Soft hearts receive the Quran's guidance
“Hasn't the time come for the people of Iman that their hearts become soft and tranquil with the Quran?”
At the start of the new Hijri year, the time has come for believers to soften and submit their hearts to the Quran, the Sunnah, and the remembrance of Allah instead of following the outward form of religion while their hearts remain hard.
The khutbah in 7 steps
- Opening on the new Hijri year and the virtue of fasting in Muharram
- Scene from Surah al-Hadeed: believers cross the Sirat with divine light while hypocrites are barred behind a wall
- The call of Surah al-Hadeed 57:16, time for believers' hearts to soften to Allah's remembrance and the truth
- Critique of treating Islam as mere rules; the Sahabah's reverence for the Prophet as the fruit of soft hearts
- Seerah of Taif: Addas the Christian's heart softens when the Prophet says Bismillah and reveals knowledge of Yunus
- Hadith of the three hearts/earths from Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim: only soft earth absorbs the rain of guidance
- Close: make dua for suffering Muslims in Gaza, Sudan, and elsewhere, and for the sick and deceased
In the khateeb's words
“what kind of resolutions are you making for this new Islamic year what's going to change in your life”
“hasn't the time come for the people of Iman that their hearts become soft and tranquil with the Quran with the remembrance of Allah Ta'ala Azzawajal”
“there's nothing better than this man and what he is saying he has told me something that nobody could know except a messenger of Allah”
“the first type absorbs everything you hear from Quran and Hadith don't let it come into one ear and out the other”
For the dinner table
The khutbah encouraged us to begin the Islamic year by making sincere resolutions, especially the resolution to soften our hearts through the remembrance of Allah, the Qur'an, and the Sunnah. We were reminded to visualize the Hereafter and to avoid becoming like people whose hearts hardened because too much time passed without reflection. The story of the Prophet's visit to Ta'if and the conversion of Addas showed how a heart can respond immediately to truth and respect. The Prophet also compared guidance and knowledge to abundant rain, reminding us to absorb what we learn and share its benefit. We should end by making dua for Muslims who are suffering, sick, or grieving.
- What is one small Islamic resolution you would like to try this year?
- What helps your heart feel soft and peaceful?
- How can our family put one lesson from the Qur'an or Sunnah into practice this week?
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