Hijrah means leaving sin for Allah
“When you enter the room, people remember Allah.”
True hijrah is the continual movement of the heart, actions, and character toward Allah by leaving sin, ignorance, extremism, disunity, harshness, and fear while cultivating repentance, moderation, knowledge, unity, kindness, courage, and contentment.
The khutbah in 7 steps
- Defines hijrah as the heart, actions, and tongue moving toward Allah, beyond physical migration.
- Explains hijrah as leaving something behind and continually returning through repentance.
- Urges purposeful worship, patience in obedience, moderation, mastery of religious basics, and practical good within one's capacity.
- Calls listeners to move from ignorance, sin, disunity, coarseness, grudges, hatred, gossip, and cowardice toward knowledge, repentance, unity, adab, kindness, truth, and bravery.
- Uses Imam Husayn's example to emphasize courage, dignity, and contentment over attachment to worldly life.
- Encourages listeners facing self-doubt through examples of Jalen Brunson, Vózinho, Musa, and Husayn.
- Closes with recommendations to fast Ashura, attend community programs, and keep striving toward Allah.
In the khateeb's words
“And so patience Is to do it Even when it's difficult That's number one”
“You should be a person That when you enter the room People remember Allah Without you even saying things You automatically elevate That gathering”
“get those people out of your life that are telling you that you are not good enough don't listen to them”
For the dinner table
Imam Refai described life as a journey of our hearts toward Allah, expressed through our words and actions. Moving forward means leaving harmful habits behind and returning to Allah through repentance whenever we fall short. He encouraged us to keep doing what is right even when it is difficult, learn the basics, and do the good available to us wherever we are. Our journey also includes bringing people together, showing respect, letting go of grudges, and steering conversations away from gossip. We can each choose a small, purposeful step toward Allah and ask Him for the courage and help to keep going.
- What is one habit you could replace with something that helps you feel closer to Allah?
- What good thing could our family do together for someone this week?
- What could you say when a conversation turns into gossip?
More on Repentance & taqwa
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