True taqwa begins in private
“The more that you remember Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, the easier it becomes for you not to sin.”
True taqwa means living with awareness that Allah sees us in private, resisting hidden sins, returning through sincere tawbah, and seeking help when needed.
The khutbah in 5 steps
- Defines Islam, iman, and ihsan, emphasizing worship with awareness that Allah sees us.
- Warns that private sins can expose a gap between public religiosity and private conduct, especially through smartphones.
- Uses Quranic passages and hadith to emphasize Allah’s complete knowledge and the reward for fearing Him unseen.
- Encourages repeated tawbah after relapse while warning against presuming forgiveness as permission to continue sinning.
- Calls for constant istighfar, community support for addiction, and striving to leave haram for halal.
In the khateeb's words
“but when it comes to ihsan to worship Allah as if He sees you as if you see Him and you know that He sees you”
“most of the people my brothers and sisters are going to be destroyed by the sins that we do in private”
“you need to seek help for it you need to make sure whether it is for your children whether it is for you”
“the more that you remember Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala the easier it becomes for you not to sin”
For the dinner table
The khutbah reminds us that faith is not only what people see; Allah also sees our private choices. Modern phones and constant access can make hidden sins easier, but Allah’s mercy remains open to anyone who sincerely returns. Tawbah means coming back to Allah with honesty, even after falling again, while refusing to treat forgiveness as permission to keep sinning. We should remember Allah often, seek trustworthy help when a sin becomes addictive, and work toward making our private lives better than our public lives.
- What does it mean to remember that Allah sees us when nobody else does?
- What is one healthy boundary that could make phone use safer?
- How can we help someone who keeps returning to the same mistake?
More on Repentance & taqwa
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2:40Islamic Association of · Flower Mound, TX · Oct 24, 2026Repentance begins a life of self-discipline“Whilst you are alive, whilst you are reading, whilst you are even sitting in the masjid now, you can do Tawba with Allah.”
I want to be quick to apologize.29:24Lighthouse · Temescal · North Oakland, CA · Oct 17, 2026Move steadily in life, rush to forgiveness