Repair broken ties before Ramadan
“It is you whom Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is speaking to.”
Believers should personally heed divine guidance by auditing and repairing unresolved relationships before Ramadan, because reconciliation protects faith and can outweigh voluntary worship.
The khutbah in 5 steps
- Treat Qur'anic commands as personally addressed rather than deflecting them onto others.
- Use Rajab to remember the sanctity of life, wealth, honor, and relationships.
- Recognize reconciliation as greater than voluntary prayer, fasting, and charity.
- Mediate others' disputes without validating grudges or adding fuel to conflict.
- Follow prophetic examples by responding to offense with generosity and restraint.
In the khateeb's words
“They take it as a personal message sent to them. It is you whom Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is speaking to.”
“But you have failed to do one thing that could have made everything count.”
“If the news of their death reaches you today. How would you feel about it?”
“To help people reconcile. Or to reconcile your disagreements. To mend your broken ties. To mediate. To let go.”
For the dinner table
Sheikh Mohammed Faqih reminded us to listen to Allah's guidance as a message for ourselves, rather than immediately thinking about someone else's mistakes. He described Sha'ban as a time to examine our actions, repair relationships, and prepare our hearts for Ramadan. He encouraged us to take the first step toward peace and explained that helping others reconcile is a deeply valuable act of worship. When someone shares their hurt, we can listen with care and gently encourage a way forward without making the disagreement worse. Through stories of generosity in response to insults, he reminded us to learn from our role models while making clear that kindness does not excuse bad behavior.
- When advice makes you think of someone else's mistake, how could you first look for something you can learn?
- What could you say to take the first step toward making peace after an argument?
- How could you comfort an upset friend without making them angrier at the other person?
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