A new year calls us to account
“Are you spending your years in pursuit of your real purpose?”
The passing of a new Hijri year should awaken believers to Allah’s purposeful creation, the finitude and accountability of their time, and a renewed sincerity to live for Him.
The khutbah in 6 steps
- Defines taqwa and uses the sun, moon, night, and day as signs of Allah’s oneness and purposeful creation.
- Explains Imam al-Ghazali’s cosmological argument that time and the universe had a beginning and therefore require a cause beyond time.
- Connects measuring time with mortality, the Day of Judgment, and accountability for how one spends life.
- Presents the lunar Hijri calendar as an expression of Islamic identity, fitrah, and submission to Allah’s ordering.
- Recounts the companions’ choice of Hijrah and Muharram as the calendar’s starting points, symbolizing dignity, sincerity, and renewal.
- Applies the hadith of intention to Hijrah and closes with prayers for sincerity, forgiveness, steadfastness, and the oppressed.
In the khateeb's words
“There is a point why you're here. Are you spending your years in pursuit of your real purpose?”
“And every year that passes, He wants you to stop and reflect. And every month that passes, He wants you to stop and reflect.”
“If I'm asking you to measure time, it's because your time will come to an end. And I will ask you, how did you spend your time?”
For the dinner table
The khutbah teaches that the passing of a new Hijri year is a chance to pause and remember that Allah created time and our lives with purpose. Every month and year that passes brings us closer to a final meeting with Allah, when we will answer for how we spent our time. The lunar calendar reminds Muslims of their shared identity and of Allah’s control over the beginnings and endings of sacred times. The Hijrah also teaches that sincere intention matters, because actions receive their value from why we do them. We are encouraged to begin the year with repentance, renewed sincerity, meaningful prayer, and a commitment to live more fully for Allah.
- What is one good intention you want to carry into this Hijri year?
- Where do you notice time passing, and how can you use it well?
- What could living completely for Allah look like in an ordinary week?
More on the Islamic calendar
7:52Dar Alnoor · Manassas, VA · Jul 11, 2026Use summer to grow closer to Allah“This opportunity can make me a great Muslim, a great human being, or it can make me a very bad person, depending on how we use the summer.”
Never miss a salah during this free time.16:04Muslim Neighbour Nexus · Mississauga, ON · Jul 25, 2026Use summer time for what matters
EPIC · Plano, TX · Jul 3, 2026Honor Muharram through fasting and justice“We cannot even enter into Jannah if I have violated someone else's rights.”