Purify your heart before Ramadan
“We will never reach Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala except with a sound heart.”
As Ramadan approaches, the Isra and Mi'raj should be read as a roadmap to Allah: purify the heart through tawbah, use worshipful time well, follow the Prophet, establish salah, avoid sin, and remain firm in faith.
The khutbah in 6 steps
- Frames Sha'ban as preparation for Ramadan and introduces Isra and Mi'raj as a roadmap to Allah.
- Presents heart purification and sincere tawbah as the first step.
- Urges using quiet nighttime opportunities for dua, dhikr, and salah.
- Emphasizes following the Prophet and establishing salah as central to reaching Allah.
- Warns that backbiting, false accusations, riba, and other sins obstruct the journey.
- Calls for firmness in iman and adherence to Qur'an and Sunnah beyond Ramadan.
In the khateeb's words
“every single sin we perform eats away at our iman darkens our heart and puts a distance between us and Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala”
“we will never reach Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala except with a sound heart”
“we have yaqeen in the Quran and the sunnah of the prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam”
For the dinner table
Ramadan is approaching, and the khutbah encourages us to prepare now rather than wait for the month to begin. The journey of Isra and Mi'raj is presented as a roadmap to Allah: cleanse the heart, use quiet times for worship, follow the Prophet, pray well, avoid sins, and stay firm in faith. Sins such as backbiting, false accusations, and riba can distance us from Allah, but sincere repentance helps us keep moving. The goal is not a one-month burst of effort, but a way of life that continues beyond Ramadan. We can start this week with tawbah, timely salah, nighttime remembrance, and stronger commitment to Qur'an and Sunnah.
- What is one way we can make our hearts cleaner before Ramadan?
- Which quiet time could our family use for dua, dhikr, or salah?
- What helps us follow the Prophet when our desires pull us another way?
More on Repentance & taqwa
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