Taqwa prepares the heart for Ramadan
“Taqwa is not an abaya, or a kufi, or a beard, or giving a khutbah.”
Because death and accountability are certain, believers should cultivate taqwa now through fasting and consistent worship so they enter Ramadan prepared and transformed.
The khutbah in 7 steps
- Opens with prayers for ill community members and acknowledges communal hardship and death.
- Reflects on death, judgment, and the possibility that good deeds may be lost through wrongdoing.
- Defines taqwa as Allah-consciousness rooted in the heart and describes three levels of taqwa.
- Explains fasting as disciplining worldly desires and strengthening the soul.
- Highlights Ramadan’s virtues and urges preparation before the month begins.
- Distinguishes between fasting from food alone, fasting with ethical restraint, and fasting with a purified heart.
- Closes with practical guidance on intention, fasting, night prayer, Quran, charity, and self-assessment.
In the khateeb's words
“One day that will be you and me. As tough as that is to admit, as tough of a pill it is to swallow, it's the truth.”
“Taqwa is not an abaya, or a kufi, or a beard, or giving a khutbah.”
“So why do we practice and practice our coding and our interview skills and our resume and everything left and right and center but we don't practice for this blessed month this gift from Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.”
For the dinner table
The khateeb reminded us that people around us face many hardships and need our prayers and care. He asked us to remember that our lives will end and that we will answer to Allah for our deeds, including how we treat other people. He described taqwa as remembering Allah in our choices and caring about the condition of our hearts. Fasting, he explained, should help us leave harmful speech and behavior and work toward hearts free from jealousy and hatred. He encouraged us to prepare for Ramadan now through sincere intentions, fasting when we can, prayer, Quran, and charity. He also invited us to reflect honestly on whether Ramadan leaves us closer to Allah and with better habits that continue afterward.
- What could help you remember Allah before saying something when you feel angry?
- What small act of worship could our family practice together before Ramadan?
- What good habit would you like to keep long after Ramadan ends?
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