10:36 You don't train the…11:36 The practice of jihad…16:17 Every single good…
Repentance & taqwaFrom the masjid's own video, Feb 3, 2026.

Sha'ban trains the soul for Ramadan

Masjid Sadar

“Every single good habit that you cultivate in Sha'ban within these last couple of weeks of Sha'ban will have an impact in Ramadan.”

The khateeb, at 16:17

Watch the khutbahFamily kit
In one sentence

Jihad al-nafs is the daily discipline of choosing spiritual growth and obedience to Allah over lower desires, using Sha'ban to prepare the soul for Ramadan.

The khutbah in 7 steps

  1. Introduces jihad al-nafs as striving against one's lower self.
  2. Uses Umar's humility and self-accountability as an example.
  3. Connects Quranic purification of the soul with individual and communal success.
  4. Explains how training the nafs closes openings exploited by Shaytan.
  5. Gives practical examples involving sleep, speech, forgiveness, and self-restraint.
  6. Presents Sha'ban as Ramadan's training period and assigns daily preparation.
  7. Closes with reminders about charity, prayer for the ill, and mosque announcements.
Try this week
Wake up instead of taking extra sleep when a higher obligation calls.
Speak truth against falsehood when the lower self urges silence.
Stay quiet during heated arguments when ego wants to retaliate.
Call or message someone to reconcile and forgive them.
Restrain the tongue, eyes, desires, and ego daily.
Use Sha'ban to improve sleep, fasting, Quran reading, and spiritual habits before Ramadan.
Give charity through money, kind words, encouragement, or service.
Sources the khateeb cited
Surah 91Used to explain the soul's moral capacities and the importance of purification.
Surah 2Used to encourage charity by emphasizing multiplied reward and freedom from fear or grief.
Quotes

In the khateeb's words

“You don't train the shaitan, you train your nafs. You train yourself.”
Masjid Sadar · Parlin, NJ
Play from 10:36
“The practice of jihad and nafs revolves around this idea of making yourself uncomfortable for the sake of Allah , embracing discomfort for the sake of Allah .”
Masjid Sadar · Parlin, NJ
Play from 11:36
“Every single good habit that you cultivate in Sha'ban within these last couple of weeks of Sha'ban will have an impact in Ramadan.”
Masjid Sadar · Parlin, NJ
Play from 16:17
Talk about it at home

For the dinner table

The khutbah explains jihad al-nafs as the daily work of choosing what is spiritually higher over what the lower self wants. It encourages humility, self-accountability, patience in arguments, forgiveness, and restraint of the tongue, eyes, desires, and ego. Sha'ban is described as Ramadan's training period, so the habits we build now can shape the quality of Ramadan. The speaker also reminds us that charity includes kind words and helpful service, not only money. The khutbah closes with prayers for sick community members and their families.

  1. What is one small uncomfortable good deed you could choose this week?
  2. How can we prepare one habit together before Ramadan?
  3. What kind word or helpful action could count as charity today?
Where it was given

The masjid

Masjid Sadar & Community Center216 Ernston Rd, Parlin, NJ 08859Jumu'ah 1:00 PM & 1:45 PMArchiveAll khutbahs at Masjid Sadar69 khutbahs
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