11:35 Simply put, in…14:02 Islam is a liberating…21:43 And then there is an…
Ramadan & fastingFrom the masjid's own video, Feb 27, 2026.

Ramadan trains us to govern desire

Masjid Muhammad

“In obedience to Allah, we're controlling our own flesh.”

The khateeb, at 11:35

Watch the khutbahFamily kit
In one sentence

Ramadan fasting is meant to reconnect believers with the Quran and train them to govern bodily appetites, emotions, speech, and desires so they develop taqwa and become responsible stewards of family and community.

The khutbah in 6 steps

  1. Ramadan reconnects believers with Allah through the Quran, not only through fasting.
  2. The meaning of Ramadan is connected to protecting oneself from the heat of unchecked passion and desire.
  3. Taqwa means obeying Allah’s commands and avoiding what He forbids.
  4. Fasting disciplines bodily appetites as well as anger, vanity, speech, and emotional responses.
  5. Islam liberates people from a culture that manipulates desires and restores personal responsibility.
  6. Self-management expands into responsibility for spouses, children, families, and communities, guided by the Quran.
Try this week
Reconnect with the Quran throughout Ramadan.
Restrain food, drink, and other lawful physical urges from dawn to sunset.
Control anger, vanity, obscenity, harmful speech, and impulsive responses.
When someone behaves abusively or foolishly, say that you are fasting rather than escalating.
Follow Allah’s commands and avoid what He forbids.
Practice self-management so you can better fulfill responsibilities toward family and community.
Quotes

In the khateeb's words

“Simply put, in obedience to Allah, we're controlling our own flesh.”
Masjid Muhammad · Shaw, DC
Play from 11:35
“Islam is a liberating force. Islam is a force that comes to restore the human being, every man and woman.”
Masjid Muhammad · Shaw, DC
Play from 14:02
“And then there is an internal discipline of the fast, the higher level of the fast, to even control our response mechanism, for want of a better term.”
Masjid Muhammad · Shaw, DC
Play from 21:43
Talk about it at home

For the dinner table

Ramadan is not only about feeling hungry; it is a month for reconnecting with Allah through the Quran. Fasting trains us to restrain food and drink from dawn to sunset, while also disciplining anger, vanity, obscenity, and harmful speech. The khateeb said this self-control helps us move from managing ourselves to caring for spouses, children, and the wider community. Taqwa means living with awareness and respect for Allah by doing what He commands and avoiding what He forbids. His hope was that Ramadan’s discipline would make us more pure and more responsible in the world.

  1. What is one way the Quran could become part of your Ramadan routine?
  2. How can you show self-control when someone makes you angry?
  3. How does managing yourself help your family or community?
Where it was given

The masjid

Masjid Muhammad (The Nation's Mosque)1519 4th St NW, Washington, DC 20001Jumu'ah 1:00 PMArchiveAll khutbahs at Masjid Muhammad26 khutbahs
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