Repentance & taqwaFrom the masjid's own video, Aug 16, 2021.
True faith needs obedient action
“It increases with acts of obedience, and it decreases with acts of disobedience.”
In one sentence
True iman combines belief, speech, and obedient action, rises and falls accordingly, and requires rejecting both harsh takfir and complacent disregard for practice.
The khutbah in 7 steps
- Calls believers to pardon and overlook others as they hope Allah will forgive them.
- Warns against the Khawarij, who declare sinful Muslims to be disbelievers.
- Warns against the Murji'a, who treat verbal belief as sufficient without practice.
- Explains that iman includes the heart, tongue, and limbs, increasing through obedience and decreasing through sin.
- Uses hadith about major sins to distinguish weakened iman from leaving Islam entirely.
- Presents Ahl al-Sunnah as the balanced position and closes with supplications for Paradise and protection from Hell.
- Reminds listeners after Jumu'ah to fast Ashura on the tenth of Muharram.
Try this week
Pardon and overlook others instead of criticizing, blaming, or punishing them for sins.
Strengthen iman through obedience, repentance, and bodily action rather than verbal belief alone.
Address wrongdoing according to ability through action, speech, or rejection in the heart.
Remove harmful objects from pathways.
Straighten prayer rows, fill gaps, and stand foot-to-foot and shoulder-to-shoulder.
Fast on the tenth day of Muharram, Ashura.
Sources the khateeb cited
Sahih al-BukhariThe report about people reading the Qur'an without understanding it supports rejecting the Khawarij.
Sahih al-BukhariThe statement that insulting a Muslim is fusuq and fighting one is kufur shows sins affect iman.
Sahih al-BukhariThe branches of iman illustrate faith through declaration, action, and modesty.
Sahih MuslimThe instruction to change wrongdoing by hand, tongue, or heart demonstrates levels of iman and responsibility.
Sunan an-Nasa'iThe hadith about zina, theft, intoxicants, and killing explains that major sins temporarily remove the quality of iman.
Sahih MuslimThe hadith about Ashura is used to encourage fasting on the tenth of Muharram for atonement of the previous year's sins.
Quotes
In the khateeb's words
“Because your iman is not just a belief in your heart, and a statement on your tongue, but its actions with its body parts.”
“And it increases with acts of obedience, and it decreases with acts of disobedience.”
“The fasting of the day of Ashura is the 10th of al-Muharram.”
Talk about it at home
For the dinner table
Today's khutbah taught that real faith is more than saying we believe. Iman lives in the heart, on the tongue, and in our actions, so it grows with obedience and weakens with sin. We should avoid two extremes: treating every sinful Muslim as a disbeliever, or imagining that belief needs no practice. We were reminded to pardon others, seek Allah's forgiveness, keep prayer rows straight, and fast Ashura on the tenth of Muharram. The hope is to stay balanced, repent when we fall, and ask Allah for Paradise and protection from the Fire.
- What is one action that could strengthen your iman this week?
- How can we correct a wrong with wisdom while still showing mercy?
- What could we do to prepare for fasting Ashura?
Keep listening
More on Repentance & taqwa
First, practice humility by accepting correction.28:46Worcester Islamic Center · Worcester, MA · Oct 31, 2026Arrogance hardens the heart against guidance
2:40Islamic Association of · Flower Mound, TX · Oct 24, 2026Repentance begins a life of self-discipline“Whilst you are alive, whilst you are reading, whilst you are even sitting in the masjid now, you can do Tawba with Allah.”
I want to be quick to apologize.29:24Lighthouse · Temescal · North Oakland, CA · Oct 17, 2026Move steadily in life, rush to forgiveness