Repentance & taqwaFrom the masjid's own video, Dec 26, 2025.

Repent and guard your heart in Rajab

“I want to advise myself and you all during this sacred month of Rajab to stay away from wronging ourselves.”

The khateeb, at 20:24

In one sentence

Because Rajab is a sacred month, Muslims should avoid major sins and wrongdoing, repent sincerely when they fail, and purify their hearts of hatred, dishonesty, jealousy, and envy.

The khutbah in 6 steps

  1. Introduces Rajab as one of the four sacred months and warns against wrongdoing during it.
  2. Defines wrongdoing as disobedience and abandoning obedience, with greater seriousness in sacred months.
  3. Identifies shirk as the greatest wrongdoing and reviews several major sins.
  4. Explains avoiding major sins, the expiation of lesser sins, and the conditions of sincere repentance.
  5. Relates the story of a man promised Paradise because his heart lacked hatred, dishonesty, jealousy, and envy.
  6. Closes with supplication, guidance to straighten prayer rows, and congregational prayer recitations.
Try this week
Avoid major sins and other acts of disobedience during Rajab.
Make sincere repentance by stopping the sin, regretting it, resolving not to repeat it, and restoring anyone’s rights.
Remove hatred, dishonesty, jealousy, and envy toward fellow Muslims.
Maintain the prayers and Jumuah while avoiding major sins.
Straighten prayer rows, fill gaps, and align foot to foot and shoulder to shoulder.
Sources the khateeb cited
Quran 9:36The four sacred months and the prohibition against wronging oneself therein.
Sahih al-BukhariThe hadith identifying the four sacred months, including Rajab.
Quran 31:13Shirk is described as the greatest wrongdoing.
Quran 4:48Shirk is warned against, and Islam is presented as the accepted religion.
Quran 3:85-86Shirk is warned against, and Islam is presented as the accepted religion.
Sahih al-BukhariThe seven destructive sins and the greatest major sins are enumerated.
Quran 4:31Avoiding major sins brings forgiveness for lesser sins.
Sahih MuslimThe five prayers, Jumuahs, and Ramadans expiate sins when major sins are avoided.
Quran 66:8Believers are commanded to make sincere repentance.
Musnad AhmadA man promised Paradise is characterized by freedom from hatred, dishonesty, jealousy, and envy.
Quotes

In the khateeb's words

“I want to advise myself and you all during this sacred month of Rajab to stay away from wronging ourselves.”
ICA East Orange · East Orange, NJ
Play from 20:24
“the scholars of Islam they say that the sincere repentance is when you stop committing the sin you feel sad that you committed the sin”
ICA East Orange · East Orange, NJ
Play from 28:45
“if you had wronged someone then you should rectify that affair”
ICA East Orange · East Orange, NJ
Play from 29:04
Talk about it at home

For the dinner table

Rajab is one of Islam’s four sacred months, so we should be especially careful not to wrong ourselves through disobedience. The khutbah teaches that the greatest wrongdoing is shirk, while also warning against many other major sins. If we fall into sin, sincere repentance means stopping, feeling regret, resolving not to return, and repairing harm done to others. We should also keep our hearts free from hatred, dishonesty, jealousy, and envy toward other Muslims.

  1. What is one change you could make during Rajab to avoid wronging yourself?
  2. What does sincere repentance look like after someone hurts another person?
  3. How can our family practice having less jealousy and more goodwill?