Ashura calls us to drown our ego
“Ashura is not just a day where we remember how Pharaoh drowned but also a day for us to drown out our arrogance and drown out our ego.”
Ashura should move believers to drown their ego and arrogance by adopting the Prophet Muhammad’s humility, forgiveness, openness to advice, and service to others.
The khutbah in 6 steps
- Frames Ashura as both Musa’s salvation and Pharaoh’s destruction.
- Identifies a “little Pharaoh” within the ego that resists advice, apologies, and forgiveness.
- Uses examples of the Prophet’s humility with Barirah, at the conquest of Mecca, and at home.
- Shows prophetic restraint through forgiveness, kindness under insult, and mercy toward threats.
- Calls listeners to apologize, forgive, accept feedback, serve others, and think well of people.
- Closes with prayers for humility and purified character during Muharram.
In the khateeb's words
“Ashura is not just a day where we remember how Pharaoh drowned but also a day for us to drown out our arrogance and drown out our ego”
“when you may suggest something as a wife when you may suggest something and it's not taken or someone says no to you don't always think it's an attack don't always think it's a form of disrespect”
“the ego that prevents you from seeking an apology send that message the person you need to ask forgiveness from”
“forgive others don't hold that grudge in your heart you don't have to forget but you can forgive”
For the dinner table
Ashura reminds us that Pharaoh was drowned because of his arrogance, and it asks us to drown the smaller arrogance inside ourselves. The Prophet Muhammad showed humility by accepting people’s choices, forgiving insults, serving his family, and refusing revenge. In our relationships, ego can block apologies, forgiveness, advice, and kindness. We can follow the Prophet by apologizing, releasing grudges, listening to feedback, and thinking well of others. Humility does not mean forgetting every hurt; it means choosing a sound heart and better character for Allah’s sake.
- Where might ego be making it hard for you to apologize or listen?
- What is one kind act or apology you could make this week?
- How can we forgive someone without pretending the hurt never happened?
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