16:20 The first thing that a…28:21 These are the times of…29:02 When you finish…
Prayer & worshipFrom the masjid's own video, Nov 7, 2025.

Protect salah at its appointed times

ICA East Orange

“Pray the salah in the masajid and pray the salah in your homes.”

The khateeb, at 28:21

Watch the khutbahFamily kit
In one sentence

The khutbah argues that salah must be protected as a believer’s central duty by observing its divinely fixed times and preserving both congregational obligations and home-based voluntary worship, especially witr, according to the Quran and Sunnah.

The khutbah in 6 steps

  1. Opens with taqwa, Quran, and Sunnah, urging Muslims to read the Quran.
  2. Establishes salah as the first deed assessed and presents Quranic evidence for fixed prayer times.
  3. Explains the prayer windows through Jibril’s instruction to the Prophet.
  4. Encourages praying obligatory salah in the masjid and voluntary salah at home.
  5. Explains witr, its timing, possible rak‘ah counts, and recommended recitations.
  6. Closes by emphasizing the Prophet’s example and straightening the congregational rows.
Try this week
Read the Quran regularly.
Pray the five obligatory prayers at their prescribed times.
If a prayer is missed through forgetfulness or sleep, pray it immediately upon remembering.
Pray obligatory salah in the masjid and include voluntary salah in the home.
Establish witr, choosing an authentically reported format such as one, three, five, seven, nine, or eleven rak‘ahs.
Straighten the congregational rows and close gaps before prayer.
Sources the khateeb cited
Quran 4:103Used to establish that prayer is prescribed for believers at specific times.
Quran 17:78-79Used to explain the daily prayer schedule and the importance of night prayer.
Quran 33:21Used to present the Prophet as the best example for worship.
Musnad AhmadUsed to explain that salah is the first deed for which a servant is held accountable and that voluntary prayer can complete deficiencies.
Sahih al-BukhariUsed to identify prayer performed at its proper time as among the deeds most beloved to Allah.
Sahih MuslimUsed to teach that a missed prayer should be performed when remembered and that voluntary prayer should also be offered at home.
Quotes

In the khateeb's words

“The first thing that a servant will be held accountable for on the day of resurrection is his salah.”
ICA East Orange · East Orange, NJ
Play from 16:20
“These are the times of the salah. Pray the salah in the masajid and pray the salah in your homes.”
ICA East Orange · East Orange, NJ
Play from 28:21
“When you finish praying the salah in your masjid, then give a portion of your salah in your houses. Because indeed Allah will make in your houses from your salah good for you.”
ICA East Orange · East Orange, NJ
Play from 29:02
Talk about it at home

For the dinner table

The khutbah reminded us that prayer is one of the most important responsibilities Allah has given us. Each prayer has a proper time, and we should try to protect those times even when our schedules change. We should pray the obligatory prayers in the masjid when possible, while also bringing voluntary prayer into our homes. Witr is an important night prayer with several authentically reported formats. The Prophet’s example helps us worship Allah with consistency and humility.

  1. Which prayer is easiest or hardest for you to protect on time, and why?
  2. What could our family do to make prayer at home more regular?
  3. Which witr format would you like to learn or practice?
Where it was given

The masjid

Islamic Center of America215 N Oraton Pkwy, East Orange, NJ 07017ArchiveAll khutbahs at ICA East Orange54 khutbahs
Keep listening

More on Prayer & worship

All on this topic
The remembrance of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is something very powerful.9:18ISCN · Corona, CA · Oct 24, 2026Knowing Allah makes worship joyfulAli Khan Center · Suitland, MD · Oct 10, 2026Give the weekly prayer your full attention“Don't just time it so you get maybe five-minute kutbah and a five-minute salat, and you're out in 10 minutes.”Don't set your floor at your peak time, like in Ramadan.19:52Al-Noor · Santa Clara, CA · Oct 24, 2026Build a sustainable spiritual floor