A sound heart shapes accepted deeds
“Indeed Allah does not look at your bodies or your appearances but He looks at your hearts and your deeds.”
After Ramadan, Muslims should inspect and purify their hearts because spiritual health shapes accepted deeds, complete faith, and genuine concern for fellow Muslims.
The khutbah in 6 steps
- Ramadan is meant to cultivate taqwa and purify the heart.
- Envy, hatred, hypocrisy, and love of sin are dangerous spiritual diseases.
- Allah values the heart and deeds, and the heart governs the body's actions.
- The first sign of a sound heart is loving good for fellow Muslims.
- The Ansar exemplify selflessness by hosting a guest despite their own family's hunger.
- The khutbah closes with supplications for sincere hearts, guidance, and communal reform.
In the khateeb's words
“indeed Allah does not look at your bodies or your appearances but He looks at your hearts and your deeds”
“the first sign of the soundness of the heart is loving good for your fellow Muslims wherever they are”
For the dinner table
The khateeb reminded us that Ramadan should help us care for our hearts and grow closer to Allah. He asked us to look inside ourselves for envy, hatred, and other spiritual illnesses, and to notice whether we have changed. A sound heart goes together with truthful speech and avoiding backbiting, and Allah looks at our hearts and deeds rather than our appearance. One sign of a healthy heart is wanting good for our fellow Muslims just as we want good for ourselves. Through the story of an Ansari family who gave their limited food to the Prophet’s guest, he encouraged us to reflect on generosity and overcoming selfishness.
- What is one way you could celebrate someone else's success this week?
- How could you steer a conversation toward kindness when someone starts speaking badly about another person?
- What could we share as a family to help someone feel welcomed and cared for?
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