember Him in all circumstances, and place our trust in Him while doing everything within our ability to fulfil our responsibilities.

We ask Allah the Almighty to fill our hearts with faith, grant us patience in times of hardship, gratitude for His countless blessings, and contentment with His decree. May He bless us with a life of goodness and peace in this world and grant us the eternal happiness of Paradise in the Hereafter. Ameen.