The Islamic calendarFrom the masjid's own video, Dec 26, 2025.

Winter is a season for worship

“Fasting in the winter is the easy prize and trophy of the believer, so take full advantage of it.”

The khateeb, at 11:36

In one sentence

Winter is a prime opportunity for believers to increase worship through night prayer, Quran engagement, fasting, religious concessions, and reflection on how they spend their time.

The khutbah in 6 steps

  1. Presents winter as an opportunity because of short days, long nights, and religious concessions.
  2. Encourages night prayer, even one rak'ah, during winter's longer nights.
  3. Recommends reading, memorizing, reviewing, and learning the Quran.
  4. Promotes fasting short winter days and highlights its reward.
  5. Explains wiping over khuffs or socks, including conditions and time limits.
  6. Urges listeners to examine their use of time through Mu'adh ibn Jabal's regret.
Try this week
Pray at night, even if only one rak'ah.
Read, memorize, review, and study the Quran during long nights.
Fast some short winter days for Allah's sake.
Use the concession of wiping over suitable footwear after valid purification, following its conditions and time limits.
Reflect on how you spend your time and what you accomplish for yourself, family, Islam, and Muslims.
Sources the khateeb cited
Sahih MuslimUsed to identify lengthy standing and middle-of-the-night prayer as the best voluntary prayer.
Musnad AhmadUsed to describe winter fasting as the believer's easy prize.
Sahih al-BukhariUsed to emphasize the reward for fasting one day for Allah.
Sahih al-BukhariUsed to establish wearing footwear after purification as a condition for wiping over it.
Sahih MuslimUsed to give the resident and traveler durations for wiping over footwear.
Quotes

In the khateeb's words

“it is not by staying up late upon sin evil and immorality however it is a time in which we must take full advantage”
Masjid Al-Istiqama · Etobicoke, ON
Play from 2:59
“fasting in the winter is the easy prize and trophy of the believer so take full advantage of it”
Masjid Al-Istiqama · Etobicoke, ON
Play from 11:36
“i'm crying because i can no longer fast i can no longer go hungry and go thirsty when i fast and i can no longer stand in prayer at night for my lord”
Masjid Al-Istiqama · Etobicoke, ON
Play from 25:13
Talk about it at home

For the dinner table

The khateeb reminded us that winter can be a special opportunity to grow closer to Allah. Its long nights give us time to rest, pray, and read or learn the Qur'an, while its short days make fasting easier. He encouraged us to make room for night prayer, even if we begin with just one rak'ah. He also explained the concession of wiping over socks or leather footwear during wudu and the conditions he taught for using it. He ended by asking us to reflect honestly on our precious time and how we use it to benefit ourselves, our families, and others.

  1. What is one small act of worship you would like to make time for on a winter evening?
  2. How could we make learning or reading the Qur'an together part of our family routine?
  3. What could we do with our time this week that we would feel thankful for afterward?