Use the ten days to earn forgiveness
“You should seize the opportunity to fill your record with whatever good deed you can do.”
Allah gives believers repeated opportunities, above all the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah culminating in Arafah and Eid, to multiply good deeds and win forgiveness, so seize them through prayer, fasting, takbir, charity, and the udhiyah rather than wasting them.
The khutbah in 8 steps
- Opening praise and testimony (Arabic), citing Allah's countless blessings and the greatness of the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah
- Correcting the misconception that Allah wants to punish: He multiplies good deeds ten to seven hundred fold and counts a bad deed only as one
- Refuting the idea that reward is only in the hereafter or that piety means poverty/suffering, via Surah an-Nahl and the story of the three men who asked about the Prophet's worship
- Personal anecdote: choosing to give this khutbah on his day off after his daughter's graduation, no day off from da'wah; seize every chance to fill your record
- The reward of the righteous on Judgment Day (Surah al-Haqqah: receiving the book in the right hand)
- Second khutbah: practical program, five daily prayers in jama'ah, fasting the remaining days, fasting Arafah (Tuesday) for two years' forgiveness, takbir meant sincerely, charity, and the udhiyah sent to the needy
- Why Arafah matters: the Prophet's farewell sermon proclaimed human equality and sanctity of blood and property; condemnation of the San Diego killings and of media double standards toward Muslims
- Closing du'a for the murdered victims as shuhada, for families, the sick, and the congregation
In the khateeb's words
“you should seize the opportunity to fill your record with whatever good deed you can do”
“And also fast. If even you missed the first few days, you still have some days left. You could fast them. You could start from tomorrow.”
“Your sins will be forgiven for two full years by fasting just one day which is Tuesday. So do it.”
“killing just one person as if you kill the whole humanity and we all condemn what happened in San Diego”
For the dinner table
Today's khutbah was a reminder that Allah is not waiting to punish us, He loves us and keeps giving us chances to get closer to Him. The imam taught that when we do one good deed, Allah multiplies it ten times, seven hundred times, or even more, while a bad deed only counts as one. He said being a Muslim doesn't mean choosing to live poor or miserable, Allah promises a good life in this world too for those who believe and do good. He shared that he came to give the khutbah on his own day off, because there is no day off from doing good and calling people to Allah. He encouraged everyone to pray the five daily prayers on time, fast the Day of Arafah, which erases two whole years of sins, give sadaqah, and offer the udhiyah for families who rarely taste meat. Finally, he reminded us that every human life is sacred, that killing one person is like killing all of humanity, and he prayed for those recently killed and their families.
- If Allah multiplies one good deed up to seven hundred times, what is one small good deed you could start doing every day?
- The imam gave up his day off to help others, what is something you could do this week even when you don't feel like it?
- Fasting one day on Arafah erases two years of sins, does that sound like a good deal, and would you try fasting it?
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