Honor Ashura through fasting and gratitude
“Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala starts to love us and we'll see the mercy and the blessings from Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.”
Ashura is a historically significant day of gratitude and worship that Muslims should honor through fasting, generosity, repentance, distinct Islamic practice, and gradual religious training for children.
The khutbah in 6 steps
- Introduces Ashura as the tenth of Muharram and explains its pre-Islamic and prophetic significance.
- Recounts Allah’s saving Musa and Banu Israel, and the reported landing of Nuh’s ark.
- Teaches that achievements should produce gratitude, humility, forgiveness, and closeness to Allah.
- Uses the Sahaba’s treatment of children to advocate gradual, loving religious training.
- Explains Ashura’s voluntary fast, its hoped-for expiation of minor sins, and pairing it with the ninth or eleventh.
- Adds family generosity and tawbah, then distinguishes Husayn’s martyrdom from the day’s original significance.
In the khateeb's words
“And this is a lesson for us as well. Number one, shukka. Number two, is we need to raise the next generation with the connection of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.”
“Not only is He forgiving us, not only is it being taken out of our books, but Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala starts to love us and we'll see the mercy and the blessings from Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.”
For the dinner table
The khateeb explained that Ashura, the tenth of Muharram, was significant long before Islam, and connected it with the stories of Musa and Nuh. He reminded us that blessings and achievements should bring us closer to Allah through gratitude, humility, and forgiveness. He encouraged parents to help children build a loving relationship with Allah through small, gradual habits of worship. He described fasting on Ashura as voluntary and greatly rewarded, and encouraged generosity toward family and sincere repentance. He reminded us that Allah loves those who repent, and acknowledged the painful martyrdom of Hussain while explaining that Ashura’s significance began earlier.
- What is one good thing that happened recently, and how could you thank Allah for it?
- What small act of worship would you enjoy doing together as a family?
- What thoughtful thing could you do to make someone in our family feel cared for?
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