12:00 The difference is not…17:18 The sunnah of Ramadan…
Ramadan & fastingFrom the masjid's own video, Feb 22, 2026.

Use Ramadan to break sinful habits

ISF · Abdullah Afeefy

“What do we do when we make a mistake?”

The khateeb, at 12:00

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In one sentence

Ramadan is a limited opportunity to seek sincere forgiveness, return to Allah through tawbah, engage deeply with the Qur’an, and build habits that continue after Shaytan is unchained.

The khutbah in 5 steps

  1. Challenges listeners to break sinful patterns and build habits that last beyond Ramadan.
  2. Explains istighfar, afu, and tawbah, including remorse, stopping sin, resolving not to return, and repairing harm.
  3. Urges fasting, night prayer, dua, and full pursuit of Laylatul Qadr throughout the last ten nights.
  4. Calls Muslims to read, understand, and learn the Qur’an, emphasizing its calming and healing effect.
  5. Closes by asking whether Ramadan will truly change the congregation and urging support for those returning to worship.
Try this week
Treat Ramadan as a limited opportunity and deliberately build habits that continue afterward.
Repeat astaghfirullah sincerely, admitting wrong without excuses.
Make tawbah by feeling remorse, stopping the sin, resolving not to return, and repairing harm done to others.
Attend the masjid throughout the last ten nights instead of relying on one expected night for Laylatul Qadr.
Read, learn, and understand some Qur’an daily, aiming to complete it if possible.
Use friends and family for accountability and encourage people returning to worship without mocking them.
Sources the khateeb cited
Surah 30The prediction of Rome’s resurgence is presented as evidence of the Qur’an’s foreknowledge.
Surah 51The expansion of the heavens is cited as a sign of the Qur’an’s miraculous knowledge.
Quotes

In the khateeb's words

“The difference is not the mistakes and it's not the sins. The difference is what do we do when we make a mistake?”
ISF · Frederick, MD
Play from 12:00
“The sunnah of Ramadan is that each and every one of us open the Quran and read it as much as we can and if we can, we complete it once, at least once during this Ramadan.”
ISF · Frederick, MD
Play from 17:18
Talk about it at home

For the dinner table

The khateeb reminds us that reaching another Ramadan is a gift and an opportunity to turn toward Allah. Fasting, prayer, and reading the Quran can help us build good habits that last beyond the month. When we make mistakes, we can ask Allah for forgiveness, sincerely turn back to Him, stop the wrongdoing, and make things right with anyone we have hurt. He encourages us to read and understand the Quran and to help one another keep going even when we feel tired. He also reminds us to welcome people returning to worship without teasing or judging them, because Ramadan is full of hope and opportunities to change.

  1. What is one good habit you would like to keep after Ramadan, and how can we help?
  2. What could making things right look like after hurting someone's feelings?
  3. How could we help someone feel welcome when they come to pray with us?
Where it was given

The masjid

Islamic Society of Frederick1250 Key Pkwy, Frederick, MD 21702KhateebAbdullah AfeefyMore khutbahsArchiveAll khutbahs at ISF78 khutbahs
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