Make prayer the structure of your life
“Make your life go around salah, not the other way around.”
As Muharram and the new Hijri year begin, Muslims should reorient their lives around Allah’s guidance through established prayer, inward taqwa, repentance, and purposeful use of time.
The khutbah in 6 steps
- The new Hijri year prompts self-assessment about closeness to Allah and who guides one’s life.
- Surah al-An'am presents Allah’s guidance as exclusive and commands submission to Him.
- Salah is described as the outward expression of submission, while taqwa is the inward expression.
- Listeners are urged to organize life around prayer and avoid compromising Islamic guidance.
- Practical commitments include removing sins, deepening prayer, valuing limited time, and fasting in Muharram.
- The khutbah closes with repentance, supplication, and prayers for spiritual elevation.
In the khateeb's words
“Who is guiding your life? Is it your desires? Is it your habits? Is it your social circle and your social media? Is it your friends? Or is it Allah Azza wa Jalla?”
“salah is the outward expression of submission taqwa is the inward expression of submission”
“make your life go around salah not the other way around”
For the dinner table
The khateeb invited us to use the approaching Islamic new year to reflect on our relationship with Allah and what guides our choices. He explained that submission to Allah includes both salah, our outward worship, and taqwa, our inward awareness of Him. He encouraged us to arrange our days around prayer and to understand what we say, instead of simply going through the motions. Our behavior between prayers matters too, including how we treat our parents, speak about others, and handle grudges. He ended with hope: we can seek Allah's forgiveness, soften our hearts, and begin changing our habits.
- What could help you pay more attention to the words you say in prayer?
- What good change could we support each other in making this week?
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