The Islamic calendarFrom the masjid's own video, Jan 23, 2026.
Sha'ban prepares the heart for Ramadan
“Ramadan is for us to act.”
In one sentence
Sha'ban should be treated as active spiritual preparation for Ramadan through deeper worship, heart-alignment, and remembering and serving those whom people overlook.
The khutbah in 6 steps
- Opens with praise, testimony, blessings upon the Prophet, and an exhortation to mindfulness of Allah.
- Frames Rajab, Sha'ban, and Ramadan as stages of planting, cultivation, and harvest.
- Uses Usama bin Zayd's report to explain the Prophet's increased fasting during the neglected month of Sha'ban.
- Extends remembering forgotten times to overlooked caretakers, family members, and people facing humanitarian crises.
- Connects Isra and Mi'raj, salah, and the qibla to aligning the heart with Allah.
- Calls listeners to prepare for Ramadan, maintain awareness beyond prayer, and act through remembrance and service.
Try this week
Use Sha'ban to prepare the heart for Ramadan through increased worship and fasting.
Remember overlooked people, including absent family members, community caretakers, and those facing crises, and make dua for them.
Reach out to forgotten people and be of service to them.
Carry mindfulness of Allah into family and community interactions, checking whether one's words and actions are pleasing to Allah.
Ask what the current moment calls you to do, then act rather than stopping at awareness.
Quotes
In the khateeb's words
“Sha'ban is like the seed that you irrigate and you water. Right? The seed, you think that it's not going to grow without proper cultivation.”
“We're a community that notices and that recognizes that there is injustice happening. Not just overseas, but also in our own neighborhoods.”
“Because Ramadan is the awakening. Ramadan is for us to act. Now we are preparing to act. Don't forget those that are forgotten.”
Talk about it at home
For the dinner table
The khateeb taught that Sha'ban is not a waiting room before Ramadan. He compared Rajab to planting, Sha'ban to watering, and Ramadan to receiving the fruit. He encouraged us to increase worship, prepare our hearts, and remember people and times that others overlook. That includes absent loved ones, community caretakers, and people suffering in places such as Sudan and Palestine. We should carry awareness of Allah beyond prayer, ask what each moment calls us to do, and serve others.
- What is one way we can prepare our hearts for Ramadan this week?
- Who is someone we have not contacted recently and could remember today?
- What good action might Allah be asking us to take in this moment?
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